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Summary: The International Osteoporosis Foundation (IOF) Capture the Fracture® Campaign with the Fragility Fracture Network (FFN) and National Osteoporosis Foundation (NOF) has developed eleven patient-level key performance indicators (KPIs) for fracture liaison services (FLSs) to guide quality improvement. Introduction: Fracture Liaison Services (FLSs) are recommended worldwide to reduce fracture risk after a sentinel fracture. Given not every FLS is automatically effective, the IOF Capture the Fracture working group has developed and implemented the Best Practice Framework to assess the organisational components of an FLS. We have now developed a complimentary KPI set that extends this assessment of performance to the patient level. Methods: The Capture the Fracture working group in collaboration with the Fragility Fracture Network Secondary Fragility Fracture Special Interest Group and National Osteoporosis Foundation adapted existing metrics from the UK-based Fracture Liaison Service Database Audit to develop a patient-level KPI set for FLSs. Results: Eleven KPIs were selected. The proportion of patients: with non-spinal fractures; with spine fractures (detected clinically and radiologically); assessed for fracture risk within 12 weeks of sentinel fracture; having DXA assessment within 12 weeks of sentinel fracture; having falls risk assessment; recommended anti-osteoporosis medication; commenced of strength and balance exercise intervention within 16 weeks of sentinel fracture; monitored within 16 weeks of sentinel fracture; started anti-osteoporosis medication within 16 weeks of sentinel fracture; prescribed anti-osteoporosis medication 52 weeks after sentinel fracture. The final KPI measures data completeness for each of the other KPIs. For these indicators, levels of achievement were set at the < 50%, 50–80% and > 80% levels except for treatment recommendation where a level of 50% was used. Conclusion: This KPI set compliments the existing Best Practice Framework to support FLSs to examine their own performance using patient-level data. By using this KPI set for local quality improvement cycles, FLSs will be able to efficiently realise the full potential of secondary fracture prevention and improved clinical outcomes for their local populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Information about conferences related to English language teaching is presented. Topics at the Independent Learning and Association Conference 2009 include learner autonomy, merging of skill, and independent learning. Topics at the 19th Annual Meeting of the European Second Language Association (EUROSLA) include bilingualism, sociolinguistic competence, and motivation. Topics at the 2009 Second Language Research Forum (SLRF) include variable interaction, finding a niche, and dialectics.

A summary of systematic reviews and meta-analyses addressing the benefits and risks of dietary protein intakes for bone health in adults suggests that dietary protein levels even above the current RDA may be beneficial in reducing bone loss and hip fracture risk, provided calcium intakes are adequate. Several systematic reviews and meta-analyses have addressed the benefits and risks of dietary protein intakes for bone health in adults. This narrative review of the literature summarizes and synthesizes recent systematic reviews and meta-analyses and highlights key messages. Adequate supplies of dietary protein are required for optimal bone growth and maintenance of healthy bone. Variation in protein intakes within the “normal” range accounts for 2-4% of BMD variance in adults. In older people with osteoporosis, higher protein intake (≥ 0.8-g/kg body weight/day, i.e., above the current RDA) is associated with higher BMD, a slower rate of bone loss, and reduced risk of hip fracture, provided that dietary calcium intakes are adequate. Intervention with dietary protein supplements attenuate age-related BMD decrease and reduce bone turnover marker levels, together with an increase in IGF-I and a decrease in PTH. There is no evidence that diet-derived acid load is deleterious for bone health. Thus, insufficient dietary protein intakes may be a more severe problem than protein excess in the elderly. Long-term, well-controlled randomized trials are required to further assess the influence of dietary protein intakes on fracture risk. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents the consensus paper of the Austrian Associations of Intensive Care Medicine on therapy limitation and therapy discontinuation in intensive care units. The goals and limitations of the Association in presenting the paper are presented. It notes that the decision regarding the treatment should be reached by the physician in charge in cooperation with the critical care team and with several considerations including the will of the patient.

Information about The Society for Pediatric Radiology (SPR) and its developments is presented. Topics discussed include an overview of SPR, its organizational structure, continuing medical education, previous and future meetings, officers and directors, its technologies, and its awardees and honorees.

Provides an overview of selected papers that deals with different aspects of tool data integration techniques from a meta-modeling point of view, presented at the European Software Engineering Conference 2003 Workshop on Tool Integration in System Development, which took place on September 1-2, 2003 in Helsinki, Finland. Survey of model integration and transformation approaches; Suggested systematic approach for the development of the architecture of integrated development environments; List of sessions where the papers were presented.

To determine the rate at which abstracts orally presented at the ECR 2000 were published between 2000-2004, and to identify predictive factors of publication and differences between abstracts and subsequently published papers. Specific search profiles were devised to retrieve items from the Medline database. From 1020 abstracts originating from 39 countries, 479 articles (publication rate 47%) were subsequently published in 139 Medline-indexed journals, most frequently in European Radiology (14%). Country of origin statistically (P<0.0001) influences the subsequent publication of the abstract, Germany having the highest number of presentations (n=343) and derived articles (publication rate 54%). Abstracts presented by authors from the USA (n=21) had the highest publication rate (76%). Most papers were published within the first 3 years after the meeting, as original articles and in English-language journals. Both the study sample size and the first author frequently changed. Chest and cardiac studies had the highest publication rates (56%, both). In summary, abstracts presented at the ECR 2000 had a high publication rate in Medline-indexed journals. Country of origin and subspecialty of presentation appeared to influence subsequent full publication. More articles were published in European Radiology than in other journal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article provides information on several of the nominees for the Society of Polymer Science, Japan Award for the Outstanding Paper in Polymer Journal 2005. Papers nominated include "Molecular Dynamics Study of the Adhesion between End-grafted Polymer Films," by Hiroshi Morita and "Room-Temperature Polycondensation of Dicarboxylic Acids and Diols Catalyzed by Water-Stable Lewis Acids," by Akinori Takasu .

The article presents information on European Control Conferences that took place during 1991-2001. First European Control Conference was held in Grenoble, France in July 1991. Noteworthy is a high percentage of screened papers, which seems to be due to the fact that this was the first conference and a substantial part of papers were preplanned to some extent because they were presented at the 28 so-called invited sessions. The Seventh European Control Conference took place in Cambridge, Great Britain on September 14, 2003. The European Union recently pays much attention to increasing the standing of the European researchers in the international science and engineering. This was the main goal of organizing in 1990 the European Union Control Association.

The paper provides an interpretive guide to the Special Issue commemorating the 50th anniversary of the Western Regional Science Association. The Special Issue contains 13 papers arranged into four groups (1) Perspectives on the Western Regional Science Association, (2) Assessment with a view to the future (3) Current topics-regional issues, and (4) Current topics-urban issues. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Presents several criteria that will guide research published as official statements of the American College of Gastroenterology. Importance of papers published as official statements of a national organization; Purpose in publishing an official statement of an organization; Processes involved for the designation of research as an official statement.

Comments on a paper about the relevant lessons from the U.S. Federal Convention of 1787 in the context of the role of institutions in political economy and the performance of economies. Reasons for studying institutions; Path of historical change in terms of the way in which institutions evolved through time; Similarity of the sequential pattern of institutional evolution with the way in which the evolution of common law is perceived.

Information about the position paper discussed at the symposium on education for the practice of clinical social work by the National Federation of Societies for Clinical Social Work is presented. It emphasizes on clinicians' concern of meeting the needs of training personnel in public welfare and in maintaining high standards of clinical practice. Details related to the aims and values of clinical social work are cited.

Determines the topics covered in the 2002 Annual Meeting papers of the Royal Netherlands Economic Association. Correlation between housing prices and household savings; Accounts on the macroeconomic perspective of pension savings; Role of wealth in the economy.

This article focuses on careers in journalism. A staff position as a science journalist is as rare as it is coveted. In fact, many more opportunities exist for public information officers or freelance writers. Whatever the position, the ability to communicate is the common denominator. People who write about science for a living fall into two broad categories. There's science journalism and science writing, and those are two different things, says Deb Blum, president of the U.S. National Association of Science Writers (NASW), which promotes both roles. Blum says that journalism is undergoing a revival that reflects an upturn in U.S. advertising dollars.

In this article, the author opines on the manipulative instruction proposed by professional organizations, educators, and researchers for effective classroom teaching technique. The author opines on the manipulatives used in formal learning contexts are provided with representational properties, learning conditions need to be carefully examined to determine appropriateness of a strategy, and instructional guidance are provided for learners to interact with manipulatives.

An editorial is presented on performance-based accountability (PBA) systems and the performance metrics. Topics include perceiving the system as unfair despite the high stakes, market competition, and similar circumstances; and composed of the actors and organizations involved in the educational enterprise including government, quasi-governmental, and nongovernmental organizations (NGOs).

Presents a call for papers for the 27th NATO/CCMS International Technical Meeting on Air Pollution Modelling and Its Application on October 25-29, 2004 in Canada.

Aim: The aim of this study is to provide a synthesis of prior research of estimates of the willingness to pay (WTP) for chronic disease treatment and examines the impact of economic and political institutions, cultures, and other important factors on WTP. Subject and method: The paper applies meta-regression analysis to 1053 estimates of WTP from 188 medical treatment studies from 40 countries. Results: The results suggest that patients assign higher values for medical treatment in more capitalistic and more democratic countries. Cultural traits also appear to matter, with higher WTP in societies characterized by individualism and indulgence. Further, disease types matter. Compared to cancer, WTP is lower for diabetes, obesity, asthma, and heart disease treatment, but higher for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis therapy. GDP per capita is positively associated with WTP. The higher public health expenditure is in a country, the higher citizens value health benefits. If individuals expect to live longer, then they will spend less on their health. The published studies estimate a lower value than unpublished studies. Conclusion: This paper presents a comprehensive synthesis of estimates of chronically ill patients' WTP for medical treatment and identifies the key factors determining WTP through a meta-regression analysis. The main finding is that economic and political institutions, cultural traits, the types of disease, socio-economic characteristics, and valuation methods all influence WTP estimates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduces several papers on proof theory at a colloqium of the Association for Symbolic Logic held in Haifa, Israel in August 1995.

The article reports on the study conducted by Curtis Marean, an archeologist at the Arizona State University, regarding modern man's earliest seafood diet in Tempe, Arizona. Result shows that modern individuals integrated shellfish into their diets and it is proven on the evidences gathered by Marean and his team. Marean conducted his research on the caves of early modern humans in South Africa and they found mollusc in sediments on the cave floor that was dated around 164,000 years ago. Such findings made him conclude that shellfish consumption already exist thousands of years ago.

Introduces the Workshop on Foundations of Computer Security and Verification Workshop at the Federated Logic Conference in Copenhagen, Denmark. Significance of computer security as computer systems have more and more effect on various aspects on human life; Increase in interest in logic-based foundations for computer security and in formal analysis methods; Importance of formal approaches in the development of safety and security critical systems.

This article is a report on the status of minorities and women in sociology. In 1971, at the request of the American Sociological Council, participation by women and blacks in sociology was first assessed. That report affords a base for adding more data to assess the changes, if any, in the degree of participation by minority and women sociologists in the opportunity structure of the discipline. The concern with minorities in enlarged this year to include data on Asian Americans, Chicanos, American Indians, and Puerto Ricans, as well as with black sociologists. Along with women, these groups represent the focus of attention of two active committees formed by the ASA Council: the Committee on the Status of Racial and Ethnic Minorities in the Profession, and the Committee on the Status of Women in the Profession. The level of response, along with problems of definition, involving comparability of categories, indicates that this report may best serve as a working paper suggesting questions for more refined research. Hopefully, also, it will stimulate cooperation between the ASA and all departments of sociology to develop more reliable and valid accounting procedures so that better data on minorities and women may be routinely collected in the future. This hope is based on the assumption that facts about the number of minorities and women in sociology will promote their participation and enhance the quality of the entire sociological enterprise.

Task Force on 'Clinical Algorithms for Fracture Risk' commissioned by the American Society for Bone and Mineral Research (ASBMR) Professional Practice Committee has recommended that FRAX® models in the US do not include adjustment for race and ethnicity. This position paper finds that an agnostic model would unfairly discriminate against the Black, Asian and Hispanic communities and recommends the retention of ethnic and race-specific FRAX models for the US, preferably with updated data on fracture and death hazards. In contrast, the use of intervention thresholds based on a fixed bone mineral density unfairly discriminates against the Black, Asian and Hispanic communities in the US. This position of the Working Group on Epidemiology and Quality of Life of the International Osteoporosis Foundation (IOF) is endorsed both by the IOF and the European Society for Clinical and Economic Aspects of Osteoporosis, Osteoarthritis and Musculoskeletal Diseases (ESCEO). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This position paper of the International Osteoporosis Foundation reports the findings of an IOF Commission to consider to recommend rules of partnership with scientists belonging to a country which is currently responsible for an armed conflict, anywhere in the world. The findings and recommendations have been adopted unanimously by the Board of IOF. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper is about when associations, and in particular associations that are part of the state, should be treated as legal persons. I distinguish two forms of association – those that render coherent the agency of their members and those that are group agents – and argue that only the latter should be treated as persons. Following this, I discuss the conditions under which associations that are part of the state can legitimately be group agents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Presents an update on the field of gastroenterology as of January 1967. Schedule of meetings of the American College of Gastroenterology; Winners in the 1966 Roger Awards contest; Election of auxiliary officers of the college.

The article reports that the Industrial Organization Society's Best Paper/Younger Scholar Award has been conferred on Helder Vasconcelos for his paper, "Entry Effects on Cartel Stability and Joint Executive Committee," which appeared in the May 2004 issue of the journal "Review of Industrial Organization." The paper extends the well known Green and Porter cartel model to consider entry, allowing the incumbent firms to either punish or accommodate entry when it occurs. The econometric results support the model's prediction that the probability of a price war increases with an increase in the number of firms in the cartel.

The editor discusses developments concerning the "Mine Water and the Environment" journal in 2015. Topics covered include the expansion of the journal, higher number of papers submitted, additional paper to each issue in 2016 and 2017, and access of International Mine Water Association (IMWA) members to the journal. He also notes that papers included in this issue cover various aspects of mine water geochemistry and acknowledges those who have reviewed papers in 2015.

Summary: This position paper reviews how the National Bone Health Alliance (NBHA) will execute a project to help assure health professionals of the clinical utility of bone turnover markers; the current clinical approaches concerning osteoporosis and the status and use of bone turnover markers in the USA; the rationale for focusing this effort around two specific bone turnover markers; the need to standardize bone marker sample collection procedures, reference ranges, and bone turnover marker assays in clinical laboratories; and the importance of harmonization for future research of bone turnover markers. Introduction: Osteoporosis is a major global health problem, with the prevalence and incidence of osteoporosis for at-risk populations estimated to be 44 million Americans. The potential of bone markers as an additional tool for health care professionals to improve patient outcomes and impact morbidity and mortality is crucial in providing better health care and addressing rising health care costs. This need to advance the field of bone turnover markers has been recognized by a number of organizations, including the International Osteoporosis Foundation (IOF), National Osteoporosis Foundation, International Federation of Clinical Chemistry, and Laboratory Medicine (IFCC), and the NBHA. Methods: This position paper elucidates how this project will standardize bone turnover marker sample collection procedures in the USA, establish a USA reference range for one bone formation (serum procollagen type I N propeptide, s-PINP) and one bone resorption (serum C-terminal telopeptide of type I collagen, s-CTX) marker, and standardize bone turnover marker assays used in clinical laboratories. This effort will allow clinicians from the USA to have confidence in their use of bone turnover markers to help monitor osteoporosis treatment and assess future fracture risk. This project builds on the recommendations of the IOF/IFCC Bone Marker Standards Working Group by developing USA reference standards for s-PINP and s-CTX, the markers identified as most promising for use as reference markers. Results: The goals of this project will be realized through the NBHA and will include its governmental, academic, for-profit, and non-profit sector stakeholders as well as major academic and commercial laboratories. Upon completion, a parallel effort will be pursued to make bone turnover marker measurements reliable and accepted by all health care professionals for facilitating treatment decisions and ultimately be reimbursed by all health insurance payers. Conclusions: Successful completion of this project will help assure health professionals from the USA of the clinical utility of bone turnover markers and ties in with the parallel effort of the IOF/IFCC to develop worldwide bone turnover reference ranges. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract A personal reminiscence of the events surrounding the establishment of Tertiary Education and Management (TEAM), the journal of the European Association for Institutional Research EAIR, the European Higher Education Society and its development over its first decade, by the founding Editor, at the time of his retirement from the post. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This position paper of the International Osteoporosis Foundation (IOF) and the European Society for Clinical and Economic Aspects of Osteoporosis, Osteoarthritis and Musculoskeletal Diseases (ESCEO) addresses the rationale for separate diagnostic and intervention thresholds in osteoporosis. We conclude that the current BMD-based diagnostic criteria for osteoporosis be retained whilst clarity is brought to bear on the distinction between diagnostic and intervention thresholds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Patient Electronic Health Records (EHRs) contain valuable clinical data that is useful for medical research and public health inquires. However, patient privacy regulation and improper resource sharing risks limit access to EHR medical data for research and public health purposes. In this paper, we introduce an end-to-end security solution that addresses both concerns and facilitates the sharing of patient EHR data over an unsecured third-party server using a leveled homomorphic encryption (LHE) scheme. Time testing for aggregating queries and linear computations was carried out using an HPE ProLiant DL580 Gen 10 server with an Intel Xeon Platinum 8280 Processor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article reflects on the publications of the "Journal of Agricultural and Environmental Ethics." The periodical publishes the selected and the revised papers from the European Society for Agricultural and Food Ethics and Congresses. Previous publications were mentioned including the publications of selected papers from several EurSafe congress, which were held worldwide. A total of 80 papers were presented at the 5th EurSafe congress, however only the two most important issues were published.

Focuses on the 5th European Biophysical Societies Association (EBSA) and the 15th International Union of Pure and Applied Biophysics International Biophysics Congress which will be held in Montpellier, France on August 27-September 1, 2005. Significance of the congress; Organizing committee of the congress; Relationship of the "European Biophysics Journal" with EBSA.

In this paper, I review all previously published organizational ecology research which utilizes continuous dependent variables. I unearth twenty-one such studies, half of which were published within the past four years. The broadening array of dependent variables in this field is a most welcome development. However, each of these papers has at least one methodological limitation, in specification of cross-unit effects and/or controls for autocorrelation. Perhaps the most serious problem is the assertion that the fixed effects research design solves the problem of autocorrelation. I demonstrate that this assertion is untrue. I conclude with advice on the proper way to model continuous dependent variables in organizational ecology research, as follows: (1) Consider omitting all organizations which do not exist for more time periods than the number of independent variables. (2) Test for autocorrelation, report the results, and correct for autocorrelation if the test indicates that it is a problem. (3) Use a fixed effects model, and justify it based on the nonrandomness of the data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article describes the Research Symposium, a bi-annual event designed to draw the best minds within the Association for Communications and Technology (AECT), and elsewhere, together for an intensive intellectual exchange of ideas on a focused topic that would culminate in the publication of a Symposium Proceedings and AECT white paper. The symposium format requires all papers to be submitted and shared with all the participants two months prior to the actual meeting date for the symposium. Each paper author would facilitate a session that would last approximately 90 minutes.

The article provides information about the 2nd Tokyo Conference on Argumentation which will be held from August 3 to 5, 2004, in Tokyo, Japan. The conference will be sponsored by the Japan Debate Association (JDA). The conference is designed to encourage exchanges of views on the theory, practice and instruction of argumentation across the disciplines. Potential topics of interest include: argumentation and rhetoric, forensic pedagogy, the philosophy and psychology of reasoning, practical studies, and studies of historical argumentative texts. This conference will draw up to forty leading scholars in argumentation and debate from all over the world.

Regional organisations play a central role in coordinating regional climate change adaptation responses across small island developing states, 58 countries that are particularly vulnerable to climate change and its impacts. The effectiveness of these organisations in coordinating adaptation efforts is underexplored in the academic literature, and this paper helps to fill the gap. By developing the Framework for Assessing Regional Organisations Coordinating Climate Change Adaptation, it qualitatively assesses the adaptation-related inputs, projects/programmes and outputs of the Caribbean Community Climate Change Centre, the Secretariat of the Pacific Community and the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme. This assessment is enriched by data gathered through interviews with national and regional climate change and development officials in the Caribbean and Pacific. It finds that regional organisations are more effective with respect to their adaptation-related inputs and outputs, but are less effective in coordinating adaptation projects/programmes. It recommends that, in addition to differentiating organisational mandates, regional organisations should focus on resolving the major climate-related information deficit issues, helping countries to develop ready to finance investment projects, building national-level capacities to adapt and supporting the creation of an enabling environment for climate change adaptation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present article is by way of a report of a grant by the Russel Sage Foundation-not exactly an evaluation report, since the authors involvement in the event would make them suspect as judges, but rather a personal report of what occurred and the meaning that can, or should, be attached thereto. The Public Relations Committee appealed for cooperation from paper-readers, asking them in advance whether they would want a press interview in Miami. The paper by Robert Parke, Jr. and Paul Click, discussing the "marriage squeeze" resulting from the post-war baby boom, led all others in amount of space given to it. The American Sociological Association (ASA) therefore, both in its administration and in its membership, should have little concern for improving the "image" of sociology in the public eye, but it should have great concern for increasing the level of sociological information among persons outside, as well as within, colleges and universities. The fact is, however, the ASA structure has no device for handling communication with the public in more than fortuitous ways. As long as "press coverage" at conventions begins only a few weeks before the event and ends promptly at the last session, it is doubtful that success in this realm can ever be more than smooth public relations.

The idea that volunteering and civic action may both play a role within the work of voluntary organizations has a long historical legitimacy in England. However, recent policy trends appear to undermine notions that the critical expression of official views is acceptable. In particular, where voluntary organizations are engaged in service-level contracts with statutory agencies, engagement in the political sphere is seen as risky. This paper takes an historical and analytic perspective to examine the evolution of volunteering and civic action in England. It examines how different discourses have affected spaces for popular engagement of voluntary organizations over time and the degree to which these are changing. The paper considers ways in which the complex and dynamic variations of this engagement can be understood in the contemporary voluntary sector. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Inspired by Foucault's genealogical approach, this paper examines the historical discourses of popular engagement in the USA—specifically how volunteering and civic action have been treated in relation to politics and public opinion over time. The paper describes that throughout US history, the relationship between volunteering and civic action has evolved from being more or less blurred in distinction—and has had different meanings for different groups of people. With the election and policies of the current president, we may be entering a new era of increased and politicized volunteering and civic action. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper reviews the literature dealing with the economic geography of knowledge flows by summarising the most relevant problems and open questions that, according to the authors' view, have been dealt in the past and should be dealt in the future by network analysis in order to model, understand and measure the structure and dynamics of knowledge flows. The interaction between 'networks' and 'geography' elements within a theoretical, methodological and empirical perspective is discussed throughout the paper by making reference to previous works by the authors and to the established literature. Thus, these references, far from being complete and exhaustive, are instrumental to the achievement of the paper's goal: to demonstrate that 'networks' and 'geography' are the necessary ingredients for every study of the innovative process at any level of analysis, from individual agent to institution/organization, from the regional to the national and international level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Provides an overview of the Research Symposium, a bi-annual event designed to draw the best minds within AECT, and elsewhere, together for an intensive intellectual exchange of ideas on a focused topic that would culminate in the publication of a Symposium Proceedings and AECT white paper. Goal of the symposia; Plan to arrange a schedule of the first research symposium; Requirement of the symposium format.

The structure and methods to complete and derive a quality score from the European Network of Health Economic Evaluation Databases (EURONHEED) transferability information checklists for published economic evaluations were reported and discussed in a previous paper (Boulenger et al. in Eur J Health Econ 6, 334–346, 2005). Within the same paper, the use of the checklists was illustrated through their application to a sample of economic evaluations conducted in France and UK. The transferability information subchecklist, consisting of 16 items from the original 42-point checklist, and methods used to derive it, were validated among 16 health economists across Europe participating in the EURONHEED project. Recent correspondence with other researchers, however, indicates that the checklists are now being utilised in empirical work and the methodology of assessing transferability and generalisability. This supplementary paper provides full details of the guidelines that have been developed and recently updated by the authors, such that the overall and subchecklists can be more widely and consistently completed and utilised. We also briefly discuss associated issues such as weighting of items in the checklists and give further clarifications regarding what we consider the most appropriate applications of the checklists to be. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents several announcements from various associations. An invitation for the submissions of papers for the World Peace Conference: Freedom, Harmony, and Peace is declared by the International Society for Intercultural Studies and Research. The Classical Association of the Atlantic States grants an Athens Scholarship. It states the New Scholar Program of Bibliographical Society of America in promotion of scholarships on bibliographical work.

This article provides information on the 2007 Nightingale Prize, which is given for the best scientific paper published in "Medical and Biological Engineering and Computing" (MBEC). He states that the prize is an initiative of the Institute of Physics and Engineering in Medicine (IPEM) in collaboration with the International Federation of Medical and Biological Engineering (IFMBE). The selection process for the 2007 prize is detailed.