Overcrowding in prisons is a common problem that affects many countries. It is difficult to define this term because there is no single internationally accepted standard. However, this is a situation that must be counteracted, because people's behaviour can be affected to the extent that it leads to self-harm or violent behaviour to others. But prison overcrowding also has other effects on the ...

situation of the emergency department (ED) [1], highlighting common problems in diff erent countries that have remained unchanged and unresolved for decades [2]. Is there a solution to the collapse of emergency services or is it an incurable disease? Figure 1 shows the fl ows of input and output in an ED – modulating these fl ows can treat the problem. Th e clinician has no doubt that it is pos...

Introduction Overcrowding in U.S. emergency departments (ED) is a critical issue. In a privatized health care system, patients with limited access to insurance benefits (as influenced by challenging socio-economic conditions) often utilize the ED as crucial point of access to care. Non-acute patients seeking primary care in ED facilities can congest operations and contribute to overcrowding. In...

UNLABELLED Natural habitats vary in available nutrients and room for bacteria to grow, but successful colonization can lead to overcrowding and stress. Here we show that competing sibling colonies of Paenibacillus dendritiformis bacteria survive overcrowding by switching between two distinct vegetative phenotypes, motile rods and immotile cocci. Growing colonies of the rod-shaped bacteria produ...