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INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVE:In Vietnam, there is a high incidence of bulbar urethral straddle and pelvic fracture urethral injuries (PFUI) due to the prevalent use of motor bikes for transportation....

To enhance the efficiency of patient-specific risk stratification and diagnosis, an assessment of arterial structural and functional changes associated to a vascular disease in both early and advanced stages have been proposed, with the objective of limiting the progression or revert vascular alterations. In this connection, an interdisciplinary international partnership made up by research institutions from France, Argentina, Uruguay and Spain was established, with the objective of contributing to the evaluation and follow-up of factors involved in the physiopathology of cardiometabolic diseases and human aging. Several studies, such as the effect of hypertension in large arteries, alterations in arterial wall viscosity, stiffness and inertia, endothelial function and vascular reactivity, cardiovascular risk improvement, vascular age assessment and cryografts vascular response evaluation were carried out as a result of this international collaboration during the last twenty-five years.

We provide a comparative case study of rehabilitation counselling across the U.S., Japan and Taiwan focusing on the common challenges facing international constituents in the field. Through interviews with students, faculty and administrators from each of the respective countries, we use thematic coding analysis to identify key points of tension. Emergent themes comprise (a) systemic challenges, (b) student and faculty mobility, (c) cultural and linguistic differences and (d) lack of sustainable international leadership. We further discuss mitigation of these recurrent challenges and conclude collaborative research, student exchange and institutional partnerships may advance teaching, research and service scholarship of rehabilitation counselling programs, and, in turn, enhance the lives of people with chronic illness and disability worldwide.

The Onchocerciasis Elimination Program for the Americas (OEPA) is a regional initiative and international partnership that has made considerable progress toward its goal since it was launched in 1993. Its strategy is based on mass drug administration of ivermectin (Mectizan, donated by MSD, also known as Merck & Co., Inc., Kenilworth, NJ, USA), twice or four times per year, with at least 85% coverage of eligible populations. From 1989 to 2016, 11 741 276 ivermectin treatments have been given in the Americas, eliminating transmission in 11 of 13 foci. The OEPA's success has had a great influence on programs in Africa, especially Sudan and Uganda, which moved from a control to an elimination strategy in 2006 and 2007, respectively. The successes in the Americas have also greatly influenced WHO guidelines for onchocerciasis transmission elimination. With four of the six originally endemic American countries now WHO verified as having eliminated onchocerciasis transmission, and 95% of ivermectin treatments in the region halted, the regional focus is now on the remaining active transmission zone, called the Yanomami Area, on the border between Venezuela and Brazil. Both countries have difficult political climates that hinder the elimination task in this remote and relatively neglected region. As with other elimination efforts, 'the final inch' is often the most difficult task of all.

The article describes a study based on the HOPE project funded by the European Commission (under the Erasmus+ program) for the years 2018-2021 within an international partnership including institutions (universities, healthcare centres, non-governmental educational organisations and IT centres) from Bulgaria, France, Hungary and Romania. The HOPE project (2018-1-RO01-KA202-049189) aims to raise awareness to medical educational institutions, medical centres and specialists about the role that oncogenetics, as a medical branch, can play in the early detection and prevention of cancer.The article presents the findings of the research carried out on oncogenetics in Romania in terms of incidence, prevalence, mortality, strategies, genetic testing and counselling services, centres and programs. The article highlights the project’s further developments stemming from the research; these will help students acquire knowledge, competences and professional experience in the field of oncogenetics while specialists, patients and family members will be provided with a collection of useful and easy to use online tools meant to inform or monitor them about susceptibility to cancer.

Vaginal rings (VRs) are currently marketed for contraceptive or hormone regulation purposes, and investigationally, have been widely reported for delivery of antiretrovirals to reduce HIV transmission. To date, there is no national or international standard for the mechanical testing and minimum performance characteristics of any VR based products. Here, we describe a a series of mechanical tests examining the durometer hardness, static and dynamic compression response, tensile properties and twist resistance of vaginal rings. The tests were conducted on currently marketed VRs and a number of the International Partnership for Microbicides’ (IPM) investigational VR formulations. With wider application in the field, the tests described herein could form the basis for a more standardised approach to the mechanical testing of VRs.

Addressing health inequities and the social determinants of health for all people of the world is a primary goal of the World Health Organization. This article describes how a "Connecting Communities educational program" enabled nurse leaders from academic institutions from different sides of the globe to develop a reciprocal relationship of mutual interest around the topics of the nursing role in population health and care delivery. Grant funding resulted in the sharing of knowledge, expertise, and experiences directed toward encouraging the development of nurses as global citizens, with a broader view on what influences health and well-being. This initiative demonstrates how nurses can contribute to the improvement of world health and address the social determinants of health while practicing locally but thinking and contributing globally.

Background There is now an international partnership to establish global programs for patients with rare and undiagnosed diseases, involving interdisciplinary expert panels and phenotype-driven genetic analyses utilizing next-generation sequencing and analytics. Whereas it is crucial to have data such as the actual number of undiagnosed patients, to help inform the implementation plan with such programs, there have been no systematic studies to quantitate the numbers of patients principally because of the inherent difficulty in most health systems to identify patients whose condition has not yet been diagnosed and coded. Our national experience with a rare disease program, Nan-Byo which was established in 1972, and the more recently expanded Initiative on Rare and Undiagnosed Diseases (IRUD), provided a unique opportunity to design a cross-sectional study to ascertain the undiagnosed patients in Japan based on the IRUD referral criteria. Results Two rounds of online surveys were performed: one survey targeting physicians affiliated with general hospitals (GH) and family clinics (FC) (the response rate: 30.6% (242/792)) and one nationwide survey targeting university hospitals (UH) in Japan (47.1% (839/1781)). A high percentage of doctors needing IRUD was seen in pediatrics at GH, FC, while there was a clear demand for IRUD in most departments at UH. We calculated the number of undiagnosed patients in Japan, as the “percentage of doctors needing IRUD” × “number of patients who would be referred to IRUD per doctor needing IRUD (cases/person)” × “total number of doctors in the relevant facilities in Japan (persons)”, resulting in 3681 cases in pediatrics/pediatric surgery and 33,703 cases in other departments, for a total of 37,384 cases. Conclusions Our study revealed the extant demand for IRUD in most departments and 37,000+ potential patients with undiagnosed diseases in the Japanese health system. These data inform the establishment of an equitable, sustainable, efficient and effective outpatient-based IRUD. These findings would serve as a valuable reference for undiagnosed diseases programs in different international jurisdictions and for countries and regions who also share vision(s) for societal implementation that help to advance international efforts to support patients with rare diseases who are direly waiting for diagnosis, subsequent treatment and care.

The Drugs for Neglected Diseases initiative (DNDi), with headquarters in Geneva, is a non-profit drug research and development (RD HAT), Chagas disease, leishmaniasis, filarial diseases and pediatric formulations for HIV treatment. DNDi's achievements include the development of novel therapies based on patient needs through innovative partnerships with over 130 organizations in industry, government, academia, and public institutions around the world. To date, DNDi has registered 6 novel treatments adapted to the needs of patients in poor countries, and has another 12 novel entities in development. DNDi Japan is a Japanese non-profit organization (NPO) based on the global principles of DNDi and, as the only PDP in Japan, is supporting NTD drug discovery projects in collaboration with Japanese pharmaceutical companies, academic institutions and government agencies by utilizing Japan's excellent R&D capabilities to develop new treatments for NTDs in order to contribute to global health.

Aim: A better understanding of the hearing disability situation would advance hearing health care in the developing world. Vietnam is a lower middle income country with hearing health care in its early stages of development. This study examined the situation (degree, types, and causes) of hearing impairment, the effects of age and gender on hearing impairment, and the age of identification and its relationship with degree of hearing impairment, in a sample of Vietnamese children with hearing loss.Method: Sixty-nine participants aged from 20 to 129 months with prelingual-onset hearing loss were assessed during Global Foundation For Children With Hearing Loss international partnership activities. Data on hearing assessment findings, including case history and pure-tone audiometric outcomes, were analyzed.Results: Results showed that the hearing loss of participants ranged from moderate to profound levels (mean pure-tone average in better ear = 95.9 dB HL, range = 51.7–125.0 dB, SD = 17.37). Sensorineural pa...

“Nothing truly valuable can be achieved except by the unselfish co-operation of many individuals. … The best way to serve the cause of internationalism is by co-operating in some life -giving work”—Einstein.

Recent reviews have demonstrated that the quality of stroke rehabilitation research has continued to improve over the last four decades but despite this progress, there are still many barriers in moving the field forward. Rigorous development, monitoring and complete reporting of interventions in stroke trials are essential in providing rehabilitation evidence that is robust, meaningful and implementable. An international partnership of stroke rehabilitation experts committed to develop consensus-based core recommendations with a remit of addressing the issues identified as limiting stroke rehabilitation research in the areas of developing, monitoring and reporting stroke rehabilitation interventions. Work exploring each of the three areas took place via multiple teleconferences and a two-day meeting in Philadelphia in May 2016. A total of 15 recommendations were made. To validate the need for the recommendations, the group reviewed all stroke rehabilitation trials published in 2015 (n = 182 papers). Our review highlighted that the majority of publications did not clearly describe how interventions were developed or monitored during the trial. In particular, under-reporting of the theoretical rationale for the intervention and the components of the intervention call into question many interventions that have been evaluated for efficacy. More trials were found to have addressed the reporting of interventions recommendations than those related to development or monitoring. Nonetheless, the majority of reporting recommendations were still not adequately described. To progress the field of stroke rehabilitation research and to ensure stroke patients receive optimal evidence-based clinical care, we urge the research community to endorse and adopt our recommendations.

In this manuscript, we describe the initial steps of an international program of prevention research in Monterrey, México. Specifically, we present a feasibility study focused on exploring the level of acceptability reported by a group of Mexican mothers who were exposed to a culturally adapted parenting intervention originally developed in the United States. The efficacious intervention adapted in this investigation is known as Parent Management Training, the Oregon Model (PMTO(®)). Following a description of our international partnership, we describe the implementation of the pilot study aimed at determining initial feasibility. Qualitative data provided by 40 Mexican mothers exposed to the culturally adapted parenting intervention illustrate the participants' high level of receptivity toward the intervention, as well as the beneficial impact on their parenting practices.

The growth in international research collaboration is a substantial change from the research picture some time ago. Research ‘without walls’ is now a reality within the grasp of many nurse clinicians and researchers alike. The need to promote evidence and research based practice in the area of wound care is significant with communication being the ‘key’ to the success of research teams. The example we present here is of nurses working together on research in wound care. The paper profiles the strategies used in the development and facilitation of research in this important area of nursing care. This collaboration has culminated in a larger scale study anticipated to be conducted over 3 countries resulting in more networks being developed, truly opening up the internationalisation nursing research potential.

Establishing and maintaining a quality nursing doctoral program in a country with limited resources is a challenge to program managers. Continuous evaluation is essential to pinpoint areas of improvement. This study aims to evaluate a nursing PhD program from the perspective of its first graduate cohort to provide feedback for improvement. Qualitative design using focus group method was used to collect data from a purposive sample of graduates (N=14). Content analysis revealed seven themes: Opportunity to earn a PhD-A dream comes true; A need for peer collaboration and support; Innovative strategies to overcome faculty shortage; A need for improved mentorship; Successfully merging national and international experience; Enhanced professionalism and scholarship; Coping with limited resources. The study findings suggest reviewing program admission criteria and curriculm content to meet student and marketplace needs. Maintaining national and international partnership, innovative teaching-learning strategies, and developing further strategies to meet resources challenges were recommended.

Five years ago, an academic department in the United States and the Ann Sullivan Center of Peru (CASP) initiated an international partnership to foster research collaborations and reciprocal consultation, and to create an advanced clinical placement for occupational therapy doctoral students. CASP is a globally recognized hub for community-based research, demonstration and training for people with disabilities (most of whom are from low-income families). CASP has provided occupational therapy students and faculty with a rich cultural environment in which to learn and collaborate as well as opportunities for developing research collaborations. The purpose of this manuscript is to discuss an innovative model of international collaboration highlighting specific areas of exchange and reciprocal learning. First, we will describe the collaboration and CASP's rich learning opportunities. Second, we will discuss a model of collaboration that includes three main phases: planning and preparation, developing and sustaining the partnership, and evaluating and celebrating outcomes and benefits. We illustrate the partnership with a case example and describe exchanges between CASP and a local community agency with whom faculty have collaborated for 20 years. Finally, we discuss implications of our innovative model towards developing and sustaining global partnerships. .

This paper describes an international partnership that was established for the purpose of setting up the first occupational therapy educational programme in Mozambique. The author is a lecturer at the Escola Superior de Saúde do Alcoitão in Portugal, one of the partners. She was involved in the process of developing and delivering the occupational therapy programme at the Instituto Superior de Ciências da Saúde, in Mozambique, with the support of the Ministério da Saúde de Moçambique. The case study demonstrates that such international projects should be open to and allow for sharing, taking into account cultural perspectives. It is essential to its sustainability that the local university takes ownership of a new developing education programme. info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is an important public health concern that presents real challenges for health care systems throughout the world. Through an international partnership between Canadian and French researchers, a vast qualitative study aimed to explore the needs of individuals with TBIs and their loved ones throughout the continuum of care and services. The study was first conducted in 3 regions of Quebec (Canada) and subsequently replicated in 3 regions of France. Overall, the data were collected from focus groups with 150 participants: individuals with TBIs, their loved ones, and health care professionals. Despite regional differences, the results demonstrate participants' very similar perceptions regarding the needs such as information, support, and a collaborative relationship with health care professionals experienced by individuals with TBIs and their loved ones. These needs change throughout the stages of care. The fulfillment of these needs play a determining role throughout the adaptation process of individuals with TBIs and their loved ones. Health care professionals must adopt a personalized approach to respond to needs related to the evolution of information, support, and relationships.

This article describes an international partnership between a US university in San Francisco, California, and a nursing school in Hanoi, Vietnam. The focus of the project is nursing education and practice. All successful partnerships require a great deal of trust, care, nurturing, and determination. However, regardless of the resources available, the first order of business must be to build trust and confidence between the players.

The Academy, an arm of the International Association for the Scientific Study of Intellectual Disabilities, was formed in 2006 in order to promote clinical and academic skills in low- and middle-income countries (LAMICs) and to carry out educational activities within international events. This article describes the global context of knowledge dissemination and examples of workshops and courses led by Academy members. Discussed are reflections on the important lessons learnt from the Academy experiences to date and recommendations on better coordinating and delivering Academy-sponsored trainings and consultations in LAMICs.

In response to growing U.S. interest, the Society for Coronary Angiography and Interventions recently formed a Transradial Committee whose purpose is to examine the utility, utilization, and training considerations related to transradial access for percutaneous coronary and peripheral procedures. With international partnership, the committee has composed a comprehensive overview of this subject presented here-with.

International investigator-driven clinical trials (IDCTs) satisfy international standards for quality, achieve maximum efficiency, avoid duplication of effort, and realize effective and widespread implementation of research results into medical practice. This article focuses on specific intercontinental issues involving the development and conduct of IDCTs and reviews what is necessary for a successful international partnership, specifically, intergroup trials involving the European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) and the US-based National Cancer Institute intergroup system. Through examples, it is shown that the lead group of an international intergroup IDCT must have the expertise and capabilities to work effectively in the international setting, establish working procedures, consider the regulatory environment and QA/QC in the trial setting, and secure the principles of academic independence.

Results of Office of Naval Research (ONR)- and National Science Foundation (NSF)-sponsored collaborative coastal science experiments using underwater gliders were reported at the E.U./U.S. Baltic Sea conference in 2006. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) recognized the parallel educational potential and issued a trans-Atlantic challenge—modify one of the coastal gliders and fly it across the Atlantic, entraining and inspiring students along the way. Leveraging the experience of the NSF Centers for Ocean Sciences Education Excellence, a needs assessment process guided the development of a new undergraduate research program based on the cognitive apprenticeship model. The generalized model was applied to the specific opportunities provided by the trans-Atlantic challenge, involving students in every aspect of the missions. Students participated in the modifications and testing required to increase glider endurance and in the development of the mission planning tools. Scientist and student teams conducted three long-duration missions: (1) RU15’s flight from New Jersey to Nova Scotia to test the lithium batteries and ruggedized fin technology in storms, (2) RU17’s first attempt at the Atlantic crossing that provided the lessons learned, and (3) RU27’s successful trans-Atlantic flight a year later. Post-flight activities included development of new intuitive glider data visualization software that enabled students to analyze the glider data and compare it with ocean forecast models, enabling students to create their own new knowledge. Lessons learned include the significant gains achieved by engaging students early, encouraging them to work as teams, giving them the tools to make their own discoveries, and developing a near-peer mentoring community for increasing retention and diversity. The success has inspired an even broader vision for international glider missions, that of a glider-enabled global classroom to repeat the track of the HMS Challenger and its first scientific circumnavigation of the globe.

As part of a collaborative project involving Tanzania and Sweden, workshops were arranged for staff nurses in order to develop a forum for discussing the raised demands for supervision of nursing students during their clinical education. The aim was to meet nurses in educational workshops to initiate a dialogue on their views and experiences of supporting and supervising nursing students in their clinical studies. Their experiences of the workshops were also requested. Two groups of nurses in Tanzania (n=30), and six groups in Sweden (n=60) participated. The content, which was agreed between the project leaders in Tanzania and Sweden was carried out either on a whole day workshops or divided at three different occasions. Questionnaires were given before and about two months after, and workshops were also evaluated with an open-ended question immediately after. The nurses both in Tanzania and in Sweden appreciated the workshops as a possibility to create a dialogue and to discuss challenges in the supervision of students. Their views and experiences of the supervision role showed awareness of staff nurses as role models and teachers. Accomplishment of this partnership co-operation through arranging workshops has shown to be an easy and simple way of giving support to staff nurses for the supervision task.

The International Partnership for Critical Markers of Disease (www.cmod.org), a nonprofit organization, has a mission to accelerate the identification, validation and appropriate application of biomarkers in cardiovascular and related disease. Founded by Drs Therese Heinonen, Peter Libby and Jean-Claude Tardif, the International Partnership for Critical Markers of Disease has sponsored an annual cardiovascular Biomarkers and Surrogate Endpoints Symposium in Bethesda, Maryland (USA), since 2003. These symposia have furnished an unusual forum for ongoing collaboration among academia, pharmaceutical and biotechnology concerns, and regulatory agencies. The United States Food and Drug Administration, Health Canada and the European Agency for the Evaluation of Medicinal Products have all participated in these international conferences. Despite global involvement, each of the six previous symposia took place in Bethesda. This venue did not reflect the ‘international partnership’ proclaimed in the organization’s name. Health Canada, Canadian researchers and representatives from the Canadian pharmaceutical industry all played important roles in the Bethesda symposia. Thus, Ottawa (Ontario) hosted the First Annual Canadian Biomarkers and Surrogate Endpoints Symposium on January 5, 2009. The present article summarizes some of the issues and controversies highlighted during the symposium. Over the past four decades, cardiovascular drugs have contributed to a remarkable improvement in the outcomes of patients with cardiovascular disease. The future of cardiovascular drug development now appears uncertain (1). The cost and time required to bring a new drug to market have escalated. Current clinical outcome trials must include more people, which presents a higher hurdle because patients should receive treatment with the standard therapies that considerably reduce events. In principle, surrogate end points provide a way to obtain efficacy data at a fraction of the cost of a large outcomes trial. However, trials that have used surrogate end points have had their own problems. For example, a null carotid intima-media thickness (IMT) trial (2) for an approved and presumably effective drug has recently evoked a firestorm of controversy (3).

The number of reported cases of Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) has increased rapidly in the recent years. Virtual Reality (VR) as a technology has been studied as an augmented intervention for children with ASD in special needs education and neuro-rehabilitation. This chapter will report an international effort by researchers, developers, and educators from Singapore, The Netherlands, and China to help children with ASD in their learning. VR technology is developed with an aim to create immersive learning environments for special needs schools. Educators and developers work closely to design learning content for children with ASD in their learning through interactive gaming. The partnership enables collaboration at different levels including research and development, sharing and exchanges, and so on. International symposia are organized under this international partnership to share knowledge and experience in special needs education. Exchange programs are also developed for school teachers and students through this international collaboration.

Objective To assess trends in documentation of medical nutrition practices over the course of a four-year international partnership between hospital, academia and government, launched to address ma...

Melaka-Manipal Medical College has offered a medical undergraduate program in twin campuses of India and Malaysia under the auspices of the Manipal University, Malaysia leading to a Bachelor of Medicine & Bachelor of Surgery degree since 1997. It passed 17 years since its first implementation; therefore, brief opinion on this innovative program is introduced especially on innovative work and the best practice that may be useful model to other countries.

Background Stroke incidence and mortality is increasing in low-to-middle income countries. This trend translates locally to Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital (QECH) Blantyre Malawi; where stroke is already the third highest cause of mortality and fifth most common presentation to the hospital. Aim To develop an international partnership to improve stroke care, primarily by setting up a stroke unit; through this, we hope to improve clinical services, and develop a training and research platform. Findings Potential areas for a UK-Malawi collaboration were identified. For example, providing access to protocols and training staff to support inpatient and outpatient services, rotating UK health professionals to disseminate skills, and to equip the stroke unit to support optimal care. Conclusions This trip provided a forum to foster an international partnership, and an exciting opportunity to address the burden of stroke, in the context of improving clinical care, stroke research and training.

How many of you have colleagues – vets or nurses – who own or even breed brachycephalic dogs? This was a question asked by Brenda Bonnett, CEO of International Partnership for Dogs, to an audience at the joint World Small Animal Veterinary Association (WSAVA) and the Federation of European Companion Animal Veterinary Associations (FECAVA) congress last week. She was speaking in a panel discussion on the vet’s role in tackling the problem of brachycephalic dogs. I was surprised – the raised hands indicated almost everyone in the room. Some might defend their position if the dog in question was from a rescue centre but, as Bonnett said, vets and veterinary nurses shouldn’t be breeding these animals. The veterinary community has to get its own house in order before it can hope to influence others. There is no doubt that brachycephaly is a condition that causes many health problems. For dogs, being a bulldog, French bulldog or pug means they will die earlier than the average. Data collected by Agria Pet Insurance show the average lifespan for these three breeds is 8.6 years, against an average across the board of 12 years. The same dataset shows these breeds have 10 times the risk of developing corneal ulcers when compared to all breeds, …

An international partnership seeks African leadership to organize information about the disease.

The Ireland-Northern Ireland-National Cancer Institute Cancer Consortium was launched in October of 1999, at a conference in Belfast, Northern Ireland, for the development of cancer programs in Ireland and Northern Ireland, where cancer is a significant cause of mortality and morbidity. Cancer services there have undergone major restructuring as a result of several government reports. Specifically, the National Strategy Document for Cancer proposed that cancer treatment services should be centered around primary care services, regional services, and a national coordinating structure where supra-regional centers would deliver specialist surgery, medical and radiation oncology, rehabilitation, and specialist palliative care. Therefore, this was an opportune time to bring the National Cancer Institute (NCI) on board in a determined effort to redevelop and significantly improve services and outcomes for cancer patients throughout the island. During the NCI All Ireland Cancer Consortium, initial major goals were established as follows: A) To share best available technology and enhance clinical research; B) conduct joint clinical research studies involving people from all jurisdictions; C) sponsor formal training exchanges for Irish and American scholars in cancer programs in partner institutions; D) implement the use of teleconferencing, telesynergy, and other information technology capabilities to facilitate education, and E) consolidate the Cancer Registries of Ireland and Northern Ireland and learn more about cancer incidence and trends on the entire island. In the past year, significant advances have been made in all these areas. Plans are already under way for the second NCI All Ireland Cancer Conference which will be held in late 2002 and feature speakers from Ireland, Northern Ireland, the U.S., and other areas. It will be open to all oncologists, researchers, nurses, students, and other health care professionals interested in learning and enhancing cancer care and research.

This issue of the Review is devoted to an examination of the HIV/AIDS epidemic in Africa, an emergency which compromises the future of so many on the continent, yet is persistently underplayed. The depth of need it has generated has scarcely been measured and not even begun to be met. Although increasingly acknowledged to be grounded in social behaviour and systemic inequalities, HIV/AIDS is still treated predominantly as a health problem. At the same time, far more attention continues to be paid to the (admittedly crucial) issues of prevention and care than to the economic and social impact of AIDS and the ways it can be addressed and mitigated. This introduction to the issue expands upon general points made in the editorial and reviews some of these issues by exploring two aspects of the multi‐layered context of the AIDS epidemic: The question of what African governments should and can do in the face of AIDS, and The viability and potential of the International Partnership on AIDS in Africa.

Nursing in the newly independent states of the former Soviet Union has undergone a period of awakening since the fall of the Soviet system. Through international partnerships, health care providers and leaders are considering the importance of a well educated and appropriately managed nursing work force to the health of society. Nursing reform activities against the backdrop of the Soviet health system are described.

This article describes the impact on mental health services in Russia of a training course for psychiatric nurses in the management of aggression. This project, which is part of a seven-year international partnership between mental health professionals in the UK and Russia, demonstrates the importance of nurse training to effect change in healthcare organisations.

The Department of Family Medicine of University of Iowa has a long and collaborative relationship with the Department of Family Medicine of North-Western State Medical University named after I.I. Mechnikov that started over 20 years ago. Relationships like these are very valuable for resident education and continued professional development. In October, 2016 3 attending physicians and 1 resident (the author of this article) were able to visit St. Petersburg to participate in a conference and visit the department. I stayed for an additional two weeks as part of my residency training to participate in clinical, academic and research activities. Below is an outline of the educational and training requirements for doctors of family medicine in the US, comments on the conference, a brief summary of a new research project with investigators from both sites and other details of my experience in Russia.

The Botswana-UPenn Partnership possesses some essential attributes of successful international partnerships between academic medical centers and resource-limited countries. Virtual Mentor is a monthly bioethics journal published by the American Medical Association.

An international partnership between Wisconsin and Kenya was established after a serendipitous meeting with a newly formed infection control organization in Nairobi, Kenya, the Nairobi Infection Control Nurses Chapter (NICNC). Establishment of a sister chapter partnership between a Wisconsin Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology chapter (APIC Badger) and the NICNC provided an opportunity to share resources. Although there are many barriers to developing infection prevention and control programs in Kenya, some needs can be met through such partnerships.

Materials and methods 1995 Manitoba Birth Cohort nested case-control study: Gestational period and birth weight were extracted from hospital records and classified as per Canadian SGA guidelines. At 8-10 years, asthma status and presence of wheeze were ascertained via pediatric allergist assessment. Parental-reported data included wheeze (ever, current [past year], or during various activities) as per International Study of Allergies and Asthma in Children (ISSAC) questionnaire, and demographic data. Bangalore Cohort: Gestational period at birth and birth weight were measured. SGA babies were classified as per World Health Organization’s SGA guidelines. At 2-7 years, presence of wheeze was ascertained via physician assessment/prescription record and ISAAC questionnaire. Asthma status was not assessed. All data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and x tests. Results In Manitoba, 725 children (56.0% boys) were assessed. Mean gestational period was 39.5 ± 2.12 weeks (non-significant [NS] differences by gender). Mean birth weight was 3.38 ± 0.64 kg; girls were significantly smaller than boys (p < 0.006). 114 (16.1%) children (54.4% boys) were SGA. At ages 9.06 ± 0.64 years, 246 (34.1%) of children (149 boys) had asthma. No associations were identified between SGA and asthma, or between SGA and wheeze, when considering both genders combined or amongst boys only. Girls who were SGA were significantly more likely to have wheeze-related sleep disturbances than girls who were non-SGA (OR 0.33; 95% CI 0.12-0.94; p < 0.03). In Bangalore, 432 children (48.0% boys) were assessed for wheeze-like symptoms. Mean gestational period was 38.68 ± 1.62 weeks and mean birth weight was 2.87 ± 0.49 kg (both NS differences between genders). Participants’ mean age was 3.78 ± 1.30 years. 130 (30.2%) children (47.7% boys) were SGA. 71 (16.4%) of children (38.4% boys) had a doctor diagnosis of wheeze. SGA children had twice the risk of developing wheeze at follow-up (OR 2.19; 95%CI 1.30-3.68; p < 0.003). After stratification by gender, these associations were only significant amongst boys (OR 3.24; 95% CI 1.44-7.31; p < 0.003).

Stanley A. Klatsky, MD , is Editor in Chief of Aesthetic Surgery Journal. Once again, it is my honor to announce a new international partnership. In past years, Aesthetic Surgery Journal has been adopted as the official English-language journal of the Brazilian …

e287 Background: Growing evidence suggests that specific lifestyle practices (e.g., diet and exercise) may delay cancer progression among prostate cancer survivors (PCS) and restore post-treatment quality of life. However, there are limited efforts to translate this knowledge to sustainable behavior change among PCS at a population level. Methods: TrueNTH is an international partnership to develop innovative evidence-based interventions and care models to improve the physical and mental wellbeing of PCS. Within TrueNTH, four countries (U.S.A., Australia, Canada, U.K.) are developing solutions to improve lifestyle practices among PCS. Australia is implementing face-to-face and telehealth delivery of exercise and dietary programs facilitated by a web-based portal. Canada is implementing group-based exercise and yoga programs combined with a web-based portal to deliver exercise, nutrition and stress-reduction resources for PCS and caregivers. The U.K. is implementing a healthy living pharmacy approach to deliver tailored diet and exercise advice and support to men. The U.S. will implement a scalable web-based portal that reaches PCS, providers and partners and provides personalized exercise prescriptions and dietary advice, interactive guidance, and behavioral support via social media, tele-exercise, and face-to-face communities. Results: TrueNTH initiatives are in various phases of a three-year project. Australia has enrolled 30 of 80 men across 2 sites and via telehealth, and demonstrated acceptance of the portal. Canada has enrolled 30+ men in exercise programs and will soon add 4 sites and launch their portal. The UK has evaluated assessment protocols in 2 sites and will soon add a 3rd site and implement the pharmacy-based program. The U.S. is building the portal and supportive tools and will begin a trial in Fall 2016. Conclusions: Each TrueNTH program shares common goals to improve lifestyle practices among PCS. Common metrics across initiatives will allow for a global comparison of implementation approaches and assessment of impact at a population level. TrueNTH will utilize this initiative to create a lifestyle survivorship program that improves the lives of PCS worldwide.

The rapid expansion of China's influence on the world stage underscores the significance of nursing education and practice development. From collaborative models with other universities, nursing leaders in China are moving towards development of their own models that merge the uniqueness of Eastern philosophy with elements of Western models. Qualified nurse leaders are increasingly replacing physicians as faculty while nursing comes of age in a time of change and advancing knowledge. This article describes the outcomes of 2 projects to develop graduate nursing education in China, launched by the China Medical Board within the context of early Chinese nursing education history. The 2 programs produced a total of 88 new Masters of Science in Nursing, signaling a new generation of Chinese nursing leadership and posing a model for international partnership.

The Ireland - Northern Ireland - National Cancer Institute Cancer Consortium was established to improve clinical cancer services and patient care on the island of Ireland, and to foster joint collaboration in cancer research and development. An important part of this Consortium was to develop telemedicine systems to facilitate collaboration between participating partners. We have implemented a telemedicine environment for the Consortium based on the TELESYNERGY/spl reg/ Medical Consultation Workstation developed at the U.S. National Institutes of Health. The collaborative use of the system at the three sites has led to the improvement in quality of care in that each patient, regardless of location, can receive an expert assessment and given optimal therapy. The system will be a platform for collaborative clinical and translational research. In the future, this technology will be implemented at additional sites and applied to other medical specialties including cardiology, radiology, and infectious diseases.

Please cite this paper as: Carlson V, Omer M, Ibrahim S, Ahmed S, O’Byrne K, Kenny L, Ryan C. Fifty years of Sudanese hospital-based obstetric outcomes and an international partnership. BJOG 2011;118:1608–1616. Objective To present 50 years of hospital-based maternal and perinatal outcomes in Sudan, and the role of an international collaboration with an Irish maternity hospital, over the period 2002–2009, in recent health-indicator improvements. Design Retrospective descriptive study. Setting Omdurman Maternity Hospital, Sudan. Population All women who delivered at Omdurman Maternity Hospital, and their newborn infants, from July 1957 to October 2007, comprising 339 448 births. Methods The original logbook data was extracted. Infant and maternal health indicators were calculated according to World Health Organization definitions. Main outcomes measures Total annual births, maternal mortality ratio and maternal complications, neonatal mortality and stillbirth rates, and rates of delivery methods. Results Total births increased 50-fold from 499 in 1958 to 24 913 in 2007. Significant reductions in morbidity and mortality began in the mid-1990s. From 2001 to 2007, maternal mortality fell from 329 to 36 per 100 000 live births: an 85% reduction. Stillbirth rates almost halved, from 35 to 19 per 1000 births in 2001 and 2007, respectively. Neonatal mortality rates remained largely static, at 24 per 1000 live births in 2007, but there is recent evidence of a decline. Conclusion This hospital-based data offers a unique historical portrait of health outcomes in one of the largest maternity hospitals in Africa, and shows steady, sustained improvements in maternal, stillbirth and neonatal mortality rates since the 1990s. The partnership was associated with a number of positive infrastructural, educational, and staffing achievements. Whether it directly contributed to improved health outcomes has not been established.

The establishment of a hermanamiento (sister school) partnership between Duquesne University School of Nursing in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States, and the School of Nursing at the Polytechnic University in Managua, Nicaragua, is described. Also discussed is the Regis Group Model, under which the hermanamiento was developed, and suggestions of how to develop a similar international nursing partnership. One component of a comprehensive model for international partnership and collaboration is presented in detail. The activities and goals that were established and implemented by both schools of nursing provide a philosophic and transcultural backdrop on which the program was based.