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The presentation of innovation policy in this volume offers a detailed conceptual framework for understanding and learning about technology innovation policies and programs and their implementation in different countries. Inspired by the experience of both developed and developing countries, the book focuses on the latter's needs and issues. The publication's main audience is the policy-making community. It includes not only those who are directly involved with technology, industry, science, and education but also those in charge of finance and economics, and indeed the top government leadership, which plays a crucial role in successful innovation policies. This overview follows the organization of the volume, which is divided into parts and chapters. Before a summary of the individual chapters, however, the main messages that emerge from the volume as a whole are briefly presented. The approach to innovation policy proposed in this volume revolves around the basic questions: why? What? How?

This paper examines the effects of information and communication technologies (ICT) on urban structure. Improvements in ICT may lead to changes in urban structure, for example, because they reduce the costs of communicating ideas from a distance. Hence, they may weaken local agglomeration forces and thus provide incentives for economic activity to relocate to smaller urban centres. We use international data on city size distributions in different countries and on country-level characteristics to test the effect of ICT. We find robust evidence that increases in the number of telephone lines per capita encourage the spatial dispersion of population in that they lead to a more concentrated distribution of city sizes. So far the evidence on internet usage is more speculative, although it goes in the same direction. We argue that the internet is likely to have similar, or even larger, effects on urban structures once its use has spread more thoroughly through different economies.

Objectives: Gambling has become an increasingly common activity among women since the widespread growth of the gambling industry. Currently, our knowledge of the relationship between problem gambling among women and mental and physical correlates is limited. Therefore, important relationships between problem gambling and health and functioning, mental disorders, physical health conditions, and help-seeking behaviours among women were examined using a nationally representative Canadian sample. Methods: Data were from the nationally representative Canadian Community Health Survey Cycle 1.2 (CCHS 1.2; n=10,056 women aged 15 years and older; data collected in 2002). The statistical analysis included binary logistic regression, multinomial logistic regression, and linear regression models. Results: Past 12-month problem gambling was associated with a significantly higher probability of current lower general health, suicidal ideation and attempts, decreased psychological well-being, increased distress, depression, mania, panic attacks, social phobia, agoraphobia, alcohol dependence, any mental disorder, comorbidity of mental disorders, chronic bronchitis, fibromyalgia, migraine headaches, help-seeking from a professional, attending a self-help group, and calling a telephone help line (odds ratios ranged from 1.5 to 8.2). Conclusions: Problem gambling was associated with a broad range of negative health correlates among women. Problem gambling is an important public health concern. These findings can be used to inform healthy public policies on gambling. Objectif : Le jeu de hasard est de plus en plus répandu chez les femmes depuis la croissance généralisée de l'industrie du jeu. On connaît encore mal le lien entre les problèmes de jeu chez les femmes et les corrélats mentaux et physiques. C'est pourquoi nous avons examiné, à l'aide d'un échantillon canadien représentatif de tout le pays, les liens importants entre les problèmes de jeu des femmes, leur santé et leur fonctionnement, leurs troubles mentaux, leurs troubles physiques et leur propension à chercher de l'aide. Méthode : Nos données proviennent du cycle 1.2 de l'Enquête sur la santé dans les collectivités canadiennes (ESCC 1.2; N=10 056 femmes de 15 ans et plus; données recueillies en 2002). Notre analyse statistique a fait appel à des modèles de régression logistique binaire, de régression logistique multinomiale et de régression linéaire. Résultats : Les problèmes de jeu au cours des 12 mois antérieurs étaient associés à une probabilité sensiblement plus élevée de présenter les facteurs suivants : moins bonne santé en général, idées suicidaires ou tentatives de suicide, bien-être psychologique diminué, détresse accrue, dépression, manie, crises de panique, phobie sociale, agoraphobie, dépendance à l'alcool, trouble mental, comorbidité de troubles mentaux, bronchite chronique, fibromyalgie, migraines, recherche d'aide auprès d'un professionnel, fréquentation d'un groupe d'entraide et appel à un service d'assistance téléphonique (les rapports de cotes variaient entre 1,5 et 8,2). Conclusion : Les problèmes de jeu étaient associés à un vaste éventail de corrélats de santé négatifs chez les femmes. Ils représentent un important problème de santé publique. Les constatations de l'étude peuvent servir à étayer des politiques publiques favorisant la santé sur le jeu de hasard.

Abstract Objectives Telephone advice lines are a key component of rheumatology services. A national survey of telephone advice line providers was undertaken to explore how this service is currently delivered and the impact on those delivering it to inform providers, policymakers and patients. Methods We conducted an online survey between March and September 2023 collecting data on demographics, how advice lines function, governance and the impact on nurses’ well-being. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics. Results A total of 123 health professionals completed the survey. The majority were rheumatology nurses [n = 118 (96%)], >45 years of age [n = 112 (91%)], band ≥7 [n = 92 (76%)], with 77 (65%) reporting >10 years of experience within rheumatology. Most advice lines operated weekdays only [n = 93 (79%)], with most calls returned within 2 days [n = 81 (66%)], although some callers waited >7 days [n = 19 (15%)]. The number of calls received monthly ranged from 100 to >800, with 46 (37%) responders reporting >500 calls/month. The most common reasons for contacting advice lines were disease activity, pain and medication concerns. For most responders, governance arrangements were unclear [n = 72 (61%)]. Providing advice lines impacted on the well-being of nurses providing the service: 89 (72%) felt anxious ‘sometimes to mostly’ and 79 (64%) found it ‘mostly–always’ stressful. A total of 85 (69%) nurses had not received any training to manage advice lines. Conclusion Although telephone advice lines are provided by experienced rheumatology nurses, high demand is impacting on well-being. Having designated training could equip nurses with additional skills to manage increased capacity and monitor their own well-being. Lay Summary What does this mean for patients? Telephone advice lines enable people with arthritis to contact their rheumatology team when they need guidance about managing their condition. Since the pandemic, demand for telephone support has increased, with some services struggling to return calls quickly, impacting on the well-being of patients and staff. To understand more about how advice lines currently function, we undertook a national survey of telephone advice line services in the UK. A total of 123 health professionals completed the survey, the majority being experienced rheumatology nurses. Nearly all advice lines operated weekdays, with most calls returned within 2 days, although some patients waited >7 days for a response. The most common reasons for contacting advice lines included joint swelling, pain and concerns about medications, including possible side effects. Nurses providing the service often felt anxious and stressed. Most services did not have any formal guidelines and there was no system for evaluating the increased workload. Having designated training could improve staff well-being and help manage increased demand. Services also need to be appropriately resourced and evaluated to meet the needs of people with arthritis.

This article presents an investigation of the organization and structures of talk-in-interaction over mobile phone. The analysis is based upon naturally occurring data consisting of a corpus of calls recorded during everyday activities of a young adult. Using these data we reveal a range of sequential phenomena associated with mobile phone usage. Established conversation analytic work on landline telephone conversation is used in order to build a comparative analysis of how actions such as openings, caller–called identity management, and topic introduction are accomplished in mobile vs landline telephone conversation. We first show that, far from revolutionizing the organization of telephone conversation, mobile phone talk retains many of the norms associated with landline phone talk. Subsequently, focusing on those modifications that are identifiable in our data, we show how these are related to aspects of the communicative affordances of mobile phones, orientations to which are observable in the talk of participants in mobile phone conversation.

Abstract Objectives Telephone advice lines are a key component of National Health Service (NHS) rheumatology services and increased demand poses challenges for users and service providers. To explore the experiences of people using these services we undertook an evaluation survey with the National Rheumatoid Arthritis Society (NRAS). Methods An online survey, co-designed with people with lived experience, was distributed by NRAS between August and September 2024. The survey collected data on respondent demographics, reasons for contacting advice line services, experiences using the advice line and how services could be improved. Results A total of 1423 participants completed the survey. The majority were female [n = 1338 (94%)], of White British ethnicity [n = 1455 (95%)], had rheumatoid arthritis [n = 1288 (91%)], with a disease duration of >6 years [n = 975 (68%)] and were 61–80 years of age [n = 849 (56%)]. Most services were automated [n = 1273 (85%)], although participants would prefer to speak to someone directly [n = 889 (59%)]. The main reasons for contacting advice lines were experiencing a flare [n = 946 (66%)], pain [n = 876 (61%)] and medication concerns [n = 863 (61%)]. Most participants found the advice to be ‘helpful to very helpful’ [n = 847 (59%)] and were ‘confident to very confident’ [n = 866 (61%)] they could implement the advice given. A total of 839 (56%) calls were returned within 48 hours. There were 665 free-text responses on how telephone advice line services could be improved that focused on three main areas: increasing availability, improving response times and having more staff to deliver advice line support. Conclusion The increasing demand for NHS rheumatology telephone advice line services requires a redesign of current systems to maximize accessibility and manage user expectations. Lay Summary What does this mean for patients? The National Health Service (NHS) rheumatology telephone advice lines are used by people with inflammatory arthritis when they have concerns about their condition or treatment. Using the advice line may be the only way a patient has of contacting their rheumatology team. With fewer face-to-face consultations, demand for advice line support is increasing, with rheumatology nurses struggling to respond to calls quickly. To understand more about the experiences of people using an NHS rheumatology telephone advice line we conducted a survey with the National Rheumatoid Arthritis Society. A total of 1423 people completed the survey; most had rheumatoid arthritis. People preferred to speak to someone directly, but most services were automated. The most common reasons for contacting the advice line included a flare, pain and medication concerns. Most participants found the information ‘helpful to very helpful’. There were concerns about the limited times advice lines were available and the long waits for a return call. There is a need to review how telephone advice lines currently operate to provide advice and guidance in a timely way that helps people manage their symptoms and take medications safely.

The telephone is taken as a privileged figure for discussing the relationship between Cixous and Derrida, particularly as it figures in some of Cixous's late work, and especially Hyperdream . It is suggested that the telephonic relation essentially involves interruption as well connection, and that this structure leads to reformulations of issues such as possibility and impossibility, life and death.

Telenursing services are widely used to support individuals with inflammatory bowel disease in several countries. Nurses supporting this population must manage diverse symptoms and care needs, but many report challenges in responding to telephone consultations. This qualitative study aimed to identify and describe the specific elements of telenursing practice for patients with inflammatory bowel disease in Japan, and the aspects that nurses consider important in remote care. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 20 nurses who had extensive experience in telenursing for inflammatory bowel disease, who were selected through purposive sampling. Data were analyzed using inductive content analysis. Participants had a median of 10 years of telenursing experience. Six categories of practice were identified: (1) educate and inform in advance, (2) clarify the situation and needs, (3) assess worsening symptoms and decide the response, (4) recommend responses to worsening symptoms, (5) respond to issues other than physical deterioration, and (6) nurse-to-patient contact. Three key elements were highlighted as essential to effective telenursing: establishing a coordinated system, clarifying the role of telenursing, and improving nursing skills. These findings provide a clearer understanding of telenursing practices and offer guidance for enhancing support for individuals with inflammatory bowel disease.

There have been numerous recent reports of headaches occurring in association with the use of hand-held cellular telephones. Are these reported headaches real? Are they due to emissions from telephones? There is reason to believe that the answer is \"yes\" to both questions. There are several lines of evidence to support this conclusion. First, headaches as a consequence of exposure to low intensity microwaves were reported in the literature 30 years ago. These were observed during the course of microwave hearing research before there were cellular telephones. Second, the blood-brain barrier appears to be involved in headaches, and low intensity microwave energy exposure affects the barrier. Third, the dopamine-opiate systems of the brain appear to be involved in headaches, and low intensity electromagnetic energy exposure affects those systems. In all three lines of research, the microwave energy used was approximately the same-in frequencies, modulations, and incident energies-as those emitted by present day cellular telephones. Could the current reports of headaches be the canary in the coal mine, warning of biologically significant effects?