Access to specialist gastroenterology care in Canada: Comparison of wait times and consensus targets

PubMed Central

Leddin, Desmond; Armstrong, David; Barkun, Alan NG; Chen, Ying; Daniels, Sandra; Hollingworth, Roger; Hunt, Richard H; Paterson, William G

2008-01-01

BACKGROUND: Monitoring wait times and defining targets for care have been advocated to improve health care delivery related to cancer, heart, diagnostic imaging, joint replacements and sight restoration. There are few data on access to care for digestive diseases, although they pose a greater economic burden than cancer or heart disease in Canada. The present study compared wait times for specialist gastroenterology care with recent, evidence-based, consensus-defined benchmark wait times for a range of digestive diseases. METHODS: Total wait times from primary care referral to investigation were measured for seven digestive disease indications by using the Practice Audit in Gastroenterology program, and were benchmarked against consensus recommendations. RESULTS: Total wait times for 1903 patients who were undergoing investigation exceeded targets for those with probable cancer (median 26 days [25th to 75th percentiles eight to 56 days] versus target of two weeks); probable inflammatory bowel disease (101 days [35 to 209 days] versus two weeks); documented iron deficiency anemia (71 days [19 to 142 days] versus two months); positive fecal occult blood test (73 days [36 to 148 days] versus two months); dyspepsia with alarm symptoms (60 days [23 to 140 days] versus two months); refractory dyspepsia without alarm symptoms (126 days [42 to 225 days] versus two months); and chronic constipation and diarrhea (141 days [68 to 264 days] versus two months). A minority of patients were seen within target times: probable cancer (33% [95% CI 20% to 47%]); probable inflammatory bowel disease (12% [95% CI 1% to 23%]); iron deficiency anemia (46% [95% CI 37% to 55%]); positive occult blood test (41% [95% CI 28% to 54%]); dyspepsia with alarm symptoms (51% [95% CI 41% to 60%]); refractory dyspepsia without alarm symptoms (33% [95% CI 19% to 47%]); and chronic constipation and diarrhea (21% [95% CI 14% to 29%]). DISCUSSION: Total wait times for the seven indications exceeded the

Examination of CRISPR/Cas9 design tools and the effect of target site accessibility on Cas9 activity.

PubMed

Lee, Ciaran M; Davis, Timothy H; Bao, Gang

2018-04-01

What is the topic of this review? In this review, we analyse the performance of recently described tools for CRISPR/Cas9 guide RNA design, in particular, design tools that predict CRISPR/Cas9 activity. What advances does it highlight? Recently, many tools designed to predict CRISPR/Cas9 activity have been reported. However, the majority of these tools lack experimental validation. Our analyses indicate that these tools have poor predictive power. Our preliminary results suggest that target site accessibility should be considered in order to develop better guide RNA design tools with improved predictive power. The recent adaptation of the clustered regulatory interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)/CRISPR-associated protein 9 (Cas9) system for targeted genome engineering has led to its widespread application in many fields worldwide. In order to gain a better understanding of the design rules of CRISPR/Cas9 systems, several groups have carried out large library-based screens leading to some insight into sequence preferences among highly active target sites. To facilitate CRISPR/Cas9 design, these studies have spawned a plethora of guide RNA (gRNA) design tools with algorithms based solely on direct or indirect sequence features. Here, we demonstrate that the predictive power of these tools is poor, suggesting that sequence features alone cannot accurately inform the cutting efficiency of a particular CRISPR/Cas9 gRNA design. Furthermore, we demonstrate that DNA target site accessibility influences the activity of CRISPR/Cas9. With further optimization, we hypothesize that it will be possible to increase the predictive power of gRNA design tools by including both sequence and target site accessibility metrics. © 2017 The Authors. Experimental Physiology © 2017 The Physiological Society.

BWI terminal accessibility study.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2001-12-01

This study details the landside accessibility of the BWI airport. The accessibility of the airport is examined from : each of the access facilities. Included in the study are the terminal garage, ESP parking lot, all satellite lots and : terminal cur...

Scaling the Drosophila Wing: TOR-Dependent Target Gene Access by the Hippo Pathway Transducer Yorkie

PubMed Central

Parker, Joseph; Struhl, Gary

2015-01-01

Organ growth is controlled by patterning signals that operate locally (e.g., Wingless/Ints [Wnts], Bone Morphogenetic Proteins [BMPs], and Hedgehogs [Hhs]) and scaled by nutrient-dependent signals that act systemically (e.g., Insulin-like peptides [ILPs] transduced by the Target of Rapamycin [TOR] pathway). How cells integrate these distinct inputs to generate organs of the appropriate size and shape is largely unknown. The transcriptional coactivator Yorkie (Yki, a YES-Associated Protein, or YAP) acts downstream of patterning morphogens and other tissue-intrinsic signals to promote organ growth. Yki activity is regulated primarily by the Warts/Hippo (Wts/Hpo) tumour suppressor pathway, which impedes nuclear access of Yki by a cytoplasmic tethering mechanism. Here, we show that the TOR pathway regulates Yki by a separate and novel mechanism in the Drosophila wing. Instead of controlling Yki nuclear access, TOR signaling governs Yki action after it reaches the nucleus by allowing it to gain access to its target genes. When TOR activity is inhibited, Yki accumulates in the nucleus but is sequestered from its normal growth-promoting target genes—a phenomenon we term “nuclear seclusion.” Hence, we posit that in addition to its well-known role in stimulating cellular metabolism in response to nutrients, TOR also promotes wing growth by liberating Yki from nuclear seclusion, a parallel pathway that we propose contributes to the scaling of wing size with nutrient availability. PMID:26474042

Methodology and Results of the Near-Earth Object (NEO) Human Space Flight (HSF) Accessible Targets Study (NHATS)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Barbee, Brent; Mink, Ronald; Adamo, Daniel

2011-01-01

Near-Earth Asteroids (NEAs) have been identified by the current administration as potential destinations for human explorers during the mid-2020s. While the close proximity of these objects' orbits to Earth's orbit creates a risk of highly damaging or catastrophic impacts, it also makes some of these objects particularly accessible to spacecraft departing Earth, and this presents unique opportunities for solar system science and humanity's first ventures beyond cislunar space. Planning such ambitious missions first requires the selection of potentially accessible targets from the growing population of nearly 7,800 NEAs. To accomplish this, NASA is conducting the Near-Earth Object (NEO) Human Space Flight (HSF) Accessible Targets Study (NHATS). Phase I of the NHATS was executed during September of 2010, and Phase II was completed by early March of 2011. The study is ongoing because previously undetected NEAs are being discovered constantly, which has motivated an effort to automate the analysis algorithms in order to provide continuous monitoring of NEA accessibility. The NHATS analysis process consists of a trajectory filter and a minimum maximum estimated size criterion. The trajectory filter employs the method of embedded trajectory grids to compute all possible ballistic round-trip mission trajectories to every NEA in the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) Small-Body Database (SBDB) and stores all solutions that satisfy the trajectory filter criteria. An NEA must offer at least one qualifying trajectory solution to pass the trajectory filter. The Phase II NHATS filter criteria were purposely chosen to be highly inclusive, requiring Earth departure date between January 1st, 2015 and December 31st, 2040, total round-trip flight time <= 450 days, stay time at the NEA >= 8 days, Earth departure C(sub 3) energy <= 60 km(exp 2)/s(exp 2), total mission delta-v <= 12 km/s (including an Earth departure maneuver from a 400 km altitude circular parking orbit), and a maximum

Housing accessibility for senior citizens in Sweden: Estimation of the effects of targeted elimination of environmental barriers.

PubMed

Pettersson, Cecilia; Slaug, Björn; Granbom, Marianne; Kylberg, Marianne; Iwarsson, Susanne

2017-01-24

To estimate the effects of targeted elimination of environmental barriers (EB) in the ordinary housing stock in Sweden, and to explore the estimated effects on accessibility at a population level in relation to (a) residents with different functional profiles, (b) different housing types and (c) building periods. Data on dwellings from existing Swedish research databases were utilized. EB and accessibility were assessed by means of the Housing Enabler instrument. In simulations of EB removal, five items that correspond to the most common housing adaptations were selected. The simulations were applied to four functional profiles of different complexity. EB known to be commonly removed by housing adaptations exist in large proportions of the existing ordinary housing stock. Estimated targeted elimination of selected barriers would have the largest accessibility effects for the more complex functional profiles. The effects would be consistently larger for one-family houses, and for all types of dwellings built before 1960. The elimination of the EB most commonly addressed by housing adaptations could result in a reduction of the housing accessibility problems that community-living older people are facing. For society to solve the housing situation for the ageing population well-informed and efficient upgrading of ordinary housing is imperative.

Point prevalence of access block and overcrowding in New Zealand emergency departments in 2010 and their relationship to the 'Shorter Stays in ED' target.

PubMed

Jones, Peter G; Olsen, Sarah

2011-10-01

To document the extent of access block and ED overcrowding in New Zealand in 2010 and to determine whether these were linked to the hospital's ability to meet the Shorter Stays in ED target. Surveys of all New Zealand EDs were undertaken at two points in time in 2010 to determine ED occupancy. Data on target achievement during corresponding time periods were obtained from the Ministry of Health. In tertiary and secondary hospitals, respectively, access block was seen in 64% versus 23% (P= 0.05) and overcrowding was seen in 57.1% versus 39% (P= 0.45). No hospital with access block met the 'Shorter Stays' target, compared with 60% without access block (P= 0.001). Twenty-three per cent of hospitals with ED overcrowding met the target compared with 43% without ED overcrowding (P= 0.42). The number of patients experiencing ≥8 h delay to admission were 25 in May and 59 in August (P= 0.04). This represented 45.5% and 79.7% of patients waiting for admission, respectively (P= 0.08). Hospital access block was seen more often in larger hospitals and significantly associated with failure to meet the 'Shorter Stays in ED' health target, whereas ED overcrowding was seen in both small and large hospitals, but not associated with failure to meet the target. © 2011 The Authors. EMA © 2011 Australasian College for Emergency Medicine and Australasian Society for Emergency Medicine.

Transcytosis of Listeria monocytogenes across the intestinal barrier upon specific targeting of goblet cell accessible E-cadherin.

PubMed

Nikitas, Georgios; Deschamps, Chantal; Disson, Olivier; Niault, Théodora; Cossart, Pascale; Lecuit, Marc

2011-10-24

Listeria monocytogenes (Lm) is a foodborne pathogen that crosses the intestinal barrier upon interaction between its surface protein InlA and its species-specific host receptor E-cadherin (Ecad). Ecad, the key constituent of adherens junctions, is typically situated below tight junctions and therefore considered inaccessible from the intestinal lumen. In this study, we investigated how Lm specifically targets its receptor on intestinal villi and crosses the intestinal epithelium to disseminate systemically. We demonstrate that Ecad is luminally accessible around mucus-expelling goblet cells (GCs), around extruding enterocytes at the tip and lateral sides of villi, and in villus epithelial folds. We show that upon preferential adherence to accessible Ecad on GCs, Lm is internalized, rapidly transcytosed across the intestinal epithelium, and released in the lamina propria by exocytosis from where it disseminates systemically. Together, these results show that Lm exploits intrinsic tissue heterogeneity to access its receptor and reveal transcytosis as a novel and unanticipated pathway that is hijacked by Lm to breach the intestinal epithelium and cause systemic infection.

Transcytosis of Listeria monocytogenes across the intestinal barrier upon specific targeting of goblet cell accessible E-cadherin

PubMed Central

Nikitas, Georgios; Deschamps, Chantal; Disson, Olivier; Niault, Théodora; Cossart, Pascale

2011-01-01

Listeria monocytogenes (Lm) is a foodborne pathogen that crosses the intestinal barrier upon interaction between its surface protein InlA and its species-specific host receptor E-cadherin (Ecad). Ecad, the key constituent of adherens junctions, is typically situated below tight junctions and therefore considered inaccessible from the intestinal lumen. In this study, we investigated how Lm specifically targets its receptor on intestinal villi and crosses the intestinal epithelium to disseminate systemically. We demonstrate that Ecad is luminally accessible around mucus-expelling goblet cells (GCs), around extruding enterocytes at the tip and lateral sides of villi, and in villus epithelial folds. We show that upon preferential adherence to accessible Ecad on GCs, Lm is internalized, rapidly transcytosed across the intestinal epithelium, and released in the lamina propria by exocytosis from where it disseminates systemically. Together, these results show that Lm exploits intrinsic tissue heterogeneity to access its receptor and reveal transcytosis as a novel and unanticipated pathway that is hijacked by Lm to breach the intestinal epithelium and cause systemic infection. PMID:21967767

Blood Flow in Idealized Vascular Access for Hemodialysis: A Review of Computational Studies.

PubMed

Ene-Iordache, Bogdan; Remuzzi, Andrea

2017-09-01

Although our understanding of the failure mechanism of vascular access for hemodialysis has increased substantially, this knowledge has not translated into successful therapies. Despite advances in technology, it is recognized that vascular access is difficult to maintain, due to complications such as intimal hyperplasia. Computational studies have been used to estimate hemodynamic changes induced by vascular access creation. Due to the heterogeneity of patient-specific geometries, and difficulties with obtaining reliable models of access vessels, idealized models were often employed. In this review we analyze the knowledge gained with the use of computational such simplified models. A review of the literature was conducted, considering studies employing a computational fluid dynamics approach to gain insights into the flow field phenotype that develops in idealized models of vascular access. Several important discoveries have originated from idealized model studies, including the detrimental role of disturbed flow and turbulent flow, and the beneficial role of spiral flow in intimal hyperplasia. The general flow phenotype was consistent among studies, but findings were not treated homogeneously since they paralleled achievements in cardiovascular biomechanics which spanned over the last two decades. Computational studies in idealized models are important for studying local blood flow features and evaluating new concepts that may improve the patency of vascular access for hemodialysis. For future studies we strongly recommend numerical modelling targeted at accurately characterizing turbulent flows and multidirectional wall shear disturbances.

System access control study

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1974-06-01

The report presents a summary of a study conducted for the Transportation Systems Center of promising access control techniques which are applicable to an aeronautical satellite system. Several frequency division multiple access (FDMA) and time divis...

Patient Access Study

DTIC Science & Technology

1998-03-01

guidelines. 14. SUBJECT TERMS Efficiency, health care issues, medical services, military medicine, military standards, Navy, patients , scheduling...Rev. 2-89) Prescribed by ANSI Std. 239-18 299-01 Patient Access Study Sponsor: Assistant Chief for Health Care Operations (MED 03) March 1998...Michelle Dolfini-Reed Derek Shia In today’s highly competitive health care market, patient access to care is the key ingredient to a practice’s

Reviewing the literature on access to prompt and effective malaria treatment in Kenya: implications for meeting the Abuja targets

PubMed Central

Chuma, Jane; Abuya, Timothy; Memusi, Dorothy; Juma, Elizabeth; Akhwale, Willis; Ntwiga, Janet; Nyandigisi, Andrew; Tetteh, Gladys; Shretta, Rima; Amin, Abdinasir

2009-01-01

Background Effective case management is central to reducing malaria mortality and morbidity worldwide, but only a minority of those affected by malaria, have access to prompt effective treatment. In Kenya, the Division of Malaria Control is committed to ensuring that 80 percent of childhood fevers are treated with effective anti-malarial medicines within 24 hours of fever onset, but this target is largely unmet. This review aimed to document evidence on access to effective malaria treatment in Kenya, identify factors that influence access, and make recommendations on how to improve prompt access to effective malaria treatment. Since treatment-seeking patterns for malaria are similar in many settings in sub-Saharan Africa, the findings presented in this review have important lessons for other malaria endemic countries. Methods Internet searches were conducted in PUBMED (MEDLINE) and HINARI databases using specific search terms and strategies. Grey literature was obtained by soliciting reports from individual researchers working in the treatment-seeking field, from websites of major organizations involved in malaria control and from international reports. Results The review indicated that malaria treatment-seeking occurs mostly in the informal sector; that most fevers are treated, but treatment is often ineffective. Irrational drug use was identified as a problem in most studies, but determinants of this behaviour were not documented. Availability of non-recommended medicines over-the-counter and the presence of substandard anti-malarials in the market are well documented. Demand side determinants of access include perception of illness causes, severity and timing of treatment, perceptions of treatment efficacy, simplicity of regimens and ability to pay. Supply side determinants include distance to health facilities, availability of medicines, prescribing and dispensing practices and quality of medicines. Policy level factors are around the complexity and unclear

Policies to Spur Energy Access. Executive Summary; Volume 1, Engaging the Private Sector in Expanding Access to Electricity; Volume 2, Case Studies to Public-Private Models to Finance Decentralized Electricity Access

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Walters, Terri; Rai, Neha; Esterly, Sean

Government policy is one of the most important factors in engaging the private sector in providing universal access to electricity. In particular, the private sector is well positioned to provide decentralized electricity products and services. While policy uncertainty and regulatory barriers can keep enterprises and investors from engaging in the market, targeted policies can create opportunities to leverage private investment and skills to expand electricity access. However, creating a sustainable market requires policies beyond traditional electricity regulation. The report reviews the range of policy issues that impact the development and expansion of a market for decentralized electricity services from establishingmore » an enabling policy environment to catalyzing finance, building human capacity, and integrating energy access with development programs. The case studies in this report show that robust policy frameworks--addressing a wide range of market issues--can lead to rapid transformation in energy access. The report highlights examples of these policies in action Bangladesh, Ethiopia, Mali, Mexico, and Nepal.« less

GENE EXPRESSION PROFILING OF ACCESSIBLE SURROGATE TISSUES TO MONITOR MOLECULAR CHANGES IN INACCESSIBLE TARGET TISSUES FOLLOWING TOXICANT EXPOSURE

EPA Science Inventory

Gene Expression Profiling Of Accessible Surrogate Tissues To Monitor Molecular Changes In Inaccessible Target Tissues Following Toxicant Exposure
John C. Rockett, Chad R. Blystone, Amber K. Goetz, Rachel N. Murrell, Judith E. Schmid and David J. Dix
Reproductive Toxicology ...

Determination of drill paths for percutaneous cochlear access accounting for target positioning error

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Noble, Jack H.; Warren, Frank M.; Labadie, Robert F.; Dawant, Benoit; Fitzpatrick, J. Michael

2007-03-01

In cochlear implant surgery an electrode array is permanently implanted to stimulate the auditory nerve and allow deaf people to hear. Current surgical techniques require wide excavation of the mastoid region of the temporal bone and one to three hours time to avoid damage to vital structures. Recently a far less invasive approach has been proposed-percutaneous cochlear access, in which a single hole is drilled from skull surface to the cochlea. The drill path is determined by attaching a fiducial system to the patient's skull and then choosing, on a pre-operative CT, an entry point and a target point. The drill is advanced to the target, the electrodes placed through the hole, and a stimulator implanted at the surface of the skull. The major challenge is the determination of a safe and effective drill path, which with high probability avoids specific vital structures-the facial nerve, the ossicles, and the external ear canal-and arrives at the basal turn of the cochlea. These four features lie within a few millimeters of each other, the drill is one millimeter in diameter, and errors in the determination of the target position are on the order of 0.5mm root-mean square. Thus, path selection is both difficult and critical to the success of the surgery. This paper presents a method for finding optimally safe and effective paths while accounting for target positioning error.

Flightless I (Drosophila) homolog facilitates chromatin accessibility of the estrogen receptor α target genes in MCF-7 breast cancer cells

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Jeong, Kwang Won, E-mail: kwjeong@gachon.ac.kr

2014-04-04

Highlights: • H3K4me3 and Pol II binding at TFF1 promoter were reduced in FLII-depleted MCF-7 cells. • FLII is required for chromatin accessibility of the enhancer of ERalpha target genes. • Depletion of FLII causes inhibition of proliferation of MCF-7 cells. - Abstract: The coordinated activities of multiple protein complexes are essential to the remodeling of chromatin structure and for the recruitment of RNA polymerase II (Pol II) to the promoter in order to facilitate the initiation of transcription in nuclear receptor-mediated gene expression. Flightless I (Drosophila) homolog (FLII), a nuclear receptor coactivator, is associated with the SWI/SNF-chromatin remodeling complexmore » during estrogen receptor (ER)α-mediated transcription. However, the function of FLII in estrogen-induced chromatin opening has not been fully explored. Here, we show that FLII plays a critical role in establishing active histone modification marks and generating the open chromatin structure of ERα target genes. We observed that the enhancer regions of ERα target genes are heavily occupied by FLII, and histone H3K4me3 and Pol II binding induced by estrogen are decreased in FLII-depleted MCF-7 cells. Furthermore, formaldehyde-assisted isolation of regulatory elements (FAIRE)-quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) experiments showed that depletion of FLII resulted in reduced chromatin accessibility of multiple ERα target genes. These data suggest FLII as a key regulator of ERα-mediated transcription through its role in regulating chromatin accessibility for the binding of RNA Polymerase II and possibly other transcriptional coactivators.« less

Accessible Near-Earth Objects (NEOs)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Barbee, Brent W.

2015-01-01

Near Earth Objects (NEOs) are asteroids and comets whose orbits are in close proximity to Earth's orbit; specifically, they have perihelia less than 1.3 astronomical units. NEOs particularly near Earth asteroids (NEAs) are identified as potential destinations for future human exploration missions. In this presentation I provide an overview of the current state of knowledge regarding the astrodynamical accessibility of NEAs according to NASA's Near Earth Object Human Space Flight Accessible Targets Study (NHATS). I also investigate the extremes of NEA accessibility using case studies and illuminate the fact that a space-based survey for NEOs is essential to expanding the set of known accessible NEAs for future human exploration missions.

Riociguat in patients with chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension: results from an early access study.

PubMed

McLaughlin, Vallerie V; Jansa, Pavel; Nielsen-Kudsk, Jens E; Halank, Michael; Simonneau, Gérald; Grünig, Ekkehard; Ulrich, Silvia; Rosenkranz, Stephan; Gómez Sánchez, Miguel A; Pulido, Tomás; Pepke-Zaba, Joanna; Barberá, Joan Albert; Hoeper, Marius M; Vachiéry, Jean-Luc; Lang, Irene; Carvalho, Francine; Meier, Christian; Mueller, Katharina; Nikkho, Sylvia; D'Armini, Andrea M

2017-12-28

Following positive results from the Phase III CHEST-1 study in patients with inoperable or persistent/recurrent chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH), the Phase IIIb CTEPH early access study (EAS) was designed to assess the safety and tolerability of riociguat in real-world clinical practice, as well as to provide patients with early access to riociguat before launch. Riociguat is approved for the treatment of inoperable and persistent/recurrent CTEPH. We performed an open-label, uncontrolled, single-arm, early access study in which 300 adult patients with inoperable or persistent/recurrent CTEPH received riociguat adjusted from 1 mg three times daily (tid) to a maximum of 2.5 mg tid. Patients switching from unsatisfactory prior pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH)-targeted therapy (n = 84) underwent a washout period of at least 3 days before initiating riociguat. The primary aim was to assess the safety and tolerability of riociguat, with World Health Organization functional class and 6-min walking distance (6MWD) as exploratory efficacy endpoints. In total, 262 patients (87%) completed study treatment and entered the safety follow-up (median treatment duration 47 weeks). Adverse events were reported in 273 patients (91%). The most frequently reported serious adverse events were syncope (6%), right ventricular failure (3%), and pneumonia (2%). There were five deaths, none of which was considered related to study medication. The safety and tolerability of riociguat was similar in patients switched from other PAH-targeted therapies and those who were treatment naïve. In patients with data available, mean ± standard deviation 6MWD had increased by 33 ± 42 m at Week 12 with no clinically relevant differences between the switched and treatment-naïve subgroups. Riociguat was well tolerated in patients with CTEPH who were treatment naïve, and in those who were switched from other PAH-targeted therapies. No new safety signals were

Urban Studies: A Study of Bibliographic Access and Control.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Anderson, Barbara E.

This paper analyzes: (1) the bibliographic access to publications in urban studies via printed secondary sources; (2) development and scope of classification systems and of vocabulary control for urban studies; and (3) currently accessible automated collections of bibliographic citations. Urban studies is defined as "an agglomeration of…

Dynamics of 1α,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3-dependent chromatin accessibility of early vitamin D receptor target genes.

PubMed

Seuter, Sabine; Pehkonen, Petri; Heikkinen, Sami; Carlberg, Carsten

2013-12-01

The signaling cascade of the transcription factor vitamin D receptor (VDR) is triggered by its specific ligand 1α,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 (1α,25(OH)2D3). In this study we demonstrate that in THP-1 human monocytic leukemia cells 87.4% of the 1034 most prominent genome-wide VDR binding sites co-localize with loci of open chromatin. At 165 of them 1α,25(OH)2D3 strongly increases chromatin accessibility and has at further 217 sites weaker effects. Interestingly, VDR binding sites in 1α,25(OH)2D3-responsive chromatin regions are far more often composed of direct repeats with 3 intervening nucleotides (DR3s) than those in ligand insensitive regions. DR3-containing VDR sites are enriched in the neighborhood of genes that are involved in controling cellular growth, while non-DR3 VDR binding is often found close to genes related to immunity. At the example of six early VDR target genes we show that the slope of their 1α,25(OH)2D3-induced transcription correlates with the basal chromatin accessibility of their major VDR binding regions. However, the chromatin loci controlling these genes are indistinguishable in their VDR association kinetics. Taken together, ligand responsive chromatin loci represent dynamically regulated contact points of VDR with the genome, from where it controls early 1α,25(OH)2D3 target genes. © 2013.

Airport Ground Access Study

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1978-03-02

In response to a request by Congress, the FAA and TSC have undertaken a study to determine the extent to which inadequate (off-airport) ground access to airports constrains airport capacity and air travel. Presently, TSC is preparing case studies of ...

Subliminal access to abstract face representations does not rely on attention.

PubMed

Harry, Bronson; Davis, Chris; Kim, Jeesun

2012-03-01

The present study used masked repetition priming to examine whether face representations can be accessed without attention. Two experiments using a face recognition task (fame judgement) presented masked repetition and control primes in spatially unattended locations prior to target onset. Experiment 1 (n=20) used the same images as primes and as targets and Experiment 2 (n=17) used different images of the same individual as primes and targets. Repetition priming was observed across both experiments regardless of whether spatial attention was cued to the location of the prime. Priming occurred for both famous and non-famous targets in Experiment 1 but was only reliable for famous targets in Experiment 2, suggesting that priming in Experiment 1 indexed access to view-specific representations whereas priming in Experiment 2 indexed access to view-invariant, abstract representations. Overall, the results indicate that subliminal access to abstract face representations does not rely on attention. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Systemic barriers accessing HIV treatment among people who inject drugs in Russia: a qualitative study.

PubMed

Sarang, Anya; Rhodes, Tim; Sheon, Nicolas

2013-10-01

Achieving 'universal access' to antiretroviral HIV treatment (ART) in lower income and transitional settings is a global target. Yet, access to ART is shaped by local social condition and is by no means universal. Qualitative studies are ideally suited to describing how access to ART is socially situated. We explored systemic barriers to accessing ART among people who inject drugs (PWID) in a Russian city (Ekaterinburg) with a large burden of HIV treatment demand. We undertook 42 in-depth qualitative interviews with people living with HIV with current or recent experience of injecting drug use. Accounts were analysed thematically, and supplemented here with an illustrative case study. Three core themes were identified: 'labyrinthine bureaucracy' governing access to ART; a 'system Catch 22' created by an expectation that access to ART was conditional upon treated drug use in a setting of limited drug treatment opportunity; and 'system verticalization', where a lack of integration across HIV, tuberculosis (TB) and drug treatment compromised access to ART. Taken together, we find that systemic factors play a key role in shaping access to ART with the potential adverse effects of reproducing treatment initiation delay and disengagement from treatment. We argue that meso-level systemic factors affecting access to ART for PWID interact with wider macro-level structural forces, including those related to drug treatment policy and the social marginalization of PWID. We note the urgent need for systemic and structural changes to improve access to ART for PWID in this setting, including to simplify bureaucratic procedures, foster integrated HIV, TB and drug treatment services, and advocate for drug treatment policy reform.

Flexion-rotation manoeuvre increases dimension of the acoustic target window for paramedian thoracic epidural access.

PubMed

Ramsay, N; Walker, J; Tang, R; Vaghadia, H; Sawka, A

2014-03-01

The posterior longitudinal ligament (PLL) has been found to be a reliable measure of the acoustic target window for lumbar spinal anaesthesia and a predictive tool for difficult spinals. Currently, there is limited information on the PLL in the thoracic spine and its potential use for optimizing the acoustic target window during thoracic epidural placement. This study examined the effects of changes in body position on the length of the PLL as a measure of the acoustic target window for paramedian thoracic epidural access. We performed thoracic ultrasonography on 30 adult volunteers to measure the length of the PLL at the T9/10 interspace, in five different positions: P1, neutral; P2, thoracic and lumbar flexion; P3, as in position 2 with dorsal table tilt to 10°; P4, as in position 2 with 45° rightward shoulder rotation; and P5, as in position 2 with 45° leftward shoulder rotation. The mean (sd) PLL length increased significantly from 9.9 (3.9) mm in P1 to 11.7 (3.4) mm in P2, 12.9 (3.1) mm in P3, and 13.8 (4.0) mm in P4 (P<0.01, <0.01, and <0.01, respectively). The mean PLL length in P3 and P4 was also significantly longer compared with P2 (P<0.01 and 0.01, respectively). In volunteers, flexion with 10° dorsal table tilt and flexion with right rotation significantly increased the length of the ipsilateral PLL, compared with the standard flexed sitting position, as visualized by paramedian ultrasonography at the level of T9/10.

Availability and Accessibility in an Open Access Institutional Repository: A Case Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lee, Jongwook; Burnett, Gary; Vandegrift, Micah; Baeg, Jung Hoon; Morris, Richard

2015-01-01

Introduction: This study explores the extent to which an institutional repository makes papers available and accessible on the open Web by using 170 journal articles housed in DigiNole Commons, the institutional repository at Florida State University. Method: To analyse the repository's impact on availability and accessibility, we conducted…

Systemic barriers accessing HIV treatment among people who inject drugs in Russia: a qualitative study

PubMed Central

Sarang, Anya; Rhodes, Tim; Sheon, Nicolas

2013-01-01

Achieving ‘universal access’ to antiretroviral HIV treatment (ART) in lower income and transitional settings is a global target. Yet, access to ART is shaped by local social condition and is by no means universal. Qualitative studies are ideally suited to describing how access to ART is socially situated. We explored systemic barriers to accessing ART among people who inject drugs (PWID) in a Russian city (Ekaterinburg) with a large burden of HIV treatment demand. We undertook 42 in-depth qualitative interviews with people living with HIV with current or recent experience of injecting drug use. Accounts were analysed thematically, and supplemented here with an illustrative case study. Three core themes were identified: ‘labyrinthine bureaucracy’ governing access to ART; a ‘system Catch 22’ created by an expectation that access to ART was conditional upon treated drug use in a setting of limited drug treatment opportunity; and ‘system verticalization’, where a lack of integration across HIV, tuberculosis (TB) and drug treatment compromised access to ART. Taken together, we find that systemic factors play a key role in shaping access to ART with the potential adverse effects of reproducing treatment initiation delay and disengagement from treatment. We argue that meso-level systemic factors affecting access to ART for PWID interact with wider macro-level structural forces, including those related to drug treatment policy and the social marginalization of PWID. We note the urgent need for systemic and structural changes to improve access to ART for PWID in this setting, including to simplify bureaucratic procedures, foster integrated HIV, TB and drug treatment services, and advocate for drug treatment policy reform. PMID:23197431

Kinetic analysis of the effects of target structure on siRNA efficiency

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Jiawen; Zhang, Wenbing

2012-12-01

RNAi efficiency for target cleavage and protein expression is related to the target structure. Considering the RNA-induced silencing complex (RISC) as a multiple turnover enzyme, we investigated the effect of target mRNA structure on siRNA efficiency with kinetic analysis. The 4-step model was used to study the target cleavage kinetic process: hybridization nucleation at an accessible target site, RISC-mRNA hybrid elongation along with mRNA target structure melting, target cleavage, and enzyme reactivation. At this model, the terms accounting for the target accessibility, stability, and the seed and the nucleation site effects are all included. The results are in good agreement with that of experiments which show different arguments about the structure effects on siRNA efficiency. It shows that the siRNA efficiency is influenced by the integrated factors of target's accessibility, stability, and the seed effects. To study the off-target effects, a simple model of one siRNA binding to two mRNA targets was designed. By using this model, the possibility for diminishing the off-target effects by the concentration of siRNA was discussed.

Ground access to airport study

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2001-08-24

The Ground Access to Airport Study for the California Department of Transportation (Department), hereinafter referred to as Caltrans, began in July 2000. The Study's primary purpose was to assist Caltrans in identifying needs and provide tools to imp...

Attentional priorities and access to short-term memory: parietal interactions.

PubMed

Gillebert, Céline R; Dyrholm, Mads; Vangkilde, Signe; Kyllingsbæk, Søren; Peeters, Ronald; Vandenberghe, Rik

2012-09-01

The intraparietal sulcus (IPS) has been implicated in selective attention as well as visual short-term memory (VSTM). To contrast mechanisms of target selection, distracter filtering, and access to VSTM, we combined behavioral testing, computational modeling and functional magnetic resonance imaging. Sixteen healthy subjects participated in a change detection task in which we manipulated both target and distracter set sizes. We directly compared the IPS response as a function of the number of targets and distracters in the display and in VSTM. When distracters were not present, the posterior and middle segments of IPS showed the predicted asymptotic activity increase with an increasing target set size. When distracters were added to a single target, activity also increased as predicted. However, the addition of distracters to multiple targets suppressed both middle and posterior IPS activities, thereby displaying a significant interaction between the two factors. The interaction between target and distracter set size in IPS could not be accounted for by a simple explanation in terms of number of items accessing VSTM. Instead, it led us to a model where items accessing VSTM receive differential weights depending on their behavioral relevance, and secondly, a suppressive effect originates during the selection phase when multiple targets and multiple distracters are simultaneously present. The reverse interaction between target and distracter set size was significant in the right temporoparietal junction (TPJ), where activity was highest for a single target compared to any other condition. Our study reconciles the role of middle IPS in attentional selection and biased competition with its role in VSTM access. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Open Access Could Transform Drug Discovery: A Case Study of JQ1.

PubMed

Arshad, Zeeshaan; Smith, James; Roberts, Mackenna; Lee, Wen Hwa; Davies, Ben; Bure, Kim; Hollander, Georg A; Dopson, Sue; Bountra, Chas; Brindley, David

2016-01-01

The cost to develop a new drug from target discovery to market is a staggering $1.8 billion, largely due to the very high attrition rate of drug candidates and the lengthy transition times during development. Open access is an emerging model of open innovation that places no restriction on the use of information and has the potential to accelerate the development of new drugs. To date, no quantitative assessment has yet taken place to determine the effects and viability of open access on the process of drug translation. This need is addressed within this study. The literature and intellectual property landscapes of the drug candidate JQ1, which was made available on an open access basis when discovered, and conventionally developed equivalents that were not are compared using the Web of Science and Thomson Innovation software, respectively. Results demonstrate that openly sharing the JQ1 molecule led to a greater uptake by a wider and more multi-disciplinary research community. A comparative analysis of the patent landscapes for each candidate also found that the broader scientific diaspora of the publically released JQ1 data enhanced innovation, evidenced by a greater number of downstream patents filed in relation to JQ1. The authors' findings counter the notion that open access drug discovery would leak commercial intellectual property. On the contrary, JQ1 serves as a test case to evidence that open access drug discovery can be an economic model that potentially improves efficiency and cost of drug discovery and its subsequent commercialization.

Second generation accessible pedestrian systems.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2014-09-01

The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 has had a great impact on the implementation of Accessible Pedestrian Systems that target accessible and safety : impediments faced by pedestrians with mobility and visual impairments. Intersection geometri...

Finding a Target with an Accessible Global Positioning System

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ponchillia, Paul E.; MacKenzie, Nancy; Long, Richard G.; Denton-Smith, Pamela; Hicks, Thomas L.; Miley, Priscilla

2007-01-01

This article presents two target-location experiments. In the first experiment, 19 participants located a 25-foot chalk circle 93% of the time with a Global Positioning System (GPS) compared to 12% of the time without it. In a single-subject follow-up experiment, the participant came within 1 foot of the target on all GPS trials. Target-location…

Superior Recess Access of the Lumbar Facet Joint.

PubMed

Demir-Deviren, Sibel; Singh, Sukhminder; Hanelin, Joshua

2017-04-01

Descriptive approach to accessing the lumbar facet joint by superior recess. This study is aimed to describe an approach to accessing the lumbar facet joint through targeting the superior recess during lumbar facet joint injections. Lumbar facet joint injections are routinely performed for both the diagnosis and treatment of chronic low back pain. Previous studies either did not specify which part of the joint to target, or recommended targeting the inferior aspect of the joint to access the inferior recess. One study did mention the superior recess as an alternative to injecting the inferior recess, but none has focused on description of the technique. This is the first time this technique has been described. The records and fluoroscopic images were reviewed for all patients over a period of 9 months (January-September 2012) using the proposed technique. This resulted in a total of 48 patients; 15 men, 29 women, and a total of 117 facet joint intra-articular injections. Among these 48 patients, injections were repeated in total of 4 cases. The average time of injections among 4 repeat cases was 121 days. The success of the procedure was confirmed with an arthrogram demonstrating contrast flowing from the superior recess inferiorly through the joint space. Successful access of the lumbar facet joint through puncture of the superior recess was seen in 114 cases, with 3 unsuccessful attempts to enter facet joints due to osteophytes at involved levels. There were no complications observed during the procedure. We find this approach to be highly successful, safe, and well tolerated by the patient and recommend it as a technique for access of the lumbar facet joint in those patients in whom direct puncture of the inferior recess is difficult.

Burglar Target Selection

PubMed Central

Townsley, Michael; Bernasco, Wim; Ruiter, Stijn; Johnson, Shane D.; White, Gentry; Baum, Scott

2015-01-01

Objectives: This study builds on research undertaken by Bernasco and Nieuwbeerta and explores the generalizability of a theoretically derived offender target selection model in three cross-national study regions. Methods: Taking a discrete spatial choice approach, we estimate the impact of both environment- and offender-level factors on residential burglary placement in the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Combining cleared burglary data from all study regions in a single statistical model, we make statistical comparisons between environments. Results: In all three study regions, the likelihood an offender selects an area for burglary is positively influenced by proximity to their home, the proportion of easily accessible targets, and the total number of targets available. Furthermore, in two of the three study regions, juvenile offenders under the legal driving age are significantly more influenced by target proximity than adult offenders. Post hoc tests indicate the magnitudes of these impacts vary significantly between study regions. Conclusions: While burglary target selection strategies are consistent with opportunity-based explanations of offending, the impact of environmental context is significant. As such, the approach undertaken in combining observations from multiple study regions may aid criminology scholars in assessing the generalizability of observed findings across multiple environments. PMID:25866418

Study of target and non-target interplay in spatial attention task.

PubMed

Sweeti; Joshi, Deepak; Panigrahi, B K; Anand, Sneh; Santhosh, Jayasree

2018-02-01

Selective visual attention is the ability to selectively pay attention to the targets while inhibiting the distractors. This paper aims to study the targets and non-targets interplay in spatial attention task while subject attends to the target object present in one visual hemifield and ignores the distractor present in another visual hemifield. This paper performs the averaged evoked response potential (ERP) analysis and time-frequency analysis. ERP analysis agrees to the left hemisphere superiority over late potentials for the targets present in right visual hemifield. Time-frequency analysis performed suggests two parameters i.e. event-related spectral perturbation (ERSP) and inter-trial coherence (ITC). These parameters show the same properties for the target present in either of the visual hemifields but show the difference while comparing the activity corresponding to the targets and non-targets. In this way, this study helps to visualise the difference between targets present in the left and right visual hemifields and, also the targets and non-targets present in the left and right visual hemifields. These results could be utilised to monitor subjects' performance in brain-computer interface (BCI) and neurorehabilitation.

Hard-to-reach? Using health access status as a way to more effectively target segments of the Latino audience.

PubMed

Wilkin, Holley A; Ball-Rokeach, Sandra J

2011-04-01

Health issues disproportionately affect Latinos, but variations within this ethnic group may mean that some Latinos are harder to reach with health messages than others. This paper introduces a methodology grounded in communication infrastructure theory to better target 'hard-to-reach' audiences. A random digit dialing telephone survey of 739 Latinos living in two Los Angeles communities was conducted. The relationships between health access difficulties and connections to an integrated storytelling network as well as individual health communication source connections were explored. Findings suggest that Latinos who are connected to an integrated storytelling network report marginally greater ease finding healthcare, despite not being any more likely to have insurance or a regular place for healthcare. Latinos who have health access problems tended to rely more upon Spanish-language television for health information. In addition, those without healthcare access problems are more likely to indicate that they use health professionals, the Internet, mainstream TV and printed materials like health pamphlets for health information. The theoretical and methodological contributions of this work, its major findings, implications, limitations and policy guidelines are discussed.

The Mission Accessible Near-Earth Object Survey (MANOS)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Moskovitz, N.; Manos Team

2014-07-01

Near-Earth objects (NEOs) are essential to understanding the origin of the Solar System through their compositional links to meteorites. As tracers of various regions within the Solar System they can provide insight to more distant, less accessible populations. Their relatively small sizes and complex dynamical histories make them excellent laboratories for studying ongoing Solar System processes such as space weathering, planetary encounters, and non-gravitational dynamics. Knowledge of their physical properties is essential to impact hazard assessment. Finally, the proximity of NEOs to Earth make them favorable targets for robotic and human exploration. However, in spite of their scientific importance, only the largest (km-scale) NEOs have been well studied and a representative sample of physical characteristics for sub-km NEOs does not exist. To address these issues we are conducting the Mission Accessible Near-Earth Object Survey (MANOS), a fully allocated multi-year survey of sub-km NEOs that will provide a large, uniform catalog of physical properties including light curves, spectra, and astrometry. From this comprehensive catalog, we will derive global properties of the NEO population, as well as identify individual targets that are of potential interest for exploration. We will accomplish these goals for approximately 500 mission-accessible NEOs across the visible and near-infrared ranges using telescope assets in both the northern and southern hemispheres. MANOS has been awarded large survey status by NOAO to employ Gemini-N, Gemini-S, SOAR, the Kitt Peak 4 m, and the CTIO 1.3 m. Access to additional facilities at Lowell Observatory (DCT 4.3 m, Perkins 72'', Hall 42'', LONEOS), the University of Hawaii, and the Catalina Sky Survey provide essential complements to this suite of telescopes. Targets for MANOS are selected based on three primary criteria: mission accessibility (i.e. Δ v < 7 km/s), size (H > 20), and observability. Our telescope assets allow

Beyond access: a case study on the intersection between accessibility, sustainability, and universal design.

PubMed

Gossett, Andrea; Mirza, Mansha; Barnds, Ann Kathleen; Feidt, Daisy

2009-11-01

A growing emphasis has been placed on providing equal opportunities for all people, particularly people with disabilities, to support participation. Barriers to participation are represented in part by physical space restrictions. This article explores the decision-making process during the construction of a new office building housing a disability-rights organization. The building project featured in this study was developed on the principles of universal design, maximal accessibility, and sustainability to support access and participation. A qualitative case study approach was used involving collection of data through in-depth interviews with key decision-makers; non-participant observations at design meetings; and on-site tours. Qualitative thematic analysis along with the development of a classification system was used to understand specific building elements and the relevant decision processes from which they resulted. Recording and analyzing the design process revealed several key issues including grassroots involvement of stakeholders; interaction between universal design and sustainable design; addressing diversity through flexibility and universality; and segregationist accessibility versus universal design. This case study revealed complex interactions between accessibility, universal design, and sustainability. Two visual models were proposed to understand and analyze these complexities.

Accessing primary care: a simulated patient study.

PubMed

Campbell, John L; Carter, Mary; Davey, Antoinette; Roberts, Martin J; Elliott, Marc N; Roland, Martin

2013-03-01

Simulated patient, or so-called 'mystery-shopper', studies are a controversial, but potentially useful, approach to take when conducting health services research. To investigate the construct validity of survey questions relating to access to primary care included in the English GP Patient Survey. Observational study in 41 general practices in rural, urban, and inner-city settings in the UK. Between May 2010 and March 2011, researchers telephoned practices at monthly intervals, simulating patients requesting routine, but prompt, appointments. Seven measures of access and appointment availability, measured from the mystery-shopper contacts, were related to seven measures of practice performance from the GP Patient Survey. Practices with lower access scores in the GP Patient Survey had poorer access and appointment availability for five out of seven items measured directly, when compared with practices that had higher scores. Scores on items from the national survey that related to appointment availability were significantly associated with direct measures of appointment availability. Patient-satisfaction levels and the likelihood that patients would recommend their practice were related to the availability of appointments. Patients' reports of ease of telephone access in the national survey were unrelated to three out of four measures of practice call handling, but were related to the time taken to resolve an appointment request, suggesting responders' possible confusion in answering this question. Items relating to the accessibility of care in a the English GP patient survey have construct validity. Patients' satisfaction with their practice is not related to practice call handling, but is related to appointment availability.

Community-based interventions for enhancing access to or consumption of fruit and vegetables among five to 18-year olds: a scoping review

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background Low fruit and vegetable ( FV) consumption is a key risk factor for morbidity and mortality. Consumption of FV is limited by a lack of access to FV. Enhanced understanding of interventions and their impact on both access to and consumption of FV can provide guidance to public health decision-makers. The purpose of this scoping review is to identify and map literature that has evaluated effects of community-based interventions designed to increase FV access or consumption among five to 18-year olds. Methods The search included 21 electronic bibliographic databases, grey literature, targeted organization websites, and 15 key journals for relevant studies published up to May 2011. Retrieved citations were screened in duplicate for relevance. Data extracted from included studies covered: year, country, study design, target audience, intervention setting, intervention strategies, interventionists, and reported outcomes. Results The search located 19,607 unique citations. Full text relevance screening was conducted on 1,908 studies. The final 289 unique studies included 30 knowledge syntheses, 27 randomized controlled trials, 55 quasi-experimental studies, 113 cluster controlled studies, 60 before-after studies, one mixed method study, and three controlled time series studies. Of these studies, 46 included access outcomes and 278 included consumption outcomes. In terms of target population, 110 studies focused on five to seven year olds, 175 targeted eight to 10 year olds, 192 targeted 11 to 14 year olds, 73 targeted 15 to 18 year olds, 55 targeted parents, and 30 targeted teachers, other service providers, or the general public. The most common intervention locations included schools, communities or community centres, and homes. Most studies implemented multi-faceted intervention strategies to increase FV access or consumption. Conclusions While consumption measures were commonly reported, this review identified a small yet important subset of literature

Accessing primary care: a simulated patient study

PubMed Central

Campbell, John L; Carter, Mary; Davey, Antoinette; Roberts, Martin J; Elliott, Marc N; Roland, Martin

2013-01-01

Background Simulated patient, or so-called ‘mystery-shopper’, studies are a controversial, but potentially useful, approach to take when conducting health services research. Aim To investigate the construct validity of survey questions relating to access to primary care included in the English GP Patient Survey. Design and setting Observational study in 41 general practices in rural, urban, and inner-city settings in the UK. Method Between May 2010 and March 2011, researchers telephoned practices at monthly intervals, simulating patients requesting routine, but prompt, appointments. Seven measures of access and appointment availability, measured from the mystery-shopper contacts, were related to seven measures of practice performance from the GP Patient Survey. Results Practices with lower access scores in the GP Patient Survey had poorer access and appointment availability for five out of seven items measured directly, when compared with practices that had higher scores. Scores on items from the national survey that related to appointment availability were significantly associated with direct measures of appointment availability. Patient-satisfaction levels and the likelihood that patients would recommend their practice were related to the availability of appointments. Patients’ reports of ease of telephone access in the national survey were unrelated to three out of four measures of practice call handling, but were related to the time taken to resolve an appointment request, suggesting responders’ possible confusion in answering this question. Conclusion Items relating to the accessibility of care in a the English GP patient survey have construct validity. Patients’ satisfaction with their practice is not related to practice call handling, but is related to appointment availability. PMID:23561783

The Mission Accessibility of Near-Earth Asteroids

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Barbee, Brent W.; Abell, P. A.; Adamo, D. R.; Mazanek, D. D.; Johnson, L. N.; Yeomans, D. K.; Chodas, P. W.; Chamberlin, A. B.; Benner, L. A. M.; Taylor, P.;

Open Targets: a platform for therapeutic target identification and validation

PubMed Central

Koscielny, Gautier; An, Peter; Carvalho-Silva, Denise; Cham, Jennifer A.; Fumis, Luca; Gasparyan, Rippa; Hasan, Samiul; Karamanis, Nikiforos; Maguire, Michael; Papa, Eliseo; Pierleoni, Andrea; Pignatelli, Miguel; Platt, Theo; Rowland, Francis; Wankar, Priyanka; Bento, A. Patrícia; Burdett, Tony; Fabregat, Antonio; Forbes, Simon; Gaulton, Anna; Gonzalez, Cristina Yenyxe; Hermjakob, Henning; Hersey, Anne; Jupe, Steven; Kafkas, Şenay; Keays, Maria; Leroy, Catherine; Lopez, Francisco-Javier; Magarinos, Maria Paula; Malone, James; McEntyre, Johanna; Munoz-Pomer Fuentes, Alfonso; O'Donovan, Claire; Papatheodorou, Irene; Parkinson, Helen; Palka, Barbara; Paschall, Justin; Petryszak, Robert; Pratanwanich, Naruemon; Sarntivijal, Sirarat; Saunders, Gary; Sidiropoulos, Konstantinos; Smith, Thomas; Sondka, Zbyslaw; Stegle, Oliver; Tang, Y. Amy; Turner, Edward; Vaughan, Brendan; Vrousgou, Olga; Watkins, Xavier; Martin, Maria-Jesus; Sanseau, Philippe; Vamathevan, Jessica; Birney, Ewan; Barrett, Jeffrey; Dunham, Ian

2017-01-01

We have designed and developed a data integration and visualization platform that provides evidence about the association of known and potential drug targets with diseases. The platform is designed to support identification and prioritization of biological targets for follow-up. Each drug target is linked to a disease using integrated genome-wide data from a broad range of data sources. The platform provides either a target-centric workflow to identify diseases that may be associated with a specific target, or a disease-centric workflow to identify targets that may be associated with a specific disease. Users can easily transition between these target- and disease-centric workflows. The Open Targets Validation Platform is accessible at https://www.targetvalidation.org. PMID:27899665

Case Study in Modeling Accessibility for Online Instruction

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Conway, Thomas Hayes

2017-01-01

The purpose of this qualitative multiple case study was to explore how accessibility standards are adapted to create online learning environments that are accessible to people who use assistive technology, or have navigational challenges due to physical or intellectual disabilities. Rogers diffusion of innovation was used as the contextual…

Mobile multiple access study

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1977-01-01

Multiple access techniques (FDMA, CDMA, TDMA) for the mobile user and attempts to identify the current best technique are discussed. Traffic loading is considered as well as voice and data modulation and spacecraft and system design. Emphasis is placed on developing mobile terminal cost estimates for the selected design. In addition, design examples are presented for the alternative techniques of multiple access in order to compare with the selected technique.

San Diego Wheelchair Accessible Bus Study

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1977-09-01

The study describes the implementation and early operation of a pilot project of fixed route, wheelchair accessible bus service on two routes of the San Diego Transit system. Five buses of the Transit Authority fleet were retrofitted with wheelchair ...

Barriers and facilitators to parents seeking and accessing professional support for anxiety disorders in children: qualitative interview study.

PubMed

Reardon, Tessa; Harvey, Kate; Young, Bridget; O'Brien, Doireann; Creswell, Cathy

2018-01-25

Anxiety disorders are among the most common mental health disorders experienced by children, but only a minority of these children access professional help. Understanding the difficulties parents face seeking support for child anxiety disorders could inform targeted interventions to improve treatment access. The aims of the study were to identify barriers and facilitators to seeking and accessing professional support for child anxiety disorders, and ways to minimise these barriers. A qualitative interview study was conducted with parents of 16 children (aged 7-11 years) with anxiety disorders identified through screening in schools. Barriers and facilitators were identified in relation to four distinct stages in the help-seeking process: parents recognising the anxiety difficulty, parents recognising the need for professional support, parents contacting professionals, and families receiving professional support. Barriers and facilitators at each stage related to the child's difficulties, the role of the parent, and parent perceptions of professionals and services. Findings illustrate the need (1) for readily available tools to help parents and professionals identify clinically significant anxiety in children, (2) to ensure that families and professionals can easily access guidance on the help-seeking process and available support, and (3) to ensure existing services offer sufficient provision for less severe difficulties that incorporates direct support for parents.

Long-Lasting Insecticide Net Ownership, Access and Use in Southwest Ethiopia: A Community-Based Cross-Sectional Study

PubMed Central

Seyoum, Dinberu; Speybroeck, Niko; Duchateau, Luc; Brandt, Patrick; Rosas-Aguirre, Angel

2017-01-01

Introduction: A large proportion of the Ethiopian population (approximately 68%) lives in malaria risk areas. Millions of long-lasting insecticide treated nets (LLINs) have been distributed as part of the malaria prevention and control strategy in the country. This study assessed the ownership, access and use of LLNs in the malaria endemic southwest Ethiopia. Methods: A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted in southwest Ethiopia during October–November 2015, including 836 households from sixteen villages around Gilgel-Gibe dam area. Indicators of ownership, access and use of LLINs were derived following the Roll Back Malaria (RBM) guidelines. Factors associated with failure for both LLIN access and use were analysed at household level using a multivariate logistic regression model. Results: The proportion of households with at least one LLIN was 82.7% (95% CI: 80.0, 85.1). However, only 68.9% (95% CI: 65.6, 71.9) had enough LLINs to cover all family members (with ≥one LLIN for every two persons). While 75.3% (95% CI: 68.4, 83.0) of the population was estimated to have accessed to LLINs, only 63.8% (95% CI: 62.3, 65.2) reported to have used a LLIN the previous night. The intra-household gap (i.e., households owning at least one LLIN, but unable to cover all family members) and the behavioral gap (i.e., household members who did not sleep under a LLIN despite having access to one) were 16.8% and 10.5%, respectively. Age, marital status and education of household heads, as well as household size and cooking using firewood were associated with the access to enough LLINs within households. Decreased access to LLINs at households was the main determinant for not achieving ≥80% household members sleeping under a LLIN the previous night. Other associated factors were household size and education level of household head. Conclusions: LLIN coverage levels in study villages remain below national targets of 100% for ownership and 80% for use. The access to

Long-Lasting Insecticide Net Ownership, Access and Use in Southwest Ethiopia: A Community-Based Cross-Sectional Study.

PubMed

Seyoum, Dinberu; Speybroeck, Niko; Duchateau, Luc; Brandt, Patrick; Rosas-Aguirre, Angel

2017-10-27

Introduction : A large proportion of the Ethiopian population (approximately 68%) lives in malaria risk areas. Millions of long-lasting insecticide treated nets (LLINs) have been distributed as part of the malaria prevention and control strategy in the country. This study assessed the ownership, access and use of LLNs in the malaria endemic southwest Ethiopia. Methods: A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted in southwest Ethiopia during October-November 2015, including 836 households from sixteen villages around Gilgel-Gibe dam area. Indicators of ownership, access and use of LLINs were derived following the Roll Back Malaria (RBM) guidelines. Factors associated with failure for both LLIN access and use were analysed at household level using a multivariate logistic regression model. Results: The proportion of households with at least one LLIN was 82.7% (95% CI: 80.0, 85.1). However, only 68.9% (95% CI: 65.6, 71.9) had enough LLINs to cover all family members (with ≥one LLIN for every two persons). While 75.3% (95% CI: 68.4, 83.0) of the population was estimated to have accessed to LLINs, only 63.8% (95% CI: 62.3, 65.2) reported to have used a LLIN the previous night. The intra-household gap (i.e., households owning at least one LLIN, but unable to cover all family members) and the behavioral gap (i.e., household members who did not sleep under a LLIN despite having access to one) were 16.8% and 10.5%, respectively. Age, marital status and education of household heads, as well as household size and cooking using firewood were associated with the access to enough LLINs within households. Decreased access to LLINs at households was the main determinant for not achieving ≥80% household members sleeping under a LLIN the previous night. Other associated factors were household size and education level of household head. Conclusions: LLIN coverage levels in study villages remain below national targets of 100% for ownership and 80% for use. The access to

Predictors of nonfunctional arteriovenous access at hemodialysis initiation and timing of access creation: A registry-based study

PubMed Central

Metzger, Marie; Labeeuw, Michel; Ayav, Carole; Jacquelinet, Christian; Massy, Ziad A.; Stengel, Bénédicte

2017-01-01

Determinants of nonfunctional arteriovenous (AV) access, including timing of AV access creation, have not been sufficiently described. We studied 29 945 patients who had predialysis AV access placement and were included in the French REIN registry from 2005 through 2013. AV access was considered nonfunctional when dialysis began with a catheter. We estimated crude and adjusted odds ratio (OR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI) of nonfunctional versus functional AV access associated with case-mix, facility characteristics, and timing of AV access creation. Analyses were stratified by dialysis start condition (planned or as an emergency) and comorbidity profile. Overall, 18% patients had nonfunctional AV access at hemodialysis initiation. In the group with planned dialysis start, female gender (OR 1.43, 95% CI 1.32–1.56), diabetes (OR 1.28, 95% CI 1.15–1.44), and a higher number of cardiovascular comorbidities (OR 1.27, 95% CI 1.09–1.49, and 1.31, 1.05–1.64, for 3 and >3 cardiovascular comorbidities versus none, respectively) were independent predictors of nonfunctional AV access. A higher percentage of AV access creation at the region level was associated with a lower rate of nonfunctional AV access (OR 0.98, 95% CI 0.98–0.99 per 1% increase). The odds of nonfunctional AV access decreased as time from creation to hemodialysis initiation increased up to 3 months in nondiabetic patients with fewer than 2 cardiovascular comorbidities and 6 months in patients with diabetes or 2 or more such comorbidities. In conclusion, both patient characteristics and clinical practices may play a role in successful AV access use at hemodialysis initiation. Adjusting the timing of AV access creation to patients’ comorbidity profiles may improve functional AV access rates. PMID:28749967

Predictors of nonfunctional arteriovenous access at hemodialysis initiation and timing of access creation: A registry-based study.

PubMed

Alencar de Pinho, Natalia; Coscas, Raphael; Metzger, Marie; Labeeuw, Michel; Ayav, Carole; Jacquelinet, Christian; Massy, Ziad A; Stengel, Bénédicte

2017-01-01

Determinants of nonfunctional arteriovenous (AV) access, including timing of AV access creation, have not been sufficiently described. We studied 29 945 patients who had predialysis AV access placement and were included in the French REIN registry from 2005 through 2013. AV access was considered nonfunctional when dialysis began with a catheter. We estimated crude and adjusted odds ratio (OR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI) of nonfunctional versus functional AV access associated with case-mix, facility characteristics, and timing of AV access creation. Analyses were stratified by dialysis start condition (planned or as an emergency) and comorbidity profile. Overall, 18% patients had nonfunctional AV access at hemodialysis initiation. In the group with planned dialysis start, female gender (OR 1.43, 95% CI 1.32-1.56), diabetes (OR 1.28, 95% CI 1.15-1.44), and a higher number of cardiovascular comorbidities (OR 1.27, 95% CI 1.09-1.49, and 1.31, 1.05-1.64, for 3 and >3 cardiovascular comorbidities versus none, respectively) were independent predictors of nonfunctional AV access. A higher percentage of AV access creation at the region level was associated with a lower rate of nonfunctional AV access (OR 0.98, 95% CI 0.98-0.99 per 1% increase). The odds of nonfunctional AV access decreased as time from creation to hemodialysis initiation increased up to 3 months in nondiabetic patients with fewer than 2 cardiovascular comorbidities and 6 months in patients with diabetes or 2 or more such comorbidities. In conclusion, both patient characteristics and clinical practices may play a role in successful AV access use at hemodialysis initiation. Adjusting the timing of AV access creation to patients' comorbidity profiles may improve functional AV access rates.

75 FR 56919 - Port Access Route Study: The Approaches to San Francisco

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-09-17

... Access Route Study: The Approaches to San Francisco AGENCY: Coast Guard, DHS. ACTION: Notice of public... the study entitled ``Port Access Route Study: Off San Francisco'' that was published in the Federal... Access Route Study (PARS) to evaluate the continued applicability of and the potential need for...

Neighborhood Environment and Disparities in Health Care Access Among Urban Medicare Beneficiaries With Diabetes: A Retrospective Cohort Study.

PubMed

Ryvicker, Miriam; Sridharan, Sridevi

2018-01-01

Older adults' health is sensitive to variations in neighborhood environment, yet few studies have examined how neighborhood factors influence their health care access. This study examined whether neighborhood environmental factors help to explain racial and socioeconomic disparities in health care access and outcomes among urban older adults with diabetes. Data from 123 233 diabetic Medicare beneficiaries aged 65 years and older in New York City were geocoded to measures of neighborhood walkability, public transit access, and primary care supply. In 2008, 6.4% had no office-based "evaluation and management" (E&M) visits. Multilevel logistic regression indicated that this group had greater odds of preventable hospitalization in 2009 (odds ratio = 1.31; 95% confidence interval: 1.22-1.40). Nonwhites and low-income individuals had greater odds of a lapse in E&M visits and of preventable hospitalization. Neighborhood factors did not help to explain these disparities. Further research is needed on the mechanisms underlying these disparities and older adults' ability to navigate health care. Even in an insured population living in a provider-dense city, targeted interventions may be needed to overcome barriers to chronic illness care for older adults in the community.

Availability and accessibility of subsidized mammogram screening program in peninsular Malaysia: A preliminary study using travel impedance approach

PubMed Central

Aljunid, Syed Mohamed

2018-01-01

Access to healthcare is essential in the pursuit of universal health coverage. Components of access are availability, accessibility (spatial and non-spatial), affordability and acceptability. Measuring spatial accessibility is common approach to evaluating access to health care. This study aimed to determine the availability and spatial accessibility of subsidised mammogram screening in Peninsular Malaysia. Availability was determined from the number and distribution of facilities. Spatial accessibility was determined using the travel impedance approach to represent the revealed access as opposed to potential access measured by other spatial measurement methods. The driving distance of return trips from the respondent’s residence to the facilities was determined using a mapping application. The travel expenditure was estimated by multiplying the total travel distance by a standardised travel allowance rate, plus parking fees. Respondents in this study were 344 breast cancer patients who received treatment at 4 referral hospitals between 2015 and 2016. In terms of availability, there were at least 6 major entities which provided subsidised mammogram programs. Facilities with mammogram involved with these programs were located more densely in the central and west coast region of the Peninsula. The ratio of mammogram facility to the target population of women aged 40–74 years ranged between 1: 10,000 and 1:80,000. In terms of accessibility, of the 3.6% of the respondents had undergone mammogram screening, their mean travel distance was 53.4 km (SD = 34.5, range 8–112 km) and the mean travel expenditure was RM 38.97 (SD = 24.00, range RM7.60–78.40). Among those who did not go for mammogram screening, the estimated travel distance and expenditure had a skewed distribution with median travel distance of 22.0 km (IQR 12.0, 42.0, range 2.0–340.0) and the median travel cost of RM 17.40 (IQR 10.40, 30.00, range 3.40–240.00). Higher travel impedance was noted

Availability and accessibility of subsidized mammogram screening program in peninsular Malaysia: A preliminary study using travel impedance approach.

PubMed

Mahmud, Aidalina; Aljunid, Syed Mohamed

2018-01-01

Access to healthcare is essential in the pursuit of universal health coverage. Components of access are availability, accessibility (spatial and non-spatial), affordability and acceptability. Measuring spatial accessibility is common approach to evaluating access to health care. This study aimed to determine the availability and spatial accessibility of subsidised mammogram screening in Peninsular Malaysia. Availability was determined from the number and distribution of facilities. Spatial accessibility was determined using the travel impedance approach to represent the revealed access as opposed to potential access measured by other spatial measurement methods. The driving distance of return trips from the respondent's residence to the facilities was determined using a mapping application. The travel expenditure was estimated by multiplying the total travel distance by a standardised travel allowance rate, plus parking fees. Respondents in this study were 344 breast cancer patients who received treatment at 4 referral hospitals between 2015 and 2016. In terms of availability, there were at least 6 major entities which provided subsidised mammogram programs. Facilities with mammogram involved with these programs were located more densely in the central and west coast region of the Peninsula. The ratio of mammogram facility to the target population of women aged 40-74 years ranged between 1: 10,000 and 1:80,000. In terms of accessibility, of the 3.6% of the respondents had undergone mammogram screening, their mean travel distance was 53.4 km (SD = 34.5, range 8-112 km) and the mean travel expenditure was RM 38.97 (SD = 24.00, range RM7.60-78.40). Among those who did not go for mammogram screening, the estimated travel distance and expenditure had a skewed distribution with median travel distance of 22.0 km (IQR 12.0, 42.0, range 2.0-340.0) and the median travel cost of RM 17.40 (IQR 10.40, 30.00, range 3.40-240.00). Higher travel impedance was noted among those who

Accelerators/decelerators of achieving universal access to sexual and reproductive health services: a case study of Iranian health system

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background At the 1994 International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD), held in Cairo, the global community agreed to the goal of achieving universal access to sexual and reproductive health (SRH) and rights by 2015. This research explores the accelerators and decelerators of achieving universal access to the sexual and reproductive health targets and accordingly makes some suggestions. Method We have critically reviewed the latest national reports and extracted the background data on each SRH indicator. The key stakeholders, both national and international, were visited and interviewed at two sites. A total of 55 in-depth interviews were conducted with religious leaders, policy-makers, senior managers, senior academics, and health care managers. Six focus-group discussions were also held among health care providers. The study was qualitative in nature. Results Obstacles on the road to achieving universal access to SRH can be viewed from two perspectives. One gap exists between current achievements and the targets. The other gap arises due to age, marital status, and residency status. The most recently observed trends in the indicators of the universal access to SRH shows that the achievements in the “unmet need for family planning” have been poor. Unmet need for family planning could directly be translated to unwanted pregnancies and unwanted childbirths; the former calls for sexual education to underserved people, including adolescents; and the latter calls for access to safe abortion. Local religious leaders have not actively attended international goal-setting programs. Therefore, they usually do not presume a positive attitude towards these goals. Such negative attitudes seem to be the most important factors hindering the progress towards universal access to SRH. Lack of international donors to fund for SRH programs is also another barrier. In national levels both state and the society are interactively playing their roles. We have used a

Accelerators/decelerators of achieving universal access to sexual and reproductive health services: a case study of Iranian health system.

PubMed

Akbari, Nahid; Ramezankhani, Ali; Pazargadi, Mehrnoosh

2013-07-01

At the 1994 International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD), held in Cairo, the global community agreed to the goal of achieving universal access to sexual and reproductive health (SRH) and rights by 2015. This research explores the accelerators and decelerators of achieving universal access to the sexual and reproductive health targets and accordingly makes some suggestions. We have critically reviewed the latest national reports and extracted the background data on each SRH indicator. The key stakeholders, both national and international, were visited and interviewed at two sites. A total of 55 in-depth interviews were conducted with religious leaders, policy-makers, senior managers, senior academics, and health care managers. Six focus-group discussions were also held among health care providers. The study was qualitative in nature. Obstacles on the road to achieving universal access to SRH can be viewed from two perspectives. One gap exists between current achievements and the targets. The other gap arises due to age, marital status, and residency status. The most recently observed trends in the indicators of the universal access to SRH shows that the achievements in the "unmet need for family planning" have been poor. Unmet need for family planning could directly be translated to unwanted pregnancies and unwanted childbirths; the former calls for sexual education to underserved people, including adolescents; and the latter calls for access to safe abortion. Local religious leaders have not actively attended international goal-setting programs. Therefore, they usually do not presume a positive attitude towards these goals. Such negative attitudes seem to be the most important factors hindering the progress towards universal access to SRH. Lack of international donors to fund for SRH programs is also another barrier. In national levels both state and the society are interactively playing their roles. We have used a cascade model for presenting the

Enhanced accessibility of ignored neutral and negative items in nonclinical dissociative individuals.

PubMed

Chiu, Chui-De

2018-01-01

While clinical studies showed paradoxical memory phenomena, including the intrusion and amnesia of stressful experiences that are features of dissociation, the results of laboratory studies on dissociative individuals' forgetting of experimental stimuli through cognitive control varied. Some studies demonstrated ineffective inhibition, and others found that dissociative individuals could remember fewer trauma words in a divided-attention context. Dissociative individuals may utilize superior cognitive disengagement to forget the representations. This hypothesis was tested in nonclinical individuals with high, medium, and low dissociation proneness. In the study phase, the participants learned several lists of experimental words and kept updating working memory by remembering the last four items on a list (target) and ignoring those non-target items. A recognition test was then conducted. The high dissociation group performed better on updating working memory. However, the accessibility of the representations of neutral and negative non-target items was elevated. Dissociative individuals disengaged attention effectively from items they intended to ignore, and the representations of the ignored items were more accessible when cues were available. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Access to Triptans for Acute Episodic Migraine: A Qualitative Study.

PubMed

Khan, Sobia; Mascarenhas, Alekhya; Moore, Julia E; Knowles, Sandra; Gomes, Tara

2015-01-01

Our study aims to examine factors related to access of triptans among multiple stakeholder groups. Triptans are a cornerstone of pain management for the acute treatment of migraine, but actual utilization of triptans is lower than ideal. Initial and continued access to triptans may be an important clinical issue in the acute treatment of migraines, but factors affecting access at the patient, provider, and health-care system levels have not been comprehensively explored. A qualitative study was conducted in Ontario, Canada, between August 2013 and January 2014. Three participant groups were recruited to the qualitative study: (1) migraineurs who have experience accessing triptans; (2) physicians, including primary care physicians (PCPs) and neurologists, who have prescribed triptans; and (3) pharmacists who have dispensed triptans. Qualitative data were collected through one-on-one, semi-structured telephone interviews. The framework approach was used for data collection and analysis. Data collected from 19 migraineurs, 6 physicians, and 8 pharmacists were included in the analysis. Study participants discussed various factors that facilitate or hinder access to triptans, which were synthesized into four themes that emerged at the patient, provider, and health-care systems levels: (1) awareness; (2) apathy; (3) advocacy; and (4) affordability. Across all participant groups, awareness of available treatments and coverage policies for those treatments were potential factors relating to timely drug provision. Participants describe apathy in terms of patients' health-seeking behaviors and physicians' lack of concern toward migraine, which were seen as factors that could delay diagnosis and provision of appropriate treatment. Patients engaging in self-advocacy enhanced their ability to seek timely and appropriate provision of triptans at the patient level. At the health-care provider level, pharmacists were identified by patients as advocates for receiving more effective

Frontal activations associated with accessing and evaluating information in working memory: an fMRI study.

PubMed

Zhang, John X; Leung, Hoi-Chung; Johnson, Marcia K

2003-11-01

To investigate the involvement of frontal cortex in accessing and evaluating information in working memory, we used a variant of a Sternberg paradigm and compared brain activations between positive and negative responses (known to differentially tax access/evaluation processes). Participants remembered two trigrams in each trial and were then cued to discard one of them and maintain the other one as the target set. After a delay, a probe letter was presented and participants made decisions about whether or not it was in the target set. Several frontal areas--anterior cingulate (BA32), middle frontal gyrus (bilateral BA9, right BA10, and right BA46), and left inferior frontal gyrus (BA44/45)--showed increased activity when participants made correct negative responses relative to when they made correct positive responses. No areas activated significantly more for the positive responses than for the negative responses. It is suggested that the multiple frontal areas involved in the test phase of this task may reflect several component processes that underlie more general frontal functions.

Synthetic aperture radar operator tactical target acquisition research

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hershberger, M. L.; Craig, D. W.

1978-01-01

A radar target acquisition research study was conducted to access the effects of two levels of 13 radar sensor, display, and mission parameters on operator tactical target acquisition. A saturated fractional-factorial screening design was employed to examine these parameters. Data analysis computed ETA squared values for main and second-order effects for the variables tested. Ranking of the research parameters in terms of importance to system design revealed four variables (radar coverage, radar resolution/multiple looks, display resolution, and display size) accounted for 50 percent of the target acquisition probability variance.

Advanced Cosmic-Ray Composition Experiment for Space Station (ACCESS): ACCESS Accommodation Study Report

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wilson, Thomas L. (Editor); Wefel, John P. (Editor)

1999-01-01

In 1994 NASA Administrator selected the first high-energy particle physics experiment for the Space Station, the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer (AMS), to place a magnetic spectrometer in Earth orbit and search for cosmic antimatter. A natural consequence of this decision was that NASA would begin to explore cost-effective ways through which the design and implementation of AMS might benefit other promising payload experiments. The first such experiment to come forward was Advanced Cosmic-Ray Composition Experiment for Space Station (ACCESS) in 1996. It was proposed as a new mission concept in space physics to attach a cosmic-ray experiment of weight, volume, and geometry similar to the AMS on the International Space Station (ISS), and replace the latter as its successor when the AMS is returned to Earth. This was to be an extension of NASA's suborbital balloon program, with balloon payloads serving as the precursor flights and heritage for ACCESS. The balloon programs have always been a cost-effective NASA resource since the particle physics instrumentation for balloon and space applications are directly related. The next step was to expand the process, pooling together expertise from various NASA centers and universities while opening up definition of the ACCESS science goals to the international community through the standard practice of peer review. This process is still ongoing, and the accommodation study presented here will discuss the baseline definition of ACCESS as we understand it today.

Lunar Orbit Insertion Targeting and Associated Outbound Mission Design for Lunar Sortie Missions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Condon, Gerald L.

2007-01-01

This report details the Lunar Orbit Insertion (LOI) arrival targeting and associated mission design philosophy for Lunar sortie missions with up to a 7-day surface stay and with global Lunar landing site access. It also documents the assumptions, methodology, and requirements validated by TDS-04-013, Integrated Transit Nominal and Abort Characterization and Sensitivity Study. This report examines the generation of the Lunar arrival parking orbit inclination and Longitude of the Ascending Node (LAN) targets supporting surface missions with global Lunar landing site access. These targets support the Constellation Program requirement for anytime abort (early return) by providing for a minimized worst-case wedge angle [and an associated minimum plane change delta-velocity (V) cost] between the Crew Exploration Vehicle (CEV) and the Lunar Surface Access Module (LSAM) for an LSAM launch anytime during the Lunar surface stay.

[How do Prevention Projects Reach their Target Groups? Results of a Survey with Prevention Projects].

PubMed

Brand, T; Böttcher, S; Jahn, I

2015-12-01

 The aim of this study was to assess methods used to access target groups in prevention projects funded within the prevention research framework by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research.  A survey with prevention projects was conducted. Access strategies, communication channels, incentives, programme reach, and successful practical recruitment strategies were explored.  38 out of 60 projects took part in the survey. Most projects accessed their target group within structured settings (e. g., child day-care centers, schools, workplaces). Multiple communication channels and incentives were used, with written information and monetary incentives being used most frequently. Only few projects were able to report their programme reach adequately; programme reach was highest for programmes accessing the target groups in structured settings. The respondents viewed active recruitment via personal communication with the target group and key persons in the settings as the most successful strategy.  The paper provides an overview on recruitment strategies used in current preven-tion projects. More systematic research on programme reach is necessary. © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

Remote direct memory access

DOEpatents

Archer, Charles J.; Blocksome, Michael A.

2012-12-11

Methods, parallel computers, and computer program products are disclosed for remote direct memory access. Embodiments include transmitting, from an origin DMA engine on an origin compute node to a plurality target DMA engines on target compute nodes, a request to send message, the request to send message specifying a data to be transferred from the origin DMA engine to data storage on each target compute node; receiving, by each target DMA engine on each target compute node, the request to send message; preparing, by each target DMA engine, to store data according to the data storage reference and the data length, including assigning a base storage address for the data storage reference; sending, by one or more of the target DMA engines, an acknowledgment message acknowledging that all the target DMA engines are prepared to receive a data transmission from the origin DMA engine; receiving, by the origin DMA engine, the acknowledgement message from the one or more of the target DMA engines; and transferring, by the origin DMA engine, data to data storage on each of the target compute nodes according to the data storage reference using a single direct put operation.

Web Accessibility and Accessibility Instruction

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Green, Ravonne A.; Huprich, Julia

2009-01-01

Section 508 of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) mandates that programs and services be accessible to people with disabilities. While schools of library and information science (SLIS*) and university libraries should model accessible Web sites, this may not be the case. This article examines previous studies about the Web accessibility of…

Adult Intraosseous Access by Advanced EMTs: A Statewide Non-Inferiority Study.

PubMed

Wolfson, Daniel L; Tandoh, Margaret A; Jindal, Mohit; Forgione, Patrick M; Harder, Valerie S

2017-01-01

Intraosseous (IO) access is increasingly being used as an alternative to peripheral intravenous access, which is often difficult or impossible to establish in critically ill patients in the prehospital setting. Until recently, only Paramedics performed adult IO access. In 2014, Vermont Emergency Medical Services (EMS) expanded the Advanced Emergency Medical Technicians (AEMTs) scope of practice to include IO access in adult patients. This study compares successful IO access in adults performed by AEMTs compared to Paramedics in the prehospital setting. All Vermont EMS patient encounters between January 1, 2013 and November 30, 2015 were examined, and 543 adult patients with a documented IO access insertion attempt were identified. The proportion of successful IO insertions was compared between AEMTs and Paramedics using a Chi-Squared statistic and a non-inferiority test. There was no significant difference in the percentage of successful IO access between AEMTs and Paramedics [95.2% and 95.6%, respectively; P = 0.84]. The confidence interval around this 0.4% difference (95% confidence interval = -4.2, 3.2) was within a pre-specified delta of ±10% indicating non-inferiority of AEMTs compared to Paramedics. This study's finding that successful IO access was not different among AEMTs and Paramedics lends evidence in support of expanding the scope of practice of AEMTs to include establishing IO access in adults.

Achievable Rate Estimation of IEEE 802.11ad Visual Big-Data Uplink Access in Cloud-Enabled Surveillance Applications.

PubMed

Kim, Joongheon; Kim, Jong-Kook

2016-01-01

This paper addresses the computation procedures for estimating the impact of interference in 60 GHz IEEE 802.11ad uplink access in order to construct visual big-data database from randomly deployed surveillance camera sensing devices. The acquired large-scale massive visual information from surveillance camera devices will be used for organizing big-data database, i.e., this estimation is essential for constructing centralized cloud-enabled surveillance database. This performance estimation study captures interference impacts on the target cloud access points from multiple interference components generated by the 60 GHz wireless transmissions from nearby surveillance camera devices to their associated cloud access points. With this uplink interference scenario, the interference impacts on the main wireless transmission from a target surveillance camera device to its associated target cloud access point with a number of settings are measured and estimated under the consideration of 60 GHz radiation characteristics and antenna radiation pattern models.

TARGETED CAPTURE IN EVOLUTIONARY AND ECOLOGICAL GENOMICS

PubMed Central

Jones, Matthew R.; Good, Jeffrey M.

2016-01-01

The rapid expansion of next-generation sequencing has yielded a powerful array of tools to address fundamental biological questions at a scale that was inconceivable just a few years ago. Various genome partitioning strategies to sequence select subsets of the genome have emerged as powerful alternatives to whole genome sequencing in ecological and evolutionary genomic studies. High throughput targeted capture is one such strategy that involves the parallel enrichment of pre-selected genomic regions of interest. The growing use of targeted capture demonstrates its potential power to address a range of research questions, yet these approaches have yet to expand broadly across labs focused on evolutionary and ecological genomics. In part, the use of targeted capture has been hindered by the logistics of capture design and implementation in species without established reference genomes. Here we aim to 1) increase the accessibility of targeted capture to researchers working in non-model taxa by discussing capture methods that circumvent the need of a reference genome, 2) highlight the evolutionary and ecological applications where this approach is emerging as a powerful sequencing strategy, and 3) discuss the future of targeted capture and other genome partitioning approaches in light of the increasing accessibility of whole genome sequencing. Given the practical advantages and increasing feasibility of high-throughput targeted capture, we anticipate an ongoing expansion of capture-based approaches in evolutionary and ecological research, synergistic with an expansion of whole genome sequencing. PMID:26137993

Access to space study

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1994-01-01

This report summarizes the results of a comprehensive NASA in-house study to identify and assess alternate approaches to access to space through the year 2030, and to select and recommend a preferred cause of action. The goals of the study were to identify the best vehicles and transportation architectures to make major reductions in the cost of space transportation (at least 50%), while at the same time increasing safety for flight crews by at least an order of magnitude. In addition, vehicle reliability was to exceed 0.98 percent, and, as important, the robustness, pad time, turnaround time, and other aspects of operability were to be vastly improved. This study examined three major optional architectures: (1) retain and upgrade the Space Shuttle and expendable launch vehicles; (2) develop new expendable vehicles using conventional technologies and transition from current vehicles beginning in 2005; and (3) develop new reusable vehicles using advanced technology, and transition from current vehicles beginning in 2008. The launch-needs, mission model utilized for for the study was based upon today's projection of civil, defense, and commercial mission payload requirements.

Robotic percutaneous access to the kidney: comparison with standard manual access.

PubMed

Su, Li-Ming; Stoianovici, Dan; Jarrett, Thomas W; Patriciu, Alexandru; Roberts, William W; Cadeddu, Jeffrey A; Ramakumar, Sanjay; Solomon, Stephen B; Kavoussi, Louis R

2002-09-01

To evaluate the efficiency, accuracy, and safety of robotic percutaneous access to the kidney (PAKY) for percutaneous nephrolithotomy in comparison with conventional manual techniques. We compared the intraoperative access variables (number of access attempts, time to successful access, estimated blood loss, complications) of 23 patients who underwent robotic PAKY with the remote center of motion device (PAKY-RCM) with the same data from a contemporaneous series of 23 patients who underwent conventional manual percutaneous access to the kidney. The PAKY-RCM incorporates a robotic arm and a friction transmission with axial loading system to accurately position and insert a standard 18-gauge needle percutaneously into the kidney. The blood loss during percutaneous access was estimated on a four-point scale (1 = minimal to 4 = large). The color of effluent urine was graded on a four-point scale (1 = clear to 4 = red). The mean target calix width was 13.5 +/- 9.2 mm in the robotic group and 12.2 +/- 4.5 mm in the manual group (P = 0.57). When comparing PAKY-RCM with standard manual techniques, the mean number of attempts was 2.2 +/- 1.6 v 3.2 +/- 2.5 (P = 0.14), time to access was 10.4 +/- 6.5 minutes v 15.1 +/- 8.8 minutes (P = 0.06), estimated blood loss score was 1.3 +/- 0.49 v 1.7 +/- 0.66 (P = 0.14), and color of effluent urine following access was 2.0 +/- 0.90 v 2.1 +/- 0.7 (P = 0.82). The PAKY-RCM was successful in obtaining access in 87% (20 of 23) of cases. The other three patients (13%) required conversion to manual techniques. There were no major intraoperative complications in either group. Robotic PAKY is a feasible, safe, and efficacious method of obtaining renal access for nephrolithotomy. The number of attempts and time to access were comparable to those of standard manual percutaneous access techniques. These findings provide the groundwork for the development of a completely automated robot-assisted percutaneous renal access device.

Automated Computer Access Request System

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Snook, Bryan E.

2010-01-01

The Automated Computer Access Request (AutoCAR) system is a Web-based account provisioning application that replaces the time-consuming paper-based computer-access request process at Johnson Space Center (JSC). Auto- CAR combines rules-based and role-based functionality in one application to provide a centralized system that is easily and widely accessible. The system features a work-flow engine that facilitates request routing, a user registration directory containing contact information and user metadata, an access request submission and tracking process, and a system administrator account management component. This provides full, end-to-end disposition approval chain accountability from the moment a request is submitted. By blending both rules-based and rolebased functionality, AutoCAR has the flexibility to route requests based on a user s nationality, JSC affiliation status, and other export-control requirements, while ensuring a user s request is addressed by either a primary or backup approver. All user accounts that are tracked in AutoCAR are recorded and mapped to the native operating system schema on the target platform where user accounts reside. This allows for future extensibility for supporting creation, deletion, and account management directly on the target platforms by way of AutoCAR. The system s directory-based lookup and day-today change analysis of directory information determines personnel moves, deletions, and additions, and automatically notifies a user via e-mail to revalidate his/her account access as a result of such changes. AutoCAR is a Microsoft classic active server page (ASP) application hosted on a Microsoft Internet Information Server (IIS).

Impact of target mRNA structure on siRNA silencing efficiency: A large-scale study.

PubMed

Gredell, Joseph A; Berger, Angela K; Walton, S Patrick

2008-07-01

The selection of active siRNAs is generally based on identifying siRNAs with certain sequence and structural properties. However, the efficiency of RNA interference has also been shown to depend on the structure of the target mRNA, primarily through studies using exogenous transcripts with well-defined secondary structures in the vicinity of the target sequence. While these studies provide a means for examining the impact of target sequence and structure independently, the predicted secondary structures for these transcripts are often not reflective of structures that form in full-length, native mRNAs where interactions can occur between relatively remote segments of the mRNAs. Here, using a combination of experimental results and analysis of a large dataset, we demonstrate that the accessibility of certain local target structures on the mRNA is an important determinant in the gene silencing ability of siRNAs. siRNAs targeting the enhanced green fluorescent protein were chosen using a minimal siRNA selection algorithm followed by classification based on the predicted minimum free energy structures of the target transcripts. Transfection into HeLa and HepG2 cells revealed that siRNAs targeting regions of the mRNA predicted to have unpaired 5'- and 3'-ends resulted in greater gene silencing than regions predicted to have other types of secondary structure. These results were confirmed by analysis of gene silencing data from previously published siRNAs, which showed that mRNA target regions unpaired at either the 5'-end or 3'-end were silenced, on average, approximately 10% more strongly than target regions unpaired in the center or primarily paired throughout. We found this effect to be independent of the structure of the siRNA guide strand. Taken together, these results suggest minimal requirements for nucleation of hybridization between the siRNA guide strand and mRNA and that both mRNA and guide strand structure should be considered when choosing candidate si

Impact of target mRNA structure on siRNA silencing efficiency: a large-scale study

PubMed Central

Gredell, Joseph A.; Berger, Angela K.; Walton, S. Patrick

2009-01-01

The selection of active siRNAs is generally based on identifying siRNAs with certain sequence and structural properties. However, the efficiency of RNA interference has also been shown to depend on the structure of the target mRNA, primarily through studies using exogenous transcripts with well-defined secondary structures in the vicinity of the target sequence. While these studies provide a means for examining the impact of target sequence and structure independently, the predicted secondary structures for these transcripts are often not reflective of structures that form in full-length, native mRNAs where interactions can occur between relatively remote segments of the mRNAs. Here, using a combination of experimental results and analysis of a large dataset, we demonstrate that the accessibility of certain local target structures on the mRNA is an important determinant in the gene silencing ability of siRNAs. siRNAs targeting the enhanced green fluorescent protein were chosen using a minimal siRNA selection algorithm followed by classification based on the predicted minimum free energy structures of the target transcripts. Transfection into HeLa and HepG2 cells revealed that siRNAs targeting regions of the mRNA predicted to have unpaired 5’- and 3’-ends resulted in greater gene silencing than regions predicted to have other types of secondary structure. These results were confirmed by analysis of gene silencing data from previously published siRNAs, which showed that mRNA target regions unpaired at either the 5’-end or 3’-end were silenced, on average, ~10% more strongly than target regions unpaired in the center or primarily paired throughout. We found this effect to be independent of the structure of the siRNA guide strand. Taken together, these results suggest minimal requirements for nucleation of hybridization between the siRNA guide strand and mRNA and that both mRNA and guide strand structure should be considered when choosing candidate siRNAs. PMID

Polycomb Group Repression Reduces DNA Accessibility

PubMed Central

Fitzgerald, Daniel P.; Bender, Welcome

2001-01-01

The Polycomb group proteins are responsible for long-term repression of a number of genes in Drosophila melanogaster, including the homeotic genes of the bithorax complex. The Polycomb protein is thought to alter the chromatin structure of its target genes, but there has been little direct evidence for this model. In this study, the chromatin structure of the bithorax complex was probed with three separate assays for DNA accessibility: (i) activation of polymerase II (Pol II) transcription by Gal4, (ii) transcription by the bacteriophage T7 RNA polymerase (T7RNAP), and (iii) FLP-mediated site-specific recombination. All three processes are restricted or blocked in Polycomb-repressed segments. In contrast, control test sites outside of the bithorax complex permitted Gal4, T7RNAP, and FLP activities throughout the embryo. Several P insertions in the bithorax complex were tested, providing evidence that the Polycomb-induced effect is widespread over target genes. This accessibility effect is similar to that seen for SIR silencing in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. In contrast to SIR silencing, however, episomes excised from Polycomb-repressed chromosomal sites do not show an altered superhelix density. PMID:11533246

Progressive universalism? The impact of targeted coverage on health care access and expenditures in Peru.

PubMed

Neelsen, Sven; O'Donnell, Owen

2017-12-01

Like other countries seeking a progressive path to universalism, Peru has attempted to reduce inequalities in access to health care by granting the poor entitlement to tax-financed basic care without charge. We identify the impact of this policy by comparing the target population's change in health care utilization with that of poor adults already covered through employment-based insurance. There are positive effects on receipt of ambulatory care and medication that are largest among the elderly and the poorest. The probability of getting formal health care when sick is increased by almost two fifths, but the likelihood of being unable to afford treatment is reduced by more than a quarter. Consistent with the shallow coverage offered, there is no impact on use of inpatient care. Neither is there any effect on average out-of-pocket health care expenditure, but medical spending is reduced by up to 25% in the top quarter of the distribution. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Potential impact of public access defibrillators on survival after out of hospital cardiopulmonary arrest: retrospective cohort study

PubMed Central

Pell, Jill P; Sirel, Jane M; Marsden, Andrew K; Ford, Ian; Walker, Nicola L; Cobbe, Stuart M

2002-01-01

Objective To estimate the potential impact of public access defibrillators on overall survival after out of hospital cardiac arrest. Design Retrospective cohort study using data from an electronic register. A statistical model was used to estimate the effect on survival of placing public access defibrillators at suitable or possibly suitable sites. Setting Scottish Ambulance Service. Subjects Records of all out of hospital cardiac arrests due to heart disease in Scotland in 1991-8. Main outcome measures Observed and predicted survival to discharge from hospital. Results Of 15 189 arrests, 12 004 (79.0%) occurred in sites not suitable for the location of public access defibrillators, 453 (3.0%) in sites where they may be suitable, and 2732 (18.0%) in suitable sites. Defibrillation was given in 67.9% of arrests that occurred in possibly suitable sites for locating defibrillators and in 72.9% of arrests that occurred in suitable sites. Compared with an actual overall survival of 744 (5.0%), the predicted survival with public access defibrillators ranged from 942 (6.3%) to 959 (6.5%), depending on the assumptions made regarding defibrillator coverage. Conclusions The predicted increase in survival from targeted provision of public access defibrillators is less than the increase achievable through expansion of first responder defibrillation to non-ambulance personnel, such as police or firefighters, or of bystander cardiopulmonary resuscitation. Additional resources for wide scale coverage of public access defibrillators are probably not justified by the marginal improvement in survival. What is already known on this topicThree quarters of all deaths from acute coronary events occur before the patient reaches a hospitalDefibrillation is an independent predictor of survival from out of hospital cardiac arrestThe probability of a rhythm being amenable to defibrillation declines with timeInterest in providing public access defibrillators to reduce the time to

Mapping of RNA accessible sites by extension of random oligonucleotide libraries with reverse transcriptase.

PubMed Central

Allawi, H T; Dong, F; Ip, H S; Neri, B P; Lyamichev, V I

2001-01-01

A rapid and simple method for determining accessible sites in RNA that is independent of the length of target RNA and does not require RNA labeling is described. In this method, target RNA is allowed to hybridize with sequence-randomized libraries of DNA oligonucleotides linked to a common tag sequence at their 5'-end. Annealed oligonucleotides are extended with reverse transcriptase and the extended products are then amplified by using PCR with a primer corresponding to the tag sequence and a second primer specific to the target RNA sequence. We used the combination of both the lengths of the RT-PCR products and the location of the binding site of the RNA-specific primer to determine which regions of the RNA molecules were RNA extendible sites, that is, sites available for oligonucleotide binding and extension. We then employed this reverse transcription with the random oligonucleotide libraries (RT-ROL) method to determine the accessible sites on four mRNA targets, human activated ras (ha-ras), human intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1), rabbit beta-globin, and human interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma). Our results were concordant with those of other researchers who had used RNase H cleavage or hybridization with arrays of oligonucleotides to identify accessible sites on some of these targets. Further, we found good correlation between sites when we compared the location of extendible sites identified by RT-ROL with hybridization sites of effective antisense oligonucleotides on ICAM-1 mRNA in antisense inhibition studies. Finally, we discuss the relationship between RNA extendible sites and RNA accessibility. PMID:11233988

Mobile phone interventions for tuberculosis should ensure access to mobile phones to enhance equity - A prospective, observational cohort study in Peruvian shantytowns.

PubMed

Saunders, Matthew J; Wingfield, Tom; Tovar, Marco A; Herlihy, Niamh; Rocha, Claudio; Zevallos, Karine; Montoya, Rosario; Ramos, Eric; Datta, Sumona; Evans, Carlton A

2018-06-04

Mobile phone interventions have been advocated for tuberculosis care, but little is known about access of target populations to mobile phones. We studied mobile phone access amongst patients with tuberculosis, focusing on vulnerable patients and patients who later had adverse treatment outcomes. In a prospective cohort study in Callao, Peru, we recruited and interviewed 2,584 patients with tuberculosis between 2007-2013 and followed them until 2016 for adverse treatment outcomes using national treatment registers. Subsequently, we recruited a further 622 patients between 2016-2017. Data were analysed using logistic regression and by calculating relative risks (RR). Between 2007-2013, the proportion of the general population of Peru without mobile phone access averaged 7.8% but for patients with tuberculosis was 18% (p<0.001). Patients without access were more likely to hold a lower socioeconomic position, suffer from food insecurity and be older than 50 years (all p<0.01). Compared to patients with mobile phone access, patients without access at recruitment were more likely to subsequently have incomplete treatment (20% versus 13%, RR=1.5; p=0.001) or an adverse treatment outcome (29% versus 23% RR=1.3; p=0.006). Between 2016 and 2017, the proportion of patients without access dropped to 8.9% overall, but remained the same (18%) as in 2012 among the poorest third. Access to mobile phones among patients with tuberculosis is insufficient, and rarest in patients who are poorer and later have adverse treatment outcomes. Thus, mobile phone interventions to improve tuberculosis care may be least accessed by the priority populations for whom they are intended. Such interventions should ensure access to mobile phones to enhance equity. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

Improving access for patients – a practice manager questionnaire

PubMed Central

Meade, James G; Brown, James S

2006-01-01

Background The administrative and professional consequences of access targets for general practices, as detailed in the new GMS contract, are unknown. This study researched the effect of implementing the access targets of the new GP contract on general practice appointment systems, and practice manager satisfaction in a UK primary health care setting. Methods A four-part postal questionnaire was administered. The questionnaire was modified from previously validated questionnaires and the findings compared with data obtained from the Western Health and Social Services Board (WHSSB) in N Ireland. Practice managers from the 59 general practices in the WHSSB responded to the questionnaire. Results There was a 94.9% response rate. Practice managers were generally satisfied with the introduction of access targets for patients. Some 57.1% of responding practices, most in deprived areas (Odds ratio 3.13 -95% CI 1.01 – 9.80, p = 0.0256) had modified their appointment systems. Less booking flexibility was reported among group practices (p = 0.006), urban practices (p < 0.001) and those with above average patient list sizes (p < 0.001). Receptionists had not received training in patient appointment management in a quarter of practices. Practices with smaller list sizes were more likely than larger ones to utilise nurses in seeing extra patients (p = 0.007) or to undertake triage procedures (p = 0.062). Conclusion The findings demonstrated the ability of general practices within the WHSSB to adjust to a demanding component of the new GP contract. Issues relating to the flexibility of patient appointment booking systems, receptionists' training and the development of the primary care nursing role were highlighted by the study. PMID:16784530

Accessing Digital Libraries: A Study of ARL Members' Digital Projects

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kahl, Chad M.; Williams, Sarah C.

2006-01-01

To ensure efficient access to and integrated searching capabilities for their institution's new digital library projects, the authors studied Web sites of the Association of Research Libraries' (ARL) 111 academic, English-language libraries. Data were gathered on 1117 digital projects, noting library Web site and project access, metadata, and…

Near-Earth Asteroids 2006 RH120 AND 2009 BD: Proxies for Maximally Accessible Objects?

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Barbee, Brent W.; Chodas, Paul W.

2015-01-01

NASA's Near-Earth Object Human Space Flight Accessible Targets Study (NHATS) has identified over 1,400 of the approximately 12,800 currently known near-Earth asteroids (NEAs) as more astrodynamically accessible, round-trip, than Mars. Hundreds of those approximately 1,400 NEAs can be visited round-trip for less change-in-velocity than the lunar surface, and dozens can be visited round-trip for less change-in-velocity than low lunar orbit. How accessible might the millions of undiscovered NEAs be? We probe that question by investigating the hypothesis that NEAs 2006 RH120 and 2009 BD are proxies for the most accessible NEAs we would expect to find, and describing possible future NEA population model studies.

Racial/ethnic differences in access to substance abuse treatment.

PubMed

Lo, Celia C; Cheng, Tyrone C

2011-05-01

A secondary dataset, Collaborative Psychiatric Epidemiology Surveys (CPES), 2001-2003, was employed to examine racial/ethnic differences in access to specialty and non-specialty substance abuse treatment (compared with no access to treatment). The study found that non-Hispanic White Americans were (1) likelier than members of all racial/ethnic minority groups (other than Hispanics) to address substance abuse by accessing care through specialty addiction-treatment facilities, and were (2) also less likely to access substance abuse care through non-specialty facilities. Because non-specialty facilities may have staffs whose professional training does not target treating chronic, bio-psycho-social illness such as substance abuse, our results imply that treatment facilities deemed non-specialty may need to enhance staff training, in order to ensure individuals are properly screened for substance use conditions and are referred for or provided with effective counseling and medications as appropriate.

Making basic health care accessible to rural communities: a case study of Kiang West district in rural Gambia.

PubMed

Sanneh, Edward Saja; Hu, Allen H; Njai, Modou; Ceesay, Omar Malleh; Manjang, Buba

2014-01-01

This study focuses on lack of access to basic health care, which is one of the hindrances to the development of the poor, and subjects them to the poverty penalty. It also focuses on contributing to the Bottom of the Pyramid in a general sense, in addition to meeting the health needs of communities where people live on less than $1 a day. Strengthened multistakeholder responses and better-targeted, low-cost prevention, and care strategies within health systems are suggested to address the health burdens of poverty-stricken communities. In this study, a multistakeholder model which includes the government, World Health Organization, United Nations Children Emergency Fund, and the Medical Research Council was created to highlight the collaborative approach in rural Gambia. The result shows infant immunization and antenatal care coverage were greatly improved which contributes to the reduction in mortality. This case study also finds that strategies addressing health problems in rural communities are required to achieve 'Millennium Development Goals'. In particular, actual community visits to satellite villages within a district (area of study) are extremely vital to making health care accessible. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Systems and methods for processing irradiation targets through a nuclear reactor

DOEpatents

Dayal, Yogeshwar; Saito, Earl F.; Berger, John F.; Brittingham, Martin W.; Morales, Stephen K.; Hare, Jeffrey M.

2016-05-03

Apparatuses and methods produce radioisotopes in instrumentation tubes of operating commercial nuclear reactors. Irradiation targets may be inserted and removed from instrumentation tubes during operation and converted to radioisotopes otherwise unavailable during operation of commercial nuclear reactors. Example apparatuses may continuously insert, remove, and store irradiation targets to be converted to useable radioisotopes or other desired materials at several different origin and termination points accessible outside an access barrier such as a containment building, drywell wall, or other access restriction preventing access to instrumentation tubes during operation of the nuclear plant.

Target-directed catalytic metallodrugs

PubMed Central

Joyner, J.C.; Cowan, J.A.

2013-01-01

Most drugs function by binding reversibly to specific biological targets, and therapeutic effects generally require saturation of these targets. One means of decreasing required drug concentrations is incorporation of reactive metal centers that elicit irreversible modification of targets. A common approach has been the design of artificial proteases/nucleases containing metal centers capable of hydrolyzing targeted proteins or nucleic acids. However, these hydrolytic catalysts typically provide relatively low rate constants for target inactivation. Recently, various catalysts were synthesized that use oxidative mechanisms to selectively cleave/inactivate therapeutic targets, including HIV RRE RNA or angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE). These oxidative mechanisms, which typically involve reactive oxygen species (ROS), provide access to comparatively high rate constants for target inactivation. Target-binding affinity, co-reactant selectivity, reduction potential, coordination unsaturation, ROS products (metal-associated vs metal-dissociated; hydroxyl vs superoxide), and multiple-turnover redox chemistry were studied for each catalyst, and these parameters were related to the efficiency, selectivity, and mechanism(s) of inactivation/cleavage of the corresponding target for each catalyst. Important factors for future oxidative catalyst development are 1) positioning of catalyst reduction potential and redox reactivity to match the physiological environment of use, 2) maintenance of catalyst stability by use of chelates with either high denticity or other means of stabilization, such as the square planar geometric stabilization of Ni- and Cu-ATCUN complexes, 3) optimal rate of inactivation of targets relative to the rate of generation of diffusible ROS, 4) targeting and linker domains that afford better control of catalyst orientation, and 5) general bio-availability and drug delivery requirements. PMID:23828584

Next generation communications satellites: Multiple access and network studies

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stern, T. E.; Schwartz, M.; Meadows, H. E.; Ahmadi, H. K.; Gadre, J. G.; Gopal, I. S.; Matsmo, K.

1980-01-01

Following an overview of issues involved in the choice of promising system architectures for efficient communication with multiple small inexpensive Earth stations serving hetergeneous user populations, performance evaluation via analysis and simulation for six SS/TDMA (satellite-switched/time-division multiple access) system architectures is discussed. These configurations are chosen to exemplify the essential alternatives available in system design. Although the performance evaluation analyses are of fairly general applicability, whenever possible they are considered in the context of NASA's 30/20 GHz studies. Packet switched systems are considered, with the assumption that only a part of transponder capacit is devoted to packets, the integration of circuit and packet switched traffic being reserved for further study. Three types of station access are distinguished: fixed (FA), demand (DA), and random access (RA). Similarly, switching in the satellite can be assigned on a fixed (FS) or demand (DS) basis, or replaced by a buffered store-and-forward system (SF) onboard the satellite. Since not all access/switching combinations are practical, six systems are analyzed in detail: three FS SYSTEMS, FA/FS, DA/ES, RA/FS; one DS system, DA/DS; and two SF systems, FA/SF, DA/SF. Results are presented primarily in terms of delay-throughput characteristics.

Targeted resequencing in peanuts using the fluidigm access array

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The presence of homoeologous gene copies in allotetraploid peanut makes it challenging to select homologous SNPs differentiating two or more cultivars. An integrated approach of improved bioinformatics and targeted resequencing to select homologous SNPs in tetraploid peanut is needed. Raw transcrip...

Global access to surgical care: a modelling study.

PubMed

Alkire, Blake C; Raykar, Nakul P; Shrime, Mark G; Weiser, Thomas G; Bickler, Stephen W; Rose, John A; Nutt, Cameron T; Greenberg, Sarah L M; Kotagal, Meera; Riesel, Johanna N; Esquivel, Micaela; Uribe-Leitz, Tarsicio; Molina, George; Roy, Nobhojit; Meara, John G; Farmer, Paul E

2015-06-01

More than 2 billion people are unable to receive surgical care based on operating theatre density alone. The vision of the Lancet Commission on Global Surgery is universal access to safe, affordable surgical and anaesthesia care when needed. We aimed to estimate the number of individuals worldwide without access to surgical services as defined by the Commission's vision. We modelled access to surgical services in 196 countries with respect to four dimensions: timeliness, surgical capacity, safety, and affordability. We built a chance tree for each country to model the probability of surgical access with respect to each dimension, and from this we constructed a statistical model to estimate the proportion of the population in each country that does not have access to surgical services. We accounted for uncertainty with one-way sensitivity analyses, multiple imputation for missing data, and probabilistic sensitivity analysis. At least 4·8 billion people (95% posterior credible interval 4·6-5·0 [67%, 64-70]) of the world's population do not have access to surgery. The proportion of the population without access varied widely when stratified by epidemiological region: greater than 95% of the population in south Asia and central, eastern, and western sub-Saharan Africa do not have access to care, whereas less than 5% of the population in Australasia, high-income North America, and western Europe lack access. Most of the world's population does not have access to surgical care, and access is inequitably distributed. The near absence of access in many low-income and middle-income countries represents a crisis, and as the global health community continues to support the advancement of universal health coverage, increasing access to surgical services will play a central role in ensuring health care for all. None. Copyright © 2015 Alkire et al. Open Access article distributed under the terms of CC BY. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

The Physical Accessibility of Public Libraries to Users: A GIS Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Park, Sung Jae

2011-01-01

The purpose of this study is to gain a finer-grained picture and better understanding of the travel patterns of library users, and the activities, demographics, and other factors that affect library access. Previous studies of physical accessibility of public libraries, which have focused on library users' single-destination trips and their travel…

Modeling spatial accessibility to parks: a national study.

PubMed

Zhang, Xingyou; Lu, Hua; Holt, James B

2011-05-09

Parks provide ideal open spaces for leisure-time physical activity and important venues to promote physical activity. The spatial configuration of parks, the number of parks and their spatial distribution across neighborhood areas or local regions, represents the basic park access potential for their residential populations. A new measure of spatial access to parks, population-weighted distance (PWD) to parks, combines the advantages of current park access approaches and incorporates the information processing theory and probability access surface model to more accurately quantify residential population's potential spatial access to parks. The PWD was constructed at the basic level of US census geography - blocks - using US park and population data. This new measure of population park accessibility was aggregated to census tract, county, state and national levels. On average, US residential populations are expected to travel 6.7 miles to access their local neighborhood parks. There are significant differences in the PWD to local parks among states. The District of Columbia and Connecticut have the best access to local neighborhood parks with PWD of 0.6 miles and 1.8 miles, respectively. Alaska, Montana, and Wyoming have the largest PWDs of 62.0, 37.4, and 32.8 miles, respectively. Rural states in the western and Midwestern US have lower neighborhood park access, while urban states have relatively higher park access. The PWD to parks provides a consistent platform for evaluating spatial equity of park access and linking with population health outcomes. It could be an informative evaluation tool for health professionals and policy makers. This new method could be applied to quantify geographic accessibility of other types of services or destinations, such as food, alcohol, and tobacco outlets.

Accessible Earth: An accessible study abroad capstone for the geoscience curriculum

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bennett, R. A.; Lamb, D. A.

2017-12-01

International capstone field courses offer geoscience-students opportunities to reflect upon their knowledge, develop intercultural competence, appreciate diversity, and recognize themselves as geoscientists on a global scale. Such experiences are often described as pivotal to a geoscientist's education, a right of passage. However, field-based experiences present insurmountable barriers to many students, undermining the goal of inclusive excellence. Nevertheless, there remains a widespread belief that successful geoscientists are those able to traverse inaccessible terrain. One path forward from this apparent dilemma is emerging as we take steps to address a parallel challenge: as we move into the 21st century the geoscience workforce will require an ever increasing range of skills, including analysis, modeling, communication, and computational proficiency. Computer programing, laboratory experimentation, numerical simulation, etc, are inherently more accessible than fieldwork, yet equally valuable. Students interested in pursuing such avenues may be better served by capstone experiences that align more closely with their career goals. Moreover, many of the desirable learning outcomes attributed to field-based education are not unique to immersion in remote inaccessible locations. Affective and cognitive gains may also result from social bonding through extended time with peers and mentors, creative synthesis of knowledge, project-based learning, and intercultural experience. Developing an inclusive course for the geoscience curriculum requires considering all learners, including different genders, ages, physical abilities, familial dynamics, and a multitude of other attributes. The Accessible Earth Study Abroad Program endeavors to provide geoscience students an inclusive capstone experience focusing on modern geophysical observation systems (satellite based observations and permanent networks of ground-based instruments), computational thinking and methods of

Are transnational tobacco companies' market access strategies linked to economic development models? A case study of South Korea.

PubMed

Lee, Sungkyu; Holden, Chris; Lee, Kelley

2013-01-01

Transnational tobacco companies (TTCs) have used varied strategies to access previously closed markets. Using TTCs' efforts to enter the South Korean market from the late 1980s as a case study, this article asks whether there are common patterns in these strategies that relate to the broader economic development models adopted by targeted countries. An analytical review of the existing literature on TTCs' efforts to access emerging markets was conducted to develop hypotheses relating TTCs' strategies to countries' economic development models. A case study of Korea was then undertaken based on analysis of internal tobacco industry documents. Findings were consistent with the hypothesis that TTCs' strategies in Korea were linked to Korea's export-oriented economic development model and its hostile attitude towards foreign investment. A fuller understanding of TTCs' strategies for expansion globally can be derived by locating them within the economic development models of specific countries or regions. Of foremost importance is the need for governments to carefully balance economic and public health policies when considering liberalisation.

Are transnational tobacco companies’ market access strategies linked to economic development models? A case study of South Korea

PubMed Central

Lee, Sungkyu; Holden, Chris; Lee, Kelley

2013-01-01

Transnational tobacco companies (TTCs) have used varied strategies to access previously closed markets. Using TTCs’ efforts to enter the South Korean market from the late 1980s as a case study, this article asks whether there are common patterns in these strategies that relate to the broader economic development models adopted by targeted countries. An analytical review of the existing literature on TTCs’ efforts to access emerging markets was conducted to develop hypotheses relating TTCs’ strategies to countries’ economic development models. A case study of Korea was then undertaken based on analysis of internal tobacco industry documents. Findings were consistent with the hypothesis that TTCs’ strategies in Korea were linked to Korea’s export-oriented economic development model and its hostile attitude toward foreign investment. A fuller understanding of TTCs’ strategies for expansion globally can be derived by locating them within the economic development models of specific countries or regions. Of foremost importance is the need for governments to carefully balance economic and public health policies when considering liberalisation. PMID:23327486

Simple trigonometry on computed tomography helps in planning renal access.

PubMed

Bilen, Cenk Yücel; Koçak, Burak; Kitirci, Gürcan; Danaci, Murat; Sarikaya, Saban

2007-08-01

To retrospectively assess the usefulness of the measurements on preoperative computed tomography (CT) of patients with urinary stone disease for planning the access site using vertical angulation of the C-arm. Of the patients who underwent percutaneous nephrolithotomy from November 2001 to October 2006, 41 patients with superior calix access had undergone preoperative CT. The depth of the target stone (y) and the vertical distance from that point to the first rib free slice (x) were measured on CT. The limit of the ratio of x over y was accepted as 0.58, with ratios below that indicating that infracostal access could be achieved by vertical angulation of the C-arm. We achieved an approach to the superior calix through an infracostal access in 28 patients. The preoperative trigonometric study on CT predicted 24 of them. The stone-free rate was 92.6%, and no chest-related complications developed. Simple trigonometry on CT of the patients with complex stones could help endourologists in planning renal access.

From Web accessibility to Web adaptability.

PubMed

Kelly, Brian; Nevile, Liddy; Sloan, David; Fanou, Sotiris; Ellison, Ruth; Herrod, Lisa

2009-07-01

This article asserts that current approaches to enhance the accessibility of Web resources fail to provide a solid foundation for the development of a robust and future-proofed framework. In particular, they fail to take advantage of new technologies and technological practices. The article introduces a framework for Web adaptability, which encourages the development of Web-based services that can be resilient to the diversity of uses of such services, the target audience, available resources, technical innovations, organisational policies and relevant definitions of 'accessibility'. The article refers to a series of author-focussed approaches to accessibility through which the authors and others have struggled to find ways to promote accessibility for people with disabilities. These approaches depend upon the resource author's determination of the anticipated users' needs and their provision. Through approaches labelled as 1.0, 2.0 and 3.0, the authors have widened their focus to account for contexts and individual differences in target audiences. Now, the authors want to recognise the role of users in determining their engagement with resources (including services). To distinguish this new approach, the term 'adaptability' has been used to replace 'accessibility'; new definitions of accessibility have been adopted, and the authors have reviewed their previous work to clarify how it is relevant to the new approach. Accessibility 1.0 is here characterised as a technical approach in which authors are told how to construct resources for a broadly defined audience. This is known as universal design. Accessibility 2.0 was introduced to point to the need to account for the context in which resources would be used, to help overcome inadequacies identified in the purely technical approach. Accessibility 3.0 moved the focus on users from a homogenised universal definition to recognition of the idiosyncratic needs and preferences of individuals and to cater for them. All of

Accessing wound-care information on the Internet: the implications for patients.

PubMed

Bovill, E S; Hormbrey, E; Gillespie, P H; Banwell, P E

2001-02-01

The Internet and the World Wide Web have revolutionised communication and provide a unique forum for the exchange of information. It has been proposed that the Internet has given the public more access to medical information resources and improved patient education. This study assessed the impact of the Internet on the availability of information on wound care management. The search phrases 'wound care', 'wound healing' and 'wounds' were analysed using a powerful Metacrawler search engine (www.go2net.com). Web site access was classified according to the target audience (wound-care specialists, other health professionals, patients) and the author (societies, institutions or commercial companies). The largest proportion of web sites were commercially based (32%). Of the total number, 23% specifically targeted patients, mostly by advertising. Only 20% were aimed at wound specialists. Extensive surfing was required to obtain wound-care information, and objective information sites were under-represented. Regulated, easily accessible, objective information sites on wound-healing topics are needed for improved patient education and to balance the existing commercial bias.

Studying "exposure" to firearms: household ownership v access

PubMed Central

Ikeda, R; Dahlberg, L; Kresnow, M; Sacks, J; Mercy, J

2003-01-01

Background: Firearm ownership has often been used to measure access to weapons. However, persons who own a firearm may not have access to it and conversely, persons who do not own a firearm may be able to access one quickly. Objectives: To examine whether using firearm ownership is a reasonable proxy for access by describing the demographic characteristics associated with ownership and access. Methods: Data are from the 1994 Injury Control and Risk Survey, a national, random digit dial survey. Information about household firearm ownership and ready access to a loaded firearm were collected and weighted to provide national estimates. Adjusted odds ratios for three separate models were calculated using logistic regression. Results: A total of 1353 (27.9%) respondents reported both having a firearm in the household and ready access to one. An additional 313 respondents (8.1%) reported having a firearm, but were not able to access these weapons. Another 421 respondents (7.2%) did not have a firearm in or around their home, yet reported being able to retrieve and fire one within 10 minutes. Based on the logistic regression findings, the demographic characteristics of this latter group are quite different from those who report ownership. Those who do not have a firearm, but report ready access to one, are more likely to be ethnic minorities, single, and living in attached homes. Conclusions: Asking only about the presence of a firearm in a household may miss some respondents with ready access to a loaded firearm. More importantly, those who do not own a firearm, but report ready access to one, appear to be qualitatively different from those who report ownership. Caution should be exercised when using measures of ownership as a proxy for access. PMID:12642560

Perceived Barriers to Health Care Access Among Rural Older Adults: A Qualitative Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Goins, R. Turner; Williams, Kimberly A.; Carter, Mary W.; Spencer, S. Melinda; Solovieva, Tatiana

2005-01-01

Context: Many rural elders experience limited access to health care. The majority of what we know about this issue has been based upon quantitative studies, yet qualitative studies might offer additional insight into individual perceptions of health care access. Purpose: To examine what barriers rural elders report when accessing needed health…

Perceived Barriers to Health Care Access among Rural Older Adults: A Qualitative Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Goins, R. Turner; Williams, Kimberly A.; Carter, Mary W.; Spencer, S. Melinda; Solovieva, Tatiana

2005-01-01

Context: Many rural elders experience limited access to health care. The majority of what we know about this issue has been based upon quantitative studies, yet qualitative studies might offer additional insight into individual perceptions of health care access. Purpose: To examine what barriers rural elders report when accessing needed health…

BARRIERS TO ACCESS REPRODUCTIVE HEALTHCARE FOR PREGNANT ADOLESCENT GIRLS: A QUALITATIVE STUDY IN TANZANIA

PubMed Central

Hokororo, Adolfine; Kihunrwa, Albert F.; Kalluvya, Samuel; Changalucha, John; Fitzgerald, Daniel W; Downs, Jennifer A.

2015-01-01

Aims In Tanzania, approximately 25% of adolescents give birth and 50% more become sexually active during adolescence. We hypothesised that reproductive health education and services for adolescent girls are inaccessible and conducted this study to gain insights into their perceptions of sexually-transmitted infections (STIs) and barriers to reproductive health service utilisation in rural Mwanza, Tanzania. Methods We conducted nine focus group among pregnant adolescents aged 15–20 years. Data was transcribed, translated, and coded for relevant themes using NVivo10 software for qualitative data analysis. Results Most participants were aware of the dangers of STIs to themselves and their unborn babies, but did not perceive themselves as at risk of acquiring STIs. They viewed condoms as ineffective for preventing STIs and pregnancies and unnecessary for those in committed relationships. Stigma, and long waiting times and lack of privacy in the clinics discouraged young females from seeking reproductive healthcare. Conclusion Reproductive healthcare for adolescent girls who are not pregnant is practically nonexistent in Tanzania. Healthcare access for pregnant young women is also limited. Targeted changes to increase clinic accessibility and to provide reproductive health education to all rather than only pregnant women have the potential to address these gaps. PMID:25473729

Airport Access/Egress Systems Study : Volume 1. Text.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1973-09-01

Studies of airport activities and user characteristics at 34 high volume U. S. airports indicate that disbursed trip origins cannot economically justify rapid transit corridor investments dedicated to airport access travel. Generally, airports have t...

Studies of Ion Acceleration from Thin Solid-Density Targets on High-Intensity Lasers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Willis, Christopher R.

Over the past two decades, a number of experiments have been performed demonstrating the acceleration of ions from the interaction of an intense laser pulse with a thin, solid density target. These ions are accelerated by quasi-static electric fields generated by energetic electrons produced at the front of the target, resulting in ion energies up to tens of MeV. These ions have been widely studied for a variety of potential applications ranging from treatment of cancer to the production of neutrons for advanced radiography techniques. However, realization of these applications will require further optimization of the maximum energy, spectrum, or species of the accelerated ions, which has been a primary focus of research to date. This thesis presents two experiments designed to optimize several characteristics of the accelerated ion beam. The first of these experiments took place on the GHOST laser system at the University of Texas at Austin, and was designed to demonstrate reliable acceleration of deuterium ions, as needed for the most efficient methods of neutron generation from accelerated ions. This experiment leveraged cryogenically cooled targets coated in D2 O ice to suppress the protons which typically dominate the accelerated ions, producing as many as 2 x 1010 deuterium ions per 1 J laser shot, exceeding the proton yield by an average ratio of 5:1. The second major experiment in this work was performed on the Scarlet laser system at The Ohio State University, and studied the accelerated ion energy, yield, and spatial distribution as a function of the target thickness. In principle, the peak energy increases with decreasing target thickness, with the thinnest targets accessing additional acceleration mechanisms which provide favorable scaling with the laser intensity. However, laser prepulse characteristics provide a lower bound for the target thickness, yielding an optimum target thickness for ion acceleration which is dependent on the laser system. This

TAPIR, a web server for the prediction of plant microRNA targets, including target mimics.

PubMed

Bonnet, Eric; He, Ying; Billiau, Kenny; Van de Peer, Yves

2010-06-15

We present a new web server called TAPIR, designed for the prediction of plant microRNA targets. The server offers the possibility to search for plant miRNA targets using a fast and a precise algorithm. The precise option is much slower but guarantees to find less perfectly paired miRNA-target duplexes. Furthermore, the precise option allows the prediction of target mimics, which are characterized by a miRNA-target duplex having a large loop, making them undetectable by traditional tools. The TAPIR web server can be accessed at: http://bioinformatics.psb.ugent.be/webtools/tapir. Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.

Study Abroad in Egypt: Identity, Access, and Arabic Language Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Trentman, Emma Gale

2012-01-01

Study abroad is often viewed as an ideal setting to improve target language proficiency due to opportunities for extensive contact with locals in the target language. However, research on study abroad demonstrates that this local contact and target language use can be quite limited, and that there is considerable variation in the linguistic…

A demographic dividend of the FP2020 Initiative and the SDG reproductive health target: Case studies of India and Nigeria

PubMed Central

Li, Qingfeng; Rimon, Jose G.

2018-01-01

Background: The demographic dividend, defined as the economic growth potential resulting from favorable shifts in population age structure following rapid fertility decline, has been widely employed to advocate improving access to family planning. The current framework focuses on the long-term potential, while the short-term benefits may also help persuade policy makers to invest in family planning. Methods: We estimate the short- and medium-term economic benefits from two major family planning goals: the Family Planning 2020 (FP2020)’s goal of adding 120 million modern contraceptive users by 2020; Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) 3.7 of ensuring universal access to family planning by 2030. We apply the cohort component method to World Population Prospects and National Transfer Accounts data. India and Nigeria, respectively the most populous Asian and African country under the FP2020 initiative, are used as case studies. Results: Meeting the FP2020 target implies that on average, the number of children that need to be supported by every 100 working-age people would decrease by 8 persons in India and 11 persons in Nigeria in 2020; the associated reduction remains at 8 persons in India, but increases to 14 persons in Nigeria by 2030 under the SDG 3.7. In India meeting the FP2020 target would yield a saving of US$18.2 billion (PPP) in consumption expenditures for children and youth in the year 2020 alone, and that increased to US$89.7 billion by 2030. In Nigeria the consumption saved would be US$2.5 billion in 2020 and $12.9 billion by 2030. Conclusions: The tremendous economic benefits from meeting the FP2020 and SDG family planning targets demonstrate the cost-effectiveness of investment in promoting access to contraceptive methods. The gap already apparent between the observed and targeted trajectories indicates tremendous missing opportunities. Accelerated progress is needed to achieve the FP2020 and SDG goals and so reap the demographic dividend. PMID

A demographic dividend of the FP2020 Initiative and the SDG reproductive health target: Case studies of India and Nigeria.

PubMed

Li, Qingfeng; Rimon, Jose G

2018-02-22

Background: The demographic dividend, defined as the economic growth potential resulting from favorable shifts in population age structure following rapid fertility decline, has been widely employed to advocate improving access to family planning. The current framework focuses on the long-term potential, while the short-term benefits may also help persuade policy makers to invest in family planning. Methods: We estimate the short- and medium-term economic benefits from two major family planning goals: the Family Planning 2020 (FP2020)'s goal of adding 120 million modern contraceptive users by 2020; Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) 3.7 of ensuring universal access to family planning by 2030. We apply the cohort component method to World Population Prospects and National Transfer Accounts data. India and Nigeria, respectively the most populous Asian and African country under the FP2020 initiative, are used as case studies. Results: Meeting the FP2020 target implies that on average, the number of children that need to be supported by every 100 working-age people would decrease by 8 persons in India and 11 persons in Nigeria in 2020; the associated reduction remains at 8 persons in India, but increases to 14 persons in Nigeria by 2030 under the SDG 3.7. In India meeting the FP2020 target would yield a saving of US$18.2 billion (PPP) in consumption expenditures for children and youth in the year 2020 alone, and that increased to US$89.7 billion by 2030. In Nigeria the consumption saved would be US$2.5 billion in 2020 and $12.9 billion by 2030. Conclusions: The tremendous economic benefits from meeting the FP2020 and SDG family planning targets demonstrate the cost-effectiveness of investment in promoting access to contraceptive methods. The gap already apparent between the observed and targeted trajectories indicates tremendous missing opportunities. Accelerated progress is needed to achieve the FP2020 and SDG goals and so reap the demographic dividend.

Developing an agenda for research about policies to improve access to healthy foods in rural communities: a concept mapping study

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background Policies that improve access to healthy, affordable foods may improve population health and reduce health disparities. In the United States most food access policy research focuses on urban communities even though residents of rural communities face disproportionately higher risk for nutrition-related chronic diseases compared to residents of urban communities. The purpose of this study was to (1) identify the factors associated with access to healthy, affordable food in rural communities in the United States; and (2) prioritize a meaningful and feasible rural food policy research agenda. Methods This study was conducted by the Rural Food Access Workgroup (RFAWG), a workgroup facilitated by the Nutrition and Obesity Policy Research and Evaluation Network. A national sample of academic and non-academic researchers, public health and cooperative extension practitioners, and other experts who focus on rural food access and economic development was invited to complete a concept mapping process that included brainstorming the factors that are associated with rural food access, sorting and organizing the factors into similar domains, and rating the importance of policies and research to address these factors. As a last step, RFAWG members convened to interpret the data and establish research recommendations. Results Seventy-five participants in the brainstorming exercise represented the following sectors: non-extension research (n = 27), non-extension program administration (n = 18), “other” (n = 14), policy advocacy (n = 10), and cooperative extension service (n = 6). The brainstorming exercise generated 90 distinct statements about factors associated with rural food access in the United States; these were sorted into 5 clusters. Go Zones were established for the factors that were rated highly as both a priority policy target and a priority for research. The highest ranked policy and research priorities include strategies designed to

Developing an agenda for research about policies to improve access to healthy foods in rural communities: a concept mapping study.

PubMed

Johnson, Donna B; Quinn, Emilee; Sitaker, Marilyn; Ammerman, Alice; Byker, Carmen; Dean, Wesley; Fleischhacker, Sheila; Kolodinsky, Jane; Pinard, Courtney; Pitts, Stephanie B Jilcott; Sharkey, Joseph

2014-06-12

Policies that improve access to healthy, affordable foods may improve population health and reduce health disparities. In the United States most food access policy research focuses on urban communities even though residents of rural communities face disproportionately higher risk for nutrition-related chronic diseases compared to residents of urban communities. The purpose of this study was to (1) identify the factors associated with access to healthy, affordable food in rural communities in the United States; and (2) prioritize a meaningful and feasible rural food policy research agenda. This study was conducted by the Rural Food Access Workgroup (RFAWG), a workgroup facilitated by the Nutrition and Obesity Policy Research and Evaluation Network. A national sample of academic and non-academic researchers, public health and cooperative extension practitioners, and other experts who focus on rural food access and economic development was invited to complete a concept mapping process that included brainstorming the factors that are associated with rural food access, sorting and organizing the factors into similar domains, and rating the importance of policies and research to address these factors. As a last step, RFAWG members convened to interpret the data and establish research recommendations. Seventy-five participants in the brainstorming exercise represented the following sectors: non-extension research (n = 27), non-extension program administration (n = 18), "other" (n = 14), policy advocacy (n = 10), and cooperative extension service (n = 6). The brainstorming exercise generated 90 distinct statements about factors associated with rural food access in the United States; these were sorted into 5 clusters. Go Zones were established for the factors that were rated highly as both a priority policy target and a priority for research. The highest ranked policy and research priorities include strategies designed to build economic viability in

Forming Uniform Deuterium-Ice Layers in Cryogenic Targets: Experiences Using the OMEGA Cryogenic Target Handling System

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Harding, D. R.; Wittman, M. D.; Elasky, L.; Iwan, L. S.; Lund, L.

2001-10-01

The OMEGA Cryogenic Target Handling System (OCTHS) allows variable-thickness ice layers (nominal 100-μm) to be formed inside OMEGA-size (1-mm-diam., 3-μm-wall) plastic shells. The OCTHS design provides the most straightforward thermal environment for layering targets: permeation filled spherical targets are in a spherical isothermal environment. The layered target can be rotated 360^o to acquire multiple views of the ice layer. However, the capability of providing cryogenic targets for implosion experiments imposes constraints that do not exist in test systems dedicated to ice-layering studies. Most affected is the ability to characterize the target: space constraints and the need for multiple sets of windows limit the viewing access to f/5 optics, which affects the image quality. With these features, the OCTS provides the most relevant test system, to date, for layering targets and quantifying the overall ice roughness. No single layering protocol provides repeatable ice smoothness. All techniques require extensive operator interaction, and the layering process is lengthy. Typical ice rms smoothness varied from 5 to 10 μm for all targets studied. Characterizing the ice layer from different views shows a ~30% variation in the ice rms smoothness and a greater difference in the power spectra, depending on the view axis. This work was supported by the U.S. DOE Office of Inertial Confinement Fusion under Cooperative Agreement No. DE-FC03-92SF19460.

How Accessible Are Public Libraries' Web Sites? A Study of Georgia Public Libraries

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ingle, Emma; Green, Ravonne A.; Huprich, Julia

2009-01-01

One issue that public librarians must consider when planning Web site design is accessibility for patrons with disabilities. This article reports a study of Web site accessibility of public libraries in Georgia. The focus of the report is whether public libraries use accessible guidelines and standards in making their Web sites accessible. An…

An exploration of multilevel modeling for estimating access to drinking-water and sanitation.

PubMed

Wolf, Jennyfer; Bonjour, Sophie; Prüss-Ustün, Annette

2013-03-01

Monitoring progress towards the targets for access to safe drinking-water and sanitation under the Millennium Development Goals (MDG) requires reliable estimates and indicators. We analyzed trends and reviewed current indicators used for those targets. We developed continuous time series for 1990 to 2015 for access to improved drinking-water sources and improved sanitation facilities by country using multilevel modeling (MLM). We show that MLM is a reliable and transparent tool with many advantages over alternative approaches to estimate access to facilities. Using current indicators, the MDG target for water would be met, but the target for sanitation missed considerably. The number of people without access to such services is still increasing in certain regions. Striking differences persist between urban and rural areas. Consideration of water quality and different classification of shared sanitation facilities would, however, alter estimates considerably. To achieve improved monitoring we propose: (1) considering the use of MLM as an alternative for estimating access to safe drinking-water and sanitation; (2) completing regular assessments of water quality and supporting the development of national regulatory frameworks as part of capacity development; (3) evaluating health impacts of shared sanitation; (4) using a more equitable presentation of countries' performances in providing improved services.

Access to healthcare for undocumented migrants with communicable diseases in Germany: a quantitative study.

PubMed

Mylius, Maren; Frewer, Andreas

2015-08-01

Migrants without residence permits are de facto excluded from access to healthcare in Germany. There is one exception in relevant legislation: in the case of sexually transmitted infections and tuberculosis, the legislator has instructed the local Public Health Authorities to offer free and anonymous counseling, testing and, if necessary, treatment in case of apparent need. Furthermore, recommended vaccinations may be carried out free of charge. This study intends to comprehensively capture the services for undocumented migrants at Public Health Authorities in Germany. An e-mail survey of all Local Public Health Authorities (n = 384) in Germany was carried out between January and March 2011 using a standardized questionnaire. One hundred thirty-nine of 384 targeted local Health Authorities completed the questionnaire (36.2%), of which approximately a quarter (n = 34) reported interaction with 'illegal' immigrants. Twenty-give authorities (18.4%) gave the indication to carry out treatment. This outpatient treatment option is mostly limited to patients afflicted with sexually transmitted infections with the distinct exception of human immunodeficiency virus/acquired immune deficiency syndrome. The study highlights the gap between legislation and the reality of restricted access to medical services for undocumented migrants in Germany. It underlines the need of increased financial and human resources in Public Health Authorities and, overall, the simplification of national legislation to assure the right to healthcare. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the European Public Health Association. All rights reserved.

Drug repurposing in pharmaceutical industry and its impact on market access: market access implications.

PubMed

Murteira, Susana; Millier, Aurélie; Toumi, Mondher

2014-01-01

Drug repurposing is a group of development strategies employed in order to overcome some of the hurdles innate to drug research and development. Drug repurposing includes drug repositioning, reformulation and combination. This study aimed to identify the determinants of successful market access outcome for drug repurposing in the United States of America (USA) and in Europe. The case studies of repurposing strategies were identified through a systematic review of the literature. Price information and reimbursement conditions for all the case studies were collected mainly through access of public datasources. A list of attributes that could be associated with market access outcome (price level and reimbursement conditions) was developed, discussed, and validated by an external expert group. Detailed information for all attributes was researched and collected for each case study. Bivariate regression models were conducted to identify factors associated with price change for all repurposing cases. A similar analysis was performed for reformulation and repositioning cases, in the USA and in Europe, separately. A significance level of 5% was used for all analyses. A total of 144 repurposing case studies were included in the statistical analysis for evaluation of mean price change. Combination cases (the combination of two or more individual drug components) were excluded from the statistical analysis due to the low number of cases retrieved. The main attributes associated with a significant price increase for overall repurposing cases were 'change in administration setting to hospital' (374%, p<0.0001), 'addressing unmet needs' (69%, p<0.05), 'reformulations belonging to Group 3'-that is, change in administration route (117%, p<0.001), and being a repurposed product with the 'same brand name' as the original product (65%, p<0.05). We found that the ability of the repurposed product to address unmet needs, a reformulation where the target product had a different

Widening Access to Higher Education: An Evaluative Case Study of a Foundation Year Alternative to Access

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Reddy, Peter A.; Moores, Elisabeth

2008-01-01

Universities are encouraged to widen access to a broad range of applicants, including mature students taking Access qualifications. Admissions tutors can find it difficult to compare and choose between Access and A-level applications, and Access applicants for popular courses may be disadvantaged relative to students with good A-levels. In this…

Transapical access closure: the TA PLUG device†

PubMed Central

Brinks, Henriette; Nietlispach, Fabian; Göber, Volkhard; Englberger, Lars; Wenaweser, Peter; Meier, Bernhard; Carrel, Thierry; Huber, Christoph

2013-01-01

OBJECTIVES Percutaneous closure of the transapical (TA) access site for large-calibre devices is an unsolved issue. We report the first experimental data on the TA PLUG device for true-percutaneous closure following large apical access for transcatheter aortic valve implantation. METHODS The TA PLUG, a self-sealing full-core closure device, was implanted in an acute animal study in six pigs (60.2 ± 0.7 kg). All the pigs received 100 IU/kg of heparin. The targeted activated clotting time was left to normalize spontaneously. After accessing the left ventricular apex with a 39 French introducer, the closure plug device was delivered with a 33 French over-the-wire system under fluoroscopic guidance into the apex. Time to full haemostasis as well as rate of bleeding was recorded. Self-anchoring properties were assessed by haemodynamic push stress under adrenalin challenge. An additional feasibility study was conducted in four pigs (58.4 ± 1.1 kg) with full surgical exposure of the apex, and assessed device anchoring by pull-force measurements with 0.5 Newton (N) increments. All the animals were electively sacrified. Post-mortem analysis of the heart was performed and the renal embolic index assessed. RESULTS Of six apical closure devices, five were correctly inserted and fully deployed at the first attempt. One became blocked in the delivery system and was placed successfully at the second attempt. In all the animals, complete haemostasis was immediate and no leak was recorded during the 5-h observation period. Neither leak nor any device dislodgement was observed under haemodynamic push stress with repeated left ventricular peak pressure of up to 220 mmHg. In the feasibility study assessing pull-stressing, device migration occurred at a force of 3.3 ± 0.5 N corresponding to 247.5 mmHg. Post-mortem analyses confirmed full expansion of all devices at the intended target. No macroscopic damage was identified at the surrounding myocardium. The renal embolic index was

Literature evidence in open targets - a target validation platform.

PubMed

Kafkas, Şenay; Dunham, Ian; McEntyre, Johanna

2017-06-06

We present the Europe PMC literature component of Open Targets - a target validation platform that integrates various evidence to aid drug target identification and validation. The component identifies target-disease associations in documents and ranks the documents based on their confidence from the Europe PMC literature database, by using rules utilising expert-provided heuristic information. The confidence score of a given document represents how valuable the document is in the scope of target validation for a given target-disease association by taking into account the credibility of the association based on the properties of the text. The component serves the platform regularly with the up-to-date data since December, 2015. Currently, there are a total number of 1168365 distinct target-disease associations text mined from >26 million PubMed abstracts and >1.2 million Open Access full text articles. Our comparative analyses on the current available evidence data in the platform revealed that 850179 of these associations are exclusively identified by literature mining. This component helps the platform's users by providing the most relevant literature hits for a given target and disease. The text mining evidence along with the other types of evidence can be explored visually through https://www.targetvalidation.org and all the evidence data is available for download in json format from https://www.targetvalidation.org/downloads/data .

A pilot prospective feasibility study of organ-at-risk definition using Target Contour Testing/Instructional Computer Software (TaCTICS), a training and evaluation platform for radiotherapy target delineation.

PubMed

Kalpathy-Cramer, Jayashree; Bedrick, Steven D; Boccia, Kelly; Fuller, Clifton D

2011-01-01

Target volume delineation is a critical, but time-consuming step in the creation of radiation therapy plans used in the treatment of many types of cancer. However, variability in target volume definitions can introduce substantial differences in resulting doses to tumors and critical structures. We developed TaCTICS, a web-based educational training software application targeted towards non-expert users. We report on a small, prospective study to evaluate the utility of this online tool in improving conformance of regions-of-interest (ROIs) with a reference set. Eight residents contoured a set of structures for a head-and-neck cancer case. Subsequently, they were provided access to TaCTICS as well as contouring atlases to allow evaluation of their contours in reference to other users as well as reference ROIs. The residents then contoured a second case using these resources. Volume overlap metrics between the users showed a substantial improvement following the intervention. Additionally, 66% of users reported that they found TaCTICS to be a useful educational tool and all participants reported they would like to use TaCTICS to track their contouring skills over the course of their residency.

Stellar Atmospheric Modelling for the ACCESS Program

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Morris, Matthew; Kaiser, Mary Elizabeth; Bohlin, Ralph; Kurucz, Robert; ACCESS Team

2018-01-01

A goal of the ACCESS program (Absolute Color Calibration Experiment for Standard Stars) is to enable greater discrimination between theoretical astrophysical models and observations, where the comparison is limited by systematic errors associated with the relative flux calibration of the targets. To achieve these goals, ACCESS has been designed as a sub-orbital rocket borne payload and ground calibration program, to establish absolute flux calibration of stellar targets at <1 % precision, with a resolving power of 500 across the 0.35 to 1.7 micron bandpass.In order to obtain higher resolution spectroscopy in the optical and near-infrared range than either the ACCESS payload or CALSPEC observations provide, the ACCESS team has conducted a multi-instrument observing program at Apache Point Observatory. Using these calibrated high resolution spectra in addition to the HST/CALSPEC data, we have generated stellar atmosphere models for ACCESS flight candidates, as well as a selection of A and G stars from the CALSPEC database. Stellar atmosphere models were generated using Atlas 9 and Atlas 12 Kurucz stellar atmosphere software. The effective temperature, log(g), metallicity, and redenning were varied and the chi-squared statistic was minimized to obtain a best-fit model. A comparison of these models and the results from interpolation between grids of existing models will be presented. The impact of the flexibility of the Atlas 12 input parameters (e.g. solar metallicity fraction, abundances, microturbulent velocity) is being explored.

Eisenhower National Historic Site visitor transportation and access study

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2017-11-01

This study evaluates the current shuttle system and Eisenhower National Historic Site, which is currently the sole access to the site. Visitation at Eisenhower has been declining since the site opened, and the study looks at the impacts of this trend...

Regional Disparities in Online Map User Access Volume and Determining Factors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, R.; Yang, N.; Li, R.; Huang, W.; Wu, H.

2017-09-01

The regional disparities of online map user access volume (use `user access volume' in this paper to indicate briefly) is a topic of growing interest with the increment of popularity in public users, which helps to target the construction of geographic information services for different areas. At first place we statistically analysed the online map user access logs and quantified these regional access disparities on different scales. The results show that the volume of user access is decreasing from east to the west in China as a whole, while East China produces the most access volume; these cities are also the crucial economic and transport centres. Then Principal Component Regression (PCR) is applied to explore the regional disparities of user access volume. A determining model for Online Map access volume is proposed afterwards, which indicates that area scale is the primary determining factor for regional disparities, followed by public transport development level and public service development level. Other factors like user quality index and financial index have very limited influence on the user access volume. According to the study of regional disparities in user access volume, map providers can reasonably dispatch and allocate the data resources and service resources in each area and improve the operational efficiency of the Online Map server cluster.

Measurement of availability and accessibility of food among youth: a systematic review of methodological studies.

PubMed

Gebremariam, Mekdes K; Vaqué-Crusellas, Cristina; Andersen, Lene F; Stok, F Marijn; Stelmach-Mardas, Marta; Brug, Johannes; Lien, Nanna

2017-02-14

Comprehensive and psychometrically tested measures of availability and accessibility of food are needed in order to explore availability and accessibility as determinants and predictors of dietary behaviors. The main aim of this systematic review was to update the evidence regarding the psychometric properties of measures of food availability and accessibility among youth. A secondary objective was to assess how availability and accessibility were conceptualized in the included studies. A systematic literature search was conducted using Medline, Embase, PsycINFO and Web of Science. Methodological studies published between January 2010 and March 2016 and reporting on at least one psychometric property of a measure of availability and/or accessibility of food among youth were included. Two reviewers independently extracted data and assessed study quality. Existing criteria were used to interpret reliability and validity parameters. A total of 20 studies were included. While 16 studies included measures of food availability, three included measures of both availability and accessibility; one study included a measure of accessibility only. Different conceptualizations of availability and accessibility were used across the studies. The measures aimed at assessing availability and/or accessibility in the home environment (n = 11), the school (n = 4), stores (n = 3), childcare/early care and education services (n = 2) and restaurants (n = 1). Most studies followed systematic steps in the development of the measures. The most common psychometrics tested for these measures were test-retest reliability and criterion validity. The majority of the measures had satisfactory evidence of reliability and/or validity. None of the included studies assessed the responsiveness of the measures. The review identified several measures of food availability or accessibility among youth with satisfactory evidence of reliability and/or validity. Findings indicate a need

Lower hybrid accessibility in a large, hot reversed field pinch

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Dziubek, R.A.; Harvey, R.W.; Hokin, S.A.

1995-11-01

Accessibility and damping of the slow wave in a reversed field pinch (RFP) plasma is investigated theoretically, using projected Reversed Field Experiment (RFX) plasma parameters. By numerically solving the hot plasma dispersion relation, regions of propagation are found and the possibility of mode conversion is analyzed. If the parallel index of refraction of the wave is chosen judiciously at the edge of the plasma, the slow wave is accessible to a target region located just inside the reversal surface without mode conversion. Landau damping is also optimized in this region. A representative fast electron population is then added in ordermore » to determine its effect on accessibility and damping. The presence of these electrons, whose parameters were estimated by extrapolation of Madison Symmetric Torus (MST) data, does not affect the accessibility of the wave. However, the initial phase velocity of the wave needs to be increased somewhat in order to maintain optimal damping in the target zone.« less

Pathways to achieve universal household access to modern energy by 2030

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pachauri, Shonali; van Ruijven, Bas J.; Nagai, Yu; Riahi, Keywan; van Vuuren, Detlef P.; Brew-Hammond, Abeeku; Nakicenovic, Nebojsa

2013-06-01

A lack of access to modern energy impacts health and welfare and impedes development for billions of people. Growing concern about these impacts has mobilized the international community to set new targets for universal modern energy access. However, analyses exploring pathways to achieve these targets and quantifying the potential costs and benefits are limited. Here, we use two modelling frameworks to analyse investments and consequences of achieving total rural electrification and universal access to clean-combusting cooking fuels and stoves by 2030. Our analysis indicates that these targets can be achieved with additional investment of US200565-86 billion per year until 2030 combined with dedicated policies. Only a combination of policies that lowers costs for modern cooking fuels and stoves, along with more rapid electrification, can enable the realization of these goals. Our results demonstrate the critical importance of accounting for varying demands and affordability across heterogeneous household groups in both analysis and policy setting. While the investments required are significant, improved access to modern cooking fuels alone can avert between 0.6 and 1.8 million premature deaths annually in 2030 and enhance wellbeing substantially.

Barriers to access reproductive health care for pregnant adolescent girls: a qualitative study in Tanzania.

PubMed

Hokororo, Adolfine; Kihunrwa, Albert F; Kalluvya, Samuel; Changalucha, John; Fitzgerald, Daniel W; Downs, Jennifer A

2015-12-01

In Tanzania, approximately 25% of adolescents give birth and 50% more become sexually active during adolescence. We hypothesised that reproductive health education and services for adolescent girls are inaccessible and conducted this study to gain insights into their perceptions of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and barriers to reproductive health service utilisation in rural Mwanza, Tanzania. We conducted nine focus groups among pregnant adolescents aged 15-20 years. Data were transcribed, translated and coded for relevant themes using NVivo10 software for qualitative data analysis. Most participants were aware of the dangers of STIs to themselves and their unborn babies, but did not perceive themselves as at risk of acquiring STIs. They viewed condoms as ineffective for preventing STIs and pregnancies and unnecessary for those in committed relationships. Stigma, long waiting times, and lack of privacy in the clinics discouraged adolescent girls from seeking reproductive health care. Reproductive health care for adolescent girls who are not pregnant is practically nonexistent in Tanzania. Healthcare access for pregnant young women is also limited. Targeted changes to increase clinic accessibility and to provide reproductive health education to all rather than only pregnant women have the potential to address these gaps. ©2015 Foundation Acta Paediatrica. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Detection of heart disease by open access echocardiography: a retrospective analysis of general practice referrals.

PubMed

Chambers, John; Kabir, Saleha; Cajeat, Eric

2014-02-01

Heart disease is difficult to detect clinically and it has been suggested that echocardiography should be available to all patients with possible cardiac symptoms or signs. To analyse the results of 2 years of open access echocardiography for the frequency of structural heart disease according to request. Retrospective database analysis in a teaching hospital open access echocardiography service. Reports of all open access transthoracic echocardiograms between January 2011 and December 2012 were categorised as normal, having minor abnormalities, or significant abnormalities according to the indication. There were 2343 open access echocardiograms performed and there were significant abnormalities in 29%, predominantly valve disease (n = 304, 13%), LV systolic dysfunction (n = 179, 8%), aortic dilatation (n = 80, 3%), or pulmonary hypertension (n = 91, 4%). If echocardiography had been targeted at a high-risk group, 267 with valve disease would have been detected (compared to 127 with murmur alone) and 139 with LV systolic dysfunction (compared to 91 with suspected heart failure alone). Most GP practices requested fewer than 10 studies, but 6 practices requested over 70 studies. Open access echocardiograms are often abnormal but structural disease may not be suspected from the clinical request. Uptake by individual practices is patchy. A targeted expansion of echocardiography in patients with a high likelihood of disease is therefore likely to increase the detection of clinically important pathology.

Retail Food Store Access in Rural Appalachia: A Mixed Methods Study.

PubMed

Thatcher, Esther; Johnson, Cassandra; Zenk, Shannon N; Kulbok, Pamela

2017-05-01

To describe how characteristics of food retail stores (potential access) and other factors influence self-reported food shopping behavior (realized food access) among low-income, rural Central Appalachian women. Cross-sectional descriptive. Potential access was assessed through store mapping and in-store food audits. Factors influencing consumers' realized access were assessed through in-depth interviews. Results were merged using a convergent parallel mixed methods approach. Food stores (n = 50) and adult women (n = 9) in a rural Central Appalachian county. Potential and realized food access were described across five dimensions: availability, accessibility, affordability, acceptability, and accommodation. Supermarkets had better availability of healthful foods, followed by grocery stores, dollar stores, and convenience stores. On average, participants lived within 10 miles of 3.9 supermarkets or grocery stores, and traveled 7.5 miles for major food shopping. Participants generally shopped at the closest store that met their expectations for food availability, price, service, and atmosphere. Participants' perceptions of stores diverged from each other and from in-store audit findings. Findings from this study can help public health nurses engage with communities to make affordable, healthy foods more accessible. Recommendations are made for educating low-income consumers and partnering with food stores. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Community-level antibiotic access and use (ABACUS) in low- and middle-income countries: Finding targets for social interventions to improve appropriate antimicrobial use – an observational multi-centre study

PubMed Central

Wertheim, Heiman F.L.; Chuc, Nguyen Thi Kim; Punpuing, Sureeporn; Khan, Wasif Ali; Gyapong, Margaret; Asante, Kwaku Poku; Munguambe, Khatia; Gómez-Olivé, F. Xavier; Ariana, Proochista; John-Langba, Johannes; Sigauque, Betuel; Toan, Tran Khanh; Tollman, Stephen; Cremers, Amelieke J.H.; Do, Nga T.T.; Nadjm, Behzad; van Doorn, H. Rogier; Kinsman, John; Sankoh, Osman

2017-01-01

In many low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), a poor link between antibiotic policies and practices exists. Numerous contextual factors may influence the degree of antibiotic access, appropriateness of antibiotic provision, and actual use in communities. Therefore, improving appropriateness of antibiotic use in different communities in LMICs probably requires interventions tailored to the setting of interest, accounting for cultural context. Here we present the ABACUS study (AntiBiotic ACcess and USe), which employs a unique approach and infrastructure, enabling quantitative validation, contextualization of determinants, and cross-continent comparisons of antibiotic access and use. The community infrastructure for this study is the INDEPTH-Network (International Network for the Demographic Evaluation of Populations and Their Health in Developing Countries), which facilitates health and population research through an established health and demographic surveillance system. After an initial round of formative qualitative research with community members and antibiotic suppliers in three African and three Asian countries, household surveys will assess the appropriateness of antibiotic access, provision and use. Results from this sample will be validated against a systematically conducted inventory of suppliers. All potential antibiotic suppliers will be mapped and characterized. Subsequently, their supply of antibiotics to the community will be measured through customer exit interviews, which tend to be more reliable than bulk purchase or sales data. Discrepancies identified between reported and observed antibiotic practices will be investigated in further qualitative interviews. Amartya Sen’s Capability Approach will be employed to identify the conversion factors that determine whether or not, and the extent to which appropriate provision of antibiotics may lead to appropriate access and use of antibiotics. Currently, the study is ongoing and expected to conclude

Electronic doors to education: study of high school website accessibility in Iowa.

PubMed

Klein, David; Myhill, William; Hansen, Linda; Asby, Gary; Michaelson, Susan; Blanck, Peter

2003-01-01

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), and Sections 504 and 508 of the Rehabilitation Act, prohibit discrimination against people with disabilities in all aspects of daily life, including education, work, and access to places of public accommodations. Increasingly, these antidiscrimination laws are used by persons with disabilities to ensure equal access to e-commerce, and to private and public Internet websites. To help assess the impact of the anti-discrimination mandate for educational communities, this study examined 157 website home pages of Iowa public high schools (52% of high schools in Iowa) in terms of their electronic accessibility for persons with disabilities. We predicted that accessibility problems would limit students and others in obtaining information from the web pages as well as limiting ability to navigate to other web pages. Findings show that although many web pages examined included information in accessible formats, none of the home pages met World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) standards for accessibility. The most frequent accessibility problem was lack of alternative text (ALT tags) for graphics. Technical sophistication built into pages was found to reduce accessibility. Implications are discussed for schools and educational institutions, and for laws, policies, and procedures on website accessibility. Copyright 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

A synthesis of studies of access point density as a risk factor for road accidents.

PubMed

Elvik, Rune

2017-10-01

Studies of the relationship between access point density (number of access points, or driveways, per kilometre of road) and accident frequency or rate (number of accidents per unit of exposure) have consistently found that accident rate increases when access point density increases. This paper presents a formal synthesis of the findings of these studies. It was found that the addition of one access point per kilometre of road is associated with an increase of 4% in the expected number of accidents, controlling for traffic volume. Although studies consistently indicate an increase in accident rate as access point density increases, the size of the increase varies substantially between studies. In addition to reviewing studies of access point density as a risk factor, the paper discusses some issues related to formally synthesising regression coefficients by applying the inverse-variance method of meta-analysis. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Collaborative remembering revisited: Study context access modulates collaborative inhibition and later benefits for individual memory.

PubMed

Abel, Magdalena; Bäuml, Karl-Heinz T

2017-11-01

Collaborating groups typically show reduced recall relative to nominal groups, i.e., to the cumulated non-redundant recall of the same number of people remembering in isolation-a finding termed collaborative inhibition. Motivated by the results of several previous studies, this study examined in two experiments whether access to study context at test influences the effects of collaboration. In both experiments, subjects collaborated in triads or recalled previously studied material in isolation. Experiment 1 applied short versus prolonged retention intervals to vary access to study context at test, whereas Experiment 2 used the list-method directed forgetting task and applied remember versus forget instructions to modulate context access. In both experiments, collaborative inhibition was present when access to study context at test was intact (i.e., after the short delay and the remember instruction) but was eliminated when the access was impaired (i.e., after the prolonged delay and the forget instruction). Also, post-collaborative gains for individual recall were greater when context access was impaired and collaborative inhibition was eliminated. The findings demonstrate a critical role of access to study context at test for collaborative inhibition, indicating that impaired context access may reflect a general boundary condition for the recall impairment. The possible role of context reactivation processes for beneficial effects of social recall is discussed.

Multi-tool accessibility assessment of government department websites:a case-study with JKGAD.

PubMed

Ismail, Abid; Kuppusamy, K S; Nengroo, Ab Shakoor

2017-08-02

Nature of being accessible to all categories of users is one of the primary factors for enabling the wider reach of the resources published through World Wide Web. The accessibility of websites has been analyzed through W3C guidelines with the help of various tools. This paper presents a multi-tool accessibility assessment of government department websites belonging to the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir. A comparative analysis of six accessibility tools is also presented with 14 different parameters. The accessibility analysis tools used in this study for analysis are aChecker, Cynthia Says, Tenon, wave, Mauve, and Hera. These tools provide us the results of selected websites accessibility status on Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 1.0 and 2.0. It was found that there are variations in accessibility analysis results when using different accessibility metrics to measure the accessibility of websites. In addition to this, we have identified the guidelines which have frequently been violated. It was observed that there is a need for incorporating the accessibility component features among the selected websites. This paper presents a set of suggestions to improve the accessibility status of these sites so that the information and services provided by these sites shall reach a wider spectrum of audience without any barrier. Implications for rehabilitation The following points indicates that this case study of JKGAD websites comes under Rehabilitation focused on Visually Impaired users. Due to the universal nature of web, it should be accessible to all according to WCAG guidelines framed by World Wide Web Consortium. In this paper we have identified multiple accessibility barriers for persons with visual impairment while browsing the Jammu and Kashmir Government websites. Multi-tool analysis has been done to pin-point the potential barriers for persons with visually Impaired. Usability analysis has been performed to check whether these websites are suitable

PHF1 Tudor and N-terminal domains synergistically target partially unwrapped nucleosomes to increase DNA accessibility

PubMed Central

Gibson, Matthew D.; Gatchalian, Jovylyn; Slater, Andrew; Kutateladze, Tatiana G.

2017-01-01

Abstract The Tudor domain of human PHF1 recognizes trimethylated lysine 36 on histone H3 (H3K36me3). PHF1 relies on this interaction to regulate PRC2 methyltransferase activity, localize to DNA double strand breaks and mediate nucleosome accessibility. Here, we investigate the impact of the PHF1 N-terminal domain (NTD) on the Tudor domain interaction with the nucleosome. We show that the NTD is partially ordered when it is natively attached to the Tudor domain. Through a combination of FRET and single molecule studies, we find that the increase of DNA accessibility within the H3K36me3-containing nucleosome, instigated by the Tudor binding to H3K36me3, is dramatically enhanced by the NTD. We demonstrate that this nearly order of magnitude increase is due to preferential binding of PHF1 to partially unwrapped nucleosomes, and that PHF1 alters DNA–protein binding within the nucleosome by decreasing dissociation rates. These results highlight the potency of a PTM-binding protein to regulate DNA accessibility and underscores the role of the novel mechanism by which nucleosomes control DNA–protein binding through increasing protein dissociation rates. PMID:28082396

Evaluation of a PSMA-targeted BNF nanoparticle construct

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Behnam Azad, Babak; Banerjee, Sangeeta R.; Pullambhatla, Mrudula; Lacerda, Silvia; Foss, Catherine A.; Wang, Yuchuan; Ivkov, Robert; Pomper, Martin G.

2015-02-01

Early detection enables improved prognosis for prostate cancer (PCa). A promising target for imaging and therapy of PCa is the prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA), which exhibits both expression within the epithelium of PCa cells, and becomes internalized upon ligand binding. Here we report the synthesis of a PSMA-targeted bionized nanoferrite (BNF) nanoparticle and its biological evaluation in an experimental model of PCa. The BNF nanoparticle formulation exhibits properties conducive to targeted imaging such as stealth, prolonged circulation time and enhanced clearance from non-target sites. Optical imaging of the targeted BNF in vivo indicates preferential accumulation in PSMA+ tumors 4 h post-injection, suggesting target specificity. On the other hand, non-targeted nanoparticles exhibit lower uptake with similar accumulation in both PSMA+ and PSMA- tumors indicating tumor access without preferential accumulation. Imaging with single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) and biodistribution studies of a modified construct indicate highest tumor accumulation at 48 h post-injection [4.3 +/- 0.4 percentage injected dose per gram of tissue (%ID g-1)], with tumor/blood and tumor/muscle ratios of 7.5 +/- 2.4 and 11.6 +/- 1.2 %ID g-1, respectively. Ex vivo fluorescence microscopy, Prussian blue staining, immunohistochemistry and biodistribution studies confirm enhanced nanoparticle uptake in PSMA+ tumors compared to those not expressing PSMA. The BNF nano-formulation described is promising for PSMA-targeted imaging applications in vivo.Early detection enables improved prognosis for prostate cancer (PCa). A promising target for imaging and therapy of PCa is the prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA), which exhibits both expression within the epithelium of PCa cells, and becomes internalized upon ligand binding. Here we report the synthesis of a PSMA-targeted bionized nanoferrite (BNF) nanoparticle and its biological evaluation in an experimental model of

Spatial accessibility to specific sport facilities and corresponding sport practice: the RECORD Study

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background Physical activity is considered as a major component of a healthy lifestyle. However, few studies have examined the relationships between the spatial accessibility to sport facilities and sport practice with a sufficient degree of specificity. The aim of this study was to investigate the associations between the spatial accessibility to specific types of sports facilities and the practice of the corresponding sports after carefully controlling for various individual socio-demographic characteristics and neighborhood socioeconomic variables. Methods Data from the RECORD Study involving 7290 participants recruited in 2007–2008, aged 30–79 years, and residing in the Paris metropolitan area were analyzed. Four categories of sports were studied: team sports, racket sports, swimming and related activities, and fitness. Spatial accessibility to sport facilities was measured with two complementary approaches that both take into account the street network (distance to the nearest facility and count of facilities around the dwelling). Associations between the spatial accessibility to sport facilities and the practice of the corresponding sports were assessed using multilevel logistic regression after adjusting for individual and contextual characteristics. Results High individual education and high household income were associated with the practice of racket sports, swimming or related activities, and fitness over the previous 7 days. The spatial accessibility to swimming pools was associated with swimming and related sports, even after adjustment for individual/contextual factors. The spatial accessibility to facilities was not related to the practice of other sports. High neighborhood income was associated with the practice of a racket sport and fitness. Conclusions Accessibility is a multi-dimensional concept that integrates educational, financial, and geographical aspects. Our work supports the evidence that strategies to increase participation in sport

Spatial accessibility to specific sport facilities and corresponding sport practice: the RECORD Study.

PubMed

Karusisi, Noëlla; Thomas, Frédérique; Méline, Julie; Chaix, Basile

2013-04-20

Physical activity is considered as a major component of a healthy lifestyle. However, few studies have examined the relationships between the spatial accessibility to sport facilities and sport practice with a sufficient degree of specificity. The aim of this study was to investigate the associations between the spatial accessibility to specific types of sports facilities and the practice of the corresponding sports after carefully controlling for various individual socio-demographic characteristics and neighborhood socioeconomic variables. Data from the RECORD Study involving 7290 participants recruited in 2007-2008, aged 30-79 years, and residing in the Paris metropolitan area were analyzed. Four categories of sports were studied: team sports, racket sports, swimming and related activities, and fitness. Spatial accessibility to sport facilities was measured with two complementary approaches that both take into account the street network (distance to the nearest facility and count of facilities around the dwelling). Associations between the spatial accessibility to sport facilities and the practice of the corresponding sports were assessed using multilevel logistic regression after adjusting for individual and contextual characteristics. High individual education and high household income were associated with the practice of racket sports, swimming or related activities, and fitness over the previous 7 days. The spatial accessibility to swimming pools was associated with swimming and related sports, even after adjustment for individual/contextual factors. The spatial accessibility to facilities was not related to the practice of other sports. High neighborhood income was associated with the practice of a racket sport and fitness. Accessibility is a multi-dimensional concept that integrates educational, financial, and geographical aspects. Our work supports the evidence that strategies to increase participation in sport activities should improve the spatial and

Access to timely formal dementia care in Europe: protocol of the Actifcare (ACcess to Timely Formal Care) study.

PubMed

Kerpershoek, Liselot; de Vugt, Marjolein; Wolfs, Claire; Jelley, Hannah; Orrell, Martin; Woods, Bob; Stephan, Astrid; Bieber, Anja; Meyer, Gabriele; Engedal, Knut; Selbaek, Geir; Handels, Ron; Wimo, Anders; Hopper, Louise; Irving, Kate; Marques, Maria; Gonçalves-Pereira, Manuel; Portolani, Elisa; Zanetti, Orazio; Verhey, Frans

2016-08-23

Previous findings indicate that people with dementia and their informal carers experience difficulties accessing and using formal care services due to a mismatch between needs and service use. This mismatch causes overall dissatisfaction and is a waste of the scarce financial care resources. This article presents the background and methods of the Actifcare (ACcess to Timely Formal Care) project. This is a European study aiming at best-practice development in finding timely access to formal care for community-dwelling people with dementia and their informal carers. There are five main objectives: 1) Explore predisposing and enabling factors associated with the use of formal care, 2) Explore the association between the use of formal care, needs and quality of life and 3) Compare these across European countries, 4) Understand the costs and consequences of formal care services utilization in people with unmet needs, 5) Determine the major costs and quality of life drivers and their relationship with formal care services across European countries. In a longitudinal cohort study conducted in eight European countries approximately 450 people with dementia and informal carers will be assessed three times in 1 year (baseline, 6 and 12 months). In this year we will closely monitor the process of finding access to formal care. Data on service use, quality of life and needs will be collected. The results of Actifcare are expected to reveal best-practices in organizing formal care. Knowledge about enabling and predisposing factors regarding access to care services, as well as its costs and consequences, can advance the state of the art in health systems research into pathways to dementia care, in order to benefit people with dementia and their informal carers.

The Mission Accessible Near-Earth Objects Survey (MANOS)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Abell, Paul; Moskovitz, Nicholas; DeMeo, Francesca; Endicott, Thomas; Busch, Michael; Roe, Henry; Trilling, David; Thomas, Cristina; Willman, Mark; Grundy, Will;

Young people with depression and their experience accessing an enhanced primary care service for youth with emerging mental health problems: a qualitative study.

PubMed

McCann, Terence V; Lubman, Dan I

2012-08-01

Despite the emergence of mental health problems during adolescence and early adulthood, many young people encounter difficulties accessing appropriate services. In response to this gap, the Australian Government recently established new enhanced primary care services (headspace) that target young people with emerging mental health problems. In this study, we examine the experience of young people with depression accessing one of these services, with a focus on understanding how they access the service and the difficulties they encounter in the process. Individual, in-depth, audio-recorded interviews were used to collect data. Twenty-six young people with depression were recruited from a headspace site in Melbourne, Australia. Interpretative phenomenological analysis was used to analyse the data. Four overlapping themes were identified in the data. First, school counsellors as access mediators, highlights the prominent role school counsellors have in facilitating student access to the service. Second, location as an access facilitator and inhibitor. Although the service is accessible by public transport, it is less so to those who do not live near public transport. Third, encountering barriers accessing the service initially. Two main service access barriers were experienced: unfamiliarity with the service, and delays in obtaining initial appointments for ongoing therapy. Finally, the service's funding model acts as an access facilitator and barrier. While the model provides a low or no cost services initially, it limits the number of funded sessions, and this can be problematic. Young people have contrasting experiences accessing the service. School counsellors have an influential role in facilitating access, and its close proximity to public transport enhances access. The service needs to become more prominent in young people's consciousness, while the appointment system would benefit from providing more timely appointments with therapists. The service's funding

Young people with depression and their experience accessing an enhanced primary care service for youth with emerging mental health problems: a qualitative study

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background Despite the emergence of mental health problems during adolescence and early adulthood, many young people encounter difficulties accessing appropriate services. In response to this gap, the Australian Government recently established new enhanced primary care services (headspace) that target young people with emerging mental health problems. In this study, we examine the experience of young people with depression accessing one of these services, with a focus on understanding how they access the service and the difficulties they encounter in the process. Method Individual, in-depth, audio-recorded interviews were used to collect data. Twenty-six young people with depression were recruited from a headspace site in Melbourne, Australia. Interpretative phenomenological analysis was used to analyse the data. Results Four overlapping themes were identified in the data. First, school counsellors as access mediators, highlights the prominent role school counsellors have in facilitating student access to the service. Second, location as an access facilitator and inhibitor. Although the service is accessible by public transport, it is less so to those who do not live near public transport. Third, encountering barriers accessing the service initially. Two main service access barriers were experienced: unfamiliarity with the service, and delays in obtaining initial appointments for ongoing therapy. Finally, the service’s funding model acts as an access facilitator and barrier. While the model provides a low or no cost services initially, it limits the number of funded sessions, and this can be problematic. Conclusions Young people have contrasting experiences accessing the service. School counsellors have an influential role in facilitating access, and its close proximity to public transport enhances access. The service needs to become more prominent in young people’s consciousness, while the appointment system would benefit from providing more timely

Cross-modal prediction changes the timing of conscious access during the motion-induced blindness.

PubMed

Chang, Acer Y C; Kanai, Ryota; Seth, Anil K

2015-01-01

Despite accumulating evidence that perceptual predictions influence perceptual content, the relations between these predictions and conscious contents remain unclear, especially for cross-modal predictions. We examined whether predictions of visual events by auditory cues can facilitate conscious access to the visual stimuli. We trained participants to learn associations between auditory cues and colour changes. We then asked whether congruency between auditory cues and target colours would speed access to consciousness. We did this by rendering a visual target subjectively invisible using motion-induced blindness and then gradually changing its colour while presenting congruent or incongruent auditory cues. Results showed that the visual target gained access to consciousness faster in congruent than in incongruent trials; control experiments excluded potentially confounding effects of attention and motor response. The expectation effect was gradually established over blocks suggesting a role for extensive training. Overall, our findings show that predictions learned through cross-modal training can facilitate conscious access to visual stimuli. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A study of institutional spending on open access publication fees in Germany.

PubMed

Jahn, Najko; Tullney, Marco

2016-01-01

Publication fees as a revenue source for open access publishing hold a prominent place on the agendas of researchers, policy makers, and academic publishers. This study contributes to the evolving empirical basis for funding these charges and examines how much German universities and research organisations spent on open access publication fees. Using self-reported cost data from the Open APC initiative, the analysis focused on the amount that was being spent on publication fees, and compared these expenditure with data from related Austrian (FWF) and UK (Wellcome Trust, Jisc) initiatives, in terms of both size and the proportion of articles being published in fully and hybrid open access journals. We also investigated how thoroughly self-reported articles were indexed in Crossref, a DOI minting agency for scholarly literature, and analysed how the institutional spending was distributed across publishers and journal titles. According to self-reported data from 30 German universities and research organisations between 2005 and 2015, expenditures on open access publication fees increased over the years in Germany and amounted to € 9,627,537 for 7,417 open access journal articles. The average payment was € 1,298, and the median was € 1,231. A total of 94% of the total article volume included in the study was supported in accordance with the price cap of € 2,000, a limit imposed by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) as part of its funding activities for open access funding at German universities. Expenditures varied considerably at the institutional level. There were also differences in how much the institutions spent per journal and publisher. These differences reflect, at least in part, the varying pricing schemes in place including discounted publication fees. With an indexing coverage of 99%, Crossref thoroughly indexed the open access journals articles included in the study. A comparison with the related openly available cost data from Austria and

A study of institutional spending on open access publication fees in Germany

PubMed Central

Tullney, Marco

2016-01-01

Publication fees as a revenue source for open access publishing hold a prominent place on the agendas of researchers, policy makers, and academic publishers. This study contributes to the evolving empirical basis for funding these charges and examines how much German universities and research organisations spent on open access publication fees. Using self-reported cost data from the Open APC initiative, the analysis focused on the amount that was being spent on publication fees, and compared these expenditure with data from related Austrian (FWF) and UK (Wellcome Trust, Jisc) initiatives, in terms of both size and the proportion of articles being published in fully and hybrid open access journals. We also investigated how thoroughly self-reported articles were indexed in Crossref, a DOI minting agency for scholarly literature, and analysed how the institutional spending was distributed across publishers and journal titles. According to self-reported data from 30 German universities and research organisations between 2005 and 2015, expenditures on open access publication fees increased over the years in Germany and amounted to € 9,627,537 for 7,417 open access journal articles. The average payment was € 1,298, and the median was € 1,231. A total of 94% of the total article volume included in the study was supported in accordance with the price cap of € 2,000, a limit imposed by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) as part of its funding activities for open access funding at German universities. Expenditures varied considerably at the institutional level. There were also differences in how much the institutions spent per journal and publisher. These differences reflect, at least in part, the varying pricing schemes in place including discounted publication fees. With an indexing coverage of 99%, Crossref thoroughly indexed the open access journals articles included in the study. A comparison with the related openly available cost data from Austria and

Access to electronic health knowledge in five countries in Africa: a descriptive study.

PubMed

Smith, Helen; Bukirwa, Hasifa; Mukasa, Oscar; Snell, Paul; Adeh-Nsoh, Sylvester; Mbuyita, Selemani; Honorati, Masanja; Orji, Bright; Garner, Paul

2007-05-17

Access to medical literature in developing countries is helped by open access publishing and initiatives to allow free access to subscription only journals. The effectiveness of these initiatives in Africa has not been assessed. This study describes awareness, reported use and factors influencing use of on-line medical literature via free access initiatives. Descriptive study in four teaching hospitals in Cameroon, Nigeria, Tanzania and Uganda plus one externally funded research institution in The Gambia. Survey with postgraduate doctors and research scientists to determine Internet access patterns, reported awareness of on-line medical information and free access initiatives; semi structured interviews with a sub-sample of survey participants to explore factors influencing use. In the four African teaching hospitals, 70% of the 305 postgraduate doctors reported textbooks as their main source of information; 66% had used the Internet for health information in the last week. In two hospitals, Internet cafés were the main Internet access point. For researchers at the externally-funded research institution, electronic resources were their main source, and almost all had used the Internet in the last week. Across all 333 respondents, 90% had heard of PubMed, 78% of BMJ on line, 49% the Cochrane Library, 47% HINARI, and 19% BioMedCentral. HINARI use correlates with accessing the Internet on computers located in institutions. Qualitative data suggested there are difficulties logging into HINARI and that sometimes it is librarians that limit access to passwords. Text books remain an important resource for postgraduate doctors in training. Internet use is common, but awareness of free-access initiatives is limited. HINARI and other initiatives could be more effective with strong institutional endorsement and management to promote and ensure access.

The Human Kinome Targeted by FDA Approved Multi-Target Drugs and Combination Products: A Comparative Study from the Drug-Target Interaction Network Perspective.

PubMed

Li, Ying Hong; Wang, Pan Pan; Li, Xiao Xu; Yu, Chun Yan; Yang, Hong; Zhou, Jin; Xue, Wei Wei; Tan, Jun; Zhu, Feng

2016-01-01

The human kinome is one of the most productive classes of drug target, and there is emerging necessity for treating complex diseases by means of polypharmacology (multi-target drugs and combination products). However, the advantages of the multi-target drugs and the combination products are still under debate. A comparative analysis between FDA approved multi-target drugs and combination products, targeting the human kinome, was conducted by mapping targets onto the phylogenetic tree of the human kinome. The approach of network medicine illustrating the drug-target interactions was applied to identify popular targets of multi-target drugs and combination products. As identified, the multi-target drugs tended to inhibit target pairs in the human kinome, especially the receptor tyrosine kinase family, while the combination products were able to against targets of distant homology relationship. This finding asked for choosing the combination products as a better solution for designing drugs aiming at targets of distant homology relationship. Moreover, sub-networks of drug-target interactions in specific disease were generated, and mechanisms shared by multi-target drugs and combination products were identified. In conclusion, this study performed an analysis between approved multi-target drugs and combination products against the human kinome, which could assist the discovery of next generation polypharmacology.

Drug repurposing in pharmaceutical industry and its impact on market access: market access implications

PubMed Central

Murteira, Susana; Millier, Aurélie; Toumi, Mondher

2014-01-01

Background Drug repurposing is a group of development strategies employed in order to overcome some of the hurdles innate to drug research and development. Drug repurposing includes drug repositioning, reformulation and combination. Objective This study aimed to identify the determinants of successful market access outcome for drug repurposing in the United States of America (USA) and in Europe. Methods The case studies of repurposing strategies were identified through a systematic review of the literature. Price information and reimbursement conditions for all the case studies were collected mainly through access of public datasources. A list of attributes that could be associated with market access outcome (price level and reimbursement conditions) was developed, discussed, and validated by an external expert group. Detailed information for all attributes was researched and collected for each case study. Bivariate regression models were conducted to identify factors associated with price change for all repurposing cases. A similar analysis was performed for reformulation and repositioning cases, in the USA and in Europe, separately. A significance level of 5% was used for all analyses. Results A total of 144 repurposing case studies were included in the statistical analysis for evaluation of mean price change. Combination cases (the combination of two or more individual drug components) were excluded from the statistical analysis due to the low number of cases retrieved. The main attributes associated with a significant price increase for overall repurposing cases were ‘change in administration setting to hospital’ (374%, p<0.0001), ‘addressing unmet needs’ (69%, p<0.05), ‘reformulations belonging to Group 3’—that is, change in administration route (117%, p<0.001), and being a repurposed product with the ‘same brand name’ as the original product (65%, p<0.05). Conclusion We found that the ability of the repurposed product to address unmet needs

Fixed Route Accessible Bus Service in Connecticut : A Case Study

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1981-07-01

U.S. Department of Transportation regulations implementing Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, require transit agencies to provide wheelchair accessibility on fixed-route bus service. The study is part of the series which included studies ...

Detection of heart disease by open access echocardiography: a retrospective analysis of general practice referrals

PubMed Central

Chambers, John; Kabir, Saleha; Cajeat, Eric

2014-01-01

Background Heart disease is difficult to detect clinically and it has been suggested that echocardiography should be available to all patients with possible cardiac symptoms or signs. Aim To analyse the results of 2 years of open access echocardiography for the frequency of structural heart disease according to request. Design and setting Retrospective database analysis in a teaching hospital open access echocardiography service. Method Reports of all open access transthoracic echocardiograms between January 2011 and December 2012 were categorised as normal, having minor abnormalities, or significant abnormalities according to the indication. Results There were 2343 open access echocardiograms performed and there were significant abnormalities in 29%, predominantly valve disease (n = 304, 13%), LV systolic dysfunction (n = 179, 8%), aortic dilatation (n = 80, 3%), or pulmonary hypertension (n = 91, 4%). If echocardiography had been targeted at a high-risk group, 267 with valve disease would have been detected (compared to 127 with murmur alone) and 139 with LV systolic dysfunction (compared to 91 with suspected heart failure alone). Most GP practices requested fewer than 10 studies, but 6 practices requested over 70 studies. Conclusion Open access echocardiograms are often abnormal but structural disease may not be suspected from the clinical request. Uptake by individual practices is patchy. A targeted expansion of echocardiography in patients with a high likelihood of disease is therefore likely to increase the detection of clinically important pathology. PMID:24567615

Neighbourhood access to open spaces and the physical activity of residents: a national study.

PubMed

Witten, Karen; Hiscock, Rosemary; Pearce, Jamie; Blakely, Tony

2008-09-01

Increasing population levels of physical activity is high on the health agenda in many countries. There is some evidence that neighbourhood access to public open space can increase physical activity by providing easier and more direct access to opportunities for exercise. This national study examines the relationship between travel time access to parks and beaches, BMI and physical activity in New Zealand neighbourhoods. Access to parks and beaches, measured in minutes taken by a car, was calculated for 38,350 neighbourhoods nationally using Geographic Information Systems. Multilevel regression analyses were used to establish the significance of access to these recreational amenities as a predictor of BMI, and levels of physical activity and sedentary behaviour in the 12,529 participants, living in 1178 neighbourhoods, of the New Zealand Health Survey 2002/3. Neighbourhood access to parks was not associated with BMI, sedentary behaviour or physical activity, after controlling for individual-level socio-economic variables, and neighbourhood-level deprivation and urban/rural status. There was some evidence of a relationship between beach access and BMI and physical activity in the expected direction. This study found little evidence of an association between locational access to open spaces and physical activity.

Enhancing Access to Patient Education Information: A Pilot Usability Study

PubMed Central

Beaudoin, Denise E.; Rocha, Roberto A.; Tse, Tony

2005-01-01

Health care organizations are developing Web-based portals to provide patient access to personal health information and enhance patient-provider communication. This pilot study investigates two navigation models (“serial” and “menu-driven”) for improving access to education materials available through a portal. There was a trend toward greater user satisfaction with the menu-driven model. Model preference was influenced by frequency of Web use. Results should aid in the improvement of existing portals and in the development of new ones. PMID:16779179

Evolution of area access safety training required for gaining access to Space Shuttle launch and landing facilities

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Willams, M. C.

1985-01-01

Assuring personnel and equipment are fully protected during the Space Shuttle launch and landing operations has been a primary concern of NASA and its associated contractors since the inception of the program. A key factor in support of this policy has been the area access safety training requirements for badging of employees assigned to work on Space Shuttle Launch and Facilities. This requirement was targeted for possible cost savings and the transition of physical on-site walkdowns to the use of television tapes has realized program cost savings while continuing to fully satisfy the area access safety training requirements.

miRPathDB: a new dictionary on microRNAs and target pathways.

PubMed

Backes, Christina; Kehl, Tim; Stöckel, Daniel; Fehlmann, Tobias; Schneider, Lara; Meese, Eckart; Lenhof, Hans-Peter; Keller, Andreas

2017-01-04

In the last decade, miRNAs and their regulatory mechanisms have been intensively studied and many tools for the analysis of miRNAs and their targets have been developed. We previously presented a dictionary on single miRNAs and their putative target pathways. Since then, the number of miRNAs has tripled and the knowledge on miRNAs and targets has grown substantially. This, along with changes in pathway resources such as KEGG, leads to an improved understanding of miRNAs, their target genes and related pathways. Here, we introduce the miRNA Pathway Dictionary Database (miRPathDB), freely accessible at https://mpd.bioinf.uni-sb.de/ With the database we aim to complement available target pathway web-servers by providing researchers easy access to the information which pathways are regulated by a miRNA, which miRNAs target a pathway and how specific these regulations are. The database contains a large number of miRNAs (2595 human miRNAs), different miRNA target sets (14 773 experimentally validated target genes as well as 19 281 predicted targets genes) and a broad selection of functional biochemical categories (KEGG-, WikiPathways-, BioCarta-, SMPDB-, PID-, Reactome pathways, functional categories from gene ontology (GO), protein families from Pfam and chromosomal locations totaling 12 875 categories). In addition to Homo sapiens, also Mus musculus data are stored and can be compared to human target pathways. © The Author(s) 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Nucleic Acids Research.

An optimization framework for measuring spatial access over healthcare networks.

PubMed

Li, Zihao; Serban, Nicoleta; Swann, Julie L

2015-07-17

Measurement of healthcare spatial access over a network involves accounting for demand, supply, and network structure. Popular approaches are based on floating catchment areas; however the methods can overestimate demand over the network and fail to capture cascading effects across the system. Optimization is presented as a framework to measure spatial access. Questions related to when and why optimization should be used are addressed. The accuracy of the optimization models compared to the two-step floating catchment area method and its variations is analytically demonstrated, and a case study of specialty care for Cystic Fibrosis over the continental United States is used to compare these approaches. The optimization models capture a patient's experience rather than their opportunities and avoid overestimating patient demand. They can also capture system effects due to change based on congestion. Furthermore, the optimization models provide more elements of access than traditional catchment methods. Optimization models can incorporate user choice and other variations, and they can be useful towards targeting interventions to improve access. They can be easily adapted to measure access for different types of patients, over different provider types, or with capacity constraints in the network. Moreover, optimization models allow differences in access in rural and urban areas.

Women's access needs in maternity care in rural Tasmania, Australia: a mixed methods study.

PubMed

Hoang, Ha; Le, Quynh; Terry, Daniel

2014-03-01

This study investigates (i) maternity care access issues in rural Tasmania, (ii) rural women's challenges in accessing maternity services and (iii) rural women's access needs in maternity services. A mixed-method approach using a survey and semi-structured interviews was conducted. The survey explored women's views of rural maternity services from antenatal to postnatal care, while interviews reinforced the survey results and provided insights into the access issues and needs of women in maternity care. The survey was completed by n=210 women, with a response rate of 35%, with n=22 follow-up interviews being conducted. The survey indicated the majority of rural women believed antenatal education and check-ups and postnatal check-ups should be provided locally. The majority of women surveyed also believed in the importance of having a maternity unit in the local hospital, which was further iterated and clarified within the interviews. Three main themes emerged from the interview data, namely (i) lack of access to maternity services, (ii) difficulties in accessing maternity services, and (iii) rural women's access needs. The study suggested that women's access needs are not fully met in some rural areas of Tasmania. Rural women face many challenges when accessing maternity services, including financial burden and risk of labouring en route. The study supports the claim that the closure of rural maternity units shifts cost and risk from the health care system to rural women and their families. Copyright © 2013 Australian College of Midwives. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

New Graduate Transition Programs: Relationships With Access to Support and Bullying.

PubMed

Rush, Kathy L; Adamack, Monica; Gordon, Jason; Janke, Robert

2014-02-03

Abstract New graduate nurses are often targets of bullying and horizontal violence. The support offered by new graduate nurse transition programs may moderate the effects of bullying and limit its negative impact on new graduate nurse transition. This study examined the relationships between access to support, workplace bullying and new graduate nurse transition within the context of New Graduate Transition programs. As part of a mixed methods study, an online survey was administered to new graduates (n=245) approximately a year from starting employment. Bullied new graduate nurses were less able to access support when needed and had poorer transition experiences than their non-bullied peers. Participation in a formal transition program improved access to support and transition for bullied new graduate nurses. People supports within transition programs positively influenced the new graduate nurse transition experience. Formal transition programs provide support that attenuates the impact of bullying on new graduate nurses and improves transition.

QSAR and docking studies on xanthone derivatives for anticancer activity targeting DNA topoisomerase IIα

PubMed Central

Alam, Sarfaraz; Khan, Feroz

2014-01-01

Due to the high mortality rate in India, the identification of novel molecules is important in the development of novel and potent anticancer drugs. Xanthones are natural constituents of plants in the families Bonnetiaceae and Clusiaceae, and comprise oxygenated heterocycles with a variety of biological activities along with an anticancer effect. To explore the anticancer compounds from xanthone derivatives, a quantitative structure activity relationship (QSAR) model was developed by the multiple linear regression method. The structure–activity relationship represented by the QSAR model yielded a high activity–descriptors relationship accuracy (84%) referred by regression coefficient (r2=0.84) and a high activity prediction accuracy (82%). Five molecular descriptors – dielectric energy, group count (hydroxyl), LogP (the logarithm of the partition coefficient between n-octanol and water), shape index basic (order 3), and the solvent-accessible surface area – were significantly correlated with anticancer activity. Using this QSAR model, a set of virtually designed xanthone derivatives was screened out. A molecular docking study was also carried out to predict the molecular interaction between proposed compounds and deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) topoisomerase IIα. The pharmacokinetics parameters, such as absorption, distribution, metabolism, excretion, and toxicity, were also calculated, and later an appraisal of synthetic accessibility of organic compounds was carried out. The strategy used in this study may provide understanding in designing novel DNA topoisomerase IIα inhibitors, as well as for other cancer targets. PMID:24516330

Target sequence accessibility limits activation-induced cytidine deaminase activity in primary mediastinal B-cell lymphoma.

PubMed

Popov, Sergey W; Moldenhauer, Gerhard; Wotschke, Beate; Brüderlein, Silke; Barth, Thomas F; Dorsch, Karola; Ritz, Olga; Möller, Peter; Leithäuser, Frank

2007-07-15

Activation-induced cytidine deaminase (AID) initiates somatic hypermutation (SHM) and class switch recombination (CSR) in activated B lymphocytes and is potentially implicated in genomic instability of B-cell malignancies. For unknown reasons, B-cell neoplasms often lack SHM and CSR in spite of high AID expression. Here, we show that primary mediastinal B-cell lymphoma (PMBL), an immunoglobulin (Ig)-negative lymphoma that possesses hypermutated, class-switched Ig genes, expresses high levels of AID with an intact primary structure but does not do CSR in 14 of 16 cases analyzed. Absence of CSR coincided with low Ig germ-line transcription, whereas high level germ-line transcription was observed only in those two cases with active CSR. Interleukin-4/CD40L costimulation induced CSR and a marked up-regulation of germ-line transcription in the PMBL-derived cell line MedB-1. In the PMBL cell line Karpas 1106P, CSR was not inducible and germ-line transcription remained low on stimulation. However, Karpas 1106P, but not MedB-1, had ongoing SHM of the Ig gene and BCL6. These genes were transcribed in Karpas 1106P, whereas transcription was undetectable or low in MedB-1 cells. Thus, accessibility of the target sequences seems to be a major limiting factor for AID-dependent somatic gene diversification in PMBL.

Private Graphs - Access Rights on Graphs for Seamless Navigation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dorner, W.; Hau, F.; Pagany, R.

2016-06-01

After the success of GNSS (Global Navigational Satellite Systems) and navigation services for public streets, indoor seems to be the next big development in navigational services, relying on RTLS - Real Time Locating Services (e.g. WIFI) and allowing seamless navigation. In contrast to navigation and routing services on public streets, seamless navigation will cause an additional challenge: how to make routing data accessible to defined users or restrict access rights for defined areas or only to parts of the graph to a defined user group? The paper will present case studies and data from literature, where seamless and especially indoor navigation solutions are presented (hospitals, industrial complexes, building sites), but the problem of restricted access rights was only touched from a real world, but not a technical perspective. The analysis of case studies will show, that the objective of navigation and the different target groups for navigation solutions will demand well defined access rights and require solutions, how to make only parts of a graph to a user or application available to solve a navigational task. The paper will therefore introduce the concept of private graphs, which is defined as a graph for navigational purposes covering the street, road or floor network of an area behind a public street and suggest different approaches how to make graph data for navigational purposes available considering access rights and data protection, privacy and security issues as well.

Streamline and Improve the Targeting of Education Tax Benefits

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Institute for College Access & Success, 2014

2014-01-01

This one-page document presents The Institute for College Access & Success' (TICAS') recommendations for ways to improve the targeting of higher education tax benefits. The TICAS white paper, "Aligning the Means and the Ends: How to Improve Federal Student Aid and Increase College Access and Success," recommends almost entirely…

Decarboxylative Fluorination Strategies for Accessing Medicinally-relevant Products

PubMed Central

Qiao, Yupu; Zhu, Lingui; Ambler, Brett R.

2014-01-01

Fluorinated organic compounds have a long history in medicinal chemistry, and synthetic methods to access target fluorinated compounds are undergoing a revolution. One powerful strategy for the installation of fluorine-containing functional groups includes decarboxylative reactions. Benefits of decarboxylative approaches potentially include: 1) readily available substrates or reagents 2) mild reaction conditions; 3) simplified purification. This focus review highlights the applications of decarboxylation strategies for fluorination reactions to access compounds with biomedical potential. The manuscript highlights on two general strategies, fluorination by decarboxylative reagents and by decarboxylation of substrates. Where relevant, examples of medicinally useful compounds that can be accessed using these strategies are highlighted. PMID:24484421

Value of doppler ultrasonography in the study of hemodialysis peripheral vascular access dysfunction.

PubMed

Moreno Sánchez, T; Martín Hervás, C; Sola Martínez, E; Moreno Rodríguez, F

2014-01-01

The main objectives of this study were to evaluate the sensitivity and specificity of duplex Doppler ultrasonography in the study of hemodialysis peripheral vascular access dysfunction and to analyze the resistance index and flow in the afferent artery. We prospectively studied 178 patients with 178 peripheral vascular accesses that were dysfunctional in at least three consecutive hemodialysis sessions. Patients underwent duplex Doppler ultrasonography and clinical and laboratory follow-up for three months (provided angiography findings were negative). We calculated the sensitivity, specificity, predictive values, and coefficients of probability. We studied the morphology of the afferent artery, the arteriovenous anastomosis, and the efferent vein, and we measured the resistance index and the flow of the afferent artery, the diameter of the anastomosis, and the flow and peak systolic velocity in the efferent vein. The final sample consisted of 159 patients. The sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values, and positive and negative coefficients of probability were 0,98 (95% CI: 0,88-1.00), 0,74 (95% CI: 0,66-0,81), 0,96, 0,82, 3.7, and 0,03, respectively. The resistance index was less than 0,5 in 78.5% of the peripheral vascular accesses with normal function and greater than 0,5 in 86.1% of the dysfunctional peripheral vascular accesses. We found aneurysms in 19 of the native peripheral vascular accesses and pseudoaneurysms in 7 of the prosthetic grafts. Inverted flow was seen in 57 peripheral vascular accesses. Duplex Doppler ultrasonography is an efficacious method for detecting and characterizing stenosis and thrombosis in peripheral vascular accesses, and it provides information about the morphology and hemodynamics. Copyright © 2012 SERAM. Published by Elsevier Espana. All rights reserved.

Prostate Cancer Clinical Consortium Clinical Research Site:Targeted Therapies

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-10-01

AWARD NUMBER: W81XWH-14-2-0159 TITLE: Prostate Cancer Clinical Consortium Clinical Research Site: Targeted Therapies PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR...Sep 2015 4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE 5a. CONTRACT NUMBER Prostate Cancer Clinical Consortium Clinical Research Site: Targeted Therapies 5b. GRANT NUMBER... therapy resistance/sensitivity, identification of new therapeutic targets through high quality genomic analyses, providing access to the highest quality

An Observational Study of Consumers’ Accessing of Nutrition Information in Chain Restaurants

PubMed Central

Agnew, Henry; Brownell, Kelly D.

2009-01-01

In this observational study, we determined how frequently consumers accessed on-premises nutrition information provided at chain restaurants. The number of patrons entering and accessing nutrition information was recorded at 8 locations that were part of 4 major restaurant chains (McDonald's, Burger King, Starbucks, and Au Bon Pain). Only 6 (0.1%) of 4311 patrons accessed on-premises nutrition information before purchasing food. This very small percentage suggests that such information should be more prominently displayed, such as on restaurant menu boards, to help customers make informed decisions. PMID:19299679

An observational study of consumers' accessing of nutrition information in chain restaurants.

PubMed

Roberto, Christina A; Agnew, Henry; Brownell, Kelly D

2009-05-01

In this observational study, we determined how frequently consumers accessed on-premises nutrition information provided at chain restaurants. The number of patrons entering and accessing nutrition information was recorded at 8 locations that were part of 4 major restaurant chains (McDonald's, Burger King, Starbucks, and Au Bon Pain). Only 6 (0.1%) of 4311 patrons accessed on-premises nutrition information before purchasing food. This very small percentage suggests that such information should be more prominently displayed, such as on restaurant menu boards, to help customers make informed decisions.

Genomic Target Database (GTD): A database of potential targets in human pathogenic bacteria

PubMed Central

Barh, Debmalya; Kumar, Anil; Misra, Amarendra Narayana

2009-01-01

A Genomic Target Database (GTD) has been developed having putative genomic drug targets for human bacterial pathogens. The selected pathogens are either drug resistant or vaccines are yet to be developed against them. The drug targets have been identified using subtractive genomics approaches and these are subsequently classified into Drug targets in pathogen specific unique metabolic pathways,Drug targets in host-pathogen common metabolic pathways, andMembrane localized drug targets. HTML code is used to link each target to its various properties and other available public resources. Essential resources and tools for subtractive genomic analysis, sub-cellular localization, vaccine and drug designing are also mentioned. To the best of authors knowledge, no such database (DB) is presently available that has listed metabolic pathways and membrane specific genomic drug targets based on subtractive genomics. Listed targets in GTD are readily available resource in developing drug and vaccine against the respective pathogen, its subtypes, and other family members. Currently GTD contains 58 drug targets for four pathogens. Shortly, drug targets for six more pathogens will be listed. Availability GTD is available at IIOAB website http://www.iioab.webs.com/GTD.htm. It can also be accessed at http://www.iioabdgd.webs.com.GTD is free for academic research and non-commercial use only. Commercial use is strictly prohibited without prior permission from IIOAB. PMID:20011153

Acoustically accessible window determination for ultrasound mediated treatment of glycogen storage disease type Ia patients

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Shutao; Raju, Balasundar I.; Leyvi, Evgeniy; Weinstein, David A.; Seip, Ralf

2012-10-01

Glycogen storage disease type Ia (GSDIa) is caused by an inherited single-gene defect resulting in an impaired glycogen to glucose conversion pathway. Targeted ultrasound mediated delivery (USMD) of plasmid DNA (pDNA) to liver in conjunction with microbubbles may provide a potential treatment for GSDIa patients. As the success of USMD treatments is largely dependent on the accessibility of the targeted tissue by the focused ultrasound beam, this study presents a quantitative approach to determine the acoustically accessible liver volume in GSDIa patients. Models of focused ultrasound beam profiles for transducers of varying aperture and focal lengths were applied to abdomen models reconstructed from suitable CT and MRI images. Transducer manipulations (simulating USMD treatment procedures) were implemented via transducer translations and rotations with the intent of targeting and exposing the entire liver to ultrasound. Results indicate that acoustically accessible liver volumes can be as large as 50% of the entire liver volume for GSDIa patients and on average 3 times larger compared to a healthy adult group due to GSDIa patients' increased liver size. Detailed descriptions of the evaluation algorithm, transducer-and abdomen models are presented, together with implications for USMD treatments of GSDIa patients and transducer designs for USMD applications.

Poor Access for African Researchers to African Emergency Care Publications: A Cross-sectional Study.

PubMed

Bruijns, Stevan R; Maesela, Mmapeladi; Sinha, Suniti; Banner, Megan

2017-10-01

Based on relative population size and burden of disease, emergency care publication outputs from low- and middle-income regions are disproportionately lower than those of high-income regions. Ironically, outputs from regions with higher publication rates are often less relevant in the African context. As a result, the dissemination of and access to local research is essential to local researchers, but the cost of this access (actual and cost-wise) remains unknown. The aim of this study was to describe access to African emergency care publications in terms of publisher-based access (open access or subscription) and alternate access (self-archived or author provided), as well as the cost of access. We conducted a retrospective, cross-sectional study using all emergency medicine publications included in Scopus between 2011 and 2015. A sequential search strategy described access to each article, and we calculated mean article charges against the purchasing power parity index (used to describe out-of-pocket expense). We included 666 publications from 49 journals, of which 395 (59.3%) were open access. For subscription-based articles, 106 (39.1%) were self-archived, 60 (22.1%) were author-provided, and 105 (38.8%) were inaccessible. Mean article access cost was $36.44, and mean processing charge was $2,319.34. Using the purchasing power parity index it was calculated that equivalent out-of-pocket expenditure for South African, Ghanaian and Tanzanian authors would respectively be $15.77, $10.44 and $13.04 for access, and $1,004.02, $664.36 and $830.27 for processing. Based on this, the corrected cost of a single-unit article access or process charge for South African, Ghanaian and Tanzanian authors, respectively, was 2.3, 3.5 and 2.8 times higher than the standard rate. One in six African emergency care publications are inaccessible outside institutional library subscriptions; additionally, the cost of access to publications in low- and middle-income countries appears

Working memory capacity and retrieval limitations from long-term memory: an examination of differences in accessibility.

PubMed

Unsworth, Nash; Spillers, Gregory J; Brewer, Gene A

2012-01-01

In two experiments, the locus of individual differences in working memory capacity and long-term memory recall was examined. Participants performed categorical cued and free recall tasks, and individual differences in the dynamics of recall were interpreted in terms of a hierarchical-search framework. The results from this study are in accordance with recent theorizing suggesting a strong relation between working memory capacity and retrieval from long-term memory. Furthermore, the results also indicate that individual differences in categorical recall are partially due to differences in accessibility. In terms of accessibility of target information, two important factors drive the difference between high- and low-working-memory-capacity participants. Low-working-memory-capacity participants fail to utilize appropriate retrieval strategies to access cues, and they also have difficulty resolving cue overload. Thus, when low-working-memory-capacity participants were given specific cues that activated a smaller set of potential targets, their recall performance was the same as that of high-working-memory-capacity participants.

Migrant's access to preventive health services in five EU countries.

PubMed

Rosano, Aldo; Dauvrin, Marie; Buttigieg, Sandra C; Ronda, Elena; Tafforeau, Jean; Dias, Sonia

2017-08-23

Preventive health services (PHSs) form part of primary healthcare with the aim of screening to prevent disease. Migrants show significant differences in lifestyle, health beliefs and risk factors compared with the native populations. This can have a significant impact on migrants' access to health systems and participation in prevention programmes. Even in countries with widely accessible healthcare systems, migrants' access to PHSs may be difficult. The aim of the study was to compare access to preventive health services between migrants and native populations in five European Union (EU) countries. Information from Health Interview Surveys of Belgium, Italy, Malta, Portugal and Spain were used to analyse access to mammography, Pap smear tests, colorectal cancer screening and flu vaccination among migrants. The comparative risk of not accessing PHSs was calculated using a mixed-effects multilevel model, adjusting for potential confounding factors (sex, education and the presence of disability). Migrant status was defined according to citizenship, with a distinction made between EU and non-EU countries. Migrants, in particular those from non-EU countries, were found to have poorer access to PHSs. The overall risk of not reporting a screening test or a flu vaccination ranged from a minimum of 1.8 times (colorectal cancer screening), to a high of 4.4 times (flu vaccination) for migrants. The comparison among the five EU countries included in the study showed similarities, with particularly limited access recorded in Italy and in Belgium for non-EU migrants. The findings of this study are in accordance with evidence from the scientific literature. Poor organization of health services, in Italy, and lack of targeted health policies in Belgium may explain these findings. PHSs should be responsive to patient diversity, probably more so than other health services. There is a need for diversity-oriented, migrant-sensitive prevention. Policies oriented to removing

[Targeted therapy: toward a clean and effective war against cancer].

PubMed

Castronovo, V; Waltregny, D; Detry, O; Coimbra Marques, C; De Roover, A; Honoré, P; De Pauw, E; Turtoi, A

2009-01-01

One promising avenue towards the development of more selective, better anticancer drugs consists in the targeted delivery of bioactive compounds to the tumor environment by means of binding molecules specific for tumor-associated biomarkers. Eligibility of such markers for therapeutic use implies ideally three criteria : (i) accessibility from the bloodstream, (ii) expression at sufficient level and (iii) no (or much lower) expression in normal tissues. Most current discovery strategies (such as biomarker searching into body fluids) provide no clue as to whether proteins of interest are accessible, in human tissues, to suitable high-affinity ligands, such as systemically delivered monoclonal antibodies. Innovative proteomic technologies are able to identify such accessible biomarkers and represent a key step in the clinical development of such target therapies.

Family support and ease of access link socio-economic status and sports club membership in adolescent girls: a mediation study

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background Much research has been conducted into the determinants of physical activity (PA) participation among adolescent girls. However, the more specific question of what are the determinants of particular forms of PA participation, such as the link between participation through a sports club, has not been investigated. Accordingly, the aim of this study was to investigate the relationships between participation in a sports club and socio-economic status (SES), access to facilities, and family and peer support, for female adolescents. Methods A survey of 732 female adolescent school students (521 metropolitan, 211 non-metropolitan; 489 Year 7, 243 Year 11) was conducted. The survey included demographic information (living arrangements, ethnicity indicators, and indicators of SES such as parental education and employment status and locality); access to facilities; and family and peer support (travel, encouragement, watching, praise, joint participation). For each characteristic, sports club participants and non-participants were compared using chi-square tests. Multiple mediation analyses were used to investigate the role of access, family and peer support in the link between SES and sport participation. Results There were significant associations (p<0.05) between sports club participation and: all demographic characteristics; all measures of family and peer support; and access to sport-related facilities. Highest levels of participation were associated with monolingual Australian-born families, with two parents, at least one of whom was well-educated, with both parents employed, and high levels of parental assistance, engagement and support. Participation in club sport among both younger and older adolescent girls was significantly positively associated with the SES of both their neighbourhoods and their households, particularly in metropolitan areas. These associations were most strongly mediated by family support and by access to facilities. Conclusions To

Family support and ease of access link socio-economic status and sports club membership in adolescent girls: a mediation study.

PubMed

Eime, Rochelle M; Harvey, Jack T; Craike, Melinda J; Symons, Caroline M; Payne, Warren R

2013-04-25

Much research has been conducted into the determinants of physical activity (PA) participation among adolescent girls. However, the more specific question of what are the determinants of particular forms of PA participation, such as the link between participation through a sports club, has not been investigated. Accordingly, the aim of this study was to investigate the relationships between participation in a sports club and socio-economic status (SES), access to facilities, and family and peer support, for female adolescents. A survey of 732 female adolescent school students (521 metropolitan, 211 non-metropolitan; 489 Year 7, 243 Year 11) was conducted. The survey included demographic information (living arrangements, ethnicity indicators, and indicators of SES such as parental education and employment status and locality); access to facilities; and family and peer support (travel, encouragement, watching, praise, joint participation). For each characteristic, sports club participants and non-participants were compared using chi-square tests. Multiple mediation analyses were used to investigate the role of access, family and peer support in the link between SES and sport participation. There were significant associations (p<0.05) between sports club participation and: all demographic characteristics; all measures of family and peer support; and access to sport-related facilities. Highest levels of participation were associated with monolingual Australian-born families, with two parents, at least one of whom was well-educated, with both parents employed, and high levels of parental assistance, engagement and support. Participation in club sport among both younger and older adolescent girls was significantly positively associated with the SES of both their neighbourhoods and their households, particularly in metropolitan areas. These associations were most strongly mediated by family support and by access to facilities. To facilitate and promote greater

Access to Healthcare in Russia: A Pilot Study in Ekaterinburg.

PubMed

Antonova, Natalia

2016-06-01

The aim of the study was to analyze accessibility of medical assistance in Russian polyclinics (a case study of the city of Ekaterinburg). The research included an anonymous survey of patients in five polyclinics of Ekaterinburg (N=500) conducted by applying a specially developed standardised interview. The following factors of medical care accessibility were analyzed: the patient's financial status and administrative and managerial resources of medical institutions. Medical aid in polyclinics is provided within the framework of the Compulsory Medical Insurance Programme. 72% of the patients polled, however, had to pay for medical services. In order to pay less for medical services and to obtain services faster patients use informal payments: they either pay their doctors directly (4%) or make gifts (58%). Low-income population groups refuse to pay for medical services or to make gifts to the medical staff. They also tend not to follow their doctors' recommendations. The most significant indicators of the organizational and managerial work of a medical institution which limit accessibility are the following: queues in front of doctors' offices (41%) and difficulties with making appointments (17%). To solve the problem of medical aid accessibility in the Russian state healthcare system, it is necessary to develop information and reference materials for patients available in every polyclinic listing the terms of provision of free medical aid and types of free medical services. The difficulties to obtain medical services could be resolved at the management level by using the material and human resources of the administration of medical institutions. Copyright© by the National Institute of Public Health, Prague 2015.

Combining apps targeting professionals and senior citizens to improve housing accessibility and influence housing provision policies.

PubMed

Helle, Tina; Iwarsson, Susanne; Lunn, Tine Bieber; Iversen, Mogens Holm; Jonsson, Oskar; Mårtensson, Knut; Svarre, Tanja; Slaug, Björn

2015-01-01

Two separate apps that address the increasingly important issue of accessible housing for senior citizens have been developed in different project settings. One of the apps was developed to facilitate the process for professional raters to assess housing accessibility in the context of individual housing adaptations. The other app was developed for senior citizens to raise their awareness of possible accessibility problems in their current dwelling and in other apartments within the available housing stock. Both apps were developed with a high degree of active user involvement in processes utilizing multiple state of the art methods. The results are two well accepted prototype apps perceived as user-friendly and appropriate for the intended user groups. By combining these two apps, our ambition is for the professional raters to benefit by gaining knowledge of their clients' perceived needs and desires, and for senior citizens to benefit by getting access to a database of professionally rated dwellings. The ultimate goal is the generation of sound knowledge reflecting the needs and desires of senior citizens and professional requirements regarding accessible housing as a means to inform and influence housing provision policies.

Telecommunications as a means to access health information: an exploratory study of migrants in australia.

PubMed

Greenstock, Louise; Woodward-Kron, Robyn; Fraser, Catriona; Bingham, Amie; Naccarella, Lucio; Elliott, Kristine; Morris, Michal

2012-12-28

Health policies increasingly promote e-health developments (e.g., consumers' access to online health information) to engage patients in their health care. In order to make these developments available for culturally and socially diverse communities, not only do Internet accessibility, literacy and e-health literacy need to be taken into account, but consumers' preferences and information seeking behaviours for accessing health information have also to be understood. These considerations are crucial when designing major new health policy directions, especially for migration destination countries with culturally diverse populations, such as Australia. The aim of this study was to examine how people from a culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) community use telecommunications (phone, mobile, Internet) to access health information. A case study was conducted using a questionnaire exploring the use of telecommunications to access health information among CALD people. The study was carried out at a community health centre in a socially and economically disadvantaged area of Melbourne, a city of 4 million people with a large CALD and migrant population. Questionnaires were translated into three languages and interpreters were provided. Fifty-nine questionnaires were completed by users of the community health centre. Most of the CALD participants did not have access to the Internet at home and very few reported using telecommunications to access health information. The findings of the study suggest that telecommunications are not necessarily perceived to be an important channel for accessing health information by members of the CALD community.

Assessment of genetic diversity in Vigna unguiculata L. (Walp) accessions using inter-simple sequence repeat (ISSR) and start codon targeted (SCoT) polymorphic markers.

PubMed

Igwe, David Okeh; Afiukwa, Celestine Azubike; Ubi, Benjamin Ewa; Ogbu, Kenneth Idika; Ojuederie, Omena Bernard; Ude, George Nkem

2017-11-17

Assessment of genetic diversity of Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp (cowpea) accessions using informative molecular markers is imperative for their genetic improvement and conservation. Use of efficacious molecular markers to obtain the required knowledge of the genetic diversity within the local and regional germplasm collections can enhance the overall effectiveness of cowpea improvement programs, hence, the comparative assessment of Inter-simple sequence repeat (ISSR) and Start codon targeted (SCoT) markers in genetic diversity of V. unguiculata accessions from different regions in Nigeria. Comparative analysis of the genetic diversity of eighteen accessions from different locations in Nigeria was investigated using ISSR and SCoT markers. DNA extraction was done using Zymogen Kit according to its manufacturer's instructions followed by amplifications with ISSR and SCoT and agarose gel electrophoresis. The reproducible bands were scored for analyses of dendrograms, principal component analysis, genetic diversity, allele frequency, polymorphic information content, and population structure. Both ISSR and SCoT markers resolved the accessions into five major clusters based on dendrogram and principal component analyses. Alleles of 32 and 52 were obtained with ISSR and SCoT, respectively. Numbers of alleles, gene diversity and polymorphic information content detected with ISSR were 9.4000, 0.7358 and 0.7192, while SCoT yielded 11.1667, 0.8158 and 0.8009, respectively. Polymorphic loci were 70 and 80 in ISSR and SCoT, respectively. Both markers produced high polymorphism (94.44-100%). The ranges of effective number of alleles (Ne) were 1.2887 ± 0.1797-1.7831 ± 0.2944 and 1.7416 ± 0.0776-1.9181 ± 0.2426 in ISSR and SCoT, respectively. The Nei's genetic diversity (H) ranged from 0.2112 ± 0.0600-0.4335 ± 0.1371 and 0.4111 ± 0.0226-0.4778 ± 0.1168 in ISSR and SCoT, respectively. Shannon's information index (I) from ISSR and SCoT were 0

Untapped Therapeutic Targets in the Tumor Microenvironment

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-08-01

that harbors the resistant cancer cells is simultaneously targeted. Since activated carcinoma-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) have a prominent role in...epithelial cells (IOSE) or HEYA8 epithelial ovarian cancer cells (EOC) using a Transwell membrane. Inverse -log2 values of the Robust Multi-array Average...barrier for drug transport. Thus, simultaneous targeting of CAFs and cancer cells may be necessary for chemotherapeutic accessibility. To identify

Common features of microRNA target prediction tools

PubMed Central

Peterson, Sarah M.; Thompson, Jeffrey A.; Ufkin, Melanie L.; Sathyanarayana, Pradeep; Liaw, Lucy; Congdon, Clare Bates

2014-01-01

The human genome encodes for over 1800 microRNAs (miRNAs), which are short non-coding RNA molecules that function to regulate gene expression post-transcriptionally. Due to the potential for one miRNA to target multiple gene transcripts, miRNAs are recognized as a major mechanism to regulate gene expression and mRNA translation. Computational prediction of miRNA targets is a critical initial step in identifying miRNA:mRNA target interactions for experimental validation. The available tools for miRNA target prediction encompass a range of different computational approaches, from the modeling of physical interactions to the incorporation of machine learning. This review provides an overview of the major computational approaches to miRNA target prediction. Our discussion highlights three tools for their ease of use, reliance on relatively updated versions of miRBase, and range of capabilities, and these are DIANA-microT-CDS, miRanda-mirSVR, and TargetScan. In comparison across all miRNA target prediction tools, four main aspects of the miRNA:mRNA target interaction emerge as common features on which most target prediction is based: seed match, conservation, free energy, and site accessibility. This review explains these features and identifies how they are incorporated into currently available target prediction tools. MiRNA target prediction is a dynamic field with increasing attention on development of new analysis tools. This review attempts to provide a comprehensive assessment of these tools in a manner that is accessible across disciplines. Understanding the basis of these prediction methodologies will aid in user selection of the appropriate tools and interpretation of the tool output. PMID:24600468

Common features of microRNA target prediction tools.

PubMed

Peterson, Sarah M; Thompson, Jeffrey A; Ufkin, Melanie L; Sathyanarayana, Pradeep; Liaw, Lucy; Congdon, Clare Bates

2014-01-01

The human genome encodes for over 1800 microRNAs (miRNAs), which are short non-coding RNA molecules that function to regulate gene expression post-transcriptionally. Due to the potential for one miRNA to target multiple gene transcripts, miRNAs are recognized as a major mechanism to regulate gene expression and mRNA translation. Computational prediction of miRNA targets is a critical initial step in identifying miRNA:mRNA target interactions for experimental validation. The available tools for miRNA target prediction encompass a range of different computational approaches, from the modeling of physical interactions to the incorporation of machine learning. This review provides an overview of the major computational approaches to miRNA target prediction. Our discussion highlights three tools for their ease of use, reliance on relatively updated versions of miRBase, and range of capabilities, and these are DIANA-microT-CDS, miRanda-mirSVR, and TargetScan. In comparison across all miRNA target prediction tools, four main aspects of the miRNA:mRNA target interaction emerge as common features on which most target prediction is based: seed match, conservation, free energy, and site accessibility. This review explains these features and identifies how they are incorporated into currently available target prediction tools. MiRNA target prediction is a dynamic field with increasing attention on development of new analysis tools. This review attempts to provide a comprehensive assessment of these tools in a manner that is accessible across disciplines. Understanding the basis of these prediction methodologies will aid in user selection of the appropriate tools and interpretation of the tool output.

Genetic relationship and diversity among coconut (Cocos nucifera L.) accessions revealed through SCoT analysis.

PubMed

Rajesh, M K; Sabana, A A; Rachana, K E; Rahman, Shafeeq; Jerard, B A; Karun, Anitha

2015-12-01

Coconut (Cocos nucifera L.) is one of the important palms grown both as a homestead and plantation crop in countries and most island territories of tropical regions. Different DNA-based marker systems have been utilized to assess the extent of genetic diversity in coconut. Advances in genomics research have resulted in the development of novel gene-targeted markers. In the present study, we have used a simple and novel marker system, start codon targeted polymorphism (SCoT), for its evaluation as a potential marker system in coconut. SCoT markers were utilized for assessment of genetic diversity in 23 coconut accessions (10 talls and 13 dwarfs), representing different geographical regions. Out of 25 SCoT primers screened, 15 primers were selected for this study based on their consistent amplification patterns. A total of 102 scorable bands were produced by the 15 primers, 88 % of which were polymorphic. The scored data were used to construct a similarity matrix. The similarity coefficient values ranged between 0.37 and 0.91. These coefficients were utilized to construct a dendrogram using the unweighted pair group of arithmetic means (UPGMA). The extent of genetic diversity observed based on SCoT analysis of coconut accessions was comparable to earlier findings using other marker systems. Tall and dwarf coconut accessions were clearly demarcated, and in general, coconut accessions from the same geographical region clustered together. The results indicate the potential of SCoT markers to be utilized as molecular markers to detect DNA polymorphism in coconut accessions.

Accessing personal medical records online: a means to what ends?

PubMed

Shah, Syed Ghulam Sarwar; Fitton, Richard; Hannan, Amir; Fisher, Brian; Young, Terry; Barnett, Julie

2015-02-01

Initiatives in the UK to enable patients to access their electronic health records (EHRs) are gathering momentum. All citizens of the European Union should have access to their records by 2015, a target that the UK has endorsed. To identify the ways in which patients used their access to their EHRs, what they sought to achieve, and the extent to which EHR access was related to the concept of making savings. An audit of patients' online access to medical records was conducted in July-August 2011 using a survey questionnaire. Two hundred and twenty six patients who were registered with two general practices in the National Health Service (NHS) located in the UK and who had accessed their personal EHRs at least twice in the preceding 12 months i.e. from July 2010 to July 2011, completed the questionnaire. Data analysis A thematic analysis of the comments that patients gave in response to the open ended questions on the questionnaire. Overall, evaluations of record access were positive. Four main themes relating to the ways in which patients accessed their records were identified: making savings, checking past activity, preparation for future action, and setting new expectations. Quite apart from any benefits of savings in healthcare resources, this study has provided qualitative evidence of the active ways in which patients may make use of access to their EHRs, many of which are in line with proportionate health management strategies. Access to personal EHRs may contribute to the development of new expectations among patients. Copyright © 2014 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd.. All rights reserved.

RNA-Seq study reveals genetic responses of diverse wild soybean accessions to increased ozone levels.

PubMed

Waldeck, Nathan; Burkey, Kent; Carter, Thomas; Dickey, David; Song, Qijian; Taliercio, Earl

2017-06-29

Ozone is an air pollutant widely known to cause a decrease in productivity in many plant species, including soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merr). While the response of cultivated soybean to ozone has been studied, very little information is available regarding the ozone response of its wild relatives. Ozone-resistant wild soybean accessions were identified by measuring the response of a genetically diverse group of 66 wild soybean (Glycine soja Zucc. and Sieb.) accessions to elevated ozone levels. RNA-Seq analyses were performed on leaves of different ages from selected ozone-sensitive and ozone-resistant accessions that were subjected to treatment with an environmentally relevant level of ozone. Many more genes responded to elevated ozone in the two ozone-sensitive accessions than in the ozone-resistant accessions. Analyses of the ozone response genes indicated that leaves of different ages responded differently to ozone. Older leaves displayed a consistent reduction in expression of genes involved in photosynthesis in response to ozone, while changes in expression of defense genes dominated younger leaf tissue in response to ozone. As expected, there is a substantial difference between the response of ozone-sensitive and ozone-resistant accessions. Genes associated with photosystem 2 were substantially reduced in expression in response to ozone in the ozone-resistant accessions. A decrease in peptidase inhibitors was one of several responses specific to one of the ozone resistant accessions. The decrease in expression in genes associated with photosynthesis confirms that the photosynthetic apparatus may be an early casualty in response to moderate levels of ozone. A compromise of photosynthesis would substantially impact plant growth and seed production. However, the resistant accessions may preserve their photosynthetic apparatus in response to the ozone levels used in this study. Older leaf tissue of the ozone-resistant accessions showed a unique down-regulation of

Perceived access to fruits and vegetables associated with increased consumption.

PubMed

Caldwell, Erin M; Miller Kobayashi, M; DuBow, W M; Wytinck, S M

2009-10-01

To examine the association between fruit and vegetable access in the community and change in fruit and vegetable consumption among participants in community-based health promotion programmes. Fruit and vegetable consumption and perceived access to fresh fruit and vegetables were measured by self-administered questionnaires at programme start, end and 1-year follow-up. Community produce availability was determined by grocery store assessments measuring the display space devoted to fruit and vegetable offerings, as well as price, variety and freshness. A total of nine communities were studied; 130 participants completed the fruit and vegetable portions of the questionnaires and could be linked to grocery store assessments. Participants made modest but significant increases in fruit and vegetable consumption from programme start to end: the average increase was 2.88 (95% CI 1.52, 4.25) servings weekly; the average increase from start to follow-up was 2.52 (95% CI 1.09, 3.95) servings weekly. Greater perceived access to fruits and vegetables was significantly associated with higher increases in fruit and vegetable consumption from programme start to programme end. Greater availability of produce was associated with greater increases in fruit and vegetable servings from programme start to programme end as measured by store assessments. Environmental factors, such as access to fruits and vegetables, can modify the effects of community interventions. Interventions with the goal of increasing fruit and vegetable consumption should consider focusing on increasing access to fresh fruits and vegetables in target communities. Similarly, researchers may want to study access as an intervention, not just a contextual variable.

Clinical performance targets and quality of life in hemodialysis patients.

PubMed

Mazairac, Albert H A; de Wit, G Ardine; Grooteman, Muriel P C; Penne, E Lars; van der Weerd, Neelke C; den Hoedt, Claire H; Lévesque, Renée; van den Dorpel, Marinus A; Nubé, Menso J; Ter Wee, Piet M; Blankestijn, Peter J; Bots, Michiel L

2012-01-01

Patients value health-related quality of life (HRQOL) over survival. It was our aim to study the relation between attainment of widely accepted performance targets and HRQOL in hemodialysis patients. This study included baseline data from 715 hemodialysis patients from 29 dialysis centers. Six clinical performance targets, as recommended by the Kidney Disease Outcomes Quality Initiative (KDOQI), were evaluated: single-pool Kt/V (≥1.2), hemoglobin (11-13 g/dl), vascular access (fistula), phosphorus (2.3-4.5 mg/dl), parathyroid hormone (150-300 pg/ml), and blood pressure (predialysis <140/90 and postdialysis <130/ 80 mm Hg). After correction for case-mix and multiple comparisons, no association was found between the 6 KDOQI clinical performance targets and the 14 HRQOL domains, or between the number of performance targets reached and HRQOL. Attainment with widely accepted clinical performance targets was not related to the HRQOL of hemodialysis patients. Hence, in clinical guidelines, HRQOL should be adopted as an explicit treatment goal for these individuals. Copyright © 2011 S. Karger AG, Basel.

New graduate nurse transition programs: Relationships with bullying and access to support.

PubMed

Rush, Kathy L; Adamack, Monica; Gordon, Jason; Janke, Robert

2014-01-01

Abstract New graduate nurses are often targets of bullying and horizontal violence. The support offered by new graduate nurse transition programs may moderate the effects of bullying and limit its negative impact on new graduate nurse transition. This study examined the relationships between access to support, workplace bullying and new graduate nurse transition within the context of new graduate transition programs. As part of a mixed methods study, an online survey was administered to new graduates (N = 245) approximately a year from starting employment. Bullied new graduate nurses were less able to access support when needed and had poorer transition experiences than their non-bullied peers. Participation in a formal transition program improved access to support and transition for bullied new graduate nurses. People supports within transition programs positively influenced the new graduate nurse transition experience. Formal transition programs provide support that attenuates the impact of bullying on new graduate nurses and improves transition.

An evaluation of edge effects in nutritional accessibility and availability measures: a simulation study

PubMed Central

2010-01-01

Background This paper addresses the statistical use of accessibility and availability indices and the effect of study boundaries on these measures. The measures are evaluated via an extensive simulation based on cluster models for local outlet density. We define outlet to mean either food retail store (convenience store, supermarket, gas station) or restaurant (limited service or full service restaurants). We designed a simulation whereby a cluster outlet model is assumed in a large study window and an internal subset of that window is constructed. We performed simulations on various criteria including one scenario representing an urban area with 2000 outlets as well as a non-urban area simulated with only 300 outlets. A comparison is made between estimates obtained with the full study area and estimates using only the subset area. This allows the study of the effect of edge censoring on accessibility measures. Results The results suggest that considerable bias is found at the edges of study regions in particular for accessibility measures. Edge effects are smaller for availability measures (when not smoothed) and also for short range accessibility Conclusions It is recommended that any study utilizing these measures should correct for edge effects. The use of edge correction via guard areas is recommended and the avoidance of large range distance-based accessibility measures is also proposed. PMID:20663199

Socio-ethical analysis of equity in access to nutrigenomics interventions for obesity prevention: a focus group study.

PubMed

Lévesque, Lise; Ozdemir, Vural; Godard, Béatrice

2008-12-01

The goal of nutrigenomics is to develop nutritional interventions targeted to individual genetic make-up. Obesity is a prime candidate for nutrigenomics research. Personalized approaches to prevention of diseases associated with obesity may be available in the near future. Nevertheless, in the context of limited resources, access to a nutrigenomics personalized health service raises questions around equity. Using focus groups, the present qualitative research study provides empirical data on ethical concerns and values surrounding the nutrigenomics-guided personalized nutrition for obesity prevention. Eight focus groups were convened including 27 healthy individuals and 21 individuals who self-identified as obese or at risk of obesity. The transcripts of the focus group were analyzed according to the qualitative method of grounded theory. Responsibility, reciprocity, and solidarity emerged as the key ethical criteria perceived by the respondents to be significant in terms of how health professionals should determine access to personalized nutrition services. Still, exclusion of individuals from specific nutrigenomic services is likely to conflict with the imperatives of medical deontology and contemporary social consensus. The representation of equity in this paper is novel: it considers the intersection of nutrigenomics and personalized nutritional interventions specifically in the context of limited public resources for health services.

Poor Access for African Researchers to African Emergency Care Publications: A Cross-sectional Study

PubMed Central

Bruijns, Stevan R.; Maesela, Mmapeladi; Sinha, Suniti; Banner, Megan

2017-01-01

Introduction Based on relative population size and burden of disease, emergency care publication outputs from low- and middle-income regions are disproportionately lower than those of high-income regions. Ironically, outputs from regions with higher publication rates are often less relevant in the African context. As a result, the dissemination of and access to local research is essential to local researchers, but the cost of this access (actual and cost-wise) remains unknown. The aim of this study was to describe access to African emergency care publications in terms of publisher-based access (open access or subscription) and alternate access (self-archived or author provided), as well as the cost of access. Methods We conducted a retrospective, cross-sectional study using all emergency medicine publications included in Scopus between 2011 and 2015. A sequential search strategy described access to each article, and we calculated mean article charges against the purchasing power parity index (used to describe out-of-pocket expense). Results We included 666 publications from 49 journals, of which 395 (59.3%) were open access. For subscription-based articles, 106 (39.1%) were self-archived, 60 (22.1%) were author-provided, and 105 (38.8%) were inaccessible. Mean article access cost was $36.44, and mean processing charge was $2,319.34. Using the purchasing power parity index it was calculated that equivalent out-of-pocket expenditure for South African, Ghanaian and Tanzanian authors would respectively be $15.77, $10.44 and $13.04 for access, and $1,004.02, $664.36 and $830.27 for processing. Based on this, the corrected cost of a single-unit article access or process charge for South African, Ghanaian and Tanzanian authors, respectively, was 2.3, 3.5 and 2.8 times higher than the standard rate. Conclusion One in six African emergency care publications are inaccessible outside institutional library subscriptions; additionally, the cost of access to publications in low

Telecommunications as a Means to Access Health Information: An Exploratory Study of Migrants in Australia

PubMed Central

Greenstock, Louise; Woodward-Kron, Robyn; Fraser, Catriona; Bingham, Amie; Naccarella, Lucio; Elliott, Kristine; Morris, Michal

2012-01-01

Background Health policies increasingly promote e-health developments (e.g., consumers’ access to online health information) to engage patients in their health care. In order to make these developments available for culturally and socially diverse communities, not only do Internet accessibility, literacy and e-health literacy need to be taken into account, but consumers’ preferences and information seeking behaviours for accessing health information have also to be understood. These considerations are crucial when designing major new health policy directions, especially for migration destination countries with culturally diverse populations, such as Australia. The aim of this study was to examine how people from a culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) community use telecommunications (phone, mobile, Internet) to access health information. Design and Methods A case study was conducted using a questionnaire exploring the use of telecommunications to access health information among CALD people. The study was carried out at a community health centre in a socially and economically disadvantaged area of Melbourne, a city of 4 million people with a large CALD and migrant population. Questionnaires were translated into three languages and interpreters were provided. Fifty-nine questionnaires were completed by users of the community health centre. Results Most of the CALD participants did not have access to the Internet at home and very few reported using telecommunications to access health information. Conclusions The findings of the study suggest that telecommunications are not necessarily perceived to be an important channel for accessing health information by members of the CALD community. PMID:25170467

After Access: Underrepresented Students' Postmatriculation Perceptions of College Access Capital

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Means, Darris R.; Pyne, Kimberly B.

2016-01-01

This qualitative study explores the perceived impact of college-going capital gained during participation in a college access program. In three, semistructured interviews spanning the first-year college experience, 10 first-year college students who participated in a college access program articulate the value of access programming and also raise…

Target signature modeling and bistatic scattering measurement studies

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Burnside, W. D.; Lee, T. H.; Rojas, R.; Marhefka, R. J.; Bensman, D.

1989-01-01

Four areas of study are summarized: bistatic scattering measurements studies for a compact range; target signature modeling for test and evaluation hardware in the loop situation; aircraft code modification study; and SATCOM antenna studies on aircraft.

Modified open-access scheduling for new patient evaluations at an academic chronic pain clinic increased patient access to care, but did not materially reduce their mean cancellation rate: A retrospective, observational study.

PubMed

Sivanesan, Eellan; Lubarsky, David A; Ranasinghe, Chaturani T; Sarantopoulos, Constantine D; Epstein, Richard H

2017-09-01

To determine if open-access scheduling would reduce the cancellation rate for new patient evaluations in a chronic pain clinic by at least 50%. Retrospective, observational study using electronic health records. Chronic pain clinic of an academic anesthesia department. All patients scheduled for evaluation or follow-up appointments in the chronic pain clinic between April 1, 2014, and December 31, 2015. Open-access scheduling was instituted in April 2015 with appointments offered on a date of the patient's choosing ≥1 business day after calling, with no limit on the daily number of new patients. Mean cancellation rates for new patients were compared between the 12-month baseline period prior to and for 7months after the change, following an intervening 2-month washout period. The method of batch means (by month) and the 2-sided Student t-test were used; P<0.01 required for significance. The new patient mean cancellation rate decreased from a baseline of 35.7% by 4.2% (95% confidence interval [CI] 1.4% to 6.9%; P=0.005); however, this failed to reach the 50% reduction target of 17.8%. Appointment lag time decreased by 4.7days (95% CI 2.3 to 7.0days, P<0.001) from 14.1days to 9.4days in the new patient group. More new patients were seen within 1week compared to baseline (50.6% versus 19.1%; P<0.0001). The mean number of new patient visits per month increased from 158.5 to 225.0 (P=0.0004). The cancellation rate and appointment lag times did not decrease for established patient visits, as expected because open-access scheduling was not implemented for this group. Access to care for new chronic pain patients improved with modified open-access scheduling. However, their mean cancellation rate only decreased from 35.7% to 31.5%, making this a marginally effective strategy to reduce cancellations. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The prehospital intravenous access assessment: a prospective study on intravenous access failure and access delay in prehospital emergency medicine.

PubMed

Prottengeier, Johannes; Albermann, Matthias; Heinrich, Sebastian; Birkholz, Torsten; Gall, Christine; Schmidt, Joachim

2016-12-01

Intravenous access in prehospital emergency care allows for early administration of medication and extended measures such as anaesthesia. Cannulation may, however, be difficult, and failure and resulting delay in treatment and transport may have negative effects on the patient. Therefore, our study aims to perform a concise assessment of the difficulties of prehospital venous cannulation. We analysed 23 candidate predictor variables on peripheral venous cannulations in terms of cannulation failure and exceedance of a 2 min time threshold. Multivariate logistic regression models were fitted for variables of predictive value (P<0.25) and evaluated by the area under the curve (AUC>0.6) of their respective receiver operating characteristic curve. A total of 762 intravenous cannulations were enroled. In all, 22% of punctures failed on the first attempt and 13% of punctures exceeded 2 min. Model selection yielded a three-factor model (vein visibility without tourniquet, vein palpability with tourniquet and insufficient ambient lighting) of fair accuracy for the prediction of puncture failure (AUC=0.76) and a structurally congruent model of four factors (failure model factors plus vein visibility with tourniquet) for the exceedance of the 2 min threshold (AUC=0.80). Our study offers a simple assessment to identify cases of difficult intravenous access in prehospital emergency care. Of the numerous factors subjectively perceived as possibly exerting influences on cannulation, only the universal - not exclusive to emergency care - factors of lighting, vein visibility and palpability proved to be valid predictors of cannulation failure and exceedance of a 2 min threshold.

Target studies for the neutrino factory at the Rutherford Appleton laboratory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Drumm, Paul; Densham, Chris; Bennett, Roger

2001-10-01

Target studies at the Rutherford Appleton Laboratory have concentrated on studies of a solid heavy metal target. The suggestion to use a radiatively cooled target which rotates in beam was made shortly after the first NuFact workshop as a means of dissipating large amounts of power at a high temperature, and as an alternative to the proposed water-cooled rotating band and liquid metal jet targets. This paper examines the proposed drive scheme for the target ring, which uses induced currents and magnetic forces to both levitate and drive the target. Estimates of the power required to levitate and drive the target ring and the forces exerted on the moving ring as it enters the target capture solenoid are given. One of the principle concerns in the operation of a solid target is the severe shock stress experienced due to the impact of an intense energetic proton beam in a short time compared to the transit time of sound in the material. Calculations of the stresses induced in the target ring and their evolution with time as well as an initial estimation of the expected power densities and stresses in an existing high power density target are presented.

Resolving phylogenetic relationships of the recently radiated carnivorous plant genus Sarracenia using target enrichment.

PubMed

Stephens, Jessica D; Rogers, Willie L; Heyduk, Karolina; Cruse-Sanders, Jennifer M; Determann, Ron O; Glenn, Travis C; Malmberg, Russell L

2015-04-01

The North American carnivorous pitcher plant genus Sarracenia (Sarraceniaceae) is a relatively young clade (<3 million years ago) displaying a wide range of morphological diversity in complex trapping structures. This recently radiated group is a promising system to examine the structural evolution and diversification of carnivorous plants; however, little is known regarding evolutionary relationships within the genus. Previous attempts at resolving the phylogeny have been unsuccessful, most likely due to few parsimony-informative sites compounded by incomplete lineage sorting. Here, we applied a target enrichment approach using multiple accessions to assess the relationships of Sarracenia species. This resulted in 199 nuclear genes from 75 accessions covering the putative 8-11 species and 8 subspecies/varieties. In addition, we recovered 42kb of plastome sequence from each accession to estimate a cpDNA-derived phylogeny. Unsurprisingly, the cpDNA had few parsimony-informative sites (0.5%) and provided little information on species relationships. In contrast, use of the targeted nuclear loci in concatenation and coalescent frameworks elucidated many relationships within Sarracenia even with high heterogeneity among gene trees. Results were largely consistent for both concatenation and coalescent approaches. The only major disagreement was with the placement of the purpurea complex. Moreover, results suggest an Appalachian massif biogeographic origin of the genus. Overall, this study highlights the utility of target enrichment using multiple accessions to resolve relationships in recently radiated taxa. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

ViSA: A Neurodynamic Model for Visuo-Spatial Working Memory, Attentional Blink, and Conscious Access

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Simione, Luca; Raffone, Antonino; Wolters, Gezinus; Salmas, Paola; Nakatani, Chie; Belardinelli, Marta Olivetti; van Leeuwen, Cees

2012-01-01

Two separate lines of study have clarified the role of selectivity in conscious access to visual information. Both involve presenting multiple targets and distracters: one "simultaneously" in a spatially distributed fashion, the other "sequentially" at a single location. To understand their findings in a unified framework, we propose a…

Sandy Hook : alternative access concept plan and vehicle replacement study

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2009-06-01

This study addresses two critical issues of concern to the Sandy Hook Unit of Gateway National : Recreational Area: (1) options for alternative access to Sandy Hook during peak summer season, : particularly when the park is closed to private vehicles...

Pan European Phenological database (PEP725): a single point of access for European data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Templ, Barbara; Koch, Elisabeth; Bolmgren, Kjell; Ungersböck, Markus; Paul, Anita; Scheifinger, Helfried; Rutishauser, This; Busto, Montserrat; Chmielewski, Frank-M.; Hájková, Lenka; Hodzić, Sabina; Kaspar, Frank; Pietragalla, Barbara; Romero-Fresneda, Ramiro; Tolvanen, Anne; Vučetič, Višnja; Zimmermann, Kirsten; Zust, Ana

2018-06-01

The Pan European Phenology (PEP) project is a European infrastructure to promote and facilitate phenological research, education, and environmental monitoring. The main objective is to maintain and develop a Pan European Phenological database (PEP725) with an open, unrestricted data access for science and education. PEP725 is the successor of the database developed through the COST action 725 "Establishing a European phenological data platform for climatological applications" working as a single access point for European-wide plant phenological data. So far, 32 European meteorological services and project partners from across Europe have joined and supplied data collected by volunteers from 1868 to the present for the PEP725 database. Most of the partners actively provide data on a regular basis. The database presently holds almost 12 million records, about 46 growing stages and 265 plant species (including cultivars), and can be accessed via http://www.pep725.eu/ Target Address="http://www.pep725.eu/" TargetType="URL"/> . Users of the PEP725 database have studied a diversity of topics ranging from climate change impact, plant physiological question, phenological modeling, and remote sensing of vegetation to ecosystem productivity.

Two signs indicative of successful access in nuclear medicine cerebrospinal fluid diversionary shunt studies.

PubMed

Bermo, Mohammed S; Khalatbari, Hedieh; Parisi, Marguerite T

2018-05-08

Successful shunt access is the first step in a properly performed nuclear medicine cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) shunt study. To determine the significance of the radiotracer configuration at the injection site during initial nuclear medicine CSF shunt imaging and the lack of early systemic radiotracer activity as predictors of successful shunt access. With Institutional Review Board approval, three nuclear medicine physicians performed a retrospective review of all consecutive CSF shunt studies performed in children at our institution in 2015. Antecedent nuclear medicine CSF shunt studies in these patients were also assessed and included in the review. The appearance of the reservoir site immediately after radiotracer injection was classified as either figure-of-eight or round/ovoid configuration. The presence or absence of early systemic distribution of the tracer on the 5-min static images was noted and separately evaluated. A total of 98 nuclear medicine ventriculoperitoneal CSF shunt studies were evaluated. Figure-of-eight configuration was identified in 87% of studies and, when present, had 93% sensitivity, 78% specificity, 92% accuracy, 98% positive predictive value (PPV) and 54% negative predictive value (NPV) as a predictor of successful shunt access. Early systemic activity was absent in 89 of 98 studies. Lack of early systemic distribution of the radiotracer had 98% sensitivity, 78% specificity, 96% accuracy, 98% PPV and 78% NPV as a predictor of successful shunt access. Figure-of-eight configuration in conjunction with the absence of early systemic tracer activity had 99% PPV for successful shunt access. Figure-of-eight configuration at the injection site or lack of early systemic radiotracer activity had moderate specificity for successful shunt access. Specificity and PPV significantly improved when both signs were combined in assessment.

Quantifying Access Disparities in Response Plans

PubMed Central

Indrakanti, Saratchandra; Mikler, Armin R.; O’Neill, Martin; Tiwari, Chetan

2016-01-01

Effective response planning and preparedness are critical to the health and well-being of communities in the face of biological emergencies. Response plans involving mass prophylaxis may seem feasible when considering the choice of dispensing points within a region, overall population density, and estimated traffic demands. However, the plan may fail to serve particular vulnerable subpopulations, resulting in access disparities during emergency response. For a response plan to be effective, sufficient mitigation resources must be made accessible to target populations within short, federally-mandated time frames. A major challenge in response plan design is to establish a balance between the allocation of available resources and the provision of equal access to PODs for all individuals in a given geographic region. Limitations on the availability, granularity, and currency of data to identify vulnerable populations further complicate the planning process. To address these challenges and limitations, data driven methods to quantify vulnerabilities in the context of response plans have been developed and are explored in this article. PMID:26771551

Workshop AccessibleTV "Accessible User Interfaces for Future TV Applications"

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hahn, Volker; Hamisu, Pascal; Jung, Christopher; Heinrich, Gregor; Duarte, Carlos; Langdon, Pat

Approximately half of the elderly people over 55 suffer from some type of typically mild visual, auditory, motor or cognitive impairment. For them interaction, especially with PCs and other complex devices is sometimes challenging, although accessible ICT applications could make much of a difference for their living quality. Basically they have the potential to enable or simplify participation and inclusion in their surrounding private and professional communities. However, the availability of accessible user interfaces being capable to adapt to the specific needs and requirements of users with individual impairments is very limited. Although there are a number of APIs [1, 2, 3, 4] available for various platforms that allow developers to provide accessibility features within their applications, today none of them provides features for the automatic adaptation of multimodal interfaces being capable to automatically fit the individual requirements of users with different kinds of impairments. Moreover, the provision of accessible user interfaces is still expensive and risky for application developers, as they need special experience and effort for user tests. Today many implementations simply neglect the needs of elderly people, thus locking out a large portion of their potential users. The workshop is organized as part of the dissemination activity for the European-funded project GUIDE "Gentle user interfaces for elderly people", which aims to address this situation with a comprehensive approach for the realization of multimodal user interfaces being capable to adapt to the needs of users with different kinds of mild impairments. As application platform, GUIDE will mainly target TVs and Set-Top Boxes, such as the emerging Connected-TV or WebTV platforms, as they have the potential to address the needs of the elderly users with applications such as for home automation, communication or continuing education.

Artificial neural network study on organ-targeting peptides

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jung, Eunkyoung; Kim, Junhyoung; Choi, Seung-Hoon; Kim, Minkyoung; Rhee, Hokyoung; Shin, Jae-Min; Choi, Kihang; Kang, Sang-Kee; Lee, Nam Kyung; Choi, Yun-Jaie; Jung, Dong Hyun

2010-01-01

We report a new approach to studying organ targeting of peptides on the basis of peptide sequence information. The positive control data sets consist of organ-targeting peptide sequences identified by the peroral phage-display technique for four organs, and the negative control data are prepared from random sequences. The capacity of our models to make appropriate predictions is validated by statistical indicators including sensitivity, specificity, enrichment curve, and the area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve (the ROC score). VHSE descriptor produces statistically significant training models and the models with simple neural network architectures show slightly greater predictive power than those with complex ones. The training and test set statistics indicate that our models could discriminate between organ-targeting and random sequences. We anticipate that our models will be applicable to the selection of organ-targeting peptides for generating peptide drugs or peptidomimetics.

Harvard Aging Brain Study: Dataset and accessibility.

PubMed

Dagley, Alexander; LaPoint, Molly; Huijbers, Willem; Hedden, Trey; McLaren, Donald G; Chatwal, Jasmeer P; Papp, Kathryn V; Amariglio, Rebecca E; Blacker, Deborah; Rentz, Dorene M; Johnson, Keith A; Sperling, Reisa A; Schultz, Aaron P

2017-01-01

The Harvard Aging Brain Study is sharing its data with the global research community. The longitudinal dataset consists of a 284-subject cohort with the following modalities acquired: demographics, clinical assessment, comprehensive neuropsychological testing, clinical biomarkers, and neuroimaging. To promote more extensive analyses, imaging data was designed to be compatible with other publicly available datasets. A cloud-based system enables access to interested researchers with blinded data available contingent upon completion of a data usage agreement and administrative approval. Data collection is ongoing and currently in its fifth year. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Comparison of injection drug users accessing syringes from pharmacies, syringe exchange programs, and other syringe sources to inform targeted HIV prevention and intervention strategies

PubMed Central

Rudolph, Abby E.; Crawford, Natalie D.; Ompad, Danielle C.; Benjamin, Ebele O.; Stern, Rachel J.; Fuller, Crystal M.

2011-01-01

Objective In New York, syringe exchange programs (SEPs) and pharmacies provide syringe access for IDUs but may be unable to meet the needs of all IDUs. This analysis aims to describe IDUs who access syringes through different outlets to help inform the prevention needs of IDUs who under-utilize safe syringe sources in a city where syringe availability is high relative to other U.S. cities. Design Cross-sectional study Setting New York City (2005–2007) Participants 285 IDUs recruited using street-intercept sampling Intervention(s) Not Applicable Main outcome measure(s) IDUs using SEPs, pharmacies, or other outlets as a primary syringe source were compared by sociodemographic characteristics, injection practices and medical service utilization. Results Chi-square tests and polytomous logistic regression were used to compare IDUs with different self-reported primary syringe sources used 6 months prior to study entry. Compared with IDUs using other syringe sources, those using primarily SEPs were less likely to be Black (AOR:0.26 95%CI:0.11–0.57), more likely to inject daily (AOR:3.32; 95%CI:1.58–6.98), and more likely to inject with a new syringe (AOR:2.68; 95%CI:1.30–5.54). Compared with IDUs using other syringe sources, those using primarily pharmacies were less likely to be Black (AOR:0.39; 95%CI0.17–0.90). Conclusion These data suggest that pharmacies and SEPs may be reaching different populations of IDUs and highlight a sub-population of highly marginalized IDUs (Black and infrequent injectors) who are under-utilizing safe syringe sources in New York City. Targeted interventions are needed to reduce racial disparities and increase utilization of safe syringe outlets. PMID:20199954

Rebuilding Haiti's Educational Access: A Phenomenological Study of Technology Use in Education Delivery

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sandiford, Gladwyn A.

2013-01-01

There is a lack of access to technology blended with face-to-face instruction and learning in Haiti. Despite this lack of access, some Haitian college students have nevertheless leveraged technology to overcome the obstacles of poverty and obtain a higher education. This phenomenological study explored the lived experiences of 20 adult…

Vascular Access Creation before Hemodialysis Initiation and Use: A Population-Based Cohort Study

PubMed Central

Al-Jaishi, Ahmed A.; Lok, Charmaine E.; Garg, Amit X.; Zhang, Joyce C.

2015-01-01

Background and objectives In Canada, approximately 17% of patients use an arteriovenous access (fistula or arteriovenous graft) at commencement of hemodialysis, despite guideline recommendations promoting its timely creation and use. It is unclear if this low pattern of use is attributable to the lack of surgical creation or a high nonuse rate. Design, setting, participants, & measurements Using large health care databases in Ontario, Canada, a population-based cohort of adult patients (≥18 years old) who initiated hemodialysis as their first form of RRT between 2001 and 2010 was studied. The aims were to (1) estimate the proportion of patients who had an arteriovenous access created before starting hemodialysis and the proportion who successfully used it at hemodialysis start, (2) test for secular trends in arteriovenous access creation, and (3) estimate the effect of late nephrology referral and patient characteristics on arteriovenous access creation. Results There were 17,183 patients on incident hemodialysis. The mean age was 65.8 years, 60% were men, and 40% were referred late to a nephrologist; 27% of patients (4556 of 17,183) had one or more arteriovenous accesses created, and the median time between arteriovenous access creation and hemodialysis start was 184 days. When late referrals were excluded, 39% of patients (4007 of 10,291) had one or more arteriovenous accesses created, and 27% of patients (2724 of 10,291) used the arteriovenous access. Since 2001, there has been a decline in arteriovenous access creation before hemodialysis initiation. Women, higher numbers of comorbidities, and rural residence were consistently associated with lower rates of arteriovenous access creation. These results persisted even after removing patients with <6 months nephrology care or who had AKI 6 months before starting hemodialysis. Conclusions In Canada, arteriovenous access creation before hemodialysis initiation is low, even among patients followed by a nephrologist

Vascular access creation before hemodialysis initiation and use: a population-based cohort study.

PubMed

Al-Jaishi, Ahmed A; Lok, Charmaine E; Garg, Amit X; Zhang, Joyce C; Moist, Louise M

2015-03-06

In Canada, approximately 17% of patients use an arteriovenous access (fistula or arteriovenous graft) at commencement of hemodialysis, despite guideline recommendations promoting its timely creation and use. It is unclear if this low pattern of use is attributable to the lack of surgical creation or a high nonuse rate. Using large health care databases in Ontario, Canada, a population-based cohort of adult patients (≥18 years old) who initiated hemodialysis as their first form of RRT between 2001 and 2010 was studied. The aims were to (1) estimate the proportion of patients who had an arteriovenous access created before starting hemodialysis and the proportion who successfully used it at hemodialysis start, (2) test for secular trends in arteriovenous access creation, and (3) estimate the effect of late nephrology referral and patient characteristics on arteriovenous access creation. There were 17,183 patients on incident hemodialysis. The mean age was 65.8 years, 60% were men, and 40% were referred late to a nephrologist; 27% of patients (4556 of 17,183) had one or more arteriovenous accesses created, and the median time between arteriovenous access creation and hemodialysis start was 184 days. When late referrals were excluded, 39% of patients (4007 of 10,291) had one or more arteriovenous accesses created, and 27% of patients (2724 of 10,291) used the arteriovenous access. Since 2001, there has been a decline in arteriovenous access creation before hemodialysis initiation. Women, higher numbers of comorbidities, and rural residence were consistently associated with lower rates of arteriovenous access creation. These results persisted even after removing patients with <6 months nephrology care or who had AKI 6 months before starting hemodialysis. In Canada, arteriovenous access creation before hemodialysis initiation is low, even among patients followed by a nephrologist. Better understanding of the barriers and influencers of arteriovenous access creation is

Anatomic Suitability for Transcaval Access Based on Computed Tomography.

PubMed

Lederman, Robert J; Greenbaum, Adam B; Rogers, Toby; Khan, Jaffar M; Fusari, Melissa; Chen, Marcus Y

2017-01-09

Transcaval access has been used successfully for over 200 transcatheter aortic valve replacements, large-bore percutaneous left ventricular assist devices, and thoracic endovascular aortic aneurysm repairs. This review teaches how to plan transcaval access and closure based on computed tomography. The main planning goals are to: 1) identify calcium-free crossing targets in the abdominal aorta along with optimal fluoroscopic projection angles and level with respect to lumbar vertebrae; 2) identify obstacles such as interposed bowel or pedunculated aortic atheroma; 3) plan covered stent bailout; and 4) identify jeopardized vascular branches such as renal arteries that might be obstructed by bailout covered stents if employed. The aorta and inferior vena cava are segmented (sculpted) using an image reconstruction workstation and crossing targets are highlighted. Important measurements such as aortic lumen diameter and target distance from renal arteries, aortoiliac bifurcation, and right femoral vein puncture site are reported to assist the operator. The proposed classification for transcaval feasibility has been revised, making some previously unfavorable candidates now feasible or favorable based on procedural success to date. Transcaval access allows percutaneous introduction of large devices into the aorta despite small or diseased iliofemoral arteries. By following these simplified procedures, both operators and imaging specialists can easily prepare comprehensive treatment plans. Copyright © 2017 American College of Cardiology Foundation. All rights reserved.

Caregiver perspectives in oral healthcare in an institutionalised elderly population without access to dental services: a pilot study.

PubMed

Matear, David; Barbaro, John

2006-01-01

The provision of dental services to elderly populations is a complicated area. When clients are cognitively impaired, a new set of variables are introduced as care can be influenced by designated family members, caregivers or administrators, who are responsible for the oral health care of the client and may influence the types of treatment the client will receive. Differences in attitudes and perceptions, with respect to oral health, may lead to better or worse access to care. The goals of this study are: (a) to gain a better understanding of the perceptions which may govern access and barriers to care within the institutionalised elderly population; and (b) to improve information on where and how to target educational and service resources, in order to reduce barriers to care. A convenience (non-randomised) sample of 100 residents with caregivers was selected from nursing homes without organised access to oral healthcare services. A structured interview was conducted with 40 family members. Questions explored the importance and priorities of dental services for elderly people in institutions. Services which family members deemed of highest importance were dentures (both to replace teeth and adjustments on existing dentures), pain relief, emergency dentistry, fillings, cleanings, check-ups, tooth removal and treatment for advanced gum disease. Services that family members felt were less important were complex restorations, cleaning instruction to caregivers and seniors, and services by a specialist. Services considered to be of least importance were root canal treatment and implants. The top service priorities identified by the sample of family members included: cleanings to prevent mouth disease; check-ups including X-rays; fillings; dentures to replace teeth; and dental treatment to relieve pain. This study found that family members and caregivers would like a basic dental service including check-ups and preventive care, with restorative, denture and surgical

Identification of Attractive Drug Targets in Neglected-Disease Pathogens Using an In Silico Approach

PubMed Central

Crowther, Gregory J.; Shanmugam, Dhanasekaran; Carmona, Santiago J.; Doyle, Maria A.; Hertz-Fowler, Christiane; Berriman, Matthew; Nwaka, Solomon; Ralph, Stuart A.; Roos, David S.; Van Voorhis, Wesley C.; Agüero, Fernán

2010-01-01

Background The increased sequencing of pathogen genomes and the subsequent availability of genome-scale functional datasets are expected to guide the experimental work necessary for target-based drug discovery. However, a major bottleneck in this has been the difficulty of capturing and integrating relevant information in an easily accessible format for identifying and prioritizing potential targets. The open-access resource TDRtargets.org facilitates drug target prioritization for major tropical disease pathogens such as the mycobacteria Mycobacterium leprae and Mycobacterium tuberculosis; the kinetoplastid protozoans Leishmania major, Trypanosoma brucei, and Trypanosoma cruzi; the apicomplexan protozoans Plasmodium falciparum, Plasmodium vivax, and Toxoplasma gondii; and the helminths Brugia malayi and Schistosoma mansoni. Methodology/Principal Findings Here we present strategies to prioritize pathogen proteins based on whether their properties meet criteria considered desirable in a drug target. These criteria are based upon both sequence-derived information (e.g., molecular mass) and functional data on expression, essentiality, phenotypes, metabolic pathways, assayability, and druggability. This approach also highlights the fact that data for many relevant criteria are lacking in less-studied pathogens (e.g., helminths), and we demonstrate how this can be partially overcome by mapping data from homologous genes in well-studied organisms. We also show how individual users can easily upload external datasets and integrate them with existing data in TDRtargets.org to generate highly customized ranked lists of potential targets. Conclusions/Significance Using the datasets and the tools available in TDRtargets.org, we have generated illustrative lists of potential drug targets in seven tropical disease pathogens. While these lists are broadly consistent with the research community's current interest in certain specific proteins, and suggest novel target candidates

Access to Orthopaedic Surgical Care in Northern Tanzania: A Modelling Study.

PubMed

Premkumar, Ajay; Ying, Xiaohan; Mack Hardaker, W; Massawe, Honest H; Mshahaba, David J; Mandari, Faiton; Pallangyo, Anthony; Temu, Rogers; Masenga, Gileard; Spiegel, David A; Sheth, Neil P

2018-04-25

The global burden of musculoskeletal disease and resulting disability is enormous and is expected to increase over the next few decades. In the world's poorest regions, the paucity of information defining and quantifying the current state of access to orthopaedic surgical care is a major problem in developing effective solutions. This study estimates the number of individuals in Northern Tanzania without adequate access to orthopaedic surgical services. A chance tree was created to model the probability of access to orthopaedic surgical services in the Northern Tanzanian regions of Arusha, Kilimanjaro, Tanga, Singida, and Manyara, with respect to four dimensions: timeliness, surgical capacity, safety, and affordability. Timeliness was estimated by the proportion of people living within a 4-h driving distance from a hospital with an orthopaedic surgeon, capacity by comparing number of surgeries performed to the number of surgeries indicated, safety by applying WHO Emergency and Essential Surgical Care infrastructure and equipment checklists, and affordability by approximating the proportion of the population protected from catastrophic out-of-pocket healthcare expenditure. We accounted for uncertainty in our model with one-way and probabilistic sensitivity analyses. Data sources included the Tanzanian National Bureau of Statistics and Ministry of Finance, World Bank, World Health Organization, New Zealand Ministry of Health, Google Corporation, NASA population estimator, and 2015 hospital records from Kilimanjaro Christian Medical Center, Machame Hospital, Nkoroanga Hospital, Mt. Meru Hospital, and Arusha Lutheran Medical Center. Under the most conservative assumptions, more than 90% of the Northern Tanzanian population does not have access to orthopaedic surgical services. There is a near absence of access to orthopaedic surgical care in Northern Tanzania. These findings utilize more precise country and region-specific data and are consistent with prior published

The Correlation Between Poverty and Access to Essential Surgical Care in Ghana: A Geospatial Analysis

PubMed Central

Stewart, Barclay T.; Gyedu, Adam; Boakye, Godfred; Lewis, Daniel; Hoogerboord, Marius; Mock, Charles

2017-01-01

Background Surgical disease burden falls disproportionately on individuals in low- and middle-income countries. These populations are also the least likely to have access to surgical care. Understanding the barriers to access in these populations is therefore necessary to meet the global surgical need. Methods Using geospatial methods, this study explores the district-level variation of two access barriers in Ghana: poverty and spatial access to care. National survey data were used to estimate the average total household expenditure (THE) in each district. Estimates of the spatial access to essential surgical care were generated from a cost-distance model based on a recent surgical capacity assessment. Correlations were analyzed using regression and displayed cartographically. Results Both THE and spatial access to surgical care were found to have statistically significant regional variation in Ghana (p < 0.001). An inverse relationship was identified between THE and spatial access to essential surgical care (β −5.15 USD, p < 0.001). Poverty and poor spatial access to surgical care were found to co-localize in the northwest of the country. Conclusions Multiple barriers to accessing surgical care can coexist within populations. A careful understanding of all access barriers is necessary to identify and target strategies to address unmet surgical need within a given population. PMID:27766400

Transcolonic Perirectal NOTES Access (PNA): A feasibility study with survival in swine model.

PubMed

Oliveira, André L A; Zorron, Ricardo; Oliveira, Flavio M M DE; Santos, Marcelo B Dos; Scheffer, Jussara P; Rios, Marcelo; Antunes, Fernanda

2017-05-01

Transrectal access still has some unsolved issues such as spatial orientation, infection, access and site closure. This study presents a simple technique to perform transcolonic access with survival in a swine model series. A new technique for NOTES perirectal access to perform retroperitoneoscopy, peritoneoscopy, liver and lymphnode biopsies was performed in 6 pigs, using Totally NOTES technique. The specimens were extracted transanally. The flexible endoscope was inserted through a posterior transmural incision and the retrorectal space. Cultures of bacteria were documented for the retroperitoneal space and intra abdominal cavity after 14 days. Rectal site was closed using non-absorbable sutures. There was no bowel cleansing, nor preoperative fasting. The procedures were performed in 6 pigs through transcolonic natural orifice access using available endoscopic flexible instruments. All animals survived 14 days without complications, and cultures were negative. Histopathologic examination of the rectal closure site showed adequate healing of suture line and no micro abscesses. The results of feasibility and safety of experimental Transcolonic NOTES potentially brings new frontiers and future wider applications for minimally invasive surgery. The treatment of colorectal, abdominal and retroperitoneal diseases through a flexible Perirectal NOTES Access (PNA) is a promising new approach.

Uninsured Migrants: Health Insurance Coverage and Access to Care Among Mexican Return Migrants.

PubMed

Wassink, Joshua

2018-01-01

Despite an expansive body of research on health and access to medical care among Mexican immigrants in the United States, research on return migrants focuses primarily on their labor market mobility and contributions to local development. Motivated by recent scholarship that documents poor mental and physical health among Mexican return migrants, this study investigates return migrants' health insurance coverage and access to medical care. I use descriptive and multivariate techniques to analyze data from the 2009 and 2014 rounds of Mexico's National Survey of Demographic Dynamics (ENADID, combined n=632,678). Analyses reveal a large and persistent gap between recent return migrants and non-migrants, despite rising overall health coverage in Mexico. Multivariate analyses suggest that unemployment among recent arrivals contributes to their lack of insurance. Relative to non-migrants, recently returned migrants rely disproportionately on private clinics, pharmacies, self-medication, or have no regular source of care. Mediation analysis suggests that returnees' high rate of uninsurance contributes to their inadequate access to care. This study reveals limited access to medical care among the growing population of Mexican return migrants, highlighting the need for targeted policies to facilitate successful reintegration and ensure access to vital resources such as health care.

Encoding and Retrieval Processes Involved in the Access of Source Information in the Absence of Item Memory

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ball, B. Hunter; DeWitt, Michael R.; Knight, Justin B.; Hicks, Jason L.

2014-01-01

The current study sought to examine the relative contributions of encoding and retrieval processes in accessing contextual information in the absence of item memory using an extralist cuing procedure in which the retrieval cues used to query memory for contextual information were "related" to the target item but never actually studied.…

Developing Communication Access Standards to Maximize Community Inclusion for People with Communication Support Needs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Solarsh, Barbara; Johnson, Hilary

2017-01-01

People with communication support needs experience barriers that limit their social inclusion in society. A community approach such as "communication access" that targets changing attitudes, skills, and resources may assist in facilitating community participation. The authors describe the development of communication access from 2008 in…

Accessibility of antiretroviral therapy in Ghana: convenience of access.

PubMed

Addo-Atuah, Joyce; Gourley, Dick; Gourley, Greta; White-Means, Shelley I; Womeodu, Robin J; Faris, Richard J; Addo, Nii Akwei

2012-01-01

The convenience of accessing antiretroviral therapy (ART) is important for initial access to care and subsequent adherence to ART. We conducted a qualitative study of people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) and ART healthcare providers in Ghana in 2005. The objective of this study was to explore the participants' perceived convenience of accessing ART by PLWHA in Ghana. The convenience of accessing ART was evaluated from the reported travel and waiting times to receive care, the availability, or otherwise, of special considerations, with respect to the waiting time to receive care, for those PLWHA who were in active employment in the formal sector, the frequency of clinic visits before and after initiating ART, and whether the PLWHA saw the same or different providers at each clinic visit (continuity of care). This qualitative study used in-depth interviews based on Yin's case-study research design to collect data from 20 PLWHA and 24 ART healthcare providers as study participants. • Reported travel time to receive ART services ranged from 2 to 12 h for 30% of the PLWHA. • Waiting time to receive care was from 4 to 9 h. • While known government workers, such as teachers, were attended to earlier in some of the centres, this was not a consistent practice in all the four ART centres studied. • The PLWHA corroborated the providers' description of the procedure for initiating and monitoring ART in Ghana. • PLWHA did not see the same provider every time, but they were assured that this did not compromise the continuity of their care. Our study suggests that convenience of accessing ART is important to both PLWHA and ART healthcare providers, but the participants alluded to other factors, including open provider-patient communication, which might explain the PLWHA's understanding of the constraints under which they were receiving care. The current nation-wide coverage of the ART programme in Ghana, however, calls for the replication of this study to identify

Models of the solvent-accessible surface of biopolymers

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Smith, R.E.

1996-09-01

Many biopolymers such as proteins, DNA, and RNA have been studied because they have important biomedical roles and may be good targets for therapeutic action in treating diseases. This report describes how plastic models of the solvent-accessible surface of biopolymers were made. Computer files containing sets of triangles were calculated, then used on a stereolithography machine to make the models. Small (2 in.) models were made to test whether the computer calculations were done correctly. Also, files of the type (.stl) required by any ISO 9001 rapid prototyping machine were written onto a CD-ROM for distribution to American companies.

Physical and Visual Accessibilities in Intensive Care Units: A Comparative Study of Open-Plan and Racetrack Units.

PubMed

Rashid, Mahbub; Khan, Nayma; Jones, Belinda

2016-01-01

This study compared physical and visual accessibilities and their associations with staff perception and interaction behaviors in 2 intensive care units (ICUs) with open-plan and racetrack layouts. For the study, physical and visual accessibilities were measured using the spatial analysis techniques of Space Syntax. Data on staff perception were collected from 81 clinicians using a questionnaire survey. The locations of 2233 interactions, and the location and length of another 339 interactions in these units were collected using systematic field observation techniques. According to the study, physical and visual accessibilities were different in the 2 ICUs, and clinicians' primary workspaces were physically and visually more accessible in the open-plan ICU. Physical and visual accessibilities affected how well clinicians' knew their peers and where their peers were located in these units. Physical and visual accessibilities also affected clinicians' perception of interaction and communication and of teamwork and collaboration in these units. Additionally, physical and visual accessibilities showed significant positive associations with interaction behaviors in these units, with the open-plan ICU showing stronger associations. However, physical accessibilities were less important than visual accessibilities in relation to interaction behaviors in these ICUs. The implications of these findings for ICU design are discussed.

Accessible GPS: Reorientation and Target Location among Users with Visual Impairments

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ponchillia, Paul E.; Rak, Eniko C.; Freeland, Amy L.; LaGrow, Steven J.

2007-01-01

This article presents the results of two single-subject experiments that were designed to determine consumers' ability to use a BrailleNote GPS. The participants decreased their mean orientation time from 6 minutes to 45 seconds and increased their target-location efficiency fourfold with BGPS than without BGPS. Additional results and implications…

Lexical access changes in patients with multiple sclerosis: a two-year follow-up study.

PubMed

Sepulcre, Jorge; Peraita, Herminia; Goni, Joaquin; Arrondo, Gonzalo; Martincorena, Inigo; Duque, Beatriz; Velez de Mendizabal, Nieves; Masdeu, Joseph C; Villoslada, Pablo

2011-02-01

The aim of the study was to analyze lexical access strategies in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) and their changes over time. We studied lexical access strategies during semantic and phonemic verbal fluency tests and also confrontation naming in a 2-year prospective cohort of 45 MS patients and 20 healthy controls. At baseline, switching lexical access strategy (both in semantic and in phonemic verbal fluency tests) and confrontation naming were significantly impaired in MS patients compared with controls. After 2 years follow-up, switching score decreased, and cluster size increased over time in semantic verbal fluency tasks, suggesting a failure in the retrieval of lexical information rather than an impairment of the lexical pool. In conclusion, these findings underline the significant presence of lexical access problems in patients with MS and could point out their key role in the alterations of high-level communications abilities in MS.

ANITA (Advanced Network for Isotope and TArget laboratories) - The urgent need for a European target preparation network

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schumann, Dorothea; Sibbens, Goedele; Stolarz, Anna; Eberhardt, Klaus; Lommel, Bettina; Stodel, Christelle

2018-05-01

A wide number of research fields in the nuclear sector requires high-quality and well-characterized samples and targets. Currently, only a few laboratories own or have access to the equipment allowing fulfilling such demands. Coordination of activities and sharing resources is therefore mandatory to meet the increasing needs. This very urgent issue has now been addressed by six European target laboratories with an initiative called ANITA (Advanced Network for Isotope and TArget laboratories). The global aim of ANITA is to establish an overarching research infrastructure service for isotope and target production and develop a tight cooperation between the target laboratories in Europe in order to transfer the knowledge and improve the production techniques of well-characterized samples and targets. Moreover, the interaction of the target producers with the users shall be encouraged and intensified to deliver tailor-made targets best-suited to the envisaged experiments. For the realization of this ambitious goal, efforts within the European Commission and strong support by the target-using communities will be necessary. In particular, an appropriate funding instrument has to be found and applied, enabling ANITA to develop from an initiative employed by the interested parties to a real coordination platform.

IP access networks with QoS support

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sargento, Susana; Valadas, Rui J. M. T.; Goncalves, Jorge; Sousa, Henrique

2001-07-01

The increasing demand of new services and applications is pushing for drastic changes on the design of access networks targeted mainly for residential and SOHO users. Future access networks will provide full service integration (including multimedia), resource sharing at the packet level and QoS support. It is expected that using IP as the base technology, the ideal plug-and-play scenario, where the management actions of the access network operator are kept to a minimum, will be achieved easily. This paper proposes an architecture for access networks based on layer 2 or layer 3 multiplexers that allows a number of simplifications in the network elements and protocols (e.g. in the routing and addressing functions). We discuss two possible steps in the evolution of access networks towards a more efficient support of IP based services. The first one still provides no QoS support and was designed with the goal of reusing as much as possible current technologies; it is based on tunneling to transport PPP sessions. The second one introduces QoS support through the use of emerging technologies and protocols. We illustrate the different phases of a multimedia Internet access session, when using SIP for session initiation, COPS for the management of QoS policies including the AAA functions and RSVP for resource reservation.

TargetNet: a web service for predicting potential drug-target interaction profiling via multi-target SAR models.

PubMed

Yao, Zhi-Jiang; Dong, Jie; Che, Yu-Jing; Zhu, Min-Feng; Wen, Ming; Wang, Ning-Ning; Wang, Shan; Lu, Ai-Ping; Cao, Dong-Sheng

2016-05-01

Drug-target interactions (DTIs) are central to current drug discovery processes and public health fields. Analyzing the DTI profiling of the drugs helps to infer drug indications, adverse drug reactions, drug-drug interactions, and drug mode of actions. Therefore, it is of high importance to reliably and fast predict DTI profiling of the drugs on a genome-scale level. Here, we develop the TargetNet server, which can make real-time DTI predictions based only on molecular structures, following the spirit of multi-target SAR methodology. Naïve Bayes models together with various molecular fingerprints were employed to construct prediction models. Ensemble learning from these fingerprints was also provided to improve the prediction ability. When the user submits a molecule, the server will predict the activity of the user's molecule across 623 human proteins by the established high quality SAR model, thus generating a DTI profiling that can be used as a feature vector of chemicals for wide applications. The 623 SAR models related to 623 human proteins were strictly evaluated and validated by several model validation strategies, resulting in the AUC scores of 75-100 %. We applied the generated DTI profiling to successfully predict potential targets, toxicity classification, drug-drug interactions, and drug mode of action, which sufficiently demonstrated the wide application value of the potential DTI profiling. The TargetNet webserver is designed based on the Django framework in Python, and is freely accessible at http://targetnet.scbdd.com .

TargetNet: a web service for predicting potential drug-target interaction profiling via multi-target SAR models

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yao, Zhi-Jiang; Dong, Jie; Che, Yu-Jing; Zhu, Min-Feng; Wen, Ming; Wang, Ning-Ning; Wang, Shan; Lu, Ai-Ping; Cao, Dong-Sheng

2016-05-01

Drug-target interactions (DTIs) are central to current drug discovery processes and public health fields. Analyzing the DTI profiling of the drugs helps to infer drug indications, adverse drug reactions, drug-drug interactions, and drug mode of actions. Therefore, it is of high importance to reliably and fast predict DTI profiling of the drugs on a genome-scale level. Here, we develop the TargetNet server, which can make real-time DTI predictions based only on molecular structures, following the spirit of multi-target SAR methodology. Naïve Bayes models together with various molecular fingerprints were employed to construct prediction models. Ensemble learning from these fingerprints was also provided to improve the prediction ability. When the user submits a molecule, the server will predict the activity of the user's molecule across 623 human proteins by the established high quality SAR model, thus generating a DTI profiling that can be used as a feature vector of chemicals for wide applications. The 623 SAR models related to 623 human proteins were strictly evaluated and validated by several model validation strategies, resulting in the AUC scores of 75-100 %. We applied the generated DTI profiling to successfully predict potential targets, toxicity classification, drug-drug interactions, and drug mode of action, which sufficiently demonstrated the wide application value of the potential DTI profiling. The TargetNet webserver is designed based on the Django framework in Python, and is freely accessible at http://targetnet.scbdd.com.

Targeted left ventricular lead placement to guide cardiac resynchronization therapy: the TARGET study: a randomized, controlled trial.

PubMed

Khan, Fakhar Z; Virdee, Mumohan S; Palmer, Christopher R; Pugh, Peter J; O'Halloran, Denis; Elsik, Maros; Read, Philip A; Begley, David; Fynn, Simon P; Dutka, David P

2012-04-24

This study sought to assess the impact of targeted left ventricular (LV) lead placement on outcomes of cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT). Placement of the LV lead to the latest sites of contraction and away from the scar confers the best response to CRT. We conducted a randomized, controlled trial to compare a targeted approach to LV lead placement with usual care. A total of 220 patients scheduled for CRT underwent baseline echocardiographic speckle-tracking 2-dimensional radial strain imaging and were then randomized 1:1 into 2 groups. In group 1 (TARGET [Targeted Left Ventricular Lead Placement to Guide Cardiac Resynchronization Therapy]), the LV lead was positioned at the latest site of peak contraction with an amplitude of >10% to signify freedom from scar. In group 2 (control) patients underwent standard unguided CRT. Patients were classified by the relationship of the LV lead to the optimal site as concordant (at optimal site), adjacent (within 1 segment), or remote (≥2 segments away). The primary endpoint was a ≥15% reduction in LV end-systolic volume at 6 months. Secondary endpoints were clinical response (≥1 improvement in New York Heart Association functional class), all-cause mortality, and combined all-cause mortality and heart failure-related hospitalization. The groups were balanced at randomization. In the TARGET group, there was a greater proportion of responders at 6 months (70% vs. 55%, p = 0.031), giving an absolute difference in the primary endpoint of 15% (95% confidence interval: 2% to 28%). Compared with controls, TARGET patients had a higher clinical response (83% vs. 65%, p = 0.003) and lower rates of the combined endpoint (log-rank test, p = 0.031). Compared with standard CRT treatment, the use of speckle-tracking echocardiography to the target LV lead placement yields significantly improved response and clinical status and lower rates of combined death and heart failure-related hospitalization. (Targeted Left Ventricular Lead

Developing a framework for understanding doctors' health access: a qualitative study of Australian GPs.

PubMed

Kay, Margaret; Mitchell, Geoffrey; Clavarino, Alexandra; Frank, Erica

2012-01-01

Health access behaviours of doctors need to be understood if the profession is to adequately respond to concerns raised about doctors' health. There has been limited investigation of these issues and most qualitative studies have focussed on doctors who have been seriously unwell. This research project was designed to explore doctors' attitudes to health access and the barriers they experience using six independently facilitated focus groups (37 general practitioners) in Brisbane, Australia. Themes that emerged using inductive thematic analysis were grouped into three key categories. The findings challenge current representations of doctors' health within the medical literature. Doctors in this study reported positive attitudes towards their own health care. Health access, however, was difficult because of the barriers they encountered. These barriers are described in detail revealing the rationale used by doctors seeking care. A framework of patient, provider and profession barrier domains is developed to enable a comparison between the health access barriers of the doctor and those experienced by the general community. The complexity is highlighted as the socio-cultural factors woven through these barrier domains are recognised. The potential for this framework to provide a structure for future interventions to enhance doctors' health access is discussed.

Equity of access to maternal health interventions in Brazil and Colombia: a retrospective study.

PubMed

De La Torre, Amaila; Nikoloski, Zlatko; Mossialos, Elias

2018-04-11

Reducing maternal mortality is a top priority in Latin American countries. Despite the progress in maternal mortality reduction, Brazil and Colombia still lag behind countries at similar levels of development. Using data from the Demographic Health Survey, this study quantified and compared, by means of concentration indices, the socioeconomic-related inequity in access to four key maternal health interventions in Brazil and Colombia. Decomposition analysis of the concentration index was used for two indicators - skilled attendance at birth and postnatal care in Brazil. Coverage levels of the four key maternal health interventions were similar in the two countries. More specifically, we found that coverage of some of the interventions (e.g. ante-natal care and skilled birth assistance) was higher than 90% in both countries. Nevertheless, the concentration index analysis pointed to significant pro-rich inequities in access in all four key interventions in both countries. Interestingly, the analysis showed that Colombia fared slightly better than Brazil in terms of equity in access of the interventions studied. Finally, the decomposition analysis for the presence of a skilled attendant at birth and postnatal care in Brazil underlined the significance of regional disparities, wealth inequalities, inequalities in access to private hospitals, and inequalities in access to private health insurance. There are persistent pro-rich inequities in access to four maternal health interventions in both Brazil and Colombia. The decomposition analysis conducted on Brazilian data suggests the existence of disparities in system capacity and quality of care between the private and the public health services, resulting in inequities of access to maternal health services.

Targeting receptor-mediated transport for delivery of biologics across the blood-brain barrier.

PubMed

Lajoie, Jason M; Shusta, Eric V

2015-01-01

Biologics are an emerging class of medicines with substantial promise to treat neurological disorders such as Alzheimer's disease, stroke, and multiple sclerosis. However, the blood-brain barrier (BBB) presents a formidable obstacle that appreciably limits brain uptake and hence the therapeutic potential of biologics following intravenous administration. One promising strategy for overcoming the BBB to deliver biologics is the targeting of endogenous receptor-mediated transport (RMT) systems that employ vesicular trafficking to transport ligands across the BBB endothelium. If a biologic is modified with an appropriate targeting ligand, it can gain improved access to the brain via RMT. Various RMT-targeting strategies have been developed over the past 20 years, and this review explores exciting recent advances, emphasizing studies that show brain targeting in vivo.

The views of stakeholders on controlled access schemes for high-cost antirheumatic biological medicines in Australia

PubMed Central

Lu, Christine Y; Ritchie, Jan; Williams, Ken; Day, Ric

2007-01-01

Background In Australia, government-subsidised access to high-cost medicines is "targeted" to particular sub-sets of patients under the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme to achieve cost-effective use. In order to determine how this access system could be improved, the opinions of key stakeholders on access to biological agents for rheumatoid arthritis were explored. Methods Thirty-six semi-structured interviews were conducted with persons from relevant stakeholder groups. These were transcribed verbatim, and analysed thematically. Results Controlled access to expensive medicines was considered to be equitable and practical; however, there was disagreement as to the method of defining the target patient populations. Other concerns included timeliness of access, excessive bureaucracy, and the need for additional resources to facilitate the scheme. Collaboration between stakeholders was deemed important because it allows more equitable distribution of limited resources. The majority considered that stakeholder consultation should have been broader. Most wanted increased transparency of the decision-making process, ongoing and timely review of access criteria, and an increased provision of information for patients. More structured communication between stakeholders was proposed. Conclusion The Pharmaceutical Benefit Scheme is adapting to meet the changing needs of patients. Provision of subsidised access to high-cost medicines in a manner that is affordable for individuals and society, and that is equitable and efficiently managed is challenging. The views of stakeholders on targeted access to anti-rheumatic biological medicines in Australia acknowledged this challenge and provided a number of suggestions for modifications. These could serve as a basis to inform the debate on how to change the processes and policies so as to improve the scheme. PMID:18096055

Web accessibility: a longitudinal study of college and university home pages in the northwestern United States.

PubMed

Thompson, Terrill; Burgstahler, Sheryl; Moore, Elizabeth J

2010-01-01

This article reports on a follow-up assessment to Thompson et al. (Proceedings of The First International Conference on Technology-based Learning with Disability, July 19-20, Dayton, Ohio, USA; 2007. pp 127-136), in which higher education home pages were evaluated over a 5-year period on their accessibility to individuals with disabilities. The purpose of this article is to identify trends in web accessibility and long-term impact of outreach and education. Home pages from 127 higher education institutions in the Northwest were evaluated for accessibility three times over a 6-month period in 2004-2005 (Phase I), and again in 2009 (Phase II). Schools in the study were offered varying degrees of training and/or support on web accessibility during Phase I. Pages were evaluated for accessibility using a set of manual checkpoints developed by the researchers. Over the 5-year period reported in this article, significant positive gains in accessibility were revealed on some measures, but accessibility declined on other measures. The areas of improvement are arguably the more basic, easy-to-implement accessibility features, while the area of decline is keyboard accessibility, which is likely associated with the emergence of dynamic new technologies on web pages. Even on those measures where accessibility is improving, it is still strikingly low. In Phase I of the study, institutions that received extensive training and support were more likely than other institutions to show improved accessibility on the measures where institutions improved overall, but were equally or more likely than others to show a decline on measures where institutions showed an overall decline. In Phase II, there was no significant difference between institutions who had received support earlier in the study, and those who had not. Results suggest that growing numbers of higher education institutions in the Northwest are motivated to add basic accessibility features to their home pages, and that

[Antifungals cellular targets and mechanisms of resistance].

PubMed

Accoceberry, Isabelle; Noël, Thierry

2006-01-01

Antifungals of systemic use for the treatment of invasive fungal infections belong to four main chemical families which have globally three cellular targets in fungal cells: fluorinated pyrimidines act on deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) replication and protein synthesis; polyenes and azoles are toxic for ergosterol and its biosynthetic pathway; lipopeptides inhibit the synthesis of cell wall beta glucans. The resistance mechanisms that are developed by some fungi begin to be well understood particularly in Candida yeasts. The underlying bases of these mechanisms are either mutations that modify the antifungal target, or that block access to the target, and, on the other hand, the overexpression of genes encoding the target, or some membrane proteins involved in the active efflux of antifungal drugs.

Introduction to the Personal Access Satellite System Study

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sue, Miles K.

1990-01-01

A recent study by the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) has concluded that the 21st century will be the age of information in which the telecommunication infrastructure will be vital to the social and economic well being of society. To meet the challenge of the coming age, JPL has been performing studies on a personal access satellite system (PASS) for the 21st century. The PASS study can be traced back to a study in which the technical feasibility and potential applications of a high frequency, low data rate satellite system were identified using small fixed terminals. Herein, the PASS concept is described along with the strawman design. Then the key challenges are identified along with possible solutions. Finally, the plan for the future is summarized from the key results.

A study of innovative features in scholarly open access journals.

PubMed

Björk, Bo-Christer

2011-12-16

The emergence of the Internet has triggered tremendous changes in the publication of scientific peer-reviewed journals. Today, journals are usually available in parallel electronic versions, but the way the peer-review process works, the look of articles and journals, and the rigid and slow publication schedules have remained largely unchanged, at least for the vast majority of subscription-based journals. Those publishing firms and scholarly publishers who have chosen the more radical option of open access (OA), in which the content of journals is freely accessible to anybody with Internet connectivity, have had a much bigger degree of freedom to experiment with innovations. The objective was to study how open access journals have experimented with innovations concerning ways of organizing the peer review, the format of journals and articles, new interactive and media formats, and novel publishing revenue models. The features of 24 open access journals were studied. The journals were chosen in a nonrandom manner from the approximately 7000 existing OA journals based on available information about interesting journals and include both representative cases and highly innovative outlier cases. Most early OA journals in the 1990s were founded by individual scholars and used a business model based on voluntary work close in spirit to open-source development of software. In the next wave, many long-established journals, in particular society journals and journals from regions such as Latin America, made their articles OA when they started publishing parallel electronic versions. From about 2002 on, newly founded professional OA publishing firms using article-processing charges to fund their operations have emerged. Over the years, there have been several experiments with new forms of peer review, media enhancements, and the inclusion of structured data sets with articles. In recent years, the growth of OA publishing has also been facilitated by the availability of open

A Study of Innovative Features in Scholarly Open Access Journals

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background The emergence of the Internet has triggered tremendous changes in the publication of scientific peer-reviewed journals. Today, journals are usually available in parallel electronic versions, but the way the peer-review process works, the look of articles and journals, and the rigid and slow publication schedules have remained largely unchanged, at least for the vast majority of subscription-based journals. Those publishing firms and scholarly publishers who have chosen the more radical option of open access (OA), in which the content of journals is freely accessible to anybody with Internet connectivity, have had a much bigger degree of freedom to experiment with innovations. Objective The objective was to study how open access journals have experimented with innovations concerning ways of organizing the peer review, the format of journals and articles, new interactive and media formats, and novel publishing revenue models. Methods The features of 24 open access journals were studied. The journals were chosen in a nonrandom manner from the approximately 7000 existing OA journals based on available information about interesting journals and include both representative cases and highly innovative outlier cases. Results Most early OA journals in the 1990s were founded by individual scholars and used a business model based on voluntary work close in spirit to open-source development of software. In the next wave, many long-established journals, in particular society journals and journals from regions such as Latin America, made their articles OA when they started publishing parallel electronic versions. From about 2002 on, newly founded professional OA publishing firms using article-processing charges to fund their operations have emerged. Over the years, there have been several experiments with new forms of peer review, media enhancements, and the inclusion of structured data sets with articles. In recent years, the growth of OA publishing has also been

The Mission Accessible Near-Earth Object Survey (MANOS) -- Science Highlights

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Moskovitz, Nicholas; Thirouin, Audrey; Binzel, Richard; Burt, Brian; Christensen, Eric; DeMeo, Francesca; Endicott, Thomas; Hinkle, Mary; Mommert, Michael; Person, Michael; Polishook, David; Siu, Hosea; Thomas, Cristina; Trilling, David; Willman, Mark

2015-08-01

Near-Earth objects (NEOs) are essential to understanding the origin of the Solar System through their compositional links to meteorites. As tracers of other parts of the Solar System they provide insight to more distant populations. Their small sizes and complex dynamical histories make them ideal laboratories for studying ongoing processes of planetary evolution. Knowledge of their physical properties is essential to impact hazard assessment. And the proximity of NEOs to Earth make them favorable targets for a variety of planetary mission scenarios. However, in spite of their importance, only the largest NEOs are well studied and a representative sample of physical properties for sub-km NEOs does not exist.MANOS is a multi-year physical characterization survey, originally awarded survey status by NOAO. MANOS is targeting several hundred mission-accessible, sub-km NEOs across visible and near-infrared wavelengths to provide a comprehensive catalog of physical properties (astrometry, light curves, spectra). Accessing these targets is enabled through classical, queue, and target-of-opportunity observations carried out at 1- to 8-meter class facilities in the northern and southern hemispheres. Our observing strategy is designed to rapidly characterize newly discovered NEOs before they fade beyond observational limits.Early progress from MANOS includes: (1) the de-biased taxonomic distribution of spectral types for NEOs smaller than ~100 meters, (2) the distribution of rotational properties for approximately 100 previously unstudied NEOs, (3) detection of the fastest known rotation period of any minor planet in the Solar System, (4) an investigation of the influence of planetary encounters on the rotational properties of NEOs, (5) dynamical models for the evolution of the overall NEO population over the past 0.5 Myr, and (6) development of a new set of online tools at asteroid.lowell.edu that will enable near realtime public dissemination of our data products while

Progress on Broadband Access to the Internet and Use of Mobile Devices in the United States.

PubMed

Serrano, Katrina J; Thai, Chan L; Greenberg, Alexandra J; Blake, Kelly D; Moser, Richard P; Hesse, Bradford W

Healthy People 2020 (HP2020) aims to improve population health outcomes through several objectives, including health communication and health information technology. We used 7 administrations of the Health Information National Trends Survey to examine HP2020 goals toward access to the Internet through broadband and mobile devices (N = 34 080). We conducted descriptive analyses and obtained predicted marginals, also known as model-adjusted risks, to estimate the association between demographic characteristics and use of mobile devices. The HP2020 target (7.7% of the US population) for accessing the Internet through a cellular network was surpassed in 2014 (59.7%), but the HP2020 target (83.2%) for broadband access fell short (63.8%). Sex and age were associated with accessing the Internet through a cellular network throughout the years (Wald F test, P <.05). The increase in the percentage of people accessing the Internet through mobile devices presents an opportunity for technology-based health interventions that should be explored.

Progress on Broadband Access to the Internet and Use of Mobile Devices in the United States

PubMed Central

Thai, Chan L.; Greenberg, Alexandra J.; Blake, Kelly D.; Moser, Richard P.; Hesse, Bradford W.

2016-01-01

Healthy People 2020 (HP2020) aims to improve population health outcomes through several objectives, including health communication and health information technology. We used 7 administrations of the Health Information National Trends Survey to examine HP2020 goals toward access to the Internet through broadband and mobile devices (N = 34 080). We conducted descriptive analyses and obtained predicted marginals, also known as model-adjusted risks, to estimate the association between demographic characteristics and use of mobile devices. The HP2020 target (7.7% of the US population) for accessing the Internet through a cellular network was surpassed in 2014 (59.7%), but the HP2020 target (83.2%) for broadband access fell short (63.8%). Sex and age were associated with accessing the Internet through a cellular network throughout the years (Wald F test, P <.05). The increase in the percentage of people accessing the Internet through mobile devices presents an opportunity for technology-based health interventions that should be explored. PMID:28005473

A study comparing centralized CD-ROM and decentralized intranet access to MEDLINE

PubMed Central

Darmoni, Stefan J.; Benichou, Jacques; Thirion, Benoit; Hellot, Marie France; Fuss, Jacques

2000-01-01

Objective: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of a decentralized intranet access in each medical department as opposed to centralized unique MEDLINE access in the medical library. Design: A two-phase questionnaire to evaluate MEDLINE use was given to junior and senior physicians at Rouen University Hospital (RUH). Phase I (August–October 1996) corresponded to a time period when centralized access was the only means of access available and phase II (August–October 1997) to a time period following the introduction of decentralized intranet access. Results: A total of 168 physicians filled out at least one phase of the questionnaire, among whom 123 (73%) filled out both phases. Use of MEDLINE significantly increased in 1997 (average of 10.2 ± 1.1 searches in three months) versus 1996 (average of 4.9 ± 0.7 searches in three months, P < 0.0001). The aim of searches changed, becoming significantly more care oriented in phase II (P < 0.0001). The number of searches performed by the physicians alone increased (P < 0.0001) and searches performed by the librarian decreased (P < 0.0001) in phase II. The method of searches also changed, as searches by author (P < 0.0001), by journal (P = 0.0042), and by free word (P = 0.0027) increased in phase II. Knowledge of the following concepts of MEDLINE significantly increased: explosion (P < 0.0001), scope note (P < 0.0001), Abridged Index Medicus (AIM) journals (P < 0.0001), Medical Subject Headings (MeSH) qualifier (P < 0.0001), and focus (P < 0.0001). Conclusion: A decentralized intranet access to MEDLINE increased the number of searches and knowledge of this bibliographic database. MEDLINE intranet access modified the purpose and the methods of searching. PMID:10783970

Direct access to physical therapy for the patient with musculoskeletal disorders, a literature review.

PubMed

Piano, Leonardo; Maselli, Filippo; Viceconti, Antonello; Gianola, Silvia; Ciuro, Aldo

2017-08-01

[Purpose] To present legislation comparing direct and referred access-or other measures-to physical therapy. The focus is on the management of the most burdensome musculoskeletal disorders in terms of regulations, costs, effectiveness, safety and cost-effectiveness. [Methods] Main biomedical databases and gray literature were searched ranging from a global scenario to the analysis of targeted geographical areas and specifically Italy and the Region Piedmont. [Results] legislation on Direct Access highlights inconsistencies among the countries belonging to World Confederation for Physical Therapy. Direct Access could be an effective, safe and efficient organization model for the management of patients with musculoskeletal diseases and seems to be more effective safer and cost effective. [Conclusion] Direct Access is a virtuous model which can help improve the global quality of physical therapy services. Further studies are required to confirm this approach and determine whether the findings of the present overview can be replicated in different countries and healthcare systems.

Computer-aided target tracking in motion analysis studies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Burdick, Dominic C.; Marcuse, M. L.; Mislan, J. D.

1990-08-01

Motion analysis studies require the precise tracking of reference objects in sequential scenes. In a typical situation, events of interest are captured at high frame rates using special cameras, and selected objects or targets are tracked on a frame by frame basis to provide necessary data for motion reconstruction. Tracking is usually done using manual methods which are slow and prone to error. A computer based image analysis system has been developed that performs tracking automatically. The objective of this work was to eliminate the bottleneck due to manual methods in high volume tracking applications such as the analysis of crash test films for the automotive industry. The system has proven to be successful in tracking standard fiducial targets and other objects in crash test scenes. Over 95 percent of target positions which could be located using manual methods can be tracked by the system, with a significant improvement in throughput over manual methods. Future work will focus on the tracking of clusters of targets and on tracking deformable objects such as airbags.

Improving accessibility to mathematical formulas: the Wikipedia Math Accessor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fuentes Sepúlveda, J.; Ferres, L.

2012-09-01

Mathematics accessibility is an important topic for inclusive education. In this paper, we make Wikipedia's repository of mathematical formulas accessible by providing a natural language description of its more than 420,000 formulas using a well-researched sub-language. We also contribute by targeting Spanish speakers, for whom assistive technologies, particularly domain-specific technologies like the one described here, are scarce. Our focus on the semantics of formulas (rather than their visual appearance) allowed us to generate verbalizations with a precision of approximately 80% of understandable descriptions, as shown in an evaluation with sighted users.

Factors affecting access to healthcare services by intermarried Filipino women in rural Tasmania: a qualitative study.

PubMed

Hannah, Chona T; Lê, Quynh

2012-10-01

Access to health care services is vital for every migrant's health and wellbeing. However, migrants' cultural health beliefs and views can hinder their ability to access available services. This study examined factors affecting access to healthcare services for intermarried Filipino women in rural Tasmania, Australia. A qualitative approach using semi-structured interviews was employed to investigate the factors affecting access to healthcare services for 30 intermarried Filipino women in rural Tasmania. The study used grounded theory and thematic analysis for its data analysis. Nvivo v8 (www.qsrinternational.com) was also used to assist the data coding process and analysis. Five influencing factors were identified: (1) language or communication barriers; (2) area of origin in the Philippines; (3) cultural barriers; (4) length of stay in Tasmania; and (5) expectations of healthcare services before and after migration. Factors affecting intermarried Filipino women in accessing healthcare services are shaped by their socio-demographic and cultural background. The insights gained from this study are useful to health policy-makers, healthcare professionals and to intermarried female migrants. The factors identified can serve as a guide to improve healthcare access for Filipino women and other migrants.

Public Perception of the Millennium Development Goals on Access to Safe Drinking Water in Cross River State, Nigeria

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Eni, David D.; Ojong, William M.

2014-01-01

This study evaluated the public perception of Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) of environmental sustainability with focus on the MDG target which has to do with reducing the proportion of people without access to safe drinking water in Cross River State, Nigeria. The stratified and systematic sampling techniques were adopted for the study,…

'Predatory' open access: a longitudinal study of article volumes and market characteristics.

PubMed

Shen, Cenyu; Björk, Bo-Christer

2015-10-01

A negative consequence of the rapid growth of scholarly open access publishing funded by article processing charges is the emergence of publishers and journals with highly questionable marketing and peer review practices. These so-called predatory publishers are causing unfounded negative publicity for open access publishing in general. Reports about this branch of e-business have so far mainly concentrated on exposing lacking peer review and scandals involving publishers and journals. There is a lack of comprehensive studies about several aspects of this phenomenon, including extent and regional distribution. After an initial scan of all predatory publishers and journals included in the so-called Beall's list, a sample of 613 journals was constructed using a stratified sampling method from the total of over 11,000 journals identified. Information about the subject field, country of publisher, article processing charge and article volumes published between 2010 and 2014 were manually collected from the journal websites. For a subset of journals, individual articles were sampled in order to study the country affiliation of authors and the publication delays. Over the studied period, predatory journals have rapidly increased their publication volumes from 53,000 in 2010 to an estimated 420,000 articles in 2014, published by around 8,000 active journals. Early on, publishers with more than 100 journals dominated the market, but since 2012 publishers in the 10-99 journal size category have captured the largest market share. The regional distribution of both the publisher's country and authorship is highly skewed, in particular Asia and Africa contributed three quarters of authors. Authors paid an average article processing charge of 178 USD per article for articles typically published within 2 to 3 months of submission. Despite a total number of journals and publishing volumes comparable to respectable (indexed by the Directory of Open Access Journals) open access

Accessibility information in New Delhi for "EasenAccess" Android-based app for persons with disability: an observational study.

PubMed

Agarwal, Yashovardhan

2018-06-14

The World Health Organization and the World Bank's "World Report on Disability" reported that over 1 billion people have various kinds of disability worldwide while Indian Census 2011 reported about 26 million in India. The United Nations Convention states, "The Rights of Persons with Disabilities (PwD) include accessibility to Information, Transportation, Environment, Communication Technology and Services". This article takes forward the reason of making the "EasenAccess" (EnA) Android-based app to empower PwD with wheelchair-accessibility information, communication sentences and sending SOS signals with location. A survey of 25 most frequented places in New Delhi by common people and tourist with chosen 12 parameters in comparison the Government of India's survey of 100 most important buildings nationally. A statistical analysis and recommendations about areas for improvement, for the Government of India. EasenAccess helps millions of PwD to enable them with freedom of movement for employment and socio-economic activities to lead an independent lifestyle. EasenAccess increases government's access to information about lacunae, gives them an easy way to tabulate the places where more accessibility needs updating, and helps the government in facilitating information flow to the PwD. Implication for Rehabilitation The Rights of Persons with Disability Act in 2016 covers both the concepts of Universal Design of products, environments and programs; and accessibility. We are exploring with them the ways technology can help bridge the gap between rehabilitation and accessibility. In the higher income countries such as the UK or USA, it is normal for a person to receive training when being given a wheelchair to prevent future injuries. Frequently, even with this, training people develop upper limb injuries, due in part to the high, repetitive loads needed to push a wheelchair. This training is given as part of a package of rehabilitation, which also normally includes

A news media analysis of economic sanction effects on access to medicine in Iran

PubMed Central

Kheirandish, Mehrnaz; Rashidian, Arash; Bigdeli, Maryam

2015-01-01

Objective: In the past decades economic sanctions have been used by different countries or international organizations in order to deprive target countries of some transactions. While the sanctions do not target health care systems or public health structures, they may, in fact, affect the availability of health care in target countries. In this study, we used media analysis to assess the impacts of recent sanctions imposed by the Central Bank of Iran in 2012 on access to medicines in Iran. Methods: We searched different sources of written news media including a database of nonspecialized weeklies and magazines, online news sources, web pages of daily newspapers and healthcare oriented weeklies from 2011 to 2013. We searched the sources using the general term “medicine” to reduce the chances of missing relevant items. The identified news media were read, and categorized under three groups of items announcing “shortage of medicines,” “medicines related issues” and “no shortage.” We conducted trend analyzes to see whether the news media related to access to medicines were affected by the economic sanctions. Findings: A total number of 371 relevant news media were collected. The number of news media related to medicines substantially increased in the study period: 30 (8%), 161 (43%) and 180 (49%) were published in 2011, 2012 and 2013, respectively. While 145 (39%) of media items referred to the shortage of medicines, 97 (26%) reported no shortage or alleviating of concerns. Conclusion: Media analysis suggests a clear increase in the number of news media reporting a shortage in Iran after the sanctions. In 2013, there were accompanying increases in the number of news media reporting alleviation of the shortages of medicines. Our analysis provides evidence of negative effects of the sanctions on access to medicines in Iran. PMID:26645026

A news media analysis of economic sanction effects on access to medicine in Iran.

PubMed

Kheirandish, Mehrnaz; Rashidian, Arash; Bigdeli, Maryam

2015-01-01

In the past decades economic sanctions have been used by different countries or international organizations in order to deprive target countries of some transactions. While the sanctions do not target health care systems or public health structures, they may, in fact, affect the availability of health care in target countries. In this study, we used media analysis to assess the impacts of recent sanctions imposed by the Central Bank of Iran in 2012 on access to medicines in Iran. We searched different sources of written news media including a database of nonspecialized weeklies and magazines, online news sources, web pages of daily newspapers and healthcare oriented weeklies from 2011 to 2013. We searched the sources using the general term "medicine" to reduce the chances of missing relevant items. The identified news media were read, and categorized under three groups of items announcing "shortage of medicines," "medicines related issues" and "no shortage." We conducted trend analyzes to see whether the news media related to access to medicines were affected by the economic sanctions. A total number of 371 relevant news media were collected. The number of news media related to medicines substantially increased in the study period: 30 (8%), 161 (43%) and 180 (49%) were published in 2011, 2012 and 2013, respectively. While 145 (39%) of media items referred to the shortage of medicines, 97 (26%) reported no shortage or alleviating of concerns. Media analysis suggests a clear increase in the number of news media reporting a shortage in Iran after the sanctions. In 2013, there were accompanying increases in the number of news media reporting alleviation of the shortages of medicines. Our analysis provides evidence of negative effects of the sanctions on access to medicines in Iran.

Analysis of Acoustic Access to the Prostate Through the Abdomen and Perineum for Extracorporeal Ablation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hall, Timothy L.; Hempel, Christopher R.; Sabb, Brian J.; Roberts, William W.

2010-03-01

As part of the development of a noninvasive treatment for BPH using histotripsy, this study aimed to measure acoustic access for extracorporeal ablation of the prostate. Both transabdominal and transperineal approaches were considered. The objective was to measure the size and shape of a transducer aperture that could target the prostate without obstruction. CT images obtained from 17 subjects >56 years of age were used to create 3D reconstructions of the lower abdomen and pelvis. Target locations on the urethra at the base, mid, and apex in the prostate were marked along with a transrectal imaging probe. Evenly space rays spanning were traced from each target location towards the perineum and separately towards the abdomen with the maximum x-ray density encountered along each path recorded. The overall free aperture through the perineum was found to be a triangular shaped region bounded by the lower bones of the pelvis and the transrectal probe varying significantly in size between subjects. The free aperture through the abdomen was wedge shaped limited by the pubis also with great subject to subject variability. Average unblocked fractions of an f/1 transducer to target base, veru, and apex through the perineum were 77.0%, 94.4%, and 99.6%, respectively. Averages targeting through the abdomen were 86.1%, 52.3%, and 11.0%. Acoustic access to the prostate for through the perineum was judged to be feasible.

Access to a College Degree or Just College Debt? Moving beyond Admission to Graduation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hirsch, Deborah

2008-01-01

A defining feature of U.S. higher education is its commitment to access and opportunity. The growing number of policies and programs targeting college access demonstrates that this commitment remains steadfast. In order to make college affordable for the economically disadvantaged, an increasing number of selective, well-endowed colleges and…

Accessing genetic diversity for crop improvement.

PubMed

Glaszmann, J C; Kilian, B; Upadhyaya, H D; Varshney, R K

2010-04-01

Vast germplasm collections are accessible but their use for crop improvement is limited-efficiently accessing genetic diversity is still a challenge. Molecular markers have clarified the structure of genetic diversity in a broad range of crops. Recent developments have made whole-genome surveys and gene-targeted surveys possible, shedding light on population dynamics and on the impact of selection during domestication. Thanks to this new precision, germplasm description has gained analytical power for resolving the genetic basis of trait variation and adaptation in crops such as major cereals, chickpea, grapevine, cacao, or banana. The challenge now is to finely characterize all the facets of plant behavior in carefully chosen materials. We suggest broadening the use of 'core reference sets' so as to facilitate material sharing within the scientific community.

Initial study of Schroedinger eigenmaps for spectral target detection

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dorado-Munoz, Leidy P.; Messinger, David W.

2016-08-01

Spectral target detection refers to the process of searching for a specific material with a known spectrum over a large area containing materials with different spectral signatures. Traditional target detection methods in hyperspectral imagery (HSI) require assuming the data fit some statistical or geometric models and based on the model, to estimate parameters for defining a hypothesis test, where one class (i.e., target class) is chosen over the other classes (i.e., background class). Nonlinear manifold learning methods such as Laplacian eigenmaps (LE) have extensively shown their potential use in HSI processing, specifically in classification or segmentation. Recently, Schroedinger eigenmaps (SE), which is built upon LE, has been introduced as a semisupervised classification method. In SE, the former Laplacian operator is replaced by the Schroedinger operator. The Schroedinger operator includes by definition, a potential term V that steers the transformation in certain directions improving the separability between classes. In this regard, we propose a methodology for target detection that is not based on the traditional schemes and that does not need the estimation of statistical or geometric parameters. This method is based on SE, where the potential term V is taken into consideration to include the prior knowledge about the target class and use it to steer the transformation in directions where the target location in the new space is known and the separability between target and background is augmented. An initial study of how SE can be used in a target detection scheme for HSI is shown here. In-scene pixel and spectral signature detection approaches are presented. The HSI data used comprise various target panels for testing simultaneous detection of multiple objects with different complexities.

Geographical accessibility to community pharmacies by the elderly in metropolitan Lisbon.

PubMed

Padeiro, Miguel

2018-07-01

In ageing societies, community pharmacies play an important role in delivering medicines, responsible advising, and other targeted services. Elderly people are among their main consumers, as they use more prescription drugs, need more specific health care, and experience more mobility issues than other age groups. This makes geographical accessibility a relevant concern for them. To measure geographical pedestrian accessibility to community pharmacies by elderly people in the Lisbon Metropolitan Area (LMA). The number of elderly people living within a 10- and 15-min walk was estimated based on the exploitation of population census data, the address-based location of 801 community pharmacies, and a Google Maps Application Programming Interface (API) method for calculating distances between pharmacies and the centroids of census statistical subsections. Results were compared to figures attained via traditional methods. In the LMA, 61.2% of the elderly live less than a 10 min walk from the nearest pharmacy and 76.9% live less than 15 min away. This opposes the common view that pharmacies are highly accessible in urban areas. In addition, results show a high spatial variability of proximity to pharmacies. Despite the illusion of good coverage suggested at the metropolitan scale, accessibility measures demonstrate the existence of pharmaceutical deprivation areas for the elderly. The findings indicate the need for more accuracy in both access measurements and redistribution policies. Measurement methods and population targets should be reconsidered. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Personalized medicine and access to genetic technologies.

PubMed

den Exter, André

2010-01-01

Personalized medicine started after the Human Genome Project and is a relatively new concept that will dramatically change clinical practice. It offers clear clinical advantages by applying genetic diagnostic tests and then treating the patient with targeted medicines based on his or her genetic make-up. Its potential seems promising but there are quite a few legal concerns. One of these questions deals with the right to health care and access to genetic technologies. In this paper, the author explains the meaning of such a right to health care under international human rights law, its relevance for making genetic services eligible for public funding, how to cope with quality concerns of commercial testing, and finally, the patentability controversy and clinical access to genetic information. Apart from more traditional human rights concerns (consent, privacy, confidentiality) and genetics, States should be aware of the meaning of the equal access concept under international law and its consequences when introducing new technologies such genetic testing and services.

A Bibliometric Study of Scholarly Articles Published by Library and Information Science Authors about Open Access

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Grandbois, Jennifer; Beheshti, Jamshid

2014-01-01

Introduction: This study aims to gain a greater understanding of the development of open access practices amongst library and information science authors, since their role is integral to the success of the broader open access movement. Method: Data were collected from scholarly articles about open access by library and information science authors…

Effect of generalised access to early diagnosis and treatment and targeted mass drug administration on Plasmodium falciparum malaria in Eastern Myanmar: an observational study of a regional elimination programme.

PubMed

Landier, Jordi; Parker, Daniel M; Thu, Aung Myint; Lwin, Khin Maung; Delmas, Gilles; Nosten, François H

2018-05-12

Potentially untreatable Plasmodium falciparum malaria threatens the Greater Mekong subregion. A previous series of pilot projects in Myanmar, Laos, Cambodia, and Vietnam suggested that mass drug administration was safe, and when added to provision of early diagnosis and treatment, could reduce the reservoir of P falciparum and interrupts transmission. We examined the effects of a scaled-up programme of this strategy in four townships of eastern Myanmar on the incidence of P falciparum malaria. The programme was implemented in the four townships of Myawaddy, Kawkareik, Hlaingbwe, and Hpapun in Kayin state, Myanmar. Increased access to early diagnosis and treatment of malaria was provided to all villages through community-based malaria posts equipped with rapid diagnostic tests, and treatment with artemether-lumefantrine plus single low-dose primaquine. Villages were identified as malarial hotspots (operationally defined as >40% malaria, of which 20% was P falciparum) with surveys using ultrasensitive quantitative PCR either randomly or targeted at villages where the incidence of clinical cases of P falciparum malaria remained high (ie, >100 cases per 1000 individuals per year) despite a functioning malaria post. During each survey, a 2 mL sample of venous blood was obtained from randomly selected adults. Hotspots received targeted mass drug administration with dihydroartemisinin-piperaquine plus single-dose primaquine once per month for 3 consecutive months in addition to the malaria posts. The main outcome was the change in village incidence of clinical P falciparum malaria, quantified using a multivariate, generalised, additive multilevel model. Malaria prevalence was measured in the hotspots 12 months after mass drug administration. Between May 1, 2014, and April 30, 2017, 1222 malarial posts were opened, providing early diagnosis and treatment to an estimated 365 000 individuals. Incidence of P falciparum malaria decreased by 60 to 98% in the four townships

Accessibility of condoms to young people in Manchester, UK.

PubMed

Sixsmith, Judith; Griffiths, John; Hughes, John; Wren, Joanne; Penfold, Steve; Natusch, Hilary

2006-10-01

Issues relevant to the accessibility of male condoms for young people in the Greater Manchester area (UK) were investigated, using semi-structured, in-depth interviews and a questionnaire survey. Family planning clinics and condom vending machines (CVMs) were the most cited sources for condom acquisition. Young people's knowledge of where and when they could access condoms varied by age and gender. Suitable positioning of CVMs would need to take such variations into account when targeting potential customers. Levels of embarrassment about acquiring condoms also varied according to gender. The lifestyles of young people indicated the sorts of places in which CVMs might offer increased accessibility. For younger men and women this tended to involve low-cost, semi-private places such as local parks, school toilets and shopping malls/streets. Older men with higher spending power and increased confidence could access condoms through pub and club toilets and chemist shops. Accessible positioning of CVMs was related to the age, gender and lifestyle of the participants, and programmes to enhance accessibility should reflect this. Increased accessibility for younger groups, and especially women, needs to take into account issues of cost, confidence and embarrassment. For older groups, lifestyle choices indicated pubs and clubs as key locations for both men and women.

Development and Testing of a Conceptual Model Regarding Men's Access to Health Care.

PubMed

Leone, James E; Rovito, Michael J; Mullin, Elizabeth M; Mohammed, Shan D; Lee, Christina S

2017-03-01

Epidemiologic data suggest men often experience excessive morbidity and early mortality, possibly compromising family and community health over the lifespan. Moreover, the negative financial/economic consequences affected by poor male health outcomes also has been of great concern in the United States and abroad. Early and consistent access to preventative health care may improve health outcomes; however, men are far less likely to access these services. The purpose of this study was to understand what factors preclude men from accessing health care. We surveyed 485 participants using a 58-item online survey built from a conceptual model previously developed by the researchers using hegemonic masculinity theory, the theory of normative contentment, and the health belief model. For men, three items significantly ( ps < .05) predicted whether they had seen a health care provider in the past year: "I/Men do not access healthcare because I do not think there is anything wrong with me," "My health is only about me," and "I/Men do not access healthcare because most men in my family do not access healthcare." Other correlations of practical significance also were noted. Results suggest gender norms and masculine ideals may play a primary role in how men access preventative health care. Future programming targeting males should consider barriers and plan programs that are gender-sensitive in addition to being gender-specific. Clinical implications are discussed.

Access site complications and puncture site pain following transradial coronary procedures: a correlational study.

PubMed

Cheng, Ka Yan; Chair, Sek Ying; Choi, Kai Chow

2013-10-01

Transradial coronary angiography (CA) and percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) are gaining worldwide popularity due to the low incidence of major vascular complications and early mobilization of patients post procedures. Although post transradial access site complications are generally considered as minor in nature, they are not being routinely recorded in clinical settings. To evaluate the incidence of access site complications and level of puncture site pain experienced by patients undergoing transradial coronary procedures and to examine factors associated with access site complications occurrence and puncture site pain severity. A cross-sectional correlational study of 85 Chinese speaking adult patients scheduled for elective transradial CA and or PCI. Ecchymosis, bleeding, hematoma and radial artery occlusion (RAO) were assessed through observation, palpation and plethysmographic signal of pulse oximetry after coronary procedures. Puncture site pain was assessed with a 100mm Visual Analogue Scale. Factors that were related to access site complications and puncture site pain were obtained from medical records. Ecchymosis was the most commonly reported transradial access site complication in this study. Paired t-test showed that the level of puncture site pain at 24 h was significantly (p<0.001) lower than that at 3 h after the procedure. Stepwise multivariable regression showed that female gender and shorter sheath time were found to be significantly associated with bleeding during gradual deflation of compression device. Only longer sheath time was significantly associated with RAO. Female gender and larger volume of compression air were associated with the presence of ecchymosis and puncture site pain at 3 h after procedure, respectively. The study findings suggest that common access site complications post transradial coronary procedures among Chinese population are relatively minor in nature. Individual puncture site pain assessment during the period of

A Qualitative Study of Barriers to Accessing Water, Sanitation and Hygiene for Disabled People in Malawi.

PubMed

White, Sian; Kuper, Hannah; Itimu-Phiri, Ambumulire; Holm, Rochelle; Biran, Adam

2016-01-01

Globally, millions of people lack access to improved water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH). Disabled people, disadvantaged both physically and socially, are likely to be among those facing the greatest inequities in WASH access. This study explores the WASH priorities of disabled people and uses the social model of disability and the World Health Organization's International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) framework to look at the relationships between impairments, contextual factors and barriers to WASH access. 36 disabled people and 15 carers from urban and rural Malawi were purposively selected through key informants. The study employed a range of qualitative methods including interviews, emotion mapping, free-listing of priorities, ranking, photo voice, observation and WASH demonstrations. A thematic analysis was conducted using nVivo 10. WASH access affected all participants and comprised almost a third of the challenges of daily living identified by disabled people. Participants reported 50 barriers which related to water and sanitation access, personal and hand hygiene, social attitudes and participation in WASH programs. No two individuals reported facing the same set of barriers. This study found that being female, being from an urban area and having limited wealth and education were likely to increase the number and intensity of the barriers faced by an individual. The social model proved useful for classifying the majority of barriers. However, this model was weaker when applied to individuals who were more seriously disabled by their body function. This study found that body function limitations such as incontinence, pain and an inability to communicate WASH needs are in and of themselves significant barriers to adequate WASH access. Understanding these access barriers is important for the WASH sector at a time when there is a global push for equitable access.

A Qualitative Study of Barriers to Accessing Water, Sanitation and Hygiene for Disabled People in Malawi

PubMed Central

Kuper, Hannah; Itimu-Phiri, Ambumulire; Holm, Rochelle; Biran, Adam

2016-01-01

Globally, millions of people lack access to improved water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH). Disabled people, disadvantaged both physically and socially, are likely to be among those facing the greatest inequities in WASH access. This study explores the WASH priorities of disabled people and uses the social model of disability and the World Health Organization’s International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) framework to look at the relationships between impairments, contextual factors and barriers to WASH access. 36 disabled people and 15 carers from urban and rural Malawi were purposively selected through key informants. The study employed a range of qualitative methods including interviews, emotion mapping, free-listing of priorities, ranking, photo voice, observation and WASH demonstrations. A thematic analysis was conducted using nVivo 10. WASH access affected all participants and comprised almost a third of the challenges of daily living identified by disabled people. Participants reported 50 barriers which related to water and sanitation access, personal and hand hygiene, social attitudes and participation in WASH programs. No two individuals reported facing the same set of barriers. This study found that being female, being from an urban area and having limited wealth and education were likely to increase the number and intensity of the barriers faced by an individual. The social model proved useful for classifying the majority of barriers. However, this model was weaker when applied to individuals who were more seriously disabled by their body function. This study found that body function limitations such as incontinence, pain and an inability to communicate WASH needs are in and of themselves significant barriers to adequate WASH access. Understanding these access barriers is important for the WASH sector at a time when there is a global push for equitable access. PMID:27171520

Socioieconomic outcomes of restricted access to abortion.

PubMed

Muller, C

1971-06-01

Such questions as the extent to which greater accessibility to abortion services affects poverty and its problems are analyzed, and proposals for identifying the socioeconomic impact of liberalized abortion laws and accessible services are developed. The number of unwanted children born is directly affected by the barriers to legal abortion. In countries that have improved access to legal abortion, the demand for the service has risen among all socioeconomic groups. Long-time family earning potential is severely effected by the defects in the timing and spacing of the birth of children, which often leads to young men and pregnant teen-agers leaving school because of the burdens of pregnancy and child support. Large family size was found in 35% of families in 1965 where the head of the household was a fully employed worker. Children born and living as psychologically rejected or unwanted children risk impaired learning and development which in turn limits future economic achievments. Research into the access of and financing of abortion services should deal with the financial needs of patient groups. The effects of nonhospital service programs, manpower needs, and the surveillance of gaps and coverage of the service needs should be prime research targets.

Meckel's cave access: anatomic study comparing the endoscopic transantral and endonasal approaches.

PubMed

Van Rompaey, Jason; Suruliraj, Anand; Carrau, Ricardo; Panizza, Benedict; Solares, C Arturo

2014-04-01

Recent advances in endonasal endoscopy have facilitated the surgical access to the lateral skull base including areas such as Meckel's cave. This approach has been well documented, however, few studies have outlined transantral specific access to Meckel's. A transantral approach provides a direct pathway to this region obviating the need for extensive endonasal and transsphenoidal resection. Our aim in this study is to compare the anatomical perspectives obtained in endonasal and transantral approaches. We prepared 14 cadaveric specimens with intravascular injections of colored latex. Eight cadavers underwent endoscopic endonasal transpterygoid approaches to Meckel's cave. Six additional specimens underwent an endoscopic transantral approach to the same region. Photographic evidence was obtained for review. 30 CT scans were analyzed to measure comparative distances to Meckel's cave for both approaches. The endoscopic approaches provided a direct access to the anterior and inferior portions of Meckel's cave. However, the transantral approach required shorter instrumentation, and did not require clearing of the endonasal corridor. This approach gave an anterior view of Meckel's cave making posterior dissection more difficult. A transantral approach to Meckel's cave provides access similar to the endonasal approach with minimal invasiveness. Some of the morbidity associated with extensive endonasal resection could possibly be avoided. Better understanding of the complex skull base anatomy, from different perspectives, helps to improve current endoscopic skull base surgery and to develop new alternatives, consequently, leading to improvements in safety and efficacy.

Near-Earth Asteroids 2006 RH120 And 2009 BD: Proxies For Maximally Accessible Objects?

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Barbee, Brent W.; Chodas, Paul W.

2015-01-01

Near-Earth Object Human Space Flight Accessible Targets Study(NHATS): http://neo.jpl.nasa.govnhats/. As of mid-July 2015: 1,434 of the 12,778 currently known NEAs are more astrodynamically accessible than is Mars (requiring less Delta v and or less flight time for round-trip missions). Within those 1,434 NEAs: 605 NEAs can be visited round-trip for less Delta v (9 km/s) than the lunar surface. 51 NEAs can be visited round-trip for less v (5 km/s) than low circular lunar orbit. NEO population statistical models:Tens of thousands of NEAs greater than 100 m yet to be discovered. At least several million NEAs less than or equal to100 m in size (down to approximately 3 m in size) yet to be discovered. How accessible are the NEAs that haven't yet been discovered?

Macroscopic characterisations of Web accessibility

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lopes, Rui; Carriço, Luis

2010-12-01

The Web Science framework poses fundamental questions on the analysis of the Web, by focusing on how microscopic properties (e.g. at the level of a Web page or Web site) emerge into macroscopic properties and phenomena. One research topic on the analysis of the Web is Web accessibility evaluation, which centres on understanding how accessible a Web page is for people with disabilities. However, when framing Web accessibility evaluation on Web Science, we have found that existing research stays at the microscopic level. This article presents an experimental study on framing Web accessibility evaluation into Web Science's goals. This study resulted in novel accessibility properties of the Web not found at microscopic levels, as well as of Web accessibility evaluation processes themselves. We observed at large scale some of the empirical knowledge on how accessibility is perceived by designers and developers, such as the disparity of interpretations of accessibility evaluation tools warnings. We also found a direct relation between accessibility quality and Web page complexity. We provide a set of guidelines for designing Web pages, education on Web accessibility, as well as on the computational limits of large-scale Web accessibility evaluations.

In silico re-identification of properties of drug target proteins.

PubMed

Kim, Baeksoo; Jo, Jihoon; Han, Jonghyun; Park, Chungoo; Lee, Hyunju

2017-05-31

Computational approaches in the identification of drug targets are expected to reduce time and effort in drug development. Advances in genomics and proteomics provide the opportunity to uncover properties of druggable genomes. Although several studies have been conducted for distinguishing drug targets from non-drug targets, they mainly focus on the sequences and functional roles of proteins. Many other properties of proteins have not been fully investigated. Using the DrugBank (version 3.0) database containing nearly 6,816 drug entries including 760 FDA-approved drugs and 1822 of their targets and human UniProt/Swiss-Prot databases, we defined 1578 non-redundant drug target and 17,575 non-drug target proteins. To select these non-redundant protein datasets, we built four datasets (A, B, C, and D) by considering clustering of paralogous proteins. We first reassessed the widely used properties of drug target proteins. We confirmed and extended that drug target proteins (1) are likely to have more hydrophobic, less polar, less PEST sequences, and more signal peptide sequences higher and (2) are more involved in enzyme catalysis, oxidation and reduction in cellular respiration, and operational genes. In this study, we proposed new properties (essentiality, expression pattern, PTMs, and solvent accessibility) for effectively identifying drug target proteins. We found that (1) drug targetability and protein essentiality are decoupled, (2) druggability of proteins has high expression level and tissue specificity, and (3) functional post-translational modification residues are enriched in drug target proteins. In addition, to predict the drug targetability of proteins, we exploited two machine learning methods (Support Vector Machine and Random Forest). When we predicted drug targets by combining previously known protein properties and proposed new properties, an F-score of 0.8307 was obtained. When the newly proposed properties are integrated, the prediction performance

Addressing geographic access barriers to emergency care services: a national ecologic study of hospitals in Brazil.

PubMed

Rocha, Thiago Augusto Hernandes; da Silva, Núbia Cristina; Amaral, Pedro Vasconcelos; Barbosa, Allan Claudius Queiroz; Rocha, João Victor Muniz; Alvares, Viviane; de Almeida, Dante Grapiuna; Thumé, Elaine; Thomaz, Erika Bárbara Abreu Fonseca; de Sousa Queiroz, Rejane Christine; de Souza, Marta Rovery; Lein, Adriana; Lopes, Daniel Paulino; Staton, Catherine A; Vissoci, João Ricardo Nickenig; Facchini, Luiz Augusto

2017-08-22

Unequal distribution of emergency care services is a critical barrier to be overcome to assure access to emergency and surgical care. Considering this context it was objective of the present work analyze geographic access barriers to emergency care services in Brazil. A secondary aim of the study is to define possible roles to be assumed by small hospitals in the Brazilian healthcare network to overcome geographic access challenges. The present work can be classified as a cross-sectional ecological study. To carry out the present study, data of all 5843 Brazilian hospitals were categorized among high complexity centers and small hospitals. The geographical access barriers were identified through the use of two-step floating catchment area method. Once concluded the previous step an evaluation using the Getis-Ord-Gi method was performed to identify spatial clusters of municipalities with limited access to high complexity centers but well covered by well-equipped small hospitals. The analysis of accessibility index of high complexity centers highlighted large portions of the country with nearly zero hospital beds by inhabitant. In contrast, it was possible observe a group of 1595 municipalities with high accessibility to small hospitals, simultaneously with a low coverage of high complexity centers. Among the 1595 municipalities with good accessibility to small hospitals, 74% (1183) were covered by small hospitals with at least 60% of minimum emergency service requirements. The spatial clusters analysis aggregated 589 municipalities with high values related to minimum emergency service requirements. Small hospitals in these 589 cities could promote the equity in access to emergency services benefiting more than eight million people. There is a spatial disequilibrium within the country with prominent gaps in the health care network for emergency services. Taking this challenge into consideration, small hospitals could be a possible solution and foster equity in access

Poverty and access to health care in developing countries.

PubMed

Peters, David H; Garg, Anu; Bloom, Gerry; Walker, Damian G; Brieger, William R; Rahman, M Hafizur

2008-01-01

People in poor countries tend to have less access to health services than those in better-off countries, and within countries, the poor have less access to health services. This article documents disparities in access to health services in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), using a framework incorporating quality, geographic accessibility, availability, financial accessibility, and acceptability of services. Whereas the poor in LMICs are consistently at a disadvantage in each of the dimensions of access and their determinants, this need not be the case. Many different approaches are shown to improve access to the poor, using targeted or universal approaches, engaging government, nongovernmental, or commercial organizations, and pursuing a wide variety of strategies to finance and organize services. Key ingredients of success include concerted efforts to reach the poor, engaging communities and disadvantaged people, encouraging local adaptation, and careful monitoring of effects on the poor. Yet governments in LMICs rarely focus on the poor in their policies or the implementation or monitoring of health service strategies. There are also new innovations in financing, delivery, and regulation of health services that hold promise for improving access to the poor, such as the use of health equity funds, conditional cash transfers, and coproduction and regulation of health services. The challenge remains to find ways to ensure that vulnerable populations have a say in how strategies are developed, implemented, and accounted for in ways that demonstrate improvements in access by the poor.

Spatial accessibility of primary health care in China: A case study in Sichuan Province.

PubMed

Wang, Xiuli; Yang, Huazhen; Duan, Zhanqi; Pan, Jay

2018-05-10

Access to primary health care is considered a fundamental right and an important facilitator of overall population health. Township health centers (THCs) and Community health centers (CHCs) serve as central hubs of China's primary health care system and have been emphasized during recent health care reforms. Accessibility of these hubs is poorly understood and a better understanding of the current situation is essential for proper decision making. This study assesses spatial access to health care provided by primary health care institutions (THCs/CHCs) in Sichuan Province as a microcosm in China. The Nearest-Neighbor method, Enhanced Two-Step Floating Catchment Area (E2SFCA) method, and Gini Coefficient are utilized to represent travel impedance, spatial accessibility, and disparity of primary health care resources (hospital beds, doctors, and health professionals). Accessibilities and Gini Coefficients are correlated with social development indexes (GDP, ethnicity, etc.) to identify influencing factors. Spatial access to primary health care is better in southeastern Sichuan compared to northwestern Sichuan in terms of shorter travel time, higher spatial accessibility, and lower inequity. Social development indexes all showed significant correlation with county averaged spatial accessibilities/Gini Coefficients, with population density ranking top. The disparity of access to primary health care is also apparent between ethnic minority and non-minority regions. To improve spatial access to primary health care and narrow the inequity, more township health centers staffed by qualified health professionals are recommended for northwestern Sichuan. Improved road networks will also help. Among areas with insufficient primary health care, the specific counties where demographics are dominated by older people and children due to widespread rural-urban migration of the workforce, and by ethnic minorities, should be especially emphasized in future planning. Copyright © 2018

Study Identifies New Lymphoma Treatment Target

Cancer.gov

NCI researchers have identified new therapeutic targets for diffuse large B-cell lymphoma. Drugs that hit these targets are under clinical development and the researchers hope to begin testing them in clinical trials of patients with DLBCL.

Large Capacity of Conscious Access for Incidental Memories in Natural Scenes.

PubMed

Kaunitz, Lisandro N; Rowe, Elise G; Tsuchiya, Naotsugu

2016-09-01

When searching a crowd, people can detect a target face only by direct fixation and attention. Once the target is found, it is consciously experienced and remembered, but what is the perceptual fate of the fixated nontarget faces? Whereas introspection suggests that one may remember nontargets, previous studies have proposed that almost no memory should be retained. Using a gaze-contingent paradigm, we asked subjects to visually search for a target face within a crowded natural scene and then tested their memory for nontarget faces, as well as their confidence in those memories. Subjects remembered up to seven fixated, nontarget faces with more than 70% accuracy. Memory accuracy was correlated with trial-by-trial confidence ratings, which implies that the memory was consciously maintained and accessed. When the search scene was inverted, no more than three nontarget faces were remembered. These findings imply that incidental memory for faces, such as those recalled by eyewitnesses, is more reliable than is usually assumed. © The Author(s) 2016.

In-silico Leishmania target selectivity of antiparasitic terpenoids.

PubMed

Ogungbe, Ifedayo Victor; Setzer, William N

2013-07-03

Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs), like leishmaniasis, are major causes of mortality in resource-limited countries. The mortality associated with these diseases is largely due to fragile healthcare systems, lack of access to medicines, and resistance by the parasites to the few available drugs. Many antiparasitic plant-derived isoprenoids have been reported, and many of them have good in vitro activity against various forms of Leishmania spp. In this work, potential Leishmania biochemical targets of antiparasitic isoprenoids were studied in silico. Antiparasitic monoterpenoids selectively docked to L. infantum nicotinamidase, L. major uridine diphosphate-glucose pyrophosphorylase and methionyl t-RNA synthetase. The two protein targets selectively targeted by germacranolide sesquiterpenoids were L. major methionyl t-RNA synthetase and dihydroorotate dehydrogenase. Diterpenoids generally favored docking to L. mexicana glycerol-3-phosphate dehydrogenase. Limonoids also showed some selectivity for L. mexicana glycerol-3-phosphate dehydrogenase and L. major dihydroorotate dehydrogenase while withanolides docked more selectively with L. major uridine diphosphate-glucose pyrophosphorylase. The selectivity of the different classes of antiparasitic compounds for the protein targets considered in this work can be explored in fragment- and/or structure-based drug design towards the development of leads for new antileishmanial drugs.

Accessibility of School Districts' Web Sites: A Descriptive Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bray, Marty; Flowers, Claudia; Gibson, Patricia

2003-01-01

Many school districts (SDs) use the World Wide Web (WWW or Web) to disseminate a wide variety of information about things such as district events, policies, and a wide variety of student information. On-line barriers limit the accessibility of the WWW for persons and students with disabilities and thus can limit their access to vital information.…

Universal accessibility of "accessible" fitness and recreational facilities for persons with mobility disabilities.

PubMed

Arbour-Nicitopoulos, Kelly P; Ginis, Kathleen A Martin

2011-01-01

This study descriptively measured the universal accessibility of "accessible" fitness and recreational facilities for Ontarians living with mobility disabilities. The physical and social environments of 44 fitness and recreational facilities that identified as "accessible" were assessed using a modified version of the AIMFREE. None of the 44 facilities were completely accessible. Mean accessibility ratings ranged between 31 and 63 out of a possible 100. Overall, recreational facilities had higher accessibility scores than fitness centers, with significant differences found on professional support and training, entrance areas, and parking lot. A modest correlation was found between the availability of fitness programming and the overall accessibility of fitness-center specific facility areas. Overall, the physical and social environments of the 44 fitness and recreational facilities assessed were limited in their accessibility for persons with mobility disabilities. Future efforts should be directed at establishing and meeting universal accessibility guidelines for Canadian physical activity facilities.

Open access gastroscopy: too much to swallow?

PubMed Central

Kerrigan, D D; Brown, S R; Hutchinson, G H

1990-01-01

OBJECTIVES--To ascertain the proportion of endoscopic examinations with normal findings in patients referred for gastroscopy through hospital medical staff or directly by their general practitioner and to assess the likely effect of targeting endoscopy in older patients. DESIGN--Retrospective audit of the gastroscopy practice of one consultant from 1986 to 1988 from information recorded on a standard form completed at the time of the examination, which contained details of patients, their endoscopic findings, and mode of referral (open access or clinic). SETTING--One district general hospital. PATIENTS--1545 Consecutive patients from primary catchment area attending for their first gastroscopy; 454 were referred through the outpatient clinic or by hospital colleagues (clinic group) and 1091 were accepted for endoscopy solely on their general practitioner's clinical diagnosis (open access group). RESULTS--Similar numbers (about 40%) of examinations with normal findings were performed in each group, although in patients aged over 40 the proportion with normal findings was significantly higher in the clinic group (p less than 0.03). Endoscopic evidence of gastro-oesophageal reflux disease, peptic ulceration, and gastroduodenal inflammation was equally common in each group; upper gastrointestinal malignancy, however, was significantly more common in patients referred through hospital doctors (5%, 23/454 v 2%, 22/1091 respectively; p less than 0.005) (although many of these patients had already been extensively investigated). IMPLICATIONS--Open access gastroscopy does not increase the number of unnecessary examinations and should become more widely available. Targeting this service to patients aged over 40 would reduce the number of requests but increase the diagnostic yield. PMID:2106992

A geographical perspective on access to sexual and reproductive health care for women in rural Africa.

PubMed

Yao, Jing; Murray, Alan T; Agadjanian, Victor

2013-11-01

Utilization of sexual and reproductive health (SRH) services can significantly impact health outcomes, such as pregnancy and birth, prenatal and neonatal mortality, maternal morbidity and mortality, and vertical transmission of infectious diseases like HIV/AIDS. It has long been recognized that access to SRH services is essential to positive health outcomes, especially in rural areas of developing countries, where long distances as well as poor transportation conditions, can be potential barriers to health care acquisition. Improving accessibility of health services for target populations is therefore critical for specialized healthcare programs. Thus, understanding and evaluation of current access to health care is crucial. Combining spatial information using geographical information system (GIS) with population survey data, this study details a gravity model-based method to measure and evaluate access to SRH services in rural Mozambique, and analyzes potential geographic access to such services, using family planning as an example. Access is found to be a significant factor in reported behavior, superior to traditional distance-based indicators. Spatial disparities in geographic access among different population groups also appear to exist, likely affecting overall program success. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A geographical perspective on access to sexual and reproductive health care for women in rural Africa

PubMed Central

Yao, Jing; Murray, Alan T.; Agadjanian, Victor

2015-01-01

Utilization of sexual and reproductive health (SRH) services can significantly impact health outcomes, such as pregnancy and birth, prenatal and neonatal mortality, maternal morbidity and mortality, and vertical transmission of infectious diseases like HIV/AIDS. It has long been recognized that access to SRH services is essential to positive health outcomes, especially in rural areas of developing countries, where long distances as well as poor transportation conditions, can be potential barriers to health care acquisition. Improving accessibility of health services for target populations is therefore critical for specialized healthcare programs. Thus, understanding and evaluation of current access to health care is crucial. Combining spatial information using geographical information system (GIS) with population survey data, this study details a gravity model-based method to measure and evaluate access to SRH services in rural Mozambique, and analyzes potential geographic access to such services, using family planning as an example. Access is found to be a significant factor in reported behavior, superior to traditional distance-based indicators. Spatial disparities in geographic access among different population groups also appear to exist, likely affecting overall program success. PMID:24034952

Radiological Protection and Nuclear Engineering Studies in Multi-MW Target Systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Luis, Raul Fernandes

Several innovative projects involving nuclear technology have emerged around the world in recent years, for applications such as spallation neutron sources, accelerator-driven systems for the transmutation of nuclear waste and radioactive ion beam (RIB) production. While the available neutron Wuxes from nuclear reactors did not increase substantially in intensity over the past three decades, the intensities of neutron sources produced in spallation targets have increased steadily, and should continue to do so during the 21st century. Innovative projects like ESS, MYRRHA and EURISOL lie at the forefront of the ongoing pursuit for increasingly bright neutron sources; driven by proton beams with energies up to 2 GeV and intensities up to several mA, the construction of their proposed facilities involves complex Nuclear Technology and Radiological Protection design studies executed by multidisciplinary teams of scientists and engineers from diUerent branches of Science. The intense neutron Wuxes foreseen for those facilities can be used in several scientiVc research Velds, such as Nuclear Physics and Astrophysics, Medicine and Materials Science. In this work, the target systems of two facilitites for the production of RIBs using the Isotope Separation On-Line (ISOL) method were studied in detail: ISOLDE, operating at CERN since 1967, and EURISOL, the next-generation ISOL facility to be built in Europe. For the EURISOL multi-MW target station, a detailed study of Radiological Protection was carried out using the Monte Carlo code FLUKA. Simulations were done to assess neutron Wuences, Vssion rates, ambient dose equivalent rates during operation and after shutdown and the production of radioactive nuclei in the targets and surrounding materials. DiUerent materials were discussed for diUerent components of the target system, aiming at improving its neutronics performance while keeping the residual activities resulting from material activation as low as possible. The second

Assessing potential spatial accessibility of health services in rural China: a case study of Donghai county

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Introduction There is a great health services disparity between urban and rural areas in China. The percentage of people who are unable to access health services due to long travel times increases. This paper takes Donghai County as the study unit to analyse areas with physician shortages and characteristics of the potential spatial accessibility of health services. We analyse how the unequal health services resources distribution and the New Cooperative Medical Scheme affect the potential spatial accessibility of health services in Donghai County. We also give some advice on how to alleviate the unequal spatial accessibility of health services in areas that are more remote and isolated. Methods The shortest traffic times of from hospitals to villages are calculated with an O-D matrix of GIS extension model. This paper applies an enhanced two-step floating catchment area (E2SFCA) method to study the spatial accessibility of health services and to determine areas with physician shortages in Donghai County. The sensitivity of the E2SFCA for assessing variation in the spatial accessibility of health services is checked using different impedance coefficient valuesa. Geostatistical Analyst model and spatial analyst method is used to analyse the spatial pattern and the edge effect of potential spatial accessibility of health services. Results The results show that 69% of villages have access to lower potential spatial accessibility of health services than the average for Donghai County, and 79% of the village scores are lower than the average for Jiangsu Province. The potential spatial accessibility of health services diminishes greatly from the centre of the county to outlying areas. Using a smaller impedance coefficient leads to greater disparity among the villages. The spatial accessibility of health services is greater along highway in the county. Conclusions Most of villages are in underserved health services areas. An unequal distribution of health service

Emergency intraosseous access in a helicopter emergency medical service: a retrospective study.

PubMed

Sunde, Geir A; Heradstveit, Bård E; Vikenes, Bjarne H; Heltne, Jon K

2010-10-07

Intraosseous access (IO) is a method for providing vascular access in out-of-hospital resuscitation of critically ill and injured patients when traditional intravenous access is difficult or impossible. Different intraosseous techniques have been used by our Helicopter Emergency Medical Services (HEMS) since 2003. Few articles document IO use by HEMS physicians. The aim of this study was to evaluate the use of intraosseous access in pre-hospital emergency situations handled by our HEMS. We reviewed all medical records from the period May 2003 to April 2010, and compared three different techniques: Bone Injection Gun (B.I.G® - Waismed), manual bone marrow aspiration needle (Inter V - Medical Device Technologies) and EZ-IO® (Vidacare), used on both adults and paediatric patients. During this seven-year period, 78 insertion attempts were made on 70 patients. Overall success rates were 50% using the manual needle, 55% using the Bone Injection Gun, and 96% using the EZ-IO®. Rates of success on first attempt were significantly higher using the EZ-IO® compared to the manual needle/Bone Injection Gun (p < 0.01/p < 0.001). Fifteen failures were due to insertion-related problems (19.2%), with four technical problems (5.1%) and three extravasations (3.8%) being the most frequent causes. Intraosseous access was primarily used in connection with 53 patients in cardiac arrest (75.7%), including traumatic arrest, drowning and SIDS. Other diagnoses were seven patients with multi-trauma (10.0%), five with seizures/epilepsy (7.1%), three with respiratory failure (4.3%) and two others (2.9%). Nearly one third of all insertions (n = 22) were made in patients younger than two years. No cases of osteomyelitis or other serious complications were documented on the follow-up. Newer intraosseous techniques may enable faster and more reliable vascular access, and this can lower the threshold for intraosseous access on both adult and paediatric patients in critical situations. We believe

Emergency intraosseous access in a helicopter emergency medical service: a retrospective study

PubMed Central

2010-01-01

Background Intraosseous access (IO) is a method for providing vascular access in out-of-hospital resuscitation of critically ill and injured patients when traditional intravenous access is difficult or impossible. Different intraosseous techniques have been used by our Helicopter Emergency Medical Services (HEMS) since 2003. Few articles document IO use by HEMS physicians. The aim of this study was to evaluate the use of intraosseous access in pre-hospital emergency situations handled by our HEMS. Methods We reviewed all medical records from the period May 2003 to April 2010, and compared three different techniques: Bone Injection Gun (B.I.G® - Waismed), manual bone marrow aspiration needle (Inter V - Medical Device Technologies) and EZ-IO® (Vidacare), used on both adults and paediatric patients. Results During this seven-year period, 78 insertion attempts were made on 70 patients. Overall success rates were 50% using the manual needle, 55% using the Bone Injection Gun, and 96% using the EZ-IO®. Rates of success on first attempt were significantly higher using the EZ-IO® compared to the manual needle/Bone Injection Gun (p < 0.01/p < 0.001). Fifteen failures were due to insertion-related problems (19.2%), with four technical problems (5.1%) and three extravasations (3.8%) being the most frequent causes. Intraosseous access was primarily used in connection with 53 patients in cardiac arrest (75.7%), including traumatic arrest, drowning and SIDS. Other diagnoses were seven patients with multi-trauma (10.0%), five with seizures/epilepsy (7.1%), three with respiratory failure (4.3%) and two others (2.9%). Nearly one third of all insertions (n = 22) were made in patients younger than two years. No cases of osteomyelitis or other serious complications were documented on the follow-up. Conclusions Newer intraosseous techniques may enable faster and more reliable vascular access, and this can lower the threshold for intraosseous access on both adult and paediatric

Targeted quantification of lipid mediators in skeletal muscles using restricted access media-based trap-and-elute liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry.

PubMed

Wang, Zhiying; Bian, Liangqiao; Mo, Chenglin; Kukula, Maciej; Schug, Kevin A; Brotto, Marco

2017-09-01

Lipid mediators (LMs) are a class of bioactive metabolites of the essential polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA), which are involved in many physiological processes. Their quantification in biological samples is critical for understanding their functions in lifestyle and chronic diseases, such as diabetes, as well allergies, cancers, and in aging processes. We developed a rapid, and sensitive LC-MS/MS method to quantify the concentrations of 14 lipid mediators of interest in mouse skeletal muscle tissue without time-consuming liquid-liquid or solid-phase extractions. A restricted-access media (RAM) based trap was used prior to LC-MS as cleanup process to prevent the analytical column from clogging and deterioration. The system enabled automatic removal of residual proteins and other biological interferences presented in the tissue extracts; the target analytes were retained in the trap and then eluted to an analytical column for separation. Matrix evaluation tests demonstrated that the use of the combined RAM trap and chromatographic separation efficiently eliminated the biological or chemical matrix interferences typically encountered in bioanalytical analysis. Using 14 LM standards and 12 corresponding deuterated compounds as internal standards, the five-point calibration curves, established over the concentration range of 0.031-320 ng mL -1 , demonstrated good linearity of r 2  > 0.9903 (0.9903-0.9983). The lower detection limits obtained were 0.016, 0.031, 0.062, and 0.31 ng mL -1 (0.5, 1, 2, and 10 pg on column), respectively, depending on the specific compounds. Good accuracy (87.1-114.5%) and precision (<13.4%) of the method were observed for low, medium, and high concentration quality control samples. The method was applied to measure the amount of 14 target LMs in mouse skeletal muscle tissues. All 14 analytes in this study were successfully detected and quantified in the gastrocnemius muscle samples, which provided crucial information for both age

[A particular anthropometric method for the study of accessibility of a workstation].

PubMed

Molinaro, V; Del Ferraro, S

2008-01-01

One of the main factors which can involve musculo-skeletal disorders is the assumption of awkward postures. These lasts can be caused, in some cases, by a no-suitable collocation of some devices which are indispensable for the work. It is possible to evaluate if the chosen collocation is adequate or not by studying the accessibility of the workstation with a special regard for the accessibility of the devices placed inside the workstation. EN ISO 14738:2002 is a specific standard which has been adopted in Italy as UNI EN ISO 14738:2004. This standard gives some useful requirements, in terms of accessibility, to design a workstation at no-mobile machinery. In this study, the authors have analyzed a check out workstation by following the requirements described in UNI EN ISO 14738:2004. Critical aspects, related to the organization both of the work activities either of the workstation, have been highlighted taking into account standard criteria. Finally the authors make a new design of the check out workstation trying to optimize device collocation in order to reduce awkward postures. The new configuration has been investigated by applying the criteria mentioned in the standard.

Two-Step Optimization for Spatial Accessibility Improvement: A Case Study of Health Care Planning in Rural China

PubMed Central

Luo, Jing; Tian, Lingling; Luo, Lei; Yi, Hong

2017-01-01

A recent advancement in location-allocation modeling formulates a two-step approach to a new problem of minimizing disparity of spatial accessibility. Our field work in a health care planning project in a rural county in China indicated that residents valued distance or travel time from the nearest hospital foremost and then considered quality of care including less waiting time as a secondary desirability. Based on the case study, this paper further clarifies the sequential decision-making approach, termed “two-step optimization for spatial accessibility improvement (2SO4SAI).” The first step is to find the best locations to site new facilities by emphasizing accessibility as proximity to the nearest facilities with several alternative objectives under consideration. The second step adjusts the capacities of facilities for minimal inequality in accessibility, where the measure of accessibility accounts for the match ratio of supply and demand and complex spatial interaction between them. The case study illustrates how the two-step optimization method improves both aspects of spatial accessibility for health care access in rural China. PMID:28484707

Two-Step Optimization for Spatial Accessibility Improvement: A Case Study of Health Care Planning in Rural China.

PubMed

Luo, Jing; Tian, Lingling; Luo, Lei; Yi, Hong; Wang, Fahui

2017-01-01

A recent advancement in location-allocation modeling formulates a two-step approach to a new problem of minimizing disparity of spatial accessibility. Our field work in a health care planning project in a rural county in China indicated that residents valued distance or travel time from the nearest hospital foremost and then considered quality of care including less waiting time as a secondary desirability. Based on the case study, this paper further clarifies the sequential decision-making approach, termed "two-step optimization for spatial accessibility improvement (2SO4SAI)." The first step is to find the best locations to site new facilities by emphasizing accessibility as proximity to the nearest facilities with several alternative objectives under consideration. The second step adjusts the capacities of facilities for minimal inequality in accessibility, where the measure of accessibility accounts for the match ratio of supply and demand and complex spatial interaction between them. The case study illustrates how the two-step optimization method improves both aspects of spatial accessibility for health care access in rural China.

Lung cancer, caring for the caregivers. A qualitative study of providing pro-active social support targeted to the carers of patients with lung cancer.

PubMed

Ryan, P J; Howell, V; Jones, J; Hardy, E J

2008-04-01

Carers of patients with lung cancer often have a short time to access the support they require. The Macmillan Carers Project (MCP) was set up to provide non-clinical social support targeted in the community to the carers of patients with lung cancer and this study describes its evaluation. Prospective case study using interviews with the carers, project workers and health and social care professionals to obtain qualitative data for thematic analysis. 81 patients' carers received support from the MCP; 20 carers, 2 MCP workers and their manager and 10 other professionals (chest consultant physician, lung cancer clinical nurse specialist, GP, four Macmillan nurses, hospice social worker and two community social workers) were interviewed. Patients were predominantly male (62%), mean age 71 years and carers were predominantly female (70%) mean age 63 years. Carers identified the MCP as providing emotional support, more time, practical help, financial advice, information and back-up for a myriad of problems. Although there was some overlap with other services, the MCP was valued by carers and professionals as filling a gap in social care. The unique aspect of this study was support targeted to the carers of a single cancer site (lung) rather than generic cancer support. As lung cancer may progress rapidly, patients and their carers have a short time to gather new information, access services and adjust to their new circumstances and roles. By focusing on the needs of carers from the time of lung cancer diagnosis, we have shown that the MCP was a valued additional service, well received by carers, patients and professionals.

Making journals accessible to the visually impaired: the future is near

PubMed Central

GARDNER, John; BULATOV, Vladimir; KELLY, Robert

2010-01-01

The American Physical Society (APS) has been a leader in using markup languages for publishing. ViewPlus has led development of innovative technologies for graphical information accessibility by people with print disabilities. APS, ViewPlus, and other collaborators in the Enhanced Reading Project are working together to develop the necessary technology and infrastructure for APS to publish its journals in the DAISY (Digital Accessible Information SYstem) eXtended Markup Language (XML) format, in which all text, math, and figures would be accessible to people who are blind or have other print disabilities. The first APS DAISY XML publications are targeted for late 2010. PMID:20676358

Aspirex Thrombectomy in Occluded Dialysis Access: A Retrospective Study

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Dyer, Jules, E-mail: Jules.Dyer@nhs.net; Rosa, Joao; Chachlani, Menka

PurposeThis study is the first to present the outcomes of the Straub Aspirex device for the salvage of occluded renal dialysis access fistulae.Materials and MethodsThis is a retrospective study, using data from the Renal Unit and Radiology Department database. It included all the patients between 2010 and 2014 who underwent percutaneous mechanical thrombectomy (PMT) treated by JD. Aspirex is an over-the-wire, 6–10 French catheter within which is a rapidly rotating helix which draws thrombus into a window near the tip which it then macerates and removes. Access survival was assessed using the Kaplan–Meier method, and multi-variant analysis was performed usingmore » the Cox proportional hazards model. Significance was considered if p < 0.05.ResultsA total of 27 procedures were performed for 19 patients. 13 had autologous arterio-venous fistulae, and 14 had synthetic (PTFE) arterio-venous grafts. 15 were males, 4 females. 100 % of the patients successfully had a channel of thrombus removed. This resulted in an 81.5 % initial clinical success, with primary patency rates of 53.6, 44.3 and 33 % by days 30, 90 and 480, respectively, without significant difference of any analysed covariates. No major complication (pulmonary embolus, paradoxical cerebral infarction, limb ischaemia or significant haemorrhage) occurred.ConclusionAspirex has rates of patency and complication similar to other PMT devices. No covariant studied affected outcome.« less

Barriers to treatment access for Chagas disease in Mexico.

PubMed

Manne, Jennifer M; Snively, Callae S; Ramsey, Janine M; Salgado, Marco Ocampo; Bärnighausen, Till; Reich, Michael R

2013-01-01

According to World Health Organization (WHO) prevalence estimates, 1.1 million people in Mexico are infected with Trypanosoma cruzi, the etiologic agent of Chagas disease (CD). However, limited information is available about access to antitrypanosomal treatment. This study assesses the extent of access in Mexico, analyzes the barriers to access, and suggests strategies to overcome them. Semi-structured in-depth interviews were conducted with 18 key informants and policymakers at the national level in Mexico. Data on CD cases, relevant policy documents and interview data were analyzed using the Flagship Framework for Pharmaceutical Policy Reform policy interventions: regulation, financing, payment, organization, and persuasion. Data showed that 3,013 cases were registered nationally from 2007-2011, representing 0.41% of total expected cases based on Mexico's national prevalence estimate. In four of five years, new registered cases were below national targets by 11-36%. Of 1,329 cases registered nationally in 2010-2011, 834 received treatment, 120 were pending treatment as of January 2012, and the treatment status of 375 was unknown. The analysis revealed that the national program mainly coordinated donation of nifurtimox and that important obstacles to access include the exclusion of antitrypanosomal medicines from the national formulary (regulation), historical exclusion of CD from the social insurance package (organization), absence of national clinical guidelines (organization), and limited provider awareness (persuasion). Efforts to treat CD in Mexico indicate an increased commitment to addressing this disease. Access to treatment could be advanced by improving the importation process for antitrypanosomal medicines and adding them to the national formulary, increasing education for healthcare providers, and strengthening clinical guidelines. These recommendations have important implications for other countries in the region with similar problems in access to

Barriers to Treatment Access for Chagas Disease in Mexico

PubMed Central

Manne, Jennifer M.; Snively, Callae S.; Ramsey, Janine M.; Salgado, Marco Ocampo; Bärnighausen, Till; Reich, Michael R.

2013-01-01

Background According to World Health Organization (WHO) prevalence estimates, 1.1 million people in Mexico are infected with Trypanosoma cruzi, the etiologic agent of Chagas disease (CD). However, limited information is available about access to antitrypanosomal treatment. This study assesses the extent of access in Mexico, analyzes the barriers to access, and suggests strategies to overcome them. Methods and Findings Semi-structured in-depth interviews were conducted with 18 key informants and policymakers at the national level in Mexico. Data on CD cases, relevant policy documents and interview data were analyzed using the Flagship Framework for Pharmaceutical Policy Reform policy interventions: regulation, financing, payment, organization, and persuasion. Data showed that 3,013 cases were registered nationally from 2007–2011, representing 0.41% of total expected cases based on Mexico's national prevalence estimate. In four of five years, new registered cases were below national targets by 11–36%. Of 1,329 cases registered nationally in 2010–2011, 834 received treatment, 120 were pending treatment as of January 2012, and the treatment status of 375 was unknown. The analysis revealed that the national program mainly coordinated donation of nifurtimox and that important obstacles to access include the exclusion of antitrypanosomal medicines from the national formulary (regulation), historical exclusion of CD from the social insurance package (organization), absence of national clinical guidelines (organization), and limited provider awareness (persuasion). Conclusions Efforts to treat CD in Mexico indicate an increased commitment to addressing this disease. Access to treatment could be advanced by improving the importation process for antitrypanosomal medicines and adding them to the national formulary, increasing education for healthcare providers, and strengthening clinical guidelines. These recommendations have important implications for other countries in

A novel asynchronous access method with binary interfaces

PubMed Central

2008-01-01

Background Traditionally synchronous access strategies require users to comply with one or more time constraints in order to communicate intent with a binary human-machine interface (e.g., mechanical, gestural or neural switches). Asynchronous access methods are preferable, but have not been used with binary interfaces in the control of devices that require more than two commands to be successfully operated. Methods We present the mathematical development and evaluation of a novel asynchronous access method that may be used to translate sporadic activations of binary interfaces into distinct outcomes for the control of devices requiring an arbitrary number of commands to be controlled. With this method, users are required to activate their interfaces only when the device under control behaves erroneously. Then, a recursive algorithm, incorporating contextual assumptions relevant to all possible outcomes, is used to obtain an informed estimate of user intention. We evaluate this method by simulating a control task requiring a series of target commands to be tracked by a model user. Results When compared to a random selection, the proposed asynchronous access method offers a significant reduction in the number of interface activations required from the user. Conclusion This novel access method offers a variety of advantages over traditionally synchronous access strategies and may be adapted to a wide variety of contexts, with primary relevance to applications involving direct object manipulation. PMID:18959797

Shifting the Paradigm: Monitoring Access in Medicare Managed Care

PubMed Central

Docteur, Elizabeth R.; Colby, David C.; Gold, Marsha

1996-01-01

Medicare managed care enrollment growth points to the need to develop an approach for monitoring access to care for the increasing number of beneficiaries who use these arrangements. This article describes the issues to be addressed in designing a system for monitoring managed care plan enrollees' ability to obtain needed medical care on a timely basis. We review components of the monitoring approach used for traditional fee-for-service (FFS) Medicare, including the conceptual framework, data, measures, and subgroups targeted in monitoring efforts, and discuss the adaptation of that approach for monitoring access in Medicare managed care. PMID:10165713

Shifting the paradigm: monitoring access in Medicare managed care.

PubMed

Docteur, E R; Colby, D C; Gold, M

1996-01-01

Medicare managed care enrollment growth points to the need to develop an approach for monitoring access to care for the increasing number of beneficiaries who use these arrangements. This article describes the issues to be addressed in designing a system for monitoring managed care plan enrollees' ability to obtain needed medical care on a timely basis. We review components of the monitoring approach used for traditional fee-for-service (FFS) Medicare, including the conceptual framework, data, measures, and subgroups targeted in monitoring efforts, and discuss the adaptation of that approach for monitoring access in Medicare managed care.

Accessibility, Textbooks, and Access Services

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kahler, Janice E.

2017-01-01

Putting access in Access Services is the goal. The Course Reserves unit is the place. Textbooks are the focus. Electronic technologies are the future. Patron-centric services will be our standard. Access to textbooks by all patrons will be the achievement. Course Reserves located in Library West at the University of Florida George A. Smathers…

Targeted delivery of anti-tuberculosis drugs to macrophages: targeting mannose receptors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Filatova, L. Yu; Klyachko, N. L.; Kudryashova, E. V.

2018-04-01

The development of systems for targeted delivery of anti-tuberculosis drugs is a challenge of modern biotechnology. Currently, these drugs are encapsulated in a variety of carriers such as liposomes, polymers, emulsions and so on. Despite successful in vitro testing of these systems, virtually no success was achieved in vivo, because of low accessibility of the foci of infection located in alveolar macrophage cells. A promising strategy for increasing the efficiency of therapeutic action of anti-tuberculosis drugs is to encapsulate the agents into mannosylated carriers targeting the mannose receptors of alveolar macrophages. The review addresses the methods for modification of drug substance carriers, such as liposomes and biodegradable polymers, with mannose residues. The use of mannosylated carriers to deliver anti-tuberculosis agents increases the drug circulation time in the blood stream and increases the drug concentration in alveolar macrophage cells. The bibliography includes 113 references.

Towards achieving Abuja targets: identifying and addressing barriers to access and use of insecticides treated nets among the poorest populations in Kenya.

PubMed

Chuma, Jane; Okungu, Vincent; Ntwiga, Janet; Molyneux, Catherine

2010-03-16

Ensuring that the poor and vulnerable population benefit from malaria control interventions remains a challenge for malaria endemic countries. Until recently, ownership and use of insecticides treated nets (ITNs) in most countries was low and inequitable, although coverage has increased in countries where free ITN distribution is integrated into mass vaccination campaigns. In Kenya, free ITNs were distributed to children aged below five years in 2006 through two mass campaigns. High and equitable coverage were reported after the campaigns in some districts, although national level coverage remained low, suggesting that understanding barriers to access remains important. This study was conducted to explore barriers to ownership and use of ITNs among the poorest populations before and after the mass campaigns, to identify strategies for improving coverage, and to make recommendations on how increased coverage levels can be sustained. The study was conducted in the poorest areas of four malaria endemic districts in Kenya. Multiple data collection methods were applied including: cross-sectional surveys (n = 708 households), 24 focus group discussions and semi-structured interviews with 70 ITN suppliers. Affordability was reported as a major barrier to access but non-financial barriers were also shown to be important determinants. On the demand side key barriers to access included: mismatch between the types of ITNs supplied through interventions and community preferences; perceptions and beliefs on illness causes; physical location of suppliers and; distrust in free delivery and in the distribution agencies. Key barriers on the supply side included: distance from manufacturers; limited acceptability of ITNs provided through interventions; crowding out of the commercial sector and the price. Infrastructure, information and communication played a central role in promoting or hindering access. Significant resources have been directed towards addressing affordability

Access Nature[TM]: 45 Fun, Hands-On Activities for Everyone!

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Almeras, Bethe Gilbert; Heath, David

"Access Nature" is an outdoor science curriculum that focuses on habitats. This curriculum targets students ages 6-14 and aims to develop environmental awareness, environmental leadership skills, and outdoor knowledge and skills. Specific adaptations for disabled students are also considered. Contents include: (1) "Introduction to…

Lexical Access in Early Stages of Visual Word Processing: A Single-Trial Correlational MEG Study of Heteronym Recognition

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Solomyak, Olla; Marantz, Alec

2009-01-01

We present an MEG study of heteronym recognition, aiming to distinguish between two theories of lexical access: the "early access" theory, which entails that lexical access occurs at early (pre 200 ms) stages of processing, and the "late access" theory, which interprets this early activity as orthographic word-form identification rather than…

A study of the bio-accessibility of welding fumes.

PubMed

Berlinger, Balázs; Ellingsen, Dag G; Náray, Miklós; Záray, Gyula; Thomassen, Yngvar

2008-12-01

The respiratory bio-accessibility of a substance is the fraction that is soluble in the respiratory environment and is available for absorption. In the case of respiratory exposure the amount of absorbed substance plays a main role in the biological effects. Extensive bio-accessibility studies have always been an essential requirement for a better understanding of the biological effects of different workplace aerosols, such as welding fumes. Fumes generated using three different welding techniques, manual metal arc (MMA) welding, metal inert gas (MIG) welding, and tungsten inert gas (TIG) welding were investigated in the present study. Each technique was used for stainless steel welding. Welding fumes were collected on PVC membrane filters in batches of 114 using a multiport air sampler. Three different fluids were applied for the solubility study: deionised water and two kinds of lung fluid simulants: lung epithelial lining fluid simulant (Gamble's solution) and artificial lung lining fluid simulant (Hatch's solution). In order to obtain sufficient data to study the tendencies in solubility change with time, seven different leaching periods were used (0.5, 1, 2, 4, 8, 16, 24 h), each of them with three replicates. The effect of dissolution temperature was also studied. The total amounts of selected metals in the three different welding fumes were determined after microwave-assisted digestion with the mixture of aqua regia and hydrofluoric acid. The most obvious observation yielded by the results is that the solubility of individual metals varies greatly depending on the welding technique, the composition of the leaching fluid and leaching time. This study shows that the most reasonable choice as a media for the bio-assessment of solubility might be Hatch's solution by a dissolution time of 24 h.

The Potential for Adaptable Accessible Learning Objects: A Case Study in Accessible Vodcasting

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gkatzidou, Stavroula; Pearson, Elaine

2009-01-01

With the rapid development of wireless networks and mobile technologies and the increasing adoption of mobile learning, the need for "anywhere, anytime and any device" access to information becomes more evident. This has influenced the design of learning objects. The small but developing literature on vodcasting indicates its potential…

Girls' Access to Education in China: Actors, Cultures and the Windmill of Development Management. CREATE Pathways to Access. Research Monograph No. 39

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wang, Xiaojun Grace

2010-01-01

The world has a mixed record towards achieving EFA [Education for All] and the MDGs [Millennium Development Goals] in relation to the targets on gender equity in basic education. For researchers and practitioners, this raises the question of which factors influence the processes leading to the improvement of access and quality of girls' education…

Internet and Social Media Access Among Youth Experiencing Homelessness: Mixed-Methods Study.

PubMed

VonHoltz, Lauren A Houdek; Frasso, Rosemary; Golinkoff, Jesse M; Lozano, Alicia J; Hanlon, Alexandra; Dowshen, Nadia

2018-05-22

Youth experiencing homelessness are at a risk for a variety of adverse outcomes. Given the widespread use of the internet and social media, these new technologies may be used to address their needs and for outreach purposes. However, little is known about how this group uses these resources. This study investigated how homeless adolescents use these technologies for general and health-related purposes, whether the scope of their use changes with housing status, and their interest in a website dedicated to youth experiencing homelessness. A convenience sample of youth aged 18 to 21 years was recruited from a youth-specific homeless shelter. All participants completed a 47-item survey, with 10 individuals completing a semistructured interview. Descriptive statistics, exact testing, logistic regression, and generalized estimating equation modeling was performed for quantitative data analysis. Interviews were transcribed verbatim, and NVivo 10 (QSR International) was employed to facilitate double coding and thematic analysis. A total of 87 participants completed the survey with a mean age of 19.4 (SD 1.1) years. While experiencing homelessness, 56% (49/87) accessed the internet at least once a day, with 86% (75/87) accessing once a week. Access to a smartphone was associated with a 3.03 greater odds of accessing the internet and was the most frequently used device (66% of participants, 57/87). While experiencing homelessness, subjects reported a 68% decreased odds in internet access frequency (odds ratio [OR] 0.32, P<.001), 75% decreased odds in spending greater amounts of time on the internet (OR 0.25, P<.001), and an 87% decreased odds of social media use (OR 0.13, P=.01). Ten participants completed the semistructured interview. Several themes were identified, including (1) changes in internet behaviors while experiencing homelessness, (2) health status as a major concern and reason for Internet use, and (3) interest in a website dedicated to youth experiencing

Perspectives in understanding open access to research data - infrastructure and technology challenges

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bigagli, Lorenzo; Sondervan, Jeroen

2014-05-01

The Policy RECommendations for Open Access to Research Data in Europe (RECODE) project, started in February 2013 with a duration of two years, has the objective to identify a series of targeted and over-arching policy recommendations for Open Access to European research data, based on existing good practice and addressing such hindering factors as stakeholder fragmentation, technical and infrastructural issues, ethical and legal issues, and financial and institutional policies. In this work we focus on the technical and infrastructural aspect, where by "infrastructure" we mean the technological assets (hardware and software), the human resources, and all the policies, processes, procedures and training for managing and supporting its continuous operation and evolution. The context targeted by RECODE includes heterogeneous networks, initiatives, projects and communities that are fragmented by discipline, geography, stakeholder category (publishers, academics, repositories, etc.) as well as other boundaries. Many of these organizations are already addressing key technical and infrastructural barriers to Open Access to research data. Such barriers may include: lack of automatic mechanisms for policy enforcement, lack of metadata and data models supporting open access, obsolescence of infrastructures, scarce awareness about new technological solutions, lack of training and/or expertise on IT and semantics aspects. However, these organizations are often heterogeneous and fragmented by discipline, geography, stakeholder category (publishers, academics, repositories, etc.) as well as other boundaries, and often work in isolation, or with limited contact with one another. RECODE has addressed these challenges, and the possible solutions to mitigate them, engaging all the identified stakeholders in a number of ways, including an online questionnaire, case studies interviews, literature review, a workshop. The conclusions have been validated by the RECODE Advisory Board and

Direct target NOTES: prospective applications for next generation robotic platforms.

PubMed

Atallah, S; Hodges, A; Larach, S W

2018-05-01

A new era in surgical robotics has centered on alternative access to anatomic targets and next generation designs include flexible, single-port systems which follow circuitous rather than straight pathways. Such systems maintain a small footprint and could be utilized for specialized operations based on direct organ target natural orifice transluminal endoscopic surgery (NOTES), of which transanal total mesorectal excision (taTME) is an important derivative. During two sessions, four direct target NOTES operations were conducted on a cadaveric model using a flexible robotic system to demonstrate proof-of-concept of the application of a next generation robotic system to specific types of NOTES operations, all of which required removal of a direct target organ through natural orifice access. These four operations were (a) robotic taTME, (b) robotic transvaginal hysterectomy in conjunction with (c) robotic transvaginal salpingo-oophorectomy, and in an ex vivo model, (d) trans-cecal appendectomy. Feasibility was demonstrated in all cases using the Flex ® Robotic System with Colorectal Drive. During taTME, the platform excursion was 17 cm along a non-linear path; operative time was 57 min for the transanal portion of the dissection. Robotic transvaginal hysterectomy was successfully completed in 78 min with transvaginal extraction of the uterus, although laparoscopic assistance was required. Robotic transvaginal unilateral salpingo-oophorectomy with transvaginal extraction of the ovary and fallopian tube was performed without laparoscopic assistance in 13.5 min. In an ex vivo model, a robotic trans-cecal appendectomy was also successfully performed for the purpose of demonstrating proof-of-concept only; this was completed in 24 min. A flexible robotic system has the potential to access anatomy along circuitous paths, making it a suitable platform for direct target NOTES. The conceptual operations posed could be considered suitable for next generation robotics once

The association between alcohol outlet accessibility and adverse birth outcomes: A retrospective cohort study.

PubMed

Seabrook, J A; Woods, N; Clark, A; de Vrijer, B; Penava, D; Gilliland, J

2018-01-01

Alcohol outlet accessibility is positively associated with alcohol consumption, although this relationship has not been thoroughly examined in pregnant women. The present study examines the relationship between proximity and density of alcohol outlets and risk for low birth weight (LBW: <2,500 grams) and preterm birth (PTB: <37 weeks gestational age), and is the first Canadian study to investigate this association. Maternal accessibility to alcohol outlets was specified using a gravity-type measure of accessibility, which provides the amount of accessibility that a given household has to liquor stores within 30-minutes of their home. All singleton newborns without congenital anomalies that were born between February 2009 and February 2014 at London Health Sciences Centre in London, Ontario, were included in this cohort. The sample consisted of 25,734 live births, of which 5.8% were LBW and 7.6% were PTB. Only 2.0% of women reported alcohol use during pregnancy. Alcohol outlet gravity was positively correlated with the percentage of mothers living in poverty (rs = 0.33, p < 0.001) and in single-parent families (rs = 0.39, p < 0.001), and who self-identify as visible minorities (rs = 0.45, p < 0.001). Alcohol outlet gravity increased the odds that mothers drank alcohol during pregnancy (OR 1.05; 95% CI: 1.02, 1.07), although the association was weak. Furthermore, alcohol outlet gravity did not increase the likelihood of a LBW or PTB infant. Women with high accessibility to alcohol outlets are more likely to consume alcohol during pregnancy, but greater alcohol outlet accessibility does not translate into poor birth outcomes.

[Stents in dialysis vascular access--do they promise improved high quality prolonged access use].

PubMed

Klein, Osnat; Plotkin, Eleonora; Gritun, Igal; Verner, Myriam; Lehmann, J M; Rathaus, Mauro; Bernheim, Jacques

2008-02-01

The life expectancy of dialysis patients depends, to a large extent, on blood access which provides uninterrupted and efficient treatment. Dialysis access created by a direct anastomosis between artery and vein usually allows normal dialysis for many years. Blood access by a bridge graft between artery and vein functions for a much shorter time and occludes chiefly because of endothelial hyperplasia at the graft vein anastomosis. This type of fistula is created when the veins of the patient are small. During the last few years the dialysis population is increasingly composed of adult and elderly patients suffering from diabetes mellitus, hypertension, dyslipidemias and atheromatous vascular disease so that a relatively large proportion of dialysis accesses are created using a bridge graft. Since we currently do not have the knowledge of how to arrest or delay the processes which lead to access occlusion, attempts are made to implement prophylactic strategies, find stenoses and dilate them before the access fails. Up to date, controlled trials have not succeeded in proving that this method prolongs access use. These trials did not describe the use of stents following dilatation. Between July 2002 and May 2005, 238 angiographies were performed on blood accesses including 179 angioplasties of stenoses. In sixteen patients a stent was deployed during the angioplasty. In ten patients dialysis was performed using the same access up to the end of the study period, an average of 43 months from the creation of the access. Three patients died with a functioning access and in three the access occluded during the period of followup. This study shows that the use of stents following angioplasty of dialysis access stenoses can improve the duration of use of accesses created through grafts.

The burden of rheumatoid arthritis and access to treatment: determinants of access.

PubMed

Lundqvist, J; Kastäng, F; Kobelt, G; Jönsson, B

2008-01-01

As part of the study "The Burden of Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) and Patient Access to Treatment", this paper reviews the impact on access to RA drugs of the approval processes, pricing and funding decisions and times to market (access) in different countries. In addition, an overview of health technology assessments (HTA) and the economic literature related to RA treatments is provided. The time from approval to market access ranged from immediate to over 500 days in the countries included in the study. A total of 55 HTA reports were identified, 40 of them in the period between 2002 and 2006; 29 were performed by European HTA agencies, 14 in Canada and 7 in the United States. A total of 239 economic evaluations related to RA were identified in a specialized health economic database (HEED).

The Searching Behavior of Remote Users: A Study of One Online Public Access Catalog (OPAC).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kalin, Sally W.

1991-01-01

Describes a study that was conducted to determine whether the searching behavior of remote users of LIAS (Library Information Access System), Pennsylvania State University's online public access catalog (OPAC), differed from those using the OPAC within the library. Differences in search strategies and in user satisfaction are discussed. (eight…

Longitudinal study of health, disease and access to care in rural Victoria: the Crossroads-II study: methods.

PubMed

Glenister, Kristen M; Bourke, Lisa; Bolitho, Leslie; Wright, Sian; Roberts, Stuart; Kemp, William; Rhode, Leigh; Bhat, Ravi; Tremper, Sönke; Magliano, Dianna J; Morgan, Mike; Mariño, Rodrigo; Adam, William; Simmons, David

2018-05-30

High quality, contemporary data regarding patterns of chronic disease is essential for planning by health services, policy makers and local governments, but surprisingly scarce, including in rural Australia. This dearth of data occurs despite the recognition that rural Australians live with high rates of ill health, poor health behaviours and restricted access to health services. Crossroads-II is set in the Goulburn Valley, a rural region of Victoria, Australia 100-300 km north of metropolitan Melbourne. It is primarily an irrigated agricultural area. The aim of the study is to identify changes in the prevalence of key chronic health conditions including the extent of undiagnosed and undermanaged disease, and association with access to care, over a 15 year period. This study is a 15 year follow up from the 2000-2003 Crossroads-I study (2376 households participated). Crossroads-II includes a similar face to face household survey of 3600 randomly selected households across four towns of sizes 6300 to 49,800 (50% sampled in the larger town with the remainder sampled equally from the three smaller towns). Self-reported health, health behaviour and health service usage information is verified and supplemented in a nested sub-study of 900 randomly selected adult participants in 'clinics' involving a range of additional questionnaires and biophysical measurements. The study is expected to run from October 2016 to December 2018. Besides providing epidemiological and health service utilisation information relating to different diseases and their risk factors in towns of different sizes, the results will be used to develop a composite measure of health service access. The importance of access to health services will be investigated by assessing the correlation of this measure with rates of undiagnosed and undermanaged disease at the mesh block level. Results will be shared with partner organisations to inform service planning and interventions to improve health outcomes

Reducing inequalities in access to health care: developing a toolkit through action research.

PubMed

Goyder, E C; Blank, L; Ellis, E; Furber, A; Peters, J; Sartain, K; Massey, C

2005-10-01

Healthcare organisations are expected both to monitor inequalities in access to health services and also to act to improve access and increase equity in service provision. Locally developed action research projects with an explicit objective of reducing inequalities in access. Eight different health care services in the Yorkshire and Humber region, including community based palliative care, general practice asthma care, hospital based cardiology clinics, and termination of pregnancy services. Changes in service provision, increasing attendance rates in targeted groups. Local teams identified the population concerned and appropriate interventions using both published and grey literature. Where change to service provision was achieved, local data were collected to monitor the impact of service change. A number of evidence based changes to service provision were proposed and implemented with variable success. Service uptake increased in some of the targeted populations. Interventions to improve access must be sensitive to local settings and need both practical and managerial support to succeed. It is particularly difficult to improve access effectively if services are already struggling to meet current demand. Key elements for successful interventions included effective local leadership, identification of an intervention which is both evidence based and locally practicable, and identification of additional resources to support increased activity. A "toolkit" has been developed to support the identification and implementation of appropriate changes.

Inequity of access to ACE inhibitors in Swedish heart failure patients: a register-based study

PubMed Central

Lindahl, Bertil; Hanning, Marianne; Westerling, Ragnar

2016-01-01

Background Several international studies suggest inequity in access to evidence-based heart failure (HF) care. Specifically, studies of ACE inhibitors (ACEIs) point to reduced ACEI access related to female sex, old age and socioeconomic position. Thus far, most studies have either been rather small, lacking diagnostic data, or lacking the possibility to account for several individual-based sociodemographic factors. Our aim was to investigate differences, which could reflect inequity in access to ACEIs based on sex, age, socioeconomic status or immigration status in Swedish patients with HF. Methods Individually linked register data for all Swedish adults hospitalised for HF in 2005–2010 (n=93 258) were analysed by multivariate regression models to assess the independent risk of female sex, high age, low employment status, low income level, low educational level or foreign country of birth, associated with lack of an ACEI dispensation within 1 year of hospitalisation. Adjustment for possible confounding was made for age, comorbidity, Angiotensin receptor blocker therapy, period and follow-up time. Results Analysis revealed an adjusted OR for no ACEI dispensation for women of 1.31 (95% CI 1.27 to 1.35); for the oldest patients of 2.71 (95% CI 2.53 to 2.91); and for unemployed patients of 1.59 (95% CI 1.46 to 1.73). Conclusions Access to ACEI treatment was reduced in women, older patients and unemployed patients. We conclude that access to ACEIs is inequitable among Swedish patients with HF. Future studies should include clinical data, as well as mortality outcomes in different groups. PMID:26261264

Targeting therapeutics to the glomerulus with nanoparticles.

PubMed

Zuckerman, Jonathan E; Davis, Mark E

2013-11-01

Nanoparticles are an enabling technology for the creation of tissue-/cell-specific therapeutics that have been investigated extensively as targeted therapeutics for cancer. The kidney, specifically the glomerulus, is another accessible site for nanoparticle delivery that has been relatively overlooked as a target organ. Given the medical need for the development of more potent, kidney-targeted therapies, the use of nanoparticle-based therapeutics may be one such solution to this problem. Here, we review the literature on nanoparticle targeting of the glomerulus. Specifically, we provide a broad overview of nanoparticle-based therapeutics and how the unique structural characteristics of the glomerulus allow for selective, nanoparticle targeting of this area of the kidney. We then summarize literature examples of nanoparticle delivery to the glomerulus and elaborate on the appropriate nanoparticle design criteria for glomerular targeting. Finally, we discuss the behavior of nanoparticles in animal models of diseased glomeruli and review examples of nanoparticle therapeutic approaches that have shown promise in animal models of glomerulonephritic disease. Copyright © 2013 National Kidney Foundation, Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Accessing Suicide-Related Information on the Internet: A Retrospective Observational Study of Search Behavior

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background The Internet’s potential impact on suicide is of major public health interest as easy online access to pro-suicide information or specific suicide methods may increase suicide risk among vulnerable Internet users. Little is known, however, about users’ actual searching and browsing behaviors of online suicide-related information. Objective To investigate what webpages people actually clicked on after searching with suicide-related queries on a search engine and to examine what queries people used to get access to pro-suicide websites. Methods A retrospective observational study was done. We used a web search dataset released by America Online (AOL). The dataset was randomly sampled from all AOL subscribers’ web queries between March and May 2006 and generated by 657,000 service subscribers. Results We found 5526 search queries (0.026%, 5526/21,000,000) that included the keyword "suicide". The 5526 search queries included 1586 different search terms and were generated by 1625 unique subscribers (0.25%, 1625/657,000). Of these queries, 61.38% (3392/5526) were followed by users clicking on a search result. Of these 3392 queries, 1344 (39.62%) webpages were clicked on by 930 unique users but only 1314 of those webpages were accessible during the study period. Each clicked-through webpage was classified into 11 categories. The categories of the most visited webpages were: entertainment (30.13%; 396/1314), scientific information (18.31%; 240/1314), and community resources (14.53%; 191/1314). Among the 1314 accessed webpages, we could identify only two pro-suicide websites. We found that the search terms used to access these sites included “commiting suicide with a gas oven”, “hairless goat”, “pictures of murder by strangulation”, and “photo of a severe burn”. A limitation of our study is that the database may be dated and confined to mainly English webpages. Conclusions Searching or browsing suicide-related or pro-suicide webpages was

Accessing suicide-related information on the internet: a retrospective observational study of search behavior.

PubMed

Wong, Paul Wai-Ching; Fu, King-Wa; Yau, Rickey Sai-Pong; Ma, Helen Hei-Man; Law, Yik-Wa; Chang, Shu-Sen; Yip, Paul Siu-Fai

2013-01-11

The Internet's potential impact on suicide is of major public health interest as easy online access to pro-suicide information or specific suicide methods may increase suicide risk among vulnerable Internet users. Little is known, however, about users' actual searching and browsing behaviors of online suicide-related information. To investigate what webpages people actually clicked on after searching with suicide-related queries on a search engine and to examine what queries people used to get access to pro-suicide websites. A retrospective observational study was done. We used a web search dataset released by America Online (AOL). The dataset was randomly sampled from all AOL subscribers' web queries between March and May 2006 and generated by 657,000 service subscribers. We found 5526 search queries (0.026%, 5526/21,000,000) that included the keyword "suicide". The 5526 search queries included 1586 different search terms and were generated by 1625 unique subscribers (0.25%, 1625/657,000). Of these queries, 61.38% (3392/5526) were followed by users clicking on a search result. Of these 3392 queries, 1344 (39.62%) webpages were clicked on by 930 unique users but only 1314 of those webpages were accessible during the study period. Each clicked-through webpage was classified into 11 categories. The categories of the most visited webpages were: entertainment (30.13%; 396/1314), scientific information (18.31%; 240/1314), and community resources (14.53%; 191/1314). Among the 1314 accessed webpages, we could identify only two pro-suicide websites. We found that the search terms used to access these sites included "commiting suicide with a gas oven", "hairless goat", "pictures of murder by strangulation", and "photo of a severe burn". A limitation of our study is that the database may be dated and confined to mainly English webpages. Searching or browsing suicide-related or pro-suicide webpages was uncommon, although a small group of users did access websites that contain

Differential Sources for 2 Neural Signatures of Target Detection: An Electrocorticography Study.

PubMed

Kam, J W Y; Szczepanski, S M; Canolty, R T; Flinker, A; Auguste, K I; Crone, N E; Kirsch, H E; Kuperman, R A; Lin, J J; Parvizi, J; Knight, R T

2018-01-01

Electrophysiology and neuroimaging provide conflicting evidence for the neural contributions to target detection. Scalp electroencephalography (EEG) studies localize the P3b event-related potential component mainly to parietal cortex, whereas neuroimaging studies report activations in both frontal and parietal cortices. We addressed this discrepancy by examining the sources that generate the target-detection process using electrocorticography (ECoG). We recorded ECoG activity from cortex in 14 patients undergoing epilepsy monitoring, as they performed an auditory or visual target-detection task. We examined target-related responses in 2 domains: high frequency band (HFB) activity and the P3b. Across tasks, we observed a greater proportion of electrodes that showed target-specific HFB power relative to P3b over frontal cortex, but their proportions over parietal cortex were comparable. Notably, there was minimal overlap in the electrodes that showed target-specific HFB and P3b activity. These results revealed that the target-detection process is characterized by at least 2 different neural markers with distinct cortical distributions. Our findings suggest that separate neural mechanisms are driving the differential patterns of activity observed in scalp EEG and neuroimaging studies, with the P3b reflecting EEG findings and HFB activity reflecting neuroimaging findings, highlighting the notion that target detection is not a unitary phenomenon. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

[Do organizational barriers to pneumococcal and influenza vaccine access exist?].

PubMed

Rousseau, Louise; Guay, Maryse; Archambault, Denis; El m'ala, Zahra; Abdelaziz, Nadia

2007-01-01

Despite the implementation of a Quebec immunization program against influenza and pneumococcal disease (PQIIP), vaccine coverage has remained low. There have been many studies on personal barriers to vaccination, but few have explored other kinds of barriers. To explore the presence of barriers in relation to the organization of the health care system and to propose recommendations for increasing vaccine coverage. Within a mixed protocol, a phone survey of 996 people in the target population and a case study implicating the follow-up of the PQIIP with all the site and actor categories via 43 semistructured interviews and 4 focus groups were realized. Survey data underwent a descriptive statistical analysis. Qualitative analysis followed the Miles and Huberman approach. The results indicate the presence of barriers with regard to information accessibility. These include access to: the physicians' recommendation, knowledge of the efficacy or the security of vaccines, and admissibility of clients to the PQIIP. Organizational barriers were also found to limit access to vaccination, especially in terms of restricted choices of time and location. Coordination and incentives mechanisms are not optimal. Removal of organizational barriers depends more on strategic rather than structural factors. Addressing organizational barriers should be an important component of strategies aimed at improving vaccine coverage. Public health authorities should focus on strategic management of the information and inter-organizational environment.

Foucault on targets.

PubMed

Lynch, John

2004-01-01

This paper seeks to gain an insight into the behavior of a large NHS trust, in its attempt to meet a 90 percent patient access target, in a week long national audit in March 2003. Why did individuals act in dramatically different ways to their norm over this period. The work of Michel Foucault is used to explore these issues. The discourses of power, knowledge, discipline and governmentality are identified as key foucaudian themes that offer an alternative interpretation of how individuals behave in their place of work. The importance of the historical context of discourse within the NHS cannot be underestimated in shaping the behavior of individuals and groups today. Power and knowledge permeate NHS organizations through disciplinary practices and dressage. Governmentality seeks to maintain the status quo through disciplinary processes such as national healthcare targets. The natural response of NHS organizations is therefore, to seek order and conformity rather than disorder and conflict.

Identifying Accessible Near-Earth Objects For Crewed Missions With Solar Electric Propulsion

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Smet, Stijn De; Parker, Jeffrey S.; Herman, Jonathan F. C.; Aziz, Jonathan; Barbee, Brent W.; Englander, Jacob A.

2015-01-01

This paper discusses the expansion of the Near-Earth Object Human Space Flight Accessible Targets Study (NHATS) with Solar Electric Propulsion (SEP). The research investigates the existence of new launch seasons that would have been impossible to achieve using only chemical propulsion. Furthermore, this paper shows that SEP can be used to significantly reduce the launch mass and in some cases the flight time of potential missions as compared to the current, purely chemical trajectories identified by the NHATS project.

Interfaces to PeptideAtlas: a case study of standard data access systems

PubMed Central

Handcock, Jeremy; Robinson, Thomas; Deutsch, Eric W.; Boyle, John

2012-01-01

Access to public data sets is important to the scientific community as a resource to develop new experiments or validate new data. Projects such as the PeptideAtlas, Ensembl and The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) offer both access to public data and a repository to share their own data. Access to these data sets is often provided through a web page form and a web service API. Access technologies based on web protocols (e.g. http) have been in use for over a decade and are widely adopted across the industry for a variety of functions (e.g. search, commercial transactions, and social media). Each architecture adapts these technologies to provide users with tools to access and share data. Both commonly used web service technologies (e.g. REST and SOAP), and custom-built solutions over HTTP are utilized in providing access to research data. Providing multiple access points ensures that the community can access the data in the simplest and most effective manner for their particular needs. This article examines three common access mechanisms for web accessible data: BioMart, caBIG, and Google Data Sources. These are illustrated by implementing each over the PeptideAtlas repository and reviewed for their suitability based on specific usages common to research. BioMart, Google Data Sources, and caBIG are each suitable for certain uses. The tradeoffs made in the development of the technology are dependent on the uses each was designed for (e.g. security versus speed). This means that an understanding of specific requirements and tradeoffs is necessary before selecting the access technology. PMID:22941959

Retroperitoneal versus direct femoral artery approach for thoracic endovascular aortic repair access: a case-control study.

PubMed

Etezadi, Vahid; Katzen, Barry T; Benenati, James F; Alehashemi, Sara; Tsoukas, Athanassios I; Puente, Orlando A

2011-04-01

Many individuals who are candidates for thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR) are found to have iliac artery anatomy and/or disease that preclude transfemoral endovascular access and require retroperitoneal surgical approach through more proximal arteries. This relatively more invasive technique could potentially affect the procedural outcomes. This study compares the retroperitoneal with transfemoral access used for TEVAR in a single center. In this study, 133 consecutive patients (96 men; mean age ± SD: 69.5 ± 14.7 years) who underwent TEVAR between 1994 and 2009 in a single center were retrospectively evaluated. The type of endovascular access was identified in all the patients. The basic demographics, access method, endograft type, 30-day morbidity and mortality rates, as well as procedure recordings including fluoroscopic and procedure duration, estimated blood loss, and duration of hospitalization were compared between the TEVAR procedures performed using a surgical retroperitoneal approach and those using the standard femoral access. Retroperitoneal access was used in 19 (14.3%; 13 women; mean age ± SD: 71 ± 12.2 years) and direct femoral access in 114 (85.7%; 24 women; mean age ± SD: 69 ± 15.4 years) patients. Two of the retroperitoneal accesses were obtained after failure of femoral approach. Techniques that were used included iliac artery conduit (seven patients), aortic artery conduit (eight patients), aortobifemoral artery graft conduit (one patient), and direct sheath introduction through the distal aorta (two patients) or common iliac artery (one patient). Retroperitoneal approach was used more frequently in women (35%) as compared with men (6%) (p = 0.0001). In all, 79% of the retroperitoneal approaches were associated with use of delivery sheath sizes larger than 24F (p = 0.049). TEVAR technical success was 100% with retroperitoneal and 97.3% with femoral access (p > 0.05). Thirty-day mortality rates were 0% and 8.8% and the rates of

Mobile devices and weak ties: a study of vision impairments and workplace access in Bangalore.

PubMed

Pal, Joyojeet; Lakshmanan, Meera

2015-07-01

To explore ways in which social and economic interactions are changed by access to mobile telephony. This is a mixed-methods study of mobile phone use among 52 urban professionals with vision impairments in Bangalore, India. Interviews and survey results indicated that mobile devices, specifically those with adaptive technology software, play a vital role as multi-purpose devices that enable people with disabilities to navigate economically and socially in an environment where accessibility remains a significant challenge. We found that mobile devices play a central role in enabling and sustaining weak ties, but also that these weak ties have important gender-specific implications. We found that women have less access to weak ties than men, which impacts women's access to assistive technology (AT). This has potential implications for women's sense of safety and independence, both of which are strongly related to AT access. Implications for Rehabilitation Adaptive technologies increase individuals' ability to keep in contact with casual connections or weak ties through phone calls or social media. Men tend to have stronger access to weak ties than women in India due to cultural impediments to independent access to public spaces. Weak ties are an important source of assistive technology (AT) due to the high rate of resale of used AT, typically through informal networks.

Molecular Genetic Variability of Commercial and Wild Accessions of Passion Fruit (Passiflora spp.) Targeting ex Situ Conservation and Breeding

PubMed Central

Cerqueira-Silva, Carlos Bernard M.; Santos, Elisa S. L.; Jesus, Onildo N.; Vieira, João G. P.; Mori, Gustavo M.; Corrêa, Ronan X.; Souza, Anete P.

2014-01-01

Passiflora species are distributed throughout Latin America, and Brazil and Colombia serve as the centers of diversity for this genus. We performed cross-species amplification to evaluate 109 microsatellite loci in 14 Passiflora species and estimated the diversity and genetic structure of Passiflora cincinnata, Passiflora setaceae and Passiflora edulis. A total of 127 accessions, including 85 accessions of P. edulis, a commercial species, and 42 accessions of 13 wild species, were examined. The cross-species amplification was effective for obtaining microsatellite loci (average cross-amplification of 70%). The average number of alleles per locus (five) was relatively low, and the average diversity ranged from 0.52 in P. cincinnata to 0.32 in P. setacea. The Bayesian analyses indicated that the P. cincinnata and P. setacea accessions were distributed into two groups, and the P. edulis accessions were distributed into five groups. Private alleles were identified, and suggestions for core collections are presented. Further collections are necessary, and the information generated may be useful for breeding and conservation. PMID:25514245

Molecular genetic variability of commercial and wild accessions of passion fruit (Passiflora spp.) targeting ex situ conservation and breeding.

PubMed

Cerqueira-Silva, Carlos Bernard M; Santos, Elisa S L; Jesus, Onildo N; Vieira, João G P; Mori, Gustavo M; Corrêa, Ronan X; Souza, Anete P

2014-12-10

Passiflora species are distributed throughout Latin America, and Brazil and Colombia serve as the centers of diversity for this genus. We performed cross-species amplification to evaluate 109 microsatellite loci in 14 Passiflora species and estimated the diversity and genetic structure of Passiflora cincinnata, Passiflora setaceae and Passiflora edulis. A total of 127 accessions, including 85 accessions of P. edulis, a commercial species, and 42 accessions of 13 wild species, were examined. The cross-species amplification was effective for obtaining microsatellite loci (average cross-amplification of 70%). The average number of alleles per locus (five) was relatively low, and the average diversity ranged from 0.52 in P. cincinnata to 0.32 in P. setacea. The Bayesian analyses indicated that the P. cincinnata and P. setacea accessions were distributed into two groups, and the P. edulis accessions were distributed into five groups. Private alleles were identified, and suggestions for core collections are presented. Further collections are necessary, and the information generated may be useful for breeding and conservation.

Incorporating information on predicted solvent accessibility to the co-evolution-based study of protein interactions.

PubMed

Ochoa, David; García-Gutiérrez, Ponciano; Juan, David; Valencia, Alfonso; Pazos, Florencio

2013-01-27

A widespread family of methods for studying and predicting protein interactions using sequence information is based on co-evolution, quantified as similarity of phylogenetic trees. Part of the co-evolution observed between interacting proteins could be due to co-adaptation caused by inter-protein contacts. In this case, the co-evolution is expected to be more evident when evaluated on the surface of the proteins or the internal layers close to it. In this work we study the effect of incorporating information on predicted solvent accessibility to three methods for predicting protein interactions based on similarity of phylogenetic trees. We evaluate the performance of these methods in predicting different types of protein associations when trees based on positions with different characteristics of predicted accessibility are used as input. We found that predicted accessibility improves the results of two recent versions of the mirrortree methodology in predicting direct binary physical interactions, while it neither improves these methods, nor the original mirrortree method, in predicting other types of interactions. That improvement comes at no cost in terms of applicability since accessibility can be predicted for any sequence. We also found that predictions of protein-protein interactions are improved when multiple sequence alignments with a richer representation of sequences (including paralogs) are incorporated in the accessibility prediction.

Low-income individuals’ perceptions about fruit and vegetable access programs: A qualitative study

PubMed Central

Haynes-Maslow, Lindsey; Auvergne, Lauriane; Mark, Barbara; Ammerman, Alice; Weiner, Bryan J.

2015-01-01

Objective To examine how fruit and vegetable (F&V) programs address barriers to F&V access and consumption as perceived by low-income individuals. Design From 2011–2012 thirteen focus groups were used to better understand low-income individuals’ perceptions about F&V programs. Setting Five North Carolina counties at community-serving organizations. Participants Low-income participants ages 18 or older were included in the study. A majority were African American females with a high school education or less and received government assistance. Phenomenon of Interest Low-income individuals’ perceptions about how F&V access programs can reduce barriers and increase consumption. Analysis A socioecological framework guided data analysis, and 2 trained researchers coded transcripts, identified major themes, and summarized findings. Results A total of 105 participants discussed that mobile markets could overcome barriers such as availability, convenience, transportation, and quality/variety. Some were worried about safety in higher crime communities. Participants’ opinions about how successful food assistance programs were at overcoming cost barriers were mixed. Participants agreed that community gardens could increase access to affordable, conveniently located produce, but worried about feasibility/implementation issues. Implications for Research and Practice Addressing access barriers through F&V programs could improve consumption. Programs have the potential to be successful if they address multiple access barriers. (200 words). PMID:25910929

Expanding access to high-cost medicines through the E2 access program in Thailand: effects on utilisation, health outcomes and cost using an interrupted time-series analysis.

PubMed

Sruamsiri, Rosarin; Wagner, Anita K; Ross-Degnan, Dennis; Lu, Christine Y; Dhippayom, Teerapon; Ngorsuraches, Surachat; Chaiyakunapruk, Nathorn

2016-03-17

In 2008, the Thai government introduced the 'high-cost medicines E2 access program' as a part of the National List of Essential Medicines to increase patient access to medicines, improve clinical outcomes and make medicines more affordable. Our objective was to examine whether the 'high-cost medicines E2 access program' achieved its goals. Interrupted time-series design study. 3 tertiary hospitals in different regions of Thailand, January 2006 to December 2012. Patients with target acute and chronic disease diagnoses who newly met E2 program criteria for selected study medicines. High-cost medicines E2 access program. Level and trend changes over time in the proportions of eligible patients who received the indicated E2 medicines and who improved clinically, as well as in costs of treatment. A total of 2024 patients were included in utilisation analyses and 1375 patients with selected acute diseases contributed to analyses of clinical outcome. After 1 year of the E2 program implementation, the percentage of eligible patients receiving the indicated E2 program medicines increased significantly (relative change 12.7% (95% CI 4.4% to 21.0%), especially among those insured by the government's universal coverage scheme (relative change 19.9% (95% CI 9.5% to 30.5%)). The increase in the proportion of clinically improved patients with acute conditions was not significant (relative change 6.2% (95% CI -1.9% to 15.1%)). Quarterly healthcare costs per patient dropped significantly (relative change -13.5% (95% CI -26.9% to -1.7%)). In the study hospitals, the E2 access program seems to have facilitated patient access to specialty medicines, may have contributed to improved health outcomes, and decreased treatment costs. Routine monitoring is needed to assess effects of expanding the programme, including effects on quality of care and financial sustainability. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence

Marine-target craters on Mars? An assessment study

USGS Publications Warehouse

Ormo, J.; Dohm, J.M.; Ferris, J.C.; Lepinette, A.; Fairen, A.G.

2004-01-01

Observations of impact craters on Earth show that a water column at the target strongly influences lithology and morphology of the resultant crater. The degree of influence varies with the target water depth and impactor diameter. Morphological features detectable in satellite imagery include a concentric shape with an inner crater inset within a shallower outer crater, which is cut by gullies excavated by the resurge of water. In this study, we show that if oceans, large seas, and lakes existed on Mars for periods of time, marine-target craters must have formed. We make an assessment of the minimum and maximum amounts of such craters based on published data on water depths, extent, and duration of putative oceans within "contacts 1 and 2," cratering rate during the different oceanic phases, and computer modeling of minimum impactor diameters required to form long-lasting craters in the seafloor of the oceans. We also discuss the influence of erosion and sedimentation on the preservation and exposure of the craters. For an ocean within the smaller "contact 2" with a duration of 100,000 yr and the low present crater formation rate, only ???1-2 detectable marine-target craters would have formed. In a maximum estimate with a duration of 0.8 Gyr, as many as 1400 craters may have formed. An ocean within the larger "contact 1-Meridiani," with a duration of 100,000 yr, would not have received any seafloor craters despite the higher crater formation rate estimated before 3.5 Gyr. On the other hand, with a maximum duration of 0.8 Gyr, about 160 seafloor craters may have formed. However, terrestrial examples show that most marine-target craters may be covered by thick sediments. Ground penetrating radar surveys planned for the ESA Mars Express and NASA 2005 missions may reveal buried craters, though it is uncertain if the resolution will allow the detection of diagnostic features of marine-target craters. The implications regarding the discovery of marine-target craters on

A feasibility study of brain-targeted treatment for people with painful knee osteoarthritis in tertiary care.

PubMed

Harms, Anton; Heredia-Rizo, Alberto M; Moseley, G Lorimer; Hau, Raphael; Stanton, Tasha R

2018-06-11

To assess the feasibility and clinical impact of brain-targeted treatment (BT; aiming to target sensorimotor processing) in knee osteoarthritis patients attending tertiary care. Randomized replicated case series. The study involved three phases, each of 2 weeks duration: (1) no-treatment phase; (2) BT phase (left/right judgments and touch discrimination training); and (3) usual care (education, strengthening, and stretching training). Primary outcomes were: timely recruitment; number of participants completing the interventions; treatment compliance and barriers; follow-up rates; and treatment impact on pain and function. Fear-avoidance beliefs and clinical measures of cortical body representation (tactile acuity and left/right judgment performance) were secondary outcomes. A total of 5% (19/355) of all assessed patients were eligible to participate and of these, 58% (11/19) agreed to participate. Ten patients completed the study, and 9 were successfully followed up, with treatment compliance varying between interventions. Compliance was poor for the touch discrimination component of BT. No significant effects were observed for pain relief or knee function after any treatment. A positive impact of treatment was found for fear-avoidance beliefs (usual care vs. washout, p = 0.007; BT vs. washout, p = 0.029) and left/right judgment accuracy (usual care vs. washout; p = 0.006). Clear barriers were identified to implementing BT in tertiary care for knee osteoarthritis. Access to all available services (especially the use of interpreters), and treatment options that do not require additional assistance to perform (e.g., touch discrimination training) represent the main lessons learned.

Household food access and child malnutrition: results from the eight-country MAL-ED study.

PubMed

Psaki, Stephanie; Bhutta, Zulfiqar A; Ahmed, Tahmeed; Ahmed, Shamsir; Bessong, Pascal; Islam, Munirul; John, Sushil; Kosek, Margaret; Lima, Aldo; Nesamvuni, Cebisa; Shrestha, Prakash; Svensen, Erling; McGrath, Monica; Richard, Stephanie; Seidman, Jessica; Caulfield, Laura; Miller, Mark; Checkley, William

2012-12-13

Stunting results from decreased food intake, poor diet quality, and a high burden of early childhood infections, and contributes to significant morbidity and mortality worldwide. Although food insecurity is an important determinant of child nutrition, including stunting, development of universal measures has been challenging due to cumbersome nutritional questionnaires and concerns about lack of comparability across populations. We investigate the relationship between household food access, one component of food security, and indicators of nutritional status in early childhood across eight country sites. We administered a socioeconomic survey to 800 households in research sites in eight countries, including a recently validated nine-item food access insecurity questionnaire, and obtained anthropometric measurements from children aged 24 to 60 months. We used multivariable regression models to assess the relationship between household food access insecurity and anthropometry in children, and we assessed the invariance of that relationship across country sites. Average age of study children was 41 months. Mean food access insecurity score (range: 0-27) was 5.8, and varied from 2.4 in Nepal to 8.3 in Pakistan. Across sites, the prevalence of stunting (42%) was much higher than the prevalence of wasting (6%). In pooled regression analyses, a 10-point increase in food access insecurity score was associated with a 0.20 SD decrease in height-for-age Z score (95% CI 0.05 to 0.34 SD; p = 0.008). A likelihood ratio test for heterogeneity revealed that this relationship was consistent across countries (p = 0.17). Our study provides evidence of the validity of using a simple household food access insecurity score to investigate the etiology of childhood growth faltering across diverse geographic settings. Such a measure could be used to direct interventions by identifying children at risk of illness and death related to malnutrition.

Household food access and child malnutrition: results from the eight-country MAL-ED study

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background Stunting results from decreased food intake, poor diet quality, and a high burden of early childhood infections, and contributes to significant morbidity and mortality worldwide. Although food insecurity is an important determinant of child nutrition, including stunting, development of universal measures has been challenging due to cumbersome nutritional questionnaires and concerns about lack of comparability across populations. We investigate the relationship between household food access, one component of food security, and indicators of nutritional status in early childhood across eight country sites. Methods We administered a socioeconomic survey to 800 households in research sites in eight countries, including a recently validated nine-item food access insecurity questionnaire, and obtained anthropometric measurements from children aged 24 to 60 months. We used multivariable regression models to assess the relationship between household food access insecurity and anthropometry in children, and we assessed the invariance of that relationship across country sites. Results Average age of study children was 41 months. Mean food access insecurity score (range: 0–27) was 5.8, and varied from 2.4 in Nepal to 8.3 in Pakistan. Across sites, the prevalence of stunting (42%) was much higher than the prevalence of wasting (6%). In pooled regression analyses, a 10-point increase in food access insecurity score was associated with a 0.20 SD decrease in height-for-age Z score (95% CI 0.05 to 0.34 SD; p = 0.008). A likelihood ratio test for heterogeneity revealed that this relationship was consistent across countries (p = 0.17). Conclusions Our study provides evidence of the validity of using a simple household food access insecurity score to investigate the etiology of childhood growth faltering across diverse geographic settings. Such a measure could be used to direct interventions by identifying children at risk of illness and death related to

Effect of the Economic Recession on Primary Care Access for the Homeless.

PubMed

White, Brandi M; Jones, Walter J; Moran, William P; Simpson, Kit N

2016-01-01

Primary care access (PCA) for the homeless can prove challenging, especially during periods of economic distress. In the United States, the most recent recession may have presented additional barriers to accessing care. Limited safety-net resources traditionally used by the homeless may have also been used by the non-homeless, resulting in delays in seeking treatment for the homeless. Using hospitalizations for ambulatory care sensitivity (ACS) conditions as a proxy measure for PCA, this study investigated the recession's impact on PCA for the homeless and non-homeless in four states. The State Inpatient Databases were used to identify ACS admissions. Findings from this study indicate the recession was a barrier to PCA for homeless people who were uninsured. Ensuring that economically-disadvantaged populations have the ability to obtain insurance coverage is crucial to facilitating PCA. With targeted outreach efforts, the Affordable Care Act provides an opportunity for expanding coverage to the homeless.

Study of optoelectronic switch for satellite-switched time-division multiple access

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Su, Shing-Fong; Jou, Liz; Lenart, Joe

1987-01-01

The use of optoelectronic switching for satellite switched time division multiple access will improve the isolation and reduce the crosstalk of an IF switch matrix. The results are presented of a study on optoelectronic switching. Tasks include literature search, system requirements study, candidate switching architecture analysis, and switch model optimization. The results show that the power divided and crossbar switching architectures are good candidates for an IF switch matrix.

Personal Access Satellite System (PASS) study. Fiscal year 1989 results

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sue, Miles K. (Editor)

1990-01-01

The Jet Propulsion Laboratory is exploring the potential and feasibility of a personal access satellite system (PASS) that will offer the user greater freedom and mobility than existing or currently planned communications systems. Studies performed in prior years resulted in a strawman design and the identification of technologies that are critical to the successful implementation of PASS. The study efforts in FY-89 were directed towards alternative design options with the objective of either improving the system performance or alleviating the constraints on the user terminal. The various design options and system issues studied this year and the results of the study are presented.

Trends in access to water supply and sanitation in 31 major sub-Saharan African cities: an analysis of DHS data from 2000 to 2012.

PubMed

Hopewell, Mike R; Graham, Jay P

2014-02-28

By 2050, sub-Saharan Africa's (SSA) urban population is expected to grow from 414 million to over 1.2 billion. This growth will likely increase challenges to municipalities attempting to provide access to water supply and sanitation (WS&S). This study aims to characterize trends in access to WS&S in SSA cities and identify factors affecting those trends. DHS data collected between 2000 and 2012 were used for this analysis of thirty-one cities in SSA. Four categories of household access to WS&S were studied using data from demographic and health surveys--these included: 1) household access to an improved water supply, 2) household's time spent collecting water, 3) household access to improved sanitation, and 4) households reporting to engage in open defecation. An exploratory analysis of these measures was then conducted to assess the relationship of access to several independent variables. Among the 31 cities, there was wide variability in coverage levels and trends in coverage with respect to the four categories of access. The majority of cities were found to be increasing access in the categories of improved water supply and improved sanitation (65% and 83% of cities, respectively), while fewer were making progress in reducing the amount of time spent collecting water and reducing open defecation (50% and 38% of cities, respectively). Additionally, the prevalence of open defecation in study cities was found to be, on average, increasing. Based on DHS data, cities appeared to be making the most progress in gaining access to WS&S along metrics which reflect specified targets of the Millennium Development Goals. Nearly half of the cities, however, did not make progress in reducing open defecation or the time spent collecting water. This may reflect that the MDGs have led to a focus on "improved" services while other measures, potentially more relevant to the extreme poor, are being neglected. This study highlights the need to better characterize access, beyond

Target selection and mass estimation for manned NEO exploration using a baseline mission design

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Boden, Ralf C.; Hein, Andreas M.; Kawaguchi, Junichiro

2015-06-01

In recent years Near-Earth Objects (NEOs) have received an increased amount of interest as a target for human exploration. NEOs offer scientifically interesting targets, and at the same time function as a stepping stone for achieving future Mars missions. The aim of this research is to identify promising targets from the large number of known NEOs that qualify for a manned sample-return mission with a maximum duration of one year. By developing a baseline mission design and a mass estimation model, mission opportunities are evaluated based on on-orbit mass requirements, safety considerations, and the properties of the potential targets. A selection of promising NEOs is presented and the effects of mission requirements and restrictions are discussed. Regarding safety aspects, the use of free-return trajectories provides the lowest on-orbit mass, when compared to an alternative design that uses system redundancies to ensure return of the spacecraft to Earth. It is discovered that, although a number of targets are accessible within the analysed time frame, no NEO offers both easy access and high incentive for its exploration. Under the discussed aspects a first human exploration mission going beyond the vicinity of Earth will require a trade off between targets that provide easy access and those that are of scientific interest. This lack of optimal mission opportunities can be seen in the small number of only 4 NEOs that meet all requirements for a sample-return mission and remain below an on-orbit mass of 500 metric Tons (mT). All of them require a mass between 315 and 492 mT. Even less ideal, smaller asteroids that are better accessible require an on-orbit mass that exceeds the launch capability of future heavy lift vehicles (HLV) such as SLS by at least 30 mT. These mass requirements show that additional efforts are necessary to increase the number of available targets and reduce on-orbit mass requirements through advanced mission architectures. The need for on

Cancer patients' attitudes and experiences of online access to their electronic medical records: A qualitative study.

PubMed

Rexhepi, Hanife; Åhlfeldt, Rose-Mharie; Cajander, Åsa; Huvila, Isto

2018-06-01

Patients' access to their online medical records serves as one of the cornerstones in the efforts to increase patient engagement and improve healthcare outcomes. The aim of this article is to provide in-depth understanding of cancer patients' attitudes and experiences of online medical records, as well as an increased understanding of the complexities of developing and launching e-Health services. The study result confirms that online access can help patients prepare for doctor visits and to understand their medical issues. In contrast to the fears of many physicians, the study shows that online access to medical records did not generate substantial anxiety, concerns or increased phone calls to the hospital.

Does access to a demand-led evidence briefing service improve uptake and use of research evidence by health service commissioners? A controlled before and after study.

PubMed

Wilson, Paul M; Farley, Kate; Bickerdike, Liz; Booth, Alison; Chambers, Duncan; Lambert, Mark; Thompson, Carl; Turner, Rhiannon; Watt, Ian S

2017-02-14

The Health and Social Care Act mandated research use as a core consideration of health service commissioning arrangements in England. We undertook a controlled before and after study to evaluate whether access to a demand-led evidence briefing service improved the use of research evidence by commissioners compared with less intensive and less targeted alternatives. Nine Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCGs) in the North of England received one of three interventions: (A) access to an evidence briefing service; (B) contact plus an unsolicited push of non-tailored evidence; or (C) unsolicited push of non-tailored evidence. Data for the primary outcome measure were collected at baseline and 12 months using a survey instrument devised to assess an organisations' ability to acquire, assess, adapt and apply research evidence to support decision-making. Documentary and observational evidence of the use of the outputs of the service were sought. Over the course of the study, the service addressed 24 topics raised by participating CCGs. At 12 months, the evidence briefing service was not associated with increases in CCG capacity to acquire, assess, adapt and apply research evidence to support decision-making, individual intentions to use research findings or perceptions of CCG relationships with researchers. Regardless of intervention received, participating CCGs indicated that they remained inconsistent in their research-seeking behaviours and in their capacity to acquire research. The informal nature of decision-making processes meant that there was little traceability of the use of evidence. Low baseline and follow-up response rates and missing data limit the reliability of the findings. Access to a demand-led evidence briefing service did not improve the uptake and use of research evidence by NHS commissioners compared with less intensive and less targeted alternatives. Commissioners appear well intentioned but ad hoc users of research. Further research is required on

Targeting Terrorist Leaders: A Case Study

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-03-01

PRESSURE .................................38 IV. STATISTICAL ANALYSIS ON ISRAELI LEADERSHIP TARGETING ...43 V. CONCLUSION: HAVE ISRAELI ATTEMPTS TO...organization. D. POTENTIAL WEAKNESSES The use of one case to evaluate the efficacy of the terrorist-leadership targeting model is problematic...times who was in charge. In addition, the literature on Hamas is widely split on the role that inspirational leaders had on operational matters

Midwives' and women's views on accessing dental care during pregnancy: an Australian qualitative study.

PubMed

Lim, M; Riggs, E; Shankumar, R; Marwaha, P; Kilpatrick, N

2018-04-16

Maternal behaviours during pregnancy are likely to play a significant role in the development of dental caries in children. Although midwives are well placed to discuss oral health and provide information to women, dental attendance by women during pregnancy is minimal. This study aimed to explore midwives' experience of facilitating pregnant women's access to dental care and to document women's experience of receiving dental information and care during pregnancy. Focus groups with midwives and telephone interviews with women who were referred to Monash Health Dental Services were conducted to explore their perspectives and experiences. The qualitative data was thematically analysed. Three focus groups with 13 midwives and telephone interviews with eight women who recently gave birth were conducted. Three key themes were identified: maternal oral health knowledge; barriers to accessing dental information and care during pregnancy; and suggested recommendations. This study highlighted the barriers that exist for midwives to discuss oral health with women and refer women to dental care, and women's experiences of accessing dental care during pregnancy. Ongoing collaboration between the maternity and dental services is required to strengthen midwives' knowledge, confidence and practise in supporting women to access dental care during pregnancy. © 2018 Australian Dental Association.

Varieties of semantic 'access' deficit in Wernicke's aphasia and semantic aphasia.

PubMed

Thompson, Hannah E; Robson, Holly; Lambon Ralph, Matthew A; Jefferies, Elizabeth

2015-12-01

Comprehension deficits are common in stroke aphasia, including in cases with (i) semantic aphasia, characterized by poor executive control of semantic processing across verbal and non-verbal modalities; and (ii) Wernicke's aphasia, associated with poor auditory-verbal comprehension and repetition, plus fluent speech with jargon. However, the varieties of these comprehension problems, and their underlying causes, are not well understood. Both patient groups exhibit some type of semantic 'access' deficit, as opposed to the 'storage' deficits observed in semantic dementia. Nevertheless, existing descriptions suggest that these patients might have different varieties of 'access' impairment-related to difficulty resolving competition (in semantic aphasia) versus initial activation of concepts from sensory inputs (in Wernicke's aphasia). We used a case series design to compare patients with Wernicke's aphasia and those with semantic aphasia on Warrington's paradigmatic assessment of semantic 'access' deficits. In these verbal and non-verbal matching tasks, a small set of semantically-related items are repeatedly presented over several cycles so that the target on one trial becomes a distractor on another (building up interference and eliciting semantic 'blocking' effects). Patients with Wernicke's aphasia and semantic aphasia were distinguished according to lesion location in the temporal cortex, but in each group, some individuals had additional prefrontal damage. Both of these aspects of lesion variability-one that mapped onto classical 'syndromes' and one that did not-predicted aspects of the semantic 'access' deficit. Both semantic aphasia and Wernicke's aphasia cases showed multimodal semantic impairment, although as expected, the Wernicke's aphasia group showed greater deficits on auditory-verbal than picture judgements. Distribution of damage in the temporal lobe was crucial for predicting the initially 'beneficial' effects of stimulus repetition: cases with

Access, treatment and outcomes of care: a study of ethnic minorities in Europe.

PubMed

Hanssens, Lise G M; Detollenaere, Jens; Hardyns, Wim; Willems, Sara J T

2016-05-01

Recent research has shown that ethnic minorities still have less access to medical care and are less satisfied with the treatment they receive and the outcomes of the health care process. This article assesses how migrants in Europe experience access, treatment and outcomes in the European health care systems. Data were obtained from the QUALICOPC study (Quality and Costs of Primary Care in Europe). Regression analyses were used to estimate the access, treatment and outcomes of care for ethnic minorities. In several countries, migrants experience that the opening hours of their GP practice were too limited and indicate that the practice was too far away from their work or home (lower access). They are more likely to report negative patient-doctor communication and less continuity of care than native patients (worse treatment). In addition, they are less satisfied with the care they received and are more likely to postpone care (worse outcomes). In general, migrants are still disadvantaged during the health care process. However, our results also indicate that satisfaction with the health care process improves for second-generation migrants in comparison with first-generation migrants.

Environmental Assessment for the Installation of New Urban Operation Complex Targets and Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Targets for the Nevada Test and Training Range

DTIC Science & Technology

2006-09-01

NTTR. The proposed target areas were selected due to topographic requirements for the targets. A canyon area would provide narrow ravines and...south end of the canyon (rim level) exists through R-76. An access road would be developed that extends from the mouth of the canyon south 1.8 to...buildings to represent barracks would be placed off and along the roads. A simulated fence would cross the mouth of the canyon at the north end. The

A Unique, Optically Accessible Flame Tube Facility for Lean Combustor Studies

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hicks, Yolanda R.; Locke, Randy J.; Wey, Chowen C.; Bianco, Jean

1995-01-01

A facility that allows interrogation of combusting flows by advanced diagnostic methods and instrumentation has been developed at the NASA Lewis Research Center. An optically accessible flame tube combustor is described which has high temperature, pressure, and air flow capabilities. The windows in the combustor measure 3.8 cm axially by 5.1 cm radially, providing 67% optical access to the 7.6 cm x 7.6 cm cross section flow chamber. Advanced gas analysis instrumentation is available through a gas chromatography/mass spectrometer system (GC/MS), which has on-line capability for heavy hydrocarbon measurement with resolution to the parts per billion level. The instrumentation allows one to study combusting flows and combustor subcomponents, such as fuel injectors and air swirlers. Planar Laser Induced Fluorescence (PLIF) can measure unstable combustion species, which cannot be obtained with traditional gas sampling. This type of data is especially useful to combustion modellers. The optical access allows measurements to have high spatial and temporal resolution. GC/MS data and PLIF images of OH- are presented from experiments using a lean direct injection (LDI) combustor burning Jet-A fuel at inlet temperatures ranging from 810 K to 866 K, combustor pressures up to 1380 kPa, and equivalence ratios from 0.41 to 0.59.

Direct access to physical therapy for the patient with musculoskeletal disorders, a literature review

PubMed Central

Piano, Leonardo; Maselli, Filippo; Viceconti, Antonello; Gianola, Silvia; Ciuro, Aldo

2017-01-01

[Purpose] To present legislation comparing direct and referred access—or other measures—to physical therapy. The focus is on the management of the most burdensome musculoskeletal disorders in terms of regulations, costs, effectiveness, safety and cost-effectiveness. [Methods] Main biomedical databases and gray literature were searched ranging from a global scenario to the analysis of targeted geographical areas and specifically Italy and the Region Piedmont. [Results] legislation on Direct Access highlights inconsistencies among the countries belonging to World Confederation for Physical Therapy. Direct Access could be an effective, safe and efficient organization model for the management of patients with musculoskeletal diseases and seems to be more effective safer and cost effective. [Conclusion] Direct Access is a virtuous model which can help improve the global quality of physical therapy services. Further studies are required to confirm this approach and determine whether the findings of the present overview can be replicated in different countries and healthcare systems. PMID:28878484

Deaf women: experiences and perceptions of healthcare system access.

PubMed

Steinberg, Annie G; Wiggins, Erin A; Barmada, Carlin Henry; Sullivan, Vicki Joy

2002-10-01

The authors investigated the knowledge, attitudes, and healthcare experiences of Deaf women. Interviews with 45 deaf women who participated in focus groups in American Sign Language were translated, transcribed, and analyzed. Deaf women's understanding of women's health issues, knowledge of health vocabulary in both English and American Sign Language, common health concerns among Deaf women, and issues of access to information, including pathways and barriers, were examined. As a qualitative study, the results of this investigation are limited and should be viewed as exploratory. A lack of health knowledge was evident, including little understanding of the meaning or value of cancer screening, mammography, or Pap smears; purposes of prescribed medications, such as hormone replacement therapy (HRT); or necessity for other medical or surgical interventions. Negative experiences and avoidance or nonuse of health services were reported, largely due to the lack of a common language with healthcare providers. Insensitive behaviors were also described. Positive experiences and increased access to health information were reported with practitioners who used qualified interpreters. Providers who demonstrated minimal signing skills, a willingness to use paper and pen, and sensitivity to improving communication were appreciated. Deaf women have unique cultural and linguistic issues that affect healthcare experiences. Improved access to health information may be achieved with specialized resource materials, improved prevention and targeted intervention strategies, and self-advocacy skills development. Healthcare providers must be trained to become more effective communicators with Deaf patients and to use qualified interpreters to assure access to healthcare for Deaf women.

Development and Testing of a Conceptual Model Regarding Men’s Access to Health Care

PubMed Central

Leone, James E.; Rovito, Michael J.; Mullin, Elizabeth M.; Mohammed, Shan D.; Lee, Christina S.

2016-01-01

Epidemiologic data suggest men often experience excessive morbidity and early mortality, possibly compromising family and community health over the lifespan. Moreover, the negative financial/economic consequences affected by poor male health outcomes also has been of great concern in the United States and abroad. Early and consistent access to preventative health care may improve health outcomes; however, men are far less likely to access these services. The purpose of this study was to understand what factors preclude men from accessing health care. We surveyed 485 participants using a 58-item online survey built from a conceptual model previously developed by the researchers using hegemonic masculinity theory, the theory of normative contentment, and the health belief model. For men, three items significantly (ps < .05) predicted whether they had seen a health care provider in the past year: “I/Men do not access healthcare because I do not think there is anything wrong with me,” “My health is only about me,” and “I/Men do not access healthcare because most men in my family do not access healthcare.” Other correlations of practical significance also were noted. Results suggest gender norms and masculine ideals may play a primary role in how men access preventative health care. Future programming targeting males should consider barriers and plan programs that are gender-sensitive in addition to being gender-specific. Clinical implications are discussed. PMID:27698256

Taking the Plunge: Open Access at the "Canadian Journal of Sociology." Case Studies in Open Access Publishing. Number Five

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Haggerty, Kevin D.

2008-01-01

Introduction: Presents a personal account of the transfer to open access of the leading Canadian journal of sociology. Background: The Canadian Journal of Sociology had established a strong position, internationally, among sociology journals. However, subscriptions were falling as readers increasingly accessed the resource through libraries and a…

Health-Promoting Nature Access for People with Mobility Impairments: A Systematic Review.

PubMed

Zhang, Gaochao; Poulsen, Dorthe V; Lygum, Victoria L; Corazon, Sus S; Gramkow, Marie C; Stigsdotter, Ulrika K

2017-06-29

This study systematically evaluated the scientific evidence for health benefits of natural environments for people with mobility impairments. Literature searches based on five categories of terms-target group, nature type, health-related impacts, nature-related activities and accessibility issues-were conducted in four databases (Web of Science, Scopus, CAB ABSTRACT and Medline). Twenty-seven articles from 4196 hits were included in the systematic reviews. We concluded that people with mobility disabilities could gain different health benefits, including physical health benefits, mental health benefits and social health benefits from nature in different kinds of nature contacts ranging from passive contact, active involvement to rehabilitative interventions. Several issues related to the accessibility and use of nature for people with mobility impairments need attention from professionals such as landscape architects, rehabilitative therapists, caregivers and policy makers. The overall quality of methodology of the included studies is not high based on assessment of the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool (MMAT). Moreover, more randomized controlled trials and longitudinal studies that focus specifically on evidence-based health design of nature for people with mobility impairments in the future are needed.

Influence of the membrane lipophilic environment on the structure and on the substrate access/egress routes of the human aromatase enzyme. A computational study.

PubMed

Sgrignani, Jacopo; Magistrato, Alessandra

2012-06-25

Human aromatase (HA), an enzyme located on the membrane of the endoplasmatic reticulum, is of crucial biological importance in the biosynthesis of estrogens. High levels of estrogens are related with important pathologies, conferring to HA a key role as a pharmacological target. In this study we provide, for the first time, an atomistic model of HA embedded on a membrane model to understand the influence of the membrane lipophilic environment on the structural and dynamical properties of HA and on the access/egress pathways of the substrate (androstenedione, ASD) and of the oxygen molecule (involved in the enzymatic process) into/from the HA active site. To this end we used several computational techniques such as force field-based molecular dynamics (MD) simulations, Random Expulsion MD, Steered MD, and Implicit Ligand Sampling. Our results show that the membrane anchoring does not markedly affect the structural properties and the flexibility of the protein, but they clearly point out that the membrane has a marked effect on the access/egress routes of the reactants, stabilizing the formation of different channels for both ASD and O(2) with respect to those observed in pure water solution. Due to the importance of HA in medicine and since access/egress channels may influence its substrate selectivity, a detailed understanding of the role of the membrane in shaping these channels may be of valuable help in drug design.

How automated access verification can help organizations demonstrate HIPAA compliance: A case study.

PubMed

Hill, Linda

2006-01-01

This case study of Sharp HealthCare takes an in depth look at how the organization has embedded security policies into its business process and automated workflow to ensure users are granted only the IT access that is necessary for them to perform their jobs and to ensure patient privacy Some of the most pressing audit and compliance concerns in healthcare organizations today revolve around the need to constantly review and give an account for users' IT access. The need for this at Sharp is exacerbated because of the high rate of change within the organization and the large percentage of non-employee staff such as traveling nurses moving throughout hospital departments on their rotations. By implementing a software solution to verify the accuracy of user access rights or automatically initiate appropriate corrective actions, Sharp is now able to extend the responsibility and accountability for compliance to the most appropriate resources.

Targeting of drugs and nanoparticles to tumors

PubMed Central

Bhatia, Sangeeta N.; Sailor, Michael J.

2010-01-01

The various types of cells that comprise the tumor mass all carry molecular markers that are not expressed or are expressed at much lower levels in normal cells. These differentially expressed molecules can be used as docking sites to concentrate drug conjugates and nanoparticles at tumors. Specific markers in tumor vessels are particularly well suited for targeting because molecules at the surface of blood vessels are readily accessible to circulating compounds. The increased concentration of a drug in the site of disease made possible by targeted delivery can be used to increase efficacy, reduce side effects, or achieve some of both. We review the recent advances in this delivery approach with a focus on the use of molecular markers of tumor vasculature as the primary target and nanoparticles as the delivery vehicle. PMID:20231381

Equity in access to health care in a rural population in Malaysia: A cross-sectional study.

PubMed

Lim, Ka Keat; Sivasampu, Sheamini; Mahmud, Fatihah

2017-04-01

To examine the extent of equity in access to health care, their determinants and reasons of unmet need of a rural population in Malaysia. Exploratory cross-sectional survey administered by trained interviewers among participants of a health screening program. A rural plantation estate in the West Coast of Peninsular Malaysia. One hundred and thirty out of 142 adults above 18 years old who attended the program. Percentages of respondents reporting realised access and unmet need to health care, determinants of both access indicators and reasons for unmet need. Realised access associated with need but not predisposing or enabling factors and unmet need not associated with any variables were considered equitable. A total of 88 (67.7%) respondents had visited a doctor (realised access) in the past 6 months and 24.8% (n = 31) experienced unmet need in the past 12 months. Using logistic regression, realised access was associated with presence of chronic disease (OR 6.97, P < 0.001), whereas unmet need was associated with low education level (OR 6.50, P < 0.05), 'poor' or 'fair' self-assessed health status (OR 6.03, P < 0.05) and highest income group (> RM 2000 per month) (OR 51.27, P < 0.05). Personal choice (67.7%) was more commonly expressed than barriers (54.8%) as reasons for unmet need. The study found equity in realised access and inequity in unmet need among the rural population, the latter associated with education level, subjective health status and income. Despite not being generalisable, the findings highlight the need for a national level study on equity in access before the country reforms its health system. © 2016 National Rural Health Alliance Inc.

Targeted silver nanoparticles for ratiometric cell phenotyping

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Willmore, Anne-Mari A.; Simón-Gracia, Lorena; Toome, Kadri; Paiste, Päärn; Kotamraju, Venkata Ramana; Mölder, Tarmo; Sugahara, Kazuki N.; Ruoslahti, Erkki; Braun, Gary B.; Teesalu, Tambet

2016-04-01

Affinity targeting is used to deliver nanoparticles to cells and tissues. For efficient targeting, it is critical to consider the expression and accessibility of the relevant receptors in the target cells. Here, we describe isotopically barcoded silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) as a tool for auditing affinity ligand receptors in cells. Tumor penetrating peptide RPARPAR (receptor: NRP-1) and tumor homing peptide GKRK (receptor: p32) were used as affinity ligands on the AgNPs. The binding and uptake of the peptide-functionalized AgNPs by cultured PPC-1 prostate cancer and M21 melanoma cells was dependent on the cell surface expression of the cognate peptide receptors. Barcoded peptide-functionalized AgNPs were synthesized from silver and palladium isotopes. The cells were incubated with a cocktail of the barcoded nanoparticles [RPARPAR (R), GKRK (K), and control], and cellular binding and internalization of each type of nanoparticle was assessed by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. The results of isotopic analysis were in agreement with data obtained using optical methods. Using ratiometric measurements, we were able to classify the PPC-1 cell line as mainly NRP-1-positive, with 75 +/- 5% R-AgNP uptake, and the M21 cell line as only p32-positive, with 89 +/- 9% K-AgNP uptake. The isotopically barcoded multiplexed AgNPs are useful as an in vitro ratiometric phenotyping tool and have potential uses in functional evaluation of the expression of accessible homing peptide receptors in vivo.Affinity targeting is used to deliver nanoparticles to cells and tissues. For efficient targeting, it is critical to consider the expression and accessibility of the relevant receptors in the target cells. Here, we describe isotopically barcoded silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) as a tool for auditing affinity ligand receptors in cells. Tumor penetrating peptide RPARPAR (receptor: NRP-1) and tumor homing peptide GKRK (receptor: p32) were used as affinity ligands on the AgNPs. The

Sexual stigma, criminalization, investment, and access to HIV services among men who have sex with men worldwide.

PubMed

Arreola, Sonya; Santos, Glenn-Milo; Beck, Jack; Sundararaj, Mohan; Wilson, Patrick A; Hebert, Pato; Makofane, Keletso; Do, Tri D; Ayala, George

2015-02-01

Globally, HIV disproportionately affects men who have sex with men (MSM). This study explored associations between access to HIV services and (1) individual-level perceived sexual stigma; (2) country-level criminalization of homosexuality; and (3) country-level investment in HIV services for MSM. 3,340 MSM completed an online survey assessing access to HIV services. MSM from over 115 countries were categorized according to criminalization of homosexuality policy and investment in HIV services targeting MSM. Lower access to condoms, lubricants, and HIV testing were each associated with greater perceived sexual stigma, existence of homosexuality criminalization policies, and less investment in HIV services. Lower access to HIV treatment was associated with greater perceived sexual stigma and criminalization. Criminalization of homosexuality and low investment in HIV services were both associated with greater perceived sexual stigma. Efforts to prevent and treat HIV among MSM should be coupled with structural interventions to reduce stigma, overturn homosexuality criminalization policies, and increase investment in MSM-specific HIV services.

Older teen attitudes toward birth control access in pharmacies: a qualitative study.

PubMed

Wilkinson, Tracey A; Miller, Courtney; Rafie, Samantha; Landau, Sharon Cohen; Rafie, Sally

2018-03-01

To examine adolescent attitudes toward accessing contraception through a new pharmacist prescribing model in the State of California. In-depth telephone interviews were conducted in summer 2015 with 30 females ages 18 to 19 in California. Participants were recruited using a social media advertisement. Semi-structured interviews utilized open-ended questions to understand teens' experiences with pharmacies, experiences obtaining contraception, and views on pharmacist prescribing of contraception. Responses were transcribed and qualitatively analyzed using an independent-coder method to identify salient themes. Participants were ethnically diverse and primarily living in suburban areas. All participants had completed high school and many had completed one year of college. Nearly all participants were supportive of California's new law allowing pharmacist prescribing of contraception. Thematic analyses revealed that while participants were satisfied with traditional service providers and valued those relationships, they appreciated the benefit of increased access and convenience of going directly to a pharmacy. Participants expected increased access to contraception in pharmacies would lead to both personal and societal benefits. They expressed concerns regarding parental involvement, as well as confidentiality in the pharmacy environment and with insurance disclosures. Older teens in California are very supportive of pharmacies and pharmacists as direct access points for contraception, but confidentiality concerns were noted. Policy makers and pharmacies can incorporate study findings when designing policies, services, and physical pharmacy spaces to better serve teens. Further research is warranted after pharmacies implement this new service to assess teen utilization and satisfaction as well as outcomes. Several states recently passed legislation enabling pharmacists to prescribe contraception and other states are considering similar legislation. Older teens are

Enhancing healthcare accessibility measurements using GIS: A case study in Seoul, Korea.

PubMed

Kim, Yeeun; Byon, Young-Ji; Yeo, Hwasoo

2018-01-01

With recent aging demographic trends, the needs for enhancing geo-spatial analysis capabilities and monitoring the status of accessibilities of its citizens with healthcare services have increased. The accessibility to healthcare is determined not only by geographic distances to service locations, but also includes travel time, available modes of transportation, and departure time. Having access to the latest and accurate information regarding the healthcare accessibility allows the municipal government to plan for improvements, including expansion of healthcare infrastructure, effective labor distribution, alternative healthcare options for the regions with low accessibilities, and redesigning the public transportation routes and schedules. This paper proposes a new method named, Seoul Enhanced 2-Step Floating Catchment Area (SE2SFCA), which is customized for the city of Seoul, where population density is higher and the average distance between healthcare-service locations tends to be shorter than the typical North American or European cities. The proposed method of SE2SFCA is found to be realistic and effective in determining the weak accessibility regions. It resolves the over-estimation issues of the past, arising from the assignment of high healthcare accessibility for the regions with large hospitals and high density of population and hospitals.

Joint marketing as a framework for targeting men who have sex with men in China: a pilot intervention study.

PubMed

Tan, Jingguang; Cai, Rui; Lu, Zuxun; Cheng, Jinquan; de Vlas, Sake J; Richardus, Jan Hendrik

2013-04-01

To apply the joint marketing principle as a new intervention approach for targeting men who have sex with men (MSM) who are often difficult to reach in societies with discrimination towards homosexuality and HIV/AIDS. A pilot intervention according to the principles of joint marketing was carried out by the CDC in Shenzhen, China, in MSM social venues. A self-designed questionnaire of HIV knowledge, condom use, and access to HIV-related services was used before and after the pilot intervention to evaluate its effectiveness. The CDC supported gatekeepers of MSM social venues in running their business and thereby increasing their respectability and income. In return, the gatekeepers cooperated with the CDC in reaching the MSM at the venues with health promotion messages and materials. Thus a win-win situation was created, bringing together two noncompetitive parties in reaching out to a shared customer, the MSM. The pilot intervention succeeded in demonstrating acceptability and feasibility of the joint marketing approach targeting MSM. HIV knowledge, the rate of condom use, and access to HIV-related services of participants in the pilot intervention increased significantly. The joint marketing intervention is an innovative way to create synergies between the gatekeepers of MSM social venues and public health officials for reaching and potentially changing HIV high-risk behaviors among MSM.

Applying human rights to improve access to reproductive health services.

PubMed

Shaw, Dorothy; Cook, Rebecca J

2012-10-01

Universal access to reproductive health is a target of Millennium Development Goal (MDG) 5B, and along with MDG 5A to reduce maternal mortality by three-quarters, progress is currently too slow for most countries to achieve these targets by 2015. Critical to success are increased and sustainable numbers of skilled healthcare workers and financing of essential medicines by governments, who have made political commitments in United Nations forums to renew their efforts to reduce maternal mortality. National essential medicine lists are not reflective of medicines available free or at cost in facilities or in the community. The WHO Essential Medicines List indicates medicines required for maternal and newborn health including the full range of contraceptives and emergency contraception, but there is no consistent monitoring of implementation of national lists through procurement and supply even for basic essential drugs. Health advocates are using human rights mechanisms to ensure governments honor their legal commitments to ensure access to services essential for reproductive health. Maternal mortality is recognized as a human rights violation by the United Nations and constitutional and human rights are being used, and could be used more effectively, to improve maternity services and to ensure access to drugs essential for reproductive health. Copyright © 2012 International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Encoding and retrieval processes involved in the access of source information in the absence of item memory.

PubMed

Ball, B Hunter; DeWitt, Michael R; Knight, Justin B; Hicks, Jason L

2014-09-01

The current study sought to examine the relative contributions of encoding and retrieval processes in accessing contextual information in the absence of item memory using an extralist cuing procedure in which the retrieval cues used to query memory for contextual information were related to the target item but never actually studied. In Experiments 1 and 2, participants studied 1 category member (e.g., onion) from a variety of different categories and at test were presented with an unstudied category label (e.g., vegetable) to probe memory for item and source information. In Experiments 3 and 4, 1 member of unidirectional (e.g., credit or card) or bidirectional (e.g., salt or pepper) associates was studied, whereas the other unstudied member served as a test probe. When recall failed, source information was accessible only when items were processed deeply during encoding (Experiments 1 and 2) and when there was strong forward associative strength between the retrieval cue and target (Experiments 3 and 4). These findings suggest that a retrieval probe diagnostic of semantically related item information reinstantiates information bound in memory during encoding that results in reactivation of associated contextual information, contingent upon sufficient learning of the item itself and the association between the item and its context information.

A review of the Fermilab fixed-target program

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Rameika, R.

1994-12-01

All eyes are now on the Fermilab collider program as the intense search for the top quark continues. Nevertheless, Fermilab`s long tradition of operating a strong, diverse physics program depends not only on collider physics but also on effective use of the facilities the Laboratory was founded on, the fixed-target beamlines. In this talk the author presents highlights of the Fermilab fixed-target program from its (not too distant) past, (soon to be) present, and (hopefully, not too distant) future program. The author concentrates on those experiments which are unique to the fixed-target program, in particular hadron structure measurements which usemore » the varied beams and targets available in this mode and the physics results from kaon, hyperon and high statistics charm experiments which are not easily accessible in high p{sub T} hadron collider detectors.« less

Applying Measurement of Situational Self-Determination Theory to Use of a Self-Access Centre at a Japanese University

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Robson, Graham G.; Hardy, Darrell J.

2018-01-01

One way to promote autonomy in the second language can be through the use of Self-access Centres (SACs). These are spaces for students to engage in activities such as self-study or communication with other learners, or native-speakers of the target language. However, merely having these spaces available does not guarantee that students will use…

Socioeconomic disparities in head and neck cancer patients' access to cancer treatment centers.

PubMed

Walker, Blake Byron; Schuurman, Nadine; Auluck, Ajit; Lear, Scott A; Rosin, Miriam

2017-01-01

Both socioeconomic status and travel time to cancer treatment have been associated with treatment choice and patient outcomes. An improved understanding of the relationship between these two dimensions of access may enable cancer control experts to better target patients with poor access, particularly in isolated suburban and rural communities. Using geographical information systems, head and neck cancer patients across British Columbia, Canada from 1981 to 2009, were mapped and their travel times to the nearest treatment center at their time of diagnosis were modelled. Patients' travel times were analysed by urban, suburban, and rural neighborhood types and an index of multiple socioeconomic deprivation was used to assess the role of socioeconomic status in patients' spatial access. Significant associations between socioeconomic deprivation and spatial access to treatment were identified, with the most deprived quintiles of patients experiencing nearly twice the travel time as the least deprived quintile. The sharpest disparities were observed among the most deprived patient populations in suburban and rural areas. However, the establishment of new treatment centers has decreased overall travel times by 28% in recent decades. Residence in a neighborhood with high socioeconomic deprivation is strongly associated with head and neck cancer patients' spatial access to cancer treatment centers. Patients residing in the most socioeconomically deprived neighborhoods consistently have longer travel times in urban, suburban, and rural communities in the study area.

Targeting neutrophils in ischemic stroke: translational insights from experimental studies

PubMed Central

Jickling, Glen C; Liu, DaZhi; Ander, Bradley P; Stamova, Boryana; Zhan, Xinhua; Sharp, Frank R

2015-01-01

Neutrophils have key roles in ischemic brain injury, thrombosis, and atherosclerosis. As such, neutrophils are of great interest as targets to treat and prevent ischemic stroke. After stroke, neutrophils respond rapidly promoting blood–brain barrier disruption, cerebral edema, and brain injury. A surge of neutrophil-derived reactive oxygen species, proteases, and cytokines are released as neutrophils interact with cerebral endothelium. Neutrophils also are linked to the major processes that cause ischemic stroke, thrombosis, and atherosclerosis. Thrombosis is promoted through interactions with platelets, clotting factors, and release of prothrombotic molecules. In atherosclerosis, neutrophils promote plaque formation and rupture by generating oxidized-low density lipoprotein, enhancing monocyte infiltration, and degrading the fibrous cap. In experimental studies targeting neutrophils can improve stroke. However, early human studies have been met with challenges, and suggest that selective targeting of neutrophils may be required. Several properties of neutrophil are beneficial and thus may important to preserve in patients with stroke including antimicrobial, antiinflammatory, and neuroprotective functions. PMID:25806703

Accessibility and potency of uterotonic drugs purchased by simulated clients in four districts in India.

PubMed

Stanton, Cynthia; Nand, Deepak Nitya; Koski, Alissa; Mirzabagi, Ellie; Brooke, Steve; Grady, Breanne; Mullany, Luke C

2014-11-13

Surveillance of drug quality for antibiotics, antiretrovirals, antimalarials and vaccines is better established than surveillance for maternal health drugs in low-income countries, particularly uterotonic drugs for the prevention and treatment of postpartum hemorrhage. The objectives of this study are to: assess private sector accessibility of four drugs used for uterotonic purposes (oxytocin, methylergometrine, misoprostol, valethamate bromide); and to assess potency of oxytocin and methylergometrine ampoules purchased by simulated clients. The study was conducted in Hassan and Bagalkot districts in Karnataka state and Agra and Gorakhpur districts in Uttar Pradesh state. A sample of 877 private pharmacies was selected (using a stratified, systematic sampling with random start), among which 847 were successfully visited. The target sample size for assessment of accessibility was 50 pharmacies per drug, per district. The target sample size for potency assessment was 100 purchases each of oxytocin and methylergometrine across all districts. Successful drug purchases varied by state. In Agra and Gorakhpur, 90%-100% of visits for each of the drugs resulted in a purchase. In Bagalkot and Hassan, only 29%-52% of visits for each drug resulted in a purchase. Regarding potency, the percent of active pharmaceutical ingredient was assessed using United States Pharmacopeia monograph #33 for both drugs; 193 and 188 ampoules of oxytocin and methylergometrine, respectively, were assessed. The percent of oxytocin ampoules outside manufacturer specification ranged from 33%-40% in Karnataka and from 22%-50% in Uttar Pradesh. In Bagalkot and Hassan, 96% and 100% of the methylergometrine ampoules were outside manufacturer specification, respectively. In Agra and Gorakhpur, 54% and 44% were outside manufacturer specification, respectively. Private sector accessibility of uterotonic drugs in study districts in Karnataka warrants attention. Most importantly, interventions to assure

What You See Isn’t Always What You Get: Auditory Word Signals Trump Consciously Perceived Words in Lexical Access

PubMed Central

Ostrand, Rachel; Blumstein, Sheila E.; Ferreira, Victor S.; Morgan, James L.

2016-01-01

Human speech perception often includes both an auditory and visual component. A conflict in these signals can result in the McGurk illusion, in which the listener perceives a fusion of the two streams, implying that information from both has been integrated. We report two experiments investigating whether auditory-visual integration of speech occurs before or after lexical access, and whether the visual signal influences lexical access at all. Subjects were presented with McGurk or Congruent primes and performed a lexical decision task on related or unrelated targets. Although subjects perceived the McGurk illusion, McGurk and Congruent primes with matching real-word auditory signals equivalently primed targets that were semantically related to the auditory signal, but not targets related to the McGurk percept. We conclude that the time course of auditory-visual integration is dependent on the lexicality of the auditory and visual input signals, and that listeners can lexically access one word and yet consciously perceive another. PMID:27011021

Using the CPTAC Assay Portal to identify and implement highly characterized targeted proteomics assays

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Whiteaker, Jeffrey R.; Halusa, Goran; Hoofnagle, Andrew N.

2016-02-12

The Clinical Proteomic Tumor Analysis Consortium (CPTAC) of the National Cancer Institute (NCI) has launched an Assay Portal (http://assays.cancer.gov) to serve as an open-source repository of well-characterized targeted proteomic assays. The portal is designed to curate and disseminate highly characterized, targeted mass spectrometry (MS)-based assays by providing detailed assay performance characterization data, standard operating procedures, and access to reagents. Assay content is accessed via the portal through queries to find assays targeting proteins associated with specific cellular pathways, protein complexes, or specific chromosomal regions. The position of the peptide analytes for which there are available assays are mapped relative tomore » other features of interest in the protein, such as sequence domains, isoforms, single nucleotide polymorphisms, and post-translational modifications. The overarching goals are to enable robust quantification of all human proteins and to standardize the quantification of targeted MS-based assays to ultimately enable harmonization of results over time and across laboratories.« less

Using the CPTAC Assay Portal to Identify and Implement Highly Characterized Targeted Proteomics Assays.

PubMed

Whiteaker, Jeffrey R; Halusa, Goran N; Hoofnagle, Andrew N; Sharma, Vagisha; MacLean, Brendan; Yan, Ping; Wrobel, John A; Kennedy, Jacob; Mani, D R; Zimmerman, Lisa J; Meyer, Matthew R; Mesri, Mehdi; Boja, Emily; Carr, Steven A; Chan, Daniel W; Chen, Xian; Chen, Jing; Davies, Sherri R; Ellis, Matthew J C; Fenyö, David; Hiltke, Tara; Ketchum, Karen A; Kinsinger, Chris; Kuhn, Eric; Liebler, Daniel C; Liu, Tao; Loss, Michael; MacCoss, Michael J; Qian, Wei-Jun; Rivers, Robert; Rodland, Karin D; Ruggles, Kelly V; Scott, Mitchell G; Smith, Richard D; Thomas, Stefani; Townsend, R Reid; Whiteley, Gordon; Wu, Chaochao; Zhang, Hui; Zhang, Zhen; Rodriguez, Henry; Paulovich, Amanda G

2016-01-01

The Clinical Proteomic Tumor Analysis Consortium (CPTAC) of the National Cancer Institute (NCI) has launched an Assay Portal (http://assays.cancer.gov) to serve as an open-source repository of well-characterized targeted proteomic assays. The portal is designed to curate and disseminate highly characterized, targeted mass spectrometry (MS)-based assays by providing detailed assay performance characterization data, standard operating procedures, and access to reagents. Assay content is accessed via the portal through queries to find assays targeting proteins associated with specific cellular pathways, protein complexes, or specific chromosomal regions. The position of the peptide analytes for which there are available assays are mapped relative to other features of interest in the protein, such as sequence domains, isoforms, single nucleotide polymorphisms, and posttranslational modifications. The overarching goals are to enable robust quantification of all human proteins and to standardize the quantification of targeted MS-based assays to ultimately enable harmonization of results over time and across laboratories.

Reduced food access due to a lack of money, inability to lift and lack of access to a car for food shopping: a multilevel study in Melbourne, Victoria.

PubMed

Burns, Cate; Bentley, Rebecca; Thornton, Lukar; Kavanagh, Anne

2011-06-01

To describe associations between demographic and individual and area-level socio-economic variables and restricted household food access due to lack of money, inability to lift groceries and lack of access to a car to do food shopping. Multilevel study of three measures of restricted food access, i.e. running out of money to buy food, inability to lift groceries and lack of access to a car for food shopping. Multilevel logistic regression was conducted to examine the risk of each of these outcomes according to demographic and socio-economic variables. Random selection of households from fifty small areas in Melbourne, Australia, in 2003. The main food shoppers in each household (n 2564). A lack of money was significantly more likely among the young and in households with single adults. Difficulty lifting was more likely among the elderly and those born overseas. The youngest and highest age groups both reported reduced car access, as did those born overseas and single-adult households. All three factors were most likely among those with a lower individual or household socio-economic position. Increased levels of area disadvantage were independently associated with difficulty lifting and reduced car access. In Melbourne, households with lower individual socio-economic position and area disadvantage have restricted access to food because of a lack of money and/or having physical limitations due difficulty lifting or lack of access to a car for food shopping. Further research is required to explore the relationship between physical restrictions and food access.

Going "social" to access experimental and potentially life-saving treatment: an assessment of the policy and online patient advocacy environment for expanded access.

PubMed

Mackey, Tim K; Schoenfeld, Virginia J

2016-02-02

Social media is fundamentally altering how we access health information and make decisions about medical treatment, including for terminally ill patients. This specifically includes the growing phenomenon of patients who use online petitions and social media campaigns in an attempt to gain access to experimental drugs through expanded access pathways. Importantly, controversy surrounding expanded access and "compassionate use" involves several disparate stakeholders, including patients, manufacturers, policymakers, and regulatory agencies-all with competing interests and priorities, leading to confusion, frustration, and ultimately advocacy. In order to explore this issue in detail, this correspondence article first conducts a literature review to describe how the expanded access policy and regulatory environment in the United States has evolved over time and how it currently impacts access to experimental drugs. We then conducted structured web searches to identify patient use of online petitions and social media campaigns aimed at compelling access to experimental drugs. This was carried out in order to characterize the types of communication strategies utilized, the diseases and drugs subject to expanded access petitions, and the prevalent themes associated with this form of "digital" patient advocacy. We find that patients and their families experience mixed results, but still gravitate towards the use of online campaigns out of desperation, lack of reliable information about treatment access options, and in direct response to limitations of the current fragmented structure of expanded access regulation and policy currently in place. In response, we discuss potential policy reforms to improve expanded access processes, including advocating greater transparency for expanded access programs, exploring use of targeted economic incentives for manufacturers, and developing systems to facilitate patient information about existing treatment options. This includes

A study of the effect of ADA accessibility on Kansas roundabouts.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2008-11-01

The Access Board, with authority to enforce provisions of the American Disabilities Act (ADA), initially determined : that roundabouts are not accessible by blind pedestrians and drafted proposed guidelines to require pedestrian : signals at all roun...

Beyond Culture and Language: Access to Diabetes Preventive Health Services among Somali Women in Norway.

PubMed

Gele, Abdi A; Torheim, Liv Elin; Pettersen, Kjell Sverre; Kumar, Bernadette

2015-01-01

Despite the high prevalence of type 2 diabetes in some immigrant and refugee communities in Norway, there is very little information available on their utilization of diabetes prevention interventions, particularly for women from Somali immigrant communities. A qualitative study of 30 Somali immigrant women aged 25 years and over was carried out in the Oslo area. Unstructured interviews were used to explore women's knowledge of diabetes, their access to preventive health facilities, and factors impeding their reception of preventive health programs targeted for the prevention of type 2 diabetes. The study participants were found to have a good knowledge of diabetes. They knew that a sedentary lifestyle and unhealthy diet are among the risk factors for diabetes. Regardless of their knowledge, participants reported a sedentary lifestyle accompanied with the consumption of an unhealthy diet. This was attributed to a lack of access to tailored physical activity services and poor access to health information. Considering gender-exclusive training facilities for Somali immigrant women and others with similar needs, in addition to access to tailored health information on diet, may encourage Somali women to adopt a healthy lifestyle, and it will definitely contribute to a national strategy for the prevention of diabetes.

Beyond Culture and Language: Access to Diabetes Preventive Health Services among Somali Women in Norway

PubMed Central

Gele, Abdi A.; Torheim, Liv Elin; Pettersen, Kjell Sverre; Kumar, Bernadette

2015-01-01

Despite the high prevalence of type 2 diabetes in some immigrant and refugee communities in Norway, there is very little information available on their utilization of diabetes prevention interventions, particularly for women from Somali immigrant communities. A qualitative study of 30 Somali immigrant women aged 25 years and over was carried out in the Oslo area. Unstructured interviews were used to explore women's knowledge of diabetes, their access to preventive health facilities, and factors impeding their reception of preventive health programs targeted for the prevention of type 2 diabetes. The study participants were found to have a good knowledge of diabetes. They knew that a sedentary lifestyle and unhealthy diet are among the risk factors for diabetes. Regardless of their knowledge, participants reported a sedentary lifestyle accompanied with the consumption of an unhealthy diet. This was attributed to a lack of access to tailored physical activity services and poor access to health information. Considering gender-exclusive training facilities for Somali immigrant women and others with similar needs, in addition to access to tailored health information on diet, may encourage Somali women to adopt a healthy lifestyle, and it will definitely contribute to a national strategy for the prevention of diabetes. PMID:26266267

Neighborhood deprivation and access to fast-food retailing: a national study.

PubMed

Pearce, Jamie; Blakely, Tony; Witten, Karen; Bartie, Phil

2007-05-01

Obesogenic environments may be an important contextual explanation for the growing obesity epidemic, including its unequal social distribution. The objective of this study was to determine whether geographic access to fast-food outlets varied by neighborhood deprivation and school socioeconomic ranking, and whether any such associations differed to those for access to healthier food outlets. Data were collected on the location of fast-food outlets, supermarkets, and convenience stores across New Zealand. The data were geocoded and geographic information systems used to calculate travel distances from each census meshblock (i.e., neighborhood), and each school, to the closest fast-food outlet. Median travel distances are reported by a census-based index of socioeconomic deprivation for each neighborhood, and by a Ministry of Education measure of socioeconomic circumstances for each school. Analyses were repeated for outlets selling healthy food to allow comparisons. At the national level, statistically significant negative associations were found between neighborhood access to the nearest fast-food outlet and neighborhood deprivation (p<0.001) for both multinational fast-food outlets and locally operated outlets. The travel distances to both types of fast food outlet were at least twice as far in the least socially deprived neighborhoods compared to the most deprived neighborhoods. A similar pattern was found for outlets selling healthy food such as supermarkets and smaller food outlets (p<0.001). These relationships were broadly linear with travel distances tending to be shorter in more-deprived neighborhoods. There is a strong association between neighborhood deprivation and geographic access to fast food outlets in New Zealand, which may contribute to the understanding of environmental causes of obesity. However, outlets potentially selling healthy food (e.g., supermarkets) are patterned by deprivation in a similar way. These findings highlight the importance of

Improving access to medicines for non-communicable diseases in rural India: a mixed methods study protocol using quasi-experimental design.

PubMed

Prashanth, N S; Elias, Maya Annie; Pati, Manoj Kumar; Aivalli, Praveenkumar; Munegowda, C M; Bhanuprakash, Srinath; Sadhana, S M; Criel, Bart; Bigdeli, Maryam; Devadasan, Narayanan

2016-08-22

India has the distinction of financing its healthcare mainly through out-of-pocket expenses by individual families contributing to catastrophic health expenditure and impoverishment. Nearly 70 % of the expenditure is on medicines purchased at private pharmacies. Patients with chronic ailments are especially affected, as they often need lifelong medicines. Over the past years in India, there have been several efforts to improve drug availability at government primary health centres. In this study, we aim to understand health system factors that affect utilisation and access to generic medicines for people with non-communicable diseases. This study aims to understand if (and how) a package of interventions targeting primary health centres and community participation platforms affect utilisation and access to generic medicines for people with non-communicable diseases in the current district context in India. This study will employ a quasi-experimental design and a qualitative theory-driven approach. PHCs will be randomly assigned to one of three arms of the intervention. In one arm, PHCs will receive inputs to optimise service delivery for non-communicable diseases, while the second arm will receive an additional package of interventions to strengthen community participation platforms for improving non-communicable disease care. The third arm will be the control. We will conduct household and facility surveys, before and after the intervention and will estimate the effect of the intervention by difference-in-difference analysis. Sample size for measuring effects was calculated based on obtaining at least 30 households for each primary health centre spread across three distance-based clusters. Primary outcomes include availability and utilisation of medicines at primary health centres and out-of-pocket expenditure for medicines by non-communicable disease households. Focus group discussions with patients and in-depth interviews with health workers will also be

The Mission Accessible Near-Earth Object Survey (MANOS): Project Overview

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Moskovitz, Nicholas; Polishook, David; Thomas, Cristina; Willman, Mark; DeMeo, Francesca; Mommert, Michael; Endicott, Thomas; Trilling, David; Binzel, Richard; Hinkle, Mary; Siu, Hosea; Neugent, Kathryn; Christensen, Eric; Person, Michael; Burt, Brian; Grundy, Will; Roe, Henry; Abell, Paul; Busch, Michael

2014-11-01

The Mission Accessible Near-Earth Object Survey (MANOS) began in August 2013 as a multi-year physical characterization survey that was awarded survey status by NOAO. MANOS will target several hundred mission-accessible NEOs across visible and near-infrared wavelengths, ultimately providing a comprehensive catalog of physical properties (astrometry, light curves, spectra). Particular focus is paid to sub-km NEOs, for which little data currently exists. These small bodies are essential to understanding the link between meteorites and asteroids, pose the most immediate impact hazard to the Earth, and are highly relevant to a variety of planetary mission scenarios. Accessing these targets is enabled through a combination of classical, queue, and target-of-opportunity observations carried out at 1- to 8-meter class facilities in both the northern and southern hemispheres. The MANOS observing strategy is specifically designed to rapidly characterize newly discovered NEOs before they fade beyond observational limits. MANOS will provide major advances in our understanding of the NEO population as a whole and for specific objects of interest. Here we present an overview of the survey, progress to date, and early science highlights including: (1) an estimate of the taxonomic distribution of spectral types for NEOs smaller than ~100 meters, (2) the distribution of rotational properties for approximately 100 previously unstudied objects, (3) models for the dynamical evolution of the overall NEO population over the past 0.5 Myr, and (4) progress in developing a new set of online tools at asteroid.lowell.edu that will enable near realtime public dissemination of our data while providing a portal to facilitate coordination efforts within the small body observer community.MANOS is supported through telescope allocations from NOAO and Lowell Observatory. We acknowledge funding support from an NSF Astronomy and Astrophysics Postdoctoral Fellowship to N. Moskovitz and NASA NEOO grant

Probing Xist RNA Structure in Cells Using Targeted Structure-Seq

PubMed Central

Rutenberg-Schoenberg, Michael; Simon, Matthew D.

2015-01-01

The long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) Xist is a master regulator of X-chromosome inactivation in mammalian cells. Models for how Xist and other lncRNAs function depend on thermodynamically stable secondary and higher-order structures that RNAs can form in the context of a cell. Probing accessible RNA bases can provide data to build models of RNA conformation that provide insight into RNA function, molecular evolution, and modularity. To study the structure of Xist in cells, we built upon recent advances in RNA secondary structure mapping and modeling to develop Targeted Structure-Seq, which combines chemical probing of RNA structure in cells with target-specific massively parallel sequencing. By enriching for signals from the RNA of interest, Targeted Structure-Seq achieves high coverage of the target RNA with relatively few sequencing reads, thus providing a targeted and scalable approach to analyze RNA conformation in cells. We use this approach to probe the full-length Xist lncRNA to develop new models for functional elements within Xist, including the repeat A element in the 5’-end of Xist. This analysis also identified new structural elements in Xist that are evolutionarily conserved, including a new element proximal to the C repeats that is important for Xist function. PMID:26646615

OmniSearch: a semantic search system based on the Ontology for MIcroRNA Target (OMIT) for microRNA-target gene interaction data.