Objective 5. To improve the capacity of Range States and international cooperation and capacity towards the conservation of migratory waterbird species and their flyways (AP Headings: E, F) Cooperation – within the Contracting Parties, as well as between them internationally - is at the core of flyway conservation. There is a need to improve cooperation and increase AEWA’s capacity to do that with the aim of achieving, notably through the strengthening of AEWA’s facilitation role and increasing its capacity, a more streamlined implementation of the Agreement at national level and better cooperation at the international level by 2017. The following eight specific targets have been designed to achieve results at all levels:
Objective 5. To determine uncertainties in relation to the full MRT dose measurement chain from a primary standard to a range of commercial and non-commercial dosimetry calculation platforms. This includes image quantification (such as uncertainties in the selection of volumes of interest (VOI) and image reconstruction); integration of TACs, propagation of uncertainties in NTCP models, and determination of the overall evaluated uncertainty in the absorbed dose quantification process. The aim of this objective was to determine the uncertainties in relation to the full MRT dose measurement chain from a primary standard to a range of commercial and non-commercial dosimetry calculation platforms. This includes image quantification, integration of TACs, propagation of uncertainties in Normal Tissue Complication Probability (NTCP) models, and determination of the overall evaluated uncertainty in the absorbed dose quantification process. Propagation of uncertainties in NTCP models NTCP is the parameter used in other radiation therapy modalities for estimating the risk of inducing harmful side effects. The evaluation of NTCP uncertainty has the potential to indicate an acceptable level of uncertainty for absorbed dose for MRT. NTCP curves are traditionally characterised by two parameters: D50 (absorbed dose corresponding to a probability of 50%) and γ (maximum slope). As absorbed dose estimates are sometimes claimed with 10 % uncertainty there is a need for methods that propagate uncertainties in accordance with internationally accepted principles, and also lead to feasible solutions, giving probabilities between zero and one both for the values on the NTCP curve and also the range of values lying in the 95 % (k=2) uncertainty swathe. The choice of model is key; as different NTCP models can give very different results. Following the performing of a literature search comparing empirical models used to describe NCTP curves, the empirical model of a logistic function was chosen. An exploration was made as to the propagation of uncertainties using the traditional GUM (Guide to the Expression of Uncertainty in Measurement, JCGM 100) approach. This contains two assumptions, firstly that the probability function of the NTCP can be linearised. This tends to be true for the central regions of the NTCP curve, but not at the low or high dose regions where linearisation cannot be assumed. Secondly the traditional model assumes that the probability distribution for NTCP is gaussian in the ...
Objective 5. Code Repository In order to create a comprehensive MCS Community Building Platform and support the community building goals, it is important to facilitate the sharing of information beyond linking to results only. In addition to the catalogue of project results, a code repository shall be made available for the sharing of software, both within the DREAMS project consortium and within the wider MCS community (i.e. open source). The code repository will also include open source DREAMS results including the extension of Linux KVM and the open source virtual platform.
Objective 5. Plan and support the delivery of training and education programs for health professionals and the community, including beneficiaries of Title V and XIX services.
Objective 5. In-patient survey / WP 7 Hospital Pharma Work packages WP 7 Hospital Pharma Objective 5 In-patient survey Lead Partner SUKL Involvement of partners and target groups The development and of the PHIS Hospital Pharma report template for the European survey involved the whole PHIS network. Besides sending draft versions to the network, a session of a meeting of another network in Berlin in February 2009, at which several network members were present, took the opportunity to present and discuss the PHIS Hospital Pharma report template. Valuable contributions were made. At the 2nd PHIS network meeting in June 2009 in Luxembourg preliminary results of the European survey were presented, and at the 2nd PHIS Advisory Board meeting important methodological issues were discussed with the PHIS Advisory Board. The methodology paper was reviewed and sent for further feed-back to the Advisory Board. All partners of the PHIS project management team were involved in the development of the methodology for the case studies. The Advisory Board received several versions of the methodology paper for feedback. The authors of the PHIS Hospital Pharma reports (mainly competent authorities relevant for the out-patient sector) addressed hospital experts for information about the in-patient sector. For instance, in Austria interviews were conducted with more than a dozen of hospital pharmacists.
Objective 5. To improve the capacity of the Range States for international cooperation and capacity towards the conservation of waterbird species and their flyways Challenges with improving international cooperation for migratory waterbird conservation in Africa Cumulative number of African Parties Of the current AEWA member states, 41% (26 out of 63 CPs) are from Africa. The rate of recruitment of new African Parties to AEWA has significantly dropped over the years, even though about half the African states are yet to join AEWA (see Figure 3). Non-Contracting Parties to AEWA have no legal obligation towards the conservation of migratory waterbirds and this translates to a gap in the effective implementation of the Agreement in the region. Major gaps in membership are noted in the Southern and Central African sub-regions (see Figure 1 in section 27). The key steps of the accession process differ in each country, requiring from a few months to many years to accomplish and thereby needing individual follow-up. The African Union and regional economic communities offer some of the main forums for promoting the implementation of global and regional legal international treaties. Membership of the African Union to AEWA needs to be further encouraged in order to promote the engagement of all African countries in migratory waterbird conservation. The accession of new Parties in Africa needs to be pursued in collaboration with the relevant regional economic communities. Cummulative Number of African Parties over Time 30 25 20 15 10 5 0 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 Years Figure 3: Rate of recruitment of new AEWA Contracting Parties in Africa The AEWA Small Grants Fund (SGF) programme, established by MOP1 in 1999, became operational in 2010, thanks to the allocation of 20,000 Euros/year in the 2009-2012 AEWA core budget for SGF projects in Africa and a voluntary contribution from the government of France. The AEWA SGF depends largely on voluntary contributions and this may compromise its sustainability. This programme offers a practical tool 7 Note that Gabon and Mauritania are considered in this figure, given that they have recently submitted their instruments of accession for transmission to the AEWA Depositary for boosting the implementation of AEWA in Africa and needs to be continued on an annual basis, at least in the African region. The SGF is complemented by the CMS Small Grants Programme (SGP), which has been supporting grass-roots ...
