Rapid needs assessment defined

Because of the pressing contemporary need to assess an ever-growing number of chemicals and complex environmental samples, the development and use of small-scale toxicity tests (also called micro-scale toxicity tests or microbiotests ) have increased because of their attractive features. Simply defined as a test involving the exposure of a unicellular or small multicellular organism to a liquid or solid sample in order to measure a specific effect , small-scale tests are generally simple to execute and characterized by traits which can include small sample volume requirements, rapid turnaround time to results, enhanced sample throughput and hence cost-effectiveness (Blaise et al., 1998a). 

One of the most important public health tasks in the immediate aftermath of a disaster is to conduct a rapid and comprehensive assessment of population health requirements. Responders should conduct a health assessment of the community as soon as possible within the first few days following the event (Connolly, 2005). This is a multifaceted process that consists of several key elements (1) data collection for assessment of needs, (2) identification of available resources that match to defined needs, (3) prevention of further adverse health effects associated with the event, (4) implementation of disease control strategies, (5) evaluation of the effectiveness of the application of these strategies, and (6) improvement in contingency planning for future disasters. 

The Pastel UV proved to be a suitable tool for the rapid (within two days) assessment of the spatial variability of NO3" concentration in the Hardt catchment area. It demonstrated that most surface waters in the Weiherbachgraben and Sauruntz sub-basins were characterized by NCh- concentration higher than 40 mg L-1 and that NO3- concentrations in ground water were above the EQS defined in the EU Drinking Water Directive 98/83/CE (European Commission, 1998). A further outcome of this study was the identification of critical pressure points in each sub-basin that may need further investigation and monitoring. 

In the explosives industry, there is a constant demand for simple, fast and reliable methods of analysis for a very wide range of applications. The methods should be such that standard equipments can be used, and sensitive parts like electrodes should withstand extended use with no deterioration or need for replacement. Preparation of samples has to be simple, and clearly defined. The determination must be rapid, and it must be possible to calculate the results in an unambiguous way. The assessment should be such that new personnel can carry out it with no change in the results. 

A critical assessment of present practices and data yielded from hiPSC-CMs will be necessary in defining the most appropriate experimental methodologies and their limitations. As hiPSC-CMs represent a relatively new and rapidly evolving area of investigation, it is necessary to characterize these preparations more fully and build consensus on their ability to provide consistent data across laboratories and methods. As is the case for all new in vitro preparations, the selection of hiPSC-CMs and the experimental conditions in which they are employed will need to be rigorously defined to facilitate subsequent standardization for use in CiPA. 

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