The effects of exposure to muscular male models among men: exploring the moderating role of gym use and exercise motivation.

PubMed

Halliwell, Emma; Dittmar, Helga; Orsborn, Amber

2007-09-01

This study examines the effects of exposure to the muscular male body ideal on body-focused negative affect among male gym users and non-exercisers. As hypothesized, the impact of media exposure depended on men's exercise status. Non-exercisers (n = 58) reported greater body-focused negative affect after exposure to images of muscular male models than after neutral images (no model controls), whereas gym users (n = 58) showed a tendency for less body-focused negative affect after the model images than after the control images. Furthermore, the extent to which gym users were motivated to increase strength and muscularity moderated these exposure effects; men who reported stronger strength and muscularity exercise motivation reported a greater degree of self-enhancement after exposure to the muscular ideal. The findings are interpreted with respect to likely differences in motives for social comparisons.

Profile of Executive and Memory Function Associated with Amphetamine and Opiate Dependence

PubMed Central

Ersche, Karen D; Clark, Luke; London, Mervyn; Robbins, Trevor W; Sahakian, Barbara J

2007-01-01

Cognitive function was assessed in chronic drug users on neurocognitive measures of executive and memory function. Current amphetamine users were contrasted with current opiate users, and these two groups were compared with former users of these substances (abstinent for at least one year). Four groups of participants were recruited: amphetamine-dependent individuals, opiate-dependent individuals, former users of amphetamines, and/or opiates and healthy non-drug taking controls. Participants were administered the Tower of London (TOL) planning task and the 3D-IDED attentional set-shifting task to assess executive function, and Paired Associates Learning and Delayed Pattern Recognition Memory tasks to assess visual memory function. The three groups of substance users showed significant impairments on TOL planning, Pattern Recognition Memory and Paired Associates Learning. Current amphetamine users displayed a greater degree of impairment than current opiate users. Consistent with previous research showing that healthy men are performing better on visuo-spatial tests than women, our male controls remembered significantly more paired associates than their female counterparts. This relationship was reversed in drug users. While performance of female drug users was normal, male drug users showed significant impairment compared to both their female counterparts and male controls. There was no difference in performance between current and former drug users. Neither years of drug abuse nor years of drug abstinence were associated with performance. Chronic drug users display pronounced neuropsychological impairment in the domains of executive and memory function. Impairment persists after several years of drug abstinence and may reflect neuropathology in frontal and temporal cortices. PMID:16160707

Feasibility of the "Bring Your Own Device" Model in Clinical Research: Results from a Randomized Controlled Pilot Study of a Mobile Patient Engagement Tool.

PubMed

Pugliese, Laura; Woodriff, Molly; Crowley, Olga; Lam, Vivian; Sohn, Jeremy; Bradley, Scott

2016-03-16

Rising rates of smartphone ownership highlight opportunities for improved mobile application usage in clinical trials. While current methods call for device provisioning, the "bring your own device" (BYOD) model permits participants to use personal phones allowing for improved patient engagement and lowered operational costs. However, more evidence is needed to demonstrate the BYOD model's feasibility in research settings. To assess if CentrosHealth, a mobile application designed to support trial compliance, produces different outcomes in medication adherence and application engagement when distributed through study-provisioned devices compared to the BYOD model. 87 participants were randomly selected to use the mobile application or no intervention for a 28-day pilot study at a 2:1 randomization ratio (2 intervention: 1 control) and asked to consume a twice-daily probiotic supplement. The application users were further randomized into two groups: receiving the application on a personal "BYOD" or study-provided smartphone. In-depth interviews were performed in a randomly-selected subset of the intervention group (five BYOD and five study-provided smartphone users). The BYOD subgroup showed significantly greater engagement than study-provided phone users, as shown by higher application use frequency and duration over the study period. The BYOD subgroup also demonstrated a significant effect of engagement on medication adherence for number of application sessions (unstandardized regression coefficient beta=0.0006, p=0.02) and time spent therein (beta=0.00001, p=0.03). Study-provided phone users showed higher initial adherence rates, but greater decline (5.7%) than BYOD users (0.9%) over the study period. In-depth interviews revealed that participants preferred the BYOD model over using study-provided devices. Results indicate that the BYOD model is feasible in health research settings and improves participant experience, calling for further BYOD model validity assessment. Although group differences in medication adherence decline were insignificant, the greater trend of decline in provisioned device users warrants further investigation to determine if trends reach significance over time. Significantly higher application engagement rates and effect of engagement on medication adherence in the BYOD subgroup similarly imply that greater application engagement may correlate to better medication adherence over time.

Enhancing sequential time perception and storytelling ability of deaf and hard of hearing children.

PubMed

Ingber, Sara; Eden, Sigal

2011-01-01

A 3-month intervention was conducted to enhance the sequential time perception and storytelling ability of young children with hearing loss. The children were trained to arrange pictorial episodes of temporal scripts and tell the stories they created. Participants (N = 34, aged 4-7 years) were divided into 2 groups based on whether their spoken-language gap was more or less than 1 year compared to age norms. They completed A. Kaufman and N. Kaufman's (1983) picture series subtest and Guralnik's (1982) storytelling test at pretest and posttest. Measures demonstrated significant improvement in sequential time and storytelling achievement postintervention. Three of the examined demographic variables revealed correlations: Participants with genetic etiology showed greater improvement in time sequencing and storytelling than participants with unknown etiology; early onset of treatment correlated with better achievement in time sequencing; cochlear implant users showed greater storytelling improvement than hearing aid users.

Actors, observers, and causal attributions of homelessness: Differences in attribution for the causes of homelessness among domiciled and homeless people in Madrid (Spain).

PubMed

Vázquez, José Juan; Panadero, Sonia; Zúñiga, Claudia

2017-01-01

The study analyzes the differences in causal attributions of homelessness and attributions of responsibility among the members of 3 groups: homeless group, consisting of a representative sample of homeless people in Madrid, Spain (n = 188); domiciled service-users group, consisting of people at risk of homelessness (n = 164); and domiciled nonservice-users group, consisting of people at no imminent risk of homelessness (n = 180). The domiciled service-users group and domiciled nonservice-users group were matched to the homeless group or sex, age, and nationality. The article also analyzes homeless people's causal attributions as regards their own situation. The results show that compared with the domiciled nonservice-users group, a higher percentage of members of the homeless group and domiciled service-users group attributed homelessness to individualistic causes and they blamed homeless people for their situation to a greater extent. The results also show that there was no "actor-observer bias" in causal attributions for homelessness in Madrid. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved).

Decreased cerebral blood flow of the right anterior cingulate cortex in long-term and short-term abstinent methamphetamine users.

PubMed

Hwang, Jaeuk; Lyoo, In Kyoon; Kim, Seog Ju; Sung, Young Hoon; Bae, Soojeong; Cho, Sung-Nam; Lee, Ho Young; Lee, Dong Soo; Renshaw, Perry F

2006-04-28

The aim of the current study was to explore changes of relative regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) in short-term and long-term abstinent methamphetamine (MA) users. Relative rCBF in 40 abstinent MA users and 23 healthy comparison subjects was compared by the technetium-99m-hexamethyl-propylene amine oxime ((99m)Tc-HMPAO) single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT). Relative rCBF in areas that were found to differ significantly was also compared in groups of MA users with short-term (<6 months) and long-term (>or=6 months) abstinence. MA users showed decreased relative rCBF in the right anterior cingulate cortex (Brodmann area 32) relative to healthy comparison subjects. Long-term abstinent MA users had significantly greater rCBF than short-term abstinent MA users. We report that abstinent MA users have decreased rCBF in the anterior cingulate cortex with smaller relative decreases in subjects with prolonged abstinence.

Technology Acceptance for an Intelligent Comprehensive Interactive Care (ICIC) System for Care of the Elderly: A Survey-Questionnaire Study

PubMed Central

Ke, Pei-Chih; Huang, Chun-Kai; Tsai, Tsai-Hsuan; Chang, Hsien-Tsung; Shieh, Wann-Yun; Chan, Hsiao-Lung; Chen, Chih-Kuang; Pei, Yu-Cheng

2012-01-01

The key components of caring for the elderly are diet, living, transportation, education, and safety issues, and telemedical systems can offer great assistance. Through the integration of personal to community information technology platforms, we have developed a new Intelligent Comprehensive Interactive Care (ICIC) system to provide comprehensive services for elderly care. The ICIC system consists of six items, including medical care (physiological measuring system, Medication Reminder, and Dr. Ubiquitous), diet, living, transportation, education (Intelligent Watch), entertainment (Sharetouch), and safety (Fall Detection). In this study, we specifically evaluated the users' intention of using the Medication Reminder, Dr. Ubiquitous, Sharetouch, and Intelligent Watch using a modified technological acceptance model (TAM). A total of 121 elderly subjects (48 males and 73 females) were recruited. The modified TAM questionnaires were collected after they had used these products. For most of the ICIC units, the elderly subjects revealed great willingness and/or satisfaction in using this system. The elderly users of the Intelligent Watch showed the greatest willingness and satisfaction, while the elderly users of Dr. Ubiquitous revealed fair willingness in the dimension of perceived ease of use. The old-old age group revealed greater satisfaction in the dimension of result demonstrability for the users of the Medication Reminder as compared to the young-old and oldest-old age groups. The women revealed greater satisfaction in the dimension of perceived ease of use for the users of Dr. Ubiquitous as compared to the men. There were no statistically significant differences in terms of gender, age, and education level in the other dimensions. The modified TAM showed its effectiveness in evaluating the acceptance and characteristics of technologic products for the elderly user. The ICIC system offers a user-friendly solution in telemedical care and improves the quality of care for the elderly. PMID:22870200

Technology acceptance for an Intelligent Comprehensive Interactive Care (ICIC) system for care of the elderly: a survey-questionnaire study.

PubMed

Wong, Alice M K; Chang, Wei-Han; Ke, Pei-Chih; Huang, Chun-Kai; Tsai, Tsai-Hsuan; Chang, Hsien-Tsung; Shieh, Wann-Yun; Chan, Hsiao-Lung; Chen, Chih-Kuang; Pei, Yu-Cheng

2012-01-01

The key components of caring for the elderly are diet, living, transportation, education, and safety issues, and telemedical systems can offer great assistance. Through the integration of personal to community information technology platforms, we have developed a new Intelligent Comprehensive Interactive Care (ICIC) system to provide comprehensive services for elderly care. The ICIC system consists of six items, including medical care (physiological measuring system, Medication Reminder, and Dr. Ubiquitous), diet, living, transportation, education (Intelligent Watch), entertainment (Sharetouch), and safety (Fall Detection). In this study, we specifically evaluated the users' intention of using the Medication Reminder, Dr. Ubiquitous, Sharetouch, and Intelligent Watch using a modified technological acceptance model (TAM). A total of 121 elderly subjects (48 males and 73 females) were recruited. The modified TAM questionnaires were collected after they had used these products. For most of the ICIC units, the elderly subjects revealed great willingness and/or satisfaction in using this system. The elderly users of the Intelligent Watch showed the greatest willingness and satisfaction, while the elderly users of Dr. Ubiquitous revealed fair willingness in the dimension of perceived ease of use. The old-old age group revealed greater satisfaction in the dimension of result demonstrability for the users of the Medication Reminder as compared to the young-old and oldest-old age groups. The women revealed greater satisfaction in the dimension of perceived ease of use for the users of Dr. Ubiquitous as compared to the men. There were no statistically significant differences in terms of gender, age, and education level in the other dimensions. The modified TAM showed its effectiveness in evaluating the acceptance and characteristics of technologic products for the elderly user. The ICIC system offers a user-friendly solution in telemedical care and improves the quality of care for the elderly.

Development and comparison of user acceptance of advanced comprehensive triage PDA support system with a traditional terminal alternative system.

PubMed

Chang, Polun; Tzeng, Yuann-Meei; Wu, Shiao-Chi; Sang, Ying-Yang; Chen, Shih-Shin

2003-01-01

An advanced PDA support system for the triage was designed to evaluate users inverted exclamation mark | acceptance of this system compared with a traditional terminal system. Davis inverted exclamation mark | Technology Acceptance Model was used to evaluate users inverted exclamation mark | acceptance. All 72 ER nurses in a 2700-bed medical center were invited for the study. The results showed that the PDA system was easier to operate than the terminal one, but had worse interface. The subjects showed significantly greater willingness to accept the terminal system instead of the PDA system. The comparative acceptance of PDA, compared with that of the old system, might still be marginally too low if its interface couldn inverted exclamation mark |t be improved or no other unique practical benefits could be verified.

Cognitive control and reward/loss processing in Internet gaming disorder: Results from a comparison with recreational Internet game-users.

PubMed

Dong, G; Li, H; Wang, L; Potenza, M N

2017-07-01

Although playing of Internet games may lead to Internet gaming disorder (IGD), most game-users do not develop problems and only a relatively small subset experiences IGD. Game playing may have positive health associations, whereas IGD has been repeatedly associated with negative health measures, and it is thus important to understand differences between individuals with IGD, recreational (non-problematic) game use (RGU) and non-/low-frequency game use (NLFGU). Individuals with IGD have shown differences in neural activations from non-gamers, yet few studies have examined neural differences between individuals with IGD, RGU and NLFGU. Eighteen individuals with IGD, 21 with RGU and 19 with NFLGU performed a color-word Stroop task and a guessing task assessing reward/loss processing. Behavioral and functional imaging data were collected and compared between groups. RGU and NLFGU subjects showed lower Stroop effects as compared with those with IGD. RGU subjects as compared to those with IGD demonstrated less frontal cortical activation brain activation during Stroop performance. During the guessing task, RGU subjects showed greater cortico-striatal activations than IGD subjects during processing of winning outcomes and greater frontal brain during processing of losing outcomes. Findings suggest that RGU as compared with IGD subjects show greater executive control and greater activations of brain regions implicated in motivational processes during reward processing and greater cortical activations during loss processing. These findings suggest neural and behavioral features distinguishing RGU from IGD and mechanisms by which RGU may be motivated to play online games frequently yet avoid developing IGD. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Perceptions of parental bonding in freebase cocaine users versus non-illicit drug users

PubMed Central

Pettenon, Márcia; Kessler, Felix Henrique Paim; Guimarães, Luciano S. P.; Pedroso, Rosemeri Siqueira; Hauck, Simone; Pechansky, Flavio

2014-01-01

Background & objectives: Evidence has suggested that parenting styles have peculiar characteristics in families with drug-related issues. This study was undertaken to investigate the perception of crack (smoke cocaine) users and non-users about parental bonding quality regarding care and control in Brazil. Methods: A total of 198 hospitalized crack users and 104 users of any non-illicit drug were assessed using the Parental Bonding Instrument (PBI), the sixth version of the Addiction Severity Index (ASI) and Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview (MINI). Results: Adjusted logistic regression analysis showed that crack users were more likely (ORadj = 9.68; 95% CI: 2.82, 33.20) to perceive neglectful mothers, as well as more likely (ORadj = 4.71, 95% CI: 2.17, 10.22) to perceive controlling and affectionless fathers in comparison with non-illicit drug users who were more likely to perceive optimal parenting. Interpretation & conclusions: Our findings indicate that the perception of neglectful mothers and affectionless controlling fathers may be associated with the tendency of the children to be less resilient when facing stressful events, leading them to a greater risk to use crack. PMID:25109717

GhostWriter-2.0: Product Reviews with Case-Based Support

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bridge, Derek; Healy, Paul

A lot of user-generated content on the Web takes the form of records of personal experiences. Case-Based Reasoning offers a way of helping one user to reuse another's experiences from the Web. In this paper, we present GhostWriter-2.0, a Case-Based Reasoning system that supports a user who is writing a product review. GhostWriter-2.0 makes suggestions to the user, in the form of short phrases that are mined from other reviews. The purpose of the suggestions is to prompt the user to write a more comprehensive and helpful review than she might otherwise have done. We explain how GhostWriter-2.0's case base is populated with relevant and helpful reviews from Amazon. We show how it extracts and scores phrases in these reviews to decide which to suggest to the user.We report a trial with real users, in which users made greater use of GhostWriter-2.0's suggested phrases than they did of phrases suggested by a system that used a more random form of selection.

Estimation of detection thresholds for redirected walking techniques.

PubMed

Steinicke, Frank; Bruder, Gerd; Jerald, Jason; Frenz, Harald; Lappe, Markus

2010-01-01

In immersive virtual environments (IVEs), users can control their virtual viewpoint by moving their tracked head and walking through the real world. Usually, movements in the real world are mapped one-to-one to virtual camera motions. With redirection techniques, the virtual camera is manipulated by applying gains to user motion so that the virtual world moves differently than the real world. Thus, users can walk through large-scale IVEs while physically remaining in a reasonably small workspace. In psychophysical experiments with a two-alternative forced-choice task, we have quantified how much humans can unknowingly be redirected on physical paths that are different from the visually perceived paths. We tested 12 subjects in three different experiments: (E1) discrimination between virtual and physical rotations, (E2) discrimination between virtual and physical straightforward movements, and (E3) discrimination of path curvature. In experiment E1, subjects performed rotations with different gains, and then had to choose whether the visually perceived rotation was smaller or greater than the physical rotation. In experiment E2, subjects chose whether the physical walk was shorter or longer than the visually perceived scaled travel distance. In experiment E3, subjects estimate the path curvature when walking a curved path in the real world while the visual display shows a straight path in the virtual world. Our results show that users can be turned physically about 49 percent more or 20 percent less than the perceived virtual rotation, distances can be downscaled by 14 percent and upscaled by 26 percent, and users can be redirected on a circular arc with a radius greater than 22 m while they believe that they are walking straight.

Experience with pornography: Rapists, pedophiles, homosexuals, transsexuals, and controls.

PubMed

Goldstein, M; Kant, H; Judd, L; Rice, C; Green, R

1971-03-01

An interview designed to assess a respondent's experience with erotic material in photographs, films, and books, during adolescence and adulthood, was administered to convicted male rapists, pedophiles, homosexuals, transsexuals, heavy pornography users, and two nondeviant contrast groups. One nondeviant group was composed of whites matched for the sex offender group; the other was composed of ghetto and middle-class blacks. Adolescent exposure to erotica was significantly less for all deviant and offender groups compared to the nondeviants. During adulthood, the sex offenders and transsexuals continued to report less exposure to erotic stimuli than controls. The homosexuals and users, however, both report greater exposure during adulthood. As adolescents, the control group, rapists, and heavy users were excited to masturbate by the erotic materials more than the other groups. As adults, the controls and rapists showed a sharp decrease in being excited to masturbate to erotica while the users' rate remained high and the homosexuals' rate rose. Less than a quarter of the respondents in any group imitated sexual behavior seen in the erotic material immediately or shortly after its viewing. The hypothesis that extent of exposure during adolescence to erotica is positively associated with the later emergence of sexual pathology is not borne out by this study. The nondeviant, non-sex-offender groups sampled had had significantly greater exposure to erotic materials during adolescence than the deviants, convicted sex offenders, or heavy adult users of pornography.

Coarse cluster enhancing collaborative recommendation for social network systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhao, Yao-Dong; Cai, Shi-Min; Tang, Ming; Shang, Min-Sheng

2017-10-01

Traditional collaborative filtering based recommender systems for social network systems bring very high demands on time complexity due to computing similarities of all pairs of users via resource usages and annotation actions, which thus strongly suppresses recommending speed. In this paper, to overcome this drawback, we propose a novel approach, namely coarse cluster that partitions similar users and associated items at a high speed to enhance user-based collaborative filtering, and then develop a fast collaborative user model for the social tagging systems. The experimental results based on Delicious dataset show that the proposed model is able to dramatically reduce the processing time cost greater than 90 % and relatively improve the accuracy in comparison with the ordinary user-based collaborative filtering, and is robust for the initial parameter. Most importantly, the proposed model can be conveniently extended by introducing more users' information (e.g., profiles) and practically applied for the large-scale social network systems to enhance the recommending speed without accuracy loss.

Evaluating biomechanics of user-selected sitting and standing computer workstation.

PubMed

Lin, Michael Y; Barbir, Ana; Dennerlein, Jack T

2017-11-01

A standing computer workstation has now become a popular modern work place intervention to reduce sedentary behavior at work. However, user's interaction related to a standing computer workstation and its differences with a sitting workstation need to be understood to assist in developing recommendations for use and set up. The study compared the differences in upper extremity posture and muscle activity between user-selected sitting and standing workstation setups. Twenty participants (10 females, 10 males) volunteered for the study. 3-D posture, surface electromyography, and user-reported discomfort were measured while completing simulated tasks with each participant's self-selected workstation setups. Sitting computer workstation associated with more non-neutral shoulder postures and greater shoulder muscle activity, while standing computer workstation induced greater wrist adduction angle and greater extensor carpi radialis muscle activity. Sitting computer workstation also associated with greater shoulder abduction postural variation (90th-10th percentile) while standing computer workstation associated with greater variation for should rotation and wrist extension. Users reported similar overall discomfort levels within the first 10 min of work but had more than twice as much discomfort while standing than sitting after 45 min; with most discomfort reported in the low back for standing and shoulder for sitting. These different measures provide understanding in users' different interactions with sitting and standing and by alternating between the two configurations in short bouts may be a way of changing the loading pattern on the upper extremity. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Violent and Non-Violent Criminal Behavior among Young Chinese Drug Users: A Mixed Methods Study.

PubMed

Liu, Liu; Chui, Wing Hong; Chen, Ye

2018-03-02

Young drug users are found to be increasingly involved in criminal justice issues. This exploratory and descriptive study aims to analyze the criminal behaviors among young Chinese drug users through a mixed methods research design. Quantitative analysis indicates that young drug users with and without a history of criminality show significant differences in terms of several features. Male drug users, particularly, those who are older, with religious beliefs, and initiated into drug use at younger age were most likely to commit crimes. Among drug users with criminal experiences, those who committed crimes prior to drug initiation have a greater likelihood of committing violent crimes. Furthermore, young drug users with severe depression are more likely to commit crimes, especially violent ones. Qualitative analysis further illustrates that young male drug users often get involved in criminal conduct of the youth gang nature with propensity for engaging in violent crimes as compared to their female counterparts who are more likely to turn into drug dealers and traffickers, in addition to engaging in larceny. The research findings are consistent with developmental theories and "victim to offender cycle". Integrated mental health and substance use services are suggested for crime prevention among young Chinese drug users.

Motivational engagement in first-time hearing aid users: A feasibility study.

PubMed

Ferguson, Melanie; Maidment, David; Russell, Naomi; Gregory, Melanie; Nicholson, Richard

2016-07-01

To assess (1) the feasibility of incorporating the Ida Institute's Motivation Tools into a UK audiology service, (2) the potential benefits of motivational engagement in first-time hearing aid users, and (3) predictors of hearing aid and general health outcome measures. A feasibility study using a single-centre, prospective, quasi-randomized controlled design with two arms. The Ida Institute's Motivation Tools formed the basis for motivational engagement. First-time hearing aid users were recruited at the initial hearing assessment appointment. The intervention arm underwent motivational engagement (M+, n = 32), and a control arm (M-, n = 36) received standard care only. The M+ group showed greater self-efficacy, reduced anxiety, and greater engagement with the audiologist at assessment and fitting appointments. However, there were no significant between-group differences 10-weeks post-fitting. Hearing-related communication scores predicted anxiety, and social isolation scores predicted depression for the M+ group. Readiness to address hearing difficulties predicted hearing aid outcomes for the M- group. Hearing sensitivity was not a predictor of outcomes. There were some positive results from motivational engagement early in the patient journey. Future research should consider using qualitative methods to explore whether there are longer-term benefits of motivational engagement in hearing aid users.

The Relationship between Binaural Benefit and Difference in Unilateral Speech Recognition Performance for Bilateral Cochlear Implant Users

PubMed Central

Yoon, Yang-soo; Li, Yongxin; Kang, Hou-Yong; Fu, Qian-Jie

2011-01-01

Objective The full benefit of bilateral cochlear implants may depend on the unilateral performance with each device, the speech materials, processing ability of the user, and/or the listening environment. In this study, bilateral and unilateral speech performances were evaluated in terms of recognition of phonemes and sentences presented in quiet or in noise. Design Speech recognition was measured for unilateral left, unilateral right, and bilateral listening conditions; speech and noise were presented at 0° azimuth. The “binaural benefit” was defined as the difference between bilateral performance and unilateral performance with the better ear. Study Sample 9 adults with bilateral cochlear implants participated. Results On average, results showed a greater binaural benefit in noise than in quiet for all speech tests. More importantly, the binaural benefit was greater when unilateral performance was similar across ears. As the difference in unilateral performance between ears increased, the binaural advantage decreased; this functional relationship was observed across the different speech materials and noise levels even though there was substantial intra- and inter-subject variability. Conclusions The results indicate that subjects who show symmetry in speech recognition performance between implanted ears in general show a large binaural benefit. PMID:21696329

[Clinical and social vulnerabilities in crack users according to housing status: a multicenter study in six Brazilian state capitals].

PubMed

Halpern, Silvia Chwartzmann; Scherer, Juliana Nichterwitz; Roglio, Vinicius; Faller, Sibele; Sordi, Anne; Ornell, Felipe; Dalbosco, Carla; Pechansky, Flavio; Kessler, Félix; Diemen, Lísia von

2017-07-03

The study had the goal to evaluate psychoactive substance use severity, violence, physical and emotional health of crack users who seeks specialized treatment in Psychosocial Care Centers for Alcohol and Drugs (CAPSad) concerning housing status. This is a multicenter cross-sectional study in six Brazilian capitals with 564 crack users categorized into two groups (1) users who have been homeless sometime in life (n = 266) and (2) individuals who have never lived on streets (n = 298). To assess the substance use severity and the characteristics of the individuals, the Addiction Severity Index, 6th version (ASI-6) was used. Group 1 users showed worse indicators regarding alcohol, medical and psychiatric problems, employment and family support subscales, as well as greater involvement with legal problems, violence, sexual abuse, suicide risk and health related problems such as HIV/AIDS, hepatitis and tuberculosis. In addition they have lower income to pay for basic needs. After analysis and control for possible confounders, not having enough income to pay for basic needs, showing depression symptoms, and having been arrested for theft remained statistically significant. This study evaluated more deeply drug use severity and housing status of crack users. Interventions developed in outpatient treatment should be designed and tailored to specific profiles and demands of drug users, especially homeless individuals.

Heightened Dopaminergic Response to Amphetamine at the D3 Dopamine Receptor in Methamphetamine Users

PubMed Central

Boileau, Isabelle; Payer, Doris; Rusjan, Pablo M; Houle, Sylvain; Tong, Junchao; McCluskey, Tina; Wilson, Alan A; Kish, Stephen J

2016-01-01

Neuroimaging studies in stimulant use (eg, cocaine, methamphetamine) disorders show that diminished dopamine release by dopamine-elevating drugs is a potential marker of relapse and suggest that increasing dopamine at the D2/3 receptors may be therapeutically beneficial. In contrast, recent investigations indicate heightened D3 receptor levels in stimulant users prompting the view that D3 antagonism may help prevent relapse. Here we tested whether a ‘blunted' response to amphetamine in methamphetamine (MA) users extends to D3-rich brain areas. Fourteen MA users and 15 healthy controls completed two positron emission tomographic scans with a D3-preferring probe [11C]-(+)-PHNO at baseline and after amphetamine (0.4 mg/kg). Relative to healthy controls, MA users had greater decreases in [11C]-(+)-PHNO binding (increased dopamine release) after amphetamine in D3-rich substantia nigra (36 vs 20%, p=0.03) and globus pallidus (30 vs 17%, p=0.06), which correlated with self-reported ‘drug wanting'. We did not observe a ‘blunted' dopamine response to amphetamine in D2-rich striatum; however, drug use severity was negatively associated with amphetamine-induced striatal changes in [11C]-(+)-PHNO binding. Our study provides evidence that dopamine transmission in extrastriatal ‘D3-areas' is not blunted but rather increased in MA users. Together with our previous finding of elevated D3 receptor level in MA users, the current observation suggests that greater dopaminergic transmission at the D3 dopamine receptor may contribute to motivation to use drugs and argues in favor of D3 antagonism as a possible therapeutic tool to reduce craving and relapse in MA addiction. PMID:27353309

Heightened Dopaminergic Response to Amphetamine at the D3 Dopamine Receptor in Methamphetamine Users.

PubMed

Boileau, Isabelle; Payer, Doris; Rusjan, Pablo M; Houle, Sylvain; Tong, Junchao; McCluskey, Tina; Wilson, Alan A; Kish, Stephen J

2016-12-01

Neuroimaging studies in stimulant use (eg, cocaine, methamphetamine) disorders show that diminished dopamine release by dopamine-elevating drugs is a potential marker of relapse and suggest that increasing dopamine at the D 2/3 receptors may be therapeutically beneficial. In contrast, recent investigations indicate heightened D 3 receptor levels in stimulant users prompting the view that D 3 antagonism may help prevent relapse. Here we tested whether a 'blunted' response to amphetamine in methamphetamine (MA) users extends to D 3 -rich brain areas. Fourteen MA users and 15 healthy controls completed two positron emission tomographic scans with a D 3 -preferring probe [ 11 C]-(+)-PHNO at baseline and after amphetamine (0.4 mg/kg). Relative to healthy controls, MA users had greater decreases in [ 11 C]-(+)-PHNO binding (increased dopamine release) after amphetamine in D 3 -rich substantia nigra (36 vs 20%, p=0.03) and globus pallidus (30 vs 17%, p=0.06), which correlated with self-reported 'drug wanting'. We did not observe a 'blunted' dopamine response to amphetamine in D 2 -rich striatum; however, drug use severity was negatively associated with amphetamine-induced striatal changes in [ 11 C]-(+)-PHNO binding. Our study provides evidence that dopamine transmission in extrastriatal 'D 3 -areas' is not blunted but rather increased in MA users. Together with our previous finding of elevated D 3 receptor level in MA users, the current observation suggests that greater dopaminergic transmission at the D 3 dopamine receptor may contribute to motivation to use drugs and argues in favor of D 3 antagonism as a possible therapeutic tool to reduce craving and relapse in MA addiction.

Association between use of flavoured tobacco products and quit behaviours: findings from a cross-sectional survey of US adult tobacco users

PubMed Central

Smith, Danielle M; Bansal-Travers, Maansi; Huang, Jidong; Barker, Dianne; Hyland, Andrew J; Chaloupka, Frank

2017-01-01

Background Non-menthol characterising flavours (eg, fruit, candy) are banned in cigarettes, yet are still permitted in non-cigarette tobacco (NCT) products. This study examined associations between first use and current use of flavoured tobacco products, and current flavoured tobacco use and quit behaviours. Methods A nationally representative, telephone-based survey completed in 2012 by 1443 US adult tobacco users asked about use of 9 tobacco products: cigarettes, e-cigarettes, cigars, cigarillos, little filtered cigars, pipes, hookah, smokeless tobacco and snus. Ever users reported first use of flavoured products, while current users also reported current flavoured product use. Current users reported quit attempts made in the past year. Data were weighted to reflect the US adult tobacco user population. Logistic regression models were used to examine associations between first/current flavour use and quit behaviours. Results Over 70% of respondents reported first use of a flavoured tobacco product, while 54% reported current use of at least one flavoured product. Odds of current flavoured product use were greater among those who reported first use of a flavoured product (OR 14.82, 95% CI 9.96 to 22.06). First use of a flavoured product was associated with being a current tobacco user (OR 1.55, 95% CI 1.08 to 2.22). Compared to single product users, polytobacco users exhibited greater odds of reporting current use of flavoured products (OR 2.09, 95% CI 1.47 to 2.97). Forty-four percent of current tobacco users reported a past-year quit attempt. Adjusted analyses among current NCT users of at least one flavoured tobacco product showed reduced odds of reporting a quit attempt. Conclusions First use of a flavoured tobacco product was associated with current flavoured tobacco use and polytobacco use. Users of only flavoured NCT products exhibited reduced odds of reporting a quit attempt. Findings from this study reinforce the importance of flavoured product availability in the USA, which may have significant implications for efforts to reduce tobacco initiation and use at a population level. The relationship between characterising flavours and quit behaviours merits further exploration in longitudinal, population-based samples. PMID:27708123

Cannabis use in male and female first episode of non-affective psychosis patients: Long-term clinical, neuropsychological and functional differences

PubMed Central

Neergaard, Karl; Ramírez-Bonilla, Mariluz; Correa-Ghisays, Patricia; Fañanás, Lourdes; Crespo-Facorro, Benedicto; Ayesa-Arriola, Rosa

2017-01-01

Background Numerous studies show the existence of a high prevalence of cannabis use among patients with psychosis. However, the differences between men and women who debut with a first episode of psychosis (FEP) regarding cannabis use have not been largely explored. The aim of this study was to identify the specific sex factors and differences in clinical evolution associated with cannabis use. Method Sociodemographic characteristics at baseline were considered in our sample of FEP patients to find differences depending on sex and the use of cannabis. Clinical, functional and neurocognitive variables at baseline, 1-year, and 3-years follow-up were also explored. Results A total of 549 patients, of whom 43% (N = 236) were cannabis users, 79% (N = 186) male and 21% (N = 50) female, were included in the study. There was a clear relationship between being male and being a user of cannabis (OR = 5.6). Cannabis users were younger at illness onset. Longitudinal analysis showed that women significantly improved in all three dimensions of psychotic symptoms, both in the subgroup of cannabis users and in the non-users subgroup. Conversely, subgroups of men did not show improvement in the negative dimension. In cognitive function, only men presented a significant time by group interaction in processing speed, showing a greater improvement in the subgroup of cannabis users. Conclusion Despite knowing that there is a relationship between cannabis use and psychosis, due to the high prevalence of cannabis use among male FEP patients, the results showed that there were very few differences in clinical and neurocognitive outcomes between men and women who used cannabis at the start of treatment compared to those who did not. PMID:28832666

Episodic foresight deficits in regular, but not recreational, cannabis users.

PubMed

Mercuri, Kimberly; Terrett, Gill; Henry, Julie D; Curran, H Valerie; Elliott, Morgan; Rendell, Peter G

2018-06-01

Cannabis use is associated with a range of neurocognitive deficits, including impaired episodic memory. However, no study to date has assessed whether these difficulties extend to episodic foresight, a core component of which is the ability to mentally travel into one's personal future. This is a particularly surprising omission given that episodic memory is considered to be critical to engage episodic foresight. In the present study, we provide the first test of how episodic foresight is affected in the context of differing levels of cannabis use, and the degree to which performance on a measure of this construct is related to episodic memory. Fifty-seven regular cannabis users (23 recreational, 34 regular) and 57 controls were assessed using an adapted version of the Autobiographical Interview. The results showed that regular-users exhibited greater impairment of episodic foresight and episodic memory than both recreational-users and cannabis-naïve controls. These data therefore show for the first time that cannabis-related disruption of cognitive functioning extends to the capacity for episodic foresight, and they are discussed in relation to their potential implications for functional outcomes in this group.

Memory is preserved in older adults taking AT1 receptor blockers.

PubMed

Ho, Jean K; Nation, Daniel A

2017-04-26

Prior work suggests that some but not all antihypertensive treatments may benefit cognition and risk for Alzheimer's disease, independent of stroke. Angiotensin II receptor blockers (ARBs) have been highlighted as one antihypertensive drug class that may confer greatest benefit. The participants comprised 1626 nondemented adults, aged 55-91 years, recruited from Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative sites. Three groups were compared: ARB users (HTN-ARBs), other antihypertensive drug users (HTN-Other), and normotensives. In post hoc analyses, we also examined (1) users of ARBs and angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEIs), (2) users of blood-brain barrier (BBB)-crossing ARBs and users of non-BBB-crossing ARBs, and (3) users of BBB-crossing ARBs and ACEIs (BBB crossers) and users of non-BBB-crossing ARBs and ACEIs (BBB noncrossers). Groups were compared regarding cognition and magnetic resonance imaging measures of brain volume and white matter hyperintensities (WMH), using analysis of covariance and multilevel models. At baseline, the HTN-Other group performed worse than normotensives on Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test (RAVLT) Immediate Recall (p = 0.002), Delayed Recall (p < 0.001), Recognition Memory (p = 0.001), and Trails A (p < 0.001) and B (p = 0.01). ARB users performed better than the HTN-Other group on Recognition Memory (p = 0.04) and worse than normotensives on Trails A (p = 0.04). The HTN-Other group performed worse than normotensives on Logical Memory Immediate (p = 0.02) and Delayed Recall over the 3-year follow-up (p = 0.007). Over the follow-up period, those taking BBB-crossing ARBs performed better than the HTN-Other group on AVLT Delayed Recall (p = 0.04), Logical Memory Immediate (p = 0.02), and Delayed Recall (p = 0.05). They also had fewer WMH than the HTN-Other group (p = 0.008) and those taking non-BBB-crossing ARBs (p = 0.05). There were no group differences in brain volume. Users of BBB-crossing medications (ARBs or ACEIs) showed better performance on AVLT Delayed Recall over time than all other groups, including normotensives (all p < 0.01), and had less WMH volume over time than the BBB noncrossers group (p = 0.03), although they had more WMH volume than normotensives (p = 0.01). The BBB noncrossers group performed worse than normotensives on Logical Memory Delayed Recall over time (p = 0.01), but the BBB crossers group was not significantly different (p = 0.13). Hypertensive participants demonstrated worse baseline memory and executive function, as well as greater memory decline, over the 3-year follow-up than normotensives, unless they were ARB users, who showed preserved memory compared with those taking other antihypertensive drugs. Users of BBB-crossing ARBs showed superior memory performance over time compared with other antihypertensive drug users and had less WMH volume. Users of BBB-crossing medications (ARBs or ACEIs) showed better list-learning memory performance over time than all other groups, including normotensives, and had less WMH volume over time than users of non-BBB-crossing medications. These findings demonstrate that ARBs, especially those of the BBB-crossing variety, are associated with greater memory preservation and less WMH volume than other antihypertensive medications.

Exploring the Relationship Between Online Social Network Site Usage and the Impact on Quality of Life for Older and Younger Users: An Interaction Analysis

PubMed Central

Chen, Liming; Mulvenna, Maurice D; Bond, Raymond

2016-01-01

Background Analyzing content generated by users of social network sites has been shown to be beneficial across a number of disciplines. Such analysis has revealed the precise behavior of users that details their distinct patterns of engagement. An issue is evident whereby without direct engagement with end users, the reasoning for anomalies can only be the subject of conjecture. Furthermore, the impact of engaging in social network sites on quality of life is an area which has received little attention. Of particular interest is the impact of online social networking on older users, which is a demographic that is specifically vulnerable to social isolation. A review of the literature reveals a lack of knowledge concerning the impact of these technologies on such users and even less is known regarding how this impact varies across different demographics. Objective The objective of our study was to analyze user interactions and to survey the attitudes of social network users directly, capturing data in four key areas: (1) functional usage, (2) behavioral patterns, (3) technology, and (4) quality of life. Methods An online survey was constructed, comprising 32 questions. Each question directly related to a research question. Respondents were recruited through a variety of methods including email campaigns, Facebook advertisements, and promotion from related organizations. Results In total, data was collected from 919 users containing 446 younger and 473 older users. In comparison to younger users, a greater proportion of older users (289/473, 61.1% older vs 218/446, 48.9% younger) (P<.001) stated that Facebook had either a positive or huge impact on their quality of life. Furthermore, a greater percentage of older users strongly agreed that Facebook strengthened their relationship with other people (64/473, 13.5% older vs 40/446, 9.0%younger) (P=.02). In comparison to younger users, a greater proportion of older users had more positive emotions—classified as slightly better or very good—during their engagement with Facebook (186/473, 39.3% older vs 120/446, 26.9% younger) (P<.001). Conclusions The results reveal that despite engaging at considerably lower rates with significantly fewer connections, older users gain a greater quality-of-life benefit. Results disclose how both cohorts vary in their use, interactions, and rationale for engaging with Facebook. PMID:27687745

Exploring the Relationship Between Online Social Network Site Usage and the Impact on Quality of Life for Older and Younger Users: An Interaction Analysis.

PubMed

Quinn, Darren; Chen, Liming; Mulvenna, Maurice D; Bond, Raymond

2016-09-29

Analyzing content generated by users of social network sites has been shown to be beneficial across a number of disciplines. Such analysis has revealed the precise behavior of users that details their distinct patterns of engagement. An issue is evident whereby without direct engagement with end users, the reasoning for anomalies can only be the subject of conjecture. Furthermore, the impact of engaging in social network sites on quality of life is an area which has received little attention. Of particular interest is the impact of online social networking on older users, which is a demographic that is specifically vulnerable to social isolation. A review of the literature reveals a lack of knowledge concerning the impact of these technologies on such users and even less is known regarding how this impact varies across different demographics. The objective of our study was to analyze user interactions and to survey the attitudes of social network users directly, capturing data in four key areas: (1) functional usage, (2) behavioral patterns, (3) technology, and (4) quality of life. An online survey was constructed, comprising 32 questions. Each question directly related to a research question. Respondents were recruited through a variety of methods including email campaigns, Facebook advertisements, and promotion from related organizations. In total, data was collected from 919 users containing 446 younger and 473 older users. In comparison to younger users, a greater proportion of older users (289/473, 61.1% older vs 218/446, 48.9% younger) (P<.001) stated that Facebook had either a positive or huge impact on their quality of life. Furthermore, a greater percentage of older users strongly agreed that Facebook strengthened their relationship with other people (64/473, 13.5% older vs 40/446, 9.0%younger) (P=.02). In comparison to younger users, a greater proportion of older users had more positive emotions-classified as slightly better or very good-during their engagement with Facebook (186/473, 39.3% older vs 120/446, 26.9% younger) (P<.001). The results reveal that despite engaging at considerably lower rates with significantly fewer connections, older users gain a greater quality-of-life benefit. Results disclose how both cohorts vary in their use, interactions, and rationale for engaging with Facebook.

Predicting personality traits related to consumer behavior using SNS analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Baik, Jongbum; Lee, Kangbok; Lee, Soowon; Kim, Yongbum; Choi, Jayoung

2016-07-01

Modeling a user profile is one of the important factors for devising a personalized recommendation. The traditional approach for modeling a user profile in computer science is to collect and generalize the user's buying behavior or preference history, generated from the user's interactions with recommender systems. According to consumer behavior research, however, internal factors such as personality traits influence a consumer's buying behavior. Existing studies have tried to adapt the Big 5 personality traits to personalized recommendations. However, although studies have shown that these traits can be useful to some extent for personalized recommendation, the causal relationship between the Big 5 personality traits and the buying behaviors of actual consumers has not been validated. In this paper, we propose a novel method for predicting the four personality traits-Extroversion, Public Self-consciousness, Desire for Uniqueness, and Self-esteem-that correlate with buying behaviors. The proposed method automatically constructs a user-personality-traits prediction model for each user by analyzing the user behavior on a social networking service. The experimental results from an analysis of the collected Facebook data show that the proposed method can predict user-personality traits with greater precision than methods that use the variables proposed in previous studies.

Survey of upper limb prosthesis users in Sweden, the United Kingdom and Canada.

PubMed

Kyberd, Peter J; Hill, Wendy

2011-06-01

As part of the process of improving prosthetic arms, it is important to obtain the opinions of the user population. To identify factors that should be focused on to improve prosthesis provision. Postal questionnaire. The questionnaire was sent to 292 adults (aged 18 to 70 years) with upper-limb loss or absence at five centres (four in Europe) Participants were identified as regular attendees of the centres. This questionnaire received a response from 180 users (response rate 62%) of different types of prosthetic devices. Responses showed that the type of prosthesis generally used was associated with gender, level of loss and use for work (Pearson chi-square, p-values below 0.05). The type of prosthesis was not associated with cause, side, usage (length per day, sports or driving) or reported problems. The findings did not identify any single factor requiring focus for the improvement of prostheses or prosthetic provision. Every part of the process of fitting a prosthesis can be improved, which will have an effect for some of the population who use their devices regularly. There is, however, no single factor that would bring greater improvement to all users. Based on information gained from a broad range of prosthesis users, no single aspect of prosthetic provision will have a greater impact on the use of upper limb prostheses than any other. Efforts to improve the designs of prosthetic systems can cover any aspect of provision.

User's instructions for the 41-node thermoregulatory model (steady state version)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Leonard, J. I.

1974-01-01

A user's guide for the steady-state thermoregulatory model is presented. The model was modified to provide conversational interaction on a remote terminal, greater flexibility for parameter estimation, increased efficiency of convergence, greater choice of output variable and more realistic equations for respiratory and skin diffusion water losses.

Type and severity of pain during phonation in professional voice users and nonvocal professionals.

PubMed

Van Lierde, Kristiane M; Dijckmans, Joke; Scheffel, Lara; Behlau, Mara

2012-09-01

The purpose of this study was to determine the presence, frequency, and intensity of pain during speaking in professional voice users and nonvocal professionals and to determine if the presence of pain is significantly related with the profile of the professional voice user. Based on the available literature, significantly more pain symptoms in professional voice users can be hypothesized. Sample survey. To characterize the presence, type, and degree of pain symptoms during speaking, a questionnaire was used. Pain severity was measured by means of a numerical rating scale. Fifty-five (176/320) percent of the nonvocal professionals and 84% (698/832) of the professional voice users mentioned the presence of one or more pain symptoms during speaking. Throat pain was mentioned as the most common pain in both the professional and nonvocal professional voice users. The professional voice users showed significantly more throat, neck, shoulder, headache, ear, and back pain. Moreover, the intensity of throat pain was significantly increased in the professional voice users. This study showed evidence that several types of pain are present with significantly greater frequency in professional voice users. Vocal screening strategies, diagnostic, and treatment protocols should include the assessment of the type and severity of pain. Currently, the voice clinic is working on improving the diagnostic protocol with the objective of defining the combination of tests, which best diagnose voice problems and related complaints and which evaluate progress in vocal characteristics and pain after rehabilitation. Copyright © 2012 The Voice Foundation. Published by Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.

Smokeless Tobacco Use and Periodontal Health in a Rural Male Population

PubMed Central

Chu, Yong H.; Tatakis, Dimitris N.

2010-01-01

Background Despite the reported effects of smokeless tobacco (ST) on the periodontium and high prevalence of ST use in rural populations and in men, studies on this specific topic are limited. The purpose of this cross-sectional investigation is to evaluate the periodontal health status of male ST users from a rural population. Methods Adult male residents of two rural Appalachian Ohio counties and daily ST users, with a unilateral mandibular oral ST keratosis lesion, were recruited. Subjects completed a questionnaire and received oral examination. Teeth present, ST keratosis lesion, plaque and gingival index, probing depth (PD), recession depth (RD), and attachment level were recorded. Statistical analysis compared ST-site mandibular teeth (teeth adjacent to the subject’s unilateral ST keratosis lesion) to NST-site teeth (contralateral corresponding teeth). Results This study includes 73 ST users. Recession prevalence is much greater in ST-site quadrants (36%) compared to NST-site quadrants (18%; P <0.001). Twice as many teeth had recession on ST-site (approximately 20%) than NST-site (approximately 10%; P = 0.0001). Average buccal RD on ST-site teeth did not differ from that on the NST-site teeth (P = 0.0875). Although average buccal attachment loss is greater on ST-site teeth (P = 0.016), the mean difference is <0.5 mm. When stratified by years of ST use, subjects using ST for 10 to 18 years exhibit the most differences between ST and NST sites, whereas subjects using ST for <10 years show no differences. Conclusion The results indicate that greater gingival recession prevalence and extent are associated with ST placement site in rural male ST users. PMID:20350155

Classifying and profiling Social Networking Site users: a latent segmentation approach.

PubMed

Alarcón-del-Amo, María-del-Carmen; Lorenzo-Romero, Carlota; Gómez-Borja, Miguel-Ángel

2011-09-01

Social Networking Sites (SNSs) have showed an exponential growth in the last years. The first step for an efficient use of SNSs stems from an understanding of the individuals' behaviors within these sites. In this research, we have obtained a typology of SNS users through a latent segmentation approach, based on the frequency by which users perform different activities within the SNSs, sociodemographic variables, experience in SNSs, and dimensions related to their interaction patterns. Four different segments have been obtained. The "introvert" and "novel" users are the more occasional. They utilize SNSs mainly to communicate with friends, although "introverts" are more passive users. The "versatile" user performs different activities, although occasionally. Finally, the "expert-communicator" performs a greater variety of activities with a higher frequency. They tend to perform some marketing-related activities such as commenting on ads or gathering information about products and brands as well as commenting ads. The companies can take advantage of these segmentation schemes in different ways: first, by tracking and monitoring information interchange between users regarding their products and brands. Second, they should match the SNS users' profiles with their market targets to use SNSs as marketing tools. Finally, for most business, the expert users could be interesting opinion leaders and potential brand influencers.

Violent and Non-Violent Criminal Behavior among Young Chinese Drug Users: A Mixed Methods Study

PubMed Central

Liu, Liu; Chen, Ye

2018-01-01

Young drug users are found to be increasingly involved in criminal justice issues. This exploratory and descriptive study aims to analyze the criminal behaviors among young Chinese drug users through a mixed methods research design. Quantitative analysis indicates that young drug users with and without a history of criminality show significant differences in terms of several features. Male drug users, particularly, those who are older, with religious beliefs, and initiated into drug use at younger age were most likely to commit crimes. Among drug users with criminal experiences, those who committed crimes prior to drug initiation have a greater likelihood of committing violent crimes. Furthermore, young drug users with severe depression are more likely to commit crimes, especially violent ones. Qualitative analysis further illustrates that young male drug users often get involved in criminal conduct of the youth gang nature with propensity for engaging in violent crimes as compared to their female counterparts who are more likely to turn into drug dealers and traffickers, in addition to engaging in larceny. The research findings are consistent with developmental theories and “victim to offender cycle”. Integrated mental health and substance use services are suggested for crime prevention among young Chinese drug users. PMID:29498649

Methamphetamine users show greater than normal age-related cortical gray matter loss.

PubMed

Nakama, Helenna; Chang, Linda; Fein, George; Shimotsu, Ryan; Jiang, Caroline S; Ernst, Thomas

2011-08-01

Methamphetamine (Meth) abuse continues to be a major illicit drug of abuse. Neuroimaging findings suggest that Meth is neurotoxic and may alter various brain structures, but the effect of Meth on the aging brain has not been studied. The aim was to determine regional volumes of cortical gray matter in the brains of adult Meth users versus healthy control subjects, and their interaction with age and Meth-usage variables. Cross-sectional study Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) Research Center located in a university-affiliated hospital. Thirty-four Meth-dependent subjects (21 men and 13 women; ages 33.1 ± 8.9 years), diagnosed according to DSM-IV criteria, and 31 healthy non-Meth user comparison subjects (23 men and 8 women ages 35.7 ± 8.4 years). Regional gray matter volumes were segmented automatically in all subjects and evaluated in relation to age, using high-resolution MRIs at 3.0 Tesla. After adjustment for the effects of cranium size, the Meth users showed enhanced cortical gray matter volume loss with age in the frontal (analysis of covariance interaction P = 0.02), occipital (interaction P = 0.01), temporal (interaction P < 0.001) and the insular lobes (interaction P = 0.01) compared to controls, independently of Meth-usage patterns. Additionally, Meth users showed smaller gray matter volumes than control subjects in several subregions (dorsolateral prefrontal: P = 0.02; orbitofrontal: P = 0.03; prefrontal: P = 0.047; superior temporal: P = 0.04). Methamphetamine users appear to show increased cortical gray matter loss with age which raises the possibility of accelerated decline in mental functioning. © 2011 The Authors, Addiction © 2011 Society for the Study of Addiction.

Acute effects of ayahuasca on neuropsychological performance: differences in executive function between experienced and occasional users.

PubMed

Bouso, José Carlos; Fábregas, Josep Maria; Antonijoan, Rosa Maria; Rodríguez-Fornells, Antoni; Riba, Jordi

2013-12-01

Ayahuasca, a South American psychotropic plant tea containing the psychedelic 5-HT2A receptor agonist N,N-dimethyltryptamine, has been shown to increase regional cerebral blood flow in prefrontal brain regions after acute administration to humans. Despite interactions at this level, neuropsychological studies have not found cognitive deficits in abstinent long-term users. Here, we wished to investigate the effects of acute ayahuasca intake on neuropsychological performance, specifically on working memory and executive function. Twenty-four ayahuasca users (11 long-term experienced users and 13 occasional users) were assessed in their habitual setting using the Stroop, Sternberg, and Tower of London tasks prior to and following ayahuasca intake. Errors in the Sternberg task increased, whereas reaction times in the Stroop task decreased and accuracy was maintained for the whole sample following ayahuasca intake. Interestingly, results in the Tower of London showed significantly increased execution and resolution times and number of movements for the occasional but not the experienced users. Additionally, a correlation analysis including all subjects showed that impaired performance in the Tower of London was inversely correlated with lifetime ayahuasca use. Acute ayahuasca administration impaired working memory but decreased stimulus-response interference. Interestingly, detrimental effects on higher cognition were only observed in the less experienced group. Rather than leading to increased impairment, greater prior exposure to ayahuasca was associated with reduced incapacitation. Compensatory or neuromodulatory effects associated with long-term ayahuasca intake could underlie preserved executive function in experienced users.

Wheelchair users' experience of non-adapted and adapted clothes during sailing, quad rugby or wheel-walking.

PubMed

Kratz, G; Söderback, I; Guidetti, S; Hultling, C; Rykatkin, T; Söderström, M

1997-01-01

The purpose of the present quasi-experimental post-test-design study was to compare 32 wheelchair users' (mostly para/tetraplegics) experience of wearing specially adapted clothes and non-adapted clothes for sailing, quad rugby or wheel-walking. Four existing assessment instruments were used: the Klein-Bell Activities of Daily Living Scale; a two-part Basic Information Questionnaire eliciting experience of effort, comfort and feeling of physical condition; the Experience Sampling Form for investigating the individuals' attitudes in terms of involvement and affective and activity mood states, and the Occupational Therapy Assessment of Leisure Time interview framework for collecting data about experience of leisure time. The wheelchair users all associated significantly greater comfort with use of the adapted clothes and, particularly the 'sailors', better physical condition. Overall, significantly greater involvement and more positive affect states were associated with the adapted clothes than with conventional garments, and mood state changed for the better. The wheelchair users set a higher priority upon work or leisure activities than upon independence in activities of daily living, and for this reason the Klein-Bell ratings showed great variation between the 'sailors' and the 'quad rugby players' (range 57%-93%), though these groups demonstrated more independence than the 'wheel-walkers'. The results of the study confirm the value of adapting sportswear for handicapped people. Such adaptations should also be of benefit for other activities than those studied.

Recovery concept in a Norwegian setting to be examined by the assertive community treatment model and mixed methods.

PubMed

Lofthus, Ann-Mari; Westerlund, Heidi; Bjørgen, Dagfinn; Lindstrøm, Jonas Christoffer; Lauveng, Arnhild; Rose, Diana; Ruud, Torleif; Heiervang, Kristin

2018-02-01

Recovery is a crucial concept in the mental health field. The research of recovery is split into the categories of personal, social and clinical recovery. The purpose of this study was to explore the fragmented concept of recovery in light of assertive community treatment (ACT) in Norway. The study has a mixed methods design with a pragmatic approach. The Questionnaire about the Process of Recovery and open-ended questions posed to 70 participants from 12 ACT teams in Norway, gathered by the "Users interview users" method, are combined with interviews or focus groups with eight of these participants. Surprisingly those under a community treatment order (CTO) report the highest degree of personal recovery. The qualitative material shows that the service users interpreted the concept of recovery differently than researchers and professionals. The ACT service users highlighted three important elements: flexible treatment, medication and access to a car. They emphasized the necessity for basic needs to be met in order to experience a meaningful recovery process, and these basic needs may be of even greater importance to those under CTOs. Their experiences should imply a greater emphasis on securing basic needs such as secure housing, sounder finances and access to the normal benefits offered by society. © 2016 Australian College of Mental Health Nurses Inc.

ERP evidence suggests executive dysfunction in ecstasy polydrug users.

PubMed

Roberts, C A; Fairclough, S H; Fisk, J E; Tames, F; Montgomery, C

2013-08-01

Deficits in executive functions such as access to semantic/long-term memory have been shown in ecstasy users in previous research. Equally, there have been many reports of equivocal findings in this area. The current study sought to further investigate behavioural and electro-physiological measures of this executive function in ecstasy users. Twenty ecstasy-polydrug users, 20 non-ecstasy-polydrug users and 20 drug-naïve controls were recruited. Participants completed background questionnaires about their drug use, sleep quality, fluid intelligence and mood state. Each individual also completed a semantic retrieval task whilst 64 channel Electroencephalography (EEG) measures were recorded. Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) revealed no between-group differences in behavioural performance on the task. Mixed ANOVA on event-related potential (ERP) components P2, N2 and P3 revealed significant between-group differences in the N2 component. Subsequent exploratory univariate ANOVAs on the N2 component revealed marginally significant between-group differences, generally showing greater negativity at occipito-parietal electrodes in ecstasy users compared to drug-naïve controls. Despite absence of behavioural differences, differences in N2 magnitude are evidence of abnormal executive functioning in ecstasy-polydrug users.

Problematic versus non-problematic ecstasy/MDMA use: the influence of drug usage patterns and pre-existing psychiatric factors.

PubMed

Soar, K; Turner, J J D; Parrott, A C

2006-05-01

Recreational ecstasy (3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine; MDMA) use has been increasingly associated with a number of psychiatric symptoms and psychological problems. However, previous studies assessing possible psychopathological effects have not identified whether users consider their ecstasy use "problematic" or not. In addition, research has generally failed to address the potential role of premorbid psychiatric status. This study aimed to assess whether premorbid psychiatric history and/or patterns of ecstasy use would be associated with the degree of self-reported problems attributable to ecstasy. Problematic ecstasy users (n = 53) who had reported problems attributable to their ecstasy use were compared with non-problematic ecstasy users (n = 62), polydrug controls (n = 62) and illegal drug-naive controls (n = 111) on a recreational drug use questionnaire; a questionnaire, which ascertained personal and family psychiatric histories, and the Brief Symptom Inventory (BSI). Problematic ecstasy users exhibited significantly higher scores on a number of dimensions of the BSI compared to illegal drug-naive and/or polydrug controls. Problematic ecstasy users also exhibited significantly elevated scores on somatization, depression, anxiety and negative psychobiology compared to non-problematic ecstasy users. BSI scores for the non-problematic ecstasy users did not differ from polydrug or illegal drug-naive controls. Problematic ecstasy users reported significantly higher levels of ecstasy use, including lifetime consumption, average dosage and binge consumption compared to non-problematic ecstasy users. Additionally, a greater number of problematic ecstasy users reported personal and family psychiatric histories compared to controls and non-problematic ecstasy users. This study demonstrates two distinct ecstasy using groups: non-problematic ecstasy users who are not showing signs of psychopathology and problematic ecstasy users who are showing evidence of a range of symptoms. This data therefore partially supports the link between ecstasy dosage and negative psychological sequelae, but highlights the importance of the need to consider ecstasy-related attributions, pre-existing mental health status and vulnerability.

Profile of executive deficits in cocaine and heroin polysubstance users: common and differential effects on separate executive components.

PubMed

Verdejo-García, Antonio; Pérez-García, Miguel

2007-03-01

Structure of executive function was examined and we contrasted performance of substance dependent individuals (polysubstance users) and control participants on neuropsychological measures assessing the different executive components obtained. Additionally, we contrasted performance of polysubstance users with preference for cocaine vs heroin and controls to explore possible differential effects of the main substance abused on executive impairment. Two groups of participants were recruited: abstinent polysubstance users and controls. Polysubstance users were further subdivided based on their drug of choice (cocaine vs heroin). We administered to all participants a comprehensive protocol of executive measures, including tests of fluency, working memory, reasoning, inhibitory control, flexibility, and decision making. Consistent with previous models, the principal component analysis showed that executive functions are organized into four separate components, three of them previously described: updating, inhibition, and shifting; and a fourth component of decision making. Abstinent polysubstance users had clinically significant impairments on measures assessing these four executive components (with effect sizes ranging from 0.5 to 2.2). Cocaine polysubstance users had more severe impairments than heroin users and controls on measures of inhibition (Stroop) and shifting (go/no go and category test). Greater severity of drug use predicted poorer performance on updating measures. Executive functions can be fractionated into four relatively independent components. Chronic drug use is associated with widespread impairment of these four executive components, with cocaine use inducing more severe deficits on inhibition and shifting. These findings show both common and differential effects of two widely used drugs on different executive components.

Identifying cases of heroin toxicity where 6-acetylmorphine (6-AM) is not detected by toxicological analyses.

PubMed

Ellis, Ashley D; McGwin, Gerald; Davis, Gregory G; Dye, Daniel W

2016-09-01

Heroin has a half-life of 2-6 min and is metabolized too quickly to be detected in autopsy samples. The presence of 6-acetylmophine (6-AM) in urine, blood, or other samples is convincing evidence of heroin use by a decedent, but 6-AM itself has a half-life of 6-25 min before it is hydrolyzed to morphine, so 6-AM may not be present in sufficient concentration to detect in postmortem samples. Codeine is often present in heroin preparations as an impurity and is not a metabolite of heroin. Studies report that a ratio of morphine to codeine greater than one indicates heroin use. We hypothesize that the ratio of morphine to codeine in our decedents abusing drugs intravenously will be no different in individuals with 6-AM present than in individuals where no 6-AM is detected, and we report our study of this hypothesis. All accidental deaths investigated by the Jefferson County Coroner/Medical Examiner Office from 2010 to 2013 with morphine detected in blood samples collected at autopsy were reviewed. Five deaths where trauma caused or contributed to death were excluded from the review. The presence or absence of 6-AM and the concentrations of morphine and codeine were recorded for each case. The ratio of morphine to codeine was calculated for all decedents. Any individual in whom no morphine or codeine was detected in a postmortem sample was excluded from further study. Absence or presence of drug paraphernalia or evidence of intravascular (IV) drug use was documented in each case to identify IV drug users. The proportion of the IV drug users with and without 6-AM present in a postmortem sample was compared to the M/C ratio for the individuals. Of the 230 deaths included in the analysis, 103 IV drug users with quantifiable morphine and codeine in a postmortem sample were identified allowing for calculation of an M/C ratio. In these IV drug users, the M/C ratio was greater than 1 in 98 % of decedents. When controlling for the absence or presence of 6-AM there was no statistically significant difference in the proportion of IV drug users when compared to non IV drug users with an M/C ratio of greater than 1 (p = 1.000). The M/C ratio in IV drug users, if greater than 1, is seen in deaths due to heroin toxicity where 6-AM is detected in a postmortem sample. This study provides evidence that a M/C ratio greater than one in an IV drug user is evidence of a death due to heroin toxicity even if 6-AM is not detected in the blood. Using the M/C ratio, in addition to scene and autopsy findings, provides sufficient evidence to show heroin is the source of the morphine and codeine. Listing heroin as a cause or contributing factor in deaths with evidence of IV drug abuse and where the M/C ratio exceeds 1 will improve identification of heroin fatalities, which will allow better allocation of resources for public health initiatives.

Nitrates in drinking water and methemoglobin levels in pregnancy: a longitudinal study.

PubMed

Manassaram, Deana M; Backer, Lorraine C; Messing, Rita; Fleming, Lora E; Luke, Barbara; Monteilh, Carolyn P

2010-10-14

Private water systems are more likely to have nitrate levels above the maximum contaminant level (MCL). Pregnant women are considered vulnerable to the effects of exposure to high levels of nitrates in drinking water due to their altered physiological states. The level of methemoglobin in the blood is the biomarker often used in research for assessing exposure to nitrates. The objective of this study was to assess methemoglobin levels and examine how various factors affected methemoglobin levels during pregnancy. We also examined whether differences in water use practices existed among pregnant women based on household drinking water source of private vs. public supply. A longitudinal study of 357 pregnant women was conducted. Longitudinal regression models were used to examine changes and predictors of the change in methemoglobin levels over the period of gestation. Pregnant women showed a decrease in methemoglobin levels with increasing gestation although <1% had levels above the physiologic normal of 2% methemoglobin, regardless of the source of their drinking water. The multivariable analyses did not show a statistically significant association between methemoglobin levels and the estimated nitrate intake from tap water among pregnant women around 36 weeks gestation (β = 0.046, p = 0.986). Four women had tap water nitrate levels above the MCL of 10 mg/L. At enrollment, a greater proportion of women who reported using water treatment devices were private wells users (66%) compared to public system users (46%) (p < 0.0001). Also, a greater proportion of private well users (27%) compared to public system users (13%) were using devices capable of removing nitrate from water (p < 0.0001). Pregnant women potentially exposed to nitrate levels primarily below the MCL for drinking water were unlikely to show methemoglobin levels above the physiologic normal. Water use practices such as the use of treatment devices to remove nitrates varied according to water source and should be considered in the assessment of exposure to nitrates in future studies.

Nitrates in drinking water and methemoglobin levels in pregnancy: a longitudinal study

PubMed Central

2010-01-01

Background Private water systems are more likely to have nitrate levels above the maximum contaminant level (MCL). Pregnant women are considered vulnerable to the effects of exposure to high levels of nitrates in drinking water due to their altered physiological states. The level of methemoglobin in the blood is the biomarker often used in research for assessing exposure to nitrates. The objective of this study was to assess methemoglobin levels and examine how various factors affected methemoglobin levels during pregnancy. We also examined whether differences in water use practices existed among pregnant women based on household drinking water source of private vs. public supply. Methods A longitudinal study of 357 pregnant women was conducted. Longitudinal regression models were used to examine changes and predictors of the change in methemoglobin levels over the period of gestation. Results Pregnant women showed a decrease in methemoglobin levels with increasing gestation although <1% had levels above the physiologic normal of 2% methemoglobin, regardless of the source of their drinking water. The multivariable analyses did not show a statistically significant association between methemoglobin levels and the estimated nitrate intake from tap water among pregnant women around 36 weeks gestation (β = 0.046, p = 0.986). Four women had tap water nitrate levels above the MCL of 10 mg/L. At enrollment, a greater proportion of women who reported using water treatment devices were private wells users (66%) compared to public system users (46%) (p < 0.0001). Also, a greater proportion of private well users (27%) compared to public system users (13%) were using devices capable of removing nitrate from water (p < 0.0001). Conclusion Pregnant women potentially exposed to nitrate levels primarily below the MCL for drinking water were unlikely to show methemoglobin levels above the physiologic normal. Water use practices such as the use of treatment devices to remove nitrates varied according to water source and should be considered in the assessment of exposure to nitrates in future studies. PMID:20946657

Opinion-enhanced collaborative filtering for recommender systems through sentiment analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Wei; Wang, Hongwei

2015-10-01

The motivation of collaborative filtering (CF) comes from the idea that people often get the best recommendations from someone with similar tastes. With the growing popularity of opinion-rich resources such as online reviews, new opportunities arise as we can identify the preferences from user opinions. The main idea of our approach is to elicit user opinions from online reviews, and map such opinions into preferences that can be understood by CF-based recommender systems. We divide recommender systems into two types depending on the number of product category recommended: the multiple-category recommendation and the single-category recommendation. For the former, sentiment polarity in coarse-grained manner is identified while for the latter fine-grained sentiment analysis is conducted for each product aspect. If the evaluation frequency for an aspect by a user is greater than the average frequency by all users, it indicates that the user is more concerned with that aspect. If a user's rating for an aspect is lower than the average rating by all users, he or she is much pickier than others on that aspect. Through sentiment analysis, we then build an opinion-enhanced user preference model, where the higher the similarity between user opinions the more consistent preferences between users are. Experiment results show that the proposed CF algorithm outperforms baseline methods for product recommendation in terms of accuracy and recall.

Hearing Health Care: perception of the users of a public service.

PubMed

Jardim, Débora Soares; Maciel, Fernanda Jorge; Piastrelli, Marina Teixeira; Lemos, Stela Maris Aguiar

2017-03-30

Evaluate hearing health service under the users' perspective according to the aspects: access, care, communication, and professional competence, and its correlation with clinical, sociodemographic and assistance characteristics. This is an observational analytic cross-sectional study with a probability sample stratified by gender and age. The Hearing Health Care Assessment questionnaire and the Brazilian Economic Classification Criterion questionnaire were used. In total, 214 users were interviewed, which were assisted from May 2009 to May 2013. It was observed that most of the evaluated users are female, elderly, literate, presenting moderate degree of hearing impairment, who had access to transportation out-of-pocket, was submitted to ENT evaluation for diagnosis and sought the service to purchase a hearing aid, besides belonging to class C. Regarding user satisfaction, most were satisfied with access, hearing evaluation, personalized service, benefit for the family, communication and information, and professional competence. In the analysis of correlation between the scores, it was found that when users are satisfied with access, as well as with communication and information, the total score increases with moderate correlation coefficient. The users showed greater satisfaction with the professional competence domain and lower satisfaction with the benefit for the family. In addition, assessment proved that access and communication are considered important quality indicators for the hearing health service according to users.

Effectiveness of User- and Expert-Driven Web-based Hypertension Programs: an RCT.

PubMed

Liu, Sam; Brooks, Dina; Thomas, Scott G; Eysenbach, Gunther; Nolan, Robert P

2018-04-01

The effectiveness of self-guided Internet-based lifestyle counseling (e-counseling) varies, depending on treatment protocol. Two dominant procedures in e-counseling are expert- and user-driven. The influence of these procedures on hypertension management remains unclear. The objective was to assess whether blood pressure improved with expert-driven or user-driven e-counseling over control intervention in patients with hypertension over a 4-month period. This study used a three-parallel group, double-blind randomized controlled design. In Toronto, Canada, 128 participants (aged 35-74 years) with hypertension were recruited. Participants were recruited using online and poster advertisements. Data collection took place between June 2012 and June 2014. Data were analyzed from October 2014 to December 2016. Controls received a weekly e-mail newsletter regarding hypertension management. The expert-driven group was prescribed a weekly exercise and diet plan (e.g., increase 1,000 steps/day this week). The user-driven group received weekly e-mail, which allowed participants to choose their intervention goals (e.g., [1] feel more confident to change my lifestyle, or [2] self-help tips for exercise or a heart healthy diet). Primary outcome was systolic blood pressure measured at baseline and 4-month follow-up. Secondary outcomes included cholesterol, 10-year Framingham cardiovascular risk, daily steps, and dietary habits. Expert-driven groups showed a greater systolic blood pressure decrease than controls at follow-up (expert-driven versus control: -7.5 mmHg, 95% CI= -12.5, -2.6, p=0.01). Systolic blood pressure reduction did not significantly differ between user- and expert-driven. Expert-driven compared with controls also showed a significant improvement in pulse pressure, cholesterol, and Framingham risk score. The expert-driven intervention was significantly more effective than both user-driven and control groups in increasing daily steps and fruit intake. It may be advisable to incorporate an expert-driven e-counseling protocol in order to accommodate participants with greater motivation to change their lifestyle behaviors, but more studies are needed. This study is registered at www.clinicaltrials.gov NCT03111836. Copyright © 2018 American Journal of Preventive Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Association between use of flavoured tobacco products and quit behaviours: findings from a cross-sectional survey of US adult tobacco users.

PubMed

Smith, Danielle M; Bansal-Travers, Maansi; Huang, Jidong; Barker, Dianne; Hyland, Andrew J; Chaloupka, Frank

2016-11-01

Non-menthol characterising flavours (eg, fruit, candy) are banned in cigarettes, yet are still permitted in non-cigarette tobacco (NCT) products. This study examined associations between first use and current use of flavoured tobacco products, and current flavoured tobacco use and quit behaviours. A nationally representative, telephone-based survey completed in 2012 by 1443 US adult tobacco users asked about use of 9 tobacco products: cigarettes, e-cigarettes, cigars, cigarillos, little filtered cigars, pipes, hookah, smokeless tobacco and snus. Ever users reported first use of flavoured products, while current users also reported current flavoured product use. Current users reported quit attempts made in the past year. Data were weighted to reflect the US adult tobacco user population. Logistic regression models were used to examine associations between first/current flavour use and quit behaviours. Over 70% of respondents reported first use of a flavoured tobacco product, while 54% reported current use of at least one flavoured product. Odds of current flavoured product use were greater among those who reported first use of a flavoured product (OR 14.82, 95% CI 9.96 to 22.06). First use of a flavoured product was associated with being a current tobacco user (OR 1.55, 95% CI 1.08 to 2.22). Compared to single product users, polytobacco users exhibited greater odds of reporting current use of flavoured products (OR 2.09, 95% CI 1.47 to 2.97). Forty-four percent of current tobacco users reported a past-year quit attempt. Adjusted analyses among current NCT users of at least one flavoured tobacco product showed reduced odds of reporting a quit attempt. First use of a flavoured tobacco product was associated with current flavoured tobacco use and polytobacco use. Users of only flavoured NCT products exhibited reduced odds of reporting a quit attempt. Findings from this study reinforce the importance of flavoured product availability in the USA, which may have significant implications for efforts to reduce tobacco initiation and use at a population level. The relationship between characterising flavours and quit behaviours merits further exploration in longitudinal, population-based samples. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/.

User characteristics of a smartphone app to reduce alcohol consumption.

PubMed

Garnett, Claire; Crane, David; West, Robert; Michie, Susan; Brown, Jamie; Winstock, Adam

2017-12-01

Digital interventions are available to help people reduce their alcohol consumption, but it is not known who uses these interventions and how this treatment-seeking group compares with the general population of drinkers. The study objective was to compare the socio-demographic and drinking characteristics of users of the 'Drinks Meter' smartphone app with the general population of drinkers in England and website users of the same intervention. Data were used from the Drinks Meter app and website, and a nationally representative cross-sectional survey in England (Alcohol Toolkit Study). Participants were drinkers aged 16+ in England. Data were collected on participants' age, gender, region, sexual orientation, social grade and AUDIT score. Regression analyses were conducted to assess differences in socio-demographic and drinking characteristics between samples. Drinks Meter app users, compared with drinkers of the general population, were younger, more likely to be from the South, not heterosexual, less likely to be of a lower social grade and had a higher mean AUDIT score. Drinks Meter app users were younger than website users and reported greater alcohol consumption and related harms. Drinkers using the Drinks Meter app are more likely to be younger and report greater alcohol consumption and related harms compared with the general population of drinkers in England and website users of the same intervention. Apps that provide feedback on drinking appear to be reaching those who report greater alcohol consumption and related harms.

Getting ready for user involvement in a systematic review

PubMed Central

Smith, Elizabeth; Donovan, Sheila; Beresford, Peter; Manthorpe, Jill; Brearley, Sally; Sitzia, John; Ross, Fiona

2009-01-01

Abstract Objective  This paper aims to support the critical development of user involvement in systematic reviews by explaining some of the theoretical, ethical and practical issues entailed in ‘getting ready’ for user involvement. Background  Relatively few health or social care systematic reviews have actively involved service users. Evidence from other research contexts shows that user involvement can have benefits in terms of improved quality and outcomes, hence there is a need to test out different approaches in order to realize the benefits of user involvement and gain a greater understanding of any negative outcomes. Design  Setting up a service‐user reference group for a review of user involvement in nursing, midwifery and health visiting research involved conceptualizing user involvement, developing a representation framework, identifying and targeting service users and creating a sense of mutuality and reciprocity. Setting and participants  Recruitment was undertaken across England by two researchers. Members from 24 national consumer organizations were selected to participate in the review. Main variables studied  Learning was gained about finding ways of navigating consumer networks and organizations, how best to communicate our goals and intentions and how to manage selection and ‘rejection’ in circumstances where we had stimulated enthusiasm. Results and conclusions  Involving service users helped us to access information, locate the findings in issues that are important to service users and to disseminate findings. User involvement is about relationships in social contexts: decisions made at the early conceptual level of research design affect service users and researchers in complex and personal ways. PMID:19236632

Web-Based Family Life Education: Spotlight on User Experience

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Doty, Jennifer; Doty, Matthew; Dwrokin, Jodi

2011-01-01

Family Life Education (FLE) websites can benefit from the field of user experience, which makes technology easy to use. A heuristic evaluation of five FLE sites was performed using Neilson's heuristics, guidelines for making sites user friendly. Greater site complexity resulted in more potential user problems. Sites most frequently had problems…

Prefrontal N-acetylaspartate is strongly associated with memory performance in (abstinent) ecstasy users: preliminary report.

PubMed

Reneman, L; Majoie, C B; Schmand, B; van den Brink, W; den Heeten, G J

2001-10-01

3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA or "Ecstasy") is known to damage brain serotonin neurons in animals and possibly humans. Because serotonergic damage may adversely affect memory, we compared verbal memory function between MDMA users and MDMA-naïve control subjects and evaluated the relationship between verbal memory function and neuronal dysfunction in the MDMA users. An auditory verbal memory task (Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test) was used to study eight abstinent MDMA users and seven control subjects. In addition 1H-MRS was used in different brain regions of all MDMA users to measure N-acetylaspartate/creatine (NAA/Cr) ratios, a marker for neuronal viability. The MDMA users recalled significantly fewer words than control subjects on delayed (p =.03) but not immediate recall (p =.08). In MDMA users, delayed memory function was strongly associated with NAA/Cr only in the prefrontal cortex (R(2) =.76, p =.01). Greater decrements in memory function predicted lower NAA/Cr levels-and by inference greater neuronal dysfunction-in the prefrontal cortex of MDMA users.

User interface customization on Endoscopy Department Mini-PACS and its impact on examination workflow

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Osada, Masakazu; Kaise, Mitsuru; Ozeki, Takeshi; Tsunakawa, Hirofumi; Tsunakawa, Kiyoshi; Takayanagi, Takashi; Suzuki, Nobuaki; Miwa, Jun; Ohta, Yasuhiko; Kanai, Koichi

1999-07-01

We have proposed a new user interface with workflow customization, implemented and evaluted in Endoscopy Department Mini-PACS that has been introduced and routinely used for two years at Toshiba General Hospital. We have set some task at endoscopy image acquisition units during examinations for two different types of user interfaces and compared performance. One is a command-button based operation using a remote control, and another is that with eight graphic buttons which are displayed on a CRT monitor and can be customized. Results of the two-year study show that mean number of input diagnosis codes per examination with graphic and customized interface is significantly greater than that with conventional interface. Also, mean time to complete one upper gastric endoscopy examination with new user interface is about 17 percent less than that with conventional interface. These result suggest that systems with the visualized and customized operation and feedback encourages physicians to use more functions and to compete tasks more efficiently than systems with conventional command-button based user interfaces.

[Cardiovascular risk factors in users with severe mental disorder].

PubMed

Paños-Martínez, Montserrat; Patró-Moncunill, Ester; Santiago-Barragán, Ángel-María; Marti-Mestre, Marc; Torralbas-Ortega, Jordi; Escayola-Maranges, Anna; Granero-Lázaro, Alberto

2016-01-01

To identify the prevalence of the cardiovascular risk (RCV) in users with a Severe Mental Disorder (SMD) attended in mental health service in ParcTaulí (Sabadell - Barcelona). This is an observational, descriptive and transversal study of the factors of cardiovascular risk in 789 users with SMD. The instrument used was the scale of assessment of the Registre Gironí del Cor, which estimates the risk of cardiovascular disease. 26.6% of the sample has RCV (22.5% moderate, 3.8% high and 0.3% very high). The analysis of the modifiable risk factors shows that 16.5% of the patients are hypertensive, 55.2% are smokers, 19.77% have hyperglycaemia (8.2% of whom are diagnosed of diabetes mellitus), 40.2% have obesity, 36.2% overweight and 47.27% hypercholesterolemia. The study confirms that the prevalence of the RVC in SMD users is greater than the RCV in general population and it's associated to the presence of modifiable risk factors. Health education carried out by nurses is the best to prevent the RCV in SMD users. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

Memory performance in abstinent 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA, "ecstasy") users.

PubMed

Groth-Marnat, Gary; Howchar, Hennedy; Marsh, Ali

2007-02-01

Research with animals and humans has suggested that acute and subacute use of 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA "ecstasy") may lead to memory impairment. However, research is limited by (1) low power due to small sample sizes, (2) the possible confound of polydrug use, and (3) the failure to consider intelligence as a covariate. The present study compared the memory performance on the Wechsler Memory Scale-III of 26 abstinent (2-wk. minimum) recreational MDMA users with 26 abstinent (2-wk. minimum) recreational polydrug users. Despite significantly greater polydrug use amongst these MDMA users, no significant group differences in memory were observed. Regression of total lifetime amount of MDMA use also did not predict memory performance after accounting for intelligence. In addition, the length of time since abstinence (at least 2 wk.) was not associated with an increase in memory performance. Greater total lifetime cocaine use, rather than total lifetime MDMA use, was significantly associated with greater decrements in General Memory and Delayed Verbal Memory performance.

Impact of electronic aids to daily living on the lives of persons with cervical spinal cord injuries.

PubMed

Rigby, Patricia; Ryan, Stephen; Joos, Shone; Cooper, Barbara; Jutai, Jeffrey W; Steggles, Iielizabeth

2005-01-01

Structured interviews were used to evaluate the impact of electronic aids to daily living (EADL) on functional abilities and psychosocial well-being. The participants included 32 adults (26 men, 6 women; mean age of 39 years) with cervical spinal cord injuries. The experiences of 16 EADL users were compared with a control group of 16 nonusers, using the Functional Autonomy Measuring Scale, the Lincoln Outcome Measures for Environmental Controls, and the Psychosocial Impact of Assistive Devices Scale. Results show EADL users had significantly better performance (p < .05) than nonusers for instrumental activities of daily living and for 75% of 12 daily tasks. Many non-users had hands-free control of phones only, whereas EADL users had control over many other household devices, which optimized their independence. The psychosocial impact of this technology was very positive for competence, adaptability, and self-esteem. In conclusion, functional abilities were greater for a variety of daily tasks, and psychosocial impact was positive when EADLs were used.

Self-esteem, interpersonal risk, and preference for e-mail to face-to-face communication.

PubMed

Joinson, Adam N

2004-08-01

The media choices made by high and low self-esteem Internet users were studied using web-based methodology (n = 265). Participants were asked to rank four media (face-to-face, e-mail, letter, and telephone) in order of preference across four different communication scenarios designed to pose an interpersonal risk. The level of interpersonal risk posed by two of the scenarios (asking for a pay rise and asking for a date) were also experimentally manipulated by randomly allocating participants to a 25%, 50%, or 75% chance of rejection. Low self-esteem users (LSE) showed a significant preference toward e-mail communication compared to high self-esteem users (HSE). This pattern was reversed for face-to-face preferences. Similarly, a greater chance of rejection in a scenario led to e-mail being preferred to face-to-face communication. The results are discussed in light of both the strategic use of different media and the motivated Internet user.

Greater sexual risk-taking in female and male recreational MDMA/ecstasy users compared with alcohol drinkers: a questionnaire study.

PubMed

May, Aimee L; Parrott, Andrew C

2015-07-01

Previous studies have shown increased sexual risk-taking in experienced MDMA/ecstasy users. The main objectives of this study were to compare levels of sexual risk-taking between a young student sample of predominantly heterosexual MDMA users and alcohol-drinker controls and investigate potential gender differences. Recreational drug use and sexual risk questionnaires were completed by 20 MDMA users (10 females, 10 males) and 20 non-user controls (10 females, 10 males). They were predominantly university students, aged between 20-22 years, mainly heterosexual (n = 37), with three bisexual participants. MDMA users displayed significantly greater levels of sexual risk-taking than the alcohol-drinker controls. It involved significantly higher rates of casual sex, non-condom use during sex, and penetrative sexual risks. This increase in sexual riskiness occurred to a similar extent in males and females. These findings indicate that both female and male ecstasy/MDMA users reported more risky sexual behaviours, than the non-user controls. Further research into the sexual behaviour and sexual risk-taking of heterosexual MDMA users should be conducted because much of the past literature has focused on homosexual participants. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Bottle milk feeding and its association with food group consumption, growth and socio-demographic characteristics in Chinese young children.

PubMed

Yeung, Suey; Chan, Ruth; Li, Liz; Leung, Shirley; Woo, Jean

2017-07-01

It is recommended that infants from the age of 12 months should be weaned from bottles. However, an overwhelming proportion of young children were still using bottle after the recommended age of bottle-weaning. This cross-sectional study examined the association between utensils for milk drinking and food group consumption, growth and socio-demographic characteristics among young children. Data from the Survey of Infant and Young Child Feeding in Hong Kong were analyzed for 649 children aged 18-48 months old. Dietary outcomes were obtained via 3-day dietary records, while utensils for milk drinking and socio-demographic characteristics were collected from a self-developed questionnaire. Length/height and weight of the children were measured by the nurses. Results showed that daily consumption of formula milk was significantly greater among bottle users or bottle plus cup users than non-bottle users (p < 0.05). Exclusive bottle users had significantly lower intakes of meat and meat alternatives than bottle plus cup users for the 18 to 24-month group (p = 0.001) and lower intakes of fruits than non-bottle users in the 48-month group (p = 0.015). BMI z-score was significantly higher for exclusive bottle users than non-bottle users, even after adjusting for socio-economic factors and child's age (p = 0.006). The results showed that the milk drinking utensil was associated with the amount of formula milk and food group consumption as well as BMI z-score. There is a need to actively discourage prolonged bottle use in order to help young children develop good dietary habits. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Characteristics of Internet use in relation to game genre in Korean adolescents.

PubMed

Lee, Moon-Soo; Ko, Young-Hoon; Song, Hyoung-Seok; Kwon, Ku-Hyung; Lee, Hyeon-Soo; Nam, Min; Jung, In-Kwa

2007-04-01

As the number of internet users increases, a new game genre using the internet as a networking tool is emerging. Some game genres are regarded as having greater addiction potentials than others. Games and the internet are closely related. We investigated games frequently used by adolescents and classified each of them with the help of game professionals. We also examined internet use patterns to identify relationships between game genre and internet use patterns. 627 middle school and high school students (male 488, female 139) completed questionnaires concerning computer and game use patterns and Korean internet addiction scales. Game genres were divided into eight criteria (simulation, role playing game, web board, community, action, adventure, shooting, and sports). Using Korean internet addiction scales, 627 participants were divided into a normal group (474), a potential risk group (128), and a high-risk group (25). Each group showed significant differences in total internet addiction scores. We classified players into specific game users based upon the game types they most prefer. Role playing game users showed significantly higher internet addiction scores than web board and sports game users. Game and internet addictions are also connected with interpersonal relationship patterns. We suggest that users of some game genre have unique psychological addiction potentials that are different from others and that this influences both game selection and internet use.

The relationship between therapeutic alliance and service user satisfaction in mental health inpatient wards and crisis house alternatives: a cross-sectional study.

PubMed

Sweeney, Angela; Fahmy, Sarah; Nolan, Fiona; Morant, Nicola; Fox, Zoe; Lloyd-Evans, Brynmor; Osborn, David; Burgess, Emma; Gilburt, Helen; McCabe, Rosemarie; Slade, Mike; Johnson, Sonia

2014-01-01

Poor service user experiences are often reported on mental health inpatient wards. Crisis houses are an alternative, but evidence is limited. This paper investigates therapeutic alliances in acute wards and crisis houses, exploring how far stronger therapeutic alliance may underlie greater client satisfaction in crisis houses. Mixed methods were used. In the quantitative component, 108 crisis house and 247 acute ward service users responded to measures of satisfaction, therapeutic relationships, informal peer support, recovery and negative events experienced during the admission. Linear regressions were conducted to estimate the association between service setting and measures, and to model the factors associated with satisfaction. Qualitative interviews exploring therapeutic alliances were conducted with service users and staff in each setting and analysed thematically. We found that therapeutic alliances, service user satisfaction and informal peer support were greater in crisis houses than on acute wards, whilst self-rated recovery and numbers of negative events were lower. Adjusted multivariable analyses suggest that therapeutic relationships, informal peer support and negative experiences related to staff may be important factors in accounting for greater satisfaction in crisis houses. Qualitative results suggest factors that influence therapeutic alliances include service user perceptions of basic human qualities such as kindness and empathy in staff and, at service level, the extent of loss of liberty and autonomy. We found that service users experience better therapeutic relationships and higher satisfaction in crisis houses compared to acute wards, although we cannot exclude the possibility that differences in service user characteristics contribute to this. This finding provides some support for the expansion of crisis house provision. Further research is needed to investigate why acute ward service users experience a lack of compassion and humanity from ward staff and how this could be changed.

Involving older people in intermediate care.

PubMed

Andrews, JoyAnn; Manthorpe, Jill; Watson, Roger

2004-05-01

Intermediate care has become a crucial part of the United Kingdom government's programme for improving services for older people. Older people comprise a substantial part of the user base for these services, and it is increasingly recognized that there is a need for greater user involvement in service development for intermediate care. National initiatives undertaken in intermediate care have sought to widen and deepen the remit of such services, and in this way promote greater independence and improved quality of care for older people. In particular, the government has set out clear plans for reshaping services for older people in the National Health Service Plan and the rationale for greater involvement of older people in service development. This article considers ways in which these national and local objectives may be achieved and considers some of the implications for nursing. This paper aims to explore the concept of intermediate care and to identify trends and existing evidence of user involvement in care. In this way it charts a possible way forward for the development of a more 'user sensitive' approach. The following databases were searched: Medline, Cochrane Library, the Social Science Citation Index and CINAHL. Key words were 'intermediate care', 'older people', 'formal care', 'primary care', 'social services' and 'geriatrics', used in combination. The findings from this study indicate that there is considerable scope for increased user involvement in service development for intermediate care. Such challenges may be more effectively met through greater clarity of the concept of intermediate care, and a bridging of user involvement at the practice and policy levels. Nurses are key providers of intermediate care in the community. The involvement of older people in intermediate care service development must be premised on a shared comprehension of the purpose and function of intermediate care. Nurses must be involved in shifting intermediate care from being service-focused to patient-centred. Effective participation eschews the application of global constructs for older people, while supporting greater participation at all levels and robust implementation processes.

Auditory cortical activity during cochlear implant-mediated perception of spoken language, melody, and rhythm.

PubMed

Limb, Charles J; Molloy, Anne T; Jiradejvong, Patpong; Braun, Allen R

2010-03-01

Despite the significant advances in language perception for cochlear implant (CI) recipients, music perception continues to be a major challenge for implant-mediated listening. Our understanding of the neural mechanisms that underlie successful implant listening remains limited. To our knowledge, this study represents the first neuroimaging investigation of music perception in CI users, with the hypothesis that CI subjects would demonstrate greater auditory cortical activation than normal hearing controls. H(2) (15)O positron emission tomography (PET) was used here to assess auditory cortical activation patterns in ten postlingually deafened CI patients and ten normal hearing control subjects. Subjects were presented with language, melody, and rhythm tasks during scanning. Our results show significant auditory cortical activation in implant subjects in comparison to control subjects for language, melody, and rhythm. The greatest activity in CI users compared to controls was seen for language tasks, which is thought to reflect both implant and neural specializations for language processing. For musical stimuli, PET scanning revealed significantly greater activation during rhythm perception in CI subjects (compared to control subjects), and the least activation during melody perception, which was the most difficult task for CI users. These results may suggest a possible relationship between auditory performance and degree of auditory cortical activation in implant recipients that deserves further study.

Increasing seat belt use among part-time users : messages and strategies

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1998-02-01

Data indicate discrepancies between many persons' perceptions of themselves as seat belt users, and their actual behavior. The data also suggest that instead of targeting non-users, a greater increase in the national rate of seat belt use may be achi...

Spatial working memory in heavy cannabis users: a functional magnetic resonance imaging study.

PubMed

Kanayama, Gen; Rogowska, Jadwiga; Pope, Harrison G; Gruber, Staci A; Yurgelun-Todd, Deborah A

2004-11-01

Many neuropsychological studies have documented deficits in working memory among recent heavy cannabis users. However, little is known about the effects of cannabis on brain activity. We assessed brain function among recent heavy cannabis users while they performed a working memory task. Functional magnetic resonance imaging was used to examine brain activity in 12 long-term heavy cannabis users, 6-36 h after last use, and in 10 control subjects while they performed a spatial working memory task. Regional brain activation was analyzed and compared using statistical parametric mapping techniques. Compared with controls, cannabis users exhibited increased activation of brain regions typically used for spatial working memory tasks (such as prefrontal cortex and anterior cingulate). Users also recruited additional regions not typically used for spatial working memory (such as regions in the basal ganglia). These findings remained essentially unchanged when re-analyzed using subjects' ages as a covariate. Brain activation showed little or no significant correlation with subjects' years of education, verbal IQ, lifetime episodes of cannabis use, or urinary cannabinoid levels at the time of scanning. Recent cannabis users displayed greater and more widespread brain activation than normal subjects when attempting to perform a spatial working memory task. This observation suggests that recent cannabis users may experience subtle neurophysiological deficits, and that they compensate for these deficits by "working harder"-calling upon additional brain regions to meet the demands of the task.

Sex and estrous cycle differences in immediate early gene activation in the hippocampus and the dorsal striatum after the cue competition task.

PubMed

Yagi, Shunya; Drewczynski, Dimka; Wainwright, Steven R; Barha, Cindy K; Hershorn, Olivia; Galea, Liisa A M

2017-01-01

The hippocampus and dorsal striatum are important structures involved in place and response learning strategies respectively. Both sex and estrous cycle phase differences in learning strategy preference exist following cue competition paradigms. Furthermore, significant effects of sex and learning strategy on hippocampal neural plasticity have been reported. However, associations between learning strategy and immediate early gene (IEG) expression in the hippocampus and dorsal striatum are not completely understood. In the current study we investigated the effects of sex and estrous cycle phase on strategy choice and IEG expression in the hippocampus and dorsal striatum of rats following cue competition training in the Morris water maze. We found that proestrous rats were more likely to choose a place strategy than non-proestrous or male rats. Although male cue strategy users travelled greater distances than the other groups on the first day of training, there were no other sex or strategy differences in the ability to reach a hidden or a visible platform. Female place strategy users exhibited greater zif268 expression and male place strategy users exhibited greater cFos expression compared to all other groups in CA3. Furthermore, cue strategy users had greater expression of cFos in the dorsal striatum than place strategy users. Shorter distances to reach a visible platform were associated with less activation of cFos in CA3 and CA1 of male place strategy users. Our findings indicate multiple differences in brain activation with sex and strategy use, despite limited behavioral differences between the sexes on this cue competition paradigm. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Bargaining and the MISO Interference Channel

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nokleby, Matthew; Swindlehurst, A. Lee

2009-12-01

We examine the MISO interference channel under cooperative bargaining theory. Bargaining approaches such as the Nash and Kalai-Smorodinsky solutions have previously been used in wireless networks to strike a balance between max-sum efficiency and max-min equity in users' rates. However, cooperative bargaining for the MISO interference channel has only been studied extensively for the two-user case. We present an algorithm that finds the optimal Kalai-Smorodinsky beamformers for an arbitrary number of users. We also consider joint scheduling and beamformer selection, using gradient ascent to find a stationary point of the Kalai-Smorodinsky objective function. When interference is strong, the flexibility allowed by scheduling compensates for the performance loss due to local optimization. Finally, we explore the benefits of power control, showing that power control provides nontrivial throughput gains when the number of transmitter/receiver pairs is greater than the number of transmit antennas.

How user diversity and country of origin impact the readiness to adopt E-health technologies: an intercultural comparison.

PubMed

Wilkowsk, Wiktoria; Ziefle, Martina; Alagöz, Firat

2012-01-01

In recent years, due to the demographical change and the resulting overload of healthcare systems, there has been an increasing interest focusing on the global proliferation of assistive medical technologies (=E-health) in home environments. The present study examines how users' diversity influences the readiness to adopt novel medical technologies, comparing users' attitudes in terms of perceived advantages and disadvantages in three technically and culturally different countries: Germany, Poland and Turkey. This investigation also intended to verify if acceptance of information and communication technologies is associated with the sensitive acceptance of E-health. Results revealed overall a considerably higher motivation to use medical technology compared to perceived barriers, with Polish users more willing to use E-health, higher than German or Turkish ones. Older participants showed a highly positive attitude, comparable to young and middle-aged respondents' receptiveness, differing from the latter in terms of greater appreciation of the advantage of higher independency when being supported by medical technology. With respect to gender, woman showed higher motivation to use E-health technology than men, although utilization barriers were not gendered. Following these results, an unconditional transfer of acceptance from information and communication to medical technology is not justified.

Analyzing injury severity factors at highway railway grade crossing accidents involving vulnerable road users: A comparative study.

PubMed

Ghomi, Haniyeh; Bagheri, Morteza; Fu, Liping; Miranda-Moreno, Luis F

2016-11-16

The main objective of this study is to identify the main factors associated with injury severity of vulnerable road users (VRUs) involved in accidents at highway railroad grade crossings (HRGCs) using data mining techniques. This article applies an ordered probit model, association rules, and classification and regression tree (CART) algorithms to the U.S. Federal Railroad Administration's (FRA) HRGC accident database for the period 2007-2013 to identify VRU injury severity factors at HRGCs. The results show that train speed is a key factor influencing injury severity. Further analysis illustrated that the presence of illumination does not reduce the severity of accidents for high-speed trains. In addition, there is a greater propensity toward fatal accidents for elderly road users compared to younger individuals. Interestingly, at night, injury accidents involving female road users are more severe compared to those involving males. The ordered probit model was the primary technique, and CART and association rules act as the supporter and identifier of interactions between variables. All 3 algorithms' results consistently show that the most influential accident factors are train speed, VRU age, and gender. The findings of this research could be applied for identifying high-risk hotspots and developing cost-effective countermeasures targeting VRUs at HRGCs.

Supplementary polio immunization activities and prior use of routine immunization services in non-polio-endemic sub-Saharan Africa.

PubMed

Helleringer, Stephane; Frimpong, Jemima A; Abdelwahab, Jalaa; Asuming, Patrick; Touré, Hamadassalia; Awoonor-Williams, John Koku; Abachie, Thomas; Guidetti, Flavia

2012-07-01

To determine participation in polio supplementary immunization activities (SIAs) in sub-Saharan Africa among users and non-users of routine immunization services and among users who were compliant or non-compliant with the routine oral poliovirus vaccine (OPV) immunization schedule. Data were obtained from household-based surveys in non-polio-endemic sub-Saharan African countries. Routine immunization service users were children (aged < 5 years) who had ever had a health card containing their vaccination history; non-users were children who had never had a health card. Users were considered compliant with the OPV routine immunization schedule if, by the SIA date, their health card reflected receipt of required OPV doses. Logistic regression measured associations between SIA participation and use of both routine immunization services and compliance with routine OPV among users. Data from 21 SIAs conducted between 1999 and 2010 in 15 different countries met inclusion criteria. Overall SIA participation ranged from 70.2% to 96.1%. It was consistently lower among infants than among children aged 1-4 years. In adjusted analyses, participation among routine immunization services users was > 85% in 12 SIAs but non-user participation was >85% in only 5 SIAs. In 18 SIAs, participation was greater among users (P < 0.01 in 16, 0.05 in 1 and < 0.10 in 1) than non-users. In 14 SIAs, adjusted analyses revealed lower participation among non-compliant users than among compliant users (P < 0.01 in 10, < 0.05 in 2 and < 0.10 in 2). Large percentages of children participated in SIAs. Prior use of routine immunization services and compliance with the routine OPV schedule showed a strong positive association with SIA participation.

Mental health, stress correlates and psychotropic drug use or non-use among aged caregivers to elders with dementia.

PubMed

Pérodeau, G; Lauzon, S; Lévesque, L; Lachance, L

2001-08-01

The goal of the study was to compare caregivers who used psychotropic drugs with caregivers who were non-users in order to pinpoint differences in coping styles between the two groups. We performed a secondary analysis of a study on the stress and psychological well-being of persons caring for relatives with dementia. We compared elderly caregivers, as either psychotropic drug users (n = 61) or non-users (n = 133), over various psychosocial characteristics relating to the care-giving context. Results reveal that users, as compared to non-users were: (a) more disturbed (appraised a greater stress) by the relative's dysfunctional behaviours, after controlling for the frequency of the behaviours; and (b) experienced more conflict during interpersonal interactions, although their appraisal of self-satisfaction with formal and informal support to their care-giving activities did not differ significantly. Strikingly, users combined and called on a greater number of problem-focused and emotion-reducing coping strategies than did non-users. They more frequently used affective regulation and information seeking coping styles. Stress-related measures (especially stress appraisal and conflict) contributed more to the variation in mental distress of users than of non-users. Results provide a theoretical and empirical rationale for therapeutic interventions such as the cognitive behavioural approach.

Uni-Morbid and Co-Occurring Marijuana and Tobacco Use: Examination of Concurrent Associations with Negative Mood States

PubMed Central

Bonn-Miller, Marcel O.; Zvolensky, Michael J.; Johnson, Kirsten A.

2010-01-01

The aim of the current investigation was to examine uni-morbid and co-occurring tobacco and marijuana use in relation to the negative emotional symptoms of anxiety and depression. Participants were 250 adult individuals (132 female; mage = 22.43, SD = 9.00), falling into one of four non-overlapping substance use categories: tobacco use only (n = 39), marijuana use only (n = 62), co-occurring tobacco and marijuana use (n = 82), and neither tobacco nor marijuana use (n = 67). Results revealed three key findings. First, tobacco-only using individuals reported significantly greater negative affectivity than any of the other groups. Second, tobacco-only users reported greater anxious arousal symptoms than either the marijuana or non-substance-using groups, but not the combined group. Third, tobacco-only users reported greater levels of depressive symptoms than either marijuana users or non-substance-users. These findings provide novel information about tobacco and marijuana use, and how these variables relate to the experience of general and specific types of negative emotional symptoms. PMID:20390700

Cognitive, physical, and mental health outcomes between long-term cannabis and tobacco users.

PubMed

Lovell, M E; Bruno, R; Johnston, J; Matthews, A; McGregor, I; Allsop, D J; Lintzeris, N

2018-04-01

Cannabis intoxication adversely affects health, yet persistent effects following short-term abstinence in long-term cannabis users are unclear. This matched-subjects, cross-sectional study compared health outcomes of long-term cannabis and long-term tobacco-only users, relative to population norms. Nineteen long-term (mean 32.3years of use, mean age 55.7years), abstinent (mean 15h) cannabis users and 16 long-term tobacco users (mean 37.1years of use, mean age 52.9years), matched for age, educational attainment, and lifetime tobacco consumption, were compared on measures of learning and memory, response inhibition, information-processing, sustained attention, executive control, and mental and physical health. Cannabis users exhibited poorer overall learning and delayed recall and greater interference and forgetting than tobacco users, and exhibited poorer recall than norms. Inhibition and executive control were similar between groups, but cannabis users had slower reaction times during information processing and sustained attention tasks. Cannabis users had superior health satisfaction and psychological, somatic, and general health than tobacco users and had similar mental and physical health to norms whilst tobacco users had greater stress, role limitations from emotional problems, and poorer health satisfaction. Long-term cannabis users may exhibit deficits in some cognitive domains despite short-term abstinence and may therefore benefit from interventions to improve cognitive performance. Tobacco alone may contribute to adverse mental and physical health outcomes, which requires appropriate control in future studies. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Factors affecting the value of a wilderness visit: a contingent valuation study of Caribou-Speckled Mountain Wilderness users

Treesearch

Jeffery A. Michael; Stephen Reiling; Hsiang-Tai Cheng

1995-01-01

A dichotomous choice contingent valuation model is estimated using an on-site survey of Caribou-Speckled Mountain Wilderness visitors. The results indicate that pre-trip expectations of various trip attributes such as congestion have a greater impact on a trip?s value than the actual conditions of the visit. This research also shows that future economic studies of an...

Hepatitis C: clinical and biological features related to different forms of cocaine use.

PubMed

Schuch-Goi, Silvia Bassani; Scherer, Juliana Nichterwitz; Kessler, Felix Henrique Paim; Sordi, Anne Orgler; Pechansky, Flavio; von Diemen, Lisia

2017-01-01

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is related with several liver diseases such as cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinomas, leading to more than 0.5 million deaths every year and to a great global burden. It is known that injection drug users show a high prevalence of HCV infection, being considered a risk group for this disease. Cocaine users seem to be in greater risk than other drug users, and several hypotheses for this association are being studied. To review data on HCV infection in cocaine users, taking into consideration the relevance of the different routes of drug administration and other risk behaviors. This was a narrative review performed in the main scientific databases. Data suggest that cocaine use could be associated with HCV infection due to the specificities of cocaine consumption pattern, even in those subjects who do not inject drugs, in addition to other risky behaviors, such as tattooing and unprotected sex. Injectable cocaine users seem to be more susceptible to contamination than users who do not inject drugs. However, evidence is pointing to the possibility of infection by sharing drug paraphernalia other than syringes. Moreover, specific immune system impairments caused by cocaine use are also being linked with HCV infection susceptibility, persistence and increased pathological effects.

Updating of working memory in ecstasy polydrug users: Findings from fNIRS.

PubMed

Montgomery, Catharine; Fisk, John E; Roberts, Carl A

2017-05-01

Cognitive deficits are now well documented in ecstasy (MDMA) users with type and relative demand of task emerging as important factors. The updating component of executive processes appears to be particularly affected. The study reported here used functional near infrared spectroscopy imaging to investigate changes in cortical haemodynamics during memory updating. Twenty ecstasy users and 20 non-users completed verbal and spatial memory updating tasks and brain blood oxygenation and deoxygenation change was measured using functional near infrared spectroscopy. There was no interaction between group and difficulty on the updating tasks, though there was a significant main effect of difficulty on both tasks. The effects of group approached significance on the verbal updating task. There were significant differences in blood oxygenation and deoxygenation change at optodes centred over the right and left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, with ecstasy users showing greater blood oxygenation than the other groups. The lack of a behavioural difference on both tasks but presence of blood oxygenation and deoxygenation changes in letter updating provides support for the notion that ecstasy-polydrug users are investing more effort to achieve the same behavioural output. Total lifetime dose was high, and recency of use was significantly related to most changes, suggesting that heavy and recent use may be particularly detrimental. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Well-being, problematic alcohol consumption and acute subjective drug effects in past-year ayahuasca users: a large, international, self-selecting online survey.

PubMed

Lawn, Will; Hallak, Jaime E; Crippa, Jose A; Dos Santos, Rafael; Porffy, Lilla; Barratt, Monica J; Ferris, Jason A; Winstock, Adam R; Morgan, Celia J A

2017-11-09

Ayahuasca is a natural psychedelic brew, which contains dimethyltryptamine (DMT). Its potential as a psychiatric medicine has recently been demonstrated and its non-medical use around the world appears to be growing. We aimed to investigate well-being and problematic alcohol use in ayahuasca users, and ayahuasca's subjective effects. An online, self-selecting, global survey examining patterns of drug use was conducted in 2015 and 2016 (n = 96,901). Questions were asked about: use of ayahuasca, lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) and magic mushrooms; demographics, current well-being and past-year problematic alcohol use of past-year ayahuasca users and comparison drug users; and subjective effects of ayahuasca and comparison drugs. Ayahuasca users (n = 527) reported greater well-being than both classic psychedelic users (n = 18,138) and non-psychedelic drug-using respondents (n = 78,236). Ayahuasca users reported less problematic drinking than classic psychedelic users, although both groups reported greater problematic drinking than the other respondents. Ayahuasca's acute subjective effects usually lasted for six hours and were most strongly felt one hour after consumption. Within our online, self-selecting survey, ayahuasca users reported better well-being than comparison groups and less problematic drinking than classic psychedelic users. Future longitudinal studies of international samples and randomised controlled trials are needed to dissect the effects of ayahuasca on these outcomes.

Field observations of display placement requirements and character size for presbyopic and prepresbyopic computer users.

PubMed

Bartha, Michael C; Allie, Paul; Kokot, Douglas; Roe, Cynthia Purvis

2015-01-01

Computer users continue to report eye and upper body discomfort even as workstation flexibility has improved. Research shows a relationship between character size, viewing distance, and reading performance. Few reports exist regarding text height viewed under normal office work conditions and eye discomfort. This paper reports self-selected computer display placement, text characteristics, and subjective comfort for older and younger computer workers under real-world conditions. Computer workers were provided with monitors and adjustable display support(s). In Study 1, older workers wearing progressive-addition lenses (PALs) were observed. In study 2, older workers wearing multifocal lenses and younger workers were observed. Workers wearing PALs experienced less eye and body discomfort with adjustable displays, and less eye and neck discomfort for text visual angles near or greater than ergonomic recommendations. Older workers wearing multifocal correction positioned displays much lower than younger workers. In general, computer users did not adjust character size to ensure that fovial images of text fell within the recommended range. Ergonomic display placement recommendations should be different for computer users wearing multifocal correction for presbyopia. Ergonomic training should emphasize adjusting text size for user comfort.

Service user and caregiver involvement in mental health system strengthening in low- and middle-income countries: a cross-country qualitative study.

PubMed

Lempp, H; Abayneh, S; Gurung, D; Kola, L; Abdulmalik, J; Evans-Lacko, S; Semrau, M; Alem, A; Thornicroft, G; Hanlon, C

2018-02-01

The aims of this paper are to: (i) explore the experiences of involvement of mental health service users, their caregivers, mental health centre heads and policy makers in mental health system strengthening in three low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) (Ethiopia, Nepal and Nigeria); (ii) analyse the potential benefits and barriers of such involvement; and (iii) identify strategies required to achieve greater service user and caregiver participation. A cross-country qualitative study was conducted, interviewing 83 stakeholders of mental health services. Our analysis showed that service user and caregiver involvement in the health system strengthening process was an alien concept for most participants. They reported very limited access to direct participation. Stigma and poverty were described as the main barriers for involvement. Several strategies were identified by participants to overcome existing hurdles to facilitate service user and caregiver involvement in the mental health system strengthening process, such as support to access treatment, mental health promotion and empowerment of service users. This study suggests that capacity building for service users, and strengthening of user groups would equip them to contribute meaningfully to policy development from informed perspectives. Involvement of service users and their caregivers in mental health decision-making is still in its infancy in LMICs. Effective strategies are required to overcome existing barriers, for example making funding more widely available for Ph.D. studies in participatory research with service users and caregivers to develop, implement and evaluate approaches to involvement that are locally and culturally acceptable in LMICs.

[Narratives of users of mental health services in an experiment with autonomous management of medication].

PubMed

Gonçalves, Laura Lamas Martins; Campos, Rosana Teresa Onocko

2017-11-21

Numerous studies have highlighted the tendency to chronicity of treatments centered on the use of medications. This study was conducted in a large Brazilian city with users of Centers for Psychosocial Care (CAPS), with the aim of evaluating the effects of experimenting with the personal Guide for Autonomous Management of Medication (GAM) and the users' relationship to their treatments and participation. The instrument, created in Canada and translated and adapted to Brazil, was tested in intervention groups with users of CAPS with severe mental disorders and a history of political participation in the field of health. Focus groups and in-depth interviews were performed. The transcriptions were transformed into narratives, and four analytical categories were defined: subjects with radical experiences of suffering; experiences with medication; users' rights; and participation and political activism. In testing GAM, users expressed a tension between reproduction of illness-centered identity and the legitimate uniqueness of their personal experiences. They showed greater knowledge of the medications they were taking, began to recognize their own expertise in their use of medications, and some sought adjustments to their treatment. They reported the need for support in claiming their rights and strengthening their participation as mental health activists. In conclusion, the Brazilian version of the GAM guide has the potential to contribute to users' empowerment, thus allowing dialogue between the results in mental health care in Brazil and the international scenario.

Climate Change on Twitter: Topics, Communities and Conversations about the 2013 IPCC Working Group 1 Report

PubMed Central

Pearce, Warren; Holmberg, Kim; Hellsten, Iina; Nerlich, Brigitte

2014-01-01

In September 2013 the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change published its Working Group 1 report, the first comprehensive assessment of physical climate science in six years, constituting a critical event in the societal debate about climate change. This paper analyses the nature of this debate in one public forum: Twitter. Using statistical methods, tweets were analyzed to discover the hashtags used when people tweeted about the IPCC report, and how Twitter users formed communities around their conversational connections. In short, the paper presents the topics and tweeters at this particular moment in the climate debate. The most used hashtags related to themes of science, geographical location and social issues connected to climate change. Particularly noteworthy were tweets connected to Australian politics, US politics, geoengineering and fracking. Three communities of Twitter users were identified. Researcher coding of Twitter users showed how these varied according to geographical location and whether users were supportive, unsupportive or neutral in their tweets about the IPCC. Overall, users were most likely to converse with users holding similar views. However, qualitative analysis suggested the emergence of a community of Twitter users, predominantly based in the UK, where greater interaction between contrasting views took place. This analysis also illustrated the presence of a campaign by the non-governmental organization Avaaz, aimed at increasing media coverage of the IPCC report. PMID:24718388

Climate change on Twitter: topics, communities and conversations about the 2013 IPCC Working Group 1 report.

PubMed

Pearce, Warren; Holmberg, Kim; Hellsten, Iina; Nerlich, Brigitte

2014-01-01

In September 2013 the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change published its Working Group 1 report, the first comprehensive assessment of physical climate science in six years, constituting a critical event in the societal debate about climate change. This paper analyses the nature of this debate in one public forum: Twitter. Using statistical methods, tweets were analyzed to discover the hashtags used when people tweeted about the IPCC report, and how Twitter users formed communities around their conversational connections. In short, the paper presents the topics and tweeters at this particular moment in the climate debate. The most used hashtags related to themes of science, geographical location and social issues connected to climate change. Particularly noteworthy were tweets connected to Australian politics, US politics, geoengineering and fracking. Three communities of Twitter users were identified. Researcher coding of Twitter users showed how these varied according to geographical location and whether users were supportive, unsupportive or neutral in their tweets about the IPCC. Overall, users were most likely to converse with users holding similar views. However, qualitative analysis suggested the emergence of a community of Twitter users, predominantly based in the UK, where greater interaction between contrasting views took place. This analysis also illustrated the presence of a campaign by the non-governmental organization Avaaz, aimed at increasing media coverage of the IPCC report.

Designers' models of the human-computer interface

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gillan, Douglas J.; Breedin, Sarah D.

1993-01-01

Understanding design models of the human-computer interface (HCI) may produce two types of benefits. First, interface development often requires input from two different types of experts: human factors specialists and software developers. Given the differences in their backgrounds and roles, human factors specialists and software developers may have different cognitive models of the HCI. Yet, they have to communicate about the interface as part of the design process. If they have different models, their interactions are likely to involve a certain amount of miscommunication. Second, the design process in general is likely to be guided by designers' cognitive models of the HCI, as well as by their knowledge of the user, tasks, and system. Designers do not start with a blank slate; rather they begin with a general model of the object they are designing. The author's approach to a design model of the HCI was to have three groups make judgments of categorical similarity about the components of an interface: human factors specialists with HCI design experience, software developers with HCI design experience, and a baseline group of computer users with no experience in HCI design. The components of the user interface included both display components such as windows, text, and graphics, and user interaction concepts, such as command language, editing, and help. The judgments of the three groups were analyzed using hierarchical cluster analysis and Pathfinder. These methods indicated, respectively, how the groups categorized the concepts, and network representations of the concepts for each group. The Pathfinder analysis provides greater information about local, pairwise relations among concepts, whereas the cluster analysis shows global, categorical relations to a greater extent.

Young Adult Cannabis Users Report Greater Propensity for Risk-Taking Only in Non-Monetary Domains

PubMed Central

Gilman, Jodi M.; Calderon, Vanessa; Curran, Max T.; Evins, A. Eden

2014-01-01

BACKGROUND Though substance use is often associated with elevated risk-taking in real-world scenarios, many risk-taking tasks in experimental psychology using financial gambles fail to find significant differences between individuals with substance use disorders and healthy controls. We assessed whether participants using marijuana would show a greater propensity for risk-taking in distinct domains including, but not limited to, financial risk-taking. METHODS In the current study, we assessed risk-taking in young adult (age 18–25) regular marijuana users and in non-using control participants using a domain-specific risk-taking self-report scale (DOSPERT) encompassing five domains of risk-taking (social, financial, recreational, health/safety, and ethical). We also measured behavioral risk-taking using a laboratory monetary risk-taking task. RESULTS Marijuana users and controls reported significant differences on the social, health/safety, and ethical risk-taking scales, but no differences in the propensity to take recreational or financial risks. Complementing the self-report finding, there were no differences between marijuana users and controls in their performance on the laboratory risk-taking task. CONCLUSIONS These findings suggest that financial risk-taking may be less sensitive than other domains of risk-taking in assessing differences in risky behavior between those who use marijuana and those who do not. In order to more consistently determine whether increased risk-taking is a factor in substance use, it may be necessary to use both monetary risk-taking tasks and complementary assessments of non-monetary-based risk-taking measures. PMID:25577478

Randomized Trial of Desktop Humidifier for Dry Eye Relief in Computer Users.

PubMed

Wang, Michael T M; Chan, Evon; Ea, Linda; Kam, Clifford; Lu, Yvonne; Misra, Stuti L; Craig, Jennifer P

2017-11-01

Dry eye is a frequently reported problem among computer users. Low relative humidity environments are recognized to exacerbate signs and symptoms of dry eye, yet are common in offices of computer operators. Desktop USB-powered humidifiers are available commercially, but their efficacy for dry eye relief has not been established. This study aims to evaluate the potential for a desktop USB-powered humidifier to improve tear-film parameters, ocular surface characteristics, and subjective comfort of computer users. Forty-four computer users were enrolled in a prospective, masked, randomized crossover study. On separate days, participants were randomized to 1 hour of continuous computer use, with and without exposure to a desktop humidifier. Lipid-layer grade, noninvasive tear-film breakup time, and tear meniscus height were measured before and after computer use. Following the 1-hour period, participants reported whether ocular comfort was greater, equal, or lesser than that at baseline. The desktop humidifier effected a relative difference in humidity between the two environments of +5.4 ± 5.0% (P < .001). Participants demonstrated no significant differences in lipid-layer grade and tear meniscus height between the two environments (all P > .05). However, a relative increase in the median noninvasive tear-film breakup time of +4.0 seconds was observed in the humidified environment (P < .001), which was associated with a higher proportion of subjects reporting greater comfort relative to baseline (36% vs. 5%, P < .001). Even with a modest increase in relative humidity locally, the desktop humidifier shows potential to improve tear-film stability and subjective comfort during computer use.Trial registration no: ACTRN12617000326392.

Low-Fatigue Hand Controller For Remote Manipulator

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Maclaren, Brice; Mcmurray, Gary; Lipkin, Harvey

1993-01-01

Universal master controller used in brace mode, in which user's forearm rests atop upper (forearm) module. Alternatively, user manipulates hand controller in side mode, which gives greater latitude for motion but requires more muscular effort. Controller provides six degrees of freedom and reflects, back to user, scaled versions of forces experienced by manipulator. Manipulator designed to condense work space into user's natural work volume. Operated by both right-handed and left-handed users. Does not interfere with user's natural movements or obstruct line of sight. Controller compact and portable.

[Comparison of level of satisfaction of users of home care: integrated model vs. dispensaries model].

PubMed

Gorina, Marta; Limonero, Joaquín T; Peñart, Xavier; Jiménez, Jordi; Gassó, Javier

2014-01-01

To determine the level of satisfaction of users that receive home health care through two different models of primary health care: integrated model and dispensaries model. cross-sectional, observational study. Two primary care centers in the province of Barcelona. The questionnaire was administered to 158 chronic patients over 65 years old, of whom 67 were receiving health care from the integrated model, and 91 from the dispensaries model. The Evaluation of Satisfaction with Home Health Care (SATISFAD12) questionnaire was, together with other complementary questions about service satisfaction of home health care, as well as social demographic questions (age, sex, disease, etc). The patients of the dispensaries model showed more satisfaction than the users receiving care from the integrated model. There was a greater healthcare continuity for those patients from the dispensaries model, and a lower percentage of hospitalizations during the last year. The satisfaction of the users from both models was not associated to gender, the health perception,or independence of the The user satisfaction rate of the home care by primary health care seems to depend of the typical characteristics of each organisational model. The dispensaries model shows a higher rate of satisfaction or perceived quality of care in all the aspects analysed. More studies are neede to extrapolate these results to other primary care centers belonging to other institutions. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier España, S.L. All rights reserved.

Testing the Effectiveness of Interactive Multimedia for Library-User Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Markey, Karen; Armstrong, Annie; De Groote, Sandy; Fosmire, Michael; Fuderer, Laura; Garrett, Kelly; Georgas, Helen; Sharp, Linda; Smith, Cheri; Spaly, Michael; Warner, Joni E.

2005-01-01

A test of the effectiveness of interactive multimedia Web sites demonstrates that library users' topic knowledge was significantly greater after visiting the sites than before. Library users want more such sites about library services, their majors, and campus life generally. Librarians describe the roles they want to play on multimedia production…

Personalization Versus Customization: The Importance of Agency, Privacy, and Power Usage

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sundar, S. Shyam; Marathe, Sampada S.

2010-01-01

What makes customization so appealing? Is it because the content is tailored or because the user feels greater agency? Study 1 tested these propositions with a news-aggregator Website that was either personalized (system-tailored), customized (user-tailored), or neither. Power users rated content quality higher when it had a customizable…

HIV infection among intravenous drug users: epidemiology and risk reduction.

PubMed

Des Jarlais, D C; Friedman, S R

1987-07-01

Research on the epidemiology of HIV infection among IV drug users is still at a relatively early stage. Multilocation studies that would permit better geographic comparisons are greatly needed. Multi-method studies within single geographic areas are also needed to assess possible biases with respect to sample recruitment and data collection procedures. The continuation of the epidemic provides a changing historical context that complicates any comparisons. Despite these problems, there are some consistencies that can be seen across studies. Studies of HIV seroprevalence among IV drug users show wide variation among cities in the United States and Europe. The time that the virus was introduced into the IV drug using group within the city is one factor in explaining these differences; other cross-city factors have yet to be identified. Once HIV has been introduced into the IV drug use group within a particular geographic area, there is the possibility of rapid spread up to seroprevalence levels of 50% or greater. Thus, a currently low seroprevalence rate should not be seen as a stable situation. Frequency of injection and sharing of equipment with multiple other drug users (particularly at shooting galleries) have been frequently associated with HIV exposure. Being female, ethnicity (in the USA) and engaging in prostitution also may be associated with increased risk for HIV exposure, suggesting that prevention programs should include special consideration of sex and ethnic differences. Studies of AIDS risk reduction show that substantial proportions of IV drug users are changing their behavior to avoid exposure to HIV. This risk reduction is probably more advanced in New York, with its high seroprevalence and incidence of cases, but is also occurring in cities with lower seroprevalence and limited numbers of cases. The primary forms of risk reduction are increasing the use of sterile equipment, reducing the number of needle sharing partners, and reducing the frequency of injection. These behavior changes are very similar to the frequently identified behavioral risk factors associated with HIV exposure, suggesting that they should be effective in at least slowing the spread of HIV among IV drug users. No linkage of risk reduction to decreases in seroconversion has yet been shown, however, and greater risk reduction is clearly required. A variety of prevention strategies will probably be needed to reduce the spread of HIV among IV drug users. Prevention of initiation into drug injection is an undeniable long-term goal for the control of HIV infection, but there is very little research being conducted in this area.

Drug use disorders in the polydrug context: new epidemiological evidence from a foodborne outbreak approach

PubMed Central

Lopez-Quintero, Catalina; Anthony, James C.

2016-01-01

As epidemiologists studying foodborne illness outbreaks, we do not ask luncheon attendees to say which food caused their illnesses. Instead, we use measurement and analysis methods to estimate food-specific risk variations. Here, we adapt the foodborne outbreak approach to develop new estimates of drug use disorder risk for single-drug and polydrug users, without attributing the syndrome to a specific drug when multiple drugs have been used. We estimate drug use disorder risk for cannabis-only users as a reference value. We then derive comparative relative risk estimates for users of other drug subtypes, including polydrug combinations. Data are from the 2002 to 2003 U.S. National Comorbidity Survey Replication, a nationally representative sample of household residents (18+ years), with standardized drug use and drug dependence assessments. Multiple logistic regression provides odds ratio estimates of relative risk. With this approach, for every 1000 cannabis-only users, an estimated 17 had become cases (1.7%). By comparison, polydrug users and cocaine-only users had much greater cumulative incidence (>10%), even with adjustment for covariates and local area matching (P < 0.001). Using this approach, we find exceptionally low risk for cannabis-only users and greater risk for polydrug and cocaine-only users. PMID:26348487

Progestin-only contraceptives: effects on weight

PubMed Central

Lopez, Laureen M; Edelman, Alison; Chen, Mario; Otterness, Conrad; Trussell, James; Helmerhorst, Frans M

2013-01-01

Background Progestin-only contraceptives (POCs) are appropriate for many women who cannot or should not take estrogen. Many POCs are long-acting, cost-effective methods of preventing pregnancy. However, concern about weight gain can deter the initiation of contraceptives and cause early discontinuation among users. Objectives The primary objective was to evaluate the association between progestin-only contraceptive use and changes in body weight. Search methods Through May 2013, we searched MEDLINE, CENTRAL, POPLINE, LILACS, ClinicalTrials.gov, and ICTRP. The 2010 search also included EMBASE. For the initial review, we contacted investigators to identify other trials. Selection criteria All comparative studies were eligible that examined a POC versus another contraceptive method or no contraceptive. The primary outcome was mean change in body weight or mean change in body composition. We also considered the dichotomous outcome of loss or gain of a specified amount of weight. Data collection and analysis Two authors extracted the data. We computed the mean difference (MD) with 95% confidence interval (CI) for continuous variables. For dichotomous outcomes, the Mantel-Haenszel odds ratio (OR) with 95% CI was calculated. Main results We found 16 studies; one examined progestin-only pills, one studied the levonorgestrel-releasing intrauterine system (LNG-IUS), four examined an implant, and 10 focused on depot medroxyprogesterone acetate (DMPA). Outcomes examined were changes in body weight only (14 studies), changes in both body weight and body composition (1 study), and changes in body composition only (1 study). We did not conduct meta-analysis due to the various contraceptive methods and weight change measures. Comparison groups did not differ significantly for weight change in 12 studies. However, three studies showed weight change differences for POC users compared to women not using a hormonal method. In one study, weight gain (kg) was greater for the DMPA group than the group using a non-hormonal IUD in years one through three [(MD 2.28; 95% CI 1.79 to 2.77), (MD 2.71, 95% CI 2.12 to 3.30), and (MD 3.17; 95% CI 2.51 to 3.83), respectively]. The differences were notable within the normal weight and overweight subgroups. Two implant studies also showed differences in weight change. The implant group (six-capsule) had greater weight gain (kg) compared to the group using a non-hormonal IUD in both studies [(MD 0.47 (95% CI 0.29 to 0.65); (MD 1.10; 95% CI 0.36 to 1.84)]. In one of those studies, the implant group also had greater weight gain than a group using a barrier method or no contraceptive (MD 0.74; 95% CI 0.52 to 0.96). The two studies that assessed body composition change showed differences between POC users and women not using a hormonal method. Adolescents using DMPA had a greater increase in body fat (%) compared to a group not using a hormonal method (MD 11.00; 95% CI 2.64 to 19.36). The DMPA group also had a greater decrease in lean body mass (%) (MD −4.00; 95% CI −6.93 to −1.07). The other study reported differences between an LNG-IUS group and a non-hormonal IUD group in percent change in body fat mass (2.5% versus −1.3%, respectively; reported P value = 0.029) and percent change in lean body mass (−1.4% versus 1.0%, respectively; reported P value = 0.027). Authors’ conclusions The overall quality of evidence was moderate to low, given that the studies were evenly divided across the evidence quality groups (high, moderate, low, or very low quality). We found limited evidence of weight gain when using POCs. Mean gain was less than 2 kg for most studies up to 12 months. Weight change for the POC group generally did not differ significantly from that of the comparison group using another contraceptive. Two studies that assessed body composition showed that POC users had greater increases in body fat and decreases in lean body mass compared to users of non-hormonal methods. Appropriate counseling about typical weight gain may help reduce discontinuation of contraceptives due to perceptions of weight gain. PMID:23821307

Dimensions of Religion, Depression Symptomatology, and Substance Use Among Rural African American Cocaine Users

PubMed Central

Montgomery, Brooke E. E.; Stewart, Katharine E.; Bryant, Keneshia J.; Ounpraseuth, Songthip T.

2014-01-01

Research has shown a relationship between depression, substance use, and religiosity but, few have investigated this relationship in a community sample of drug-using African Americans. This study examined the relationship between dimensions of religion (positive and negative religious coping, private and public religious participation, religious preference, and God-based, clergy-based, and congregation-based religious support), depression symptomatology, and substance use among 223 African American cocaine users. After controlling for gender, employment, and age, greater congregation-based support and greater clergy-based support were associated with fewer reported depressive symptoms. Additionally, greater congregation-based support was associated with less alcohol use. PMID:24564561

Suicidal and online: how do online behaviors inform us of this high-risk population?

PubMed

Harris, Keith M; McLean, John P; Sheffield, Jeanie

2014-01-01

To assist suicide prevention we need a better understanding of how suicidal individuals act in their environment, and the online world offers an ideal opportunity to examine daily behaviors. This anonymous survey (N = 1,016) provides first-of-its-kind empirical evidence demonstrating suicide-risk people (n = 290) are unique in their online behaviors. Suicidal users reported more time online, greater likelihood of developing online personal relationships, and greater use of online forums. In addition, suicide-risk women reported more time browsing/surfing and social networking. The authors conclude that suicide prevention efforts should respond to suicide-risk users' greater demands for online interpersonal communications.

The Relationship between Therapeutic Alliance and Service User Satisfaction in Mental Health Inpatient Wards and Crisis House Alternatives: A Cross-Sectional Study

PubMed Central

Sweeney, Angela; Fahmy, Sarah; Nolan, Fiona; Morant, Nicola; Fox, Zoe; Lloyd-Evans, Brynmor; Osborn, David; Burgess, Emma; Gilburt, Helen; McCabe, Rosemarie; Slade, Mike; Johnson, Sonia

2014-01-01

Background Poor service user experiences are often reported on mental health inpatient wards. Crisis houses are an alternative, but evidence is limited. This paper investigates therapeutic alliances in acute wards and crisis houses, exploring how far stronger therapeutic alliance may underlie greater client satisfaction in crisis houses. Methods and Findings Mixed methods were used. In the quantitative component, 108 crisis house and 247 acute ward service users responded to measures of satisfaction, therapeutic relationships, informal peer support, recovery and negative events experienced during the admission. Linear regressions were conducted to estimate the association between service setting and measures, and to model the factors associated with satisfaction. Qualitative interviews exploring therapeutic alliances were conducted with service users and staff in each setting and analysed thematically. Results We found that therapeutic alliances, service user satisfaction and informal peer support were greater in crisis houses than on acute wards, whilst self-rated recovery and numbers of negative events were lower. Adjusted multivariable analyses suggest that therapeutic relationships, informal peer support and negative experiences related to staff may be important factors in accounting for greater satisfaction in crisis houses. Qualitative results suggest factors that influence therapeutic alliances include service user perceptions of basic human qualities such as kindness and empathy in staff and, at service level, the extent of loss of liberty and autonomy. Conclusions and Implications We found that service users experience better therapeutic relationships and higher satisfaction in crisis houses compared to acute wards, although we cannot exclude the possibility that differences in service user characteristics contribute to this. This finding provides some support for the expansion of crisis house provision. Further research is needed to investigate why acute ward service users experience a lack of compassion and humanity from ward staff and how this could be changed. PMID:25010773

Impact of Exposure to Electronic Cigarette Advertising on Susceptibility and Trial of Electronic Cigarettes and Cigarettes in US Young Adults: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

PubMed

Villanti, Andrea C; Rath, Jessica M; Williams, Valerie F; Pearson, Jennifer L; Richardson, Amanda; Abrams, David B; Niaura, Raymond S; Vallone, Donna M

2016-05-01

This study assessed the impact of brief exposure to four electronic cigarette (e-cigarette) print advertisements (ads) on perceptions, intention, and subsequent use of e-cigarettes and cigarettes in US young adults. A randomized controlled trial was conducted in a national sample of young adults from an online panel survey in 2013. Participants were randomized to ad exposure or control. Curiosity, intentions, and perceptions regarding e-cigarettes were assessed post-exposure and e-cigarette and cigarette use at 6-month follow-up. Analyses were conducted in 2014. Approximately 6% of young adults who had never used an e-cigarette at baseline tried an e-cigarette at 6-month follow-up, half of whom were current cigarette smokers at baseline. Compared to the control group, ad exposure was associated with greater curiosity to try an e-cigarette (18.3% exposed vs. 11.3% unexposed, AOR = 1.63, 95% CI = 1.18, 2.26) among never e-cigarette users and greater likelihood of e-cigarette trial at follow-up (3.6% exposed vs. 1.2% unexposed, AOR = 2.85; 95% CI = 1.07, 7.61) among never users of cigarettes and e-cigarettes. Exploratory analyses did not find an association between ad exposure and cigarette trial or past 30-day use among never users, nor cigarette use among smokers over time. Curiosity mediated the relationship between ad exposure and e-cigarette trial among e-cigarette never users. Exposure to e-cigarette ads may enhance curiosity and limited trial of e-cigarettes in never users. Future studies are needed to examine the net effect of curiosity and trial of e-cigarettes on longer-term patterns of tobacco use. This randomized trial provides the first evidence of the effect of e-cigarette advertising on a behavioral outcome in young adults. Compared to the control group, ad exposure was associated with greater curiosity to try an e-cigarette among never e-cigarette users and greater likelihood of e-cigarette trial at follow-up in a small number of never e-cigarette users and greater likelihood of e-cigarette trial at follow-up among never users of cigarettes and e-cigarettes. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society for Research on Nicotine and Tobacco. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Secure anonymity-preserving password-based user authentication and session key agreement scheme for telecare medicine information systems.

PubMed

Sutrala, Anil Kumar; Das, Ashok Kumar; Odelu, Vanga; Wazid, Mohammad; Kumari, Saru

2016-10-01

Information and communication and technology (ICT) has changed the entire paradigm of society. ICT facilitates people to use medical services over the Internet, thereby reducing the travel cost, hospitalization cost and time to a greater extent. Recent advancements in Telecare Medicine Information System (TMIS) facilitate users/patients to access medical services over the Internet by gaining health monitoring facilities at home. Amin and Biswas recently proposed a RSA-based user authentication and session key agreement protocol usable for TMIS, which is an improvement over Giri et al.'s RSA-based user authentication scheme for TMIS. In this paper, we show that though Amin-Biswas's scheme considerably improves the security drawbacks of Giri et al.'s scheme, their scheme has security weaknesses as it suffers from attacks such as privileged insider attack, user impersonation attack, replay attack and also offline password guessing attack. A new RSA-based user authentication scheme for TMIS is proposed, which overcomes the security pitfalls of Amin-Biswas's scheme and also preserves user anonymity property. The careful formal security analysis using the two widely accepted Burrows-Abadi-Needham (BAN) logic and the random oracle models is done. Moreover, the informal security analysis of the scheme is also done. These security analyses show the robustness of our new scheme against the various known attacks as well as attacks found in Amin-Biswas's scheme. The simulation of the proposed scheme using the widely accepted Automated Validation of Internet Security Protocols and Applications (AVISPA) tool is also done. We present a new user authentication and session key agreement scheme for TMIS, which fixes the mentioned security pitfalls found in Amin-Biswas's scheme, and we also show that the proposed scheme provides better security than other existing schemes through the rigorous security analysis and verification tool. Furthermore, we present the formal security verification of our scheme using the widely accepted AVISPA tool. High security and extra functionality features allow our proposed scheme to be applicable for telecare medicine information systems which is used for e-health care medical applications. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Interaction devices for hands-on desktop design

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ju, Wendy; Madsen, Sally; Fiene, Jonathan; Bolas, Mark T.; McDowall, Ian E.; Faste, Rolf

2003-05-01

Starting with a list of typical hand actions - such as touching or twisting - a collection of physical input device prototypes was created to study better ways of engaging the body and mind in the computer aided design process. These devices were interchangeably coupled with a graphics system to allow for rapid exploration of the interplay between the designer's intent, body motions, and the resulting on-screen design. User testing showed that a number of key considerations should influence the future development of such devices: coupling between the physical and virtual worlds, tactile feedback, and scale. It is hoped that these explorations contribute to the greater goal of creating user interface devices that increase the fluency, productivity and joy of computer-augmented design.

Location and Modality Effects in Online Dating: Rich Modality Profile and Location-Based Information Cues Increase Social Presence, While Moderating the Impact of Uncertainty Reduction Strategy.

PubMed

Jung, Soyoung; Roh, Soojin; Yang, Hyun; Biocca, Frank

2017-09-01

This study investigates how different interface modality features of online dating sites, such as location awareness cues and modality of profiles, affect the sense of social presence of a prospective date. We also examined how various user behaviors aimed at reducing uncertainty about online interactions affect social presence perceptions and are affected by the user interface features. Male users felt a greater sense of social presence when exposed to both location and accessibility cues (geographical proximity) and a richer medium (video profiles). Viewing a richer medium significantly increased the sense of social presence among female participants whereas location-based information sharing features did not directly affect their social presence perception. Augmented social presence, as a mediator, contributed to users' greater intention to meet potential dating partners in a face-to-face setting and to buy paid memberships on online dating sites.

Forgery quality and its implications for behavioral biometric security.

PubMed

Ballard, Lucas; Lopresti, Daniel; Monrose, Fabian

2007-10-01

Biometric security is a topic of rapidly growing importance in the areas of user authentication and cryptographic key generation. In this paper, we describe our steps toward developing evaluation methodologies for behavioral biometrics that take into account threat models that have been largely ignored. We argue that the pervasive assumption that forgers are minimally motivated (or, even worse, naive) is too optimistic and even dangerous. Taking handwriting as a case in point, we show through a series of experiments that some users are significantly better forgers than others, that such forgers can be trained in a relatively straightforward fashion to pose an even greater threat, that certain users are easy targets for forgers, and that most humans are a relatively poor judge of handwriting authenticity, and hence, their unaided instincts cannot be trusted. Additionally, to overcome current labor-intensive hurdles in performing more accurate assessments of system security, we present a generative attack model based on concatenative synthesis that can provide a rapid indication of the security afforded by the system. We show that our generative attacks match or exceed the effectiveness of forgeries rendered by the skilled humans we have encountered.

Progestin-only contraceptives: effects on weight

PubMed Central

Lopez, Laureen M; Ramesh, Shanthi; Chen, Mario; Edelman, Alison; Otterness, Conrad; Trussell, James; Helmerhorst, Frans M

2016-01-01

Background Progestin-only contraceptives (POCs) are appropriate for many women who cannot or should not take estrogen. POCs include injectables, intrauterine contraception, implants, and oral contraceptives. Many POCs are long-acting, cost-effective methods of preventing pregnancy. However, concern about weight gain can deter the initiation of contraceptives and cause early discontinuation among users. Objectives The primary objective was to evaluate the association between progestin-only contraceptive use and changes in body weight. Search methods Until 4 August 2016, we searched MEDLINE, CENTRAL, POPLINE, LILACS, ClinicalTrials.gov, and ICTRP. For the initial review, we contacted investigators to identify other trials. Selection criteria We considered comparative studies that examined a POC versus another contraceptive method or no contraceptive. The primary outcome was mean change in body weight or mean change in body composition. We also considered the dichotomous outcome of loss or gain of a specified amount of weight. Data collection and analysis Two authors extracted the data. Non-randomized studies (NRS) need to control for confounding factors. We used adjusted measures for the primary effects in NRS or the results of matched analysis from paired samples. If the report did not provide adjusted measures for the primary analysis, we used unadjusted outcomes. For RCTs and NRS without adjusted measures, we computed the mean difference (MD) with 95% confidence interval (CI) for continuous variables. For dichotomous outcomes, we calculated the Mantel-Haenszel odds ratio (OR) with 95% CI. Main results We found 22 eligible studies that included a total of 11,450 women. With 6 NRS added to this update, the review includes 17 NRS and 5 RCTs. By contraceptive method, the review has 16 studies of depot medroxyprogesterone acetate (DMPA), 4 of levonorgestrel-releasing intrauterine contraception (LNG-IUC), 5 for implants, and 2 for progestin-only pills. Comparison groups did not differ significantly for weight change or other body composition measure in 15 studies. Five studies with moderate or low quality evidence showed differences between study arms. Two studies of a six-rod implant also indicated some differences, but the evidence was low quality. Three studies showed differences for DMPA users compared with women not using a hormonal method. In a retrospective study, weight gain (kg) was greater for DMPA versus copper (Cu) IUC in years one (MD 2.28, 95% CI 1.79 to 2.77), two (MD 2.71, 95% CI 2.12 to 3.30), and three (MD 3.17, 95% CI 2.51 to 3.83). A prospective study showed adolescents using DMPA had a greater increase in body fat (%) compared with a group not using a hormonal method (MD 11.00, 95% CI 2.64 to 19.36). The DMPA group also had a greater decrease in lean body mass (%) (MD −4.00, 95% CI −6.93 to −1.07). A more recent retrospective study reported greater mean increases with use of DMPA versus Cu IUC for weight (kg) at years 1 (1.3 vs 0.2), 4 (3.5 vs 1.9), and 10 (6.6 vs 4.9). Two studies reported a greater mean increase in body fat mass (%) for POC users versus women not using a hormonal method. The method was LNG-IUC in two studies (reported means 2.5 versus −1.3; P = 0.029); (MD 1.60, 95% CI 0.45 to 2.75). One also studied a desogestrel-containing pill (MD 3.30, 95% CI 2.08 to 4.52). Both studies showed a greater decrease in lean body mass among POC users. Authors’ conclusions We considered the overall quality of evidence to be low; more than half of the studies had low quality evidence. The main reasons for downgrading were lack of randomizations (NRS) and high loss to follow-up or early discontinuation. These 22 studies showed limited evidence of change in weight or body composition with use of POCs. Mean weight gain at 6 or 12 months was less than 2 kg (4.4 lb) for most studies. Those with multiyear data showed mean weight change was approximately twice as much at two to four years than at one year, but generally the study groups did not differ significantly. Appropriate counseling about typical weight gain may help reduce discontinuation of contraceptives due to perceptions of weight gain. PMID:27567593

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

Roychoudhury, Sanghita; Mondal, Nandan Kumar; Mukherjee, Sayali

The impact of indoor air pollution (IAP) from biomass fuel burning on the risk of carcinogenesis in the airways has been investigated in 187 pre-menopausal women (median age 34 years) from eastern India who cooked exclusively with biomass and 155 age-matched control women from same locality who cooked with cleaner fuel liquefied petroleum gas. Compared with control, Papanicolau-stained sputum samples showed 3-times higher prevalence of metaplasia and 7-times higher prevalence of dysplasia in airway epithelial cell (AEC) of biomass users. Immunocytochemistry showed up-regulation of phosphorylated Akt (p-Akt{sup ser473} and p-Akt{sup thr308}) proteins in AEC of biomass users, especially in metaplasticmore » and dysplastic cells. Compared with LPG users, biomass-using women showed marked rise in reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation and depletion of antioxidant enzyme, superoxide dismutase (SOD) indicating oxidative stress. There were 2–5 times more particulate pollutants (PM{sub 10} and PM{sub 2.5}), 72% more nitrogen dioxide and 4-times more particulate-laden benzo(a)pyrene, but no change in sulfur dioxide in indoor air of biomass-using households, and high performance liquid chromatography estimated 6-fold rise in the concentration of benzene metabolite trans,trans-muconic acid (t,t-MA) in urine of biomass users. Metaplasia and dysplasia, p-Akt expression and ROS generation were positively associated with PM and t,t-MA levels. It appears that cumulative exposure to biomass smoke increases the risk of lung carcinogenesis via oxidative stress-mediated activation of Akt signal transduction pathway. -- Highlights: ► Carcinogenesis in airway cells was examined in biomass and LPG using women. ► Metaplasia and dysplasia of epithelial cells were more prevalent in biomass users. ► Change in airway cytology was associated with oxidative stress and Akt activation. ► Biomass users had greater exposure to respirable PM, B(a)P and benzene. ► Cooking with biomass increases cancer risk in the airways via Akt activation.« less

Using the decision ladder to understand road user decision making at actively controlled rail level crossings.

PubMed

Mulvihill, Christine M; Salmon, Paul M; Beanland, Vanessa; Lenné, Michael G; Read, Gemma J M; Walker, Guy H; Stanton, Neville A

2016-09-01

Rail level crossings (RLXs) represent a key strategic risk for railways worldwide. Despite enforcement and engineering countermeasures, user behaviour at RLXs can often confound expectations and erode safety. Research in this area is limited by a relative absence of insights into actual decision making processes and a focus on only a subset of road user types. One-hundred and sixty-six road users (drivers, motorcyclists, cyclists and pedestrians) completed a diary entry for each of 457 naturalistic encounters with RLXs when a train was approaching. The final eligible sample comprised 94 participants and 248 encounters at actively controlled crossings where a violation of the active warnings was possible. The diary incorporated Critical Decision Method probe questions, which enabled user responses to be mapped onto Rasmussen's decision ladder. Twelve percent of crossing events were non-compliant. The underlying decision making was compared to compliant events and a reference decision model to reveal important differences in the structure and type of decision making within and between road user groups. The findings show that engineering countermeasures intended to improve decision making (e.g. flashing lights), may have the opposite effect for some users because the system permits a high level of flexibility for circumvention. Non-motorised users were more likely to access information outside of the warning signals because of their ability to achieve greater proximity to the train tracks and the train itself. The major conundrum in resolving these issues is whether to restrict the amount of time and information available to users so that it cannot be used for circumventing the system or provide more information to help users make safe decisions. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Effect of high-potency cannabis on corpus callosum microstructure.

PubMed

Rigucci, S; Marques, T R; Di Forti, M; Taylor, H; Dell'Acqua, F; Mondelli, V; Bonaccorso, S; Simmons, A; David, A S; Girardi, P; Pariante, C M; Murray, R M; Dazzan, P

2016-03-01

The use of cannabis with higher Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol content has been associated with greater risk, and earlier onset, of psychosis. However, the effect of cannabis potency on brain morphology has never been explored. Here, we investigated whether cannabis potency and pattern of use are associated with changes in corpus callosum (CC) microstructural organization, in patients with first-episode psychosis (FEP) and individuals without psychosis, cannabis users and non-users. The CC of 56 FEP (37 cannabis users) and 43 individuals without psychosis (22 cannabis users) was virtually dissected and segmented using diffusion tensor imaging tractography. The diffusion index of fractional anisotropy, mean diffusivity (MD), axial diffusivity (AD) and radial diffusivity was calculated for each segment. Across the whole sample, users of high-potency cannabis had higher total CC MD and higher total CC AD than both low-potency users and those who never used (p = 0.005 and p = 0.004, respectively). Daily users also had higher total CC MD and higher total CC AD than both occasional users and those who never used (p = 0.001 and p < 0.001, respectively). However, there was no effect of group (patient/individuals without psychosis) or group x potency interaction for either potency or frequency of use. The within-group analysis showed in fact that the effects of potency and frequency were similar in FEP users and in users without psychosis. Frequent use of high-potency cannabis is associated with disturbed callosal microstructural organization in individuals with and without psychosis. Since high-potency preparations are now replacing traditional herbal drugs in many European countries, raising awareness about the risks of high-potency cannabis is crucial.

User testing and performance evaluation of the Electronic Quality Improvement Platform for Plans and Pharmacies.

PubMed

Pringle, Janice L; Kearney, Shannon M; Grasso, Kim; Boyer, Annette D; Conklin, Mark H; Szymanski, Keith A

2015-01-01

To user-test and evaluate a performance information management platform that makes standardized, benchmarked medication use quality data available to both health plans and community pharmacy organizations. Multiple health/drug plans and multiple chain and independent pharmacies across the United States. During the first phase of the study, user experience was measured via user satisfaction surveys and interviews with key personnel (pharmacists, pharmacy leaders, and health plan leadership). Improvements were subsequently made to the platform based on these findings. During the second phase of the study, the platform was implemented in a greater number of pharmacies and by a greater number of payers. User experience was then reevaluated to gather information for further improvements. The surveys and interviews revealed that users found the Web-based platform easy to use and beneficial in terms of understanding and comparing performance metrics. Primary concerns included lack of access to real-time data and patient-specific data. Many users also expressed uncertainty as to how they could use the information and data provided by the platform. The study findings indicate that while information management platforms can be used effectively in both pharmacy and health plan settings, future development is needed to ensure that the provided data can be transferred to pharmacy best practices and improved quality care.

Vertical force and wrist deviation angle when using a walker to stand up and sit down.

PubMed

Leung, Cherng-Yee; Yeh, Po-Chan

2011-08-01

Research investigating walkers suggests that safety and assistance for the elderly with weak lower limbs were important. However, the relationship between the use of a walker and the upper limbs has received little investigation. Standing up and sitting down are important daily activities. Therefore, the aim of this study was to explore wrist deviation and vertical force among elderly individuals using a walker for assistance to stand up and sit down. In total, 64 elderly volunteers (M age = 80.22, SD = 9.36) were enrolled. Data were obtained from four load cells and a twin-axis wrist goniometer. Wrist deviation and vertical force were examined when participants used a walker with horizontal handles to assist in standing up and sitting down. Significant wrist angle deviation occurred with the use of a walker, with dorsiflexion of the right hand greater than that of the left. Males exerted significantly greater vertical force. In the sitting position, greater ulnar deviation was seen among experienced walker users, whereas during standing, experienced users exhibited greater dorsiflexion. The horizontal handles of most marketed walkers may cause user wrist deviations, suggesting researchers should pursue improvements in walker design.

Methamphetamine-related psychiatric symptoms and reduced brain dopamine transporters studied with PET.

PubMed

Sekine, Y; Iyo, M; Ouchi, Y; Matsunaga, T; Tsukada, H; Okada, H; Yoshikawa, E; Futatsubashi, M; Takei, N; Mori, N

2001-08-01

A positron emission tomography (PET) study has suggested that dopamine transporter density of the caudate/putamen is reduced in methamphetamine users. The authors measured nucleus accumbens and prefrontal cortex density, in addition to caudate/putamen density, in methamphetamine users and assessed the relation of these measures to the subjects' clinical characteristics. PET and 2-beta-carbomethoxy-3beta-(4-[(11)C] fluorophenyl)tropane, a dopamine transporter ligand, were used to measure dopamine transporter density in 11 male methamphetamine users and nine male comparison subjects who did not use methamphetamine. Psychiatric symptoms in methamphetamine users were evaluated by using the Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale and applying a craving score. The dopamine transporter density in all three of the regions observed was significantly lower in the methamphetamine users than the comparison subjects. The severity of psychiatric symptoms was significantly correlated with the duration of methamphetamine use. The dopamine transporter reduction in the caudate/putamen and nucleus accumbens was significantly associated with the duration of methamphetamine use and closely related to the severity of persistent psychiatric symptoms. These findings suggest that longer use of methamphetamine may cause more severe psychiatric symptoms and greater reduction of dopamine transporter density in the brain. They also show that the dopamine transporter reduction may be long-lasting, even if methamphetamine use ceases. Further, persistent psychiatric symptoms in methamphetamine users, including psychotic symptoms, may be attributable to the reduction of dopamine transporter density.

Factors associated with anterior open bite in children with developmental disabilities.

PubMed

de Castilho, Lia Silva; Abreu, Mauro Henrique Nogueira Guimarães; Pires E Souza, Luiz Gustavo de Almeida; Romualdo, Leiliane Teresinha de Almeida; Souza E Silva, Maria Elisa; Resende, Vera Lúcia Silva

2018-01-01

To investigate factors associated with anterior open bite in individuals aged from 2 to 33 years with developmental disabilities. This is a cross-sectional study. A total of 271 dental records were examined. The anterior open bite analyzed was determined based on clinic exam. These variables were also analyzed: gender, age, education level of mother, International Code of Diseases (ICD), mouth breathing, use of anticonvulsant drugs, hyperkinesis, pacifier use, thumb sucking, seizure, and involuntary movements. For the purposes of analysis, the individuals were categorized as being with and without anterior open bite. Variables with a p-value of < 0.25 in the bivariate analysis were incorporated into the logistic regression models. Mouth breathers had a 2.60-fold (95% CI: 1.35-5.01) greater chance of exhibiting anterior open bite than nasal breathers. Pacifier users are more likely to have an anterior open bite (3.32-fold, 95% CI: 1.62-6.77). Individuals with reported involuntary movements had a 2.66-fold (95% CI: 1.26-5.63) greater chance of exhibiting anterior open bite. Users of anticonvulsants drugs had a 3.05 (95% CI: 1.57-5.92) greater chance of showing anterior open bite. Involuntary movements, mouth breathing, using anticonvulsant drugs, and using pacifier are factors associated with anterior open bite in patients with developmental disabilities. © 2017 Special Care Dentistry Association and Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Important ingredients for health adaptive information systems.

PubMed

Senathirajah, Yalini; Bakken, Suzanne

2011-01-01

Healthcare information systems frequently do not truly meet clinician needs, due to the complexity, variability, and rapid change in medical contexts. Recently the internet world has been transformed by approaches commonly termed 'Web 2.0'. This paper proposes a Web 2.0 model for a healthcare adaptive architecture. The vision includes creating modular, user-composable systems which aim to make all necessary information from multiple internal and external sources available via a platform, for the user to use, arrange, recombine, author, and share at will, using rich interfaces where advisable. Clinicians can create a set of 'widgets' and 'views' which can transform data, reflect their domain knowledge and cater to their needs, using simple drag and drop interfaces without the intervention of programmers. We have built an example system, MedWISE, embodying the user-facing parts of the model. This approach to HIS is expected to have several advantages, including greater suitability to user needs (reflecting clinician rather than programmer concepts and priorities), incorporation of multiple information sources, agile reconfiguration to meet emerging situations and new treatment deployment, capture of user domain expertise and tacit knowledge, efficiencies due to workflow and human-computer interaction improvements, and greater user acceptance.

The Effects of Varying Electronic Cigarette Warning Label Design Features On Attention, Recall, and Product Perceptions Among Young Adults.

PubMed

Mays, Darren; Villanti, Andrea; Niaura, Raymond S; Lindblom, Eric N; Strasser, Andrew A

2017-12-13

This study was a 3 (Brand: Blu, MarkTen, Vuse) by 3 (Warning Size: 20%, 30%, or 50% of advertisement surface) by 2 (Warning Background: White, Red) experimental investigation of the effects of electronic cigarette (e-cigarette) warning label design features. Young adults aged 18-30 years (n = 544) were recruited online, completed demographic and tobacco use history measures, and randomized to view e-cigarette advertisements with warning labels that varied by the experimental conditions. Participants completed a task assessing self-reported visual attention to advertisements with a-priori regions of interest defined around warning labels. Warning message recall and perceived addictiveness of e-cigarettes were assessed post-exposure. Approximately half of participants reported attending to warning labels and reported attention was greater for warnings on red versus white backgrounds. Recall of the warning message content was also greater among those reporting attention to the warning label. Overall, those who viewed warnings on red backgrounds reported lower perceived addictiveness than those who viewed warnings on white backgrounds, and e-cigarette users reported lower perceived addictiveness than non-users. Among e-cigarette users, viewing warnings on white backgrounds produced perceptions more similar to non-users. Greater recall was significantly correlated with greater perceived addictiveness. This study provides some of the first evidence that e-cigarette warning label design features including size and coloring affect self-reported attention and content recall.

Life-space mobility of middle-aged and older adults at various stages of usage of power mobility devices.

PubMed

Auger, Claudine; Demers, Louise; Gélinas, Isabelle; Miller, William C; Jutai, Jeffrey W; Noreau, Luc

2010-05-01

To examine whether the impact of power mobility devices (PMDs) varies as a function of stage of usage and to explore key factors associated with greater life-space mobility for middle-aged and older adults. Multicohort study with respondents grouped as a function of stage of PMD usage (reference group with mobility impairments, n=42; initial users, 1-6mo, n=35; long-term users, 12-18mo, n=39). Cohorts were compared with respect to life-space mobility in a continuum of environments ranging from home to outside town, using analysis of variance and chi-square tests. Baseline personal, assistive device, intervention, and environmental factors associated with life-space mobility were explored with age-adjusted linear regression models. Four Canadian rehabilitation centers. Random sample of middle-aged and older adults (N=116; 50-89y) living in the community or residential care. Procurement of a powered wheelchair or scooter. Life-Space Assessment composite score. Cohort comparisons showed higher frequency of outings for PMD users in the neighborhood (P<.001) and around home (P<.05) and significantly greater Life-Space Assessment composite scores for initial and long-term users than for the reference group (P<.05). Factors such as sex, the nature of activities, and device type explained variances in Life-Space Assessment composite score ranging from 15.9% to 18.0% (P<.006). Life-space mobility increases after PMD use and remains stable across the stages of initial and long-term use. To appreciate the impact of PMDs, clinicians should consider the environment and a combination of personal and device factors that are associated with the range of life-space mobility in the first 18 months after procurement.

Notebook input devices put to the age test: the usability of trackpoint and touchpad for middle-aged adults.

PubMed

Armbrüster, C; Sutter, C; Ziefle, M

2007-03-01

In two experiments, the usability of input devices integrated into computer notebooks was under study. The most common input devices, touchpad (experiment 1) and trackpoint (experiment 2) were examined. So far, the evaluation of mobile input devices has been restricted to younger users. However, due to ongoing demographic change, the main target group of mobile devices will be older users. Therefore, the present study focused on ageing effects. A total of 14 middle-aged (40-65 years) and 20 younger (20-32 years) users were compared regarding speed and accuracy of cursor control in a point-click and a point-drag-drop task. Moreover, the effects of training were addressed by examining the performance increase over time. In total, 640 trials per task and input device were executed. The results show that ageing is a central factor to be considered in input device design. Middle-aged users were significantly slower than younger users when executing the different tasks. Over time, a significant training effect was observed for both devices and both age groups, although the benefit of training was greater for the middle-aged group. Generally, the touchpad performance was higher than the trackpoint performance in both age groups, but the age-related performance decrements were less distinct when using the touchpad.

The Human Factors and Ergonomics of P300-Based Brain-Computer Interfaces

PubMed Central

Powers, J. Clark; Bieliaieva, Kateryna; Wu, Shuohao; Nam, Chang S.

2015-01-01

Individuals with severe neuromuscular impairments face many challenges in communication and manipulation of the environment. Brain-computer interfaces (BCIs) show promise in presenting real-world applications that can provide such individuals with the means to interact with the world using only brain waves. Although there has been a growing body of research in recent years, much relates only to technology, and not to technology in use—i.e., real-world assistive technology employed by users. This review examined the literature to highlight studies that implicate the human factors and ergonomics (HFE) of P300-based BCIs. We assessed 21 studies on three topics to speak directly to improving the HFE of these systems: (1) alternative signal evocation methods within the oddball paradigm; (2) environmental interventions to improve user performance and satisfaction within the constraints of current BCI systems; and (3) measures and methods of measuring user acceptance. We found that HFE is central to the performance of P300-based BCI systems, although researchers do not often make explicit this connection. Incorporation of measures of user acceptance and rigorous usability evaluations, increased engagement of disabled users as test participants, and greater realism in testing will help progress the advancement of P300-based BCI systems in assistive applications. PMID:26266424

Motivation for change and barriers to treatment among young cannabis users.

PubMed

Fernández-Artamendi, S; Fernández-Hermida, J R; García-Fernández, G; Secades-Villa, R; García-Rodríguez, O

2013-01-01

Despite cannabis use among adolescents has shown to be related to psychosocial and mental health problems, the demand from adolescents for professional help is very low, and determinants of motivation for change among nonclinical populations remain unknown. The purpose of this study was to assess motivation for change among young cannabis users and to identify determinants of intention to change and self-change, as well as perceived barriers to seeking professional help. 261 cannabis users aged 16-21 participated in a computerized survey in Spain. Data from this cross-sectional study indicated that few users intend to stop taking the drug. Determining factors of intention to change were the following: having more drug-related problems, paranoid symptomatology and greater concern about the consequences of use. Self-change was facilitated by lower use of cannabis, and could be hindered by tobacco smoking and cannabis dependence. Lack of awareness of the problems and the desire to solve one's problems alone constitute the main barriers to seeking professional help. Adolescent cannabis users show low motivation for change though experiencing more problems associated with its use emerges as a determinant of increased motivation. Several barriers impede this motivation from turning into treatment demand. Copyright © 2012 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Association Among Periodontitis and the Use of Crack Cocaine and Other Illicit Drugs.

PubMed

Antoniazzi, Raquel P; Zanatta, Fabricio B; Rösing, Cassiano K; Feldens, Carlos Alberto

2016-12-01

Crack cocaine can alter functions related to the immune system and exert a negative influence on progression and severity of periodontitis. The aim of this study is to compare periodontal status between crack cocaine users and crack cocaine non-users and investigate the association between crack cocaine and periodontitis after adjustments for confounding variables. This cross-sectional study evaluated 106 individuals exposed to crack cocaine and 106 never exposed, matched for age, sex, and tobacco use. An examiner determined visible plaque index (VPI), marginal bleeding index, supragingival dental calculus, probing depth (PD), clinical attachment level (CAL), and bleeding on probing (BOP). Logistic regression was used to model associations between crack cocaine and periodontitis (at least three sites with CAL >4 mm and at least two sites with PD >3 mm, not in the same site or tooth). Prevalence of periodontitis among crack non-users and crack users was 20.8% and 43.4%, respectively. Crack users had greater VPI, BOP, PD ≥3 mm, and CAL ≥4 mm than crack non-users. Periodontitis was associated with age >24 years, schooling ≤8 years, smoking, moderate/heavy alcohol use, and plaque rate ≥41%. Crack users had an approximately three-fold greater chance (odds ratio: 3.44; 95% confidence interval: 1.51 to 7.86) of periodontitis than non-users. Occurrence of periodontitis, visible plaque, and gingival bleeding was significantly higher among crack users, and crack use was associated with occurrence of periodontitis.

A comparison of the postures assumed when using laptop computers and desktop computers.

PubMed

Straker, L; Jones, K J; Miller, J

1997-08-01

This study evaluated the postural implications of using a laptop computer. Laptop computer screens and keyboards are joined, and are therefore unable to be adjusted separately in terms of screen height and distance, and keyboard height and distance. The posture required for their use is likely to be constrained, as little adjustment can be made for the anthropometric differences of users. In addition to the postural constraints, the study looked at discomfort levels and performance when using laptops as compared with desktops. Statistical analysis showed significantly greater neck flexion and head tilt with laptop use. The other body angles measured (trunk, shoulder, elbow, wrist, and scapula and neck protraction/retraction) showed no statistical differences. The average discomfort experienced after using the laptop for 20 min, although appearing greater than the discomfort experienced after using the desktop, was not significantly greater. When using the laptop, subjects tended to perform better than when using the desktop, though not significantly so. Possible reasons for the results are discussed and implications of the findings outlined.

Supplementary polio immunization activities and prior use of routine immunization services in non-polio-endemic sub-Saharan Africa

PubMed Central

Frimpong, Jemima A; Abdelwahab, Jalaa; Asuming, Patrick; Touré, Hamadassalia; Awoonor-Williams, John Koku; Abachie, Thomas; Guidetti, Flavia

2012-01-01

Abstract Objective To determine participation in polio supplementary immunization activities (SIAs) in sub-Saharan Africa among users and non-users of routine immunization services and among users who were compliant or non-compliant with the routine oral poliovirus vaccine (OPV) immunization schedule. Methods Data were obtained from household-based surveys in non-polio-endemic sub-Saharan African countries. Routine immunization service users were children (aged < 5 years) who had ever had a health card containing their vaccination history; non-users were children who had never had a health card. Users were considered compliant with the OPV routine immunization schedule if, by the SIA date, their health card reflected receipt of required OPV doses. Logistic regression measured associations between SIA participation and use of both routine immunization services and compliance with routine OPV among users. Findings Data from 21 SIAs conducted between 1999 and 2010 in 15 different countries met inclusion criteria. Overall SIA participation ranged from 70.2% to 96.1%. It was consistently lower among infants than among children aged 1–4 years. In adjusted analyses, participation among routine immunization services users was > 85% in 12 SIAs but non-user participation was > 85% in only 5 SIAs. In 18 SIAs, participation was greater among users (P < 0.01 in 16, 0.05 in 1 and < 0.10 in 1) than non-users. In 14 SIAs, adjusted analyses revealed lower participation among non-compliant users than among compliant users (P < 0.01 in 10, < 0.05 in 2 and < 0.10 in 2). Conclusion Large percentages of children participated in SIAs. Prior use of routine immunization services and compliance with the routine OPV schedule showed a strong positive association with SIA participation. PMID:22807595

Gated Auditory Speech Perception in Elderly Hearing Aid Users and Elderly Normal-Hearing Individuals: Effects of Hearing Impairment and Cognitive Capacity

PubMed Central

Lidestam, Björn; Hällgren, Mathias; Rönnberg, Jerker

2014-01-01

This study compared elderly hearing aid (EHA) users and elderly normal-hearing (ENH) individuals on identification of auditory speech stimuli (consonants, words, and final word in sentences) that were different when considering their linguistic properties. We measured the accuracy with which the target speech stimuli were identified, as well as the isolation points (IPs: the shortest duration, from onset, required to correctly identify the speech target). The relationships between working memory capacity, the IPs, and speech accuracy were also measured. Twenty-four EHA users (with mild to moderate hearing impairment) and 24 ENH individuals participated in the present study. Despite the use of their regular hearing aids, the EHA users had delayed IPs and were less accurate in identifying consonants and words compared with the ENH individuals. The EHA users also had delayed IPs for final word identification in sentences with lower predictability; however, no significant between-group difference in accuracy was observed. Finally, there were no significant between-group differences in terms of IPs or accuracy for final word identification in highly predictable sentences. Our results also showed that, among EHA users, greater working memory capacity was associated with earlier IPs and improved accuracy in consonant and word identification. Together, our findings demonstrate that the gated speech perception ability of EHA users was not at the level of ENH individuals, in terms of IPs and accuracy. In addition, gated speech perception was more cognitively demanding for EHA users than for ENH individuals in the absence of semantic context. PMID:25085610

Chronic effects of cannabis use on the auditory mismatch negativity.

PubMed

Greenwood, Lisa-Marie; Broyd, Samantha J; Croft, Rodney; Todd, Juanita; Michie, Patricia T; Johnstone, Stuart; Murray, Robin; Solowij, Nadia

2014-03-15

Cannabis use is associated with the development of psychotic symptoms and increased risk for schizophrenia. The mismatch negativity (MMN) is a brain event-related potential marker of change detection thought to index glutamatergic N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor-mediated neurotransmission, which is known to be deficient in schizophrenia. This study examined auditory MMN in otherwise healthy chronic cannabis users compared with nonuser control subjects. Forty-two chronic cannabis users and 44 nonuser healthy control subjects completed a multi-feature MMN paradigm, which included duration, frequency, and intensity deviants (deviants 6%; standards 82%). The MMN was compared between users and control subjects as well as between long- and short-term users and age- and gender-matched control subjects. Associations between MMN, cannabis use measures, and symptoms were examined. The MMN amplitude was significantly reduced to frequency but not duration or intensity deviants in overall cannabis users relative to control subjects. Frequency MMN was similarly attenuated in short- and long-term users relative to control subjects. Long-term users also exhibited reduced duration MMN relative to control subjects and short-term users and this was correlated with increased duration of exposure to cannabis and increased psychotic-like experiences during intoxication. In short-term users, a younger age of onset of regular cannabis use and greater frequency of use were associated with greater psychotic-like experiences and symptomatic distress. These results suggest impaired sensory memory that might reflect N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor dysfunction in chronic cannabis users. The pattern of MMN alterations in cannabis users differed from that typically observed in patients with schizophrenia, indicating overlapping but distinct underlying pathology. Copyright © 2014 Society of Biological Psychiatry. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Variation in use of technology among vascular access specialists: an analysis of the PICC1 survey.

PubMed

Chopra, Vineet; Kuhn, Latoya; Ratz, David; Winter, Suzanne; Carr, Peter J; Paje, David; Krein, Sarah L

2017-05-15

While the use of technologies such as ultrasound and electrocardiographic (ECG) guidance systems to place peripherally inserted central catheters (PICCs) has grown, little is known about the clinicians who use these tools or their work settings. Using data from a national survey of vascular access specialists, we identified technology users as PICC inserters that: (a) use ultrasound to find a suitable vein for catheter placement; (b) measure catheter-to-vein ratio; and (c) use ECG for PICC placement. Individual and organizational-level characteristics between technology users versus non-users were assessed. Bivariable comparisons were made using Chi-squared or Fisher's exact tests; two-sided alpha with p<0.05 was considered statistically significant. Of the 2762 PICC inserters who accessed the survey, 1518 (55%) provided information regarding technology use. Technology users reported greater experience than non-technology users, with a higher percentage stating they had placed >1000 PICCs (55% vs. 45%, p<0.001). A significantly greater percentage of technology users also reported being certified in vascular access by an external agency than non-technology users (75% vs. 63%, p<0.001). Technology users were more often part of vascular access teams with ≥10 members compared to non-technology users (35% vs. 22%, p<0.001). Some practices also varied between the two groups: for example, use of certain securement devices and dressings differed between technology users and non-users (p<0.001). Technology use by vascular access clinicians while placing PICCs is associated with clinician characteristics, work setting and practice factors. Understanding whether such differences influence clinical care or patient outcomes appears necessary.

A service user co-facilitated intervention to reduce mental illness stigma among primary healthcare workers: Utilizing perspectives of family members and caregivers.

PubMed

Rai, Sauharda; Gurung, Dristy; Kaiser, Bonnie N; Sikkema, Kathleen J; Dhakal, Manoj; Bhardwaj, Anvita; Tergesen, Cori; Kohrt, Brandon A

2018-06-01

Service users' involvement as cofacilitators of mental health trainings is a nascent endeavor in low- and middle-income countries, and the role of families on service user participation in trainings has received limited attention. This study examined how caregivers perceive and facilitate service user's involvement in an antistigma program that was added to mental health Gap Action Program (mhGAP) trainings for primary care workers in Nepal. Service users were trained as cofacilitators for antistigma and mhGAP trainings delivered to primary care workers through the REducing Stigma among HealthcAre ProvidErs (RESHAPE) program. Key informant interviews (n = 17) were conducted with caregivers and service users in RESHAPE. Five themes emerged: (a) Caregivers' perceived benefits of service user involvement included reduced caregiver burden, learning new skills, and opportunities to develop support groups. (b) Caregivers' fear of worsening stigma impeded RESHAPE participation. (c) Lack of trust between caregivers and service users jeopardized participation, but it could be mitigated through family engagement with health workers. (d) Orientation provided to caregivers regarding RESHAPE needed greater attention, and when information was provided, it contributed to stigma reduction in families. (e) Time management impacted caregivers' ability to facilitate service user participation. Engagement with families allows for greater identification of motivational factors and barriers impacting optimal program performance. Caregiver involvement in all program elements should be considered best practice for service user-facilitated antistigma initiatives, and service users reluctant to include caregivers should be provided with health staff support to address barriers to including family. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2018 APA, all rights reserved).

Beta-Blockers, Trimethoprim-Sulfamethoxazole, and the Risk of Hyperkalemia Requiring Hospitalization in the Elderly: A Nested Case-Control Study

PubMed Central

Weir, Matthew A.; Juurlink, David N.; Gomes, Tara; Mamdani, Muhammad; Hackam, Daniel G.; Jain, Arsh K.

2010-01-01

Background and objectives: The simultaneous use of beta adrenergic receptor blockers (β-blockers) and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (TMP-SMX) may confer a high risk of hyperkalemia. Design, setting, participants, & measurements: Two nested case-control studies were conducted to examine the association between hospitalization for hyperkalemia and the use of TMP-SMX in older patients receiving β-blockers. Linked health administrative records from Ontario, Canada, were used to assemble a cohort of 299,749 β-blockers users, aged 66 years or older and capture data regarding medication use and hospital admissions for hyperkalemia. Results: Over the study period from 1994 to 2008, 189 patients in this cohort were hospitalized for hyperkalemia within 14 days of receiving a study antibiotic. Compared with amoxicillin, the use of TMP-SMX was associated with a substantially greater risk of hyperkalemia requiring hospital admission (adjusted odds ratio, 5.1; 95% confidence interval [CI], 2.8 to 9.4). No such risk was identified with ciprofloxacin, norfloxacin, or nitrofurantoin. When dosing was considered, the association was greater at higher doses of TMP-SMX. When the primary analysis was repeated in a cohort of non-β-blocker users, the risk of hyperkalemia comparing TMP-SMX to amoxicillin was not significantly different from that found among β-blocker users. Conclusions: Although TMP-SMX is associated with an increased risk of hyperkalemia in older adults, these findings show no added risk when used in combination with β-blockers. PMID:20595693

Does change in cannabis use in established psychosis affect clinical outcome?

PubMed

Barrowclough, Christine; Emsley, Richard; Eisner, Emily; Beardmore, Ruth; Wykes, Til

2013-03-01

Cannabis use has been identified as a potent predictor of the earlier onset of psychosis, but meta-analysis has not indicated that it has a clear effect in established psychosis. To assess the association between cannabis and outcomes, including whether change in cannabis use affects symptoms and functioning, in a large sample of people with established nonaffective psychosis and comorbid substance misuse. One hundred and sixty participants whose substance use included cannabis were compared with other substance users (n = 167) on baseline demographic, clinical, and substance use variables. The cannabis using subgroup was examined prospectively with repeated measures of substance use and psychopathology at baseline, 12 months, and 24 months. We used generalized estimating equation models to estimate the effects of cannabis dose on subsequent clinical outcomes and whether change in cannabis use was associated with change in outcomes. Cannabis users showed cross-sectional differences from other substances users but not in terms of positive symptoms. Second, cannabis dose was not associated with subsequent severity of positive symptoms and change in cannabis dose did not predict change in positive symptom severity, even when patients became abstinent. However, greater cannabis exposure was associated with worse functioning, albeit with a small effect size. We did not find evidence of an association between cannabis dose and psychotic symptoms, although greater cannabis dose was associated with worse psychosocial functioning, albeit with small effect size. It would seem that within this population, not everyone will demonstrate durable symptomatic improvements from reducing cannabis.

Increased alertness, better than posture prioritization, explains dual-task performance in prosthesis users and controls under increasing postural and cognitive challenge.

PubMed

Howard, Charla L; Perry, Bonnie; Chow, John W; Wallace, Chris; Stokic, Dobrivoje S

2017-11-01

Sensorimotor impairments after limb amputation impose a threat to stability. Commonly described strategies for maintaining stability are the posture first strategy (prioritization of balance) and posture second strategy (prioritization of concurrent tasks). The existence of these strategies was examined in 13 below-knee prosthesis users and 15 controls during dual-task standing under increasing postural and cognitive challenge by evaluating path length, 95% sway area, and anterior-posterior and medial-lateral amplitudes of the center of pressure. The subjects stood on two force platforms under usual (hard surface/eyes open) and difficult (soft surface/eyes closed) conditions, first alone and while performing a cognitive task without and then with instruction on cognitive prioritization. During standing alone, sway was not significantly different between groups. After adding the cognitive task without prioritization instruction, prosthesis users increased sway more under the dual-task than single-task standing (p ≤ 0.028) during both usual and difficult conditions, favoring the posture second strategy. Controls, however, reduced dual-task sway under a greater postural challenge (p ≤ 0.017), suggesting the posture first strategy. With prioritization of the cognitive task, sway was unchanged or reduced in prosthesis users, suggesting departure from the posture second strategy, whereas controls maintained the posture first strategy. Individual analysis of dual tasking revealed that greater postural demand in controls and greater cognitive challenge in prosthesis users led to both reduced sway and improved cognitive performance, suggesting cognitive-motor facilitation. Thus, activation of additional resources through increased alertness, rather than posture prioritization, may explain dual-task performance in both prosthesis users and controls under increasing postural and cognitive challenge.

Advantages of binaural amplification to acceptable noise level of directional hearing aid users.

PubMed

Kim, Ja-Hee; Lee, Jae Hee; Lee, Ho-Ki

2014-06-01

The goal of the present study was to examine whether Acceptable Noise Levels (ANLs) would be lower (greater acceptance of noise) in binaural listening than in monaural listening condition and also whether meaningfulness of background speech noise would affect ANLs for directional microphone hearing aid users. In addition, any relationships between the individual binaural benefits on ANLs and the individuals' demographic information were investigated. Fourteen hearing aid users (mean age, 64 years) participated for experimental testing. For the ANL calculation, listeners' most comfortable listening levels and background noise level were measured. Using Korean ANL material, ANLs of all participants were evaluated under monaural and binaural amplification with a counterbalanced order. The ANLs were also compared across five types of competing speech noises, consisting of 1- through 8-talker background speech maskers. Seven young normal-hearing listeners (mean age, 27 years) participated for the same measurements as a pilot testing. The results demonstrated that directional hearing aid users accepted more noise (lower ANLs) with binaural amplification than with monaural amplification, regardless of the type of competing speech. When the background speech noise became more meaningful, hearing-impaired listeners accepted less amount of noise (higher ANLs), revealing that ANL is dependent on the intelligibility of the competing speech. The individuals' binaural advantages in ANLs were significantly greater for the listeners with longer experience of hearing aids, yet not related to their age or hearing thresholds. Binaural directional microphone processing allowed hearing aid users to accept a greater amount of background noise, which may in turn improve listeners' hearing aid success. Informational masking substantially influenced background noise acceptance. Given a significant association between ANLs and duration of hearing aid usage, ANL measurement can be useful for clinical counseling of binaural hearing aid candidates or unsuccessful users.

Heating and Cooling from the Ground Up.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jackson, Lisa M.

1998-01-01

Explains why converting to geothermal heating and cooling is a good option when constructing or retrofitting schools. Reasons discussed include competitive installation costs, lower operating and maintenance costs, greater building-design flexibility, and greater user satisfaction. (GR)

Experiences of service users involved in recruitment for nursing courses: A phenomenological research study.

PubMed

Stevens, Katie; Bernal, Cathy; Devis, Kate; Southgate, Andrew

2017-11-01

The aim of this study was to gain insight into service users' experiences of participating in recruitment for Adult, Mental Health and Child nursing studies at the authors' university; to establish potential motivations behind such participation; and to make suggestions for improved future practice. The involvement of service users in nurse education and recruitment has for some years been required by the Nursing and Midwifery Council, but there is a dearth of publications on the meaning of that involvement to participating service users. It is hoped that this study will contribute to this body of knowledge. A phenomenological approach was selected, field-specific focus groups of service users being facilitated using a semi-structured interview format; these were audio recorded and transcribed. The data was analysed using thematic analysis. Participation was subject to the service users having been involved in recruitment to nursing studies at the authors' university and the focus groups took place either at the university or at the child participants' school. Themes identified demonstrated largely positive experiences and a sense of meaningful involvement for all concerned. Findings indicated a close link between the values of the participants and those of the wider NHS, benefits to a sense of wellbeing and achievement, as well as the need for greater ownership of the recruitment process by service users. Potential lessons for academics wishing to promote greater service user involvement in student recruitment are articulated. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Setting Priorities in Behavioral Interventions: An Application to Reducing Phishing Risk.

PubMed

Canfield, Casey Inez; Fischhoff, Baruch

2018-04-01

Phishing risk is a growing area of concern for corporations, governments, and individuals. Given the evidence that users vary widely in their vulnerability to phishing attacks, we demonstrate an approach for assessing the benefits and costs of interventions that target the most vulnerable users. Our approach uses Monte Carlo simulation to (1) identify which users were most vulnerable, in signal detection theory terms; (2) assess the proportion of system-level risk attributable to the most vulnerable users; (3) estimate the monetary benefit and cost of behavioral interventions targeting different vulnerability levels; and (4) evaluate the sensitivity of these results to whether the attacks involve random or spear phishing. Using parameter estimates from previous research, we find that the most vulnerable users were less cautious and less able to distinguish between phishing and legitimate emails (positive response bias and low sensitivity, in signal detection theory terms). They also accounted for a large share of phishing risk for both random and spear phishing attacks. Under these conditions, our analysis estimates much greater net benefit for behavioral interventions that target these vulnerable users. Within the range of the model's assumptions, there was generally net benefit even for the least vulnerable users. However, the differences in the return on investment for interventions with users with different degrees of vulnerability indicate the importance of measuring that performance, and letting it guide interventions. This study suggests that interventions to reduce response bias, rather than to increase sensitivity, have greater net benefit. © 2017 Society for Risk Analysis.

Effects of Chronic Active Cannabis Use on Visuomotor Integration, in Relation to Brain Activation and Cortisol Levels

PubMed Central

King, G.R.; Ernst, T.; Deng, W.; Stenger, A.; Gonzales, R.M.K; Nakama, H.; Chang, L.

2012-01-01

Cannabis is the most abused illegal substance in the United States. Alterations in brain function and motor behavior have been reported in chronic cannabis users, but the results have been variable. The current study aimed to determine whether chronic active cannabis use in humans may alter psychomotor function, brain activation, and hypothalamic-pituitary-axis (HPA) function in men and women. 30 cannabis users (16 men and 14 women, 18 to 45 years old) and 30 non-drug user controls (16 men and 14 women, 19 to 44 years old) were evaluated with neuropsychological tests designed to assess motor behavior and functional MRI (fMRI), using a 3 Tesla scanner, during a visually paced finger-sequencing task, cued by a flashing checkerboard (at 2 or 4 Hz). Salivary cortisol was measured to assess HPA function. Male, but not female, cannabis users had significantly slower performance on psychomotor speed tests. As a group, cannabis users had greater activation in BA 6 than controls, while controls had greater activation in the visual area BA 17 than cannabis users. Cannabis users also had higher salivary cortisol levels than controls (p = 0.002). Chronic active cannabis use is associated with slower and less efficient psychomotor function, especially in the male users, as indicated by a shift from regions involved with automated visually guided responses to more executive or attentional control areas. These brain activities may be attenuated by the higher cortisol levels in the cannabis users which in turn may lead to less efficient visual-motor function. PMID:22159107

Role-Based And Adaptive User Interface Designs In A Teledermatology Consult System: A Way To Secure And A Way To Enhance

PubMed Central

Lin, Yi-Jung; Speedie, Stuart

2003-01-01

User interface design is one of the most important parts of developing applications. Nowadays, a quality user interface must not only accommodate interaction between machines and users, but also needs to recognize the differences and provide functionalities for users from role-to-role or even individual-to-individual. With the web-based application of our Teledermatology consult system, the development environment provides us highly useful opportunities to create dynamic user interfaces, which lets us to gain greater access control and has the potential to increase efficiency of the system. We will describe the two models of user interfaces in our system: Role-based and Adaptive. PMID:14728419

The right view from the wrong location: depth perception in stereoscopic multi-user virtual environments.

PubMed

Pollock, Brice; Burton, Melissa; Kelly, Jonathan W; Gilbert, Stephen; Winer, Eliot

2012-04-01

Stereoscopic depth cues improve depth perception and increase immersion within virtual environments (VEs). However, improper display of these cues can distort perceived distances and directions. Consider a multi-user VE, where all users view identical stereoscopic images regardless of physical location. In this scenario, cues are typically customized for one "leader" equipped with a head-tracking device. This user stands at the center of projection (CoP) and all other users ("followers") view the scene from other locations and receive improper depth cues. This paper examines perceived depth distortion when viewing stereoscopic VEs from follower perspectives and the impact of these distortions on collaborative spatial judgments. Pairs of participants made collaborative depth judgments of virtual shapes viewed from the CoP or after displacement forward or backward. Forward and backward displacement caused perceived depth compression and expansion, respectively, with greater compression than expansion. Furthermore, distortion was less than predicted by a ray-intersection model of stereo geometry. Collaboration times were significantly longer when participants stood at different locations compared to the same location, and increased with greater perceived depth discrepancy between the two viewing locations. These findings advance our understanding of spatial distortions in multi-user VEs, and suggest a strategy for reducing distortion.

Crack-cocaine use accelerates HIV disease progression in a cohort of HIV-positive drug users.

PubMed

Baum, Marianna K; Rafie, Carlin; Lai, Shenghan; Sales, Sabrina; Page, Bryan; Campa, Adriana

2009-01-01

HIV infection is prevalent among substance abusers. The effects of specific illicit drugs on HIV disease progression have not been established. We evaluated the relationship between substances of abuse and HIV disease progression in a cohort of HIV-1-positive active drug users. A prospective, 30-month, longitudinal study was conducted on 222 HIV-1 seropositive drug users in Miami, FL. History of illicit drug, alcohol, and medication use, CD4+ cell count, and viral load were performed every 6 months. Crack-cocaine users were 2.14 times [95% confidence interval (CI): 1.08 to 4.25, P = 0.029] more likely to present a decline of CD4 to

36 CFR 1194.31 - Functional performance criteria.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... information retrieval that does not require user vision shall be provided, or support for assistive technology... and information retrieval that does not require visual acuity greater than 20/70 shall be provided in... information retrieval that does not require user hearing shall be provided, or support for assistive...

36 CFR 1194.31 - Functional performance criteria.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... information retrieval that does not require user vision shall be provided, or support for assistive technology... and information retrieval that does not require visual acuity greater than 20/70 shall be provided in... information retrieval that does not require user hearing shall be provided, or support for assistive...

36 CFR 1194.31 - Functional performance criteria.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... information retrieval that does not require user vision shall be provided, or support for assistive technology... and information retrieval that does not require visual acuity greater than 20/70 shall be provided in... information retrieval that does not require user hearing shall be provided, or support for assistive...

Territorial user rights for fisheries as ancillary instruments for marine coastal conservation in Chile.

PubMed

Gelcich, Stefan; Fernández, Miriam; Godoy, Natalio; Canepa, Antonio; Prado, Luis; Castilla, Juan Carlos

2012-12-01

Territorial user rights for fisheries have been advocated as a way to achieve sustainable resource management. However, few researchers have empirically assessed their potential as ancillary marine conservation instruments by comparing them to no-take marine protected areas. In kelp (Lessonia trabeculata) forests of central Chile, we compared species richness, density, and biomass of macroinvertebrates and reef fishes among territorial-user-right areas with low-level and high-level enforcement, no-take marine protected areas, and open-access areas in 42 100-m subtidal transects. We also assessed structural complexity of the kelp forest and substratum composition. Multivariate randomized permutation tests indicated macroinvertebrate and reef fish communities associated with the different access regimes differed significantly. Substratum composition and structural complexity of kelp forest did not differ among access regimes. Univariate analyses showed species richness, biomass, and density of macroinvertebrates and reef fishes were greater in highly enforced territorial-user-right areas and no-take marine protected areas than in open-access areas. Densities of macroinvertebrates and reef fishes of economic importance were not significantly different between highly enforced territorial-user-right and no-take marine protected areas. Densities of economically important macroinvertebrates in areas with low-level enforcement were significantly lower than those in areas with high-level enforcement and no-take marine protected areas but were significantly higher than in areas with open access. Territorial-user-right areas could be important ancillary conservation instruments if they are well enforced. ©2012 Society for Conservation Biology.

Mental disorders and work integration: a retrospective study in a northern italian town.

PubMed

Buizza, Chiara; Pioli, Rosaria; Lecchi, Sara; Bonetto, Chiara; Bartoli, Anna; Taglietti, Renzo; Ghilardi, Alberto; Riva, Eugenio

2013-01-01

THE PRESENT STUDY WAS CONDUCTED IN A VOCATIONAL INTEGRATION SERVICE OF A NORTHERN ITALIAN TOWN WITH TWO MAJOR AIMS: to assess vocational integration programs undertaken from 1(st) January 2004 to 1(st) January 2007; and to identify job tenure-associated predictors. This is a retrospective study; we collected data such as gender, age, duration, type and outcome of the vocational integration program, and number of interventions performed by the vocational integration service. Self-report questionnaires were also used to assess the satisfaction of users, caregivers, practitioners, and of the company contacts involved in the study. The service has enrolled 84 users during the observation period. Out of these users, 64.3% of them still had their jobs after three years. Users, caregivers and company contacts expressed high levels of satisfaction for the support received by the vocational integration service. The company expressed less satisfaction for the collaboration received by the Departments of Mental Health (DMHs) that coached the users. The only variable associated to the outcome was the number of interventions that the users received before their placement on the job. Despite all the limits of this study, its results show that the chance of taking advantage of a supported job placement service has likely proven itself effective in helping people with mental disorders to obtain and maintain a competitive employment. Our results, however, also point to the necessity of implementing newer strategies meant to develop a greater integration among all services dealing with mentally ill people.

Processing dynamic facial affect in frequent cannabis-users: evidence of deficits in the speed of identifying emotional expressions.

PubMed

Platt, Bradley; Kamboj, Sunjeev; Morgan, Celia J A; Curran, H Valerie

2010-11-01

While heavy cannabis-users seem to show various cognitive impairments, it remains unclear whether they also experience significant deficits in affective functioning. Evidence of such deficits may contribute to our understanding of the interpersonal difficulties in cannabis-users, and the link between cannabis-use and psychological disorders (Moore et al., 2007). Emotion recognition performance of heavy cannabis-users and non-using controls was compared. A measure of emotion recognition was used in which participants identified facial expressions as they changed from neutral (open-mouth) to gradually more intense expressions of sadness, neutral, anger or happiness (open or closed mouth). Reaction times and accuracy were recorded as the facial expressions changed. Participants also completed measures of 'theory of mind,' depression and impulsivity. Cannabis-users were significantly slower than controls at identifying all three emotional expressions. There was no difference between groups in identifying facial expressions changing from open-mouth neutral expressions to closed-mouth neutral expressions suggesting that differences in emotion recognition were not due to a general slowing of reaction times. Cannabis-users were also significantly more liberal in their response criterion for recognising sadness. Heavy cannabis-use may be associated with affect recognition deficits. In particular, a greater intensity of emotion expression was required before identification of positive and negative emotions. This was found using stimuli which simulated dynamic changes in emotion expression, and in turn, suggests that cannabis-users may experience generalised problems in decoding basic emotions during social interactions. The implications of these findings are discussed for vulnerability to psychological and interpersonal difficulties in cannabis-users. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

fMRI study of neural sensitization to hedonic stimuli in long‐term, daily cannabis users

PubMed Central

Dunlop, Joseph; Ketcherside, Ariel; Baine, Jessica; Rhinehardt, Tyler; Kuhn, Brittany; DeWitt, Sam; Alvi, Talha

2016-01-01

Abstract Although there is emergent evidence illustrating neural sensitivity to cannabis cues in cannabis users, the specificity of this effect to cannabis cues as opposed to a generalized hyper‐sensitivity to hedonic stimuli has not yet been directly tested. Using fMRI, we presented 53 daily, long‐term cannabis users and 68 non‐using controls visual and tactile cues for cannabis, a natural reward, and, a sensory‐perceptual control object to evaluate brain response to hedonic stimuli in cannabis users. The results showed an interaction between group and reward type such that the users had greater response during cannabis cues relative to natural reward cues (i.e., fruit) in the orbitofrontal cortex, striatum, anterior cingulate gyrus, and ventral tegmental area compared to non‐users (cluster‐threshold z = 2.3, P < 0.05). In the users, there were positive brain‐behavior correlations between neural response to cannabis cues in fronto‐striatal‐temporal regions and subjective craving, marijuana‐related problems, withdrawal symptoms, and levels of THC metabolites (cluster‐threshold z = 2.3, P < 0.05). These findings demonstrate hyper‐responsivity, and, specificity of brain response to cannabis cues in long‐term cannabis users that are above that of response to natural reward cues. These observations are concordant with incentive sensitization models suggesting sensitization of mesocorticolimbic regions and disruption of natural reward processes following drug use. Although the cross‐sectional nature of this study does not provide information on causality, the positive correlations between neural response and indicators of cannabis use (i.e., THC levels) suggest that alterations in the reward system are, in part, related to cannabis use. Hum Brain Mapp 37:3431–3443, 2016. © 2016 The Authors Human Brain Mapping Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. PMID:27168331

Telephone counseling for young Brazilian cocaine and/or crack users. Who are these users?

PubMed

Bisch, Nadia K; Moreira, Taís de C; Benchaya, Mariana C; Pozza, Dan R; Freitas, Larissa C N de; Farias, Michelle S; Ferigolo, Maristela; Barros, Helena M T

2018-03-09

To describe the users' drug abuse characteristics, problematic behaviors associated with addiction, the motivation of teenagers and young adults to quit cocaine and/or crack abuse, and then compare these characteristics. A cross-section study was conducted with 2390 cocaine/crack users (teenagers from 14 to 19 years of age, and young adults from 20 to 24 years of age); 1471 were young adults and 919 were teenagers who had called a phone counseling service between January 2006 and December 2013. Semi-structured interviews were performed via phone calls. The questionnaires included sociodemographic information; assessment of the characteristics of cocaine/crack abuse; assessment of the problematic behaviors; also, the Contemplation Ladder was used to evaluate the stages of readiness to cease substance abuse. Participants reported using cocaine (48.2%), crack and other smoking forms (36.7%) and combined consumption of both drugs (15%). Young adults were more prone to using crack or crack associated with cocaine (OR=1.9; CI 95%=1.05-1.57) and they were exposed to substance abuse for longer than two years (OR=3.45; CI 95%=2.84-4.18), when compared to teenagers. On the other hand, they showed higher readiness to quit. Data shows important differences in drug abuse characteristics, problematic behaviors and motivation to cease substance abuse between teenager and young adult cocaine and/or crack users. Behaviors displayed by young adults involve greater physical, mental and social health damages. These findings reinforce the importance of public policy to act on prevention and promoting health, to increase protection factors among teenagers and lower risks and losses during adult life. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier Editora Ltda.

Protein Supplement Usage Among Male University Students: Comparisons Between Current and Previous Users.

PubMed

Sung, Youngmo; Choi, Jinkyung

2018-02-01

Interest in specialized dietary supplements is leading market growth, and protein supplements are popular for increasing muscle mass among young males. Therefore, this study investigated the attitudes toward and satisfaction with protein supplements to identify detailed consumer behaviors related to the consumption of protein supplements. The study sample includes male university students in their 20s in South Korea. In total, 223 responses were entered for analysis. Questions related to attitudes, satisfaction, and future behavioral intentions were asked using 5-point Likert scales. The responses were divided into two groups, current and previous users, to identify significant differences in terms of attitudes, satisfaction, and future behavioral intentions. A descriptive analysis, analysis of variance (ANOVA), and multiple regression were run. The majority of respondents prefer the powdered form of supplements in bulk with a price range between 30,000 won and 60,000 won. Online shopping was preferred, while word of mouth and friends/family were considered credible information sources. The most common side effects experienced were problems with digestion and hives, although more than 78% did not experience side effects. In comparison between current and previous users in terms of attitudes and satisfaction, the following areas showed significances. Regarding attitudes, the importance of brand, preference for products from overseas, the search for nutritional facts, and reading carefully all product information were significant, while regarding satisfaction, price, effectiveness, and ease of consumption were significant. All significances showed that current users had more positive attitudes and greater satisfaction. Overall, consumers' satisfaction regarding ease of consumption influenced future behavioral intentions. The market for protein supplements has been growing, so measuring consumers' attitudes and satisfaction would help attract potential consumers. In addition, analyzing previous users' opinions on products could guide product development and encourage customers to return for repurchase.

Influence of Social and Behavioural Characteristics of Users on Their Evaluation of Subjective Loudness and Acoustic Comfort in Shopping Malls

PubMed Central

Meng, Qi; Kang, Jian

2013-01-01

A large-scale subjective survey was conducted in six shopping malls in Harbin City, China, to determine the influence of social and behavioural characteristics of users on their evaluation of subjective loudness and acoustic comfort. The analysis of social characteristics shows that evaluation of subjective loudness is influenced by income and occupation, with correlation coefficients or contingency coefficients of 0.10 to 0.40 (p<0.05 or p<0.01). Meanwhile, evaluation of acoustic comfort evaluation is influenced by income, education level, and occupation, with correlation coefficients or contingency coefficients of 0.10 to 0.60 (p<0.05 or p<0.01). The effect of gender and age on evaluation of subjective loudness and acoustic comfort is statistically insignificant. The effects of occupation are mainly caused by the differences in income and education level, in which the effects of income are greater than that of education level. In terms of behavioural characteristics, evaluation of subjective loudness is influenced by the reason for visit, frequency of visit, and length of stay, with correlation coefficients or contingency coefficients of 0.10 to 0.40 (p<0.05 or p<0.01). Evaluation of acoustic comfort is influenced by the reason for visit to the site, the frequency of visit, length of stay, and also season of visit, with correlation coefficients of 0.10 to 0.30 (p<0.05 or p<0.01). In particular, users who are waiting for someone show lower evaluation of acoustic comfort, whereas users who go to shopping malls more than once a month show higher evaluation of acoustic comfort. On the contrary, the influence of the period of visit and the accompanying persons are found insignificant. PMID:23336003

Suicide Communication on Social Media and Its Psychological Mechanisms: An Examination of Chinese Microblog Users

PubMed Central

Cheng, Qijin; Kwok, Chi Leung; Zhu, Tingshao; Guan, Li; Yip, Paul S. F.

2015-01-01

Background: This study aims to examine the characteristics of people who talk about suicide on Chinese microblogs (referred to as Weibo suicide communication (WSC)), and the psychological antecedents of such behaviors. Methods: An online survey was conducted on Weibo users. Differences in psychological and social demographic characteristics between those who exhibited WSC and those who did not were examined. Three theoretical models were proposed to explain the psychological mechanisms of WSC and their fitness was examined by Structural Equation Modeling (SEM). Results: 12.03% of our respondents exhibited WSC in the past 12 months. The WSC group was significantly younger and less educated, preferred using blogs and online forums for expressing themselves, and reported significantly greater suicide ideation, negative affectivity, and vulnerable personality compared to non-WSC users. SEM examinations found that Weibo users with higher negative affectivity or/and suicidal ideation, who were also using blogs and forums more, exhibited a significantly higher possibility of WSC. Conclusion: Weibo users who are at greater suicide risk are more likely to talk about suicide on Weibo. WSC is a sign of negative affectivity or suicide ideation, and should be responded to with emotional support and suicide prevention services. PMID:26378566

Young adult Ecstasy users' enhancement of the effects of their Ecstasy use.

PubMed

Klein, Hugh; Elifson, Kirk W; Sterk, Claire E

2009-06-01

This study examines drug effect-enhancing behaviors practiced by young adult users of the drug, Ecstasy. Between August 2002 and August 2004, 283 face-to-face interviews were conducted with active Ecstasy users. Study participants were recruited in the Atlanta, Georgia metropolitan area using a targeted sampling approach. The large majority of study participants (87%) engaged in at least one behavior specifically designed to bolster the effects of their Ecstasy use, with 61% of the study participants reporting having engaged in at least three such behaviors during the past 30 days. Taking steps to boost one's Ecstasy-related high was associated with binging on Ecstasy and a variety of adverse outcomes, such as experiencing a greater number of negative consequences resulting from Ecstasy use and experiencing more Ecstasy-related drug dependency symptoms. Multivariate analysis revealed several factors associated with greater involvement in effects-boosting behaviors, including race (not being African American), spending time with other drug users, using Ecstasy for its touch-enhancing qualities, enjoyment of the music-and-Ecstasy-use experience, and childhood maltreatment experiences. The implications of these findings for treatment, prevention, and intervention for drug problems among Ecstasy users are discussed.

Suicide Communication on Social Media and Its Psychological Mechanisms: An Examination of Chinese Microblog Users.

PubMed

Cheng, Qijin; Kwok, Chi Leung; Zhu, Tingshao; Guan, Li; Yip, Paul S F

2015-09-11

This study aims to examine the characteristics of people who talk about suicide on Chinese microblogs (referred to as Weibo suicide communication (WSC)), and the psychological antecedents of such behaviors. An online survey was conducted on Weibo users. Differences in psychological and social demographic characteristics between those who exhibited WSC and those who did not were examined. Three theoretical models were proposed to explain the psychological mechanisms of WSC and their fitness was examined by Structural Equation Modeling (SEM). 12.03% of our respondents exhibited WSC in the past 12 months. The WSC group was significantly younger and less educated, preferred using blogs and online forums for expressing themselves, and reported significantly greater suicide ideation, negative affectivity, and vulnerable personality compared to non-WSC users. SEM examinations found that Weibo users with higher negative affectivity or/and suicidal ideation, who were also using blogs and forums more, exhibited a significantly higher possibility of WSC. Weibo users who are at greater suicide risk are more likely to talk about suicide on Weibo. WSC is a sign of negative affectivity or suicide ideation, and should be responded to with emotional support and suicide prevention services.

Survival and mortality among users and non-users of hydroxyurea with sickle cell disease

PubMed Central

de Araujo, Olinda Maria Rodrigues; Ivo, Maria Lúcia; Ferreira, Marcos Antonio; Pontes, Elenir Rose Jardim Cury; Bispo, Ieda Maria Gonçalves Pacce; de Oliveira, Eveny Cristine Luna

2015-01-01

OBJECTIVE: to estimate survival, mortality and cause of death among users or not of hydroxyurea with sickle cell disease. METHOD: cohort study with retrospective data collection, from 1980 to 2010 of patients receiving inpatient treatment in two Brazilian public hospitals. The survival probability was determined using the Kaplan-Meier estimator, survival calculations (SPSS version 10.0), comparison between survival curves, using the log rank method. The level of significance was p=0.05. RESULTS: of 63 patients, 87% had sickle cell anemia, with 39 using hydroxyurea, with a mean time of use of the drug of 20.0±10.0 years and a mean dose of 17.37±5.4 to 20.94±7.2 mg/kg/day, raising the fetal hemoglobin. In the comparison between those using hydroxyurea and those not, the survival curve was greater among the users (p=0.014). A total of 10 deaths occurred, with a mean age of 28.1 years old, and with Acute Respiratory Failure as the main cause. CONCLUSION: the survival curve is greater among the users of hydroxyurea. The results indicate the importance of the nurse incorporating therapeutic advances of hydroxyurea in her care actions. PMID:25806633

Survival and mortality among users and non-users of hydroxyurea with sickle cell disease.

PubMed

de Araujo, Olinda Maria Rodrigues; Ivo, Maria Lúcia; Ferreira Júnior, Marcos Antonio; Pontes, Elenir Rose Jardim Cury; Bispo, Ieda Maria Gonçalves Pacce; de Oliveira, Eveny Cristine Luna

2015-01-01

to estimate survival, mortality and cause of death among users or not of hydroxyurea with sickle cell disease. cohort study with retrospective data collection, from 1980 to 2010 of patients receiving inpatient treatment in two Brazilian public hospitals. The survival probability was determined using the Kaplan-Meier estimator, survival calculations (SPSS version 10.0), comparison between survival curves, using the log rank method. The level of significance was p=0.05. of 63 patients, 87% had sickle cell anemia, with 39 using hydroxyurea, with a mean time of use of the drug of 20.0±10.0 years and a mean dose of 17.37±5.4 to 20.94±7.2 mg/kg/day, raising the fetal hemoglobin. In the comparison between those using hydroxyurea and those not, the survival curve was greater among the users (p=0.014). A total of 10 deaths occurred, with a mean age of 28.1 years old, and with Acute Respiratory Failure as the main cause. the survival curve is greater among the users of hydroxyurea. The results indicate the importance of the nurse incorporating therapeutic advances of hydroxyurea in her care actions.

Leveraging Globus to Support Access and Delivery of Scientific Data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cram, T.; Schuster, D.; Ji, Z.; Worley, S. J.

2015-12-01

The NCAR Research Data Archive (RDA; http://rda.ucar.edu) contains a large and diverse collection of meteorological and oceanographic observations, operational and reanalysis outputs, and remote sensing datasets to support atmospheric and geoscience research. The RDA contains greater than 600 dataset collections which support the varying needs of a diverse user community. The number of RDA users is increasing annually, and the most popular method used to access the RDA data holdings is through web based protocols, such as wget and cURL based scripts. In the year 2014, 11,000 unique users downloaded greater than 1.1 petabytes of data from the RDA, and customized data products were prepared for more than 45,000 user-driven requests. In order to further support this increase in web download usage, the RDA has implemented the Globus data transfer service (www.globus.org) to provide a GridFTP data transfer option for the user community. The Globus service is broadly scalable, has an easy to install client, is sustainably supported, and provides a robust, efficient, and reliable data transfer option for the research community. This presentation will highlight the technical functionality, challenges, and usefulness of the Globus data transfer service for accessing the RDA data holdings.

Evaluation of the Responsiveness Index of the Family Health Strategy in rural areas.

PubMed

Shimizu, Helena Eri; Trindade, Josélia de Souza; Mesquita, Monique Santos de; Ramos, Maíra Catharina

2018-01-01

Objective To evaluate the responsiveness of Family Health Strategy units in the rural area of the Federal District registered in the National Program for Improvement of Access and Quality of Basic Care. Method Descriptive study, which used a questionnaire to evaluate the following dimensions: a) respect for people: dignity, confidentiality of information, autonomy, communication; b) customer orientation: facilities, choice of the professional, agile service and social support. Results The users' assessment of responsiveness was 0.755. The dimensions related to respect for people received an index of 0.814 and customer orientation was 0.599. Conclusion Care is given that shows respect for human dignity, but progress needs to be made in building confidentiality and the autonomy of users. Infrastructure is poor and care is not agile, highlighting the need for greater investments in rural areas.

Effects of health decentralization, financing and governance in Mexico.

PubMed

Arredondo, Armando; Orozco, Emanuel

2006-02-01

To identify the effects of decentralization on health financing and governance policies in Mexico from the perspective of users and providers. A cross-sectional study was carried out in four states that were selected according to geopolitical and administrative criteria. Four indicators were assessed: changes and effects on governance, financing sources and funds, the final destination of resources, and fund allocation mechanisms. Data collection was performed using in-depth interviews with health system key personnel and community leaders, consensus techniques and document analyses. The interviews were transcribed and analyzed by thematic segmentation. The results show different effectiveness levels for the four states regarding changes in financing policies and community participation. Effects on health financing after decentralization were identified in each state, including: greater participation of municipal and state governments in health expenditure, increased financial participation of households, greater community participation in low-income states, duality and confusion in the new mechanisms for coordination among the three government levels, absence of an accountability system, lack of human resources and technical skills to implement, monitor and evaluate changes in financing. In general, positive and negative effects of decentralization on health financing and governance were identified. The effects mentioned by health service providers and users were related to a diversification of financing sources, a greater margin for decisions around the use and final destination of financial resources and normative development for the use of resources. At the community level, direct financial contributions were mentioned, as well as in-kind contributions, particularly in the form of community work.

Peer Standing and Substance Use in Early-Adolescent Grade-Level Networks: A Short-Term Longitudinal Study

PubMed Central

Killeya-Jones, Ley A.; Nakajima, Ryo; Costanzo, Philip R.

2009-01-01

Two competing hypotheses were tested concerning the associations between current alcohol and cigarette use and measures of individual, group and network peer standing in an ethnically-diverse sample of 156 male and female adolescents sampled at two time points in the seventh grade. Findings lent greater support to the person hypothesis, with early regular substance users enjoying elevated standing amongst their peers and maintaining this standing regardless of their maintenance of or desistance from current use later in the school year. In the fall semester, users (n=20, 13%) had greater social impact, were described by their peers as more popular, and were more central to the peer network than abstainers (i.e., those who did not report current use). Conversely, in the spring semester, there were no differences between users (n=22, 13%) and abstainers in peer ratings of popularity or social impact. Notably, the spring semester users group retained fewer than half of the users from the fall semester. Further, students who had reported current use in the fall, as a group, retained their positions of elevated peer standing in the spring, compared to all other students, and continued to be rated by their peers as more popular and as having greater social impact. We discuss the findings in terms of the benefit of employing simultaneous systemic and individual measures of peer standing or group prominence, which in the case of peer-based prevention programs, can help clarify the truly influential from the “pretenders” in the case of diffusion of risk-related behaviors. PMID:17013672

Deficits of long-term memory in ecstasy users are related to cognitive complexity of the task.

PubMed

Brown, John; McKone, Elinor; Ward, Jeff

2010-03-01

Despite animal evidence that methylenedioxymethamphetamine (ecstasy) causes lasting damage in brain regions related to long-term memory, results regarding human memory performance have been variable. This variability may reflect the cognitive complexity of the memory tasks. However, previous studies have tested only a limited range of cognitive complexity. Furthermore, comparisons across different studies are made difficult by regional variations in ecstasy composition and patterns of use. The objective of this study is to evaluate ecstasy-related deficits in human verbal memory over a wide range of cognitive complexity using subjects drawn from a single geographical population. Ecstasy users were compared to non-drug using controls on verbal tasks with low cognitive complexity (stem completion), moderate cognitive complexity (stem-cued recall and word list learning) and high cognitive complexity (California Verbal Learning Test, Verbal Paired Associates and a novel Verbal Triplet Associates test). Where significant differences were found, both groups were also compared to cannabis users. More cognitively complex memory tasks were associated with clearer ecstasy-related deficits than low complexity tasks. In the most cognitively demanding task, ecstasy-related deficits remained even after multiple learning opportunities, whereas the performance of cannabis users approached that of non-drug using controls. Ecstasy users also had weaker deliberate strategy use than both non-drug and cannabis controls. Results were consistent with the proposal that ecstasy-related memory deficits are more reliable on tasks with greater cognitive complexity. This could arise either because such tasks require a greater contribution from the frontal lobe or because they require greater interaction between multiple brain regions.

Unrestricted access to methamphetamine or cocaine in the past is associated with increased current use

PubMed Central

Culbertson, C.; De La Garza, R.; Costello, M.; Newton, T. F.

2009-01-01

Laboratory animals allowed to self-administer stimulants for extended periods of time escalate drug intake compared to animals that self-administer under temporally limited conditions. To our knowledge, this phenomenon has not been systematically investigated in humans. We interviewed 106 (77 male, 29 female) methamphetamine (Meth) and 96 (81 male, 15 female) cocaine (Coc) users to determine if they had experienced discrete period(s) of unrestricted access to unlimited quantities of Meth or Coc in the past. Fifty-eight Meth users and 53 Coc users reported having a discrete period of unrestricted access in the past, but not in the present. Meth-using participants with a prior history of unrestricted access reported significantly more current Meth use, compared to Meth users with no prior history of unrestricted access. Specifically, these participants reported more days used in the past 30 d, more days of use per week, greater use per day and greater total use per week (p<0.05 for each). Coc-using participants with a prior history of unrestricted access also reported significantly more current Coc use, compared to Coc users with no prior history of unrestricted access. This was true across all measures of current use for these participants, including more days used in the past 30 d, more days of use per week, greater use per day, and higher total use per week (p<0.02 for each). Taken together, these results suggest that a history of unrestricted access to stimulants is associated with long-lasting increases in stimulant use. PMID:19220922

"Retweet to Pass the Blunt": Analyzing Geographic and Content Features of Cannabis-Related Tweeting Across the United States.

PubMed

Daniulaityte, Raminta; Lamy, Francois R; Smith, G Alan; Nahhas, Ramzi W; Carlson, Robert G; Thirunarayan, Krishnaprasad; Martins, Silvia S; Boyer, Edward W; Sheth, Amit

2017-11-01

Twitter data offer new possibilities for tracking health-related communications. This study is among the first to apply advanced information processing to identify geographic and content features of cannabis-related tweeting in the United States. Tweets were collected using streaming Application Programming Interface (March-May 2016) and were processed by eDrugTrends to identify geolocation and classify content by source (personal communication, media, retail) and sentiment (positive, negative, neutral). States were grouped by cannabis legalization policies into "recreational," "medical, less restrictive," "medical, more restrictive," and "illegal." Permutation tests were performed to analyze differences among four groups in adjusted percentages of all tweets, unique users, personal communications only, and positive-to-negative sentiment ratios. About 30% of all 13,233,837 cannabis-related tweets had identifiable state-level geo-information. Among geolocated tweets, 76.2% were personal communications, 21.1% media, and 2.7% retail. About 71% of personal communication tweets expressed positive sentiment toward cannabis; 16% expressed negative sentiment. States in the recreational group had significantly greater average adjusted percentage of cannabis tweets (3.01%) compared with other groups. For personal communication tweets only, the recreational group (2.47%) was significantly greater than the medical, more restrictive (1.84%) and illegal (1.85%) groups. Similarly, the recreational group had significantly greater average positive-to-negative sentiment ratio (4.64) compared with the medical, more restrictive (4.15) and illegal (4.19) groups. Average adjusted percentages of unique users showed similar differences between recreational and other groups. States with less restrictive policies displayed greater cannabis-related tweeting and conveyed more positive sentiment. The study demonstrates the potential of Twitter data to become a valuable indicator of drug-related communications in the context of varying policy environments.

Comparing live to recorded speech in training the perception of spectrally shifted noise-vocoded speech.

PubMed

Faulkner, Andrew; Rosen, Stuart; Green, Tim

2012-10-01

Two experimental groups were trained for 2 h with live or recorded speech that was noise-vocoded and spectrally shifted and was from the same text and talker. These two groups showed equivalent improvements in performance for vocoded and shifted sentences, and the group trained with recorded speech showed consistently greater improvements than untrained controls. Another group trained with unshifted noise-vocoded speech improved no more than untrained controls. Computer-based training thus appears at least as effective as labor-intensive live-voice training for improving the perception of spectrally shifted noise-vocoded speech, and by implication, for training of users of cochlear implants.

Online Dating Across the Life Span: Users' Relationship Goals

PubMed Central

Menkin, Josephine A.; Robles, Theodore F.; Wiley, Joshua F.; Gonzaga, Gian C.

2015-01-01

Utilizing data from an eHarmony.com relationship questionnaire completed by new users (N = 5,434), this study identifies prioritized goals in new romantic relationships and whether importance of these goals differ by participants' age and gender. Overall, users valued interpersonal communication more than sex appeal. Older users rated sexual attraction as slightly less important than younger users did, but they still highly valued the goal. Women placed even greater emphasis on communication over sexual attraction compared to men. However, although men valued sexual attraction more than women at all ages, only the youngest women valued interpersonal communication more than young men. PMID:26479015

Online dating across the life span: Users' relationship goals.

PubMed

Menkin, Josephine A; Robles, Theodore F; Wiley, Joshua F; Gonzaga, Gian C

2015-12-01

Utilizing data from an eHarmony.com relationship questionnaire completed by new users (N = 5,434), this study identifies prioritized goals in new romantic relationships and whether importance of these goals differs by participants' age and gender. Overall, users valued interpersonal communication more than sex appeal. Older users rated sexual attraction as slightly less important than younger users did, but they still highly valued the goal. Women placed even greater emphasis on communication over sexual attraction compared to men. However, although men valued sexual attraction more than women at all ages, only the youngest women valued interpersonal communication more than young men. (c) 2015 APA, all rights reserved).

36 CFR § 1194.31 - Functional performance criteria.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... information retrieval that does not require user vision shall be provided, or support for assistive technology... and information retrieval that does not require visual acuity greater than 20/70 shall be provided in... information retrieval that does not require user hearing shall be provided, or support for assistive...

User Choice.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smith, Joy Selby

In vocational education and training (VET), user choice is a means of achieving a more client-responsive training system by allowing clients to have greater choice over how their training needs are met. Funding arrangements linked in some direct way to the expressed demands of individual clients are essential for effective operation of a user…

Physical appearance concerns are uniquely associated with the severity of steroid dependence and depression in anabolic-androgenic steroid users.

PubMed

Griffiths, Scott; Jacka, Brendan; Degenhardt, Louisa; Murray, Stuart B; Larance, Briony

2018-02-27

Emerging research suggests that the sub-population of anabolic-androgenic steroid (AAS) users who experience physical appearance concerns may suffer greater psychological dysfunction than other sub-populations, including users with athletic or occupational concerns. Thus, among current AAS users, we sought to determine whether, and to what extent, social physique anxiety-an established measure of appearance concern-was associated with psychological dysfunction. Interviews were conducted with a sample of 74 male AAS users living in Australia. Users completed self-report instruments of the severity of AAS dependence, depression, hazardous and risky drinking, use of non-AAS illicit drugs, psychological side-effects due to AAS use and abnormal test results due to AAS use. Multivariate analyses revealed that greater social physique anxiety was uniquely associated with more severe symptoms of both AAS dependence and depression. Moreover, the effect size of these relationships was large. Social physique anxiety was not associated with hazardous or risky drinking, non-AAS illicit drug use, psychological side-effects or abnormal test results. Limitations notwithstanding, the study is consistent with the notion that AAS users who experience appearance concerns are at heightened risk of co-morbid psychological dysfunction. Given trends indicating an increase in the prevalence of AAS use in Australia and elsewhere, the findings suggest that health-care systems may need to consider prioritising the sub-population of AAS users who experience appearance concerns. Further investigation of the clinical syndrome of AAS dependence is required, including its relation to body image and eating disorders. © 2018 Australasian Professional Society on Alcohol and other Drugs.

Tracking Young Adults' Attitudes Toward Tobacco Marketing Using Ecological Momentary Assessment (EMA).

PubMed

Roberts, Megan E; Lu, Bo; Browning, Christopher R; Ferketich, Amy K

2017-07-29

Decades of research demonstrate the pernicious effects of targeted cigarette marketing on young people. Now, with tobacco marketing shifting toward greater incorporation of alternative products, it is critical to identify current attitudes toward the new landscape of tobacco advertisements. The purpose of this study was to understand the present landscape of tobacco marketing to which young adults are exposed, and to assess how they respond to it. During 2015-2016, we used ecological momentary assessment (EMA), in which 44 young adults (aged 18-28) carried smartphones equipped with a survey app. Seventy-seven percent were ever-users of tobacco and 29.5% were intermittent users of tobacco (someday users of cigarettes and/or those who used another tobacco product >5 times within the past year). For ten days, participants were prompted at three random times/day to complete a brief survey about their exposures and responses to tobacco-related advertising. Analyses used t-test and multilevel modeling. Intermittent users reported greater exposure than non-intermittent users to tobacco advertising. Further, both intermittent and ever-users reported more positive attitudes toward the tobacco advertising. Of the tobacco advertisements reported, 22% were for products unregulated by the FDA at the time of data collection. Conclusions/Importance: These findings indicate that young adults, and especially young adults who use tobacco, are exposed to a fair amount of tobacco advertising on a weekly basis. As the tobacco users in our sample were largely experimental and occasional users, these marketing exposures could put young adults at risk for progression toward regular use.

Falls and Frailty in Prostate Cancer Survivors: Current, Past, and Never Users of Androgen Deprivation Therapy.

PubMed

Winters-Stone, Kerri M; Moe, Esther; Graff, Julie N; Dieckmann, Nathan F; Stoyles, Sydnee; Borsch, Carolyn; Alumkal, Joshi J; Amling, Christopher L; Beer, Tomasz M

2017-07-01

To compare the prevalence of and association between falls and frailty of prostate cancer survivors (PCSs) who were current, past or never users of androgen deprivation therapy (ADT). Cross-sectional. Mail and electronic survey. PCSs (N = 280; mean age 72 ± 8). Cancer history, falls, and frailty status (robust, prefrail, frail) using traditionally defined and obese phenotypes. Current (37%) or past (34%) ADT users were more than twice as likely to have fallen in the previous year as never users (15%) (P = .002). ADT users had twice as many recurrent falls (P < .001) and more fall-related injuries than unexposed men (P = .01). Current (43%) or past (40%) ADT users were more likely to be classified as prefrail or frail than never users (15%) (P < .001), and the prevalence of combined obese frailty + prefrailty was even greater in current (59%) or past (62%) ADT users than never users (25%) (P < .001). Traditional and obese frailty significantly increased the likelihood of reporting falls in the previous year (odds ratio (OR) = 2.15, 95% CI = 1.18-3.94 and OR = 2.97, 95% CI = 1.62-5.58, respectively) and was also associated with greater risk of recurrent falls (OR = 3.10, 95% CI = 1.48-6.5 and OR = 3.99, 95% CI = 1.79-8.89, respectively). Current and past exposure to ADT is linked to higher risk of falls and frailty than no treatment. PCSs should be appropriately counseled on fall prevention strategies, and approaches to reduce frailty should be considered. © 2017, Copyright the Authors Journal compilation © 2017, The American Geriatrics Society.

Transfer Technique Is Associated With Shoulder Pain and Pathology in People With Spinal Cord Injury: A Cross-Sectional Investigation.

PubMed

Hogaboom, Nathan S; Worobey, Lynn A; Boninger, Michael L

2016-10-01

To evaluate how transfer technique and subject characteristics relate to ultrasound measures of shoulder soft tissue pathology and self-reported shoulder pain during transfers in a sample of wheelchair users with spinal cord injury (SCI). Cross-sectional observational study. Research laboratory, national and local veterans' wheelchair sporting events. A convenience sample of wheelchair users (N=76) with nonprogressive SCI. Participants were aged >18 years, >1 year postinjury, and could complete repeated independent wheelchair transfers without the use of their leg muscles. Not applicable. Transfer pain items from the Wheelchair User's Shoulder Pain Index; transfer technique assessed using the Transfer Assessment Instrument (TAI); and shoulder pathology markers examined using the Ultrasound Shoulder Pathology Rating Scale (USPRS). Better transfer technique (higher TAI) correlated with less injury (lower USPRS) (partial η(2)=.062, P<.05) and less pain during transfers (partial η(2)=.049, P<.10). Greater age was the strongest predictor of greater pathology (USPRS total: partial η(2)=.225, supraspinatus grade: partial η(2)=.174, P<.01). An interaction between technique and weight was found (P<.10): participants with lower body weights showed a decrease in pathology markers with better transfer technique (low weight: R(2)=.422, P<.05; middle weight: R(2)=.200, P<.01), while those with higher weight showed little change with technique (R(2)=.018, P>.05). Participants with better transfer technique exhibited less shoulder pathology and reported less pain during transfers. The relationship between technique and pathology was strongest in lower-weight participants. While causation cannot be proven because of study design, it is possible that using a better transfer technique and optimizing body weight could reduce the incidence of shoulder pathology and pain. Copyright © 2016 American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Clinical and psycho-social profile of child and adolescent mental health care users and services at an urban child mental health clinic in South Africa.

PubMed

Raman, N; Janse van Rensburg, A B

2013-09-01

National and international child and adolescent mental healthcare policy and action advocate that the health and well being of children should be increasingly given greater attention. The purpose of this study was to describe the demographic, socio economic and clinical profile of the users at the child and adolescent mental health clinic of the Rahima Moosa Mother and Child Hospital (RMMCH). A descriptive, retrospective clinical audit from users' clinical files was performed over a one-year period from January to December 2007. Descriptive statistical analyses of demographic and socio-economic variables were made and these variables were compared with the presenting clinical problems. Odds ratios were calculated for variables that showed a statistically significant association (p-value less than 0.05). A total of 303 users attended this clinic. Statistical comparisons between demographic data and disorders revealed that being male increased the likelihood of presenting with AHDH and disruptive behaviour disorders; being female increased the likelihood of being sexually abused. Race showed a significant association with parent-child relationship difficulties. Regarding socio-economic variables, the identity of the caregiver of the child influenced the risk of disruptive behaviour disorders, sexual abuse, neglect and academic problems. Where the child was placed was a risk factor for disruptive behaviour disorders, sexual abuse, neglect and academic problems. Whether the mother of a user was alive or deceased, was found to be related to ADHD and disruptive behaviour and whether the father of a user was alive or deceased, was found to be related to sexual abuse and academic problems. The education level of the caregiver showed a significant association with sexual abuse, neglect and academic problems; the marital status of the parent (widowed mother) showed a significant association with bereavement. Household income was associated with sexual abuse, neglect and academic problems. This study demonstrated the impact that socio-economic circumstances have on the prevalence of childhood disorders; hence the urgent need for government and social welfare departments to improve the socio-economic status of communities. There is a need to improve psychiatric services for the population served by this hospital, including more clinics in its catchment area, as well as child psychiatry training posts and extended social work services.

Cloud Computing and the Power to Choose

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bristow, Rob; Dodds, Ted; Northam, Richard; Plugge, Leo

2010-01-01

Some of the most significant changes in information technology are those that have given the individual user greater power to choose. The first of these changes was the development of the personal computer. The PC liberated the individual user from the limitations of the mainframe and minicomputers and from the rules and regulations of centralized…

Public Opinion toward User Fees in Public Libraries.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kinnucan, Mark T.; Estabrook, Leigh; Ferguson, Mark R.

1998-01-01

A reanalysis of data from a national telephone poll (n1181) conducted in 1991 determined that if local libraries faced a fiscal crisis, 47% favored raising taxes, 44% preferred instituting user fees, and 9% advocated reducing services. Frequent library use, urban residence, higher level of education, and greater income were associated with a…

78 FR 73577 - Self-Regulatory Organizations; BATS Exchange, Inc.; Notice of Filing and Immediate Effectiveness...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-12-06

...)(ii). Overview Currently, the Exchange's Risk Monitor Mechanism operates by the System maintaining a... Makers and other Users with greater control and flexibility with respect to managing risk and the manner...'', in order to modify the risk monitoring functionality offered to all Users \\5\\ of the BATS equity...

Access to Microsoft Windows 95 for Persons with Low Vision: An Overview.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shragai, Y.

1995-01-01

This article examines Windows 95, pointing out differences and improvements from Windows 3.1 for persons with low vision. Windows 95 is seen as providing substantially greater accessibility than Windows 3.1, though the graphical user interface may still pose serious problems for some users with low vision. (DB)

Delivering Health Information via Podcast or Web: Media Effects on Psychosocial and Physiological Responses

PubMed Central

Turner-McGrievy, Gabrielle; Kalyanaraman, Sri; Campbell, Marci K.

2016-01-01

This study explored differences in psychosocial and physiological variables in response to being presented with information on weight loss through either reading text on a website or listening to the same information via podcast. Participants were randomized to receive a weight loss website (n = 20) or podcast (n = 20). Participants had skin conductance levels measured and completed questionnaire items assessing demographic characteristics, user control, novelty, and knowledge. Participants in the podcast group exhibited greater levels of physiological arousal and reported the intervention to be more novel than those in the Web group; however, the Web group reported greater user control. There was no difference in knowledge between the groups. This study presents the first step in examining the role that novelty and user control may play in two different weight-loss electronic media, as well as differences in knowledge acquisition. Future research should explore adding additional media features, such as video content, to the podcasts and websites in order to optimize fully the different mediums and to examine whether user control and novelty are potential mediators of weight loss outcomes. PMID:22420785

Evaluation of problematic psychoactive substances use in people placed in police custody.

PubMed

Gérardin, Marie; Guigand, Gabriel; Wainstein, Laura; Jolliet, Pascale; Victorri-Vigneau, Caroline; Clément, Renaud

2017-07-01

In France, the law states that any person held in custody could be examined by a doctor. The main objective of the medical examination is to give medical evidence of health compatibility with custody. This review identifies health risks such as addictive behaviour. We wanted to know which psychoactive substances are used in this particular population, and how problematic these uses are. A prospective, monocentric, open-ended study conducted via a structured questionnaire was carried out on detainees who reported having taken drugs or illegal substances. Practitioners investigated desired effects for each substance, and characteristics of use, by means of the dependence criteria of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 4th edition (American Psychiatric Association, 1994). Problematic use was assessed when at least 3 items of the DSM IV were positive. 604 questionnaires were examined. 90.7% of questionnaires reported tobacco use, 76.2% cannabis, 57.3% alcohol, 12.5% psychostimulants, 10.0% opiates and 0.7% benzodiazepines or Z-drugs. The frequency of problematic use was 74.6% for opiates, 44.9% for cocaine and 25.3% for cannabis. Compared to non-problematic users, problematic users were older, more likely to be jobless without financial means, more likely to have a medical history, including a greater likelihood of mental illness, and more chance of undergoing prescribed medical treatment. They included more women and more homeless people. These results show characteristics of psychoactive substance use in a sample of people in custody. Psychoactive substances mentioned by respondents are not different from those observed in the general population, but for certain users, the desired effects are far from the pharmacologically expected ones. For some, taking substances seems to be part of their way of life, for others it is a means to compensate for an underlying feeling of uneasiness. Furthermore, problematic users present severity criteria which seem to be greater than in psychoactive substance users in the general population. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd and Faculty of Forensic and Legal Medicine. All rights reserved.

Postmenopausal vaginal atrophy: evaluation of treatment with local estrogen therapy

PubMed Central

Minkin, Mary Jane; Maamari, Ricardo; Reiter, Suzanne

2014-01-01

Postmenopausal vaginal atrophy, resulting from decreased estrogen production, frequently requires treatment. Estrogen preparations provide the most effective treatment; local application is preferred to systemic drugs when treating only vaginal symptoms. As local estrogen therapies have comparable efficacy, this study aimed to understand treatment practices, assess experiences with different forms of local estrogen-delivering applicators, and evaluate satisfaction. Women who were US residents aged ≥18 years, menopausal (no spontaneous menstrual period for ≥1 year or with a double oophorectomy), and receiving local estrogen therapy for 1–6 months (vaginal cream [supplied with a reusable applicator] or vaginal tablets [supplied with a single-use/disposable applicator]), completed an online questionnaire. Data from 200 women (100 cream users and 100 tablet users; mean therapy duration 3.48 months) showed that most stored medication in the room in which it was applied (88%) and applied it at bedtime (71%), a procedure for which cream users required, on average, more than twice the time of tablet users (5.08 minutes versus 2.48 minutes). Many cream users applied larger-than-prescribed amounts of cream, attempting to achieve greater efficacy (42%), or lower-than-recommended doses (45%), most frequently to avoid messiness (33%) or leakage (30%). More tablet users (69%) than cream users (14%) were “extremely satisfied” with their applicator. Postmenopausal women using local estrogen therapy were generally more satisfied with the application of vaginal tablets than cream. Patient satisfaction may help to facilitate accurate dosing. Positive perceptions of medication will help to optimize treatment, which, although not assessed in this study, is likely, in turn, to improve vaginal health. PMID:24648772

Specializing network analysis to detect anomalous insider actions

PubMed Central

Chen, You; Nyemba, Steve; Zhang, Wen; Malin, Bradley

2012-01-01

Collaborative information systems (CIS) enable users to coordinate efficiently over shared tasks in complex distributed environments. For flexibility, they provide users with broad access privileges, which, as a side-effect, leave such systems vulnerable to various attacks. Some of the more damaging malicious activities stem from internal misuse, where users are authorized to access system resources. A promising class of insider threat detection models for CIS focuses on mining access patterns from audit logs, however, current models are limited in that they assume organizations have significant resources to generate label cases for training classifiers or assume the user has committed a large number of actions that deviate from “normal” behavior. In lieu of the previous assumptions, we introduce an approach that detects when specific actions of an insider deviate from expectation in the context of collaborative behavior. Specifically, in this paper, we introduce a specialized network anomaly detection model, or SNAD, to detect such events. This approach assesses the extent to which a user influences the similarity of the group of users that access a particular record in the CIS. From a theoretical perspective, we show that the proposed model is appropriate for detecting insider actions in dynamic collaborative systems. From an empirical perspective, we perform an extensive evaluation of SNAD with the access logs of two distinct environments: the patient record access logs a large electronic health record system (6,015 users, 130,457 patients and 1,327,500 accesses) and the editing logs of Wikipedia (2,394,385 revisors, 55,200 articles and 6,482,780 revisions). We compare our model with several competing methods and demonstrate SNAD is significantly more effective: on average it achieves 20–30% greater area under an ROC curve. PMID:23399988

Cannabis use is quantitatively associated with nucleus accumbens and amygdala abnormalities in young adult recreational users.

PubMed

Gilman, Jodi M; Kuster, John K; Lee, Sang; Lee, Myung Joo; Kim, Byoung Woo; Makris, Nikos; van der Kouwe, Andre; Blood, Anne J; Breiter, Hans C

2014-04-16

Marijuana is the most commonly used illicit drug in the United States, but little is known about its effects on the human brain, particularly on reward/aversion regions implicated in addiction, such as the nucleus accumbens and amygdala. Animal studies show structural changes in brain regions such as the nucleus accumbens after exposure to Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol, but less is known about cannabis use and brain morphometry in these regions in humans. We collected high-resolution MRI scans on young adult recreational marijuana users and nonusing controls and conducted three independent analyses of morphometry in these structures: (1) gray matter density using voxel-based morphometry, (2) volume (total brain and regional volumes), and (3) shape (surface morphometry). Gray matter density analyses revealed greater gray matter density in marijuana users than in control participants in the left nucleus accumbens extending to subcallosal cortex, hypothalamus, sublenticular extended amygdala, and left amygdala, even after controlling for age, sex, alcohol use, and cigarette smoking. Trend-level effects were observed for a volume increase in the left nucleus accumbens only. Significant shape differences were detected in the left nucleus accumbens and right amygdala. The left nucleus accumbens showed salient exposure-dependent alterations across all three measures and an altered multimodal relationship across measures in the marijuana group. These data suggest that marijuana exposure, even in young recreational users, is associated with exposure-dependent alterations of the neural matrix of core reward structures and is consistent with animal studies of changes in dendritic arborization.

Inhibitory Control and Impulsivity Levels in Women Crack Users.

PubMed

Hess, Adriana Raquel Binsfeld; Menezes, Carolina B; de Almeida, Rosa Maria Martins

2018-05-12

investigate impulsivity levels and inhibitory control in women crack users and explore the relationships between impulsivity and inhibitory control. 52 healthy women (M = 32.83 years; SD = 9.54) and 46 crack cocaine users (M = 31.02 years; SD = 7.73), in abstinence, performed the assessment protocol included a Sociodemographic Data Questionnaire, Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), a GO/No-Go Task and the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale-11 (BIS-11). It was a quantitative research with cross-sectional design and control group. crack group showed higher levels of impulsivity in all domains when compared to the control group (crack group M = 76.39, SD = 11.39, control group M = 58.53, SD = 10.76, p <.01). Participants from the crack group presented a significantly higher total reaction time in the Go-NoGo task (F(1,93) = 9.93, p =.002; effect size =.09, observed power =.87) and significantly more commission (F(1,93) = 7.20, p =.009; effect size =.07, observed power =.75) and omission errors (F(1,93) = 6.04, p =.01; effect size =.06, observed power =.68), in Go/NoGo Task. Groups did also significantly differ on total standard deviations suggesting that variability in total reaction time was significantly greater in the crack group. Results showed that only in the crack group there were significant correlations between Go-NoGo parameters and Barratt Impulsiveness Scale. Our findings are consistent that impulsivity and inhibitory control are closely linked to crack use in women. Future studies should consider to evaluate crack users in different withdrawal times, controlling the impact of abstinence time in the variables studied.

Characterizing marijuana concentrate users: A web-based survey.

PubMed

Daniulaityte, Raminta; Lamy, Francois R; Barratt, Monica; Nahhas, Ramzi W; Martins, Silvia S; Boyer, Edward W; Sheth, Amit; Carlson, Robert G

2017-09-01

The study seeks to characterize marijuana concentrate users, describe reasons and patterns of use, perceived risk, and identify predictors of daily/near daily use. An anonymous web-based survey was conducted (April-June 2016) with 673 US-based cannabis users recruited via the Bluelight.org web-forum and included questions about marijuana concentrate use, other drugs, and socio-demographics. Multivariable logistic regression analyses were conducted to identify characteristics associated with greater odds of lifetime and daily use of marijuana concentrates. About 66% of respondents reported marijuana concentrate use. The sample was 76% male, and 87% white. Marijuana concentrate use was viewed as riskier than flower cannabis. Greater odds of marijuana concentrate use was associated with living in states with "recreational" (AOR=4.91; p=0.001) or "medical, less restrictive" marijuana policies (AOR=1.87; p=0.014), being male (AOR=2.21, p=0.002), younger (AOR=0.95, p<0.001), number of other drugs used (AOR=1.23, p<0.001), daily herbal cannabis use (AOR=4.28, p<0.001), and lower perceived risk of cannabis use (AOR=0.96, p=0.043). About 13% of marijuana concentrate users reported daily/near daily use. Greater odds of daily concentrate use was associated with being male (AOR=9.29, p=0.033), using concentrates for therapeutic purposes (AOR=7.61, p=0.001), using vape pens for marijuana concentrate administration (AOR=4.58, p=0.007), and lower perceived risk of marijuana concentrate use (AOR=0.92, p=0.017). Marijuana concentrate use was more common among male, younger and more experienced users, and those living in states with more liberal marijuana policies. Characteristics of daily users, in particular patterns of therapeutic use and utilization of different vaporization devices, warrant further research with community-recruited samples. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Service user involvement for mental health system strengthening in India: a qualitative study.

PubMed

Samudre, Sandesh; Shidhaye, Rahul; Ahuja, Shalini; Nanda, Sharmishtha; Khan, Azaz; Evans-Lacko, Sara; Hanlon, Charlotte

2016-07-28

There is a wide recognition that involvement of service users and their caregivers in health system policy and planning processes can strengthen health systems; however, most evidence and experience has come from high-income countries. This study aimed to explore baseline experiences, barriers and facilitators to service user-caregiver involvement in the emerging mental health system in India, and stakeholders' perspectives on how greater involvement could be achieved. A qualitative study was conducted in Sehore district of Madhya Pradesh, India. In-depth interviews (n = 27) and a focus group discussion were conducted among service users, caregivers and their representatives at district, state and national levels and policy makers, service providers and mental health researchers. The topic guide explored the baseline situation in India, barriers and facilitators to service user and caregiver involvement in the following aspects of mental health systems: policy-making and planning, service development, monitoring and quality control, as well as research. Framework analysis was employed. Respondents spoke of the limited involvement of service users and caregivers in the current Indian mental health system. The major reported barriers to this involvement were (1) unmet treatment and economic needs arising from low access to mental health services coupled with the high burden of illness, (2) pervasive stigmatising attitudes operating at the level of service user, caregiver, community, healthcare provider and healthcare administrators, and (3) entrenched power differentials between service providers and service users. Respondents prioritised greater involvement of service users in the planning of their own individual-level mental health care before considering involvement at the mental health system level. A stepwise progression was endorsed, starting from needs assessment, through empowerment and organization of service users and caregivers, leading finally to meaningful involvement. Societal and system level barriers need to be addressed in order to facilitate the involvement of service users and caregivers to strengthen the Indian mental health system. Shifting from a largely 'provider-centric' to a more 'user-centric' model of mental health care may be a fundamental first step to sustainable user involvement at the system level.

Mental Disorders and Work Integration: A Retrospective Study in a Northern Italian Town

PubMed Central

Buizza, Chiara; Pioli, Rosaria; Lecchi, Sara; Bonetto, Chiara; Bartoli, Anna; Taglietti, Renzo; Ghilardi, Alberto; Riva, Eugenio

2014-01-01

Objectives: The present study was conducted in a vocational integration service of a northern Italian town with two major aims: to assess vocational integration programs undertaken from 1st January 2004 to 1st January 2007; and to identify job tenure-associated predictors. Methods: This is a retrospective study; we collected data such as gender, age, duration, type and outcome of the vocational integration program, and number of interventions performed by the vocational integration service. Self-report questionnaires were also used to assess the satisfaction of users, caregivers, practitioners, and of the company contacts involved in the study. Results: The service has enrolled 84 users during the observation period. Out of these users, 64.3% of them still had their jobs after three years. Users, caregivers and company contacts expressed high levels of satisfaction for the support received by the vocational integration service. The company expressed less satisfaction for the collaboration received by the Departments of Mental Health (DMHs) that coached the users. The only variable associated to the outcome was the number of interventions that the users received before their placement on the job. Conclusions: Despite all the limits of this study, its results show that the chance of taking advantage of a supported job placement service has likely proven itself effective in helping people with mental disorders to obtain and maintain a competitive employment. Our results, however, also point to the necessity of implementing newer strategies meant to develop a greater integration among all services dealing with mentally ill people. PMID:24600480

Patterns and Correlates of Polytobacco Use in the United States over a Decade: NSDUH 2002–2011

PubMed Central

Fix, Brian V.; O’Connor, Richard J.; Vogl, Lisa; Smith, Danielle; Bansal-Travers, Maansi; Conway, Kevin P.; Ambrose, Bridget; Yang, Ling; Hyland, Andrew

2014-01-01

Background Few studies have examined the patterns and correlates of polytobacco use among a large, nationally representative population over an extended period of time. Methods This study examined 10 years of data from the National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) to establish time trends and correlates for exclusive and mixed use of cigarettes, smokeless tobacco (SLT), cigars, and pipes. Results Results show that rates of polytobacco use were essentially unchanged from 2002–2011 (8.7% to 7.4%), though some product combinations, including cigarettes and SLT, cigars and SLT, and use of more than two products have increased. In tobacco users under age 26, the proportion of polytobacco use increased, even as overall tobacco use declined. The factors associated with polytobacco use among tobacco users included sex, income, education, risk taking/seeking behaviors, and outward indicators of ‘risk-liability’. Conclusions Findings provide a snapshot of trends of single and polytobacco product use as well as trends in combinations of product use. Longitudinal studies are needed to examine the sequence of individual patterns of tobacco product use and to identify whether polytobacco use results in greater nicotine dependence, increased exposure to harmful and potentially harmful constituents and/or greater risk of tobacco related disease. PMID:24457900

Understanding reactions to an internet-delivered health-care intervention: accommodating user preferences for information provision.

PubMed

Yardley, Lucy; Morrison, Leanne G; Andreou, Panayiota; Joseph, Judith; Little, Paul

2010-09-17

It is recognised as good practice to use qualitative methods to elicit users' views of internet-delivered health-care interventions during their development. This paper seeks to illustrate the advantages of combining usability testing with 'theoretical modelling', i.e. analyses that relate the findings of qualitative studies during intervention development to social science theory, in order to gain deeper insights into the reasons and context for how people respond to the intervention. This paper illustrates how usability testing may be enriched by theoretical modelling by means of two qualitative studies of users' views of the delivery of information in an internet-delivered intervention to help users decide whether they needed to seek medical care for their cold or flu symptoms. In Study 1, 21 participants recruited from a city in southern England were asked to 'think aloud' while viewing draft web-pages presented in paper format. In Study 2, views of our prototype website were elicited, again using think aloud methods, in a sample of 26 participants purposively sampled for diversity in education levels. Both data-sets were analysed by thematic analysis. Study 1 revealed that although the information provided by the draft web-pages had many of the intended empowering benefits, users often felt overwhelmed by the quantity of information. Relating these findings to theory and research on factors influencing preferences for information-seeking we hypothesised that to meet the needs of different users (especially those with lower literacy levels) our website should be designed to provide only essential personalised advice, but with options to access further information. Study 2 showed that our website design did prove accessible to users with different literacy levels. However, some users seemed to want still greater control over how information was accessed. Educational level need not be an insuperable barrier to appreciating web-based access to detailed health-related information, provided that users feel they can quickly gain access to the specific information they seek.

Understanding reactions to an internet-delivered health-care intervention: accommodating user preferences for information provision

PubMed Central

2010-01-01

Background It is recognised as good practice to use qualitative methods to elicit users' views of internet-delivered health-care interventions during their development. This paper seeks to illustrate the advantages of combining usability testing with 'theoretical modelling', i.e. analyses that relate the findings of qualitative studies during intervention development to social science theory, in order to gain deeper insights into the reasons and context for how people respond to the intervention. This paper illustrates how usability testing may be enriched by theoretical modelling by means of two qualitative studies of users' views of the delivery of information in an internet-delivered intervention to help users decide whether they needed to seek medical care for their cold or flu symptoms. Methods In Study 1, 21 participants recruited from a city in southern England were asked to 'think aloud' while viewing draft web-pages presented in paper format. In Study 2, views of our prototype website were elicited, again using think aloud methods, in a sample of 26 participants purposively sampled for diversity in education levels. Both data-sets were analysed by thematic analysis. Results Study 1 revealed that although the information provided by the draft web-pages had many of the intended empowering benefits, users often felt overwhelmed by the quantity of information. Relating these findings to theory and research on factors influencing preferences for information-seeking we hypothesised that to meet the needs of different users (especially those with lower literacy levels) our website should be designed to provide only essential personalised advice, but with options to access further information. Study 2 showed that our website design did prove accessible to users with different literacy levels. However, some users seemed to want still greater control over how information was accessed. Conclusions Educational level need not be an insuperable barrier to appreciating web-based access to detailed health-related information, provided that users feel they can quickly gain access to the specific information they seek. PMID:20849599

Squish: Near-Optimal Compression for Archival of Relational Datasets

PubMed Central

Gao, Yihan; Parameswaran, Aditya

2017-01-01

Relational datasets are being generated at an alarmingly rapid rate across organizations and industries. Compressing these datasets could significantly reduce storage and archival costs. Traditional compression algorithms, e.g., gzip, are suboptimal for compressing relational datasets since they ignore the table structure and relationships between attributes. We study compression algorithms that leverage the relational structure to compress datasets to a much greater extent. We develop Squish, a system that uses a combination of Bayesian Networks and Arithmetic Coding to capture multiple kinds of dependencies among attributes and achieve near-entropy compression rate. Squish also supports user-defined attributes: users can instantiate new data types by simply implementing five functions for a new class interface. We prove the asymptotic optimality of our compression algorithm and conduct experiments to show the effectiveness of our system: Squish achieves a reduction of over 50% in storage size relative to systems developed in prior work on a variety of real datasets. PMID:28180028

Conservatives report, but liberals display, greater happiness.

PubMed

Wojcik, Sean P; Hovasapian, Arpine; Graham, Jesse; Motyl, Matt; Ditto, Peter H

2015-03-13

Research suggesting that political conservatives are happier than political liberals has relied exclusively on self-report measures of subjective well-being. We show that this finding is fully mediated by conservatives' self-enhancing style of self-report (study 1; N = 1433) and then describe three studies drawing from "big data" sources to assess liberal-conservative differences in happiness-related behavior (studies 2 to 4; N = 4936). Relative to conservatives, liberals more frequently used positive emotional language in their speech and smiled more intensely and genuinely in photographs. Our results were consistent across large samples of online survey takers, U.S. politicians, Twitter users, and LinkedIn users. Our findings illustrate the nuanced relationship between political ideology, self-enhancement, and happiness and illuminate the contradictory ways that happiness differences can manifest across behavior and self-reports. Copyright © 2015, American Association for the Advancement of Science.

Recent Translational Findings on Impulsivity in Relation to Drug Abuse

PubMed Central

Weafer, Jessica; Mitchell, Suzanne H.

2015-01-01

Impulsive behavior is strongly implicated in drug abuse, as both a cause and a consequence of drug use. To understand how impulsive behaviors lead to and result from drug use, translational evidence from both human and non-human animal studies is needed. Here, we review recent (2009 or later) studies that have investigated two major components of impulsive behavior, inhibitory control and impulsive choice, across preclinical and clinical studies. We concentrate on the stop-signal task as the measure of inhibitory control and delay discounting as the measure of impulsive choice. Consistent with previous reports, recent studies show greater impulsive behavior in drug users compared with non-users. Additionally, new evidence supports the prospective role of impulsive behavior in drug abuse, and has begun to identify the neurobiological mechanisms underlying impulsive behavior. We focus on the commonalities and differences in findings between preclinical and clinical studies, and suggest future directions for translational research. PMID:25678985

An empirical study of preferred settings for lumbar support on adjustable office chairs.

PubMed

Coleman, N; Hull, B P; Ellitt, G

1998-04-01

The preferred settings for lumbar support height and depth of 43 male and 80 female office workers were investigated. All subjects were equipped with identical modern office chairs with foam-padded backrests adjustable in both height and depth. Measurements of lumbar support settings were recorded in the workplace, outside of working hours, on four different occasions, over a 5 week period. Preferred lumbar support height and depth settings extended to both extremes of the adjustment range. The mean preferred height setting was 190 mm above the compressed seat surface. The mean depth setting (horizontal distance from front of seat to lumbar support point) was 387 mm. A regression model examining the effects of standing height, Body Mass Index (BMI) and gender on mean preferred lumbar support height showed a significant relationship between preferred height and BMI. Higher lumbar supports were chosen by subjects with greater BMIs. Gender and standing height were not associated with preferred lumbar support height settings. Preferred lumbar support depth was not significantly associated with standing height, gender or BMI. Older subjects were more likely to readjust their lumbar support from a disrupted position than younger subjects, indicating that older users are more sensitive to the position of their lumbar support. Subjects who reported recent back pain or discomfort that they believed to be associated with their chair or office work were found to set their lumbar support significantly closer to the front of the seat, probably to ensure greater support for their back. Based on the evidence that a high proportion of users do make adjustments to the height and depth of their lumbar support, and the finding that different groups of users, with different physical characteristics, adjust the position of their lumbar support in distinct and predictable ways, the researchers conclude that office chairs with traditional padded fixed-height lumbar supports are unlikely to provide a comfortable or appropriate seat for the wide range of potential users.

Exploring User Experience of a Telehealth System for the Danish TeleCare North Trial.

PubMed

Lilholt, Pernille Heyckendorff; Hæsum, Lisa Korsbakke Emtekær; Hejlesen, Ole Kristian

2015-01-01

The aim was to explore user experiences of using a telehealth system (Telekit) designed for the Danish TeleCare North trial. Telekit is designed for patients diagnosed with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in order to manage the disease and support patient empowerment. This article sums up COPD-participants' user experiences in terms of increased sense of freedom, of security, of control, and greater awareness of COPD symptoms. A consecutive sample of sixty participants (27 women, 33 men) were recruited from the TeleCare North trial. At home the participants completed a non-standardised questionnaire while a researcher was present. The questionnaire identified their health status, their use of specific technologies, and their user experiences with the telehealth system. Results from the questionnaire indicate that the majority of participants (88%) considered the Telekit system as easy to use. 43 (72%) participants felt increased sense of security, and 37 (62%) participants felt increased sense of control by using the system. 30 (50%) participants felt greater awareness of their COPD symptoms, but only 16 (27%) participants felt increased freedom. The study has provided a general picture of COPD participants' user experiences which is important to emphasise as it has a bearing on whether a given implementation will be successful or not.

Human ecstasy (MDMA) polydrug users have altered brain activation during semantic processing.

PubMed

Watkins, Tristan J; Raj, Vidya; Lee, Junghee; Dietrich, Mary S; Cao, Aize; Blackford, Jennifer U; Salomon, Ronald M; Park, Sohee; Benningfield, Margaret M; Di Iorio, Christina R; Cowan, Ronald L

2013-05-01

Ecstasy (3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine [MDMA]) polydrug users have verbal memory performance that is statistically significantly lower than that of control subjects. Studies have correlated long-term MDMA use with altered brain activation in regions that play a role in verbal memory. The aim of our study was to examine the association of lifetime ecstasy use with semantic memory performance and brain activation in ecstasy polydrug users. A total of 23 abstinent ecstasy polydrug users (age = 24.57 years) and 11 controls (age = 22.36 years) performed a two-part functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) semantic encoding and recognition task. To isolate brain regions activated during each semantic task, we created statistical activation maps in which brain activation was greater for word stimuli than for non-word stimuli (corrected p < 0.05). During the encoding phase, ecstasy polydrug users had greater activation during semantic encoding bilaterally in language processing regions, including Brodmann areas 7, 39, and 40. Of this bilateral activation, signal intensity with a peak T in the right superior parietal lobe was correlated with lifetime ecstasy use (r s = 0.43, p = 0.042). Behavioral performance did not differ between groups. These findings demonstrate that ecstasy polydrug users have increased brain activation during semantic processing. This increase in brain activation in the absence of behavioral deficits suggests that ecstasy polydrug users have reduced cortical efficiency during semantic encoding, possibly secondary to MDMA-induced 5-HT neurotoxicity. Although pre-existing differences cannot be ruled out, this suggests the possibility of a compensatory mechanism allowing ecstasy polydrug users to perform equivalently to controls, providing additional support for an association of altered cerebral neurophysiology with MDMA exposure.

"Those edibles hit hard": Exploration of Twitter data on cannabis edibles in the U.S.

PubMed

Lamy, Francois R; Daniulaityte, Raminta; Sheth, Amit; Nahhas, Ramzi W; Martins, Silvia S; Boyer, Edward W; Carlson, Robert G

2016-07-01

Several states in the U.S. have legalized cannabis for recreational or medical uses. In this context, cannabis edibles have drawn considerable attention after adverse effects were reported. This paper investigates Twitter users' perceptions concerning edibles and evaluates the association edibles-related tweeting activity and local cannabis legislation. Tweets were collected between May 1 and July 31, 2015, using Twitter API and filtered through the eDrugTrends/Twitris platform. A random sample of geolocated tweets was manually coded to evaluate Twitter users' perceptions regarding edibles. Raw state proportions of Twitter users mentioning edibles were ajusted relative to the total number of Twitter users per state. Differences in adjusted proportions of Twitter users mentioning edibles between states with different cannabis legislation status were assesed via a permutation test. We collected 100,182 tweets mentioning cannabis edibles with 26.9% (n=26,975) containing state-level geolocation. Adjusted percentages of geolocated Twitter users posting about edibles were significantly greater in states that allow recreational and/or medical use of cannabis. The differences were statistically significant. Overall, cannabis edibles were generally positively perceived among Twitter users despite some negative tweets expressing the unreliability of edible consumption linked to variability in effect intensity and duration. Our findings suggest that Twitter data analysis is an important tool for epidemiological monitoring of emerging drug use practices and trends. Results tend to indicate greater tweeting activity about cannabis edibles in states where medical THC and/or recreational use are legal. Although the majority of tweets conveyed positive attitudes about cannabis edibles, analysis of experiences expressed in negative tweets confirms the potential adverse effects of edibles and calls for educating edibles-naïve users, improving edibles labeling, and testing their THC content. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Human ecstasy (MDMA) polydrug users have altered brain activation during semantic processing

PubMed Central

Watkins, Tristan J.; Raj, Vidya; Lee, Junghee; Dietrich, Mary S.; Cao, Aize; Blackford, Jennifer U.; Salomon, Ronald M.; Park, Sohee; Benningfield, Margaret M.; Di Iorio, Christina R.; Cowan, Ronald L.

2012-01-01

Rationale Ecstasy (MDMA) polydrug users have verbal memory performance that is statistically significantly lower than comparison control subjects. Studies have correlated long-term MDMA use with altered brain activation in regions that play a role in verbal memory. Objectives The aim of our study was to examine the association of lifetime ecstasy use with semantic memory performance and brain activation in ecstasy polydrug users. Methods 23 abstinent ecstasy polydrug users (age=24.57) and 11 controls (age=22.36) performed a two-part fMRI semantic encoding and recognition task. To isolate brain regions activated during each semantic task, we created statistical activation maps in which brain activation was greater for word stimuli than for non-word stimuli (corrected p<0.05). Results During the encoding phase, ecstasy polydrug users had greater activation during semantic encoding bilaterally in language processing regions, including Brodmann Areas 7, 39, and 40. Of this bilateral activation, signal intensity with a peak T in the right superior parietal lobe was correlated with lifetime ecstasy use (rs=0.43, p=0.042). Behavioral performance did not differ between groups. Conclusions These findings demonstrate that ecstasy polydrug users have increased brain activation during semantic processing. This increase in brain activation in the absence of behavioral deficits suggests that ecstasy polydrug users have reduced cortical efficiency during semantic encoding, possibly secondary to MDMA-induced 5-HT neurotoxicity. Although pre-existing differences cannot be ruled out, this suggests the possibility of a compensatory mechanism allowing ecstasy polydrug users to perform equivalently to controls, providing additional support for an association of altered cerebral neurophysiology with MDMA exposure. PMID:23241648

Suicidal Ideation and Suicide Attempt Across Stages of Nonmedical Prescription Opioid Use and Presence of Prescription Opioid Disorders Among U.S. Adults

PubMed Central

Kuramoto, S. Janet; Chilcoat, Howard D.; Ko, Jean; Martins, Silvia S.

2012-01-01

Objective: This study compares the likelihood of suicidal ideation and suicide attempt across stages of nonmedical prescription opioid use and by presence of prescription opioid disorders (dependence and/or abuse) among adult respondents. Method: In the 2009 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, 37,933 adult respondents were asked if they had thought about suicide or had attempted suicide in the past year. The likelihood of ideation and attempt were compared across the following four categories: (a) those who never used prescription opioids, (b) former users, (c) persistent users, and (d) recent-onset users. Weighted multinomial logistic regressions were used to examine if these stages and presence of Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition, criteria for prescription opioid disorders were associated with suicidal ideation and suicide attempt. Results: Five percent of respondents (n = 2,021) reported suicidal ideation; of these, 15% (n = 310) reported attempt. Former and persistent nonmedical prescription opioid users had greater odds of suicidal ideation than those who never used these medications nonmedically. The stages of prescription opioid use were not associated with suicide attempt. Presence of prescription opioid disorders among past-year prescription opioid users was associated with suicidal ideation but not suicide attempt. Conclusions: The risk for suicidal ideation was greater in those who no longer used prescription opioids, in persistent users, and among nonmedical users who had a prescription opioid disorder compared with users without the disorder. The results suggest a need to continue monitoring for suicide risk even among those who have stopped using prescription opioids. PMID:22333325

Internet usage and knowledge of radiation health effects and preventive behaviours among workers in Fukushima after the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant accident.

PubMed

Kanda, Hideyuki; Takahashi, Kenzo; Sugaya, Nagisa; Mizushima, Shunsaku; Koyama, Kikuo

2014-10-01

The Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant accident (FDNPPA) was the world's second largest nuclear power plant accident. At the time that it occurred, internet usage prevalence in Japan was as high as 80%. To compare health knowledge on radiation and preventive behaviour between internet users and non-users among adults employed in industries in Fukushima after the nuclear disaster. We conducted a cross-sectional questionnaire study among adults employed in industries in Fukushima 3-5 months after the FDNPPA. Targets were 1394 regular workers who took part in health seminars provided by the Fukushima Occupational Health Promotion Center. After applying the selection criteria, there were 1119 eligible participants. The questionnaire asked for personal characteristics and main sources of information about the FDNPPA, as well as health knowledge on radiation and preventive behaviours following the nuclear accident. We assessed the contribution of each variable using logistic regression analysis. Among the eligible respondents, 637 workers (56.9%) were internet users and 482 (43.1%) were non-users. Internet users had more health knowledge than non-users (average 4.6 radiation-related health conditions in internet users vs 3.6 conditions in non-users) and more preventive behaviours (average 2.6 behaviours in internet users vs 1.9 in non-users). According to logistic regression analyses, internet usage was positively associated with greater health knowledge on radiation (OR 1.13; 95% CI 1.08 to 1.20) and more preventive behaviours (OR 1.14; 95% CI 1.07 to 1.23). Internet usage was significantly and positively associated with greater health knowledge and more preventive behaviours. The internet is a useful method of distributing information to the general public in emergency situations such as a nuclear disaster. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions.

Design criteria monograph on centrifugal flow turbopumps

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1974-01-01

Monograph reviews and assesses current design practices, and from them establishes firm guidance for achieving greater consistency in design, increased reliability in end product, and greater efficiency in design effort. Review should be of interest to manufacturers and users of pumps, power drives, turbine drives, and rotary equipment in general.

Angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor use by older adults is associated with greater functional responses to exercise.

PubMed

Buford, Thomas W; Manini, Todd M; Hsu, Fang-Chi; Cesari, Matteo; Anton, Stephen D; Nayfield, Susan; Stafford, Randall S; Church, Timothy S; Pahor, Marco; Carter, Christy S

2012-07-01

To assess the association between angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEis) and improvements in the physical function of older adults in response to chronic exercise training. Secondary analysis of the Lifestyle Interventions and Independence for Elders Pilot (LIFE-P) study, a multisite randomized clinical trial to evaluate the effects of chronic exercise on the physical function of older adults at risk for mobility disability. Four academic research centers within the United States. Four hundred twenty-four individuals aged 70 to 89 with mild to moderate functional impairments categorized for this analysis as ACEi users, users of other antihypertensive drugs, or antihypertensive nonusers. A 12-month intervention of structured physical activity (PA) or health education promoting successful aging (SA). Change in walking speed during a 400-m test and performance on a battery of short-duration mobility tasks (Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB)). Physical activity significantly improved the adjusted walking speed of ACEi users (P < .001) but did not of nonusers. PA improved the adjusted SPPB score of ACEi users (P < .001) and of persons who used other antihypertensive drugs (P = .005) but not of antihypertensive nonusers (P = .91).The percentage of ACEi users deriving clinically significant benefit from exercise training for walking speed (30%) and SPPB score (48%) was dramatically higher than for nonusers (14% and 12%, respectively). For older adults at risk for disability, exercise-derived improvements in physical function were greater for ACEi users than users of other antihypertensive drugs and antihypertensive nonusers. © 2012, Copyright the Authors Journal compilation © 2012, The American Geriatrics Society.

Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitor Use by Older Adults Is Associated with Greater Functional Responses to Exercise

PubMed Central

Buford, Thomas W.; Manini, Todd M.; Hsu, Fang-Chi; Cesari, Matteo; Anton, Stephen D.; Nayfield, Susan; Stafford, Randall S.; Church, Timothy S.; Pahor, Marco; Carter, Christy S.

2013-01-01

OBJECTIVES To assess the association between angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEis) and improvements in the physical function of older adults in response to chronic exercise training. DESIGN Secondary analysis of the Lifestyle Interventions and Independence for Elders Pilot (LIFE-P) study, a multisite randomized clinical trial to evaluate the effects of chronic exercise on the physical function of older adults at risk for mobility disability. SETTING Four academic research centers within the United States. PARTICIPANTS Four hundred twenty-four individuals aged 70 to 89 with mild to moderate functional impairments categorized for this analysis as ACEi users, users of other antihypertensive drugs, or antihypertensive nonusers. INTERVENTION A 12-month intervention of structured physical activity (PA) or health education promoting successful aging (SA). MEASUREMENTS Change in walking speed during a 400-m test and performance on a battery of short-duration mobility tasks (Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB)). RESULTS Physical activity significantly improved the adjusted walking speed of ACEi users (P < .001) but did not of nonusers. PA improved the adjusted SPPB score of ACEi users (P < .001) and of persons who used other antihypertensive drugs (P = .005) but not of antihypertensive nonusers (P = .91). The percentage of ACEi users deriving clinically significant benefit from exercise training for walking speed (30%) and SPPB score (48%) was dramatically higher than for nonusers (14% and 12%, respectively). CONCLUSION For older adults at risk for disability, exercise-derived improvements in physical function were greater for ACEi users than users of other antihypertensive drugs and antihypertensive nonusers. PMID:22726232

Globetrotting Students and Faculty: Adapting Library Instruction to Global Sites

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Solis, Eimmy; Perkins, Dan

2017-01-01

As e-resources become more ubiquitous, and the technologies available to access them more sophisticated, libraries have greater opportunities to reach out to global users. However, this same distance means that some users never even set foot in a physical library. This case study will describe how one large academic library started a business,…

The jellification of north temperate lakes

PubMed Central

Jeziorski, Adam; Tanentzap, Andrew J.; Yan, Norman D.; Paterson, Andrew M.; Palmer, Michelle E.; Korosi, Jennifer B.; Rusak, James A.; Arts, Michael T.; Keller, Wendel (Bill); Ingram, Ron; Cairns, Allegra; Smol, John P.

2015-01-01

Calcium (Ca) concentrations are decreasing in softwater lakes across eastern North America and western Europe. Using long-term contemporary and palaeo-environmental field data, we show that this is precipitating a dramatic change in Canadian lakes: the replacement of previously dominant pelagic herbivores (Ca-rich Daphnia species) by Holopedium glacialis, a jelly-clad, Ca-poor competitor. In some lakes, this transformation is being facilitated by increases in macro-invertebrate predation, both from native (Chaoborus spp.) and introduced (Bythotrephes longimanus) zooplanktivores, to which Holopedium, with its jelly coat, is relatively invulnerable. Greater representation by Holopedium within cladoceran zooplankton communities will reduce nutrient transfer through food webs, given their lower phosphorus content relative to daphniids, and greater absolute abundances may pose long-term problems to water users. The dominance of jelly-clad zooplankton will likely persist while lakewater Ca levels remain low. PMID:25411451

Reward salience and risk aversion underlie differential ACC activity in substance dependence

PubMed Central

Alexander, William H.; Fukunaga, Rena; Finn, Peter; Brown, Joshua W.

2015-01-01

The medial prefrontal cortex, especially the dorsal anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), has long been implicated in cognitive control and error processing. Although the association between ACC and behavior has been established, it is less clear how ACC contributes to dysfunctional behavior such as substance dependence. Evidence from neuroimaging studies investigating ACC function in substance users is mixed, with some studies showing disengagement of ACC in substance dependent individuals (SDs), while others show increased ACC activity related to substance use. In this study, we investigate ACC function in SDs and healthy individuals performing a change signal task for monetary rewards. Using a priori predictions derived from a recent computational model of ACC, we find that ACC activity differs between SDs and controls in factors related to reward salience and risk aversion between SDs and healthy individuals. Quantitative fits of a computational model to fMRI data reveal significant differences in best fit parameters for reward salience and risk preferences. Specifically, the ACC in SDs shows greater risk aversion, defined as concavity in the utility function, and greater attention to rewards relative to reward omission. Furthermore, across participants risk aversion and reward salience are positively correlated. The results clarify the role that ACC plays in both the reduced sensitivity to omitted rewards and greater reward valuation in SDs. Clinical implications of applying computational modeling in psychiatry are also discussed. PMID:26106528

Reward salience and risk aversion underlie differential ACC activity in substance dependence.

PubMed

Alexander, William H; Fukunaga, Rena; Finn, Peter; Brown, Joshua W

2015-01-01

The medial prefrontal cortex, especially the dorsal anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), has long been implicated in cognitive control and error processing. Although the association between ACC and behavior has been established, it is less clear how ACC contributes to dysfunctional behavior such as substance dependence. Evidence from neuroimaging studies investigating ACC function in substance users is mixed, with some studies showing disengagement of ACC in substance dependent individuals (SDs), while others show increased ACC activity related to substance use. In this study, we investigate ACC function in SDs and healthy individuals performing a change signal task for monetary rewards. Using a priori predictions derived from a recent computational model of ACC, we find that ACC activity differs between SDs and controls in factors related to reward salience and risk aversion between SDs and healthy individuals. Quantitative fits of a computational model to fMRI data reveal significant differences in best fit parameters for reward salience and risk preferences. Specifically, the ACC in SDs shows greater risk aversion, defined as concavity in the utility function, and greater attention to rewards relative to reward omission. Furthermore, across participants risk aversion and reward salience are positively correlated. The results clarify the role that ACC plays in both the reduced sensitivity to omitted rewards and greater reward valuation in SDs. Clinical implications of applying computational modeling in psychiatry are also discussed.

Evolution of the EOSDIS Data User Communities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Krupp, B. M.; Murphy, K. J.; Wanchoo, L.; Chang, H.

2011-12-01

Since NASA's EOS Terra platform began operations in early FY2000, data centers affiliated with the EOS Data and Information System (EOSDIS) have distributed over 12.8 Petabytes (PB) and 1.2 billion files of data to over 2.3 million distinct users through the end of FY2010. Metrics on data ingest, archive, and distribution have been collected throughout the EOS era by different automated systems. The functionality of these systems has improved over the years, allowing more types of metrics analyses to be made with greater precision. The ESDIS Metrics System (EMS) replaced the earlier ESDIS Data Gathering and Reporting System (EDGRS) in FY2005. Since then it has collected increasingly more accurate information about data users obtaining products from the many EOSDIS data centers. The information allows characterization of the various EOSDIS user communities, and enables studies of how these communities have changed over time. User information obtained when an order is placed, or products are downloaded from a data center's FTP site, include the user's IP host (or IP address) and email address. The EMS system is able to resolve most IP addresses to specific domains. Combined with science discipline information associated with the data products themselves, users and data distributions to them can be characterized in a number of ways, including by countries, disciplines (e.g. Atmosphere, Ocean, Land), and [most readily for the United States] affiliations (Government, Education, Non-profit, or Commercial). The purpose of this investigation is to analyze patterns of data distributions within the different user groups mentioned above and to trace their evolution over time. Results show, for example, that the number of foreign users has increased greatly over the years, as has the number of countries receiving EOSDIS data products. These kinds of studies can be very useful to the various data centers. By gaining a better understanding of how their user communities are evolving, and how patterns of data product distributions are changing, data centers will be better able to serve the needs of the users.

Easy-To-Use Connector-Assembly Tool

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Redmon, John W., Jr.; Jankowski, Fred

1988-01-01

Tool compensates for user's loss of dexterity under awkward conditions. Has jaws that swivel over 180 degree so angle adjusts with respect to handles. Oriented and held in position most comfortable and effective for user in given situation. Jaws lined with rubber pads so they conform to irregularly shaped parts and grips firmly but gently. Once tool engages part, it locks on it so user can release handles without losing part. Ratchet mechanism in tool allows user to work handles back and forth in confined space to connect or disconnect part. Quickly positioned, locked, and released. Gives user feel of its grip on part. Frees grasping muscles from work during part of task, giving user greater freedom to move hand. Operates with only one hand, leaving user's other hand free to manipulate wiring or other parts. Also adapts to handling and positioning extremely-hot or extremely-cold fluid lines, contaminated objects, abrasive or sharp objects, fragile items, and soft objects.

Enhancing user acceptance of mandated mobile health information systems: the ePOC (electronic point-of-care project) experience.

PubMed

Burgess, Lois; Sargent, Jason

2007-01-01

From a clinical perspective, the use of mobile technologies, such as Personal Digital Assistants (PDAs) within hospital environments is not new. A paradigm shift however is underway towards the acceptance and utility of these systems within mobile-based healthcare environments. Introducing new technologies and associated work practices has intrinsic risks which must be addressed. This paper contends that intervening to address user concerns as they arise throughout the system development lifecycle will lead to greater levels of user acceptance, while ultimately enhancing the deliverability of a system that provides a best fit with end user needs. It is envisaged this research will lead to the development of a formalised user acceptance framework based on an agile approach to user acceptance measurement. The results of an ongoing study of user perceptions towards a mandated electronic point-of-care information system in the Northern Illawarra Ambulatory Care Team (TACT) are presented.

Measuring and analyzing the causes of problematic Internet use.

PubMed

Chiang, I-Ping; Su, Yung-Hsiang

2012-11-01

Since Internet surfing became a daily activity, people have changed their behavior. This research analyzes the causes of problematic Internet use through an online survey, where 1,094 samples were collected. Based on the results of structural equation modeling analysis, the following conclusions are reached: First, novelty, security, and efficiency increase users' online trust. Second, information and efficiency enhance users' sharing and anonymity online. Third, greater trust in Internet environments leads to an increase in a user's cognitive bias toward online behavioral responsibility and Internet addiction. Fourth, a user's attitude toward online sharing further increases the cognitive bias toward online copyright. Fifth, a user's attitude toward anonymity increases cognitive bias toward online copyright, online behavioral responsibility, and deepens Internet addiction.

Visual representation of medical information: the importance of considering the end-user in the design of medical illustrations.

PubMed

Scheltema, Emma; Reay, Stephen; Piper, Greg

2018-01-01

This practice led research project explored visual representation through illustrations designed to communicate often complex medical information for different users within Auckland City Hospital, New Zealand. Media and tools were manipulated to affect varying degrees of naturalism or abstraction from reality in the creation of illustrations for a variety of real-life clinical projects, and user feedback on illustration preference gathered from both medical professionals and patients. While all users preferred the most realistic representations of medical information from the illustrations presented, patients often favoured illustrations that depicted a greater amount of information than professionals suggested was necessary.

Associated and mediating variables related to quality of life among service users with mental disorders.

PubMed

Fleury, Marie-Josée; Grenier, Guy; Bamvita, Jean-Marie

2018-02-01

This study aimed to identify variables associated with quality of life (QoL) and mediating variables among 338 service users with mental disorders in Quebec (Canada). Data were collected using nine standardized questionnaires and participant medical records. Quality of life was assessed with the Satisfaction with Life Domains Scale. Independent variables were organized into a six-block conceptual framework. Using structural equation modeling, associated and mediating variables related to QoL were identified. Lower seriousness of needs was the strongest variable associated with QoL, followed by recovery, greater service continuity, gender (male), adequacy of help received, not living alone, absence of substance use or mood disorders, and higher functional status, in that order. Recovery was the single mediating variable linking lower seriousness of needs, higher service continuity, and reduced alcohol use with QoL. Findings suggest that greater service continuity creates favorable conditions for recovery, reducing seriousness of needs and increasing QoL among service users. Lack of recovery-oriented services may affect QoL among alcohol users, as substance use disorders were associated directly and negatively with QoL. Decision makers and mental health professionals should promote service continuity, and closer collaboration between primary care and specialized services, while supporting recovery-oriented services that encourage service user involvement in their treatment and follow-up. Community-based organizations should aim to reduce the seriousness of needs particularly for female service users and those living alone.

Modelling and Predicting eHealth Usage in Europe: A Multidimensional Approach From an Online Survey of 13,000 European Union Internet Users.

PubMed

Torrent-Sellens, Joan; Díaz-Chao, Ángel; Soler-Ramos, Ivan; Saigí-Rubió, Francesc

2016-07-22

More advanced methods and models are needed to evaluate the participation of patients and citizens in the shared health care model that eHealth proposes. The goal of our study was to design and evaluate a predictive multidimensional model of eHealth usage. We used 2011 survey data from a sample of 13,000 European citizens aged 16-74 years who had used the Internet in the previous 3 months. We proposed and tested an eHealth usage composite indicator through 2-stage structural equation modelling with latent variables and measurement errors. Logistic regression (odds ratios, ORs) to model the predictors of eHealth usage was calculated using health status and sociodemographic independent variables. The dimensions with more explanatory power of eHealth usage were health Internet attitudes, information health Internet usage, empowerment of health Internet users, and the usefulness of health Internet usage. Some 52.39% (6811/13,000) of European Internet users' eHealth usage was more intensive (greater than the mean). Users with long-term health problems or illnesses (OR 1.20, 95% CI 1.12-1.29) or receiving long-term treatment (OR 1.11, 95% CI 1.03-1.20), having family members with long-term health problems or illnesses (OR 1.44, 95% CI 1.34-1.55), or undertaking care activities for other people (OR 1.58, 95% CI 1.40-1.77) had a high propensity toward intensive eHealth usage. Sociodemographic predictors showed that Internet users who were female (OR 1.23, 95% CI 1.14-1.31), aged 25-54 years (OR 1.12, 95% CI 1.05-1.21), living in larger households (3 members: OR 1.25, 95% CI 1.15-1.36; 5 members: OR 1.13, 95% CI 0.97-1.28; ≥6 members: OR 1.31, 95% CI 1.10-1.57), had more children <16 years of age (1 child: OR 1.29, 95% CI 1.18-1.14; 2 children: OR 1.05, 95% CI 0.94-1.17; 4 children: OR 1.35, 95% CI 0.88-2.08), and had more family members >65 years of age (1 member: OR 1.33, 95% CI 1.18-1.50; ≥4 members: OR 1.82, 95% CI 0.54-6.03) had a greater propensity toward intensive eHealth usage. Likewise, users residing in densely populated areas, such as cities and large towns (OR 1.17, 95% CI 1.09-1.25), also had a greater propensity toward intensive eHealth usage. Educational levels presented an inverted U shape in relation to intensive eHealth usage, with greater propensities among those with a secondary education (OR 1.08, 95% CI 1.01-1.16). Finally, occupational categories and net monthly income data suggest a higher propensity among the employed or self-employed (OR 1.07, 95% CI 0.99-1.15) and among the minimum wage stratum, earning ≤€1000 per month (OR 1.66, 95% CI 1.48-1.87). We provide new evidence of inequalities that explain intensive eHealth usage. The results highlight the need to develop more specific eHealth practices to address different realities.

The Human Orrery

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bailey, M. E.; Christou, A. A.; Asher, D. J.

2005-08-01

The Human Orrery is a dynamic model of the solar system, where people play the role of the moving planets. The users' interactions with the model lead to greater awareness of their place in space and understanding of our planet's changing position with time. It is an innovative concept, the first example in the world to show with precision the elliptical orbits and changing positions of the main bodies in the solar system. It engages the general public in science and mathematics, and introduces key concepts in astronomy and space science in a fun and entertaining way. The model shows the orbits of the six classical planets, a main-belt asteroid (Ceres) and two comets (Halley and Encke) at a scale of 1 metre to 1 AU. It contains more than 200 individually inscribed discs showing the positions of objects at intervals of 16 days or multiples thereof. The region beyond Saturn shows the thirteen ecliptic constellations and directions to more distant objects in the Universe. Activities include `walking the orrery' (moving around the orbits in lockstep from one disc to the next to illustrate Kepler's third law of planetary motion); identifying which planets are visible tonight (or at any other time); and discovering phenomena such as planetary alignments, conjunctions and transits. Younger users can run the orrery; measure the distance between planets or a planet's speed in different parts of its orbit; or use the open space for to create a `dance of the planets'. Advanced users can investigate Kepler's laws by direct measurement; modular arithmetic; properties of ellipses; and calendrical concepts such as leap years and the need for the Gregorian reform. For more information, see http://star.arm.ac.uk/orrery/. The Human Orrery's construction was funded by the Northern Ireland Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure.

Impaired renal function modifies the risk of severe hypoglycaemia among users of insulin but not glyburide: a population-based nested case-control study.

PubMed

Weir, Matthew A; Gomes, Tara; Mamdani, Muhammad; Juurlink, David N; Hackam, Daniel G; Mahon, Jeffrey L; Jain, Arsh K; Garg, Amit X

2011-06-01

Little evidence justifies the avoidance of glyburide in patients with impaired renal function. We aimed to determine if renal function modifies the risk of hypoglycaemia among patients using glyburide. We conducted a nested case-control study using administrative records and laboratory data from Ontario, Canada. We included outpatients 66 years of age and older with diabetes mellitus and prescriptions for glyburide, insulin or metformin. We ascertained hypoglycaemic events using administrative records and estimated glomerular filtration rates (eGFR) using serum creatinine concentrations. From a cohort of 19,620 patients, we identified 204 cases whose eGFR was ≥ 60 mL/min/1.73 m(2) (normal renal function) and 354 cases whose eGFR was < 60 mL/min/1.73 m(2) (impaired renal function). Compared to metformin, glyburide is associated with a greater risk of hypoglycaemia in patients with both normal [adjusted odds ratio (OR) 9.0, 95% confidence interval (95% CI) 4.9-16.4] and impaired renal function (adjusted OR 6.0, 95% CI 3.8-9.5). We observed a similar relationship when comparing insulin to metformin; the risk was greater in patients with normal renal function (adjusted OR 18.7, 95% CI 10.5-33.5) compared to those with impaired renal function (adjusted OR 7.9, 95% CI 5.0-12.4). Tests of interaction showed that among glyburide users, renal function did not significantly modify the risk of hypoglycaemia, but among insulin users, impaired renal function is associated with a lower risk. In this population-based study, impaired renal function did not augment the risk of hypoglycaemia associated with glyburide use.

fMRI study of neural sensitization to hedonic stimuli in long-term, daily cannabis users.

PubMed

Filbey, Francesca M; Dunlop, Joseph; Ketcherside, Ariel; Baine, Jessica; Rhinehardt, Tyler; Kuhn, Brittany; DeWitt, Sam; Alvi, Talha

2016-10-01

Although there is emergent evidence illustrating neural sensitivity to cannabis cues in cannabis users, the specificity of this effect to cannabis cues as opposed to a generalized hyper-sensitivity to hedonic stimuli has not yet been directly tested. Using fMRI, we presented 53 daily, long-term cannabis users and 68 non-using controls visual and tactile cues for cannabis, a natural reward, and, a sensory-perceptual control object to evaluate brain response to hedonic stimuli in cannabis users. The results showed an interaction between group and reward type such that the users had greater response during cannabis cues relative to natural reward cues (i.e., fruit) in the orbitofrontal cortex, striatum, anterior cingulate gyrus, and ventral tegmental area compared to non-users (cluster-threshold z = 2.3, P < 0.05). In the users, there were positive brain-behavior correlations between neural response to cannabis cues in fronto-striatal-temporal regions and subjective craving, marijuana-related problems, withdrawal symptoms, and levels of THC metabolites (cluster-threshold z = 2.3, P < 0.05). These findings demonstrate hyper-responsivity, and, specificity of brain response to cannabis cues in long-term cannabis users that are above that of response to natural reward cues. These observations are concordant with incentive sensitization models suggesting sensitization of mesocorticolimbic regions and disruption of natural reward processes following drug use. Although the cross-sectional nature of this study does not provide information on causality, the positive correlations between neural response and indicators of cannabis use (i.e., THC levels) suggest that alterations in the reward system are, in part, related to cannabis use. Hum Brain Mapp 37:3431-3443, 2016. © 2016 The Authors Human Brain Mapping Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2016 The Authors Human Brain Mapping Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Effects of resistance exercise and the use of anabolic androgenic steroids on hemodynamic characteristics and muscle damage markers in bodybuilders.

PubMed

Nasseri, Azadeh; Nadimi, Amir; Nikookheslat, Saeed D

2016-09-01

Anabolic androgenic steroids (AAS), synthetic compounds of testosterone commonly used as sport performance enhancers, could cause cardiovascular dysfunction and cell damage. Even though the side effects of AAS intake have been widely studied, yet little is known about how resistance exercise can alter these side effects. This study aimed to determine the effects of one session resistance exercise and the use of AAS on hemodynamic characteristics and muscle damage markers in professional bodybuilders. Sixteen bodybuilders were divided into two groups: bodybuilders using AAS for at least 5 years (users; N.=8) and AAS-free bodybuilders (non-users; N.=8). The exercise protocol was a circuit strength training session involved three sets of 8-9 repetitions at 80-85% of 1-RM. Heart rate (HR), blood pressure (BP) and concentrations of serum creatine kinase (CK) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) were measured at three different time points, immediately before and after the exercise session and 24 hours following the exercise session. The users group showed greater basal levels of hemodynamic characteristics (i.e. HR and BP) and cell damage markers (i.e. CK and LDH) compared to those in the non-users group (all P<0.05). Furthermore, the exercise session significantly increased the levels of HR (P=0.02) and CK (P=0.01) in the users group compared to those in the non-users group immediately after the exercise. No significant differences were observed in BP and LDH responses to exercise between the users and the non-users groups (P>0.05). These findings indicate that the use of AAS could be potentially harmful as it enhances the levels of the hemodynamic characteristics and the muscle enzymes. These harmful effects of AAS intake could be more evident in response to resistance exercise.

Participatory Design, User Involvement and Health IT Evaluation.

PubMed

Kushniruk, Andre; Nøhr, Christian

2016-01-01

End user involvement and input into the design and evaluation of information systems has been recognized as being a critical success factor in the adoption of information systems. Nowhere is this need more critical than in the design of health information systems. Consistent with evidence from the general software engineering literature, the degree of user input into design of complex systems has been identified as one of the most important factors in the success or failure of complex information systems. The participatory approach goes beyond user-centered design and co-operative design approaches to include end users as more active participants in design ideas and decision making. Proponents of participatory approaches argue for greater end user participation in both design and evaluative processes. Evidence regarding the effectiveness of increased user involvement in design is explored in this contribution in the context of health IT. The contribution will discuss several approaches to including users in design and evaluation. Challenges in IT evaluation during participatory design will be described and explored along with several case studies.

The Impact of Information Behavior in Academic Library Service Quality: A Case Study of the Science and Technology Area in Spain

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pinto, Maria; Fernandez-Marcial, Viviana; Gomez-Camarero, Carmen

2010-01-01

This research explores the extent of service quality in Spanish university science and technology libraries, based on the expectations and perceptions of their users: faculty and researchers. Users' information behavior is analyzed with the specially designed BiQual tool, which reveals specific needs such as the greater importance of electronic…

Predisposition to and effects of methamphetamine use on the adolescent brain

PubMed Central

Lyoo, IK; Yoon, S; Kim, TS; Lim, SM; Choi, Y; Kim, JE; Hwang, J; Jeong, HS; Cho, HB; Chung, YA; Renshaw, PF

2017-01-01

Adolescence is a period of heightened vulnerability both to addictive behaviors and drug-induced brain damage. Yet, only limited information exists on the brain mechanisms underlying these adolescent-specific characteristics. Moreover, distinctions in brain correlates between predisposition to drug use and effects of drugs in adolescents are unclear. Using cortical thickness and diffusion tensor image analyses, we found greater and more widespread gray and white matter alterations, particularly affecting the frontostriatal system, in adolescent methamphetamine (MA) users compared with adult users. Among adolescent-specific gray matter alterations related to MA use, smaller cortical thickness in the orbitofrontal cortex was associated with family history of drug use. Our findings highlight that the adolescent brain, which undergoes active myelination and maturation, is more vulnerable to MA-related alterations than the adult brain. Furthermore, MA-use-related executive dysfunction was greater in adolescent MA users than in adult users. These findings may provide explanation for the severe behavioral complications and relapses that are common in adolescent-onset drug addiction. Additionally, these results may provide insights into distinguishing the neural mechanisms that underlie the predisposition to drug addiction from effects of drugs in adolescents. PMID:25666756

Predisposition to and effects of methamphetamine use on the adolescent brain.

PubMed

Lyoo, I K; Yoon, S; Kim, T S; Lim, S M; Choi, Y; Kim, J E; Hwang, J; Jeong, H S; Cho, H B; Chung, Y A; Renshaw, P F

2015-12-01

Adolescence is a period of heightened vulnerability both to addictive behaviors and drug-induced brain damage. Yet, only limited information exists on the brain mechanisms underlying these adolescent-specific characteristics. Moreover, distinctions in brain correlates between predisposition to drug use and effects of drugs in adolescents are unclear. Using cortical thickness and diffusion tensor image analyses, we found greater and more widespread gray and white matter alterations, particularly affecting the frontostriatal system, in adolescent methamphetamine (MA) users compared with adult users. Among adolescent-specific gray matter alterations related to MA use, smaller cortical thickness in the orbitofrontal cortex was associated with family history of drug use. Our findings highlight that the adolescent brain, which undergoes active myelination and maturation, is more vulnerable to MA-related alterations than the adult brain. Furthermore, MA-use-related executive dysfunction was greater in adolescent MA users than in adult users. These findings may provide explanation for the severe behavioral complications and relapses that are common in adolescent-onset drug addiction. Additionally, these results may provide insights into distinguishing the neural mechanisms that underlie the predisposition to drug addiction from effects of drugs in adolescents.

Young Adult Ecstasy Users’ Enhancement of the Effects of Their Ecstasy Use

PubMed Central

Klein, Hugh; Elifson, Kirk W.; Sterk, Claire E.

2013-01-01

In this paper, we examine drug effect-enhancing behaviors practiced by young adult users of the drug, ecstasy. Between August 2002 and August 2004, 283 face-to-face interviews were conducted with active ecstasy users. Study participants were recruited in the Atlanta, Georgia metropolitan area using a targeted sampling approach. The large majority of study participants (87%) engaged in at least one behavior specifically designed to bolster the effects of their ecstasy use, with 61% of the study participants reporting having engaged in at least three such behaviors during the past 30 days. Taking steps to boost one’s ecstasy-related high was associated with binging on ecstasy and a variety of adverse outcomes, such as experiencing a greater number of negative consequences resulting from ecstasy use and experiencing more ecstasy-related drug dependency symptoms. Multivariate analysis revealed several factors associated with greater involvement in effects-boosting behaviors, including race (not being African American), spending time with other drug users, using ecstasy for its touch-enhancing qualities, enjoyment of the music-and-ecstasy-use experience, and childhood maltreatment experiences. The implications of these findings for treatment, prevention, and intervention of drug problems among ecstasy users are discussed. PMID:19705673

Differences in harm from legal BZP/TFMPP party pills between North Island and South Island users in New Zealand: a case of effective industry self-regulation?

PubMed

Wilkins, Chris; Sweetsur, Paul

2010-01-01

'Party' pills containing benzylpiperazine (BZP) and trifluoromethylphenylpiperazine (TFMPP) were sold legally in New Zealand until early 2008. Prospective studies of hospital emergency department admissions appeared to suggest that the harm from party pills was greater among South Island than North Island users. The party pill industry association (the Social Tonics Association of New Zealand or STANZ) claimed these differences were due to the voluntary code of practice adopted by their members in the North Island. The aims of this study were to examine differences in harm from party pills between North and South Island users in New Zealand, and to investigate possible reasons for any differences in harm, including the impact of industry self-regulation. A national household survey of BZP/TFMPP party pill use was conducted in New Zealand. Information on the ingredients of party pills was provided by the National Poisons Centre. In a number of instances last year users of party pills from the South Island were more likely than last year users from the North Island to report harm from party pills. There were no differences between the North and South Island users with regard to the mean number of BZP/TFMPP party pills taken, mean total milligrams of BZP/TFMPP ingested or prevalence of use of other drug types in combination with party pills. A minority of users in the South Island reported using extremely high numbers of BZP/TFMPP party pills in a single session and using extremely high potency brands of party pills. Last year party pill users from the South Island were more likely than those from the North Island to be students. A number of factors may have contributed to the greater harm from BZP/TFMPP party pills among South Island users including a higher proportion of student users with higher consumption of alcohol and other drugs. Users from both Islands commonly exceeded the dosage of BZP/TFMPP recommended by STANZ suggesting the STANZ code of conduct was largely ineffective.

Soft Biological and Composite Nanomaterials

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

Firestone, Millicent

2016-04-01

The goal of the Center for Integrated Nanotechnologies (CINT) is to plays a leadership role in integration of nanostructured materials to enable novel capabilities and applications through its function as a Department of Energy/Office of Science Nanoscale Science Research Center (NSRC) national user facility. By coupling open access to unique and world-class capabilities and scientific expertise to an active user community, CINT supports high-impact research that no other single institution could achieve – the whole of CINT including its user community is greater than the sum of its parts.

Nanophotonics and Optical Nanomaterials

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

Doorn, Stephen

The goal of the Center for Integrated Nanotechnologies (CINT) is to plays a leadership role in integration of nanostructured materials to enable novel capabilities and applications through its function as a Department of Energy/Office of Science Nanoscale Science Research Center (NSRC) national user facility. By coupling open access to unique and world-class capabilities and scientific expertise to an active user community, CINT supports high-impact research that no other single institution could achieve – the whole of CINT including its user community is greater than the sum of its parts.

User satisfaction and forces generated during laryngoscopy using disposable Miller blades: a manikin study.

PubMed

Sudhir, G; Wilkes, A R; Clyburn, P; Aguilera, I; Hall, J E

2007-10-01

Increasing awareness of prion-related diseases has led to an increase in the number of disposable laryngoscope blades available. We compared 11 disposable and standard re-usable Miller size 1 blades. In this manikin-based study, we studied user satisfaction for field of view at laryngoscopy, build quality and users' willingness to use the blade in an emergency situation. These were found to be better with metal disposable blades (p

‘HighChest’: An Augmented Freezer Designed for Smart Food Management and Promotion of Eco-Efficient Behaviour

PubMed Central

Bonaccorsi, Manuele; Betti, Stefano; Rateni, Giovanni; Esposito, Dario; Brischetto, Alessia; Marseglia, Marco; Dario, Paolo; Cavallo, Filippo

2017-01-01

This paper introduces HighChest, an innovative smart freezer designed to promote energy efficient behavior and the responsible use of food. Introducing a novel human–machine interface (HMI) design developed through assessment phases and a user involvement stage, HighChest is state of the art, featuring smart services that exploit embedded sensors and Internet of things functionalities, which enhance the local capabilities of the appliance. The industrial design thinking approach followed for the advanced HMI is intended to maximize the social impact of the food management service, enhancing both the user experience of the product and the user’s willingness to adopt eco- and energy-friendly behaviors. The sensor equipment realizes automatic recognition of food by learning from the users, as well as automatic localization inside the deposit space. Moreover, it provides monitoring of the appliance’s usage, avoiding temperature and humidity issues related to improper use. Experimental tests were conducted to evaluate the localization system, and the results showed 100% accuracy for weights greater or equal to 0.5 kg. Drifts due to the lid opening and prolonged usage time were also measured, to implement automatic reset corrections. PMID:28604609

Neural mechanisms of working memory in ecstasy (MDMA) users who continue or discontinue ecstasy and amphetamine use: evidence from an 18-month longitudinal functional magnetic resonance imaging study.

PubMed

Daumann, Jörg; Fischermann, Thomas; Heekeren, Karsten; Thron, Armin; Gouzoulis-Mayfrank, Euphrosyne

2004-09-01

Working memory processing in ecstasy (3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine) users is associated with neural alterations as measured by functional magnetic resonance imaging. Here, we examined whether cortical activation patterns change after prolonged periods of continued use or abstinence from ecstasy and amphetamine. We used an n-back task and functional magnetic resonance imaging in 17 ecstasy users at baseline (t(1)) and after 18 months (t(2)). Based on the reported drug use at t(2) we separated subjects with continued ecstasy and amphetamine use from subjects reporting abstinence during the follow-up period (n = 9 and n = 8, respectively). At baseline both groups had similar task performance and similar cortical activation patterns. Task performance remained unchanged in both groups. Furthermore, there were no detectable functional magnetic resonance imaging signal changes from t(1) to t(2) in the follow-up abstinent group. However, the continuing users showed a dose-dependent increased parietal activation for the 2-back task after the follow-up period. Our data suggest that ecstasy use, particularly in high doses, is associated with greater parietal activation during working memory performance. An altered activation pattern might appear before changes in cognitive performance become apparent and, hence, may reflect an early stage of neuronal injury from the neurotoxic drug ecstasy.

A Preliminary Investigation on Smokeless Tobacco Use and Its Cognitive Effects Among Athletes

PubMed Central

Zandonai, Thomas; Chiamulera, Cristiano; Mancabelli, Alberto; Falconieri, Danilo; Diana, Marco

2018-01-01

Introduction: Among athletes, an increasing use of nicotine via smokeless tobacco has been reported. However, there are currently unanswered questions about whether the use by athletes is due to nicotine’s addictive properties and/or to benefits in physical and cognitive performance (e.g., decision-making). In this original article we reported about, (i) snus-induced reinforcing effects among snus-user athletes (Survey) and (ii) the effects of snus on the Iowa Gambling Task (IGT) in snus-user skiers (Experimental study). IGT is an experimental neuropsychological task that has been previously used on athletes and addicts to test decision-making. Methods: Survey: data were collected with the modified Cigarette Evaluation Questionnaire (mCEQ) that was administered to 61 winter sport athlete snus-users in Northern Italy. Experimental study: IGT data included: amount of money earned, number of choices from advantageous and disadvantageous decks and overall net score. Eighteen male snus-users were tested under satiety or after 12-h abstinence conditions according to a crossover design. Results: Survey: the comparison between occasional vs. regular snus-users showed a statistically significant difference in satisfaction (P = 0.0088), calm (P = 0.0252), and enjoyment (P = 0.0001) mCEQ items suggesting a snus intake/effect relationship. Experimental study: significantly higher IGT net scores were found during the first 20 choice cards after abstinence vs. satiety conditions (P = 0.0024). Conclusion: In the Survey, regular snus use induces greater satisfaction and psychological reward than occasional use. In the Experimental study, snus intake might produce an early and transient cognitive improvement on IGT in abstinent snus-users, presumably acting as a withdrawal relief. PMID:29593541

Bayesian neural adjustment of inhibitory control predicts emergence of problem stimulant use.

PubMed

Harlé, Katia M; Stewart, Jennifer L; Zhang, Shunan; Tapert, Susan F; Yu, Angela J; Paulus, Martin P

2015-11-01

Bayesian ideal observer models quantify individuals' context- and experience-dependent beliefs and expectations about their environment, which provides a powerful approach (i) to link basic behavioural mechanisms to neural processing; and (ii) to generate clinical predictors for patient populations. Here, we focus on (ii) and determine whether individual differences in the neural representation of the need to stop in an inhibitory task can predict the development of problem use (i.e. abuse or dependence) in individuals experimenting with stimulants. One hundred and fifty-seven non-dependent occasional stimulant users, aged 18-24, completed a stop-signal task while undergoing functional magnetic resonance imaging. These individuals were prospectively followed for 3 years and evaluated for stimulant use and abuse/dependence symptoms. At follow-up, 38 occasional stimulant users met criteria for a stimulant use disorder (problem stimulant users), while 50 had discontinued use (desisted stimulant users). We found that those individuals who showed greater neural responses associated with Bayesian prediction errors, i.e. the difference between actual and expected need to stop on a given trial, in right medial prefrontal cortex/anterior cingulate cortex, caudate, anterior insula, and thalamus were more likely to exhibit problem use 3 years later. Importantly, these computationally based neural predictors outperformed clinical measures and non-model based neural variables in predicting clinical status. In conclusion, young adults who show exaggerated brain processing underlying whether to 'stop' or to 'go' are more likely to develop stimulant abuse. Thus, Bayesian cognitive models provide both a computational explanation and potential predictive biomarkers of belief processing deficits in individuals at risk for stimulant addiction. © The Author (2015). Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Guarantors of Brain. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Evaluation of renal function change during first-line tyrosine kinase inhibitor therapy for metastatic renal cell carcinoma.

PubMed

Ishihara, Hiroki; Kondo, Tsunenori; Fukuda, Hironori; Yoshida, Kazuhiko; Omae, Kenji; Takagi, Toshio; Iizuka, Junpei; Kobayashi, Hirohito; Tanabe, Kazunari

2017-12-01

The change in renal function induced by first-line tyrosine kinase inhibitor therapy for metastatic renal cell carcinoma remains unclear. One hundred and thirty-four patients were evaluated. Sunitinib (SU) and sorafenib (SO) were administered to 91 (67.9%) and 43 (32.1%) patients, respectively. The change in estimated glomerular filtration rate (ΔeGFR) was calculated as [(eGFR at each time point - pre-treatment eGFR)/pre-treatment eGFR] × 100. ΔeGFR was compared between SU- and SO users using a mixed-effects model for repeated measures data with two or greater. Additionally, predictors for ΔeGFR ≤ -10% at 6 months after therapy initiation were evaluated using multivariate logistic regression analysis. Throughout the 24 months after therapy initiation, ΔeGFR was negatively greater in SU users, compared with that in SO users (P < 0.0001). In SU users, renal dysfunction was observed regardless of pre-treatment chronic kidney disease (CKD) status, whereas the magnitude of renal dysfunction was milder in SO users. In SO users without pre-treatment CKD, renal function did not significantly deteriorate. Moreover, ΔeGFR ≤ -10% was more frequently observed in SU users after 3 months (P = 0.0121) and 6 months (P = 0.0009). Finally, SU usage was an independent predictor for ΔeGFR ≤ -10% at 6 months (odds ratio 8.87, P = 0.0053), along with pre-treatment hypertension (odds ratio 4.69, P = 00072). Deterioration of renal function was stronger with SU than SO. During SU therapy, renal function should be monitored and pre-treatment kidney function should be taken into consideration for therapy selection. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press.

Statin Exposure Is Associated with Decreased Asthma-related Emergency Department Visits and Oral Corticosteroid Use

PubMed Central

Li, Lingling; Butler, Melissa G.; Fung, Vicki; Kharbanda, Elyse O.; Larkin, Emma K.; Vollmer, William M.; Miroshnik, Irina; Rusinak, Donna; Weiss, Scott T.; Lieu, Tracy; Wu, Ann Chen

2013-01-01

Rationale: Statins, or HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors, may aid in the treatment of asthma through their pleiotropic antiinflammatory effects. Objectives: To examine the effect of statin therapy on asthma-related exacerbations using a large population-based cohort. Methods: Statin users aged 31 years or greater with asthma were identified from the Population-Based Effectiveness in Asthma and Lung population, which includes data from five health plans. Statin exposure and asthma exacerbations were assessed over a 24-month observation period. Statin users with a statin medication possession ratio greater than or equal to 80% were matched to non–statin users by age, baseline asthma therapy, site of enrollment, season at baseline, and propensity score, which was calculated based on patient demographics and Deyo-Charlson conditions. Asthma exacerbations were defined as two or more oral corticosteroid dispensings, asthma-related emergency department visits, or asthma-related hospitalizations. The association between statin exposure and each of the three outcome measures was assessed using conditional logistic regression. Measurements and Main Results: Of the 14,566 statin users, 8,349 statin users were matched to a nonuser. After adjusting for Deyo-Charlson conditions that remained unbalanced after matching, among statin users, statin exposure was associated with decreased odds of having asthma-related emergency department visits (odds ratio [OR], 0.64; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.53–0.77; P < 0.0001) and two or more oral corticosteroid dispensings (OR, 0.90; 95% CI, 0.81–0.99; P = 0.04). There were no differences in asthma-related hospitalizations (OR, 0.91; 95% CI, 0.66–1.24; P = 0.52). Conclusions: Among statin users with asthma, statin exposure was associated with decreased odds of asthma-related emergency department visits and oral corticosteroid dispensings. PMID:24093599

Speaking in Character: Voice Communication in Virtual Worlds

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wadley, Greg; Gibbs, Martin R.

This chapter summarizes 5 years of research on the implications of introducing voice communication systems to virtual worlds. Voice introduces both benefits and problems for players of fast-paced team games, from better coordination of groups and greater social presence of fellow players on the positive side, to negative features such as channel congestion, transmission of noise, and an unwillingness by some to use voice with strangers online. Similarly, in non-game worlds like Second Life, issues related to identity and impression management play important roles, as voice may build greater trust that is especially important for business users, yet it erodes the anonymity and ability to conceal social attributes like gender that are important for other users. A very different mixture of problems and opportunities exists when users conduct several simultaneous conversations in multiple text and voice channels. Technical difficulties still exist with current systems, including the challenge of debugging and harmonizing all the participants' voice setups. Different groups use virtual worlds for very different purposes, so a single modality may not suit all.

Driver's behavioral adaptation to adaptive cruise control (ACC): the case of speed and time headway.

PubMed

Bianchi Piccinini, Giulio Francesco; Rodrigues, Carlos Manuel; Leitão, Miguel; Simões, Anabela

2014-06-01

The Adaptive Cruise Control is an Advanced Driver Assistance System (ADAS) that allows maintaining given headway and speed, according to settings pre-defined by the users. Despite the potential benefits associated to the utilization of ACC, previous studies warned against negative behavioral adaptations that might occur while driving with the system activated. Unfortunately, up to now, there are no unanimous results about the effects induced by the usage of ACC on speed and time headway to the vehicle in front. Also, few studies were performed including actual users of ACC among the subjects. This research aimed to investigate the effect of the experience gained with ACC on speed and time headway for a group of users of the system. In addition, it explored the impact of ACC usage on speed and time headway for ACC users and regular drivers. A matched sample driving simulator study was planned as a two-way (2×2) repeated measures mixed design, with the experience with ACC as between-subjects factor and the driving condition (with ACC and manually) as within-subjects factor. The results show that the usage of ACC brought a small but not significant reduction of speed and, especially, the maintenance of safer time headways, being the latter result greater for ACC users, probably as a consequence of their experience in using the system. The usage of ACC did not cause any negative behavioral adaptations to the system regarding speed and time headway. Based on this research work, the Adaptive Cruise Control showed the potential to improve road safety for what concerns the speed and the time headway maintained by the drivers. The speed of the surrounding traffic and the minimum time headway settable through the ACC seem to have an important effect on the road safety improvement achievable with the system. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Health system reform in rural China: voices of healthworkers and service-users.

PubMed

Zhou, Xu Dong; Li, Lu; Hesketh, Therese

2014-09-01

Like many other countries China is undergoing major health system reforms, with the aim of providing universal health coverage, and addressing problems of low efficiency and inequity. The first phase of the reforms has focused on strengthening primary care and improving health insurance coverage and benefits. The aim of the study was to explore the impacts of these reforms on healthworkers and service-users at township level, which has been the major target of the first phase of the reforms. From January to March 2013 we interviewed eight health officials, 80 township healthworkers and 80 service-users in eight counties in Zhejiang and Yunnan provinces, representing rich and poor provinces respectively. Thematic analysis identified key themes around the impacts of the health reforms. We found that some elements of the reforms may actually be undermining primary care. While the new health insurance system was popular among service-users, it was criticised for contributing to fast-growing medical costs, and for an imbalance of benefits between outpatient and inpatient services. Salary reform has guaranteed healthworkers' income, but greatly reduced their incentives. The essential drug list removed perverse incentives to overprescribe, but led to falls in income for healthworkers, and loss of autonomy for doctors. Serious problems with drug procurement also emerged. The unintended consequences have included a brain drain of experienced healthworkers from township hospitals, and patients have flowed to county hospitals at greater cost. In conclusion, in the short term resources must be found to ensure rural healthworkers feel appropriately remunerated and have more clinical autonomy, measures for containment of the medical costs must be taken, and drug procurement must show increased transparency and accountability. More importantly the study shows that all countries undergoing health reforms should elicit the views of stakeholders, including service-users, to avoid and address unintended consequences. Copyright © 2014. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Clinical Correlates of Co-Occurring Cannabis and Tobacco Use: A Systematic Review

PubMed Central

Peters, Erica N.; Budney, Alan J.; Carroll, Kathleen M.

2012-01-01

Aims A growing literature has documented the substantial prevalence of and putative mechanisms underlying co-occurring (i.e., concurrent or simultaneous) cannabis and tobacco use. Greater understanding of the clinical correlates of co-occurring cannabis and tobacco use may suggest how intervention strategies may be refined to improve cessation outcomes and decrease the public health burden associated with cannabis and tobacco use. Methods A systematic review of the literature on clinical diagnoses, psychosocial problems, and outcomes associated with co-occurring cannabis and tobacco use. Twenty-eight studies compared clinical correlates in co-occurring cannabis and tobacco users vs. cannabis or tobacco only users. These included studies of treatment-seekers in clinical trials and non-treatment-seekers in cross-sectional or longitudinal epidemiological or non-population-based surveys. Results Sixteen studies examined clinical diagnoses, four studies examined psychosocial problems, and 11 studies examined cessation outcomes in co-occurring cannabis and tobacco users (several studies examined multiple clinical correlates). Relative to cannabis use only, co-occurring cannabis and tobacco use was associated with a greater likelihood of cannabis use disorders, more psychosocial problems, and poorer cannabis cessation outcomes. Relative to tobacco use only, co-occurring use did not appear to be consistently associated with a greater likelihood of tobacco use disorders, more psychosocial problems, nor poorer tobacco cessation outcomes. Conclusions Cannabis users who also smoke tobacco are more dependent on cannabis, have more psychosocial problems, and have poorer cessation outcomes than those who use cannabis but not tobacco. The converse does not appear to be the case. PMID:22340422

Age-related changes in working memory and the ability to ignore distraction.

PubMed

McNab, Fiona; Zeidman, Peter; Rutledge, Robb B; Smittenaar, Peter; Brown, Harriet R; Adams, Rick A; Dolan, Raymond J

2015-05-19

A weakened ability to effectively resist distraction is a potential basis for reduced working memory capacity (WMC) associated with healthy aging. Exploiting data from 29,631 users of a smartphone game, we show that, as age increases, working memory (WM) performance is compromised more by distractors presented during WM maintenance than distractors presented during encoding. However, with increasing age, the ability to exclude distraction at encoding is a better predictor of WMC in the absence of distraction. A significantly greater contribution of distractor filtering at encoding represents a potential compensation for reduced WMC in older age.

Frequent Use of Emergency Departments by the Elderly Population When Continuing Care Is Not Well Established.

PubMed

Legramante, Jacopo M; Morciano, Laura; Lucaroni, Francesca; Gilardi, Francesco; Caredda, Emanuele; Pesaresi, Alessia; Coscia, Massimo; Orlando, Stefano; Brandi, Antonella; Giovagnoli, Germano; Di Lecce, Vito N; Visconti, Giuseppe; Palombi, Leonardo

2016-01-01

The elderly, who suffer from multiple chronic diseases, represent a substantial proportion of Emergency Department (ED) frequent users, thus contributing to ED overcrowding, although they could benefit from other health care facilities, if those were available. The aim of this study was to evaluate and characterize hospital visits of older patients (age 65 or greater) to the ED of a university teaching hospital in Rome from the 1st of January to the 31st of December 2014, in order to identify clinical and social characteristics potentially associated with "elderly frequent users". A retrospective study was performed during the calendar year 2014 (1st January 2014 - 31st December 2014) analyzing all ED admissions to the University Hospital of Rome Tor Vergata. Variables collected included age, triage code, arrival data, discharge diagnosis, and visit outcome. We performed a risk analysis using univariate binary logistic regression models. A total number of 38,016 patients accessed the ED, generating 46,820 accesses during the study period, with an average of 1.23 accesses for patient. The elderly population represented a quarter of the total ED population and had an increased risk of frequent use (OR 1.5: CI 1.4-1.7) and hospitalization (OR 3.8: CI 3.7-4). Moreover, they showed a greater diagnostic complexity, as demonstrated by the higher incidence of yellow and red priority codes compared to other ED populations (OR 3.1: CI 2.9-3.2). Older patients presented clinical and social characteristics related to the definition of "elderly frail frequent users". The fact that a larger number of hospitalizations occurred in such patients is indirect evidence of frailty in this specific population, suggesting that hospital admissions may be an inappropriate response to frailty, especially when continued care is not established. Enhancement of continuity of care, establishment of a tracking system for those who are at greater risk of visiting the ED and evaluating fragile individuals should be the highest priority in addressing ED frequent usage by the elderly.

HIV testing behaviors and attitudes among community recruited methamphetamine users in a South African township

PubMed Central

Meade, Christina S.; Towe, Sheri L.; Watt, Melissa H.; Hobkirk, Andrea; Skinner, Donald; Myers, Bronwyn; Kimani, Stephen M.; Pieterse, Desiree

2015-01-01

Background Methamphetamine users in South Africa are at high risk for HIV infection and transmission, but little is known about HIV testing in this population. Methods We examined HIV testing behaviors and attitudes in 362 methamphetamine users recruited using chain referral sampling from one peri-urban community. Results Many (44%) had not been HIV tested in the past year. HIV testing was associated with positive testing attitudes, less AIDS stigma, and greater methamphetamine stigma. Among participants who reported HIV infection (8%), less than half were linked to care. Conclusions Findings highlight the need to identify barriers to HIV service uptake for methamphetamine users. PMID:24858393

Who Is Still Playing Pokémon Go? A Web-Based Survey.

PubMed

Rasche, Peter; Schlomann, Anna; Mertens, Alexander

2017-04-05

Poor physical activity is one of the major health care problems in Western civilizations. Various digital gadgets aiming to increase physical activity, such as activity trackers or fitness apps, have been introduced over recent years. The newest products are serious games that incorporate real-life physical activity into their game concept. Recent studies have shown that such games increase the physical activity of their users over the short term. In this study, we investigated the motivational effects of the digital game "Pokémon Go" leading to continued use or abandonment of the game. The aim of the study was to determine aspects that motivate individuals to play augmented reality exergames and how this motivation can be used to strengthen the initial interest in physical activity. A total of 199 participants completed an open self-selected Web-based survey. On the basis of their self-indicated assignment to one of three predefined user groups (active, former, and nonuser of Pokémon Go), participants answered various questions regarding game experience, physical activity, motivation, and personality as measured by the Big Five Inventory. In total, 81 active, 56 former, and 62 nonusers of Pokémon Go were recruited. When asked about the times they perform physical activity, active users stated that they were less physically active in general than former and nonusers. However, based on a subjective rating, active users were more motivated to be physically active due to playing Pokémon Go. Motivational aspects differed for active and former users, whereas fan status was the same within both groups. Active users are more motivated by features directly related to Pokémon, such as catching all possible Pokémon and reaching higher levels, whereas former users stress the importance of general game quality, such as better augmented reality and more challenges in the game. Personality did not affect whether a person started to play Pokémon Go nor their abandonment of the game. The results show various motivating elements that should be incorporated into augmented reality exergames based on the game Pokémon Go. We identified different user types for whom different features of the game contribute to maintained motivation or abandonment. Our results show aspects that augmented reality exergame designers should keep in mind to encourage individuals to start playing their game and facilitate long-term user engagement, resulting in a greater interest in physical activity. ©Peter Rasche, Anna Schlomann, Alexander Mertens. Originally published in JMIR Serious Games (http://games.jmir.org), 05.04.2017.

Who Is Still Playing Pokémon Go? A Web-Based Survey

PubMed Central

Mertens, Alexander

2017-01-01

Background Poor physical activity is one of the major health care problems in Western civilizations. Various digital gadgets aiming to increase physical activity, such as activity trackers or fitness apps, have been introduced over recent years. The newest products are serious games that incorporate real-life physical activity into their game concept. Recent studies have shown that such games increase the physical activity of their users over the short term. Objective In this study, we investigated the motivational effects of the digital game “Pokémon Go” leading to continued use or abandonment of the game. The aim of the study was to determine aspects that motivate individuals to play augmented reality exergames and how this motivation can be used to strengthen the initial interest in physical activity. Methods A total of 199 participants completed an open self-selected Web-based survey. On the basis of their self-indicated assignment to one of three predefined user groups (active, former, and nonuser of Pokémon Go), participants answered various questions regarding game experience, physical activity, motivation, and personality as measured by the Big Five Inventory. Results In total, 81 active, 56 former, and 62 nonusers of Pokémon Go were recruited. When asked about the times they perform physical activity, active users stated that they were less physically active in general than former and nonusers. However, based on a subjective rating, active users were more motivated to be physically active due to playing Pokémon Go. Motivational aspects differed for active and former users, whereas fan status was the same within both groups. Active users are more motivated by features directly related to Pokémon, such as catching all possible Pokémon and reaching higher levels, whereas former users stress the importance of general game quality, such as better augmented reality and more challenges in the game. Personality did not affect whether a person started to play Pokémon Go nor their abandonment of the game. Conclusions The results show various motivating elements that should be incorporated into augmented reality exergames based on the game Pokémon Go. We identified different user types for whom different features of the game contribute to maintained motivation or abandonment. Our results show aspects that augmented reality exergame designers should keep in mind to encourage individuals to start playing their game and facilitate long-term user engagement, resulting in a greater interest in physical activity. PMID:28381393

Risk of pulmonary embolism in patients with end-stage renal disease receiving long-term dialysis.

PubMed

Wang, I-Kuan; Shen, Te-Chun; Muo, Chih-Hsin; Yen, Tzung-Hai; Sung, Fung-Chang

2017-08-01

This study compared the pulmonary embolism (PE) risks between Asian dialysis patients and a comparison cohort without clinical kidney disease. From the National Health Insurance claims data of Taiwan, we identified 106 231 newly diagnosed end-stage renal disease patients undergoing dialysis in 1998-2010 and randomly selected 106 231 comparison subjects, frequency matched by age, sex and the index year. We further selected 7430 peritoneal dialysis (PD) patients and 7340 propensity score-matched hemodialysis (HD) patients. Incidence rates and hazard ratios (HRs) of PE and odds ratio (OR) of subsequent 30-day deaths from PE were evaluated among study cohorts by the end of 2011. The overall incident PE was nearly 3-fold greater in dialysis patients than in the comparison cohort (0.92 versus 0.33 per 1000 person-years), with an adjusted HR of 2.02 [95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.63-2.50]. The PE incidence was greater in the propensity score-matched HD patients, than in PD patients with an adjusted HR of 2.30 (95% CI = 1.23-4.29). There was a greater PE risk for central venous catheter users than non-users among HD patients (1.83 versus 0.75 per 1000 person-years). The 30-day mortality from PE was higher in dialysis patients than in the comparison cohort (16.5 versus 9.77%) with an adjusted OR of 2.56 (95% CI = 1.32-4.95). Dialysis patients are at a nearly 2-fold increased hazard of developing PE and are at greater risk of fatality from PE compared with those without clinical kidney disease. This study also shows a higher PE risk in HD patients than in PD patients. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of ERA-EDTA. All rights reserved.

Predicting Substance Use Patterns Among Rural Adults: The Roles of Mothers, Fathers, and Parenthood.

PubMed

Wong, Jessie J; Cucciare, Michael A; Booth, Brenda M; Timko, Christine

2018-04-16

This study examined the role of parenthood and parental influences on substance use patterns for 710 stimulant users age 18-61 living in the rural Midwest and Mid-south U.S. Longitudinal growth analyses showed that a maternal history of drug use was associated with increased baseline drug use severity, lesser declines in severity, and greater plateau of drug use severity over time. Parental conflict was associated with lesser declines in drug use severity, and drug use severity declined more steeply for participants who were themselves parents. Participants with two parents having a history of alcohol use had a greater baseline severity of alcohol use, with paternal history of drug use associated with lower baseline alcohol use severity. These findings demonstrate the importance of identifying parental influences in evaluating adult substance use, and point to the inclusion of parents in efforts to prevent and treat substance use disorders. © 2018 Family Process Institute.

Ecosystem management: A comparison of greater yellowstone and georges bank

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Burroughs, Richard H.; Clark, Tim W.

1995-09-01

Ecosystem management links human activities with the functioning of natural environments over large spatial and temporal scales. Our examination of Greater Yellowstone and Georges Bank shows similarities exist between human uses, administrative characteristics, and some biophysical features. Each region faces growing pressures to replace traditional extractive uses with more sustainable extractive or noncommodity uses coupled with concern about endangered species. Ecosystem management as a set of practical guidelines for making decisions under evolving expectations is far from complete, and it embodies new demands on individuals and institutions. In each system these challenges are considered relative to: the public's symbolic understanding of the management challenge, ecosystem management ambiguities, information availability, information use, administrative setting, and learning capabilities of governance organizations Progress in making ecosystem management operational may occur as refinements in content and approach make it an increasingly attractive option for resource users, the public, and government officials.

The jellification of north temperate lakes.

PubMed

Jeziorski, Adam; Tanentzap, Andrew J; Yan, Norman D; Paterson, Andrew M; Palmer, Michelle E; Korosi, Jennifer B; Rusak, James A; Arts, Michael T; Keller, Wendel Bill; Ingram, Ron; Cairns, Allegra; Smol, John P

2015-01-07

Calcium (Ca) concentrations are decreasing in softwater lakes across eastern North America and western Europe. Using long-term contemporary and palaeo-environmental field data, we show that this is precipitating a dramatic change in Canadian lakes: the replacement of previously dominant pelagic herbivores (Ca-rich Daphnia species) by Holopedium glacialis, a jelly-clad, Ca-poor competitor. In some lakes, this transformation is being facilitated by increases in macro-invertebrate predation, both from native (Chaoborus spp.) and introduced (Bythotrephes longimanus) zooplanktivores, to which Holopedium, with its jelly coat, is relatively invulnerable. Greater representation by Holopedium within cladoceran zooplankton communities will reduce nutrient transfer through food webs, given their lower phosphorus content relative to daphniids, and greater absolute abundances may pose long-term problems to water users. The dominance of jelly-clad zooplankton will likely persist while lakewater Ca levels remain low. © 2014 The Author(s) Published by the Royal Society. All rights reserved.

Effects of shape, size, and chromaticity of stimuli on estimated size in normally sighted, severely myopic, and visually impaired students.

PubMed

Huang, Kuo-Chen; Wang, Hsiu-Feng; Chen, Chun-Ching

2010-06-01

Effects of shape, size, and chromaticity of stimuli on participants' errors when estimating the size of simultaneously presented standard and comparison stimuli were examined. 48 Taiwanese college students ages 20 to 24 years old (M = 22.3, SD = 1.3) participated. Analysis showed that the error for estimated size was significantly greater for those in the low-vision group than for those in the normal-vision and severe-myopia groups. The errors were significantly greater with green and blue stimuli than with red stimuli. Circular stimuli produced smaller mean errors than did square stimuli. The actual size of the standard stimulus significantly affected the error for estimated size. Errors for estimations using smaller sizes were significantly higher than when the sizes were larger. Implications of the results for graphics-based interface design, particularly when taking account of visually impaired users, are discussed.

An analysis of file migration in a UNIX supercomputing environment

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Miller, Ethan L.; Katz, Randy H.

1992-01-01

The super computer center at the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) migrates large numbers of files to and from its mass storage system (MSS) because there is insufficient space to store them on the Cray supercomputer's local disks. This paper presents an analysis of file migration data collected over two years. The analysis shows that requests to the MSS are periodic, with one day and one week periods. Read requests to the MSS account for the majority of the periodicity; as write requests are relatively constant over the course of a week. Additionally, reads show a far greater fluctuation than writes over a day and week since reads are driven by human users while writes are machine-driven.

MyWelch: building an information portal system in a medical library environment.

PubMed

Zhang, Dongming; Zambrowicz, Caroline; Zhou, Hong; Roderer, Nancy

2003-01-01

MyWelch is a medical library portal system that users can use to create customized web sites that reflect their research needs and personal interests. In the MyWelch environment, faculty and students are empowered to take a greater role in identifying their needs and determining their requirements in the electronic environment. The portal system also facilitates interaction among library users and staff.

Psychotic-like experiences with cannabis use predict cannabis cessation and desire to quit: a cannabis discontinuation hypothesis.

PubMed

Sami, Musa; Notley, Caitlin; Kouimtsidis, Christos; Lynskey, Michael; Bhattacharyya, Sagnik

2018-03-23

Evidence suggests that cannabis-induced psychotic-like experiences may be a marker of psychosis proneness. The effect of such experiences on cannabis use has not systematically been examined. We undertook a mixed-methods online survey of 1231 cannabis users (including 926 continued users) using the Cannabis Experiences Questionnaire. We examined the effect of psychotic-like and pleasurable experiences on cessation of cannabis and intention to quit. Socio-demographic variables, cannabis use parameters and substance misuse history were included as covariates. Free-text data explored subjective reasons for changes in use. Cessation of cannabis use was associated with greater psychotic-like experiences [p < 0.001, Exp(B) 1.262, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.179-1.351], whilst continued cannabis users were more likely to report pleasurable experiences [p < 0.001, Exp(B) 0.717, 95% CI 0.662-0.776]. Intention to quit cannabis in continued users was associated with greater psychotic-like experiences [p < 0.003, Exp(B) 1.131, 95% CI 1.044-1.225], whilst intention to not quit was significantly associated with increased pleasurable experiences [p < 0.015, Exp(B) 0.892, 95% CI 0.814-0.978]. Whereas former users clearly ascribed cessation to negative experiences, continued users who expressed intention to quit less readily ascribed the intention to negative experiences. Elucidation of psychotic-like experiences may form the basis of a therapeutic intervention for those who wish to quit. Cessation in those with cannabis-induced psychotomimetic experiences may offset the risk for the development of a psychotic disorder, in this higher risk group.

The comparative effectiveness of mail order pharmacy use vs. local pharmacy use on LDL-C control in new statin users.

PubMed

Schmittdiel, Julie A; Karter, Andrew J; Dyer, Wendy; Parker, Melissa; Uratsu, Connie; Chan, James; Duru, O Kenrik

2011-12-01

Mail order pharmacies are commonly used to deliver CVD risk factor medications. Previous studies have shown that mail order pharmacy use is associated with greater medication adherence; however, no studies have examined whether mail order pharmacy use is related to improved CVD risk factor outcomes. To examine the comparative effectiveness of mail order pharmacy vs. local pharmacy use on LDL-C control in new statin users. Observational cohort study. 100,298 adult Kaiser Permanente Northern California (KPNC) members who were new users of statins between January 1, 2005 and December 31, 2007. The main outcome measure was LDL-C control in the 3-15 month period after statin therapy was initiated. After adjustment for patient, clinical, and census-block characteristics, and for potential unmeasured differences between mail order and local KPNC pharmacy users with instrumental variables analysis, 85.0% of patients who used the mail order pharmacy to deliver their statin at any time achieved target LDL-C levels compared with 74.2% of patients who only used the local KPNC pharmacy to dispense the statin (p < 0.001). Greater adjusted rates of LDL-C control in mail order pharmacy users were seen across all gender and race/ethnicity subgroups. Mail order pharmacy use was positively associated with LDL-C control in new statin users. Future research should continue to explore the relationship between mail order pharmacy use and outcomes, and address how to appropriately target mail order services to patients most likely to benefit without compromising patient choice, care, and safety.

A novel algorithm for detecting active propulsion in wheelchair users following spinal cord injury.

PubMed

Popp, Werner L; Brogioli, Michael; Leuenberger, Kaspar; Albisser, Urs; Frotzler, Angela; Curt, Armin; Gassert, Roger; Starkey, Michelle L

2016-03-01

Physical activity in wheelchair-bound individuals can be assessed by monitoring their mobility as this is one of the most intense upper extremity activities they perform. Current accelerometer-based approaches for describing wheelchair mobility do not distinguish between self- and attendant-propulsion and hence may overestimate total physical activity. The aim of this study was to develop and validate an inertial measurement unit based algorithm to monitor wheel kinematics and the type of wheelchair propulsion (self- or attendant-) within a "real-world" situation. Different sensor set-ups were investigated, ranging from a high precision set-up including four sensor modules with a relatively short measurement duration of 24 h, to a less precise set-up with only one module attached at the wheel exceeding one week of measurement because the gyroscope of the sensor was turned off. The "high-precision" algorithm distinguished self- and attendant-propulsion with accuracy greater than 93% whilst the long-term measurement set-up showed an accuracy of 82%. The estimation accuracy of kinematic parameters was greater than 97% for both set-ups. The possibility of having different sensor set-ups allows the use of the inertial measurement units as high precision tools for researchers as well as unobtrusive and simple tools for manual wheelchair users. Copyright © 2016 IPEM. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

[EVALUATION OF GYM USERS' DIET WITH MUSCLE DYSMORPHIA (BIGOREXIA)].

PubMed

Martínez Segura, Asier; Cortés Castell, Ernesto; Rizo Baeza, María Mercedes; Gil Guillén, Vicente F

2015-07-01

it is an innovative study where has been analyzed the diet among gym users with Muscle Dysmorphia (MD) of gyms in the province of Alicante. it have been analyzed 141 male gymnasts of several gyms of Alicante (urban area of southeastern Spanish) aged between 18-45 years old, who purpose increasing their muscle mass. Were considered BMI (kg/m2) and 24 hour diet. And it has been determined whether or not suffer MD trough Muscle Appearance Satisfaction Scale. the sample consisted of 141 men, of whom 45 are MD and 96 are not according to Muscle Appearance Satisfaction. Protein intake was calculated and was greater than 1.5 g/kg/day in patients without MD and greater than 2 g/kg/day in the MD group. Analyzing the other nutrients, results show that the proportion of carbohydrates and fats and their percentages by degree of instauration are within the recommendations except cholesterol which exceeds and the amount of dietary fiber that is slightly lower. In relation to micronutrients are within the recommendations in all cases except iodine which is slightly lower in MD. individuals with MD do a balanced energy and adequate carbohydrate and fat diet, however protein intake values exceed the limits proposed according to the scientific evidence for muscle mass development in strength sports. Copyright AULA MEDICA EDICIONES 2014. Published by AULA MEDICA. All rights reserved.

Parsimonious data: How a single Facebook like predicts voting behavior in multiparty systems.

PubMed

Kristensen, Jakob Bæk; Albrechtsen, Thomas; Dahl-Nielsen, Emil; Jensen, Michael; Skovrind, Magnus; Bornakke, Tobias

2017-01-01

This study shows how liking politicians' public Facebook posts can be used as an accurate measure for predicting present-day voter intention in a multiparty system. We highlight that a few, but selective digital traces produce prediction accuracies that are on par or even greater than most current approaches based upon bigger and broader datasets. Combining the online and offline, we connect a subsample of surveyed respondents to their public Facebook activity and apply machine learning classifiers to explore the link between their political liking behaviour and actual voting intention. Through this work, we show that even a single selective Facebook like can reveal as much about political voter intention as hundreds of heterogeneous likes. Further, by including the entire political like history of the respondents, our model reaches prediction accuracies above previous multiparty studies (60-70%). The main contribution of this paper is to show how public like-activity on Facebook allows political profiling of individual users in a multiparty system with accuracies above previous studies. Beside increased accuracies, the paper shows how such parsimonious measures allows us to generalize our findings to the entire population of a country and even across national borders, to other political multiparty systems. The approach in this study relies on data that are publicly available, and the simple setup we propose can with some limitations, be generalized to millions of users in other multiparty systems.

Cost-effectiveness of intensive psychiatric community care for high users of inpatient services.

PubMed

Rosenheck, R A; Neale, M S

1998-05-01

This 2-year experimental study evaluated the effectiveness and cost of 10 intensive psychiatric community care (IPCC) programs at Department of Veterans Affairs medical centers in the northeastern United States. High users of inpatient services were randomly assigned to either IPCC or standard Department of Veterans Affairs care at 6 general medical and surgical hospitals (n=271 vs 257) and 4 neuropsychiatric hospitals (n=183 vs 162). Patient interviews every 6 months and national computerized data were used to assess clinical outcomes, health service use, health care costs, and non-health care costs. There was only 1 significant clinical difference between groups across follow-up periods: IPCC patients at general medical and surgical sites had higher community living skills. However, at the final interview, IPCC patients at general medical and surgical sites showed significantly lower symptoms, higher functioning, and greater satisfaction with services. Treatment with IPCC significantly reduced hospital use only at neuropsychiatric sites (320 vs 513 days, P<.001). Total societal costs, including the cost of IPCC, were lower for IPCC at neuropsychiatric sites ($82,454 vs $116,651, P<.001), but greater at general medical and surgical sites ($51,537 vs $46,491, P<.01). When 2 sites that incompletely implemented the model were dropped from the analysis, costs at general medical and surgical sites were $38 lower for IPCC (P=.26). At acute care hospitals, IPCC treatment is associated with greater long-term clinical improvement and, when fully implemented, is cost-neutral. At long-stay hospitals treating older, less-functional patients, it is not associated with clinical or functional improvement but generates substantial cost savings. Intensive psychiatric community care thus has beneficial, but somewhat different, outcome profiles at different types of hospitals.

Statistics on Cannabis Users Skew Perceptions of Cannabis Use

PubMed Central

Burns, Rachel M.; Caulkins, Jonathan P.; Everingham, Susan S.; Kilmer, Beau

2013-01-01

Collecting information about the prevalence of cannabis use is necessary but not sufficient for understanding the size, dynamics, and outcomes associated with cannabis markets. This paper uses two data sets describing cannabis consumption in the United States and Europe to highlight (1) differences in inferences about sub-populations based on the measure used to quantify cannabis-related activity; (2) how different measures of cannabis-related activity can be used to more accurately describe trends in cannabis usage over time; and (3) the correlation between frequency of use in the past-month and average grams consumed per use-day. Key findings: focusing on days of use instead of prevalence shows substantially greater increases in U.S. cannabis use in recent years; however, the recent increase is mostly among adults, not youth. Relatively more rapid growth in use days also occurred among the college-educated and Hispanics. Further, data from a survey conducted in seven European countries show a strong positive correlation between frequency of use and quantity consumed per day of use, suggesting consumption is even more skewed toward the minority of heavy users than is suggested by days-of-use calculations. PMID:24223560

Supply- and Demand-Side Factors Influencing Utilization of Infant and Young Child Feeding Counselling Services in Viet Nam.

PubMed

Nguyen, Phuong H; Kim, Sunny S; Nguyen, Tuan T; Tran, Lan M; Hajeebhoy, Nemat; Frongillo, Edward A; Ruel, Marie T; Rawat, Rahul; Menon, Purnima

2016-01-01

Adequate utilization of services is critical to maximize the impact of counselling on infant and young child feeding (IYCF), but little is known about factors affecting utilization. Our study examined supply- and demand-side factors associated with the utilization of IYCF counselling services in Viet Nam. We used survey data from mothers with children <2y (n = 1,008) and health staff (n = 60) from the evaluation of a program that embedded IYCF counseling into the existing government health system. The frequency of never users, one-time users, repeat users, and achievers of the recommended minimum number of visits at health facilities were 45.1%, 13.0%, 28.4% and 13.5%, respectively. Poisson regression showed that demand-generation strategies, especially invitation cards, were the key factors determining one-time use (Prevalence ratio, PR 3.0, 95% CI: 2.2-4.2), repeated use (PR 3.2, 95% CI: 2.4-4.2), and achievement of minimum visits (PR 5.5, 95% CI: 3.6-8.4). Higher maternal education was associated with higher utilization both for one-time and repeated use. Being a farmer, belonging to an ethnic minority, and having a wasted child were associated with greater likelihood of achieving the minimum recommended number of visits, whereas child stunting or illness were not. Distance to health center was a barrier to repeated visits. Among supply-side factors, good counselling skills (PR: 1.3-1.8) was the most important factor associated with any service use, whereas longer employment duration and greater work pressure of health center staff were associated with lower utilization. Population attributable risk estimations showed that an additional 25% of the population would have achieved the minimum number of visits if exposed to three demand-generation strategies, and further increased to 49% if the health staff had good counseling skills and low work pressure. Our study provides evidence that demand-generation strategies are essential to increase utilization of facility-based IYCF counselling services in Viet Nam, and may be relevant for increasing and sustaining use of nutrition services in similar contexts.

Supply- and Demand-Side Factors Influencing Utilization of Infant and Young Child Feeding Counselling Services in Viet Nam

PubMed Central

Nguyen, Phuong H.; Kim, Sunny S.; Nguyen, Tuan T.; Tran, Lan M.; Hajeebhoy, Nemat; Frongillo, Edward A.; Ruel, Marie T.; Rawat, Rahul; Menon, Purnima

2016-01-01

Adequate utilization of services is critical to maximize the impact of counselling on infant and young child feeding (IYCF), but little is known about factors affecting utilization. Our study examined supply- and demand-side factors associated with the utilization of IYCF counselling services in Viet Nam. We used survey data from mothers with children <2y (n = 1,008) and health staff (n = 60) from the evaluation of a program that embedded IYCF counseling into the existing government health system. The frequency of never users, one-time users, repeat users, and achievers of the recommended minimum number of visits at health facilities were 45.1%, 13.0%, 28.4% and 13.5%, respectively. Poisson regression showed that demand-generation strategies, especially invitation cards, were the key factors determining one-time use (Prevalence ratio, PR 3.0, 95% CI: 2.2–4.2), repeated use (PR 3.2, 95% CI: 2.4–4.2), and achievement of minimum visits (PR 5.5, 95% CI: 3.6–8.4). Higher maternal education was associated with higher utilization both for one-time and repeated use. Being a farmer, belonging to an ethnic minority, and having a wasted child were associated with greater likelihood of achieving the minimum recommended number of visits, whereas child stunting or illness were not. Distance to health center was a barrier to repeated visits. Among supply-side factors, good counselling skills (PR: 1.3–1.8) was the most important factor associated with any service use, whereas longer employment duration and greater work pressure of health center staff were associated with lower utilization. Population attributable risk estimations showed that an additional 25% of the population would have achieved the minimum number of visits if exposed to three demand-generation strategies, and further increased to 49% if the health staff had good counseling skills and low work pressure. Our study provides evidence that demand-generation strategies are essential to increase utilization of facility-based IYCF counselling services in Viet Nam, and may be relevant for increasing and sustaining use of nutrition services in similar contexts. PMID:26962856

A 61-million-person experiment in social influence and political mobilization

PubMed Central

Bond, Robert M.; Fariss, Christopher J.; Jones, Jason J.; Kramer, Adam D. I.; Marlow, Cameron; Settle, Jaime E.; Fowler, James H.

2013-01-01

Human behaviour is thought to spread through face-to-face social networks, but it is difficult to identify social influence effects in observational studies9–13, and it is unknown whether online social networks operate in the same way14–19. Here we report results from a randomized controlled trial of political mobilization messages delivered to 61 million Facebook users during the 2010 US congressional elections. The results show that the messages directly influenced political self-expression, information seeking and real-world voting behaviour of millions of people. Furthermore, the messages not only influenced the users who received them but also the users’ friends, and friends of friends. The effect of social transmission on real-world voting was greater than the direct effect of the messages themselves, and nearly all the transmission occurred between ‘close friends’ who were more likely to have a face-to-face relationship. These results suggest that strong ties are instrumental for spreading both online and real-world behaviour in human social networks. PMID:22972300

Graphical user interface (GUIDE) and semi-automatic system for the acquisition of anaglyphs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Canchola, Marco A.; Arízaga, Juan A.; Cortés, Obed; Tecpanecatl, Eduardo; Cantero, Jose M.

2013-09-01

Diverse educational experiences have shown greater acceptance of children to ideas related to science, compared with adults. That fact and showing great curiosity are factors to consider to undertake scientific outreach efforts for children, with prospects of success. Moreover now 3D digital images have become a topic that has gained importance in various areas, entertainment, film and video games mainly, but also in areas such as medical practice transcendental in disease detection This article presents a system model for 3D images for educational purposes that allows students of various grade levels, school and college, have an approach to image processing, explaining the use of filters for stereoscopic images that give brain impression of depth. The system is based on one of two hardware elements, centered on an Arduino board, and a software based on Matlab. The paper presents the design and construction of each of the elements, also presents information on the images obtained and finally how users can interact with the device.

Low-earth-orbit Satellite Internet Protocol Communications Concept and Design

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Slywezak, Richard A.

2004-01-01

This report presents a design concept for a low-Earth-orbit end-to-end Internet-Protocol- (IP-) based mission. The goal is to maintain an up-to-date communications infrastructure that makes communications seamless with the protocols used in terrestrial computing. It is based on the premise that the use of IPs will permit greater interoperability while also reducing costs and providing users the ability to retrieve data directly from the satellite. However, implementing an IP-based solution also has a number of challenges, since wireless communications have different characteristics than wired communications. This report outlines the design of a low-Earth-orbit end-to-end IP-based mission; the ideas and concepts of Space Internet architectures and networks are beyond the scope of this document. The findings of this report show that an IP-based mission is plausible and would provide benefits to the user community, but the outstanding issues must be resolved before a design can be implemented.

ACTS High-Speed VSAT Demonstrated

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tran, Quang K.

1999-01-01

The Advanced Communication Technology Satellite (ACTS) developed by NASA has demonstrated the breakthrough technologies of Ka-band transmission, spot-beam antennas, and onboard processing. These technologies have enabled the development of very small and ultrasmall aperture terminals (VSAT s and USAT's), which have capabilities greater than have been possible with conventional satellite technologies. The ACTS High Speed VSAT (HS VSAT) is an effort at the NASA Glenn Research Center at Lewis Field to experimentally demonstrate the maximum user throughput data rate that can be achieved using the technologies developed and implemented on ACTS. This was done by operating the system uplinks as frequency division multiple access (FDMA), essentially assigning all available time division multiple access (TDMA) time slots to a single user on each of two uplink frequencies. Preliminary results show that, using a 1.2-m antenna in this mode, the High Speed VSAT can achieve between 22 and 24 Mbps of the 27.5 Mbps burst rate, for a throughput efficiency of 80 to 88 percent.

Recent national trends in Salvia divinorum use and substance-use disorders among recent and former Salvia divinorum users compared with nonusers

PubMed Central

Wu, Li-Tzy; Woody, George E; Yang, Chongming; Li, Jih-Heng; Blazer, Dan G

2011-01-01

Context Media and scientific reports have indicated an increase in recreational use of Salvia divinorum. Epidemiological data are lacking on the trends, prevalence, and correlates of S. divinorum use in large representative samples, as well as the extent of substance use and mental health problems among S. divinorum users. Objective To examine the national trend in prevalence of S. divinorum use and to identify sociodemographic, behavioral, mental health, and substance-use profiles of recent (past-year) and former users of S. divinorum. Design Analyses of public-use data files from the 2006–2008 United States National Surveys on Drug Use and Health (N = 166,453). Setting Noninstitutionalized individuals aged 12 years or older were interviewed in their places of residence. Main measures Substance use, S. divinorum, self-reported substance use disorders, criminality, depression, and mental health treatment were assessed by standardized survey questions administered by the audio computer-assisted self-interviewing method. Results Among survey respondents, lifetime prevalence of S. divinorum use had increased from 0.7% in 2006 to 1.3% in 2008 (an 83% increase). S. divinorum use was associated with ages 18–25 years, male gender, white or multiple race, residence of large metropolitan areas, arrests for criminal activities, and depression. S. divinorum use was particularly common among recent drug users, including users of lysergic acid diethylamide (53.7%), ecstasy (30.1%), heroin (24.2%), phencyclidine (22.4%), and cocaine (17.5%). Adjusted multinomial logistic analyses indicated polydrug use as the strongest determinant for recent and former S. divinorum use. An estimated 43.0% of past-year S. divinorum users and 28.9% of former S. divinorum users had an illicit or nonmedical drug-use disorder compared with 2.5% of nonusers. Adjusted logistic regression analyses showed that recent and former S. divinorum users had greater odds of having past-year depression and a substance-use disorder (alcohol or drugs) than past-year alcohol or drug users who did not use S. divinorum. Conclusion S. divinorum use is prevalent among recent or active drug users who have used other hallucinogens or stimulants. The high prevalence of substance use disorders among recent S. divinorum users emphasizes the need to study health risks of drug interactions. PMID:21709724

Marine C2 in Support of HA/DR: Observations and Critical Assessments Following Super-Typhoon Haiyan

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-06-01

farm (Figure 1), established Internet access over commercial satellite service 6 (Figure 2), and configured a wireless local area network ( WLAN ...included support for a larger diameter wireless local area network ( WLAN ), providing greater freedom of movement for users accessing the GATR...emerging commercial capabilities, both communications systems and handheld/user-access devices involves the establishment of a synergistic application

Functional Connectivity in Brain Networks Underlying Cognitive Control in Chronic Cannabis Users

PubMed Central

Harding, Ian H; Solowij, Nadia; Harrison, Ben J; Takagi, Michael; Lorenzetti, Valentina; Lubman, Dan I; Seal, Marc L; Pantelis, Christos; Yücel, Murat

2012-01-01

The long-term effect of regular cannabis use on brain function underlying cognitive control remains equivocal. Cognitive control abilities are thought to have a major role in everyday functioning, and their dysfunction has been implicated in the maintenance of maladaptive drug-taking patterns. In this study, the Multi-Source Interference Task was employed alongside functional magnetic resonance imaging and psychophysiological interaction methods to investigate functional interactions between brain regions underlying cognitive control. Current cannabis users with a history of greater than 10 years of daily or near-daily cannabis smoking (n=21) were compared with age, gender, and IQ-matched non-using controls (n=21). No differences in behavioral performance or magnitude of task-related brain activations were evident between the groups. However, greater connectivity between the prefrontal cortex and the occipitoparietal cortex was evident in cannabis users, as compared with controls, as cognitive control demands increased. The magnitude of this connectivity was positively associated with age of onset and lifetime exposure to cannabis. These findings suggest that brain regions responsible for coordinating behavioral control have an increased influence on the direction and switching of attention in cannabis users, and that these changes may have a compensatory role in mitigating cannabis-related impairments in cognitive control or perceptual processes. PMID:22534625

Party drug use in techno nights: a field survey among French-speaking Swiss attendees.

PubMed

Chinet, Léonie; Stéphan, Philippe; Zobel, Frank; Halfon, Olivier

2007-02-01

This study was designed to investigate the lifestyle and substance use habits of dance music event attendees together with their attitudes toward prevention of substance misuse, harm reduction measures and health-care resources. A total of 302 attendees aged 16-46 years (mean=22.70, S.D.=4.65) were randomly recruited as they entered dance music events. Rates for lifetime and current use (last 30 days) were particularly high for alcohol (95.3% and 86.6%, respectively), cannabis (68.8% and 53.8%, respectively), ecstasy (40.4% and 22.7%, respectively) and cocaine (35.9% and 20.7%, respectively). Several patterns of substance use could be identified: 52% were alcohol and/or cannabis only users, 42% were occasional poly-drug users and 6% were daily poly-drug users. No significant difference was observed between substance use patterns according to gender. Pure techno and open-air events attracted heavier drug users. Psychological problems (such as depressed mood, sleeping problems and anxiety attacks), social problems, dental disorders, accidents and emergency treatment episodes were strongly related to party drug use. Party drug users appeared to be particularly receptive to harm reduction measures, such as on-site emergency staff, pill testing and the availability of cool water, and to prevention of drug use provided via counseling. The greater the involvement in party drug use, the greater the need for prevention personnel to be available for counseling. General practitioners appeared to be key professionals for accessing health-care resources.

Technology Acceptance and Adoption of Innovative Smartphone Uses among Hospital Employees

PubMed Central

Moon, Byung Chan

2014-01-01

Objectives The number of healthcare institutions adopting smartphones continues to increase, implying that their utilization is undoubtedly gaining attention. Understanding the needs of smartphone users will provide a greater opportunity for successful information technology acceptance by expanding the scope of its utilization. This study focuses on how smartphones are accepted and utilized in hospitals and analyzes the factors influencing users' attitude, social influence, and intention of use. Methods For the study model, the researcher has mainly adopted the Theory of Reasoned Action and further modified and used the models of Technology Acceptance and Information Systems Success. To test the model empirically, a survey was conducted with 122 professionals on information development teams in Korean tertiary hospitals. Results The common smartphone usage modes were Internet searching, e-mail, scheduling, and social networking in consecutive order. Phone calls consisted of 51.4% of work-related purposes, while other functions, such as text message, Web browser, and scheduling, were mostly used for personal purposes. Costs, contents quality, innovation, ease of use, and support were shown to have statistically significant effects on user attitude, and social influence, portability, security, content quality, and innovation were significant. User attitude and social influence were both statistically significant with respect to intention of use, with user attitude greater than social influence. Conclusions The participating staff were analyzed as having strong personal faith and principles, independent from their external environment. Timely information exchanges among medical staff will facilitate appropriate communication and improved health services to patients in need. PMID:25405067

Technology Acceptance and Adoption of Innovative Smartphone Uses among Hospital Employees.

PubMed

Moon, Byung Chan; Chang, Hyejung

2014-10-01

The number of healthcare institutions adopting smartphones continues to increase, implying that their utilization is undoubtedly gaining attention. Understanding the needs of smartphone users will provide a greater opportunity for successful information technology acceptance by expanding the scope of its utilization. This study focuses on how smartphones are accepted and utilized in hospitals and analyzes the factors influencing users' attitude, social influence, and intention of use. For the study model, the researcher has mainly adopted the Theory of Reasoned Action and further modified and used the models of Technology Acceptance and Information Systems Success. To test the model empirically, a survey was conducted with 122 professionals on information development teams in Korean tertiary hospitals. The common smartphone usage modes were Internet searching, e-mail, scheduling, and social networking in consecutive order. Phone calls consisted of 51.4% of work-related purposes, while other functions, such as text message, Web browser, and scheduling, were mostly used for personal purposes. Costs, contents quality, innovation, ease of use, and support were shown to have statistically significant effects on user attitude, and social influence, portability, security, content quality, and innovation were significant. User attitude and social influence were both statistically significant with respect to intention of use, with user attitude greater than social influence. The participating staff were analyzed as having strong personal faith and principles, independent from their external environment. Timely information exchanges among medical staff will facilitate appropriate communication and improved health services to patients in need.

[Hyperplastic changes and oral contraceptives in Anglo-Saxon countries].

PubMed

Markuszewski, C

1978-09-18

One of the major problems being researched and studied by the World Health Organization is the incidence of harmful side effects in users of steroid contraceptives. A literature search indicates that Anglo-Saxon countries report alarming hyperplastic changes, particularly in the liver, blood clots, hyperlipidemia leading to high blood pressure, porphyria, atypical leiomyomas and cervical hyperplasia. Currently attention is being focused on the relationship between steroid contraceptives and breast cancer. Fazala and Paffenbarger in their study of 1770 women found such benign changes as fibroadenoma, mastopathia fibrosa cystica and papilloma intraductale. In women who had used oral contraceptives for 2-4 yrs, malignancies were 1.9% to 2.5% more frequent than in non-users; in 6 yrs of use, 11 times greater than in non-users. Estrogens, particularly mestranol has been recognized as being harmful to the liver. Length of usage is a definite factor. Beginning with 1960, relatively frequent occurrences of hepotoma in young women on the pill were noted. Caught at an early stage, peliosis hepatis can be reversed if the patient discontinues the use of contraceptives. In some cases, even after a long interval of 6 months to 10 yrs, the disease continued to develop. Liver cell adenoma in the U. S. occurs 1/500,00 to 1/1,000,000. After 5 to 7 yrs of using oral contraceptives, the chance of developing liver cell adenoma is 5 times greater; after 10 yrs of use, 35 times greater. Hepatomas rupture in 43.4% of cases when the patient had been on a contraceptive, while in only 22.2% in cases of non-users. The literature which the author investigated did not establish a clear proof that the hyperplastic changes discussed were due exclusively to usage of oral contraceptives.

Marijuana practices and patterns of use among young adult medical marijuana patients and non-patient marijuana users.

PubMed

Lankenau, Stephen E; Fedorova, Ekaterina V; Reed, Megan; Schrager, Sheree M; Iverson, Ellen; Wong, Carolyn F

2017-01-01

Little is known about young adult medical marijuana patients (MMP) and their marijuana using patterns and practices, which includes frequency of use, sourcing of marijuana products, forms/modes of administration, and patterns of illicit/prescription drug misuse, compared to non-patient marijuana users (NPU). Young adults (N=366) aged 18-26 years old were sampled in Los Angeles in 2014-15 and segmented into NPU (n=156), marijuana users who never had a medical marijuana (MM) recommendation, and MMP (n=210), marijuana users with a current, verified MM recommendation. Differences regarding self-reported marijuana and other drug use during the past 90days are expressed as unadjusted risk ratios or differences in means. MMP reported significantly greater mean days of use (76.4 vs. 59.2, p<0.001) and mean dollars spent on marijuana products (564.5 vs. 266.9, p<0.001) than NPU. Approximately one-quarter (22.6%) of both MMP and NPU report selling marijuana obtained from a dispensary to someone else in the past 90days. MMP were more likely to report vaporization modalities for concentrates (URR=1.5, 95% C.I.=1.2, 2.0) and for marijuana (URR=1.5, 95% C.I.=1.1, 2.1) than NPU. Though not significant, trends toward lower misuse of prescription drugs in the past 90days were observed among MMP compared to NPU. MMP reported greater access to marijuana via dispensaries, more frequent and intensive use of marijuana, and greater use of non-combustible forms of marijuana compared to NPU. MMP reported less recent misuse of prescription drugs compared to NPU. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd.

Clinical correlates of co-occurring cannabis and tobacco use: a systematic review.

PubMed

Peters, Erica N; Budney, Alan J; Carroll, Kathleen M

2012-08-01

  A growing literature has documented the substantial prevalence of and putative mechanisms underlying co-occurring (i.e. concurrent or simultaneous) cannabis and tobacco use. Greater understanding of the clinical correlates of co-occurring cannabis and tobacco use may suggest how intervention strategies may be refined to improve cessation outcomes and decrease the public health burden associated with cannabis and tobacco use.   A systematic review of the literature on clinical diagnoses, psychosocial problems and outcomes associated with co-occurring cannabis and tobacco use. Twenty-eight studies compared clinical correlates in co-occurring cannabis and tobacco users versus cannabis- or tobacco-only users. These included studies of treatment-seekers in clinical trials and non-treatment-seekers in cross-sectional or longitudinal epidemiological or non-population-based surveys.   Sixteen studies examined clinical diagnoses, four studies examined psychosocial problems and 11 studies examined cessation outcomes in co-occurring cannabis and tobacco users (several studies examined multiple clinical correlates). Relative to cannabis use only, co-occurring cannabis and tobacco use was associated with a greater likelihood of cannabis use disorders, more psychosocial problems and poorer cannabis cessation outcomes. Relative to tobacco use only, co-occurring use did not appear to be associated consistently with a greater likelihood of tobacco use disorders, more psychosocial problems or poorer tobacco cessation outcomes.   Cannabis users who also smoke tobacco are more dependent on cannabis, have more psychosocial problems and have poorer cessation outcomes than those who use cannabis but not tobacco. The converse does not appear to be the case. © 2012 The Authors, Addiction © 2012 Society for the Study of Addiction.

Cannabis craving in response to laboratory-induced social stress among racially diverse cannabis users: The impact of social anxiety disorder

PubMed Central

Buckner, Julia D; Zvolensky, Michael J; Ecker, Anthony H; Jeffries, Emily R

2016-01-01

Social anxiety disorder appears to be a risk factor for cannabis-related problems. Although it is presumed that increases in cannabis craving during elevated social anxiety reflect an intent to cope with greater negative affectivity, it is unclear whether increases in physiological arousal during social stress are related to cannabis craving, especially among those with social anxiety disorder. Similarly, no studies have assessed motivational reasons for cannabis use during elevated social stress. Thus, the current study tested whether increases in state social anxiety (measured subjectively and via physiological arousal) were related to greater cannabis craving among 126 current cannabis users (88.9% with cannabis use disorder, 31.7% with social anxiety disorder, 54.0% non-Hispanic Caucasian) randomly assigned to either a social interaction or reading task. As predicted, cannabis users in the social interaction condition reported greater cannabis craving than those in the reading condition. This effect was particularly evident among those with social anxiety disorder. Although physiological arousal did not moderate the relationship between condition and craving, coping motives were the most common reasons cited for wanting to use cannabis and were reported more among those in the social interaction task. These experimental results uniquely add to a growing literature suggesting the importance of elevated state social anxiety (especially among those with social anxiety disorder) in cannabis use vulnerability processes. PMID:26839322

Cannabis craving in response to laboratory-induced social stress among racially diverse cannabis users: The impact of social anxiety disorder.

PubMed

Buckner, Julia D; Zvolensky, Michael J; Ecker, Anthony H; Jeffries, Emily R

2016-04-01

Social anxiety disorder appears to be a risk factor for cannabis-related problems. Although it is presumed that increases in cannabis craving during elevated social anxiety reflect an intent to cope with greater negative affectivity, it is unclear whether increases in physiological arousal during social stress are related to cannabis craving, especially among those with social anxiety disorder. Similarly, no studies have assessed motivational reasons for cannabis use during elevated social stress. Thus, the current study tested whether increases in state social anxiety (measured subjectively and via physiological arousal) were related to greater cannabis craving among 126 current cannabis users (88.9% with cannabis use disorder, 31.7% with social anxiety disorder, 54.0% non-Hispanic Caucasian) randomly assigned to either a social interaction or reading task. As predicted, cannabis users in the social interaction condition reported greater cannabis craving than those in the reading condition. This effect was particularly evident among those with social anxiety disorder. Although physiological arousal did not moderate the relationship between condition and craving, coping motives were the most common reasons cited for wanting to use cannabis and were reported more among those in the social interaction task. These experimental results uniquely add to a growing literature suggesting the importance of elevated state social anxiety (especially among those with social anxiety disorder) in cannabis use vulnerability processes. © The Author(s) 2016.

RT-PCR quantification of periodontal pathogens in crack users and non-users.

PubMed

Casarin, M; Antoniazzi, R P; Vaucher, R A; Feldens, C A; Zanatta, F B

2017-04-01

To compare counts of Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans, Prevotella intermedia, Porphyromonas gingivalis and Fusobacterium nucleatum between crack users and non-users. A cross-sectional study was conducted involving seventy-four crack cocaine users and eighty-one non-users matched for age, gender and tobacco use. Demographic and clinical variables were analysed. Subgingival bacterial samples were collected from four sites with the greatest probing depths and were analysed using real-time polymerase chain reaction. No significant difference was found in the prevalence of total counts for each bacterial species analysed between groups. However, crack users had a 1.85 (95% CI: 1.03-3.31), 2.19 (95% CI 1.24-3.88), 2.53 (95% CI 1.27-5.04) and 2.40 (95% CI 1.22-4.75) greater probability of having the higher counts (≥75th percentile) for Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans, Porphyromonas gingivalis, Prevotella intermedia and Fusobacterium nucleatum, respectively. Although some crack users had higher (>75th percentile) bacterial counts for Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans, Porphyromonas gingivalis, Prevotella intermedia and Fusobacterium nucleatum, total counts did not differ between crack users and non-users, leading to the hypothesis that the higher occurrence of periodontitis on crack users may be related to other non-bacterial factors. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

How is a specialist depression service effective for persistent moderate to severe depressive disorder?: a qualitative study of service user experience.

PubMed

Thomson, Louise; Barker, Marcus; Kaylor-Hughes, Catherine; Garland, Anne; Ramana, Rajini; Morriss, Richard; Hammond, Emily; Hopkins, Gail; Simpson, Sandra

2018-06-15

A specialist depression service (SDS) offering collaborative pharmacological and cognitive behaviour therapy treatment for persistent depressive disorder showed effectiveness against depression symptoms versus usual community based multidisciplinary care in a randomised controlled trial (RCT) in specialist mental health services in England. However, there is uncertainty concerning how specialist depression services effect such change. The current study aimed to evaluate the factors which may explain the greater effectiveness of SDS compared to Treatment as Usual (TAU) by exploring the experience of the RCT participants. Qualitative audiotaped and transcribed semi-structured interviews were conducted 12-18 months after baseline with 21 service users (12 SDS, 9 TAU arms) drawn from all three sites. Inductive thematic analysis using a grounded approach contrasted the experiences of SDS with TAU participants. Four themes emerged in relation to service user experience: 1. Specific treatment components of the SDS: which included sub-themes of the management of medication change, explaining and developing treatment strategies, setting realistic expectations, and person-centred and holistic approach; 2. Individual qualities of SDS clinicians; 3. Collaborative team context in SDS: which included sub-themes of communication between healthcare professionals, and continuity of team members; 4. Accessibility to SDS: which included sub-themes of flexibility of locations, frequent consultation as reinforcement, gradual pace of treatment, and challenges of returning to usual care. The study uncovered important mechanisms and contextual factors in the SDS that service users experience as different from TAU, and which may explain the greater effectiveness of the SDS: the technical expertise of the healthcare professionals, personal qualities of clinicians, teamwork, gradual pace of care, accessibility and managing service transitions. Usual care in other specialist mental health services may share many of the features from the SDS. "Trial of the Clinical and Cost Effectiveness of a Specialist Expert Mood Disorder Team for Refractory Unipolar Depressive Disorder" was registered in www.ClinicalTrials.gov ( NCT01047124 ) on 12-01-2010 and the ISRCTN registry was registered in www.isrctn.com ( ISRCTN10963342 ) on 25-11-2015 (retrospectively registered).

Brain-computer interface technology: a review of the first international meeting.

PubMed

Wolpaw, J R; Birbaumer, N; Heetderks, W J; McFarland, D J; Peckham, P H; Schalk, G; Donchin, E; Quatrano, L A; Robinson, C J; Vaughan, T M

2000-06-01

Over the past decade, many laboratories have begun to explore brain-computer interface (BCI) technology as a radically new communication option for those with neuromuscular impairments that prevent them from using conventional augmentative communication methods. BCI's provide these users with communication channels that do not depend on peripheral nerves and muscles. This article summarizes the first international meeting devoted to BCI research and development. Current BCI's use electroencephalographic (EEG) activity recorded at the scalp or single-unit activity recorded from within cortex to control cursor movement, select letters or icons, or operate a neuroprosthesis. The central element in each BCI is a translation algorithm that converts electrophysiological input from the user into output that controls external devices. BCI operation depends on effective interaction between two adaptive controllers, the user who encodes his or her commands in the electrophysiological input provided to the BCI, and the BCI which recognizes the commands contained in the input and expresses them in device control. Current BCI's have maximum information transfer rates of 5-25 b/min. Achievement of greater speed and accuracy depends on improvements in signal processing, translation algorithms, and user training. These improvements depend on increased interdisciplinary cooperation between neuroscientists, engineers, computer programmers, psychologists, and rehabilitation specialists, and on adoption and widespread application of objective methods for evaluating alternative methods. The practical use of BCI technology depends on the development of appropriate applications, identification of appropriate user groups, and careful attention to the needs and desires of individual users. BCI research and development will also benefit from greater emphasis on peer-reviewed publications, and from adoption of standard venues for presentations and discussion.

A Collaborative Approach to Identifying Social Media Markers of Schizophrenia by Employing Machine Learning and Clinical Appraisals.

PubMed

Birnbaum, Michael L; Ernala, Sindhu Kiranmai; Rizvi, Asra F; De Choudhury, Munmun; Kane, John M

2017-08-14

Linguistic analysis of publicly available Twitter feeds have achieved success in differentiating individuals who self-disclose online as having schizophrenia from healthy controls. To date, limited efforts have included expert input to evaluate the authenticity of diagnostic self-disclosures. This study aims to move from noisy self-reports of schizophrenia on social media to more accurate identification of diagnoses by exploring a human-machine partnered approach, wherein computational linguistic analysis of shared content is combined with clinical appraisals. Twitter timeline data, extracted from 671 users with self-disclosed diagnoses of schizophrenia, was appraised for authenticity by expert clinicians. Data from disclosures deemed true were used to build a classifier aiming to distinguish users with schizophrenia from healthy controls. Results from the classifier were compared to expert appraisals on new, unseen Twitter users. Significant linguistic differences were identified in the schizophrenia group including greater use of interpersonal pronouns (P<.001), decreased emphasis on friendship (P<.001), and greater emphasis on biological processes (P<.001). The resulting classifier distinguished users with disclosures of schizophrenia deemed genuine from control users with a mean accuracy of 88% using linguistic data alone. Compared to clinicians on new, unseen users, the classifier's precision, recall, and accuracy measures were 0.27, 0.77, and 0.59, respectively. These data reinforce the need for ongoing collaborations integrating expertise from multiple fields to strengthen our ability to accurately identify and effectively engage individuals with mental illness online. These collaborations are crucial to overcome some of mental illnesses' biggest challenges by using digital technology. ©Michael L Birnbaum, Sindhu Kiranmai Ernala, Asra F Rizvi, Munmun De Choudhury, John M Kane. Originally published in the Journal of Medical Internet Research (http://www.jmir.org), 14.08.2017.

“Those edibles hit hard”: Exploration of Twitter data on cannabis edibles in the U.S

PubMed Central

Lamy, Francois R.; Daniulaityte, Raminta; Sheth, Amit; Nahhas, Ramzi W.; Martins, Silvia S.; Boyer, Edward W.; Carlson, Robert G.

2016-01-01

Aims Several states in the U.S. have legalized cannabis for recreational or medical uses. In this context, cannabis edibles have drawn considerable attention after adverse effects were reported. This paper investigates Twitter users’ perceptions concerning edibles and evaluates the association edibles-related tweeting activity and local cannabis legislation. Methods Tweets were collected between May 1 and July 31, 2015, using Twitter API and filtered through the eDrugTrends/Twitris platform. A random sample of geolocated tweets was manually coded to evaluate Twitter users’ perceptions regarding edibles. Raw state proportions of Twitter users mentioning edibles were ajusted relative to the total number of Twitter users per state. Differences in adjusted proportions of Twitter users mentioning edibles between states with different cannabis legislation status were assesed via a permutation test. Results We collected 100,182 tweets mentioning cannabis edibles with 26.9% (n=26,975) containing state-level geolocation. Adjusted percentages of geolocated Twitter users posting about edibles were significantly greater in states that allow recreational and/or medical use of cannabis. The differences were statistically significant. Overall, cannabis edibles were generally positively perceived among Twitter users despite some negative tweets expressing the unreliability of edible consumption linked to variability in effect intensity and duration. Conclusion Our findings suggest that Twitter data analysis is an important tool for epidemiological monitoring of emerging drug use practices and trends. Results tend to indicate greater tweeting activity about cannabis edibles in states where medical THC and/or recreational use are legal. Although the majority of tweets conveyed positive attitudes about cannabis edibles, analysis of experiences expressed in negative tweets confirms the potential adverse effects of edibles and calls for educating edibles-naïve users, improving edibles labeling, and testing their THC content. PMID:27185160

Land use and environmental assessment in the central Atlantic region

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Alexander, R. H.; Fitzpatrick, K.; Lins, H. F., Jr.; Mcginty, H. K., III

1975-01-01

Data from high altitude aircraft, LANDSAT and Skylab were used in a comprehensive regional survey of land use and its associated environmental impact in the Central Atlantic Regional Ecological Test Site (CARETS). Each sensor system has advantages that were demonstrated by producing experimental land use maps and other data products, applying them to typical problems encountered in regional planning and environmental impact assessment, and presenting the results to prospective users for evaluation. An archival collection of imagery, maps, data summaries, and technical reports was assembled, constituting an environmental profile of the central Atlantic region. The investigation was organized into four closely-related modules, a land use information module, an environmental impact module, a user interaction and evaluation module, and a geographic information systems module. Results revealed a heterogeneous user community with diverse information needs, tending, however, definitely toward the higher-resolution sensor data and the larger-scale land use maps and related information products. Among project recommendations are greater efforts toward improving compatibility of federal, state, and local land use information programs, and greater efforts toward a broader exchange of imagery, computer tapes, and land use information derived therefrom.

Perceived health problems in swimmers according to the chemical treatment of water in swimming pools.

PubMed

Fernández-Luna, Álvaro; Burillo, Pablo; Felipe, José Luis; del Corral, Julio; García-Unanue, Jorge; Gallardo, Leonor

2016-01-01

The objective of this study was to determine which chemical treatment used for disinfecting water in indoor swimming pools had the least impact on users' perceptions of health problems, and which generated the greatest satisfaction with the quality of the water. A survey on satisfaction and perceived health problems was given to 1001 users at 20 indoor swimming pools which used different water treatment methods [chlorine, bromine, ozone, ultraviolet lamps (UV) and salt electrolysis]. The findings suggest that there is a greater probability of perceived health problems, such as eye and skin irritation, respiratory problems and skin dryness, in swimming pools treated with chlorine than in swimming pools using other chemical treatment methods. Pools treated with bromine have similar, although slightly better, results. Other factors, such as age, gender, time of day of use (morning and afternoon) and type of user (competitive and recreational), can also affect the probability of suffering health problems. For all of the above, using combined treatment methods as ozone and UV, or salt electrolysis produces a lower probability of perceived health problems and greater satisfaction.

Stigma towards Marijuana Users and Heroin Users.

PubMed

Brown, Seth A

2015-01-01

Despite high levels of stigmatizing attitudes and behaviors toward individuals with substance use problems, there is surprisingly limited research on understanding the contributors to such high levels. College students with no history of marijuana or heroin use (N=250) completed self-report measures to examine the level of substance use stigma towards individuals using two illicit substances (marijuana and heroin) and the contribution of three perceiver characteristics (sex, previous contact with substance users, and five beliefs about substance use) to three dimensions of stigma (social distance, negative emotions, and forcing treatment). Greater levels of internalized stigma were noted towards individuals who use heroin (versus marijuana). For marijuana use, those who had less previous contact and higher endorsement of certain beliefs (rarity, severity, and less controllability) were associated with greater stigmatizing attitudes. For heroin use, the associations were weak or non-existent. The findings strengthen the argument that substance use stigma needs to be examined and perhaps addressed substance by substance, rather than as a group. Further, contact interventions may be a particularly effective strategy for altering substance use stigma.

A comparison of male and female smokeless tobacco use.

PubMed

Cohen-Smith, D; Severson, H H

1999-09-01

This study explored the factors associated with female smokeless tobacco (ST) use and examined gender differences in factors related to use. Interviews were conducted either in person or by telephone with 51 female and 59 male users from the Pacific Northwest. The interview included both quantitative and qualitative items assessing personal, social, and substance use variables. Male and female users were found to be similar in a variety of areas, such as reasons for initiating use, use of ST in response to different mood states, and high rates of experimentation with other drugs. However, female users reported using ST for weight control more extensively, identified a greater influence by other female users, and reported fewer friends knowing about their use. Male users reported using ST more often during sports activities and in the workplace than did female users, and were almost three times more likely to be highly addicted to ST. The implications of the study for the development of prevention and cessation programs are discussed.

Short-Term and Working Memory Impairments in Early-Implanted, Long-Term Cochlear Implant Users Are Independent of Audibility and Speech Production

PubMed Central

AuBuchon, Angela M.; Pisoni, David B.; Kronenberger, William G.

2015-01-01

OBJECTIVES Determine if early-implanted, long-term cochlear implant (CI) users display delays in verbal short-term and working memory capacity when processes related to audibility and speech production are eliminated. DESIGN Twenty-three long-term CI users and 23 normal-hearing controls each completed forward and backward digit span tasks under testing conditions which differed in presentation modality (auditory or visual) and response output (spoken recall or manual pointing). RESULTS Normal-hearing controls reproduced more lists of digits than the CI users, even when the test items were presented visually and the responses were made manually via touchscreen response. CONCLUSIONS Short-term and working memory delays observed in CI users are not due to greater demands from peripheral sensory processes such as audibility or from overt speech-motor planning and response output organization. Instead, CI users are less efficient at encoding and maintaining phonological representations in verbal short-term memory utilizing phonological and linguistic strategies during memory tasks. PMID:26496666

Short-Term and Working Memory Impairments in Early-Implanted, Long-Term Cochlear Implant Users Are Independent of Audibility and Speech Production.

PubMed

AuBuchon, Angela M; Pisoni, David B; Kronenberger, William G

2015-01-01

To determine whether early-implanted, long-term cochlear implant (CI) users display delays in verbal short-term and working memory capacity when processes related to audibility and speech production are eliminated. Twenty-three long-term CI users and 23 normal-hearing controls each completed forward and backward digit span tasks under testing conditions that differed in presentation modality (auditory or visual) and response output (spoken recall or manual pointing). Normal-hearing controls reproduced more lists of digits than the CI users, even when the test items were presented visually and the responses were made manually via touchscreen response. Short-term and working memory delays observed in CI users are not due to greater demands from peripheral sensory processes such as audibility or from overt speech-motor planning and response output organization. Instead, CI users are less efficient at encoding and maintaining phonological representations in verbal short-term memory using phonological and linguistic strategies during memory tasks.

Patient-provider communication and trust in relation to use of an online patient portal among diabetes patients: The Diabetes and Aging Study.

PubMed

Lyles, Courtney R; Sarkar, Urmimala; Ralston, James D; Adler, Nancy; Schillinger, Dean; Moffet, Howard H; Huang, Elbert S; Karter, Andrew J

2013-01-01

Patient-provider relationships influence diabetes care; less is known about their impact on online patient portal use. Diabetes patients rated provider communication and trust. In this study, we linked responses to electronic medical record data on being a registered portal user and using secure messaging (SM). We specified regression models to evaluate main effects on portal use, and subgroup analyses by race/ethnicity and age. 52% of subjects were registered users; among those, 36% used SM. Those reporting greater trust were more likely to be registered users (relative  risk (RR)=1.14) or SM users (RR=1.29). In subgroup analyses, increased trust was associated with being a registered user among white, Latino, and older patients, as well as SM use among white patients. Better communication ratings were also related to being a registered user among older patients. Since increased trust and communication were associated with portal use within subgroups, this suggests that patient-provider relationships encourage portal engagement.

Satisfaction with nursing care in drug users: the evolution of a scale.

PubMed

Seabra, Paulo Rosário Carvalho; Sá, Luis Octávio; Amendoeira, José Joaquim Penedos; Ribeiro, Ana Leonor

2017-07-13

To identify the degree of satisfaction with nursing care, the significant variables and contribute to the evolution of the scale. Descriptive, correlational, cross study, with 180 drug users. Data collected using the scale called "Satisfaction of users with the Nursing Health Center26", between February and December 2012 in three treatment units in the region of Lisbon and Vale do Tejo, Portugal. Users indicated 83.3% satisfaction. The dimension "Information individualization" was the most marked (98.5%). The more stability in the programs, abstinence from stimulants and benzodiazepines and more nursing interventions, the greater the satisfaction. Better working conditions, specializing in mental health, younger ages and less experience of nurses also contributed to satisfaction. Four items of the scale were extracted, assuming new SUCECS22 designation. Satisfaction was high, influenced by structural variables of users, nurses and working conditions. The scale has proved suitable for assessment in this population.

Agent-based user-adaptive service provision in ubiquitous systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Saddiki, H.; Harroud, H.; Karmouch, A.

2012-11-01

With the increasing availability of smartphones, tablets and other computing devices, technology consumers have grown accustomed to performing all of their computing tasks anytime, anywhere and on any device. There is a greater need to support ubiquitous connectivity and accommodate users by providing software as network-accessible services. In this paper, we propose a MAS-based approach to adaptive service composition and provision that automates the selection and execution of a suitable composition plan for a given service. With agents capable of autonomous and intelligent behavior, the composition plan is selected in a dynamic negotiation driven by a utility-based decision-making mechanism; and the composite service is built by a coalition of agents each providing a component necessary to the target service. The same service can be built in variations for catering to dynamic user contexts and further personalizing the user experience. Also multiple services can be grouped to satisfy new user needs.

PubMed Interact: an Interactive Search Application for MEDLINE/PubMed

PubMed Central

Muin, Michael; Fontelo, Paul; Ackerman, Michael

2006-01-01

Online search and retrieval systems are important resources for medical literature research. Progressive Web 2.0 technologies provide opportunities to improve search strategies and user experience. Using PHP, Document Object Model (DOM) manipulation and Asynchronous JavaScript and XML (Ajax), PubMed Interact allows greater functionality so users can refine search parameters with ease and interact with the search results to retrieve and display relevant information and related articles. PMID:17238658

Interactive On-Line Conferences.

DTIC Science & Technology

1984-12-01

equipment and greater communication bandwidth than voice, and studies by Chapanis[16] suggest that the - usefulness of video in helping a group solve a...time conferences were conducted using RTCAL, in groups of up to four users at a time. (Because all participants’ "workstations" run on the same time...interfacds. 20 ABSTRACT (Continue on reverse side if neceseery and Identify by block number) 1 A real-time conference allows a group of users, each at his

Secure and QoS-Managed Information Exchange Between Enterprise and Constrained Environments

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-01-01

systems and enterprise services during mission operation can enable greater situational awareness and empowerment for the tactical user . For example...April 01, 2007. [17] Robbins, D., Unmanned Aircraft Operational Integration using MITRE’s Cursor on Target, The Edge, Volume 10, Number 2, MITRE...appropriate level of security protection and quality of service (QoS) for the tactical users is one possibility. Such an approach is not cost ef

Individual and Network Interventions With Injection Drug Users in 5 Ukraine Cities

PubMed Central

Lehman, Wayne E. K.; Latkin, Carl A.; Dvoryak, Sergey; Brewster, John T.; Royer, Mark S.; Sinitsyna, Larisa

2011-01-01

Objectives. We evaluated the effects of an individual intervention versus a network intervention on HIV-related injection and sexual risk behaviors among street-recruited opiate injection drug users in 5 Ukraine cities. Methods. Between 2004 and 2006, 722 opiate injection drug users were recruited to participate in interventions that were either individually based or based on a social network model in which peer educators intervened with their network members. Audio computer-assisted self-interview techniques were used to interview participants at baseline and follow-up. Results. Multiple logistic analyses controlling for baseline injection and sexual risks revealed that both peer educators and network members in the network intervention reduced injection-related risk behaviors significantly more than did those in the individually based intervention and that peer educators increased condom use significantly more than did those in the individual intervention. Individual intervention participants, however, showed significantly greater improvements than did network members with respect to reductions in sexual risk behaviors. Conclusions. Social network interventions may be more effective than individually based interventions in changing injection risk behaviors among both peer educators and network members. The effectiveness of network interventions in changing sexual risk behaviors is less clear, probably owing to network composition and inhibitions regarding discussing sexual risk behaviors. PMID:20395584

Is cannabis a risk factor for suicide attempts in men and women with psychotic illness?

PubMed

Waterreus, A; Di Prinzio, P; Badcock, J C; Martin-Iverson, M; Jablensky, A; Morgan, V A

2018-05-16

To investigate whether recent cannabis use by men and women with psychotic disorders was associated with increased risk of suicide attempt, and to determine associated factors, stratified by sex. Data from 1065 men and 725 women interviewed in the Australian national survey of psychosis were analysed to model separately, for each sex, the impact of daily, casual or no past-year cannabis use and other risk factors including age, on a past-year suicide attempt. In the past year, 168 (9.4%) participants attempted suicide. Unadjusted analyses showed daily cannabis users of both sexes had significantly increased odds of attempting suicide compared to non-users. After adjusting for confounding factors, this relationship was no longer significant. Depression had the strongest association with attempting suicide for both sexes. Sex differences in other risk factors were observed. In post hoc analysis, daily cannabis use was associated with higher odds of attempting suicide in older men compared to non-users; this was not found in younger men or women. Associations between past-year cannabis use and suicide attempts were confounded by other factors (depression, loneliness, homelessness and hallucinations). The possibility of greater risk of suicidal behaviour with regular cannabis use for older men should be considered.

International trends in spice use: Prevalence, motivation for use, relationship to other substances, and perception of use and safety for synthetic cannabinoids.

PubMed

Loeffler, George; Delaney, Eileen; Hann, Michael

2016-09-01

Synthetic cannabinoids (SC), commonly known as Spice, are a class of compounds that share affinity for the cannabinoid receptors. Recreational use of SCs has grown in recent years. A literature search was conducted of national and international organizations as well as peer-reviewed publications describing SC use in non-clinical populations. Our primary goal was summarizing SC use prevalence within the general population from representative surveys. Our secondary goals included describing SC use frequency, motivation for use, the relationship between SC use and use of other substances, and perception of SC use including beliefs about safety and use by peers. Nationally and regionally representative surveys describe lifetime prevalence of SC use in the general population as between 0.2% and 4%. Longitudinal data, though limited, shows decline in SC use with peak use occurring in the late teens and early twenties. Users tend to be males. The majority of SC users report using only a small number of times and use tends to not be sustained. The most common motive for SC use is curiosity. SC users generally report a history of extensive use of other substances. Perception of SC use by others tends to be significantly greater than actual SC use. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Other drug use does not impact cognitive impairments in chronic ketamine users.

PubMed

Zhang, Chenxi; Tang, Wai Kwong; Liang, Hua Jun; Ungvari, Gabor Sandor; Lin, Shih-Ku

2018-05-01

Ketamine abuse causes cognitive impairments, which negatively impact on users' abstinence, prognosis, and quality of life. of cognitive impairments in chronic ketamine users have been inconsistent across studies, possibly due to the small sample sizes and the confounding effects of concomitant use of other illicit drugs. This study investigated the cognitive impairment and its related factors in chronic ketamine users with a large sample size and explored the impact of another drug use on cognitive functions. Cognitive functions, including working, verbal and visual memory and executive functions were assessed in ketamine users: 286 non-heavy other drug users and 279 heavy other drug users, and 261 healthy controls. Correlations between cognitive impairment and patterns of ketamine use were analysed. Verbal and visual memory were impaired, but working memory and executive functions were intact for all ketamine users. No significant cognitive differences were found between the two ketamine groups. Greater number of days of ketamine use in the past month was associated with worse visual memory performance in non-heavy other drug users. Higher dose of ketamine use was associated with worse short-term verbal memory in heavy other drug users. Verbal and visual memory are impaired in chronic ketamine users. Other drug use appears to have no impact on ketamine users' cognitive performance. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Assistance System for Disabled People: A Robot Controlled by Blinking and Wireless Link

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Del Val, Lara; Jiménez, María I.; Alonso, Alonso; de La Rosa, Ramón; Izquierdo, Alberto; Carrera, Albano

Disabled people already profit from a lot of technical assistance that improves their quality of life. This article presents a system which will allow interaction between a physically disabled person and his environment. This system is controlled by voluntary muscular movements, particularly those of face muscles. These movements will be translated into machine-understandable instructions, and they will be sent by means of a wireless link to a mobile robot that will execute them. Robot includes a video camera, in order to show the user the environment of the route that the robot follows. This system gives a greater personal autonomy to people with reduced mobility.

Mobile Recommender Apps with Privacy Management for Accessible and Usable Technologies.

PubMed

Hersh, Marion; Leporini, Barbara

2017-01-01

The paper presents the preliminary results of an ongoing survey of the use of computers and mobile devices, interest in recommender apps and knowledge and concerns about privacy issues amongst English and Italian speaking disabled people. Participants were found to be regular users of computers and mobile devices for a range of applications. They were interested in recommender apps for household items, computer software and apps that met their accessibility and other requirements. They showed greater concerns about controlling access to personal data of different types than this data being retained by the computer or mobile device. They were also willing to make tradeoffs to improve device performance.

Performance of the disease risk score in a cohort study with policy-induced selection bias.

PubMed

Tadrous, Mina; Mamdani, Muhammad M; Juurlink, David N; Krahn, Murray D; Lévesque, Linda E; Cadarette, Suzanne M

2015-11-01

To examine the performance of the disease risk score (DRS) in a cohort study with evidence of policy-induced selection bias. We examined two cohorts of new users of bisphosphonates. Estimates for 1-year hip fracture rates between agents using DRS, exposure propensity scores and traditional multivariable analysis were compared. The results for the cohort with no evidence of policy-induced selection bias showed little variation across analyses (-4.1-2.0%). Analysis of the cohort with evidence of policy-induced selection bias showed greater variation (-13.5-8.1%), with the greatest difference seen with DRS analyses. Our findings suggest that caution may be warranted when using DRS methods in cohort studies with policy-induced selection bias, further research is needed.

Modelling and Predicting eHealth Usage in Europe: A Multidimensional Approach From an Online Survey of 13,000 European Union Internet Users

PubMed Central

Soler-Ramos, Ivan

2016-01-01

Background More advanced methods and models are needed to evaluate the participation of patients and citizens in the shared health care model that eHealth proposes. Objective The goal of our study was to design and evaluate a predictive multidimensional model of eHealth usage. Methods We used 2011 survey data from a sample of 13,000 European citizens aged 16–74 years who had used the Internet in the previous 3 months. We proposed and tested an eHealth usage composite indicator through 2-stage structural equation modelling with latent variables and measurement errors. Logistic regression (odds ratios, ORs) to model the predictors of eHealth usage was calculated using health status and sociodemographic independent variables. Results The dimensions with more explanatory power of eHealth usage were health Internet attitudes, information health Internet usage, empowerment of health Internet users, and the usefulness of health Internet usage. Some 52.39% (6811/13,000) of European Internet users’ eHealth usage was more intensive (greater than the mean). Users with long-term health problems or illnesses (OR 1.20, 95% CI 1.12–1.29) or receiving long-term treatment (OR 1.11, 95% CI 1.03–1.20), having family members with long-term health problems or illnesses (OR 1.44, 95% CI 1.34–1.55), or undertaking care activities for other people (OR 1.58, 95% CI 1.40–1.77) had a high propensity toward intensive eHealth usage. Sociodemographic predictors showed that Internet users who were female (OR 1.23, 95% CI 1.14–1.31), aged 25–54 years (OR 1.12, 95% CI 1.05–1.21), living in larger households (3 members: OR 1.25, 95% CI 1.15–1.36; 5 members: OR 1.13, 95% CI 0.97–1.28; ≥6 members: OR 1.31, 95% CI 1.10–1.57), had more children <16 years of age (1 child: OR 1.29, 95% CI 1.18–1.14; 2 children: OR 1.05, 95% CI 0.94–1.17; 4 children: OR 1.35, 95% CI 0.88–2.08), and had more family members >65 years of age (1 member: OR 1.33, 95% CI 1.18–1.50; ≥4 members: OR 1.82, 95% CI 0.54–6.03) had a greater propensity toward intensive eHealth usage. Likewise, users residing in densely populated areas, such as cities and large towns (OR 1.17, 95% CI 1.09–1.25), also had a greater propensity toward intensive eHealth usage. Educational levels presented an inverted U shape in relation to intensive eHealth usage, with greater propensities among those with a secondary education (OR 1.08, 95% CI 1.01–1.16). Finally, occupational categories and net monthly income data suggest a higher propensity among the employed or self-employed (OR 1.07, 95% CI 0.99–1.15) and among the minimum wage stratum, earning ≤€1000 per month (OR 1.66, 95% CI 1.48–1.87). Conclusions We provide new evidence of inequalities that explain intensive eHealth usage. The results highlight the need to develop more specific eHealth practices to address different realities. PMID:27450189

Medication Use, Falls, and Fall-Related Worry in Older Adults in the United States.

PubMed

Watanabe, Jonathan H

2016-07-01

To compare the prevalence of falls and fall-related concerns of medication users versus nonusers in U.S. seniors. Cross-sectional study. The National Health and Aging Trends Study. U.S. nationally representative sample of Medicare beneficiaries in 2011. Comparing subjects who used medications with subjects who did not in the past month, the outcomes were percentages of subjects who experienced 1) a fall in the past month, 2) worry about falling in the past month, 3) being limited by this worry in the past month, 4) a fall in the past year. A greater percentage of medication users experienced falls and fall-related outcomes, compared with non-medication users. Among medication users, 10.29% had a past month fall, compared with 5.42% of non-medication users; 27.69% of medication users worried in the past month about falling, compared with 9.15% of non-medication users; 40.96% of medication users were limited by this worry, compared with 21.21%; 22.82% of medication users had a fall in the past year, compared with 13.15% of non-medication users. Seniors who use medications are more likely to fall and to be concerned about falling. Pharmacist involvement in fall prevention continues to be essential.

Mephedrone and 3,4-methylenedioxy-methamphetamine: Comparative psychobiological effects as reported by recreational polydrug users.

PubMed

Jones, Lewis; Reed, Phil; Parrott, Andrew

2016-12-01

The purpose of this study was to compare the effects of mephedrone and 3,4-methylenedioxy-methamphetamine (MDMA), as reported by young recreational polydrug users. 152 MDMA users and 81 mephedrone users were recruited through snowballing on social network sites. They completed a standard online questionnaire for either mephedrone or MDMA. The questions covered the average amount taken per session, the longest duration of usage in the last 12-months, subjective effects while on-drug, and recovery effects in the days afterwards. Mephedrone users reported a significantly longer maximum session of use than MDMA users. Mephedrone users also reported a significantly greater average amount used per session. The majority of on-drug subjective ratings did not differ between drugs, with similar increases in entactogenic effects. Although mephedrone users did report significantly more frequent issues with sleeping, anger and anxiety. In relation to recovery, mephedrone users reported more frequent craving, nasal irritation, paranoia, and relationship difficulties. Mephedrone users also rated general recovery effects as more severe over the seven-day period following use, taking more days to feel normal. The acute effects of MDMA and mephedrone were broadly similar. However, the recovery period for mephedrone was more enduring, possibly due to the longer duration of acute session usage. © The Author(s) 2016.

Are Cigarette Smokers', E-Cigarette Users', and Dual Users' Health-Risk Beliefs and Responses to Advertising Influenced by Addiction Warnings and Product Type?

PubMed

Berry, Christopher; Burton, Scot; Howlett, Elizabeth

2017-10-01

This research examines cigarette smokers' and e-cigarette users' product-related health-risk beliefs across tobacco products and considers the effects of addiction warnings on consumers' responses to persuasion attempts. Study 1 used a cross-sectional survey with a sample of 195 adult cigarette smokers, e-cigarette users, and dual users to examine health-risk beliefs associated with combustible cigarettes and e-cigarettes (cancer, lung disease, stroke, heart disease, harm to an unborn baby, and addiction). Using a sample of 265 adult cigarette smokers, e-cigarette users, and dual users, Study 2 used a between-subjects experiment to examine the effects of an addiction warning presented in an advertisement on health-risk beliefs and willingness to try the promoted product. Study 1 results reveal that health-risk beliefs for cigarettes are extremely high, whereas health-risk beliefs for e-cigarettes are lower and vary across specific health-risk beliefs; specifically, beliefs related to addiction and harm to an unborn baby are greater than other risk beliefs. Extending these findings, Study 2 results demonstrate that health-risk beliefs associated with cigarette smoking are not affected by an addiction warning in a cigarette advertisement. However, an addiction warning in an e-cigarette advertisement does modify e-cigarette-related risk beliefs, which, in turn, reduces consumers' willingness to try the promoted e-cigarette. Findings indicate that the addition of an addiction warning may be effective in changing consumers' risk beliefs associated with e-cigarettes and consumers' responses to e-cigarette persuasion attempts. By examining cigarette smokers' and e-cigarette users' product-related health-risk beliefs and considering the effects of an addiction warning on consumers' responses to persuasion attempts, this research contributes to the understanding of how warnings in tobacco promotion affect cigarette smokers', e-cigarette users', and dual users' health-risk beliefs and willingness to try promoted products. Specifically, findings show that health-risk beliefs associated with e-cigarettes can be modified using an addiction warning in an e-cigarette advertisement, whereas health-risk beliefs associated with combustible cigarettes are not influenced by an addiction warning. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society for Research on Nicotine and Tobacco. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Telemedicine and type 1 diabetes: is technology per se sufficient to improve glycaemic control?

PubMed

Franc, S; Borot, S; Ronsin, O; Quesada, J-L; Dardari, D; Fagour, C; Renard, E; Leguerrier, A-M; Vigeral, C; Moreau, F; Winiszewski, P; Vambergue, A; Mosnier-Pudar, H; Kessler, L; Reffet, S; Guerci, B; Millot, L; Halimi, S; Thivolet, C; Benhamou, P-Y; Penfornis, A; Charpentier, G; Hanaire, H

2014-02-01

In the TELEDIAB-1 study, the Diabeo system (a smartphone coupled to a website) improved HbA1c by 0.9% vs controls in patients with chronic, poorly controlled type 1 diabetes. The system provided two main functions: automated advice on the insulin doses required; and remote monitoring by teleconsultation. The question is: how much did each function contribute to the improvement in HbA1c? Each patient received a smartphone with an insulin dose advisor (IDA) and with (G3 group) or without (G2 group) the telemonitoring/teleconsultation function. Patients were classified as "high users" if the proportion of "informed" meals using the IDA exceeded 67% (median) and as "low users" if not. Also analyzed was the respective impact of the IDA function and teleconsultations on the final HbA1c levels. Among the high users, the proportion of informed meals remained stable from baseline to the end of the study 6months later (from 78.1±21.5% to 73.8±25.1%; P=0.107), but decreased in the low users (from 36.6±29.4% to 26.7±28.4%; P=0.005). As expected, HbA1c improved in high users from 8.7% [range: 8.3-9.2%] to 8.2% [range: 7.8-8.7%] in patients with (n=26) vs without (n=30) the benefit of telemonitoring/teleconsultation (-0.49±0.60% vs -0.52±0.73%, respectively; P=0.879). However, although HbA1c also improved in low users from 9.0% [8.5-10.1] to 8.5% [7.9-9.6], those receiving support via teleconsultation tended to show greater improvement than the others (-0.93±0.97 vs -0.46±1.05, respectively; P=0.084). The Diabeo system improved glycaemic control in both high and low users who avidly used the IDA function, while the greatest improvement was seen in the low users who had the motivational support of teleconsultations. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Transitions of care from Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services to Adult Mental Health Services (TRACK Study): a study of protocols in Greater London.

PubMed

Singh, Swaran P; Paul, Moli; Ford, Tamsin; Kramer, Tami; Weaver, Tim

2008-06-23

Although young people's transition from Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) to Adult Mental Health Services (AMHS) in England is a significant health issue for service users, commissioners and providers, there is little evidence available to guide service development. The TRACK study aims to identify factors which facilitate or impede effective transition from CAHMS to AMHS. This paper presents findings from a survey of transition protocols in Greater London. A questionnaire survey (Jan-April 2005) of Greater London CAMHS to identify transition protocols and collect data on team size, structure, transition protocols, population served and referral rates to AMHS. Identified transition protocols were subjected to content analysis. Forty two of the 65 teams contacted (65%) responded to the survey. Teams varied in type (generic/targeted/in-patient), catchment area (locality-based, wider or national) and transition boundaries with AMHS. Estimated annual average number of cases considered suitable for transfer to AMHS, per CAMHS team (mean 12.3, range 0-70, SD 14.5, n = 37) was greater than the annual average number of cases actually accepted by AMHS (mean 8.3, range 0-50, SD 9.5, n = 33). In April 2005, there were 13 active and 2 draft protocols in Greater London. Protocols were largely similar in stated aims and policies, but differed in key procedural details, such as joint working between CAHMS and AMHS and whether protocols were shared at Trust or locality level. While the centrality of service users' involvement in the transition process was identified, no protocol specified how users should be prepared for transition. A major omission from protocols was procedures to ensure continuity of care for patients not accepted by AMHS. At least 13 transition protocols were in operation in Greater London in April 2005. Not all protocols meet all requirements set by government policy. Variation in protocol-sharing organisational units and transition process suggest that practice may vary. There is discontinuity of care provision for some patients who 'graduate' from CAMHS services but are not accepted by adult services.

Transitions of Care from Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services to Adult Mental Health Services (TRACK Study): A study of protocols in Greater London

PubMed Central

Singh, Swaran P; Paul, Moli; Ford, Tamsin; Kramer, Tami; Weaver, Tim

2008-01-01

Background Although young people's transition from Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) to Adult Mental Health Services (AMHS) in England is a significant health issue for service users, commissioners and providers, there is little evidence available to guide service development. The TRACK study aims to identify factors which facilitate or impede effective transition from CAHMS to AMHS. This paper presents findings from a survey of transition protocols in Greater London. Methods A questionnaire survey (Jan-April 2005) of Greater London CAMHS to identify transition protocols and collect data on team size, structure, transition protocols, population served and referral rates to AMHS. Identified transition protocols were subjected to content analysis. Results Forty two of the 65 teams contacted (65%) responded to the survey. Teams varied in type (generic/targeted/in-patient), catchment area (locality-based, wider or national) and transition boundaries with AMHS. Estimated annual average number of cases considered suitable for transfer to AMHS, per CAMHS team (mean 12.3, range 0–70, SD 14.5, n = 37) was greater than the annual average number of cases actually accepted by AMHS (mean 8.3, range 0–50, SD 9.5, n = 33). In April 2005, there were 13 active and 2 draft protocols in Greater London. Protocols were largely similar in stated aims and policies, but differed in key procedural details, such as joint working between CAHMS and AMHS and whether protocols were shared at Trust or locality level. While the centrality of service users' involvement in the transition process was identified, no protocol specified how users should be prepared for transition. A major omission from protocols was procedures to ensure continuity of care for patients not accepted by AMHS. Conclusion At least 13 transition protocols were in operation in Greater London in April 2005. Not all protocols meet all requirements set by government policy. Variation in protocol-sharing organisational units and transition process suggest that practice may vary. There is discontinuity of care provision for some patients who 'graduate' from CAMHS services but are not accepted by adult services. PMID:18573214

Sexual Attitudes of Classes of College Students Who Use Pornography.

PubMed

Brown, Cameron C; Conner, Stacy; Vennum, Amber

2017-08-01

Pornography is widely accepted and used as an appropriate sexual practice. Previous literature has suggested that pornography users may be best viewed through a heterogenetic lens that indicates specific classes of pornography users. Furthering this previous research, a latent profile analysis was conducted using a sample of 635 college students (mean age men 20.22 (standard deviation [SD] = 3.10); women 19.16 [SD = 2.12]) over two time points to not only identify unique classifications of pornography users, but also examine specific sexual attitudes 3 months later of each classification. When deriving types, the Pornography Consumption Inventory, frequency of pornography use, gradation of pornography acceptance, the Brief Sexual Attitudes Scale, and religiosity were used. For men, two classes of users were statistically derived based on the above variables: permissive porn explorers (n = 102) and sexual communion and dabbling porn users (n = 55). For women, two classes emerged: nonpermissive porn abstainers (n = 421) and instrumental, integrated porn users (n = 57). These results develop greater detail of different types of pornography users by exploring various sexual attitudes associated with their pornography use patterns.

A Multimodal Emotion Detection System during Human-Robot Interaction

PubMed Central

Alonso-Martín, Fernando; Malfaz, María; Sequeira, João; Gorostiza, Javier F.; Salichs, Miguel A.

2013-01-01

In this paper, a multimodal user-emotion detection system for social robots is presented. This system is intended to be used during human–robot interaction, and it is integrated as part of the overall interaction system of the robot: the Robotics Dialog System (RDS). Two modes are used to detect emotions: the voice and face expression analysis. In order to analyze the voice of the user, a new component has been developed: Gender and Emotion Voice Analysis (GEVA), which is written using the Chuck language. For emotion detection in facial expressions, the system, Gender and Emotion Facial Analysis (GEFA), has been also developed. This last system integrates two third-party solutions: Sophisticated High-speed Object Recognition Engine (SHORE) and Computer Expression Recognition Toolbox (CERT). Once these new components (GEVA and GEFA) give their results, a decision rule is applied in order to combine the information given by both of them. The result of this rule, the detected emotion, is integrated into the dialog system through communicative acts. Hence, each communicative act gives, among other things, the detected emotion of the user to the RDS so it can adapt its strategy in order to get a greater satisfaction degree during the human–robot dialog. Each of the new components, GEVA and GEFA, can also be used individually. Moreover, they are integrated with the robotic control platform ROS (Robot Operating System). Several experiments with real users were performed to determine the accuracy of each component and to set the final decision rule. The results obtained from applying this decision rule in these experiments show a high success rate in automatic user emotion recognition, improving the results given by the two information channels (audio and visual) separately. PMID:24240598

Human Ecstasy Use is Associated with Increased Cortical Excitability: An fMRI Study

PubMed Central

Bauernfeind, Amy L; Dietrich, Mary S; Blackford, Jennifer U; Charboneau, Evonne J; Lillevig, James G; Cannistraci, Christopher J; Woodward, Neil D; Cao, Aize; Watkins, Tristan; Di Iorio, Christina R; Cascio, Carissa; Salomon, Ronald M; Cowan, Ronald L

2011-01-01

The serotonergic neurotoxin, 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA/Ecstasy), is a highly popular recreational drug. Human recreational MDMA users have neurocognitive and neuropsychiatric impairments, and human neuroimaging data are consistent with animal reports of serotonin neurotoxicity. However, functional neuroimaging studies have not found consistent effects of MDMA on brain neurophysiology in human users. Several lines of evidence suggest that studying MDMA effects in visual system might reveal the general cortical and subcortical neurophysiological consequences of MDMA use. We used 3 T functional magnetic resonance imaging during visual stimulation to compare visual system lateral geniculate nucleus (LGN) and Brodmann Area (BA) 17 and BA 18 activation in 20 long abstinent (479.95±580.65 days) MDMA users and 20 non-MDMA user controls. Lifetime quantity of MDMA use was strongly positively correlated with blood oxygenation level-dependent (BOLD) signal intensity in bilateral LGN (rs=0.59; p=0.007), BA 17 (rs=0.50; p=0.027), and BA 18 (rs=0.48; p=0.031), and with the spatial extent of activation in BA 17 (rs=0.059; p=0.007) and BA 18 (rs=0.55; p=0.013). There were no between-group differences in brain activation in any region, but the heaviest MDMA users showed a significantly greater spatial extent of activation than controls in BA 17 (p=0.031) and BA 18 (p=0.049). These results suggest that human recreational MDMA use may be associated with a long-lasting increase in cortical excitability, possibly through loss of serotonin input to cortical and subcortical regions. When considered in the context of previous results, cortical hyper-excitability may be a biomarker for MDMA-induced serotonin neurotoxicity. PMID:21326196

Implementation and preliminary evaluation of 'C-tone': A novel algorithm to improve lexical tone recognition in Mandarin-speaking cochlear implant users.

PubMed

Ping, Lichuan; Wang, Ningyuan; Tang, Guofang; Lu, Thomas; Yin, Li; Tu, Wenhe; Fu, Qian-Jie

2017-09-01

Because of limited spectral resolution, Mandarin-speaking cochlear implant (CI) users have difficulty perceiving fundamental frequency (F0) cues that are important to lexical tone recognition. To improve Mandarin tone recognition in CI users, we implemented and evaluated a novel real-time algorithm (C-tone) to enhance the amplitude contour, which is strongly correlated with the F0 contour. The C-tone algorithm was implemented in clinical processors and evaluated in eight users of the Nurotron NSP-60 CI system. Subjects were given 2 weeks of experience with C-tone. Recognition of Chinese tones, monosyllables, and disyllables in quiet was measured with and without the C-tone algorithm. Subjective quality ratings were also obtained for C-tone. After 2 weeks of experience with C-tone, there were small but significant improvements in recognition of lexical tones, monosyllables, and disyllables (P < 0.05 in all cases). Among lexical tones, the largest improvements were observed for Tone 3 (falling-rising) and the smallest for Tone 4 (falling). Improvements with C-tone were greater for disyllables than for monosyllables. Subjective quality ratings showed no strong preference for or against C-tone, except for perception of own voice, where C-tone was preferred. The real-time C-tone algorithm provided small but significant improvements for speech performance in quiet with no change in sound quality. Pre-processing algorithms to reduce noise and better real-time F0 extraction would improve the benefits of C-tone in complex listening environments. Chinese CI users' speech recognition in quiet can be significantly improved by modifying the amplitude contour to better resemble the F0 contour.

Respiratory symptoms, lung function decrement and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in pre-menopausal Indian women exposed to biomass smoke.

PubMed

Mukherjee, Sayali; Roychoudhury, Sanghita; Siddique, Shabana; Banerjee, Madhuchanda; Bhattacharya, Purba; Lahiri, Twisha; Ray, Manas Ranjan

2014-12-01

The impact of chronic exposure to smoke from biomass burning on respiratory health has been examined. Six-hundred and eighty-one non-smoking women (median age 35 years) from eastern India who cook exclusively with biomass (wood, dung and crop residues) and 438 age-matched women from similar neighborhood who cook with liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) were examined. Pulmonary function test was done by spirometry. The concentrations of particulate matter having diameter of < 10 µm (PM10) and < 2.5 µm (PM2.5) in indoor air was measured by real-time aerosol monitor. Compared with LPG users, biomass users had greater prevalence of upper (50.9 versus 28.5%) and lower respiratory symptoms (71.8 versus 30.8%) and dyspnea (58.4 versus 19.9%). They showed reduction in all parameters measured by spirometer especially in mid-expiratory volume. PM10 and PM2.5 concentration in biomass using kitchen were 2-3-times more than LPG-using kitchen, and the decline in spirometry values was positively associated PM10 and PM2.5 levels in indoor air after controlling education, family income and kitchen location as potential confounders. Overall, 29.7% of biomass users and 16.4% of LPG users had deficient lung function, and restrictive type of deficiency was predominant. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) was diagnosed in 4.6% of biomass and 0.9% of LPG users. Women who predominantly used dung cake and did not possess separate kitchen had poorer lung function. Cumulative exposure to biomass smoke causes lung function decrement and facilitates COPD development even in non-smoking and relatively young pre-menopausal women.

Cannabis use disorders are comparatively prevalent among nonwhite racial/ethnic groups and adolescents: a national study.

PubMed

Wu, Li-Tzy; Brady, Kathleen T; Mannelli, Paolo; Killeen, Therese K

2014-03-01

The racial/ethnic composition of the US population is shifting, with the nonwhite population growing faster than whites. We examined cannabis use disorder (CUD) prevalences and correlates in seven racial/ethnic groups. We included cannabis use (CU) prevalence as a comparison. Data were from the 2005-2011 National Surveys on Drug Use and Health (N = 394,400). Substance use among respondents aged ≥12 years was assessed by computer-assisted, self-interviewing methods. The following were included as control variables: age, sex, family income, government assistance, county type, residential stability, major depressive episode history, arrest history, nicotine dependence, alcohol disorder, and survey year. Past-year CU prevalence increased significantly from 10.45% in 2005 to 11.41-11.54% during 2009-2011. Compared with whites, mixed-race individuals had higher odds of CU; Asian Americans and Hispanics had lower odds of CU. There were no significant yearly changes in CUD prevalence in the sample during 2005-2011 (1.58-1.73%). Compared with whites, individuals who were mixed-race, black, and Native American had higher odds of CUD; Asian Americans had lower odds. In aggregate, 15.35% of past-year cannabis users met criteria for a CUD in the 12-month period. Past-year cannabis users who were black, Native American, Hispanic, or Asian American had higher odds of CUD than white users. In each racial/ethnic group, adolescent cannabis users generally showed greater odds of CUD than adult users. Behavioral health indicators (major depressive episode, arrest history, nicotine dependence, alcohol disorder) were associated with CU and CUD. In conclusion, CUD disproportionally affects nonwhite groups and youth. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Prolonged Cannabidiol Treatment Effects on Hippocampal Subfield Volumes in Current Cannabis Users.

PubMed

Beale, Camilla; Broyd, Samantha J; Chye, Yann; Suo, Chao; Schira, Mark; Galettis, Peter; Martin, Jennifer H; Yücel, Murat; Solowij, Nadia

2018-01-01

Introduction: Chronic cannabis use is associated with neuroanatomical alterations in the hippocampus. While adverse impacts of cannabis use are generally attributed to Δ 9 -tetrahydrocannabinol, emerging naturalistic evidence suggests cannabidiol (CBD) is neuroprotective and may ameliorate brain harms associated with cannabis use, including protection from hippocampal volume loss. This study examined whether prolonged administration of CBD to regular cannabis users within the community could reverse or reduce the characteristic hippocampal harms associated with chronic cannabis use. Materials and Methods: Eighteen regular cannabis users participated in an ∼10-week open-label pragmatic trial involving daily oral administration of 200 mg CBD, with no change to their ongoing cannabis use requested. Participants were assessed at baseline and post-CBD treatment using structural magnetic resonance imaging. Automated longitudinal hippocampal segmentation was performed to assess volumetric change over the whole hippocampus and within 12 subfields. Results: No change was observed in left or right hippocampus as a whole. However, left subicular complex (parasubiculum, presubiculum, and subiculum) volume significantly increased from baseline to post-treatment ( p =0.017 uncorrected) by 1.58% (Cohen's d =0.63; 2.83% in parasubiculum). Heavy cannabis users demonstrated marked growth in the left subicular complex, predominantly within the presubiculum, and right cornu ammonis (CA)1 compared to lighter users. Associations between greater right subicular complex and total hippocampal volume and higher plasma CBD concentration were evident, particularly in heavy users. Conclusions: Our findings suggest a restorative effect of CBD on the subicular and CA1 subfields in current cannabis users, especially those with greater lifetime exposure to cannabis. While replication is required in a larger, placebo-controlled trial, these findings support a protective role of CBD against brain structural harms conferred by chronic cannabis use. Furthermore, these outcomes suggest that CBD may be a useful adjunct in treatments for cannabis dependence and may be therapeutic for a range of clinical disorders characterized by hippocampal pathology (e.g., schizophrenia, Alzheimer's disease, and major depressive disorder).

Prolonged Cannabidiol Treatment Effects on Hippocampal Subfield Volumes in Current Cannabis Users

PubMed Central

Beale, Camilla; Broyd, Samantha J.; Chye, Yann; Suo, Chao; Schira, Mark; Galettis, Peter; Martin, Jennifer H.; Yücel, Murat; Solowij, Nadia

2018-01-01

Abstract Introduction: Chronic cannabis use is associated with neuroanatomical alterations in the hippocampus. While adverse impacts of cannabis use are generally attributed to Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol, emerging naturalistic evidence suggests cannabidiol (CBD) is neuroprotective and may ameliorate brain harms associated with cannabis use, including protection from hippocampal volume loss. This study examined whether prolonged administration of CBD to regular cannabis users within the community could reverse or reduce the characteristic hippocampal harms associated with chronic cannabis use. Materials and Methods: Eighteen regular cannabis users participated in an ∼10-week open-label pragmatic trial involving daily oral administration of 200 mg CBD, with no change to their ongoing cannabis use requested. Participants were assessed at baseline and post-CBD treatment using structural magnetic resonance imaging. Automated longitudinal hippocampal segmentation was performed to assess volumetric change over the whole hippocampus and within 12 subfields. Results: No change was observed in left or right hippocampus as a whole. However, left subicular complex (parasubiculum, presubiculum, and subiculum) volume significantly increased from baseline to post-treatment (p=0.017 uncorrected) by 1.58% (Cohen's d=0.63; 2.83% in parasubiculum). Heavy cannabis users demonstrated marked growth in the left subicular complex, predominantly within the presubiculum, and right cornu ammonis (CA)1 compared to lighter users. Associations between greater right subicular complex and total hippocampal volume and higher plasma CBD concentration were evident, particularly in heavy users. Conclusions: Our findings suggest a restorative effect of CBD on the subicular and CA1 subfields in current cannabis users, especially those with greater lifetime exposure to cannabis. While replication is required in a larger, placebo-controlled trial, these findings support a protective role of CBD against brain structural harms conferred by chronic cannabis use. Furthermore, these outcomes suggest that CBD may be a useful adjunct in treatments for cannabis dependence and may be therapeutic for a range of clinical disorders characterized by hippocampal pathology (e.g., schizophrenia, Alzheimer's disease, and major depressive disorder). PMID:29682609

Procedural and declarative memory performance, and the memory consolidation function of sleep, in recent and abstinent Ecstasy/MDMA users

PubMed Central

Blagrove, Mark; Seddon, Jennifer; George, Sophie; Parrott, Andrew C.; Stickgold, Robert; Walker, Matthew; Jones, Katy; Morgan, Michael J.

2013-01-01

This study assessed the effects of ecstasy/MDMA on declarative memory (Rivermead Behavioral Memory task - RBMT), on procedural learning (Finger Tapping Task - FTT), and on the memory consolidation function of sleep for these two tasks. Testing occurred in 2 afternoon testing sessions, 24 hours apart so that a full period of sleep was allowed between them. Groups were: Non-drug taking Controls (n=24); Recent Ecstasy/MDMA users, who had taken ecstasy and/or MDMA 2–3 days before the first testing session (n=25), and Abstinent Ecstasy/MDMA users, who had not taken ecstasy/MDMA for at least 8 days before the first session (n=17). The recent ecstasy/MDMA users performed significantly worse than controls on the RBMT (mean recall 76.1% of control group recall), but did not differ from controls on FTT performance. Correspondingly there was a significant regression between the continuous variable of recency of ecstasy/MDMA use and RBMT performance. However, there was an interaction between ecstasy/MDMA use and subsequent other drug use. Controls had similar RBMT scores to recent ecstasy/MDMA users who did not take other drugs 48 – 24 hours before testing, but scored significantly better than recent ecstasy/MDMA users who took various other drugs (mainly cannabis) 48 – 24 hours before testing. For both tasks the control, recent ecstasy/MDMA and abstinent ecstasy/MDMA users did not differ in their change of performance across 24 hours; there was thus no evidence that ecstasy/MDMA impairs the memory consolidation function of sleep for either declarative or procedural memory. For participants in the two ecstasy/MDMA groups greater lifetime consumption of ecstasy tablets was associated with significantly more deficits in procedural memory. Furthermore, greater lifetime consumption of ecstasy tablets and of cocaine, were also associated with significantly more deficits in declarative memory. PMID:20615932

Tailoring auditory training to patient needs with single and multiple talkers: transfer-appropriate gains on a four-choice discrimination test.

PubMed

Barcroft, Joe; Sommers, Mitchell S; Tye-Murray, Nancy; Mauzé, Elizabeth; Schroy, Catherine; Spehar, Brent

2011-11-01

Our long-term objective is to develop an auditory training program that will enhance speech recognition in those situations where patients most want improvement. As a first step, the current investigation trained participants using either a single talker or multiple talkers to determine if auditory training leads to transfer-appropriate gains. The experiment implemented a 2 × 2 × 2 mixed design, with training condition as a between-participants variable and testing interval and test version as repeated-measures variables. Participants completed a computerized six-week auditory training program wherein they heard either the speech of a single talker or the speech of six talkers. Training gains were assessed with single-talker and multi-talker versions of the Four-choice discrimination test. Participants in both groups were tested on both versions. Sixty-nine adult hearing-aid users were randomly assigned to either single-talker or multi-talker auditory training. Both groups showed significant gains on both test versions. Participants who trained with multiple talkers showed greater improvement on the multi-talker version whereas participants who trained with a single talker showed greater improvement on the single-talker version. Transfer-appropriate gains occurred following auditory training, suggesting that auditory training can be designed to target specific patient needs.

Measuring sense of presence and user characteristics to predict effective training in an online simulated virtual environment.

PubMed

De Leo, Gianluca; Diggs, Leigh A; Radici, Elena; Mastaglio, Thomas W

2014-02-01

Virtual-reality solutions have successfully been used to train distributed teams. This study aimed to investigate the correlation between user characteristics and sense of presence in an online virtual-reality environment where distributed teams are trained. A greater sense of presence has the potential to make training in the virtual environment more effective, leading to the formation of teams that perform better in a real environment. Being able to identify, before starting online training, those user characteristics that are predictors of a greater sense of presence can lead to the selection of trainees who would benefit most from the online simulated training. This is an observational study with a retrospective postsurvey of participants' user characteristics and degree of sense of presence. Twenty-nine members from 3 Air Force National Guard Medical Service expeditionary medical support teams participated in an online virtual environment training exercise and completed the Independent Television Commission-Sense of Presence Inventory survey, which measures sense of presence and user characteristics. Nonparametric statistics were applied to determine the statistical significance of user characteristics to sense of presence. Comparing user characteristics to the 4 scales of the Independent Television Commission-Sense of Presence Inventory using Kendall τ test gave the following results: the user characteristics "how often you play video games" (τ(26)=-0.458, P<0.01) and "television/film production knowledge" (τ(27)=-0.516, P<0.01) were significantly related to negative effects. Negative effects refer to adverse physiologic reactions owing to the virtual environment experience such as dizziness, nausea, headache, and eyestrain. The user characteristic "knowledge of virtual reality" was significantly related to engagement (τ(26)=0.463, P<0.01) and negative effects (τ(26)=-0.404, P<0.05). Individuals who have knowledge about virtual environments and experience with gaming environments report a higher sense of presence that indicates that they will likely benefit more from online virtual training. Future research studies could include a larger population of expeditionary medical support, and the results obtained could be used to create a model that predicts the level of presence based on the user characteristics. To maximize results and minimize costs, only those individuals who, based on their characteristics, are supposed to have a higher sense of presence and less negative effects could be selected for online simulated virtual environment training.

Decisional balance and processes of change in community-recruited with moderate-high versus mild severity of cannabis dependence

PubMed Central

2017-01-01

Decisional Balance and Processes of Change are generally addressed in motivational interventions for the treatment of cannabis use disorders. However, specific aspects of these multifaceted constructs, with greater relevance for severe cannabis users, need to be ascertained to enable better interventions. This study aimed to compare the different facets of decisional balance and processes of change between mild and severe cannabis users in a community-based sample of young undergraduates. Thirty-one severe cannabis users and 31 mild cannabis users, indicated with the Severity of Dependence Scale, were assessed using the Decisional Balance Questionnaire (DBQ) and the Processes of Change Questionnaire (PCQ). We found that severe cannabis users had higher scores in the DBQ dimensions of Utilitarian Gains for the Self, Utilitarian Gains for Significant Others, and Self-approval, as well as in the total subscale of Gains but not Losses. The group of severe cannabis users also had higher scores in the PCQ dimensions of Self-revaluations and Counter-conditioning. Our results pinpoint specific dimensions of Decisional Balance and Processes of Change that are endorsed by severe cannabis users. This knowledge could be applied to inform motivational interventions targeting severe cannabis users. PMID:29206230

Are We Sure That Mobile Health Is Really Mobile? An examination of mobile device use during two remotely-delivered weight loss interventions

PubMed Central

Turner-McGrievy, Gabrielle M.; Tate, Deborah F.

2014-01-01

Background The “m” in mHealth is often thought of as the ability to receive health information and monitor behaviors on the go. Little is known about how people actually use mobile vs. traditional access methods and if access method affects engagement and health outcomes. Methods This study examines the 3-month outcomes of two mobile weight loss interventions (Pounds Off Digitally (POD) and mobile POD (mPOD)) where participants were required to own a mobile device for study entry and received weight loss information via podcast. Only participants in both studies who were randomized to receive the same theory-based podcast (TBP) were used in this analysis. In POD, 41 participants were randomized to the TBP condition (37 to a control not included in this analyses). In mPOD, 49 participants were randomized to the TBP (n=49) and 47 to the TBP+mobile group (a self-monitoring app and Twitter app for social support). The goal of this study is to examine how participants accessed study components and to examine how type of device impacts engagement and weight loss. Results Examining data from both studies in aggregate, despite a mobile delivery method, 58% of participants reported using a non-mobile device to access the majority of the podcasts (desktop computers), 76% accessed the podcasts mostly at their home or work, and 62% were mainly non-mobile (e.g., sitting at work) when listening. Examining objective download data for mPOD, 49% of downloads (2889/5944) originated from non-mobile delivery methods vs. mobile platforms (3055/5944). At 3 months, 55% of Twitter posts originated from the website (n=665 posts) vs. a mobile app (n=540; 45%). There was no difference in the number of podcasts participants reported listening to by device. There were more Twitter posts by mobile app users (51±11) than Twitter website users (23±6; p<0.05). There was a trend (p=0.055) in greater weight loss among mobile users for podcasts (−3.5±0.5%) as compared to non-mobile users (−2.5±0.5%). Weight loss was significantly greater in Twitter mobile app users (−5.6±0.9%) than website users (−2.2±0.5%, p<0.01). Conclusion Type of device used for podcast listening did not affect engagement but there was a trend toward greater weight loss among mobile users. Method of Twitter posting was associated with engagement and weight loss with mobile app users posting more to Twitter and losing more weight. PMID:24556530

Are we sure that Mobile Health is really mobile? An examination of mobile device use during two remotely-delivered weight loss interventions.

PubMed

Turner-McGrievy, Gabrielle M; Tate, Deborah F

2014-05-01

The "m" in mHealth is often thought of as the ability to receive health information and monitor behaviors on the go. Little is known about how people actually use mobile vs. traditional access methods and if access method affects engagement and health outcomes. This study examines the 3-month outcomes of two mobile weight loss interventions (Pounds Off Digitally (POD) and mobile POD (mPOD)) where participants were required to own a mobile device for study entry and received weight loss information via podcast. Only participants in both studies who were randomized to receive the same theory-based podcast (TBP) were used in this analysis. In POD, 41 participants were randomized to the TBP condition (37 to a control not included in this analyses). In mPOD, 49 participants were randomized to the TBP (n=49) and 47 to the TBP+mobile group (a self-monitoring app and Twitter app for social support). The goal of this study is to examine how participants accessed study components and to examine how type of device impacts engagement and weight loss. Examining data from both studies in aggregate, despite a mobile delivery method, 58% of participants reported using a non-mobile device to access the majority of the podcasts (desktop computers), 76% accessed the podcasts mostly at their home or work, and 62% were mainly non-mobile (e.g., sitting at work) when listening. Examining objective download data for mPOD, 49% of downloads (2889/5944) originated from non-mobile delivery methods vs. mobile platforms (3055/5944). At 3 months, 55% of Twitter posts originated from the website (n=665 posts) vs. a mobile app (n=540; 45%). There was no difference in the number of podcasts participants reported listening to by device. There were more Twitter posts by mobile app users (51±11) than Twitter website users (23±6, p<0.05). There was a trend (p=0.055) in greater weight loss among mobile users for podcasts (-3.5±0.5%) as compared to non-mobile users (-2.5±0.5%). Weight loss was significantly greater in Twitter mobile app users (-5.6±0.9%) than website users (-2.2±0.5%, p<0.01). Type of device used for podcast listening did not affect engagement but there was a trend toward greater weight loss among mobile users. Method of Twitter posting was associated with engagement and weight loss with mobile app users posting more to Twitter and losing more weight. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Enhancing stakeholder participation in land-based adaptation to environmental change with photo elicitation and photovoice

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Orr, Barron; Kong, Taryn; Kellner, Klaus

2015-04-01

Land degradation is one of the main environmental changes confronting South Africa. Active participation from local land users to adopt land-based adaptation to land degradation is necessary for at least two obvious reasons. Firstly, most of the lands in South Africa are privately owned. Secondly, the costs for adapting to land degradation are substantial and are not feasible for an individual entity to afford. Land-based adaptation includes management practices that can reduce the vulnerability of land users to the threats posed by land degradation. To engage land users to participate in land-based adaptation, approaches to allow diverse stakeholders to effectively communicate their observations, knowledge and perspectives are needed. In addition to semi-structured interviews, photo elicitation and photovoice were implemented to engage 25 local livestock farmers from two rural areas in the South African Kalahari - Mier and Molopo - in a participatory research project. The results showed that photo elicitation enhanced stakeholder interaction relative to semi-structured interviews in a number of ways. Firstly, photo elicitation provided more details and new information beyond those in semi-structured interviews. Secondly, photo elicitation also allowed stakeholders to more easily communicate personal or concrete examples, comparisons, contrasts, explanatory information, attitudes and values. The results also showed that photovoice created opportunities for mutual learning among the participants. These enhancements have the potential to improve co-production of knowledge and quality of stakeholder engagement. Improvement in stakeholder engagement can in turn contribute toward land-based adaptation that is more locally relevant and a greater degree of translation of scientific advancement into actual adaptation practices.

Functional ability of the elderly in institutional and non-institutional care in Croatia.

PubMed

Tomek-Roksandić, Spomenka; Tomasović-Mrcela, Nada; Narancić, Nina Smolej; Sigl, Gina

2010-09-01

Gerontology-public health indicators of functional ability of the elderly in institutional and non-institutional health care in Croatia were determined by use of expert methodology developed at Department of Gerontology, Dr. Andrija Stampar Institute of Public Health in Zagreb, with the aim to upgrade the Program of Health Care Measures and Procedures in Health Care of the Elderly. Comparison of functional ability between the users of selected Old People's Homes (institutional care; N = 5030) and Gerontology Centers (non-institutional care; N = 2112) yielded highest between-group difference in the proportion of "fully movable" and "fully independent" categories in favor of the latter, thus steering the program of health care for the elderly accordingly. In addition, study results showed greater difference in the proportion of categories describing mental status of institutional and non-institutional care users as compared with the categories describing their physical status, suggesting that mental status plays a more important role than physical status in the geriatric user's stay in non-institutional care versus institutional care. This issue requires additional studies. The results obtained by this indicator analysis pointed to the preventive and geroprophylactic measures to ensure efficient health care for the elderly and to develop the program of mental health promotion and preservation. According to 2007 estimate, there were 759,318 (16.9%) persons aged > or = 65 in Croatia. Data collected at gerontology database kept at Department of Gerontology, Dr. Andrija Stampar Institute of Public Health (September 2008) showed 2% of the elderly (N = 14807) to be accommodated at Old People's Homes, which is below the European average of 4%.

Can Virtual Museums Motivate Students? Toward a Constructivist Learning Approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Katz, James E.; Halpern, Daniel

2015-12-01

This study aims to assess the effectiveness of immersive environments that have been implemented by museums to attract new visitors. Based on the frameworks introduced by telepresence and media richness theories, and following a constructivist-based learning approach, we argue that the greater the similarity of an online museum experience is to its physical counterpart, the more positive will be the observer's perception of the collection. We reason that the similarity would lead online visitors to develop greater cognitive involvement which in turn will produce more positive attitudes toward the collection. In support of this argument, we present the results of a comparative study in which 565 participants were exposed randomly to four different exhibitions: two-dimensional collections of art and aircraft museums and three-dimensional tours of similar museums. Results indicate that whereas 3D tours have a strong effect on users' intentions to visit the real museum, cognitive involvement and sense of presence mediate the association between these variables. In terms of managerial implications, our study shows that if educational professionals want to stimulate their students to visit museums, 3D tours appear to be more effective for engaging learners through a realistic-looking environment. By offering richer perceptual cues and multimodal feedback (e.g., users can view 3D objects from multiple viewpoints or zoom in/out the objects), the study suggests that participants may increase their reasoning process and become more interested in cultural content.

Professional health care use and subjective unmet need for social or emotional problems: a cross-sectional survey of the married and divorced population of Flanders

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background The high mental health care consumption rates of divorced singles may constitute a heavy burden on the public health care system. This raises the question of whether their higher health care use stems from a greater need, or whether there are other factors contributing to these high consumption rates. We examine both health care use and subjective unmet need (perceiving a need for care without seeking it) because of social or emotional problems of the divorced singles, the repartnered divorcees, and the married. Moreover, we investigate how health care use and subjective unmet need relate to each other. Methods We conduct several gender specific logistic regressions employing data from the Divorce in Flanders Survey (N men = 2884; N women = 3317). Results Results show that the divorced singles have more contact with professional health care providers (general practitioners, psychiatrists, and psychologists) because of social or emotional problems, and more often perceive unmet needs. The higher health care use rates and greater subjective unmet needs can largely be attributed to higher levels of depressive symptoms. Surprisingly, we find that non-frequent health care users more often perceive a subjective unmet need than frequent health care users and those who have not contacted any health care provider. Conclusion The single divorced consult health care providers more often because of social or emotional problems and they also perceive unmet needs more often. PMID:23173927

Paper-based plasma sanitizers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xie, Jingjin; Chen, Qiang; Suresh, Poornima; Roy, Subrata; White, James F.; Mazzeo, Aaron D.

2017-05-01

This work describes disposable plasma generators made from metallized paper. The fabricated plasma generators with layered and patterned sheets of paper provide a simple and flexible format for dielectric barrier discharge to create atmospheric plasma without an applied vacuum. The porosity of paper allows gas to permeate its bulk volume and fuel plasma, while plasma-induced forced convection cools the substrate. When electrically driven with oscillating peak-to-peak potentials of ±1 to ±10 kV, the paper-based devices produced both volume and surface plasmas capable of killing microbes. The plasma sanitizers deactivated greater than 99% of Saccharomyces cerevisiae and greater than 99.9% of Escherichia coli cells with 30 s of noncontact treatment. Characterization of plasma generated from the sanitizers revealed a detectable level of UV-C (1.9 nWṡcm-2ṡnm-1), modest surface temperature (60 °C with 60 s of activation), and a high level of ozone (13 ppm with 60 s of activation). These results deliver insights into the mechanisms and suitability of paper-based substrates for active antimicrobial sanitization with scalable, flexible sheets. In addition, this work shows how paper-based generators are conformable to curved surfaces, appropriate for kirigami-like “stretchy” structures, compatible with user interfaces, and suitable for sanitization of microbes aerosolized onto a surface. In general, these disposable plasma generators represent progress toward biodegradable devices based on flexible renewable materials, which may impact the future design of protective garments, skin-like sensors for robots or prosthetics, and user interfaces in contaminated environments.

Paper-based plasma sanitizers.

PubMed

Xie, Jingjin; Chen, Qiang; Suresh, Poornima; Roy, Subrata; White, James F; Mazzeo, Aaron D

2017-05-16

This work describes disposable plasma generators made from metallized paper. The fabricated plasma generators with layered and patterned sheets of paper provide a simple and flexible format for dielectric barrier discharge to create atmospheric plasma without an applied vacuum. The porosity of paper allows gas to permeate its bulk volume and fuel plasma, while plasma-induced forced convection cools the substrate. When electrically driven with oscillating peak-to-peak potentials of ±1 to ±10 kV, the paper-based devices produced both volume and surface plasmas capable of killing microbes. The plasma sanitizers deactivated greater than 99% of Saccharomyces cerevisiae and greater than 99.9% of Escherichia coli cells with 30 s of noncontact treatment. Characterization of plasma generated from the sanitizers revealed a detectable level of UV-C (1.9 nW⋅cm -2 ⋅nm -1 ), modest surface temperature (60 °C with 60 s of activation), and a high level of ozone (13 ppm with 60 s of activation). These results deliver insights into the mechanisms and suitability of paper-based substrates for active antimicrobial sanitization with scalable, flexible sheets. In addition, this work shows how paper-based generators are conformable to curved surfaces, appropriate for kirigami-like "stretchy" structures, compatible with user interfaces, and suitable for sanitization of microbes aerosolized onto a surface. In general, these disposable plasma generators represent progress toward biodegradable devices based on flexible renewable materials, which may impact the future design of protective garments, skin-like sensors for robots or prosthetics, and user interfaces in contaminated environments.

Professional health care use and subjective unmet need for social or emotional problems: a cross-sectional survey of the married and divorced population of Flanders.

PubMed

Colman, Elien; Symoens, Sara; Bracke, Piet

2012-11-22

The high mental health care consumption rates of divorced singles may constitute a heavy burden on the public health care system. This raises the question of whether their higher health care use stems from a greater need, or whether there are other factors contributing to these high consumption rates. We examine both health care use and subjective unmet need (perceiving a need for care without seeking it) because of social or emotional problems of the divorced singles, the repartnered divorcees, and the married. Moreover, we investigate how health care use and subjective unmet need relate to each other. We conduct several gender specific logistic regressions employing data from the Divorce in Flanders Survey (N men = 2884; N women = 3317). Results show that the divorced singles have more contact with professional health care providers (general practitioners, psychiatrists, and psychologists) because of social or emotional problems, and more often perceive unmet needs. The higher health care use rates and greater subjective unmet needs can largely be attributed to higher levels of depressive symptoms. Surprisingly, we find that non-frequent health care users more often perceive a subjective unmet need than frequent health care users and those who have not contacted any health care provider. The single divorced consult health care providers more often because of social or emotional problems and they also perceive unmet needs more often.

Parsimonious data: How a single Facebook like predicts voting behavior in multiparty systems

PubMed Central

Albrechtsen, Thomas; Dahl-Nielsen, Emil; Jensen, Michael; Skovrind, Magnus

2017-01-01

This study shows how liking politicians’ public Facebook posts can be used as an accurate measure for predicting present-day voter intention in a multiparty system. We highlight that a few, but selective digital traces produce prediction accuracies that are on par or even greater than most current approaches based upon bigger and broader datasets. Combining the online and offline, we connect a subsample of surveyed respondents to their public Facebook activity and apply machine learning classifiers to explore the link between their political liking behaviour and actual voting intention. Through this work, we show that even a single selective Facebook like can reveal as much about political voter intention as hundreds of heterogeneous likes. Further, by including the entire political like history of the respondents, our model reaches prediction accuracies above previous multiparty studies (60–70%). The main contribution of this paper is to show how public like-activity on Facebook allows political profiling of individual users in a multiparty system with accuracies above previous studies. Beside increased accuracies, the paper shows how such parsimonious measures allows us to generalize our findings to the entire population of a country and even across national borders, to other political multiparty systems. The approach in this study relies on data that are publicly available, and the simple setup we propose can with some limitations, be generalized to millions of users in other multiparty systems. PMID:28931023

Scapular Stabilization and Muscle Strength in Manual Wheelchair Users with Spinal Cord Injury and Subacromial Impingement.

PubMed

Wilbanks, Susan R; Bickel, C Scott

2016-01-01

Background: Manual wheelchair users with spinal cord injury (SCI) are frequently diagnosed with subacromial impingement. Objective: To determine whether the pattern of muscle imbalance and impaired scapular stabilization in able-bodied (AB) adults with impingement is different from that in manual wheelchair users with SCI and impingement. Methods: The following measurements were collected from 22 adults with subacromial impingement (11 SCI, 11 AB): ratio of normalized muscle electrical activity of upper and lower trapezius (UT:LT) during arm abduction; force during abduction, adduction, internal rotation, external rotation, and push and pull; ratios of force for abduction to adduction (AB:ADD), internal to external rotation (IR:ER), and push to pull (PUSH:PULL). Results: Shoulders with impingement had significantly higher UT:LT activation (1.46 ± 0.52) than shoulders without impingement (0.93 ± 0.45) ( P = .006), regardless of wheelchair user status. Significant differences between AB participants and those with SCI were observed for ABD:ADD ( P = .005), PUSH:PULL ( P = .012), and pull strength ( P = .043). Participants with SCI had a significantly greater ABD:ADD (1.37 ± 0.36) than AB participants (1.04 ± 0.22) ( P = .002) and a significantly greater PUSH:PULL (1.53 ± 0.36) than AB participants (1.26 ± 0.18) ( P = .005) because of decreased strength in adduction ( P = .021) and pull ( P = .013). Conclusions: Strategies targeting the posterior shoulder girdle for AB adults are appropriate for manual wheelchair users with SCI and impingement and should focus on scapular retractors and arm adductors with emphasis on scapular depression and posterior tilting.

Biomedical user facility at the 400-MeV Linac at Fermilab

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

Chu, W.T.

1993-12-01

In this paper, general requirements are discussed on a biomedical user facility at the Fermilab`s 400-MeV Linac, which meets the needs of biology and biophysics experiments, and a conceptual design and typical operations requirements of the facility is presented. It is assumed that no human patient treatment will take place in this facility. If human patients were treated, much greater attention would have to be paid to safeguarding the patients.

Advertising exposure and use of e-cigarettes among female current and former tobacco users of childbearing age.

PubMed

Ashford, Kristin; Rayens, Emily; Wiggins, Amanda T; Rayens, Mary Kay; Fallin, Amanda; Sayre, Molly Malany

2017-09-01

The study examined the relationship between exposure to e-cigarette advertising and e-cigarette use by pregnancy status, including use of flavored e-cigarette products, among women of childbearing age. A cross-sectional, correlational design was used. Female current or former tobacco users in Central and Eastern Kentucky, 18-45 years old (N = 194, 52% pregnant). Demographics, pregnancy status, cigarette and e-cigarette use, and exposure to e-cigarette advertising. Younger age, white non-Hispanic race, and greater exposure to e-cigarette advertising were associated with a higher likelihood of ever using e-cigarettes (p < .05 for each variable). Pregnancy was not associated with ever use (p = .11). Younger age was associated with use of flavored e-cigarettes (p = .0027). Among e-cigarette users, those who used flavored products were more likely to have seen advertisements or information about e-cigarettes on social media, compared to those who used unflavored e-cigarettes only (p = .016). There is a link between advertising exposure and ever use of e-cigarettes. Pregnancy status is not significantly associated with ever use. Use of flavored e-cigarettes is associated with younger age. E-cigarette users with greater exposure to advertising on social media were more likely to use flavored products. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Prenatal exposure to testosterone interacts with lifetime physical abuse to predict anger rumination and cognitive flexibility among incarcerated methamphetamine users.

PubMed

Herschl, Laura C; Highland, Krista B; McChargue, Dennis E

2012-01-01

The present pilot study hypothesized that degree of exposure to prenatal testosterone interacts with a history of lifetime physical abuse (LPA) to predict the cognitive (anger rumination) and behavioral (intimate partner and interpersonal violence) components of aggression within incarcerated methamphetamine (MA) users. In addition, we hypothesized that the degree of exposure to prenatal testosterone interacts with LPA to predict cognitive flexibility (Stroop Color-Word performance). Male inmate MA users (N = 60) completed neuropsychological and paper/pencil tests. Hand photocopies were also obtained to index prenatal testosterone exposure. Five covariate-adjusted moderation models were tested using anger rumination, intimate partner violence (IPV) perpetration, interpersonal violence perpetration (before and while incarcerated), and Stroop Color-Word T-score as the criteria, prenatal testosterone exposure as the predictor, and LPA as the moderator. Results indicated that, in individuals with a history of LPA, exposure to higher levels of prenatal testosterone exposure predicted greater anger rumination, lower Stroop Color-Word test T-scores, and lower frequencies of IPV perpetration. Findings were not significant in individuals without a history of LPA. This research suggests that biochemical and psychosocial vulnerabilities influence anger rumination and cognitive flexibility, which may render incarcerated MA users at greater risk to relapse or recidivate upon release from prison. Copyright © American Academy of Addiction Psychiatry.

Twitter chatter about marijuana.

PubMed

Cavazos-Rehg, Patricia A; Krauss, Melissa; Fisher, Sherri L; Salyer, Patricia; Grucza, Richard A; Bierut, Laura Jean

2015-02-01

We sought to examine the sentiment and themes of marijuana-related chatter on Twitter sent by influential Twitter users and to describe the demographics of these Twitter users. We assessed the sentiment and themes of a random sample (n = 7,000) of influential marijuana-related tweets (sent from February 5, 20114, to March 5, 2014). Demographics of the users tweeting about marijuana were inferred using a social media analytics company (Demographics Pro for Twitter). Most marijuana-related tweets reflected a positive sentiment toward marijuana use, with pro-marijuana tweets outnumbering anti-marijuana tweets by a factor of greater than 15. The most common theme of pro-marijuana tweets included the Tweeter stating that he/she wants/plans to use marijuana, followed by tweeting about frequent/heavy/or regular marijuana use, and that marijuana has health benefits and/or should be legalized. Tweeters of marijuana-related content were younger and a greater proportion was African-American compared with the Twitter average. Marijuana Twitter chatter sent by influential Twitter users tends to be pro-marijuana and popular among African-Americans and youth/young adults. Marijuana-related harms may afflict some individuals; therefore, our findings should be used to inform online and offline prevention efforts that work to target individuals who are most at risk for harms associated with marijuana use. Copyright © 2015 Society for Adolescent Health and Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

MOVES sensitivity study

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2012-01-01

Purpose: : To determine ranking of important parameters and the overall sensitivity to values of variables in MOVES : To allow a greater understanding of the MOVES modeling process for users : Continued support by FHWA to transportation modeling comm...

Microcircuit testing and fabrication, using scanning electron microscopes

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Nicolas, D. P.

1975-01-01

Scanning electron microscopes are used to determine both user-induced damages and manufacturing defects subtle enough to be missed by conventional light microscopy. Method offers greater depth of field and increased working distances.

Mathematical computer programs: A compilation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1972-01-01

Computer programs, routines, and subroutines for aiding engineers, scientists, and mathematicians in direct problem solving are presented. Also included is a group of items that affords the same users greater flexibility in the use of software.

The Associations Between E-Cigarettes and Binge Drinking, Marijuana Use, and Energy Drinks Mixed With Alcohol.

PubMed

Milicic, Sandra; Leatherdale, Scott T

2017-03-01

Use of e-cigarettes by youth is proliferating worldwide, but little is known about the behavioral profile of youth e-cigarette users and the association of e-cigarette use with other health-risky behaviors. This study examines the associations between e-cigarette use and tobacco, marijuana, and alcohol use among a large sample of Canadian youth. Using Canadian data from 39,837 grade 9 to 12 students who participated in year 3 (2014-2015) of the COMPASS study, logistic regression models were used to examine how current use of e-cigarettes were associated with tobacco, marijuana, binge drinking, and energy drinks mixed with alcohol. Pearson's chi-square tests were used to examine subgroup differences by sex. Overall, 9.75% of respondents were current e-cigarette users. Current cigarette smokers (odds ratio [OR] = 3.009), current marijuana users (OR = 5.549), and noncurrent marijuana users (OR = 3.653) were more likely to report using e-cigarettes than noncigarette smokers and nonmarijuana users. Gender differences among males and females showed higher risk of e-cigarette use among female current marijuana users (OR = 7.029) relative to males (OR = 4.931) and female current smokers (OR = 3.284) compared to males (OR = 2.862). Compared to nonbinge drinkers, weekly (OR = 3.253), monthly (OR = 3.113), and occasional (OR = 2.333) binge drinkers were more likely to use e-cigarettes. Similarly, students who consume energy drinks mixed with alcohol (OR = 1.650) were more likely to use e-cigarettes compared to students who do not consume them. We identify that youth who binge drink or use marijuana have a greater increased risk for using e-cigarettes compared to cigarette smokers. These data suggest that efforts to prevent e-cigarette use should not only be discussed in the domain of tobacco control. Copyright © 2016 Society for Adolescent Health and Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Poor decision-making by chronic marijuana users is associated with decreased functional responsiveness to negative consequences.

PubMed

Wesley, Michael J; Hanlon, Colleen A; Porrino, Linda J

2011-01-30

Chronic marijuana users (MJ Users) perform poorly on the Iowa Gambling Task (IGT), a complex decision-making task in which monetary wins and losses guide strategy development. This functional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) study sought to determine if the poor performance of MJ Users was related to differences in brain activity while evaluating wins and losses during the strategy development phase of the IGT. MJ Users (16) and Controls (16) performed a modified IGT in an MRI scanner. Performance was tracked and functional activity in response to early wins and losses was examined. While the MJ Users continued to perform poorly at the end of the task, there was no difference in group performance during the initial strategy development phase. During this phase, before the emergence of behavioral differences, Controls exhibited significantly greater activity in response to losses in the anterior cingulate cortex, medial frontal cortex, precuneus, superior parietal lobe, occipital lobe and cerebellum as compared to MJ Users. Furthermore, in Controls, but not MJ Users, the functional response to losses in the anterior cingulate cortex, ventral medial prefrontal cortex and rostral prefrontal cortex positively correlated with performance over time. These data suggest MJ Users are less sensitive to negative feedback during strategy development. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Behavioral health services utilization among older adults identified within a state abuse hotline database.

PubMed

Schonfeld, Lawrence; Larsen, Rebecca G; Stiles, Paul G

2006-04-01

This study examined the extent to which older adults identified in a statewide abuse hotline registry utilized behavioral health services. This is important as mental health issues have been identified as a high priority for filling gaps in services for victims of mistreatment. We compared Medicaid and Medicare claims data for two groups of older adults: those using health services and identified within a statewide abuse hotline information system and those claimants not identified within the hotline database. Behavioral health service use was greater among those identified in the abuse hotline database. The penetration rate (percentage of service users out of all enrollees) for Medicaid behavioral health service claims was more than twice that of other service users, with costs of services about 30% greater. Analyses of Medicare data revealed that the penetration rate for those in the hotline data was almost 6 times greater at approximately twice the cost compared to other service users. The results provide evidence for previous assumptions that mistreated individuals experience a higher rate of behavioral health disorders. As mental health screening by adult protective services is rarely conducted, the results suggest the need to train investigators and other service providers to screen older adults for behavioral health and substance-abuse issues as well as physical signs of abuse. Further research on the relationship of abuse to behavioral health might focus on collection of additional data involving more specific victim-related characteristics and comparisons of cases of mistreatment versus self-neglect.

Latent Classes of Polydrug Users as a Predictor of Crash Involvement and Alcohol Consumption.

PubMed

Scherer, Michael; Romano, Eduardo; Voas, Robert; Taylor, Eileen

2018-05-01

Polydrug users have been shown to be at higher risk for alcohol consumption and crash involvement. However, research has shown that polydrug groups differ in some important ways. It is currently unknown how polydrug-using groups differ in terms of crash involvement and alcohol consumption. The current study used latent class analysis to examine subgroups of polydrug users (n = 384) among a sample of drivers in Virginia Beach, Virginia (N = 10,512). A series of logistic regression analyses were conducted to determine the relationship between polydrug use categories and crash involvement and alcohol consumption. Four distinct subclasses of users were identified among polydrug-using drivers: Class 1 is the "marijuana-amphetamines class" and accounts for 21.6% of polydrug users. Class 2 is the "benzo-antidepressant class" and accounts for 39.0% of polydrug users. Class 3 is the "opioid-benzo class" and accounts for 32.7% of polydrug users. Finally, Class 4 is the "marijuana-cocaine class" and accounts for 6.7% of the study sample. Drivers in the opioid-benzo class were significantly more likely than those in any other class as well as non-drug users and single-drug users to be involved in a crash and were more likely than those in most other conditions to consume alcohol. No significant difference was found between marijuana-amphetamine users or benzo-antidepressant users and non-drug users on crash risk. Some polydrug users are indeed at greater risk for crash involvement and alcohol consumption; however, not all polydrug users are significantly worse than single-drug users and/or non-drug users, and the practice of lumping polydrug users together when predicting crash risk runs the risk of inaccurately attributing crash involvement to certain drivers.

Changes in Veteran Tobacco Use Identified in Electronic Medical Records.

PubMed

Barnett, Paul G; Chow, Adam; Flores, Nicole E; Sherman, Scott E; Duffy, Sonia A

2017-07-01

Electronic medical records represent a new source of longitudinal data on tobacco use. Electronic medical records of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs were extracted to find patients' tobacco use status in 2009 and at another assessment 12-24 months later. Records from the year prior to the first assessment were used to determine patient demographics and comorbidities. These data were analyzed in 2015. An annual quit rate of 12.0% was observed in 754,504 current tobacco users. Adjusted tobacco use prevalence at follow-up was 3.2% greater with alcohol use disorders at baseline, 1.9% greater with drug use disorders, 3.3% greater with schizophrenia, and lower in patients with cancer, heart disease, and other medical conditions (all differences statistically significant with p<0.05). Annual relapse rates in 412,979 former tobacco users were 29.6% in those who had quit for <1 year, 9.7% in those who had quit for 1-7 years, and 1.9% of those who had quit for >7 years. Among those who had quit for <1 year, adjusted relapse rates were 4.3% greater with alcohol use disorders and 7.2% greater with drug use disorders (statistically significant with p<0.05). High annual cessation rates may reflect the older age and greater comorbidities of the cohort or the intensive cessation efforts of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. The lower cessation and higher relapse rates in psychiatric and substance use disorders suggest that these groups will need intensive and sustained cessation efforts. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Association of Proton Pump Inhibitor (PPI) Use with Energy Intake, Physical Activity, and Weight Gain

PubMed Central

Czwornog, Jennifer L.; Austin, Gregory L.

2015-01-01

Studies suggest proton pump inhibitor (PPI) use impacts body weight regulation, though the effect of PPIs on energy intake, energy extraction, and energy expenditure is unknown. We used data on 3073 eligible adults from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). Medication use, energy intake, diet composition, and physical activity were extracted from NHANES. Multivariate regression models included confounding variables. Daily energy intake was similar between PPI users and non-users (p = 0.41). Diet composition was similar between the two groups, except that PPI users consumed a slightly greater proportion of calories from fat (34.5% vs. 33.2%; p = 0.02). PPI users rated themselves as being as physically active as their age/gender-matched peers and reported similar frequencies of walking or biking. However, PPI users were less likely to have participated in muscle-strengthening activities (OR: 0.53; 95% CI: 0.30–0.95). PPI users reported similar sedentary behaviors to non-users. Male PPI users had an increase in weight (of 1.52 ± 0.59 kg; p = 0.021) over the previous year compared to non-users, while female PPI users had a non-significant increase in weight. The potential mechanisms for PPI-associated weight gain are unclear as we did not find evidence for significant differences in energy intake or markers of energy expenditure. PMID:26492268

Patterns of User Engagement With the Mobile App, Manage My Pain: Results of a Data Mining Investigation

PubMed Central

Rahman, Quazi Abidur; Pirbaglou, Meysam; Ritvo, Paul; Heffernan, Jane M; Clarke, Hance; Katz, Joel

2017-01-01

Background Pain is one of the most prevalent health-related concerns and is among the top 3 most common reasons for seeking medical help. Scientific publications of data collected from pain tracking and monitoring apps are important to help consumers and healthcare professionals select the right app for their use. Objective The main objectives of this paper were to (1) discover user engagement patterns of the pain management app, Manage My Pain, using data mining methods; and (2) identify the association between several attributes characterizing individual users and their levels of engagement. Methods User engagement was defined by 2 key features of the app: longevity (number of days between the first and last pain record) and number of records. Users were divided into 5 user engagement clusters employing the k-means clustering algorithm. Each cluster was characterized by 6 attributes: gender, age, number of pain conditions, number of medications, pain severity, and opioid use. Z tests and chi-square tests were used for analyzing categorical attributes. Effects of gender and cluster on numerical attributes were analyzed using 2-way analysis of variances (ANOVAs) followed up by pairwise comparisons using Tukey honest significant difference (HSD). Results The clustering process produced 5 clusters representing different levels of user engagement. The proportion of males and females was significantly different in 4 of the 5 clusters (all P ≤.03). The proportion of males was higher than females in users with relatively high longevity. Mean ages of users in 2 clusters with high longevity were higher than users from other 3 clusters (all P <.001). Overall, males were significantly older than females (P <.001). Across clusters, females reported more pain conditions than males (all P <.001). Users from highly engaged clusters reported taking more medication than less engaged users (all P <.001). Females reported taking a greater number of medications than males (P =.04). In 4 of 5 clusters, the percentage of males taking an opioid was significantly greater (all P ≤.05) than that of females. The proportion of males with mild pain was significantly higher than that of females in 3 clusters (all P ≤.008). Conclusions Although most users of the app reported being female, male users were more likely to be highly engaged in the app. Users in the most engaged clusters self-reported a higher number of pain conditions, a higher number of current medications, and a higher incidence of opioid usage. The high engagement by males in these clusters does not appear to be driven by pain severity which may, in part, be the case for females. Use of a mobile pain app may be relatively more attractive to highly-engaged males than highly-engaged females, and to those with relatively more complex chronic pain problems. PMID:28701291

Patterns of User Engagement With the Mobile App, Manage My Pain: Results of a Data Mining Investigation.

PubMed

Rahman, Quazi Abidur; Janmohamed, Tahir; Pirbaglou, Meysam; Ritvo, Paul; Heffernan, Jane M; Clarke, Hance; Katz, Joel

2017-07-12

Pain is one of the most prevalent health-related concerns and is among the top 3 most common reasons for seeking medical help. Scientific publications of data collected from pain tracking and monitoring apps are important to help consumers and healthcare professionals select the right app for their use. The main objectives of this paper were to (1) discover user engagement patterns of the pain management app, Manage My Pain, using data mining methods; and (2) identify the association between several attributes characterizing individual users and their levels of engagement. User engagement was defined by 2 key features of the app: longevity (number of days between the first and last pain record) and number of records. Users were divided into 5 user engagement clusters employing the k-means clustering algorithm. Each cluster was characterized by 6 attributes: gender, age, number of pain conditions, number of medications, pain severity, and opioid use. Z tests and chi-square tests were used for analyzing categorical attributes. Effects of gender and cluster on numerical attributes were analyzed using 2-way analysis of variances (ANOVAs) followed up by pairwise comparisons using Tukey honest significant difference (HSD). The clustering process produced 5 clusters representing different levels of user engagement. The proportion of males and females was significantly different in 4 of the 5 clusters (all P ≤.03). The proportion of males was higher than females in users with relatively high longevity. Mean ages of users in 2 clusters with high longevity were higher than users from other 3 clusters (all P <.001). Overall, males were significantly older than females (P <.001). Across clusters, females reported more pain conditions than males (all P <.001). Users from highly engaged clusters reported taking more medication than less engaged users (all P <.001). Females reported taking a greater number of medications than males (P =.04). In 4 of 5 clusters, the percentage of males taking an opioid was significantly greater (all P ≤.05) than that of females. The proportion of males with mild pain was significantly higher than that of females in 3 clusters (all P ≤.008). Although most users of the app reported being female, male users were more likely to be highly engaged in the app. Users in the most engaged clusters self-reported a higher number of pain conditions, a higher number of current medications, and a higher incidence of opioid usage. The high engagement by males in these clusters does not appear to be driven by pain severity which may, in part, be the case for females. Use of a mobile pain app may be relatively more attractive to highly-engaged males than highly-engaged females, and to those with relatively more complex chronic pain problems. ©Quazi Abidur Rahman, Tahir Janmohamed, Meysam Pirbaglou, Paul Ritvo, Jane M Heffernan, Hance Clarke, Joel Katz. Originally published in JMIR Mhealth and Uhealth (http://mhealth.jmir.org), 12.07.2017.

Proceedings of the Symposium on Psychology in the Department of Defense (12th) Held in Colorado Springs, Colorado on 18-20 April 1990

DTIC Science & Technology

1990-04-01

structure or level of performance. To the extant this increased motivation result in greater...application users and not power users, they will quickly abandon the use of these models in favor of those that require less of a data entry burden, even if... behavior in Individuals is best measured by convergence over time of the value structures of the individual and those of a model group (e.g., tu•ity

Optimizing the NASA Technical Report Server

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Nelson, Michael L.; Maa, Ming-Hokng

1996-01-01

The NASA Technical Report Server (NTRS), a World Wide Web report distribution NASA technical publications service, is modified for performance enhancement, greater protocol support, and human interface optimization. Results include: Parallel database queries, significantly decreasing user access times by an average factor of 2.3; access from clients behind firewalls and/ or proxies which truncate excessively long Uniform Resource Locators (URLs); access to non-Wide Area Information Server (WAIS) databases and compatibility with the 239-50.3 protocol; and a streamlined user interface.

Rapid Human-Computer Interactive Conceptual Design of Mobile and Manipulative Robot Systems

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-05-19

algorithm based on Age-Fitness Pareto Optimization (AFPO) ([9]) with an additional user prefer- ence objective and a neural network-based user model, we...greater than 40, which is about 5 times further than any robot traveled in our experiments. 6 3.3 Methods The algorithm uses a client -server computational...architecture. The client here is an interactive pro- gram which takes a pair of controllers as input, simulates4 two copies of the robot with

Access to the NCAR Research Data Archive via the Globus Data Transfer Service

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cram, T.; Schuster, D.; Ji, Z.; Worley, S. J.

2014-12-01

The NCAR Research Data Archive (RDA; http://rda.ucar.edu) contains a large and diverse collection of meteorological and oceanographic observations, operational and reanalysis outputs, and remote sensing datasets to support atmospheric and geoscience research. The RDA contains greater than 600 dataset collections which support the varying needs of a diverse user community. The number of RDA users is increasing annually, and the most popular method used to access the RDA data holdings is through web based protocols, such as wget and cURL based scripts. In the year 2013, 10,000 unique users downloaded greater than 820 terabytes of data from the RDA, and customized data products were prepared for more than 29,000 user-driven requests. In order to further support this increase in web download usage, the RDA is implementing the Globus data transfer service (www.globus.org) to provide a GridFTP data transfer option for the user community. The Globus service is broadly scalable, has an easy to install client, is sustainably supported, and provides a robust, efficient, and reliable data transfer option for RDA users. This paper highlights the main functionality and usefulness of the Globus data transfer service for accessing the RDA holdings. The Globus data transfer service, developed and supported by the Computation Institute at The University of Chicago and Argonne National Laboratory, uses the GridFTP as a fast, secure, and reliable method for transferring data between two endpoints. A Globus user account is required to use this service, and data transfer endpoints are defined on the Globus web interface. In the RDA use cases, the access endpoint is created on the RDA data server at NCAR. The data user defines the receiving endpoint for the data transfer, which can be the main file system at a host institution, a personal work station, or laptop. Once initiated, the data transfer runs as an unattended background process by Globus, and Globus ensures that the transfer is accurately fulfilled. Users can monitor the data transfer progress on the Globus web interface and optionally receive an email notification once it is complete. Globus also provides a command-line interface to support scripted transfers, which can be useful when embedded in data processing workflows.

Out-of-pocket costs for paediatric admissions in district hospitals in Kenya

PubMed Central

Barasa, Edwine W; Ayieko, Philip; Cleary, Susan; English, Mike

2012-01-01

Objective To describe out-of-pocket costs of inpatient care for children under 5 years of age in district hospitals in Kenya. Methods A total of 256 caretakers of admitted children were interviewed in 2-week surveys conducted in eight hospitals in four provinces in Kenya. Caretakers were asked to report care seeking behaviour and expenditure related to accessing inpatient care. Family socio-economic status was assessed through reported expenditure in the previous month. Results Seventy eight percent of caretakers were required to pay user charges to access inpatient care for children. User charges (mean, US$ 8.1; 95% CI, 6.4–9.7) were 59% of total out-of-pocket costs, while transport costs (mean, US$ 4.9; 95% CI, 3.9–6.0) and medicine costs (mean, US$ 0.7; 95% CI, 0.5–1.0) were 36% and 5%, respectively. The mean total out-of-pocket cost per paediatric admission was US$ 14.1 (95% CI, 11.9–16.2). Out-of-pocket expenditures on health were catastrophic for 25.4% (95% CI, 18.4–33.3) of caretakers interviewed. Out-of-pocket expenditures were regressive, with a greater burden being experienced by households with lower socio-economic status. Conclusion Despite a policy of user fee exemption for children under 5 years of age in Kenya, our findings show that high unofficial user fees are still charged in district hospitals. Financing mechanisms that will offer financial risk protection to children seeking care need to be developed to remove barriers to child survival. PMID:22716184

Structuring Process Evaluation to Forecast Use and Sustainability of an Intervention: Theory and Data From the Efficacy Trial for Lunch Is in the Bag.

PubMed

Roberts-Gray, Cindy; Sweitzer, Sara J; Ranjit, Nalini; Potratz, Christa; Rood, Magdalena; Romo-Palafox, Maria Jose; Byrd-Williams, Courtney E; Briley, Margaret E; Hoelscher, Deanna M

2017-08-01

A cluster-randomized trial at 30 early care and education centers (Intervention = 15, waitlist Control = 15) showed the Lunch Is in the Bag intervention increased parents' packing of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains in their preschool children's bag lunches (parent-child dyads = 351 Intervention, 282 Control). To examine the utility of structuring the trial's process evaluation to forecast use, sustainability, and readiness of the intervention for wider dissemination and implementation. Pretrial, the research team simulated user experience to forecast use of the intervention. Multiattribute evaluation of user experience measured during the trial assessed use and sustainability of the intervention. Thematic analysis of posttrial interviews with users evaluated sustained use and readiness for wider dissemination. Moderate use was forecast by the research team. Multiattribute evaluation of activity logs, surveys, and observations during the trial indicated use consistent with the forecast except that prevalence of parents reading the newsletters was greater (83% vs. 50%) and hearing their children talk about the classroom was less (4% vs. 50%) than forecast. Early care and education center-level likelihood of sustained use was projected to be near zero. Posttrial interviews indicated use was sustained at zero centers. Structuring the efficacy trial's process evaluation as a progression of assessments of user experience produced generally accurate forecasts of use and sustainability of the intervention at the trial sites. This approach can assist interpretation of trial outcomes, aid decisions about dissemination of the intervention, and contribute to translational science for improving health.

Stereotypes for lever-tap operation.

PubMed

Chan, Alan H S; Tsang, Steve N H; Hoffmann, Errol R

2016-04-15

Lever-operated taps have become more popular and are commonly used in operating theatres, food preparation areas and where users have poor strength; however, there is very little data available for user expectations on tap operation. Thus, an experiment on dual lever-operated water tap (faucets) was conducted with the aim of for providing information for improved design. This study aims to compare different lever-tap designs and their stereotypes adopted by the end-user to operate them also to verify the stereotypes for increasing or decreasing the water flow. 240 participants were requested to rotate the lever tap to indicate direction for increasing and decreasing water flow with simulated hardware, using actual taps placed at the top of a simulated washbasin. Nine initial positions of the lever were used for increasing and decreasing flows, ranging from the ends of both levers facing outward from the bowl center to the ends of both levers facing inward. All levers operated in the horizontal plane. Strong stereotypes (greater than 80%) for several initial lever orientations were found for increasing water flow, especially when the initial lever end positions were facing outwards. However, for different initial positions at which participants were told that the water was flowing and the flow was to be decreased, no strong stereotypes existed. The stereotypes for increasing water flow of dual-lever taps were strong, whereas those for decreasing water flow were weak and hence the stereotype reversibility was also weak. In terms of user expectations, lever taps do not show any great advantage over cross-taps in terms of operator expectations for increasing and decreasing water flow.

How do people with dementia utilise primary care physicians and specialists within dementia networks? Results of the Dementia Networks in Germany (DemNet-D) study.

PubMed

Wübbeler, Markus; Thyrian, Jochen René; Michalowsky, Bernhard; Erdmann, Pia; Hertel, Johannes; Holle, Bernhard; Gräske, Johannes; Schäfer-Walkmann, Susanne; Hoffmann, Wolfgang

2017-01-01

Outpatient dementia healthcare is predominantly fragmented, and dementia networks (DNs) represent an integrated care concept to overcome this problem. Little is known about the patients of these networks with regard to utilisation of physicians and associated factors. We interviewed 560 caregivers of people with dementia in 13 different DNs in Germany in 2013 and assessed socio-demographics, clinical data and physician utilisation. Networks were categorised in predominantly medical DNs and community-oriented DNs. Descriptive and multivariate statistical models were used to identify associated factors between DNs and users' data. Overall, the users of networks received high rates of physician care; 93% of the sample stated at least one contact with a primary care physician within the last 6 months, and 74% had been treated by a specialist (neurology/psychiatry physician). Only 5% of the sample had no contact with a physician in the 6 months preceding the interview. Females showed a lower odds for physician specialist consultations (OR = 0.641). Users of medical DNs receive greater specialist consultations overall (OR = 8.370). Compared to the German general population and people with dementia in other settings, users of DNs receive physician care more regularly, especially with regard to the consultations of neurologist/psychiatrists. Therefore, DNs seem to perform a supportive role within the integration of physician healthcare. More research is needed on the appropriate relationship between the needs of the people with dementia and utilisation behaviour. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Evaluating Health Advice in a Web 2.0 Environment: The Impact of Multiple User-Generated Factors on HIV Advice Perceptions.

PubMed

Walther, Joseph B; Jang, Jeong-Woo; Hanna Edwards, Ashley A

2018-01-01

Unlike traditional media, social media systems often present information of different types from different kinds of contributors within a single message pane, a juxtaposition of potential influences that challenges traditional health communication processing. One type of social media system, question-and-answer advice systems, provides peers' answers to health-related questions, which yet other peers read and rate. Responses may appear good or bad, responders may claim expertise, and others' aggregated evaluations of an answer's usefulness may affect readers' judgments. An experiment explored how answer feasibility, expertise claims, and user-generated ratings affected readers' assessments of advice about anonymous HIV testing. Results extend the heuristic-systematic model of persuasion (Chaiken, 1980) and warranting theory (Walther & Parks, 2002). Information that is generally associated with both systematic and heuristic processes influenced readers' evaluations. Moreover, content-level cues affected judgments about message sources unexpectedly. When conflicting cues were present, cues with greater warranting value (consensus user-generated ratings) had greater influence on outcomes than less warranted cues (self-promoted expertise). Findings present a challenge to health professionals' concerns about the reliability of online health information systems.

Working Memory and Impulsivity Predict Marijuana-Related Problems Among Frequent Users

PubMed Central

Day, Anne M.; Metrik, Jane; Spillane, Nichea S.; Kahler, Christopher W.

2012-01-01

Background Although marijuana is the most commonly used illicit substance in the US, only a small portion of users go on to develop dependence, suggesting that there are substantial individual differences in vulnerability to marijuana-related problems among users. Deficits in working memory and high trait impulsivity are two factors that may place marijuana users at increased risk for experiencing related problems. Methods Using baseline data from an experimental study that recruited 104 frequent marijuana users (M=71.86% of prior 60 days, SD=22%), we examined the associations of working memory and trait impulsivity with marijuana-related problems. Results Lower working memory, as measured by Trail Making Test B, but not short-term memory capacity, predicted more marijuana-related problems. Higher trait impulsivity scores were independently associated with greater number of problems. Conclusions Results suggest that marijuana users with reduced executive cognitive ability are more susceptible to developing problems related to their use. Trait impulsivity and executive working memory appear to be independent risk factors for experiencing marijuana-related problems. PMID:23312340

Abnormal maximal finger tapping in abstinent cannabis users.

PubMed

Flavel, Stanley C; White, Jason M; Todd, Gabrielle

2013-11-01

To investigate movement speed and rhythmicity in abstinent cannabis users, we hypothesized that abstinent cannabis users exhibit decreased maximal finger tapping frequency and increased variability of tapping compared with non-drug users. The study involved 10 healthy adult cannabis users and 10 age-matched and gender-matched controls with no history of illicit drug use. Subjects underwent a series of screening tests prior to participation. Subjects were then asked to tap a strain gauge as fast as possible with the index finger of their dominant hand (duration 5 s). The average intertap interval did not significantly differ between groups, but the coefficient of variation of the intertap interval was significantly greater in the cannabis group than in controls (p=0.011). The cannabis group also exhibited a slow tapping frequency at the beginning of the task. Rhythmicity of finger tapping is abnormal in individuals with a history of cannabis use. The abnormality appears to be long lasting and adds to the list of functional changes present in abstinent cannabis users. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Crime and Violence among MDMA Users in the United States

PubMed Central

Vaughn, Michael G.; Salas-Wright, Christopher P.; DeLisi, Matt; Perron, Brian E.; Cordova, David

2015-01-01

The question of whether MDMA use is associated with increased crime and violence has not been adequately explored especially in nationally representative samples. This study used data from the National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions (NESARC) to assess the association between MDMA use and violent and non-violent antisocial behavior while controlling for sociodemographic variables, lifetime psychiatric, alcohol and drug use disorders, and family history of antisocial behavior. MDMA users, both male and female, were involved in a number of crimes in acts of violence including drunk driving, shoplifting, theft, intimate partner violence, and fighting. Notably, female MDMA users were more antisocial than male non-MDMA users. Although adjusting the results for numerous confounds attenuated the relationships, MDMA users were still at significantly greater odds of engaging in violent and nonviolent crime than non-MDMA users. Although MDMA has been considered a facilitator of empathy and closeness, the current study suggests a dark side as MDMA is associated with a broad array of crimes and transgressions. Additional tests of the MDMA-crime link are needed to properly inform policy. PMID:29546096

Professional perspectives on service user and carer involvement in mental health care planning: a qualitative study.

PubMed

Bee, Penny; Brooks, Helen; Fraser, Claire; Lovell, Karina

2015-12-01

Involving users/carers in mental health care-planning is central to international policy initiatives yet users frequently report feeling excluded from the care planning process. Rigorous explorations of mental health professionals' experiences of care planning are lacking, limiting our understanding of this important translational gap. To explore professional perceptions of delivering collaborative mental health care-planning and involving service users and carers in their care. Qualitative interviews and focus groups with data combined and subjected to framework analysis. UK secondary care mental health services. 51 multi-disciplinary professionals involved in care planning and recruited via study advertisements. Emergent themes identified care-planning as a meaningful platform for user/carer involvement but revealed philosophical tensions between user involvement and professional accountability. Professionals emphasised their individual, relational skills as a core facilitator of involvement, highlighting some important deficiencies in conventional staff training programmes. Although internationally accepted on philosophical grounds, user-involved care-planning is poorly defined and lacks effective implementation support. Its full realisation demands greater recognition of both the historical and contemporary contexts in which statutory mental healthcare occurs. Copyright © 2015 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

The Effects of Twitter Users' Gender and Weight on Viral Behavioral Intentions Toward Obesity-Related News.

PubMed

Almutairi, Nasser; Alhabash, Saleem; Hellmueller, Lea; Willis, Erin

2018-01-01

In this study, male and female participants were exposed to identical news stories covering obesity topics paired with tweets from Twitter users. Our study aimed at understanding how obesity-related news combined with user-generated social media posts (i.e., tweets) affect consumers' evaluations of online content and viral behavioral intentions (the intentions to like, share, and comment). An experiment (N = 316) explored how gender and weight of a Twitter user (tweeter) affect participants' evaluations and viral behavioral intentions toward news stories. Participants differed in their evaluations of and viral behavioral intentions for news stories as a function of Twitter users' gender and weight, as well as participants' gender. While participants expressed more favorable attitudes toward news stories paired with tweets by overweight than healthy females (with the opposite true for tweets by male users), participants expressed greater viral behavioral intentions for news stories paired with tweets by healthy weight than overweight user. These effects were more pronounced among male than female participants. Findings are discussed within the context of social media posts and their persuasive effects in relation to attitude and behavior changes.

The impact of illicit drug use and substance abuse treatment on adherence to HAART

PubMed Central

HICKS, P. L.; MULVEY, K. P.; CHANDER, G.; FLEISHMAN, J. A.; JOSEPHS, J. S.; KORTHUIS, P. T.; HELLINGER, J.; GAIST, P.; GEBO, K. A.

2009-01-01

High levels of adherence to highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) are essential for virologic suppression and longer survival in patients with HIV. We examined the effects of substance abuse treatment, current versus former substance use, and hazardous/binge drinking on adherence to HAART. During 2003, 659 HIV patients on HAART in primary care were interviewed. Adherence was defined as ≥95% adherence to all antiretroviral medications. Current substance users used illicit drugs and/or hazardous/binge drinking within the past six months, while former users had not used substances for at least six months. Logistic regression analyses of adherence to HAART included demographic, clinical and substance abuse variables. Sixty-seven percent of the sample reported 95% adherence or greater. However, current users (60%) were significantly less likely to be adherent than former (68%) or never users (77%). In multivariate analysis, former users in substance abuse treatment were as adherent to HAART as never users (Adjusted Odds Ratio (AOR) 0.82; p>0.5). In contrast, former users who had not received recent substance abuse treatment were significantly less adherent than never users (AOR=0.61; p=0.05). Current substance users were significantly less adherent than never users, regardless of substance abuse treatment (p<0.01). Substance abuse treatment interacts with current versus former drug use status to affect adherence to HAART. Substance abuse treatment may improve HAART adherence for former substance users. PMID:18058397

Psychosocial Outcomes in Long-Term Cochlear Implant Users.

PubMed

Castellanos, Irina; Kronenberger, William G; Pisoni, David B

The objectives of this study were to investigate psychosocial outcomes in a sample of prelingually deaf, early-implanted children, adolescents, and young adults who are long-term cochlear implant (CI) users and to examine the extent to which language and executive functioning predict psychosocial outcomes. Psychosocial outcomes were measured using two well-validated, parent-completed checklists: the Behavior Assessment System for Children and the Conduct Hyperactive Attention Problem Oppositional Symptom. Neurocognitive skills were measured using gold standard, performance-based assessments of language and executive functioning. CI users were at greater risk for clinically significant deficits in areas related to attention, oppositional behavior, hyperactivity-impulsivity, and social-adaptive skills compared with their normal-hearing peers, although the majority of CI users scored within average ranges relative to Behavior Assessment System for Children norms. Regression analyses revealed that language, visual-spatial working memory, and inhibition-concentration skills predicted psychosocial outcomes. Findings suggest that underlying delays and deficits in language and executive functioning may place some CI users at a risk for difficulties in psychosocial adjustment.

Quantitative measures with WREX usage.

PubMed

Shank, Tracy M; Wee, Jinyong; Ty, Jennifer; Rahman, Tariq

2017-07-01

This paper presents the results of two surveys conducted with users of a functional upper extremity orthosis called the Wilmington Robotic EXoskeleton (WREX). The WREX is a passive anti-gravity arm orthosis that allows people with neuromuscular disabilities to move their arms in three dimensions. An online user survey with 55 patients was conducted to determine the benefits of the WREX. The survey asked 10 questions related to upper extremity function with and without the WREX as well as subjective impressions of the device. A second survey used a phone interview based on the Canadian Occupational Performance Measure (COPM). Parents rated their child's performance and satisfaction while partaking in important activities both with and without the exoskeleton device. Scores were assessed for change between the two conditions. Twenty-five families responded to this survey. Twenty-four out of 25 subjects reported greater levels of performance and satisfaction when they were wearing the WREX. The mean change in performance score was 3.61 points, and the mean change in satisfaction score was 4.44 points. Results show a statistically significant improvement in arm function for everyday tasks with the WREX.

Effect of weather on pedestrian trip count and duration: City-scale evaluations using mobile phone application data.

PubMed

Vanky, Anthony P; Verma, Santosh K; Courtney, Theodore K; Santi, Paolo; Ratti, Carlo

2017-12-01

We examined the association between meteorological (weather) conditions in a given locale and pedestrian trips frequency and duration, through the use of locative digital data. These associations were determined for seasonality, urban microclimate, and commuting. We analyzed GPS data from a broadly available activity tracking mobile phone application that automatically recorded 247,814 trips from 5432 unique users in Boston and 257,697 trips from 8256 users in San Francisco over a 50-week period. Generally, we observed increased air temperature and the presence of light cloud cover had a positive association with hourly trip frequency in both cities, regardless of seasonality. Temperature and weather conditions generally showed greater associations with weekend and discretionary travel, than with weekday and required travel. Weather conditions had minimal association with the duration of the trip, once the trip was initiated. The observed associations in some cases differed between the two cities. Our study illustrates the opportunity that emerging technology presents to study active transportation, and exposes new methods to wider consideration in preventive medicine.

Remote gaze tracking system on a large display.

PubMed

Lee, Hyeon Chang; Lee, Won Oh; Cho, Chul Woo; Gwon, Su Yeong; Park, Kang Ryoung; Lee, Heekyung; Cha, Jihun

2013-10-07

We propose a new remote gaze tracking system as an intelligent TV interface. Our research is novel in the following three ways: first, because a user can sit at various positions in front of a large display, the capture volume of the gaze tracking system should be greater, so the proposed system includes two cameras which can be moved simultaneously by panning and tilting mechanisms, a wide view camera (WVC) for detecting eye position and an auto-focusing narrow view camera (NVC) for capturing enlarged eye images. Second, in order to remove the complicated calibration between the WVC and NVC and to enhance the capture speed of the NVC, these two cameras are combined in a parallel structure. Third, the auto-focusing of the NVC is achieved on the basis of both the user's facial width in the WVC image and a focus score calculated on the eye image of the NVC. Experimental results showed that the proposed system can be operated with a gaze tracking accuracy of ±0.737°~±0.775° and a speed of 5~10 frames/s.

Remote Gaze Tracking System on a Large Display

PubMed Central

Lee, Hyeon Chang; Lee, Won Oh; Cho, Chul Woo; Gwon, Su Yeong; Park, Kang Ryoung; Lee, Heekyung; Cha, Jihun

2013-01-01

We propose a new remote gaze tracking system as an intelligent TV interface. Our research is novel in the following three ways: first, because a user can sit at various positions in front of a large display, the capture volume of the gaze tracking system should be greater, so the proposed system includes two cameras which can be moved simultaneously by panning and tilting mechanisms, a wide view camera (WVC) for detecting eye position and an auto-focusing narrow view camera (NVC) for capturing enlarged eye images. Second, in order to remove the complicated calibration between the WVC and NVC and to enhance the capture speed of the NVC, these two cameras are combined in a parallel structure. Third, the auto-focusing of the NVC is achieved on the basis of both the user's facial width in the WVC image and a focus score calculated on the eye image of the NVC. Experimental results showed that the proposed system can be operated with a gaze tracking accuracy of ±0.737°∼±0.775° and a speed of 5∼10 frames/s. PMID:24105351

Association of complementary and alternative medicine use with symptoms and physical functional performance among adults with arthritis.

PubMed

Sharpe, Patricia A; Wilcox, Sara; Schoffman, Danielle E; Hutto, Brent; Ortaglia, Andrew

2016-01-01

Research shows high prevalence of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) use in individuals with arthritis. Little is known about CAM use and objectively measured physical functional performance. The main objective was to determine if CAM use was associated with self-reported symptoms and physical functional performance in adults with arthritis. The secondary objectives were to describe the perceived helpfulness and correlates of CAM use. We analyzed cross-sectional data from a self-administered questionnaire and objectively measured physical functional performance prior to randomization to a self-paced exercise program or control condition (n = 401). We used the Fisher's exact test, analysis of variance, and general linear models to examine the association of CAM use with socio-demographic characteristics, symptoms and functional performance. Logistic regression computed the odds of perceiving CAM as helpful by level of use. Most respondents had used CAM (76%). Dietary supplements were the most-used (53.1%). Female gender and college education predicted greater number of modalities used. Compared to non-users, use of any CAM was associated with greater fatigue and lower grip strength; relaxation techniques with lower walk distance and gait speed; dietary change with greater pain and stiffness and lower walk distance; and yoga with lower pain and stiffness, greater walk distance, chair stands, seated reach and gait, but lower grip strength. Perceived help was positively associated with the number of modalities used. Associations between CAM and symptoms or functional performance were mixed. Only yoga showed positive associations; however, yoga practitioners were more physically active overall than non-practitioners. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Visualizing the process of interaction in a 3D environment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vaidya, Vivek; Suryanarayanan, Srikanth; Krishnan, Kajoli; Mullick, Rakesh

2007-03-01

As the imaging modalities used in medicine transition to increasingly three-dimensional data the question of how best to interact with and analyze this data becomes ever more pressing. Immersive virtual reality systems seem to hold promise in tackling this, but how individuals learn and interact in these environments is not fully understood. Here we will attempt to show some methods in which user interaction in a virtual reality environment can be visualized and how this can allow us to gain greater insight into the process of interaction/learning in these systems. Also explored is the possibility of using this method to improve understanding and management of ergonomic issues within an interface.

Appraising the Corporate Sustainability Reports - Text Mining and Multi-Discriminatory Analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Modapothala, J. R.; Issac, B.; Jayamani, E.

The voluntary disclosure of the sustainability reports by the companies attracts wider stakeholder groups. Diversity in these reports poses challenge to the users of information and regulators. This study appraises the corporate sustainability reports as per GRI (Global Reporting Initiative) guidelines (the most widely accepted and used) across all industrial sectors. Text mining is adopted to carry out the initial analysis with a large sample size of 2650 reports. Statistical analyses were performed for further investigation. The results indicate that the disclosures made by the companies differ across the industrial sectors. Multivariate Discriminant Analysis (MDA) shows that the environmental variable is a greater significant contributing factor towards explanation of sustainability report.

Cannabis and Ecstasy/ MDMA: empirical measures of creativity in recreational users.

PubMed

Jones, Katy A; Blagrove, M; Parrott, A C

2009-12-01

This study investigated the associations between chronic cannabis and Ecstasy/MDMA use and one objective and two subjective measure of creativity. Fifteen abstinent Ecstasy users, 15 abstinent cannabis users, and 15 nondrug-user controls, completed three measures of creativity: the Consequences behavioral test of creativity, self-assessed performance on the Consequences test, and Gough's Trait Self-Report Creative Adjective Checklist. The Consequences test involved five scenarios where possible consequences had to be devised; scoring was conducted by the standard blind rating (by two independent judges) for "remoteness" and "rarity," and by a frequency and rarity of responses method. Cannabis users had significantly more "rare-creative" responses than controls (Tukey, p < 0.05); this effect remained significant with gender as a covariate. There were no significant differences between the groups on the number of standard scoring "remote-creative" ideas or for fluency of responses. On self-rated creativity, there was a significant ANOVA group difference (p < 0.05), with Ecstasy users tending to rate their answers as more creative than controls (Tukey comparison; p = 0.058, two-tailed). Ecstasy users did not differ from controls on the behavioral measures of creativity, although there was a borderline trend for self-assessment of greater creativity. Cannabis users produced significantly more "rare-creative" responses, but did not rate themselves as more creative.

Web-based Loansome Doc, librarians, and end users: results from a survey of the Southeast Region.

PubMed

Paden, S L; Batson, A L; Wallace, R L

2001-07-01

The study examines how Loansome Doc services are implemented and used by libraries in the Southeast Region and describe end users' experiences with and attitudes toward Loansome Doc. 251 active DOCLINE libraries and 867 Loansome Doc users were surveyed. Roughly one half of the libraries offered Loansome Doc services. Of those that did not, most indicated no plans to offer it in the future. The majority had a small number of end users and experienced minimal increases in interlibrary loan activity. Problems were relatively rare. Satisfaction with Loansome Doc was high among all types of libraries. End users were usually physicians or other health care professionals who requested articles for research and patient care. Most learned about Loansome Doc through PubMed or Internet Grateful Med. End users appeared to be largely self-taught or received informal instruction in Loansome Doc. Loansome Doc filled document requests in a timely manner, and end users reported being satisfied with the service. Greater promotion of what Loansome Doc is and how it can benefit libraries can increase the number of participating libraries. While satisfaction of Loansome Doc end users is high, satisfaction could be increased with more help on the PubMed screen, more library training, and faster delivery methods.

Health Warning Labels for Smokeless Tobacco: The Impact of Graphic Images on Attention, Recall, and Craving.

PubMed

Klein, Elizabeth G; Quisenberry, Amanda J; Shoben, Abigail B; Cooper, Sarah; Ferketich, Amy K; Berman, Micah; Peters, Ellen; Wewers, Mary Ellen

2017-10-01

Little research has examined the impacts of graphic health warnings on the users of smokeless tobacco products. A convenience sample of past-month, male smokeless tobacco users (n = 142; 100% male) was randomly assigned to view a smokeless tobacco advertisement with a graphic health warning (GHW) or a text-only warning. Eye-tracking equipment measured viewing time, or dwell time, in milliseconds. Following the advertisement exposure, participants self-reported smokeless tobacco craving and recalled any content in the health warning message (unaided recall). Linear and logistic regression analyses evaluated the proportion of time viewing the GHW, craving, and GHW recall. Participants who viewed a GHW spent a significantly greater proportion of their ad viewing time on GHWs (2.87 seconds or 30%), compared to those viewing a text-only warning (2.05 seconds or 24%). Although there were no significant differences by condition in total advertisement viewing duration, those participants viewing a GHW had increased recall of health warning messages compared to the text-only warning (76% had any warning message recall compared to 53%; p < .05). Self-reported craving after advertisement exposure was lower in the GHW compared to text-only condition, but the difference was not statistically significant (a rating of 4.4 vs. 5.3 on a 10-point scale; p = .08). GHWs attracted greater attention and greater recall of health warning messages compared to text-only warnings among rural male smokeless tobacco users. Among a sample of rural smokeless tobacco users, GHWs attracted more attention and recall of health warning messages compared to text-only warnings when viewed within smokeless tobacco advertising. These findings provide additional empirical support that GHWs are an effective tobacco control tool for all tobacco products and advertisements. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society for Research on Nicotine and Tobacco. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Energy drink consumption is associated with unhealthy dietary behaviours among college youth.

PubMed

Poulos, Natalie S; Pasch, Keryn E

2015-11-01

Energy drink consumption has been associated with a variety of health risk behaviours, yet little research has explored the relationship between energy drinks and dietary behaviours of emerging adults. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to explore the relationship between energy drink consumption and dietary behaviours among energy drink users and non-users within a sample of college youth. College freshmen (n = 585, m age = 18.7 years; 47% non-Hispanic White, 20.9% Hispanic, 25.5% Asian, 2.7% non-Hispanic Black and 4.4% other; 56% female), at a large, southwest university self-reported their energy drink consumption in the past week and a variety of dietary behaviours, including past week soda, diet soda, pre-packaged salty snacks, pre-packaged sweet snacks, fast food, restaurant food, frozen food, fruits, vegetables, milk and breakfast consumption. Linear regression analyses were run to determine associations between energy drink consumption and dietary behaviour among users and non-users of energy drinks. Analyses controlled for gender, race/ethnicity and body mass index (BMI). Overall, 17.5% of students had consumed energy drinks in the past week. Energy drink users were more likely to be male, White and have a greater BMI. Students also reported low past week intake of fruits, vegetables, milk and breakfast. Past week energy drink consumption was associated with increased soda and frozen meal consumption. Given a rapidly expanding energy drink market, future dietary interventions among college youth may want to consider the implications of energy drinks, as results of this study suggest consumption of these beverages is associated with unhealthy dietary behaviours and a greater BMI. © Royal Society for Public Health 2015.

Risk of Parkinson's disease following zolpidem use: a retrospective, population-based cohort study.

PubMed

Huang, Hui-Chun; Tsai, Chon-Haw; Muo, Chih-Hsin; Lin, Kang-Hsu; Lu, Ming-Kuei; Sung, Fung-Chang; Kao, Chia-Hung

2015-01-01

To evaluate the influence of long-term zolpidem use on the incidence of developing Parkinson's disease. 2,961 subjects who used zolpidem for the first time longer than 3 months between 1998 and 2000 were identified in the National Health Insurance system of Taiwan. Subjects without a history of zolpidem use were randomly selected as a comparison cohort and frequency matched to zolpidem users based on age, sex, and index date. The diagnosis of Parkinson's disease was based on the criteria of the International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, Clinical Modification. Its incidence until the end of 2009 was calculated and its hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% CIs were estimated using Cox proportional hazards regression models and Kaplan-Meier analysis. The overall incidence of Parkinson's disease was greater among zolpidem users than in the comparison cohort (HR = 1.88; 95% CI, 1.45-2.45). However, there was no difference in Parkinson's disease incidence between these 2 cohorts after 5 years of observation. The risk of Parkinson's disease increased with increasing zolpidem dose, with an HR of 0.70 for low-dose users (< 400 mg/y) and 2.94 for high-dose users (≥ 1,600 mg/y). The incidence of Parkinson's disease was greater in subjects using zolpidem only (HR = 2.35; 95% CI, 1.66-3.33) compared to those using benzodiazepines only (HR = 1.31; 95% CI, 0.91-1.90). By stratified analysis, zolpidem use with concurrent depression (HR = 4.79) increased the risk of Parkinson's disease compared to that of zolpidem users without concurrent depression. Zolpidem use might unmask preclinical Parkinson's disease, especially in patients with depression. However, large population-based, unbiased, randomized trials are warranted to confirm this finding. © Copyright 2015 Physicians Postgraduate Press, Inc.

Organizational Uses of Health Information Exchange to Change Cost and Utilization Outcomes: A Typology from a Multi-Site Qualitative Analysis.

PubMed

Vest, Joshua R; Abramson, Erika

2015-01-01

Health information exchange (HIE) systems facilitate access to patient information for a variety of health care organizations, end users, and clinical and organizational goals. While a complex intervention, organizations' usage of HIE is often conceptualized and measured narrowly. We sought to provide greater specificity to the concept of HIE as an intervention by formulating a typology of organizational HIE usage. We interviewed representatives of a regional health information organization and health care organizations actively using HIE information to change patient utilization and costs. The resultant typology includes three dimensions: user role, usage initiation, and patient set. This approach to categorizing how health care organizations are actually applying HIE information to clinical and business tasks provides greater clarity about HIE as an intervention and helps elucidate the conceptual linkage between HIE an organizational and patient outcomes.

The Belief and Attitude of the Drivers Toward the Usage of Cellphone while Driving; A Population-Based Survey

PubMed Central

Sedaghati Shokri, Batoul; Davoodi, Seyed Rasoul; Azimmohseni, Majid; Khoshfar, Gholamreza

2017-01-01

Objective: To presents a survey investigating differences between drivers' beliefs regarding utilizing cellphone when driving. Methods: In this population-based survey, the participants who were studied in the North of Iran, Gorgan, were categorized as main urban and rural areas. A sample of 400 drivers, 92 women and 308 men, filled out the four sections questionnaire which was based on the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) used for measuring the differences between the drivers' opinions (attitudinal beliefs, normative beliefs, and perceived control behavioral beliefs) about utilizing a cell phone when driving along with their age and driving purpose. Data were collected by distributing the 68- query questionnaire between the drivers. Results: The MANOVA analysis showed that important discrepancies were found between the normative, control and behavioral beliefs of cellular phone users while driving. As expected, frequent business and younger users with sturdy intention expressed more benefits of further concentration on family members and fewer obstacles that would prevent them from utilizing cellphone when driving than older and frequently personal users. Conclusion: These results indicated that the benefits of utilizing cellphone while driving are greater than its dangers. To reduce cellphone utilization when driving and increase road safety, more effort is required to lower the perceived advantages of the behavior and to outstand the risks of this hazardous driving act. PMID:29177176

The effects of stereotype threat and contextual cues on alcohol users' inhibitory control.

PubMed

Pennington, Charlotte R; Qureshi, Adam; Monk, Rebecca L; Heim, Derek

2016-03-01

Previous research indicates that users of illicit substances exhibit diminished cognitive function under stereotype threat. Advancing this research, the current study aimed to examine the effects of stereotype threat on alcohol users' inhibitory control. It also examined whether drinkers demonstrate a greater approach bias towards alcohol-related relative to neutral stimuli. Fifty-five participants were assigned randomly to a stereotype threat condition, in which they were primed with a negative stereotype linking drinking behavior to cognitive decline, or a non-threat control condition. All participants then completed a modified version of the Cued Go/No-Go Association Test that exposed participants to alcohol-related and neutral pictorial stimuli and sound cues. Stereotype threatened participants demonstrated a speed-accuracy trade off, taking significantly longer to respond to go-trials with equivalent accuracy to the control condition. They also showed reduced response accuracy to both alcohol-related and neutral stimuli in reversed instruction trials. Participants in the control condition were both more accurate and quicker to respond to alcohol-related stimuli compared to neutral stimuli. These results suggest that awareness of negative stereotypes pertaining to alcohol-related impulsivity may have a harmful effect on inhibitive cognitive performance. This may have implications for public health campaigns and for methodological designs with high levels of procedural signaling with respect to not inadvertently inducing stereotype threat and impacting impulsivity. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

MDMA, methamphetamine and their combination: possible lessons for party drug users from recent preclinical research.

PubMed

Clemens, Kelly J; McGregor, Iain S; Hunt, Glenn E; Cornish, Jennifer L

2007-01-01

The substituted amphetamines 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA, 'Ecstasy') and methamphetamine (METH, 'ice', 'speed') are increasingly popular drugs amongst party-drug users. Studies with humans have investigated the acute and possible long-term adverse effects of these drugs, yet outcomes of such studies are often ambiguous due to a variety of confounding factors. Studies employing animal models have value in determining the acute and long-term effects of MDMA and METH on brain and behaviour. Self-administration studies show that intravenous METH is a particularly potent reinforcer in rats and other species. In contrast, MDMA appears to have powerful effects in enhancing social behaviour in laboratory animals. Brief exposure to MDMA or METH may produce long-term reductions in dopamine, serotonin and noradrenaline in the brain and alterations in the density of various receptor and transporter proteins. However it is still unclear, particularly in the case of MDMA, whether this reflects a 'neurotoxic' effect of the drug. Lasting alterations in social behaviour, anxiety, depressive symptoms and memory have been demonstrated in laboratory rats given MDMA or METH and this matches long-term changes reported in some human studies. Recent laboratory studies suggest that MDMA/METH combinations may produce greater adverse neurochemical and behavioural effects than either drug alone. This is of some concern given recent evidence that party drug users may be frequently exposed to this combination of drugs.

Who Self-Weighs and What Do They Gain From It? A Retrospective Comparison Between Smart Scale Users and the General Population in England.

PubMed

Sperrin, Matthew; Rushton, Helen; Dixon, William G; Normand, Alexis; Villard, Joffrey; Chieh, Angela; Buchan, Iain

2016-01-21

Digital self-monitoring, particularly of weight, is increasingly prevalent. The associated data could be reused for clinical and research purposes. The aim was to compare participants who use connected smart scale technologies with the general population and explore how use of smart scale technology affects, or is affected by, weight change. This was a retrospective study comparing 2 databases: (1) the longitudinal height and weight measurement database of smart scale users and (2) the Health Survey for England, a cross-sectional survey of the general population in England. Baseline comparison was of body mass index (BMI) in the 2 databases via a regression model. For exploring engagement with the technology, two analyses were performed: (1) a regression model of BMI change predicted by measures of engagement and (2) a recurrent event survival analysis with instantaneous probability of a subsequent self-weighing predicted by previous BMI change. Among women, users of self-weighing technology had a mean BMI of 1.62 kg/m(2) (95% CI 1.03-2.22) lower than the general population (of the same age and height) (P<.001). Among men, users had a mean BMI of 1.26 kg/m(2) (95% CI 0.84-1.69) greater than the general population (of the same age and height) (P<.001). Reduction in BMI was independently associated with greater engagement with self-weighing. Self-weighing events were more likely when users had recently reduced their BMI. Users of self-weighing technology are a selected sample of the general population and this must be accounted for in studies that employ these data. Engagement with self-weighing is associated with recent weight change; more research is needed to understand the extent to which weight change encourages closer monitoring versus closer monitoring driving the weight change. The concept of isolated measures needs to give way to one of connected health metrics.

Hearing aid fitting in older persons with hearing impairment: the influence of cognitive function, age, and hearing loss on hearing aid benefit.

PubMed

Meister, Hartmut; Rählmann, Sebastian; Walger, Martin; Margolf-Hackl, Sabine; Kießling, Jürgen

2015-01-01

To examine the association of cognitive function, age, and hearing loss with clinically assessed hearing aid benefit in older hearing-impaired persons. Hearing aid benefit was assessed using objective measures regarding speech recognition in quiet and noisy environments as well as a subjective measure reflecting everyday situations captured using a standardized questionnaire. A broad range of general cognitive functions such as attention, memory, and intelligence were determined using different neuropsychological tests. Linear regression analyses were conducted with the outcome of the neuropsychological tests as well as age and hearing loss as independent variables and the benefit measures as dependent variables. Thirty experienced older hearing aid users with typical age-related hearing impairment participated. Most of the benefit measures revealed that the participants obtained significant improvement with their hearing aids. Regression models showed a significant relationship between a fluid intelligence measure and objective hearing aid benefit. When individual hearing thresholds were considered as an additional independent variable, hearing loss was the only significant contributor to the benefit models. Lower cognitive capacity - as determined by the fluid intelligence measure - was significantly associated with greater hearing loss. Subjective benefit could not be predicted by any of the variables considered. The present study does not give evidence that hearing aid benefit is critically associated with cognitive function in experienced hearing aid users. However, it was found that lower fluid intelligence scores were related to higher hearing thresholds. Since greater hearing loss was associated with a greater objective benefit, these results strongly support the advice of using hearing aids regardless of age and cognitive function to counter hearing loss and the adverse effects of age-related hearing impairment. Still, individual cognitive capacity might be relevant for hearing aid benefit during an initial phase of hearing aid provision if acclimatization has not yet taken place.

Results of a national mass media campaign in India to warn against the dangers of smokeless tobacco consumption.

PubMed

Murukutla, Nandita; Turk, Tahir; Prasad, C V S; Saradhi, Ranjana; Kaur, Jagdish; Gupta, Shefali; Mullin, Sandra; Ram, Faujdar; Gupta, Prakash C; Wakefield, Melanie

2012-01-01

Smokeless tobacco consumption in India is a significant source of morbidity and mortality. In order to educate smokeless tobacco users about the health harms of smokeless tobacco and to denormalise tobacco usage and encourage quitting, a national television and radio mass media campaign targeted at smokeless tobacco users was aired for 6 weeks during November and December 2009. The campaign was evaluated with a nationally representative household survey of smokeless tobacco users (n = 2898). The effect of campaign awareness was assessed with logistic regression analysis. The campaign affected smokeless tobacco users as intended: 63% of smokeless-only users and 72% of dual users (ie, those who consumed both smoking and smokeless forms) recalled the campaign advertisement, primarily through television delivery. The vast majority (over 70%) of those aware of the campaign said that it made them stop and think, was relevant to their lives and provided new information. 75% of smokeless-only users and 77% of dual users said that it made them feel concerned about their habit. Campaign awareness was associated with better knowledge, more negative attitudes towards smokeless tobacco and greater cessation-oriented intentions and behaviours among smokeless tobacco users. Social marketing campaigns that utilise mass media are feasible and efficacious interventions for tobacco control in India. Implications for future mass media tobacco control programming in India are discussed.

Online Actions with Offline Impact: How Online Social Networks Influence Online and Offline User Behavior.

PubMed

Althoff, Tim; Jindal, Pranav; Leskovec, Jure

2017-02-01

Many of today's most widely used computing applications utilize social networking features and allow users to connect, follow each other, share content, and comment on others' posts. However, despite the widespread adoption of these features, there is little understanding of the consequences that social networking has on user retention, engagement, and online as well as offline behavior. Here, we study how social networks influence user behavior in a physical activity tracking application. We analyze 791 million online and offline actions of 6 million users over the course of 5 years, and show that social networking leads to a significant increase in users' online as well as offline activities. Specifically, we establish a causal effect of how social networks influence user behavior. We show that the creation of new social connections increases user online in-application activity by 30%, user retention by 17%, and user offline real-world physical activity by 7% (about 400 steps per day). By exploiting a natural experiment we distinguish the effect of social influence of new social connections from the simultaneous increase in user's motivation to use the app and take more steps. We show that social influence accounts for 55% of the observed changes in user behavior, while the remaining 45% can be explained by the user's increased motivation to use the app. Further, we show that subsequent, individual edge formations in the social network lead to significant increases in daily steps. These effects diminish with each additional edge and vary based on edge attributes and user demographics. Finally, we utilize these insights to develop a model that accurately predicts which users will be most influenced by the creation of new social network connections.

The Effects of a Park Awareness Campaign on Rural Park Use and Physical Activity.

PubMed

Banda, Jorge A; Hooker, Steven P; Wilcox, Sara; Colabianchi, Natalie; Kaczynski, Andrew T; Hussey, James

To examine the effects of a park awareness campaign on park use in 6 community parks. One-group pretest-posttest design. Six community parks located in a South Carolina county. Children, adolescents, and adults observed in community parks. A 1-month awareness campaign that culminated in single 1.5-hour events at 6 parks in April 2011 and May 2011. The System for Observing Play and Recreation in Communities was used to objectively measure park use in May 2010 (baseline) and May 2011 (postcampaign). Zero-inflated Poisson models tested whether the number of total park users and the number of park users engaged in sedentary, walking, and vigorous activities differed by observation date. Park use was significantly greater at baseline than postcampaign (97 vs 84 users, respectively; χ = 4.69, P = .03). There were no significant differences in the number of park users engaged in sedentary (χ = 2.45, P = .12), walking (χ = 0.29, P = .59), and vigorous (χ = 0.20, P = .65) activities between baseline and postcampaign. Although only 97 and 84 people were observed across all parks at baseline and postcampaign, a total of 629 people were observed during the 6 separate 1.5-hour campaign park events. This suggests that there is potential for greater park utilization in these communities, and important questions remain on how to conduct effective awareness campaigns and how to harness interest in park events for the purpose of contributing to future community-wide physical activity and health promotion efforts.

Quality of life, social functioning, family structure, and treatment history associated with crack cocaine use in youth from the general population.

PubMed

Narvaez, Joana C M; Pechansky, Flávio; Jansen, Karen; Pinheiro, Ricardo T; Silva, Ricardo A; Kapczinski, Flávio; Magalhães, Pedro V

2015-01-01

To assess the relationship between crack cocaine use and dimensions of quality of life and social functioning in young adults. This was a cross-sectional, population-based study involving 1,560 participants in Pelotas, Brazil. Crack cocaine use and abuse were investigated using the Alcohol, Smoking and Substance Involvement Screening Test (ASSIST) inventory. Outcomes of interest were quality of life, religiosity, and social functioning in terms of education, occupational status, family structure, and medical treatment history. Lifetime crack cocaine use was associated with poor quality of life, worse functioning, impaired academic performance, and lower religious involvement. A greater maternal presence and higher paternal absence were more also more pronounced in crack cocaine users, who were also more likely to seek psychological and psychiatric treatment than the general population. Quality of life was severely impacted by crack cocaine use, especially in terms of general and physical health. Social functioning also differed between the general population and crack users, who had lower educational attainment and religious involvement. Maternal presence, paternal absence, and mental health-seeking behaviors were also more frequent among crack cocaine users, although these individuals reported lower rates of treatment satisfaction. Crack cocaine users also had significant social impairment, so that interventions involving family management and a greater focus on general health, quality of life, and functioning may make crucial contributions to the recovery of this group.

Identifying the perceptive users for online social systems

PubMed Central

Liu, Xiao-Lu; Guo, Qiang; Han, Jing-Ti

2017-01-01

In this paper, the perceptive user, who could identify the high-quality objects in their initial lifespan, is presented. By tracking the ratings given to the rewarded objects, we present a method to identify the user perceptibility, which is defined as the capability that a user can identify these objects at their early lifespan. Moreover, we investigate the behavior patterns of the perceptive users from three dimensions: User activity, correlation characteristics of user rating series and user reputation. The experimental results for the empirical networks indicate that high perceptibility users show significantly different behavior patterns with the others: Having larger degree, stronger correlation of rating series and higher reputation. Furthermore, in view of the hysteresis in finding the rewarded objects, we present a general framework for identifying the high perceptibility users based on user behavior patterns. The experimental results show that this work is helpful for deeply understanding the collective behavior patterns for online users. PMID:28704382

Identifying the perceptive users for online social systems.

PubMed

Liu, Jian-Guo; Liu, Xiao-Lu; Guo, Qiang; Han, Jing-Ti

2017-01-01

In this paper, the perceptive user, who could identify the high-quality objects in their initial lifespan, is presented. By tracking the ratings given to the rewarded objects, we present a method to identify the user perceptibility, which is defined as the capability that a user can identify these objects at their early lifespan. Moreover, we investigate the behavior patterns of the perceptive users from three dimensions: User activity, correlation characteristics of user rating series and user reputation. The experimental results for the empirical networks indicate that high perceptibility users show significantly different behavior patterns with the others: Having larger degree, stronger correlation of rating series and higher reputation. Furthermore, in view of the hysteresis in finding the rewarded objects, we present a general framework for identifying the high perceptibility users based on user behavior patterns. The experimental results show that this work is helpful for deeply understanding the collective behavior patterns for online users.

Longitudinal comparison study of pressure relief (C-Flex) vs. CPAP in OSA patients.

PubMed

Dolan, Diana C; Okonkwo, Renata; Gfullner, Florian; Hansbrough, J Randall; Strobel, Richard J; Rosenthal, Leon

2009-03-01

Continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) devices with the option of flexible pressure delivery (e.g., C-Flex) are thought to provide an improved degree of comfort and result in better therapeutic adherence while maintaining standard CPAP efficacy. The purpose of this study was to compare adherence and subjective measures of comfort between C-Flex and CPAP treatment. The study was an international, multisite, single-blinded study with participants randomized to either C-Flex or CPAP. Participants completed subjective measures of sleepiness and comfort at baseline, and at 30-, 90-, and 180-day follow-ups. Additionally, compliance data were downloaded from the device at each follow-up. Repeated measures analysis of variance was used to assess the effects of treatment. There were 138 men and 46 women (average age of 48 +/- 9.2, average Epworth Sleepiness Scale score of 14.9 +/- 3.6, and average diagnostic apnea/hypopnea index (AHI) of 51.9 +/- 27.7). C-Flex and CPAP groups were comparable on baseline measures, achieved comparable AHI on titration, and had comparable PAP pressure requirements. C-Flex users had comparable average hours of use per night and total nights of use across the study, but had a trend (p < .07) toward achieving greater total hours of utilization. While both groups had comparable decreases in sleepiness, C-Flex users reported on visual analog scales greater comfort (64.3 vs. 57.4; p = .01). The results of this study demonstrated that C-Flex has comparable resolution of respiratory indices and adherence. Furthermore, C-Flex users reported greater mask comfort.

Laws prohibiting over-the-counter syringe sales to injection drug users: relations to population density, HIV prevalence, and HIV incidence.

PubMed

Friedman, S R; Perlis, T; Des Jarlais, D C

2001-05-01

This study sought to assess relations of laws prohibiting over-the-counter syringe sales (anti-OTC laws) to population prevalence of injection drug users and HIV prevalence or incidence among 96 US metropolitan areas. A cross-sectional analysis was used. Metropolitan areas with anti-OTC laws had a higher mean HIV prevalence (13.8% vs 6.7%) than other metropolitan areas (pseudo-P < .001). In 83 metropolitan areas with HIV prevalence of less than 20%, anti-OTC laws were associated with HIV incidence rates of 1% or greater (pseudo-P < .001). Population proportions of injection drug users did not vary by presence of anti-OTC laws. Anti-OTC laws are not associated with lower population proportions of injection drug users. Laws restricting syringe access are associated with HIV transmission and should be repealed.

The relationship between physical maltreatment and substance use among adolescents: a survey of 95,788 adolescents in Hong Kong.

PubMed

Lau, Joseph T F; Kim, Jean H; Tsui, Hi-Yi; Cheung, Albert; Lau, Mason; Yu, Aaron

2005-08-01

To determine the prevalence of corporal punishment and the infliction of injuries from a beating occurring without provocation in the previous 6 months among secondary school children in Hong Kong, and to examine the associations between these two forms of physical maltreatment with substance-use-related behaviors and attitudes. Using secondary data, a cross-sectional, self-administered, anonymous survey of 95,788 secondary school students was conducted in Hong Kong. The prevalence of physical maltreatment showed statistically significant associations with younger age, attendance in Chinese-speaking day schools, temporary housing, residence with only one parent, poorer parental relationship, greater peer influence, perceptions of excessive academic pressure, and feelings of being blamed for poor academic performance. Adolescents who had experienced corporal punishment were more likely to be current users of alcohol (OR = 1.11), tobacco (OR = 1.31), psychoactive substances (OR = 1.60), or heroin (OR = 1.90). Those who had been beaten to injury by a family member without provocation within the past 6 months also were more likely to be current users of alcohol (OR = 1.35), tobacco (OR = 1.65), psychoactive substances (OR = 2.39), and heroin (OR = 3.07). Additionally, students who experienced physical maltreatment were more likely to be acquainted with habitual substance users, have better access to psychoactive substances, to have engaged in sex after abusing drugs, have obtained money from illegal sources to purchase drugs, and believe that psychoactive substances are not harmful or addictive. Physical maltreatment showed strong associations with drug-related behaviors and attitudes, after adjusting for potential confounders. Further longitudinal studies are required to understand the causal direction of the relationship.

Systematic random sampling of the comet assay.

PubMed

McArt, Darragh G; Wasson, Gillian R; McKerr, George; Saetzler, Kurt; Reed, Matt; Howard, C Vyvyan

2009-07-01

The comet assay is a technique used to quantify DNA damage and repair at a cellular level. In the assay, cells are embedded in agarose and the cellular content is stripped away leaving only the DNA trapped in an agarose cavity which can then be electrophoresed. The damaged DNA can enter the agarose and migrate while the undamaged DNA cannot and is retained. DNA damage is measured as the proportion of the migratory 'tail' DNA compared to the total DNA in the cell. The fundamental basis of these arbitrary values is obtained in the comet acquisition phase using fluorescence microscopy with a stoichiometric stain in tandem with image analysis software. Current methods deployed in such an acquisition are expected to be both objectively and randomly obtained. In this paper we examine the 'randomness' of the acquisition phase and suggest an alternative method that offers both objective and unbiased comet selection. In order to achieve this, we have adopted a survey sampling approach widely used in stereology, which offers a method of systematic random sampling (SRS). This is desirable as it offers an impartial and reproducible method of comet analysis that can be used both manually or automated. By making use of an unbiased sampling frame and using microscope verniers, we are able to increase the precision of estimates of DNA damage. Results obtained from a multiple-user pooled variation experiment showed that the SRS technique attained a lower variability than that of the traditional approach. The analysis of a single user with repetition experiment showed greater individual variances while not being detrimental to overall averages. This would suggest that the SRS method offers a better reflection of DNA damage for a given slide and also offers better user reproducibility.

Absolute change in fasting plasma glucose over 12 months is associated with 2-year and 5-year major adverse cardiovascular events in patients with drug-eluting stent implants.

PubMed

Kang, Dong Oh; Seo, Hong Seog; Choi, Byung Geol; Lee, Eunmi; Kim, Ji Park; Lee, Sun Ki; Im, Sung Il; Na, Jin Oh; Choi, Cheol Ung; Lim, Hong Euy; Kim, Jin Won; Kim, Eung Ju; Rha, Seung-Woon; Park, Chang Gyu; Oh, Dong Joo

2015-01-20

Major adverse cardiovascular events (MACEs) in patients with or without cardiovascular disease (CVD) are greatly affected by various factors associated with metabolism and inflammation. To determine which clinical parameters at treatment are associated with the development of 2-year and 5-year MACEs in high-risk patients with CVD who have undergone drug-eluting stent (DES) implantation. The present study involved a total of 432 patients who underwent percutaneous coronary intervention with DES. Variables representing the average and absolute amount of change in clinical parameters over the 12-month follow-up were assessed for association with 2-year and 5-year development of MACE. The study population was divided into quartiles for the variable showing the highest correlation to MACE development. Estimated incidence of 2-year and 5-year MACEs for each of the quartiles was determined by survival curve analysis, and subgroup analysis was performed for patients with diabetes and statin users. Absolute change in fasting plasma glucose (FPG) over 12 months showed the highest correlation with 2-year and 5-year MACE development. The estimated incidence of MACE increased with increasing quartiles for absolute change in FPG. The association between absolute change in FPG and MACE development exhibited a stronger relationship for the specific subgroups of patients with diabetes and statin users. Increases and decreases in FPG had a comparable contribution to MACE development. A greater absolute change in FPG over 12 months post-PCI is an independent risk factor for 2-year and 5-year MACE development in DES-implanted patients, especially in the diabetes and statin users. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

The Case to Include Brand of Moist Snuff in Health Surveys.

PubMed

Timberlake, David S

2016-08-01

Brand of smokeless tobacco was added to the most recent Tobacco Use Supplement to the Current Population Survey (TUS-CPS), but deleted from the Centers for Disease Control's National Adult Tobacco Survey. The objective of this study was to assess the utility of brand in distinguishing users of moist snuff. The sample consisted of participants from the 2010-2011 TUS-CPS who reported having used one of 14 brands of moist snuff in the past month (n = 2334). The brands were categorized into one of three types: snus, discount snuff, premium snuff. Multinomial logistic regression was employed for testing for associations between brand type and a series of demographic and tobacco use measures. Females, metropolitan residents, current smokers, and moderate users of snuff had significantly greater odds of using snus relative to premium snuff in the adjusted model (P < .001). Frequent users of snuff (eg, daily users), current smokers, young adults, participants with low household income, and those exhibiting dependence on nicotine had greater odds of using discount versus premium snuff. Separate analyses among current smokers (n = 470) and former smokers (n = 70) revealed positive associations between smoking cessation attempts and smokers' switch to discount snuff. Differences among the three categories of snuff users are likely attributed to variations in marketing campaigns. The differences are sufficient to warrant inclusion of snuff brand in health surveys because brand type could serve as a proxy measure for snuff use and dependence. Inclusion of brand of moist snuff in health surveys will enable researchers to categorize snuff users by brand type. Findings from this study indicate that brand type, defined according to cost (ie, discount vs. premium brands) and type of preferred snuff (ie, snus vs. other moist snuff), can distinguish snuff users by various demographic and tobacco use measures. Consequently, categorization by brand type could be used as a proxy measure for studies whose surveys do not include detailed information on snuff use and behavior. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society for Research on Nicotine and Tobacco. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Top-Down Network Effective Connectivity in Abstinent Substance Dependent Individuals

PubMed Central

Regner, Michael F.; Saenz, Naomi; Maharajh, Keeran; Yamamoto, Dorothy J.; Mohl, Brianne; Wylie, Korey; Tregellas, Jason; Tanabe, Jody

2016-01-01

Objective We hypothesized that compared to healthy controls, long-term abstinent substance dependent individuals (SDI) will differ in their effective connectivity between large-scale brain networks and demonstrate increased directional information from executive control to interoception-, reward-, and habit-related networks. In addition, using graph theory to compare network efficiencies we predicted decreased small-worldness in SDI compared to controls. Methods 50 SDI and 50 controls of similar sex and age completed psychological surveys and resting state fMRI. fMRI results were analyzed using group independent component analysis; 14 networks-of-interest (NOI) were selected using template matching to a canonical set of resting state networks. The number, direction, and strength of connections between NOI were analyzed with Granger Causality. Within-group thresholds were p<0.005 using a bootstrap permutation. Between group thresholds were p<0.05, FDR-corrected for multiple comparisons. NOI were correlated with behavioral measures, and group-level graph theory measures were compared. Results Compared to controls, SDI showed significantly greater Granger causal connectivity from right executive control network (RECN) to dorsal default mode network (dDMN) and from dDMN to basal ganglia network (BGN). RECN was negatively correlated with impulsivity, behavioral approach, and negative affect; dDMN was positively correlated with impulsivity. Among the 14 NOI, SDI showed greater bidirectional connectivity; controls showed more unidirectional connectivity. SDI demonstrated greater global efficiency and lower local efficiency. Conclusions Increased effective connectivity in long-term abstinent drug users may reflect improved cognitive control over habit and reward processes. Higher global and lower local efficiency across all networks in SDI compared to controls may reflect connectivity changes associated with drug dependence or remission and requires future, longitudinal studies to confirm. PMID:27776135

Implementation of a stereofluoroscopic system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rivers, D. B.

1976-01-01

Clinical applications of a 3-D video imaging technique developed by NASA for observation and control of remote manipulators are discussed. Incorporation of this technique in a stereo fluoroscopic system provides reduced radiation dosage and greater vision and mobility of the user.

Development and Performance of the ACTS High Speed VSAT

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Quintana, J.; Tran, Q.; Dendy, R.

1999-01-01

The Advanced Communication Technology Satellite (ACTS), developed by the U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has demonstrated the breakthrough technologies of Ka-band, spot beam antennas, and on-board processing. These technologies have enabled the development of very small aperture terminals (VSAT) and ultra-small aperture terminals (USAT) which have capabilities greater than were previously possible with conventional satellite technologies. However, the ACTS baseband processor (BBP) is designed using a time division multiple access (TDMA) scheme, which requires each earth station using the BBP to transmit data at a burst rate which is much higher than the user throughput data rate. This tends to mitigate the advantage of the new technologies by requiring a larger earth station antenna and/or a higher-powered uplink amplifier than would be necessary for a continuous transmission at the user data rate. Conversely, the user data rate is much less than the rate that can be supported by the antenna size and amplifier. For example, the ACTS TI VSAT operates at a burst rate of 27.5 Mbps, but the maximum user data rate is 1.792 Mbps. The throughput efficiency is slightly more than 6.5%. For an operational network, this level of overhead will greatly increase the cost of the user earth stations, and that increased cost must be repeated thousands of times, which may ultimately reduce the market for such a system. The ACTS High Speed VSAT (HS VSAT) is an effort to experimentally demonstrate the maximum user throughput data rate which can be achieved using the technologies developed and implemented on ACTS. Specifically, this was done by operating the system uplinks as frequency division multiple access (FDMA), essentially assigning all available TDMA time slots to a single user on each of two uplink frequencies. Preliminary results show that using a 1.2-m antenna in this mode, the HS VSAT can achieve between 22 and 24 Mbps out of the 27.5 Mbps burst rate, for a throughput efficiency of 80-88%. This paper describes the modifications made to the TI VSAT to enable it to operate at high speed, including hardware considerations, interface modifications, and software modifications. In addition, it describes the results of NASA HS VSAT experiments, continuing work on an improved user interface, and plans for future experiments.

47 CFR 69.152 - End user common line for price cap local exchange carriers.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

....00. (C) On July 1, 2002, $6.00. (D) On July 1, 2003, $6.50. (2) In the event that GDP-PI exceeds 6.5... in § 61.3(d) of this chapter. (2) In the event that GDP-PI is greater than 6.5% or is less than 0...-line business PICC and CCL charge are eliminated. (2) In the event that GDP-PI is greater than 6.5% or...

47 CFR 69.152 - End user common line for price cap local exchange carriers.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

....00. (C) On July 1, 2002, $6.00. (D) On July 1, 2003, $6.50. (2) In the event that GDP-PI exceeds 6.5... in § 61.3(d) of this chapter. (2) In the event that GDP-PI is greater than 6.5% or is less than 0...-line business PICC and CCL charge are eliminated. (2) In the event that GDP-PI is greater than 6.5% or...

47 CFR 69.152 - End user common line for price cap local exchange carriers.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

....00. (C) On July 1, 2002, $6.00. (D) On July 1, 2003, $6.50. (2) In the event that GDP-PI exceeds 6.5... in § 61.3(d) of this chapter. (2) In the event that GDP-PI is greater than 6.5% or is less than 0...-line business PICC and CCL charge are eliminated. (2) In the event that GDP-PI is greater than 6.5% or...

47 CFR 69.152 - End user common line for price cap local exchange carriers.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

....00. (C) On July 1, 2002, $6.00. (D) On July 1, 2003, $6.50. (2) In the event that GDP-PI exceeds 6.5... in § 61.3(d) of this chapter. (2) In the event that GDP-PI is greater than 6.5% or is less than 0...-line business PICC and CCL charge are eliminated. (2) In the event that GDP-PI is greater than 6.5% or...

Trajectories of 12-Month Usage Patterns for Two Smoking Cessation Websites: Exploring How Users Engage Over Time.

PubMed

Bricker, Jonathan B; Sridharan, Vasundhara; Zhu, Yifan; Mull, Kristin E; Heffner, Jaimee L; Watson, Noreen L; McClure, Jennifer B; Di, Chongzhi

2018-04-20

Little is known about how individuals engage with electronic health (eHealth) interventions over time and whether this engagement predicts health outcomes. The objectives of this study, by using the example of a specific type of eHealth intervention (ie, websites for smoking cessation), were to determine (1) distinct groups of log-in trajectories over a 12-month period, (2) their association with smoking cessation, and (3) baseline user characteristics that predict trajectory group membership. We conducted a functional clustering analysis of 365 consecutive days of log-in data from both arms of a large (N=2637) randomized trial of 2 website interventions for smoking cessation (WebQuit and Smokefree), with a primary outcome of 30-day point prevalence smoking abstinence at 12 months. We conducted analyses for each website separately. A total of 3 distinct trajectory groups emerged for each website. For WebQuit, participants were clustered into 3 groups: 1-week users (682/1240, 55.00% of the sample), 5-week users (399/1240, 32.18%), and 52-week users (159/1240, 12.82%). Compared with the 1-week users, the 5- and 52-week users had 57% higher odds (odds ratio [OR] 1.57, 95% CI 1.13-2.17; P=.007) and 124% higher odds (OR 2.24, 95% CI 1.45-3.43; P<.001), respectively, of being abstinent at 12 months. Smokefree users were clustered into 3 groups: 1-week users (645/1309, 49.27% of the sample), 4-week users (395/1309, 30.18%), and 5-week users (269/1309, 20.55%). Compared with the 1-week users, 5-week users (but not 4-week users; P=.99) had 48% higher odds (OR 1.48, 95% CI 1.05-2.07; P=.02) of being abstinent at 12 months. In general, the WebQuit intervention had a greater number of weekly log-ins within each of the 3 trajectory groups as compared with those of the Smokefree intervention. Baseline characteristics associated with trajectory group membership varied between websites. Patterns of 1-, 4-, and 5-week usage of websites may be common for how people engage in eHealth interventions. The 5-week usage of either website, and 52-week usage only of WebQuit, predicted a higher odds of quitting smoking. Strategies to increase eHealth intervention engagement for 4 more weeks (ie, from 1 week to 5 weeks) could be highly cost effective. ClinicalTrials.gov NCT01812278; https://www.clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT01812278 (Archived by WebCite at http://www.webcitation.org/6yPO2OIKR). ©Jonathan B Bricker, Vasundhara Sridharan, Yifan Zhu, Kristin E Mull, Jaimee L Heffner, Noreen L Watson, Jennifer B McClure, Chongzhi Di. Originally published in the Journal of Medical Internet Research (http://www.jmir.org), 20.04.2018.

Paper-based plasma sanitizers

PubMed Central

Xie, Jingjin; Chen, Qiang; Suresh, Poornima; Roy, Subrata; White, James F.

2017-01-01

This work describes disposable plasma generators made from metallized paper. The fabricated plasma generators with layered and patterned sheets of paper provide a simple and flexible format for dielectric barrier discharge to create atmospheric plasma without an applied vacuum. The porosity of paper allows gas to permeate its bulk volume and fuel plasma, while plasma-induced forced convection cools the substrate. When electrically driven with oscillating peak-to-peak potentials of ±1 to ±10 kV, the paper-based devices produced both volume and surface plasmas capable of killing microbes. The plasma sanitizers deactivated greater than 99% of Saccharomyces cerevisiae and greater than 99.9% of Escherichia coli cells with 30 s of noncontact treatment. Characterization of plasma generated from the sanitizers revealed a detectable level of UV-C (1.9 nW⋅cm−2⋅nm−1), modest surface temperature (60 °C with 60 s of activation), and a high level of ozone (13 ppm with 60 s of activation). These results deliver insights into the mechanisms and suitability of paper-based substrates for active antimicrobial sanitization with scalable, flexible sheets. In addition, this work shows how paper-based generators are conformable to curved surfaces, appropriate for kirigami-like “stretchy” structures, compatible with user interfaces, and suitable for sanitization of microbes aerosolized onto a surface. In general, these disposable plasma generators represent progress toward biodegradable devices based on flexible renewable materials, which may impact the future design of protective garments, skin-like sensors for robots or prosthetics, and user interfaces in contaminated environments. PMID:28461476

The Facebook Experiment: Quitting Facebook Leads to Higher Levels of Well-Being.

PubMed

Tromholt, Morten

2016-11-01

Most people use Facebook on a daily basis; few are aware of the consequences. Based on a 1-week experiment with 1,095 participants in late 2015 in Denmark, this study provides causal evidence that Facebook use affects our well-being negatively. By comparing the treatment group (participants who took a break from Facebook) with the control group (participants who kept using Facebook), it was demonstrated that taking a break from Facebook has positive effects on the two dimensions of well-being: our life satisfaction increases and our emotions become more positive. Furthermore, it was demonstrated that these effects were significantly greater for heavy Facebook users, passive Facebook users, and users who tend to envy others on Facebook.

Impact of HIV prevention programs on drug users in Malaysia.

PubMed

Kamarulzaman, Adeeba

2009-11-01

Faced with a rising HIV epidemic among injecting drug users, harm reduction policies and programs were introduced in Malaysia in 2005. The positive impact seen since the introduction of these programs comprise the inclusion of the health aspects of illicit drug use in the country's drug policies; better access to antiretroviral therapy for injecting drug users who are HIV infected; reduction in HIV-risk behavior; and greater social benefits, including increased employment. Despite these achievements, tension between law enforcement and public health persists, as harm reduction exists alongside an overall drug policy that is based on abstinence and zero tolerance. Unless there is harmonization of this policy, sustainability and scale-up of harm reduction programs will remain a challenge.

Longitudinal association of antidepressant medication use with metabolic syndrome: Results of a 9-year follow-up of the D.E.S.I.R. cohort study.

PubMed

Azevedo Da Silva, Marine; Balkau, Beverley; Roussel, Ronan; Tichet, Jean; Fumeron, Frédéric; Fagherazzi, Guy; Nabi, Hermann

2016-12-01

To examine longitudinal associations between antidepressant medication use and the metabolic syndrome (MetS). 5014 participants (49.8% were men) from the D.E.S.I.R. cohort study, aged 30-65 years at baseline in 1994-1996, were followed over 9 years at 3-yearly intervals (1997-1999, 2000-2002, and 2003-2005). Antidepressant use and MetS, defined by the National Cholesterol Education Program Adult Treatment Panel III criteria (NCEP-ATP III) and the American Heart Association and the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute (AHA/NHLBI) criteria, were assessed concurrently at four medical examinations. In fully-adjusted longitudinal logistic regression analyses based on generalized estimating equations, antidepressant users had a 9% (p=0.011) and a 6% (p=0.036) greater annual increase in the odds of having the MetS defined by NCEP-ATP III and AHA/NHLBI criteria respectively. Sex-specific analyses showed that this association was confined to men only. When the different types of antidepressant were considered, men who used selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), imipramine type antidepressants or "other" antidepressants had a 52% (p=0.028), 31% (p=0.011), and 16% (p=0.016) greater annual increase in the odds of having the MetS over time compared to non-users, respectively. These associations depended on the definition of the MetS. Our longitudinal data showed that antidepressant use was associated with an increased odds of having the MetS in men but not in women and this was mainly for SSRIs, imipramine type and "other" antidepressants. People on antidepressants may need to be checked regularly for the elements of the metabolic syndrome treatable by change in diet, physical activity and/or by medication therapy. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Use of social networking sites and perception and intentions regarding body weight among adolescents

PubMed Central

Sampasa‐Kanyinga, H.; Hamilton, H. A.

2016-01-01

Summary Objective Social networking sites (SNSs) not only offer users an opportunity to link with others but also allow individuals to compare themselves with other users. However, the link between the use of SNSs and the dissatisfaction with body weight is largely unknown. We investigated the associations between the use of SNSs and the perception of body weight and related behaviours among adolescent men and women. Methods The study sample consisted of 4,468 (48.5% women) 11–19‐year‐old Canadian students in grades 7 to 12 who participated in the 2013 Ontario Student Drug Use and Health Survey. Results Overall, 54.6% of students reported using SNSs for 2 h or less per day, 28.0% reported using them for more than 2 h d−1 and 17.4% reported infrequent or no use of SNSs (reference category). After adjustment for covariates, results showed that adolescent women who use SNSs for more than 2 h d−1 had greater odds of dissatisfaction with body weight (odds ratio = 2.02; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.30–3.16). More specifically, they were more likely to perceive themselves as overweight (relative risk ratio [RRR] = 2.20; 95% CI: 1.34−3.60) compared with those who reported infrequent or no use of SNSs. Conversely, men who use SNSs for 2 h or less per day presented a lower risk for perceiving themselves as overweight (RRR = 0.68; 95% CI: 0.47−0.98) but not those who use SNSs for more than 2 h d−1. Women who use SNSs for more than 2 h d−1 reported a greater likelihood of trying to lose weight (RRR = 2.52; 95% CI: 1.62−3.90). Conclusions Our results showed that heavy use of SNSs is associated with dissatisfaction with body weight in adolescent women. PMID:27812377

Use of social networking sites and perception and intentions regarding body weight among adolescents.

PubMed

Sampasa-Kanyinga, H; Chaput, J-P; Hamilton, H A

2016-03-01

Social networking sites (SNSs) not only offer users an opportunity to link with others but also allow individuals to compare themselves with other users. However, the link between the use of SNSs and the dissatisfaction with body weight is largely unknown. We investigated the associations between the use of SNSs and the perception of body weight and related behaviours among adolescent men and women. The study sample consisted of 4,468 (48.5% women) 11-19-year-old Canadian students in grades 7 to 12 who participated in the 2013 Ontario Student Drug Use and Health Survey. Overall, 54.6% of students reported using SNSs for 2 h or less per day, 28.0% reported using them for more than 2 h d -1 and 17.4% reported infrequent or no use of SNSs (reference category). After adjustment for covariates, results showed that adolescent women who use SNSs for more than 2 h d -1 had greater odds of dissatisfaction with body weight (odds ratio = 2.02; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.30-3.16). More specifically, they were more likely to perceive themselves as overweight (relative risk ratio [RRR] = 2.20; 95% CI: 1.34-3.60) compared with those who reported infrequent or no use of SNSs. Conversely, men who use SNSs for 2 h or less per day presented a lower risk for perceiving themselves as overweight (RRR = 0.68; 95% CI: 0.47-0.98) but not those who use SNSs for more than 2 h d -1 . Women who use SNSs for more than 2 h d -1 reported a greater likelihood of trying to lose weight (RRR = 2.52; 95% CI: 1.62-3.90). Our results showed that heavy use of SNSs is associated with dissatisfaction with body weight in adolescent women.

Evaluating the short-term and long-term effects of an internet-based aural rehabilitation programme for hearing aid users in general clinical practice: a randomised controlled trial

PubMed Central

Malmberg, Milijana; Lunner, Thomas; Kähäri, Kim; Andersson, Gerhard

2017-01-01

Objective Guided internet-based intervention beyond hearing aid (HA) fitting has been shown to be efficacious in randomised controlled trials (RCTs). However, internet interventions have rarely been applied clinically as a part of regular aural rehabilitation (AR). Our aim was to evaluate the effectiveness of internet-based AR for HA users from a clinical population. Outcome measures The Hearing Handicap Inventory for the Elderly (HHIE) was used as the primary outcome measure, and the Communication Strategies Scale (CSS) and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale were used as secondary outcome measures. All questionnaires were administered before and directly after the intervention and at 6 months postintervention. Methods We used a parallel group design (RCT). The data were collected in 2013–2014 at three different clinics. Seventy-four HA users were randomly assigned to receive either full internet-based AR (intervention group, n=37) or one element of the internet-based AR (control group, n=37). Results Data were analysed following the intention-to-treat principle. Each group showed improved HHIE scores over time and did not differ significantly from each other. The intervention group showed significantly greater improvement compared with the control group for the CSS total and the non-verbal subscale scores. The intervention group and control group were also subdivided into two age groups: 20–59 years and 60–80 years. Significantly better improvement on the CSS total and non-verbal subscale scores was found in the older group compared with the younger participants. Conclusions This study indicates that participants in an internet-based intervention applied in general clinical practice showed improved self-reported communication skills compared with a control group. Receiving a full intervention was not more effective in improving self-reported hearing problems than receiving just one element of the internet-based intervention. Trial registration number This trial is registered at ClinicalTrals.gov, NCT01837550; results. PMID:28592571

Variable activation in striatal subregions across components of a social influence task in young adult cannabis users.

PubMed

Gilman, Jodi M; Lee, Sang; Kuster, John K; Lee, Myung Joo; Kim, Byoung Woo; van der Kouwe, Andre; Blood, Anne J; Breiter, Hans C

2016-05-01

Decades of research have demonstrated the importance of social influence in initiation and maintenance of drug use, but little is known about neural mechanisms underlying social influence in young adults who use recreational drugs. To better understand whether the neural and/or behavioral response to social influence differs in young adults using illicit drugs, 20 marijuana-using young adults (MJ) aged 18-25, and 20 controls (CON) performed a decision-making task in the context of social influence, while they underwent functional magnetic resonance imaging scans. A priori analyses focused on the nucleus accumbens (NAc), with post hoc analyses in the rest of the striatum. In this task, participants could choose to either follow or go against group influence. When subjects applied social information to response choice selection (independent of following or going against group influence), we observed activation in the middle striatum (caudate), in the MJ group only, that extended ventrally into the NAc. MJ users but not CON showed greater activation in the NAc but not the caudate while making choices congruent with group influence as opposed to choices going against group influence. Activation in the NAc when following social influence was associated with amount of drug use reported. In contrast, during the feedback phase of the task we observed significant NAc activation in both MJ and CON, along with dorsal caudate activation only in MJ participants. This NAc activation did not correlate with drug use. This study shows that MJ users, but not CON, show differential brain activation across striatal subregions when applying social information to make a decision, following versus going against a group of peers, or receiving positive feedback. The current work suggests that differential neural sensitivity to social influence in regions such as the striatum may contribute to the development and/or maintenance of marijuana use.

Factors Associated With Weight Change in Online Weight Management Communities: A Case Study in the LoseIt Reddit Community

PubMed Central

Ribeiro, Antonio; Couto Silva, Ana Paula; Meira Jr, Wagner

2017-01-01

Background Recent research has shown that of the 72% of American Internet users who have looked for health information online, 22% have searched for help to lose or control weight. This demand for information has given rise to many online weight management communities, where users support one another throughout their weight loss process. Whether and how user engagement in online communities relates to weight change is not totally understood. Objective We investigated the activity behavior and analyze the semantic content of the messages of active users in LoseIt (r/loseit), a weight management community of the online social network Reddit. We then explored whether these features are associated with weight loss in this online social network. Methods A data collection tool was used to collect English posts, comments, and other public metadata of active users (ie, users with at least one post or comment) on LoseIt from August 2010 to November 2014. Analyses of frequency and intensity of user interaction in the community were performed together with a semantic analysis of the messages, done by a latent Dirichlet allocation method. The association between weight loss and online user activity patterns, the semantics of the messages, and real-world variables was found by a linear regression model using 30-day weight change as the dependent variable. Results We collected posts and comments of 107,886 unique users. Among these, 101,003 (93.62%) wrote at least one comment and 38,981 (36.13%) wrote at least one post. Median percentage of days online was 3.81 (IQR 9.51). The 10 most-discussed semantic topics on posts were related to healthy food, clothing, calorie counting, workouts, looks, habits, support, and unhealthy food. In the subset of 754 users who had gender, age, and 30-day weight change data available, women were predominant and 92.9% (701/754) lost weight. Female gender, body mass index (BMI) at baseline, high levels of online activity, the number of upvotes received per post, and topics discussed within the community were independently associated with weight change. Conclusions Our findings suggest that among active users of a weight management community, self-declaration of higher BMI levels (which may represent greater dissatisfaction with excess weight), high online activity, and engagement in discussions that might provide social support are associated with greater weight loss. These findings have the potential to aid health professionals to assist patients in online interventions by focusing efforts on increasing engagement and/or starting discussions on topics of higher impact on weight change. PMID:28093378

Selecting practice management information systems.

PubMed

Worley, R; Ciotti, V

1997-01-01

Despite enormous advances in information systems, the process by which most medical practices select them has remained virtually unchanged for decades: the request for proposal (RFP). Unfortunately, vendors have learned ways to minimize the value of RFP checklists to where purchasers now learn little about the system functionality. The authors describe a selection methodology that replaces the RFP with scored demos, reviews of vendor user manuals and mathematically structured reference checking. In a recent selection process at a major medical center, these techniques yielded greater user buy-in and favorable contract terms as well.

Software for Optical Archive and Retrieval (SOAR) user's guide, version 4.2

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Davis, Charles

1991-01-01

The optical disk is an emerging technology. Because it is not a magnetic medium, it offers a number of distinct advantages over the established form of storage, advantages that make it extremely attractive. They are as follows: (1) the ability to store much more data within the same space; (2) the random access characteristics of the Write Once Read Many optical disk; (3) a much longer life than that of traditional storage media; and (4) much greater data access rate. Software for Optical Archive and Retrieval (SOAR) user's guide is presented.

And coffee too.

PubMed

Cameron, P; Boehmer, J

1982-04-01

Two hundred and seventy-two persons aged 11 to 80 were interviewed regarding whether and why they had tried and/or used coffee, tobacco, liquor, and marijuana. The attracting and capturing power of tobacco and marijuana registered as lower than those associated with coffee and liquor. A guilt/shame index was derived from avowed motives. Trying tobacco and liquor was associated with greater guilt/shame than that associated with coffee and marijuana. Most tobacco users offered motives that indicated continued guilt/shame, while the majority of the other users expressed contentment with their habits.

Technology and Freedom: Hope or Reality.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mumford, Enid

1995-01-01

Outlines the ETHICS methodology for workplace system design. This structured approach includes recognizing needs, setting objectives, choosing strategies, and evaluating results. Through user involvement, effective communication, and informed choice, ETHICS seeks to achieve greater realization of the advantages of new work systems. (JKP)

Agriculture in New York State: A Preliminary Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

New York State Legislative Commission on Rural Resources, Albany.

Symposium participants concentrated on maintaining the economic viability of agriculture through improved agribusiness techniques including increased individual and collective marketing strategies and greater responsiveness to consumer demands. Related problems were decline of roads and bridges, competition with nonagricultural users for rural…

The dark side of sniffing: paint colour affects intoxication experiences among adolescent inhalant users.

PubMed

Takagi, Michael J; Yücel, Murat; Lubman, Dan I

2010-07-01

Inhalant abuse among adolescents is a significant health concern in many countries; however, limited research has explored whether the intoxication experience differs between commonly used inhalants. The aim of the present study was to examine how exposure to different types of paints (chrome vs. non-chrome) were experienced by adolescent users. Sixteen adolescent (aged 15-19 years) regular inhalant users completed a semistructured questionnaire enquiring about their inhalant use. Participants were divided into two groups based on paint colour preference [chrome paints (n = 10) and non-chrome paints (n = 6)] and were compared using appropriate statistical tests. Relative to non-chrome users, the chrome-using group were more likely to report deliberately inhaling to experience altered perceptions (such as visual and auditory hallucinations). In addition, a significantly greater proportion of chrome users reported that the perceptual alterations they experienced after sniffing paint differed between paint colours, with chrome colours being associated with more vivid hallucinations. While both chrome and non-chrome users reported a comparable level of pleasure from paint sniffing, chrome paint users were more likely to be motivated by the potential to hallucinate. Our findings suggest that the type of inhalant used is an important consideration that may have relevance to clinical treatment.

Demand access communications for TDRSS users

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Zillig, David; Weinberg, Aaron; Mcomber, Robert

1994-01-01

The Tracking and Data Relay Satellite System (TDRSS) has long been used to provide reliable low and high-data rate relay services between user spacecraft in Earth orbit and the ground. To date, these TDRSS services have been implemented via prior scheduling based upon estimates of user needs and mission event timelines. While this approach may be necessary for large users that require greater amounts of TDRSS resources, TDRSS can potentially offer the planned community of smaller science missions (e.g., the small explorer missions), and other emerging users, the unique opportunity for services on demand. In particular, innovative application of the existing TDRSS Multiple Access (MA) subsystem, with its phased array antenna, could be used to implement true demand access services without modification to either the TDRSS satellites or the user transponder, thereby introducing operational and performance benefits to both the user community and the Space Network. In this paper, candidate implementations of demand access service via the TDRSS MA subsystem are examined in detail. Both forward and return link services are addressed and a combination of qualitative and quantitative assessments are provided. The paper also identifies further areas for investigation in this ongoing activity that is being conducted by GSFC/Code 531 under the NASA Code O Advanced Systems Program.

Understanding health care communication preferences of veteran primary care users.

PubMed

LaVela, Sherri L; Schectman, Gordon; Gering, Jeffrey; Locatelli, Sara M; Gawron, Andrew; Weaver, Frances M

2012-09-01

To assess veterans' health communication preferences (in-person, telephone, or electronic) for primary care needs and the impact of computer use on preferences. Structured patient interviews (n=448). Bivariate analyses examined preferences for primary care by 'infrequent' vs. 'regular' computer users. Only 54% were regular computer users, nearly all of whom had ever used the internet. 'Telephone' was preferred for 6 of 10 reasons (general medical questions, medication questions and refills, preventive care reminders, scheduling, and test results); although telephone was preferred by markedly fewer regular computer users. 'In-person' was preferred for new/ongoing conditions/symptoms, treatment instructions, and next care steps; these preferences were unaffected by computer use frequency. Among regular computer users, 1/3 preferred 'electronic' for preventive reminders (37%), test results (34%), and refills (32%). For most primary care needs, telephone communication was preferred, although by a greater proportion of infrequent vs. regular computer users. In-person communication was preferred for reasons that may require an exam or visual instructions. About 1/3 of regular computer users prefer electronic communication for routine needs, e.g., preventive reminders, test results, and refills. These findings can be used to plan patient-centered care that is aligned with veterans' preferred health communication methods. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd.

Service user involvement in nurse education: a report on using online discussions with a service user to augment his digital story.

PubMed

Terry, Louise M

2012-02-01

Service user involvement is a key element within current pre- and post-registration nurse education in the U.K. but achieving this is challenging. Most service user involvement is through classroom visits. Digital stories, film and audio are alternatives but lack the interactivity and development of reflection that can be achieved through face-to-face contact. This report reviews the background to service user involvement in healthcare professional education then provides a reflective account of a novel initiative whereby a spinal-injured patient was involved in creating a digital story around some of his in-hospital experiences and then engaged in online discussions with post-registration nursing (degree) and practice educator (masters) students. These discussions provided a richer experience for the students enabling them to reflect more deeply on how nursing care is delivered and perceived by service users. The report concludes that digital stories can be used with repeated groups to inspire discussion and reflection. Augmenting such digital stories with online discussions with the service user whose story is told helps practitioners develop greater empathy, insight and understanding which are beneficial for improving service delivery and nursing care. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Social Media under the Skin: Facebook Use after Acute Stress Impairs Cortisol Recovery.

PubMed

Rus, Holly M; Tiemensma, Jitske

2017-01-01

Social media's influence on stress remains largely unknown. Conflicting research suggests that Facebook use may both enhance and undermine psychosocial constructs related to well-being. Using novel experimental methods, this study examined the impact of social media use on stress recovery. Facebook users ( n = 92, 49 males, mean age 19.55 SD = 1.63) were randomly assigned to use their own Facebook profile or quietly read after experiencing an acute social stressor. All participants showed significant changes in subjective and physiological stress markers during recovery. Participants who used Facebook experienced greater sustained cortisol concentration ( p < 0.05) when controlling for gender and emotional investment in the website compared to controls. Results suggest that social media use may delay or impair recovery after experiencing an acute social stressor. This novel study incorporated objective physiological markers with subjective psychosocial measures to show that Facebook use may negatively impact well-being.

Social Media under the Skin: Facebook Use after Acute Stress Impairs Cortisol Recovery

PubMed Central

Rus, Holly M.; Tiemensma, Jitske

2017-01-01

Social media's influence on stress remains largely unknown. Conflicting research suggests that Facebook use may both enhance and undermine psychosocial constructs related to well-being. Using novel experimental methods, this study examined the impact of social media use on stress recovery. Facebook users (n = 92, 49 males, mean age 19.55 SD = 1.63) were randomly assigned to use their own Facebook profile or quietly read after experiencing an acute social stressor. All participants showed significant changes in subjective and physiological stress markers during recovery. Participants who used Facebook experienced greater sustained cortisol concentration (p < 0.05) when controlling for gender and emotional investment in the website compared to controls. Results suggest that social media use may delay or impair recovery after experiencing an acute social stressor. This novel study incorporated objective physiological markers with subjective psychosocial measures to show that Facebook use may negatively impact well-being. PMID:28974938

Overestimation of heterosexually attributed AIDS deaths is associated with immature psychological defence mechanisms and clitoral masturbation during penile-vaginal intercourse.

PubMed

Brody, S; Costa, R M

2009-12-01

Research shows that (1) greater use of immature psychological defence mechanisms (associated with psychopathology) is associated with lesser orgasmic consistency from penile-vaginal intercourse (PVI), but greater frequency of other sexual behaviours and greater condom use for PVI, and (2) unlike the vectors of receptive anal intercourse and punctures, HIV acquisition during PVI is extremely unlikely in reasonably healthy persons. However, the relationship between overestimation of AIDS deaths due to 'heterosexual transmission' (often misunderstood as only PVI), sexual behaviour and mental health has been lacking. Two hundred and twenty-one Scottish women completed the Defense Style Questionnaire, reported past month frequencies of their various sexual activities, and estimated the total number of women who died from AIDS in Scotland nominally as a result of heterosexual transmission in the UK from a partner not known to be an injecting drug user, bisexual or infected through transfusion. The average respondent overestimated by 226,000%. Women providing lower estimates were less likely to use immature psychological defences, and had a lower frequency of orgasms from clitoral masturbation during PVI and from vibrator use. The results indicate that those who perceive 'heterosexual transmission' led to many AIDS deaths have poorer psychological functioning, and might be less able to appreciate PVI.

A Privacy Preservation Model for Health-Related Social Networking Sites.

PubMed

Li, Jingquan

2015-07-08

The increasing use of social networking sites (SNS) in health care has resulted in a growing number of individuals posting personal health information online. These sites may disclose users' health information to many different individuals and organizations and mine it for a variety of commercial and research purposes, yet the revelation of personal health information to unauthorized individuals or entities brings a concomitant concern of greater risk for loss of privacy among users. Many users join multiple social networks for different purposes and enter personal and other specific information covering social, professional, and health domains into other websites. Integration of multiple online and real social networks makes the users vulnerable to unintentional and intentional security threats and misuse. This paper analyzes the privacy and security characteristics of leading health-related SNS. It presents a threat model and identifies the most important threats to users and SNS providers. Building on threat analysis and modeling, this paper presents a privacy preservation model that incorporates individual self-protection and privacy-by-design approaches and uses the model to develop principles and countermeasures to protect user privacy. This study paves the way for analysis and design of privacy-preserving mechanisms on health-related SNS.

Elevation Difference and Bouguer Anomaly Analysis Tool (EDBAAT) User's Guide

USGS Publications Warehouse

Smittle, Aaron M.; Shoberg, Thomas G.

2017-06-16

This report describes a software tool that imports gravity anomaly point data from the Gravity Database of the United States (GDUS) of the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency and University of Texas at El Paso along with elevation data from The National Map (TNM) of the U.S. Geological Survey that lie within a user-specified geographic area of interest. Further, the tool integrates these two sets of data spatially and analyzes the consistency of the elevation of each gravity station from the GDUS with TNM elevation data; it also evaluates the consistency of gravity anomaly data within the GDUS data repository. The tool bins the GDUS data based on user-defined criteria of elevation misfit between the GDUS and TNM elevation data. It also provides users with a list of points from the GDUS data, which have Bouguer anomaly values that are considered outliers (two standard deviations or greater) with respect to other nearby GDUS anomaly data. “Nearby” can be defined by the user at time of execution. These outputs should allow users to quickly and efficiently choose which points from the GDUS would be most useful in reconnaissance studies or in augmenting and extending the range of individual gravity studies.

A Privacy Preservation Model for Health-Related Social Networking Sites

PubMed Central

2015-01-01

The increasing use of social networking sites (SNS) in health care has resulted in a growing number of individuals posting personal health information online. These sites may disclose users' health information to many different individuals and organizations and mine it for a variety of commercial and research purposes, yet the revelation of personal health information to unauthorized individuals or entities brings a concomitant concern of greater risk for loss of privacy among users. Many users join multiple social networks for different purposes and enter personal and other specific information covering social, professional, and health domains into other websites. Integration of multiple online and real social networks makes the users vulnerable to unintentional and intentional security threats and misuse. This paper analyzes the privacy and security characteristics of leading health-related SNS. It presents a threat model and identifies the most important threats to users and SNS providers. Building on threat analysis and modeling, this paper presents a privacy preservation model that incorporates individual self-protection and privacy-by-design approaches and uses the model to develop principles and countermeasures to protect user privacy. This study paves the way for analysis and design of privacy-preserving mechanisms on health-related SNS. PMID:26155953

Bias in Observational Studies of Prevalent Users: Lessons for Comparative Effectiveness Research From a Meta-Analysis of Statins

PubMed Central

Danaei, Goodarz; Tavakkoli, Mohammad; Hernán, Miguel A.

2012-01-01

Randomized clinical trials (RCTs) are usually the preferred strategy with which to generate evidence of comparative effectiveness, but conducting an RCT is not always feasible. Though observational studies and RCTs often provide comparable estimates, the questioning of observational analyses has recently intensified because of randomized-observational discrepancies regarding the effect of postmenopausal hormone replacement therapy on coronary heart disease. Reanalyses of observational data that excluded prevalent users of hormone replacement therapy led to attenuated discrepancies, which begs the question of whether exclusion of prevalent users should be generally recommended. In the current study, the authors evaluated the effect of excluding prevalent users of statins in a meta-analysis of observational studies of persons with cardiovascular disease. The pooled, multivariate-adjusted mortality hazard ratio for statin use was 0.77 (95% confidence interval (CI): 0.65, 0.91) in 4 studies that compared incident users with nonusers, 0.70 (95% CI: 0.64, 0.78) in 13 studies that compared a combination of prevalent and incident users with nonusers, and 0.54 (95% CI: 0.45, 0.66) in 13 studies that compared prevalent users with nonusers. The corresponding hazard ratio from 18 RCTs was 0.84 (95% CI: 0.77, 0.91). It appears that the greater the proportion of prevalent statin users in observational studies, the larger the discrepancy between observational and randomized estimates. PMID:22223710

Do the affective properties of smoking-related cues influence attentional and approach biases in cigarette smokers?

PubMed

Bradley, B P; Field, M; Healy, H; Mogg, K

2008-09-01

Research indicates that drug-related cues elicit attention and approach biases in drug users. However, attentional biases are not unique to addiction (e.g., they are also found for emotional information). This study examined whether attentional and approach biases in cigarette smokers are mediated by the motivational salience of cues (relevance to drug-taking), rather than by their affective properties (subjective liking of the cues). Cues included pleasant and unpleasant smoking-related pictures. Attentional biases, approach tendencies and subjective evaluation of the cues were assessed on visual probe, stimulus-response compatibility and rating tasks, respectively. Compared with non-smokers, smokers showed a greater attentional bias for both pleasant and unpleasant smoking-related cues presented for 2000 ms, but not for 200 ms. Smokers showed a greater approach bias for unpleasant cues, although the groups did not differ significantly in approach bias for pleasant smoking-related cues. Smokers rated both pleasant and unpleasant smoking pictures more positively than did non-smokers. Results suggest that a bias to maintain attention on smoking-related cues in young adult smokers is primarily a function of drug-relevance, rather than affective properties, of the cues. In contrast, approach tendencies and pleasantness judgements were influenced by drug use, drug-relevance and the affective properties of the cues.

Heavy consumption of dental services among Finnish adults.

PubMed

Nihtilä, A; Widström, E; Elonheimo, O

2010-12-01

To compare treatment of heavy and low users of dental services among adults in the Public Dental Service (PDS) in one of the biggest cities in Finland and to identify reasons for heavy use and to suggest improvements to care provision. All adults who attended the PDS in Espoo (pop. 227,500) in 2004 were allocated to a group (n = 3,173) who had made six or more dental visits and a comparison group (n = 22,820) who had three or fewer dental visits. The data were obtained from the patient register of the PDS. A sample of 320 patients was randomly selected from each group. Information on age, gender, number and types of visits, oral health status, treatment provided and fees paid was collected from treatment records. 10.5% of the adults were found to be heavy users and their treatment made up 31.6% of all adult dental visits. The proportion of men was greater among heavy users and the heavy users were on average 6.6 years older than the low users. The mean total treatment time for heavy users was 5.5 hours and 2.0 hours for low users. Heavy users had more untreated and treated caries and more periodontal pockets than low users. Restorative, endodontic and prosthetic treatment needs characterised the heavy user group, while the low users most often received restorative and periodontal treatment only. Our study indicates that complicated treatment needs of heavy users and lack of experience among the caregivers in dealing with them resulted in high numbers of dental visits for individual patients. The PDS should offer appropriate continuing education for its oral health care teams and organize a referral system offering specialist care for difficult endodontic, periodontal and prosthetic treatments.

Barcode Technology Acceptance and Utilization in Health Information Management Department at Academic Hospitals According to Technology Acceptance Model

PubMed Central

Ehteshami, Asghar

2017-01-01

Nowdays, due to the increasing importance of quality care, organizations focuse on the improving provision, management and distribution of health. On one hand, incremental costs of the new technologies and on the other hand, increased knowledge of health care recipients and their expectations for high quality services have doubled the need to make changes in order to respond to resource constraints (financial, human, material). For this purpose, several technologies, such as barcode, have been used in hospitals to improve services and staff productivity; but various factors effect on the adoption of new technologies and despite good implementation of a technology and its benefits, sometimes personnel don’t accept and don’t use it. Methods: This is an applied descriptive cross-sectional study in which all the barcode users in health information management department of the three academic hospitals (Feiz, Al-Zahra, Ayatollah Kashani) affiliated to Isfahan University of Medical Sciences were surveyed by the barcode technology acceptance questionnaire, in six areas as following: barcode ease of learning, capabilities, perception of its usefulness and its ease of use, users attitudes towards its using, and users intention. Results: The finding showed that barcode technology total acceptance was relatively desirable (%76.9); the most compliance with TAM model was related to the user perceptions about the ease of use of barcode technology and the least compliance was related to the ease of learning barcode technology (respectively %83.7 and %71.5). Conclusion: Ease of learning and barcode capability effect of usefulness and perceived ease of barcode technology. Users perceptions effect their attitudes toward greater use of technology and their attitudes have an effect on their intention to use the technology and finally, their intention makes actual use of the technology (acceptance). Therefore, considering the six elements related to technology implementation can be important in the barcode acceptance; because their chained relationship is clearly visible. PMID:28484289

Barcode Technology Acceptance and Utilization in Health Information Management Department at Academic Hospitals According to Technology Acceptance Model.

PubMed

Ehteshami, Asghar

2017-03-01

Nowdays, due to the increasing importance of quality care, organizations focuse on the improving provision, management and distribution of health. On one hand, incremental costs of the new technologies and on the other hand, increased knowledge of health care recipients and their expectations for high quality services have doubled the need to make changes in order to respond to resource constraints (financial, human, material). For this purpose, several technologies, such as barcode, have been used in hospitals to improve services and staff productivity; but various factors effect on the adoption of new technologies and despite good implementation of a technology and its benefits, sometimes personnel don't accept and don't use it. This is an applied descriptive cross-sectional study in which all the barcode users in health information management department of the three academic hospitals (Feiz, Al-Zahra, Ayatollah Kashani) affiliated to Isfahan University of Medical Sciences were surveyed by the barcode technology acceptance questionnaire, in six areas as following: barcode ease of learning, capabilities, perception of its usefulness and its ease of use, users attitudes towards its using, and users intention. The finding showed that barcode technology total acceptance was relatively desirable (%76.9); the most compliance with TAM model was related to the user perceptions about the ease of use of barcode technology and the least compliance was related to the ease of learning barcode technology (respectively %83.7 and %71.5). Ease of learning and barcode capability effect of usefulness and perceived ease of barcode technology. Users perceptions effect their attitudes toward greater use of technology and their attitudes have an effect on their intention to use the technology and finally, their intention makes actual use of the technology (acceptance). Therefore, considering the six elements related to technology implementation can be important in the barcode acceptance; because their chained relationship is clearly visible.

Effect of Statin Use on Mobility Disability and its Prevention in At-risk Older Adults: The LIFE Study

PubMed Central

Lovato, Laura; Miller, Michael E.; Fielding, Roger A.; Church, Tim S.; Newman, Anne B.; Buford, Thomas W.; Pahor, Marco; McDermott, Mary M.; Stafford, Randall S.; Lee, David S. H.; Kritchevsky, Stephen B.

2016-01-01

Background: HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors (statins) are among the most commonly prescribed classes of medications. Although their cardiovascular benefits and myalgia risks are well documented, their effects on older adults initiating an exercise training program are less understood. Methods: 1,635 sedentary men and women aged 70–89 years with Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB) score of 9 or below and were able to walk 400 m were randomized to a structured, moderate-intensity physical activity (PA) program consisting of both center-based (twice/wk) and home-based (3–4 times/wk) aerobic, resistance, and flexibility training or to a health education (HE) program combined with upper extremity stretching. Results: Overall, the PA intervention was associated with lower risk of major mobility disability (hazard ratio [HR] = 0.82; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.69–0.98). The effect was similar (p value for interaction = .62) in both statin users (PA n = 415, HE n = 412; HR = 0.86, 95% CI = 0.67–1.1) and nonusers (PA n = 402, HE n = 404; HR = 0.78, 95% CI = 0.61–1.01). Attendance was similar for statin users (65%) and nonusers (63%). SPPB at 12 months was slightly greater for PA (8.35±0.10) than for HE (7.94±0.10) in statin users but not in nonusers (PA 8.25±0.10, HE 8.16±0.10), though the interaction effect was not statistically significant. Self-reported PA levels were not different between statin users and nonusers. Conclusions: Although statins have been associated with adverse effects on muscle, data from the LIFE Study show that statin users and nonusers both benefit from PA interventions. Older adults who require statin medications to manage chronic medical conditions and are sedentary will be able to benefit from interventions to increase PA. PMID:26988662

Estradiol does not influence strategy choice but place strategy choice is associated with increased cell proliferation in the hippocampus of female rats.

PubMed

Rummel, Julia; Epp, Jonathan R; Galea, Liisa A M

2010-09-01

Adult neurogenesis occurs in the hippocampus of most mammals. While the function of adult hippocampal neurogenesis is not known, there is a relationship between neurogenesis and hippocampus-dependent learning and memory. Ovarian hormones can influence learning and memory and strategy choice. In competitive memory tasks, higher levels of estradiol shift female rats towards the use of the place strategy. Previous studies using a cue-competition paradigm find that 36% of male rats will use a hippocampus-dependent place strategy and place strategy users had lower levels of cell proliferation in the hippocampus. Here, we used the same paradigm to test whether endogenous or exogenous ovarian hormones influence strategy choice in the cue-competition paradigm and whether cell proliferation was related to strategy choice. We tested ovariectomized estradiol-treated (10 microg of estradiol benzoate) or sham-operated female rats on alternating blocks of hippocampus-dependent and hippocampus-independent versions of the Morris water task. Rats were then given a probe session with the platform visible and in a novel location. Preferred strategy was classified as place strategy (hippocampus-dependent) if they swam to the old platform location or cue strategy (hippocampus-independent) if they swam to the visible platform. All groups showed a preference for the cue strategy. However, proestrous rats were more likely to be place strategy users than rats not in proestrus. Female place strategy users had increased cell proliferation in the dentate gyrus compared to cue strategy users. Our study suggests that 78% of female rats chose the cue strategy instead of the place strategy. In summary the present results suggest that estradiol does not shift strategy use in this paradigm and that cell proliferation is related to strategy use with greater cell proliferation seen in place strategy users in female rats. Copyright (c) 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

[Fertility and characteristics of ovulation after discontinuing oral contraception].

PubMed

Gaspard, U; Lambotte, R

1984-09-01

A brief review of the literature is the basis for this discussion of residual effects of oral contraceptives (OCs) on fertility and the quality of ovulation after pill use is terminated. A 1982 study of the delay to conception attempted to avoid methological difficulties of earlier studies by comparing previous contraceptive usage among 7000 women hospitalized for childbirth. The analysis showed that the monthly percentage of pregnancies after OC use was significantly decreased for the 1st 3 months compared to levels in former IUD and diaphragm users. 13 months after OCs, 24.8% of OC users still had not conceived, compared to 12.4% if IUD and 8.5% of diaphragm users. Post-pill amenorrhea of longer than 6 months occurs in about 1% of cases. It is now agreed that post-pill amenorrhea is rare, nonspecific, and of multifactorial etiology. The previous existence of menstrual irregularity, stress, psychological troubles, malnutrition, and anorexia are particularly significant. OC use seems to mask the natural occurrence of secondary amenorrhea rather than to cause it. The most careful of available studies document that, although OC use may because of its estrogen content reveal an unsuspected prolactinemia, there is no increase in prolactinemia among OC users. A consensus exists that, excluding patients developing amenorrhea due to ovarian insufficiency, post-pill amenorrhea responds to ovulation inducing treatment exactly as do amenorrheas with no history of pill use. In cases of conception after failure of OCs and continued treatment with OCs, the aging of sperm or hypermaturation of ova at the time of fertilization is accompanied by a very slight increase in the proportion of male fetuses. The teratogenic risk appears to be negligable among former OC users and perhaps slightly greater if OCs, hormonal tests, or supplementary hormonal therapy are continued during pregnancy. The increased risk is not even seen in many studies and does not appear to indicate pregnancy termination as a general rule.

Characterizing substance use and mental health profiles of cigar, blunt, and non-blunt marijuana users from the National Survey of Drug Use and Health.

PubMed

Cohn, Amy; Johnson, Amanda; Ehlke, Sarah; Villanti, Andrea C

2016-03-01

Smoking marijuana in a cigar (blunt use) is gaining popularity in the U.S. Research suggests that blunt users differ from exclusive cigar or marijuana users on a variety of demographic and substance use factors. Misreporting of blunts and cigars is also common, particularly among young people, and may lead to inaccurate prevalence estimates. To determine subtype differences, this study investigated the prevalence and demographic, mental health, and substance use correlates of four mutually-exclusive groups of blunt, cigar, and marijuana past 30-day users (cigar-only, blunt-only, non-blunt marijuana, or dual cigar-blunt). Data were analyzed from the 2013 National Survey of Drug Use and Health. In weighted multinomial logistic regression models, respondents who were younger, Black, and who had used tobacco, alcohol, or other drugs in the past 30-days had the highest odds of reporting blunt-only or dual cigar-blunt use. Those reporting blunt-only and dual cigar-blunt use also endorsed a greater number of marijuana and alcohol use disorder symptoms compared to those reporting cigar-only and non-blunt marijuana use. Lower marijuana risk perceptions were associated with increased odds of marijuana use with or without blunts. Major depressive episode was uniquely associated with non-blunt marijuana use. With respect to misclassifiers, respondents who reported past 30-day blunt use but not past 30-day marijuana use were younger, Black, female, and had lower education and income. Those who report blunt-only and dual cigar-blunt use showed the most severe risk profiles. Communicating health consequences and risks of blunt use should be directed toward specific subgroups. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Main mental disorders in crack-cocaine users treated at Psychosocial Care Centers for Alcohol and Drugs in the city of Recife, Brazil.

PubMed

Castro, Antonio Gomes de; Silva, Diego César Nunes da; Figueiroa, Magda da Silva

2016-01-01

Brazil's Northeast region has the highest crack-cocaine consumption in the country. Crack-cocaine has more intense effects than cocaine powder and can cause greater chemical dependence. Psychosocial Care Centers for Alcohol and Drugs (CAPSad) are public health services that provide treatment for drug dependence. It is common for drug users, and particularly crack-cocaine users, to develop mental disorders. Objective: To evaluate the most common mental disorders in crack-cocaine dependents in treatment at CAPSad in the city of Recife, Brazil. The research database "Between rocks and shots: user profiles, consumption strategies, and social impact of crack cocaine" (CEP/CCS/UFPE no. 206/11) was consulted to establish the areas of crack cocaine consumption in the city of Recife. There were 885 patients in treatment for crack-cocaine use, with a mean age of 29.8±9.4 years. The mean duration of drug use was 6.1±4.6 years. Most of the patients were males (80.3%), had left school at some point between the 1st and 9th grades (45.6%), were unemployed and/or seeking employment (52%) and used drugs daily (56.4%). Cocaine chemical dependence was more significant when correlated with use of crack-cocaine and other drugs such as medications and hallucinogens (p = 0.01). Data from this study showed strong associations between crack-cocaine uses and development of mental disorders, particularly when abuse of multiple substances occurs. Based on these data, there is a clear need for coordination of related public policies for support and social reintegration to provide these people with comprehensive care.

A longitudinal examination of the relationship between cannabis use and cognitive function in mid-life adults.

PubMed

McKetin, Rebecca; Parasu, Praneeth; Cherbuin, Nicolas; Eramudugolla, Ranmalee; Anstey, Kaarin J

2016-12-01

The relationship between cannabis use and cognitive function in mid-life has rarely been examined despite verbal learning deficits in young adults. A longitudinal cohort study of 1,897 Australians recruited at 40-46 years of age and followed up 4 years (94%) and 8 years (87%) later. Random effects regression was used to assess within- and between-person associations between cannabis use and cognitive function across waves of data, and examine whether age-related changes in cognitive performance were modified by cannabis use. The first list of the California Verbal Learning Test (immediate and delayed recall), Symbol Digit Modality Test, Digit Backwards, simple and choice reaction time tasks, were administered at each wave. The Spot-the-Word test was used to assess premorbid verbal ability. Self-reported cannabis use in the past year (no use, < weekly use,≥weekly use) was assessed at each wave. Participants who used cannabis≥weekly had worse immediate recall (b=-0.68, p=0.014) and showed a trend toward worse delayed recall (b=-0.55, p=0.062) compared to non-users after adjusting for correlates of cannabis use and premorbid verbal ability. These effects were due to between-person differences. There were no significant within-person associations between cannabis use and recall, nor was there evidence of greater cognitive decline in cannabis users with age. Mid-life cannabis users had poorer verbal recall than non-users, but this was not related to their current level of cannabis use, and cannabis use was not associated with accelerated cognitive decline. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Further Validation of a Marijuana Purchase Task

PubMed Central

Aston, Elizabeth R.; Metrik, Jane; MacKillop, James

2015-01-01

Background A valid measure of the relative economic value of marijuana is needed to characterize individual variation in the drug’s reinforcing value and inform evolving national marijuana policy. Relative drug value (demand) can be measured via purchase tasks, and demand for alcohol and cigarettes has been associated with craving, dependence, and treatment response. This study examined marijuana demand with a marijuana purchase task (MPT). Methods The 22-item self-report MPT was administered to 99 frequent marijuana users (37.4% female, 71.5% marijuana use days, 15.2% cannabis dependent). Results Pearson correlations indicated a negative relationship between intensity (free consumption) and age of initiation of regular use (r=−0.34, p<0.001), and positive associations with use days (r=0.26, p<0.05) and subjective craving (r=0.43, p<0.001). Omax (maximum expenditure) was positively associated with use days (r=0.29, p<0.01) and subjective craving (r=0.27, p<0.01). Income was not associated with demand. An exponential demand model provided an excellent fit to the data across users (R2=0.99). Group comparisons based on presence or absence of DSM-IV cannabis dependence symptoms revealed that users with any dependence symptoms showed significantly higher intensity of demand and more inelastic demand, reflecting greater insensitivity to price increases. Conclusions These results provide support for construct validity of the MPT, indicating its sensitivity to marijuana demand as a function of increasing cost, and its ability to differentiate between users with and without dependence symptoms. The MPT may denote abuse liability and is a valuable addition to the behavioral economic literature. Potential applications to marijuana pricing and tax policy are discussed. PMID:26002377

Eye cosmetic usage and associated ocular comfort.

PubMed

Ng, Alison; Evans, Katharine; North, Rachel; Purslow, Christine

2012-11-01

Eye cosmetics usage is commonplace and whilst some products such as eyeliner are applied with close proximity to the ocular surface, there is little knowledge of the short- and long-term ocular effects of eye cosmetic formulations. This study aimed to investigate the use of eye cosmetics and identify any relationships between ocular comfort and cosmetic usage. Results were collated from an online survey comprising 23 questions that recorded demographics, Ocular Surface Disease Index (OSDI) score, extent and range of eye cosmetic use and perceived comfort differences with and without eye cosmetics. The 1360 female respondents (median age 25, interquartile range 20-34 years) completed the survey; 83% reported using eye cosmetics regularly (≥ 3 times per week) with mascara being most commonly used. Fifty three per cent used at least three different eye cosmetics products regularly. OSDI scores of cosmetics users were similar to non-users (p = 0.083), but perceived comfort was greater when cosmetics were not used (p < 0.001). In occasional cosmetics users (use of products < 3 times per week), 65% reported a reduction in comfort when cosmetics were used. Median OSDI scores suggested a trend towards reduced comfort amongst eyeliner users (p = 0.07) although frequency and type of cosmetic products used did not appear to influence OSDI scores. This study shows the use of multiple eye cosmetics is extensive and associated with the perception of ocular discomfort. With such widespread use of these products, more research is required to assess the effect on the ocular surface and tear film, which may be underestimated. Ophthalmic & Physiological Optics © 2012 The College of Optometrists.

Designing for multiple global user populations: increasing resource allocation efficiency for greater sustainability.

PubMed

Nadadur, G; Parkinson, M B

2012-01-01

This paper proposes a method to identify opportunities for increasing the efficiency of raw material allocation decisions for products that are simultaneously targeted at multiple user populations around the world. The values of 24 body measures at certain key percentiles were used to estimate the best-fitting anthropometric distributions for female and male adults in nine national populations, which were selected to represent the diverse target markets multinational companies must design for. These distributions were then used to synthesize body measure data for combined populations with a 1:1 female:male ratio. An anthropometric range metric (ARM) was proposed for assessing the variation of these body measures across the populations. At any percentile, ARM values were calculated as the percentage difference between the highest and lowest anthropometric values across the considered user populations. Based on their magnitudes, plots of ARM values computed between the 1st and 99 th percentiles for each body measure were grouped into low, medium, and high categories. This classification of body measures was proposed as a means of selecting the most suitable strategies for designing raw material-efficient products. The findings in this study and the contributions of subsequent work along these lines are expected to help achieve greater efficiencies in resource allocation in global product development.

Distress tolerance and use of antiretroviral therapy among HIV-infected individuals in substance abuse treatment.

PubMed

Magidson, Jessica F; Seitz-Brown, C J; Listhaus, Alyson; Lindberg, Briana; Anderson, Katelyn E; Daughters, Stacey B

2013-09-01

Despite recent clinical guidelines recommending early initiation and widespread use of antiretroviral therapy (ART), many HIV-infected individuals are not receiving ART-in particular low-income, minority substance users. Few studies have examined psychological, as opposed to structural, factors related to not receiving ART in this population. Perceived capacity to tolerate physical and psychological distress, known as distress tolerance (DT), may be a particularly relevant yet understudied factor. The current study tested the relationship between self-reported physical and psychological DT and ART receipt among predominantly low-income, minority HIV-infected substance users (n=77). Psychiatric disorders, biological indicators of health status, ART use, structural barriers to health care, and self-reported physical and psychological DT were assessed. 61% of participants were receiving ART. The only factors that distinguished individuals not on ART were greater avoidance of physical discomfort, higher psychological DT, and higher CD4 count. Both DT measures remained associated with ART use after controlling for CD4 count and were associated with almost a two-fold decrease in likelihood of ART receipt. Current findings suggest higher perceived capacity to tolerate psychological distress and greater avoidance of physical discomfort are important factors associated with lower ART use among substance users and may be important intervention targets.

Emergency Department Frequent Users for Acute Alcohol Intoxication.

PubMed

Klein, Lauren R; Martel, Marc L; Driver, Brian E; Reing, Mackenzie; Cole, Jon B

2018-03-01

A subset of frequent users of emergency services are those who use the emergency department (ED) for acute alcohol intoxication. This population and their ED encounters have not been previously described. This was a retrospective, observational, cohort study of patients presenting to the ED for acute alcohol intoxication between 2012 and 2016. We collected all data from the electronic medical record. Frequent users for alcohol intoxication were defined as those with greater than 20 visits for acute intoxication without additional medical chief complaints in the previous 12 months. We used descriptive statistics to evaluate characteristics of frequent users for alcohol intoxication, as well as their ED encounters. We identified 32,121 patient encounters. Of those, 325 patients were defined as frequent users for alcohol intoxication, comprising 11,370 of the encounters during the study period. The median maximum number of encounters per person for alcohol intoxication in a one-year period was 47 encounters (range 20 to 169). Frequent users were older (47 years vs. 39 years), and more commonly male (86% vs. 71%). Frequent users for alcohol intoxication had higher rates of medical and psychiatric comorbidities including liver disease, chronic kidney disease, ischemic vascular disease, dementia, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, history of traumatic brain injury, schizophrenia, and bipolar disorder. In this study, we identified a group of ED frequent users who use the ED for acute alcohol intoxication. This population had higher rates of medical and psychiatric comorbidities compared to non-frequent users.

REFOCUS Trial: protocol for a cluster randomised controlled trial of a pro-recovery intervention within community based mental health teams.

PubMed

Slade, Mike; Bird, Victoria; Le Boutillier, Clair; Williams, Julie; McCrone, Paul; Leamy, Mary

2011-11-23

There is a consensus about the importance of 'recovery' in mental health services, but the evidence base is limited. A two centre, cluster randomised controlled trial. Participants are community-based mental health teams, and service users aged 18-65 years with a primary clinical diagnosis of psychosis. In relation to the REFOCUS Manual researchintorecovery.com/refocus, which describes a 12-month, pro-recovery intervention based on the REFOCUS Model, the objectives are: (1) To establish the effectiveness of the intervention described in the REFOCUS Manual; (2) To validate the REFOCUS Model; (3) To establish and optimise trial parameters for the REFOCUS Manual; and (4) To understand the relationship between clinical outcomes and recovery outcomes. The hypothesis for the main study is that service users in the intervention arm will experience significantly greater increases in measures of personal recovery (as measured by the QPR) compared to service users receiving care from control teams. The hypothesis for the secondary study is that black service users in the intervention arm will experience significantly greater increases in measures of personal recovery (as measured by the QPR) and client satisfaction (as measured by the CSQ) compared to Black service users receiving care from control teams. The intervention comprises treatment as usual plus two components: recovery-promoting relationships and working practices. The control condition is treatment as usual. The primary outcme is the Process of Recovery Questionnaire (QPR). Secondary outcomes are satisfaction, Goal setting - Personal Primary Outcome, hope, well-being, empowerment, and quality of life. Primary outcomes for the secondary study will be QPR and satisfaction. Cost data will be estimated, and clinical outcomes will also be reported (symptomatology, need, social disability, functioning). 29 teams (15 intervention and 14 control) will be randomised. Within each team, 15 services users will be randomly chosen, giving a total sample of 435 service users (225 in intervention and 210 in control). Power for the main study: 336 service users will give power to detect a medium effect size of 0.4 (alpha 0.05, power = 0.8) on both QPR sub-scales. Power for the secondary study: 89 participants will give power to detect an effect size of 0.67 on both QPR sub-scales and on CSQ. A range of approaches are used to minimise bias, although service users and clinicians cannot be blinded. This cluster-RCT will evaluate a pro-recovery intervention in community mental health teams. ISRCTN: ISRCTN02507940.

REFOCUS Trial: protocol for a cluster randomised controlled trial of a pro-recovery intervention within community based mental health teams

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background There is a consensus about the importance of 'recovery' in mental health services, but the evidence base is limited. Methods/Design A two centre, cluster randomised controlled trial. Participants are community-based mental health teams, and service users aged 18-65 years with a primary clinical diagnosis of psychosis. In relation to the REFOCUS Manual researchintorecovery.com/refocus, which describes a 12-month, pro-recovery intervention based on the REFOCUS Model, the objectives are: (1) To establish the effectiveness of the intervention described in the REFOCUS Manual; (2) To validate the REFOCUS Model; (3) To establish and optimise trial parameters for the REFOCUS Manual; and (4) To understand the relationship between clinical outcomes and recovery outcomes. The hypothesis for the main study is that service users in the intervention arm will experience significantly greater increases in measures of personal recovery (as measured by the QPR) compared to service users receiving care from control teams. The hypothesis for the secondary study is that black service users in the intervention arm will experience significantly greater increases in measures of personal recovery (as measured by the QPR) and client satisfaction (as measured by the CSQ) compared to Black service users receiving care from control teams. The intervention comprises treatment as usual plus two components: recovery-promoting relationships and working practices. The control condition is treatment as usual. The primary outcme is the Process of Recovery Questionnaire (QPR). Secondary outcomes are satisfaction, Goal setting - Personal Primary Outcome, hope, well-being, empowerment, and quality of life. Primary outcomes for the secondary study will be QPR and satisfaction. Cost data will be estimated, and clinical outcomes will also be reported (symptomatology, need, social disability, functioning). 29 teams (15 intervention and 14 control) will be randomised. Within each team, 15 services users will be randomly chosen, giving a total sample of 435 service users (225 in intervention and 210 in control). Power for the main study: 336 service users will give power to detect a medium effect size of 0.4 (alpha 0.05, power = 0.8) on both QPR sub-scales. Power for the secondary study: 89 participants will give power to detect an effect size of 0.67 on both QPR sub-scales and on CSQ. A range of approaches are used to minimise bias, although service users and clinicians cannot be blinded. Discussion This cluster-RCT will evaluate a pro-recovery intervention in community mental health teams. Trial registration ISRCTN: ISRCTN02507940 PMID:22112008

Quality versus intelligibility: studying human preferences for American Sign Language video

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ciaramello, Frank M.; Hemami, Sheila S.

2011-03-01

Real-time videoconferencing using cellular devices provides natural communication to the Deaf community. For this application, compressed American Sign Language (ASL) video must be evaluated in terms of the intelligibility of the conversation and not in terms of the overall aesthetic quality of the video. This work presents a paired comparison experiment to determine the subjective preferences of ASL users in terms of the trade-off between intelligibility and quality when varying the proportion of the bitrate allocated explicitly to the regions of the video containing the signer. A rate-distortion optimization technique, which jointly optimizes a quality criteria and an intelligibility criteria according to a user-specified parameter, generates test video pairs for the subjective experiment. Experimental results suggest that at sufficiently high bitrates, all users prefer videos in which the non-signer regions in the video are encoded with some nominal rate. As the total encoding bitrate decreases, users generally prefer video in which a greater proportion of the rate is allocated to the signer. The specific operating points preferred in the quality-intelligibility trade-off vary with the demographics of the users.

Pros and cons of healthcare information technology implementation: the pros win.

PubMed

Maffei, Roxana

2006-01-01

Countless studies and investigations have been performed siding either for or against the implementation of technology in the healthcare setting. This article presents both sides of this debate, with an obvious conclusion that the pros of this debate win. The practice of information technology in the medical domain lags behind its knowledge and discovery by at least 7 years. The key to closing this gap is to show, through various studies, how information technology systems provide decision support to users at the point in time when decisions are needed. What the reader will obtain from this article is that the pros for information technology implementation in healthcare settings weigh much more and have a greater effect than the cons.

Study on the spectral efficiency of SFH-GMSK in land mobile telephone communication by direct simulation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bao, H.; Kwatra, S. C.; Kim, Junghwan; Stevens, G. H.

1990-01-01

A spread spectrum system, slow frequency hopping with GMSK (Gaussian minimum shift keying) modulation (SFH-GMSK), is proposed for mobile telephone communications. The system performance is evaluated using computer simulation and is compared with an unspread system. Results show that under multipath fading conditions, when the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) is greater than 15 dB, slow frequency hopping gives some bit error rate improvement over the unspread system. Theoretical predictions indicate that a system efficiency of 20-65 users per cell can be achieved in the cellular configuration. Joint use of SFH-GMSK and FM is also investigated. It is shown that FM interference can cause serious degradation to the SFH-GMSK performance.

Freeway travel time estimation using existing fixed traffic sensors : phase 1.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2013-08-01

Freeway travel time is one of the most useful pieces of information for road users and an : important measure of effectiveness (MOE) for traffic engineers and policy makers. In the Greater : St. Louis area, Gateway Guide, the St. Louis Transportation...

Policing the Information Highway.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McClure, Ben

1996-01-01

Although broadband Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM) can deliver much greater amounts of information than narrow-band Integrated Services Digital Networks (ISDN), in reality bottlenecks place severe constraints on its performance. This article discusses shortfalls in Internet services, technology and user behavior, and describes efforts in the…

Basal functioning of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis and psychological distress in recreational ecstasy polydrug users.

PubMed

Wetherell, Mark A; Montgomery, Catharine

2014-04-01

Ecstasy (MDMA) is a psychostimulant drug which is increasingly associated with psychobiological dysfunction. While some recent studies suggest acute changes in neuroendocrine function, less is known about long-term changes in HPA functionality in recreational users. The current study is the first to explore the effects of ecstasy-polydrug use on psychological distress and basal functioning of the HPA axis through assessing the secretion of cortisol across the diurnal period. Seventy-six participants (21 nonusers, 29 light ecstasy-polydrug users, 26 heavy ecstasy-polydrug users) completed a substance use inventory and measures of psychological distress at baseline, then two consecutive days of cortisol sampling (on awakening, 30 min post awakening, between 1400 and 1600 hours and pre bedtime). On day 2, participants also attended the laboratory to complete a 20-min multitasking stressor. Both user groups exhibited significantly greater levels of anxiety and depression than nonusers. On day 1, all participants exhibited a typical cortisol profile, though light users had significantly elevated levels pre-bed. On day 2, heavy users demonstrated elevated levels upon awakening and all ecstasy-polydrug users demonstrated elevated pre-bed levels compared to non-users. Significant between group differences were also observed in afternoon cortisol levels and in overall cortisol secretion across the day. The increases in anxiety and depression are in line with previous observations in recreational ecstasy-polydrug users. Dysregulated diurnal cortisol may be indicative of inappropriate anticipation of forthcoming demands and hypersecretion may lead to the increased psychological and physical morbidity associated with heavy recreational use of ecstasy.

A Novel Therapy for Chronic Sleep-Onset Insomnia: A Retrospective, Nonrandomized Controlled Study of Auto-Adjusting, Dual-Level, Positive Airway Pressure Technology.

PubMed

Krakow, Barry; Ulibarri, Victor A; McIver, Natalia D; Nadorff, Michael R

2016-09-29

Evidence indicates that behavioral or drug therapy may not target underlying pathophysiologic mechanisms for chronic insomnia, possibly due to previously unrecognized high rates (30%-90%) of sleep apnea in chronic insomnia patients. Although treatment studies with positive airway pressure (PAP) demonstrate decreased severity of chronic sleep maintenance insomnia in patients with co-occurring sleep apnea, sleep-onset insomnia has not shown similar results. We hypothesized advanced PAP technology would be associated with decreased sleep-onset insomnia severity in a sample of predominantly psychiatric patients with comorbid sleep apnea. We reviewed charts of 74 severe sleep-onset insomnia patients seen from March 2011 to August 2015, all meeting American Academy of Sleep Medicine Work Group criteria for a chronic insomnia disorder and all affirming behavioral and psychological origins for insomnia (averaging 10 of 18 indicators/patient), as well as averaging 2 or more psychiatric symptoms or conditions: depression (65.2%), anxiety (41.9%), traumatic exposure (35.1%), claustrophobia (29.7%), panic attacks (28.4%), and posttraumatic stress disorder (20.3%). All patients failed continuous or bilevel PAP and were manually titrated with auto-adjusting PAP modes (auto-bilevel and adaptive-servo ventilation). At 1-year follow-up, patients were compared through nonrandom assignment on the basis of a PAP compliance metric of > 20 h/wk (56 PAP users) versus < 20 h/wk (18 partial PAP users). PAP users showed significantly greater decreases in global insomnia severity (Hedges' g = 1.72) and sleep-onset insomnia (g = 2.07) compared to partial users (g = 1.04 and 0.91, respectively). Both global and sleep-onset insomnia severity decreased below moderate levels in PAP users compared to partial users whose outcomes persisted at moderately severe levels. In a nonrandomized controlled retrospective study, advanced PAP technology (both auto-bilevel and adaptive servo-ventilation) were associated with large decreases in insomnia severity for sleep-onset insomnia patients who strongly believed psychological factors caused their sleeplessness. PAP treatment of sleep-onset insomnia merits further investigation. © Copyright 2016 Physicians Postgraduate Press, Inc.

Risk of Pneumonia with Inhaled Corticosteroid versus Long-Acting Bronchodilator Regimens in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease: A New-User Cohort Study

PubMed Central

DiSantostefano, Rachael L.; Sampson, Tim; Le, Hoa Van; Hinds, David; Davis, Kourtney J.; Bakerly, Nawar Diar

2014-01-01

Introduction Observational studies using case-control designs have showed an increased risk of pneumonia associated with inhaled corticosteroid (ICS)-containing medications in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). New-user observational cohort designs may minimize biases associated with previous case-control designs. Objective To estimate the association between ICS and pneumonia among new users of ICS relative to inhaled long-acting bronchodilator (LABD) monotherapy. Methods Pneumonia events in COPD patients ≥45 years old were compared among new users of ICS medications (n = 11,555; ICS, ICS/long-acting β2-agonist [LABA] combination) and inhaled LABD monotherapies (n = 6,492; LABA, long-acting muscarinic antagonists) using Cox proportional hazards models, with propensity scores to adjust for confounding. Setting: United Kingdom electronic medical records with linked hospitalization and mortality data (2002–2010). New users were censored at earliest of: pneumonia event, death, changing/discontinuing treatment, or end of follow-up. Outcomes: severe pneumonia (primary) and any pneumonia (secondary). Results Following adjustment, new use of ICS-containing medications was associated with an increased risk of pneumonia hospitalization (n = 322 events; HR = 1.55, 95% CI: 1.14, 2.10) and any pneumonia (n = 702 events; HR = 1.49, 95% CI: 1.22, 1.83). Crude incidence rates of any pneumonia were 48.7 and 30.9 per 1000 person years among the ICS-containing and LABD cohorts, respectively. Excess risk of pneumonia with ICS was reduced when requiring ≥1 month or ≥ 6 months of new use. There was an apparent dose-related effect, with greater risk at higher daily doses of ICS. There was evidence of channeling bias, with more severe patients prescribed ICS, for which the analysis may not have completely adjusted. Conclusions The results of this new-user cohort study are consistent with published findings; ICS were associated with a 20–50% increased risk of pneumonia in COPD, which reduced with exposure time. This risk must be weighed against the benefits when prescribing ICS to patients with COPD. PMID:24878543

Assessing the global reach and value of a provider-facing healthcare app using large-scale analytics.

PubMed

O'Reilly-Shah, Vikas; Easton, George; Gillespie, Scott

2017-01-01

The rapid global adoption of mobile health (mHealth) smartphone apps by healthcare providers presents challenges and opportunities in medicine. Challenges include ensuring the delivery of high-quality, up-to-date and optimised information. Opportunities include the ability to study global practice patterns, access to medical and surgical care and continuing medical education needs. We studied users of a free anaesthesia calculator app used worldwide. We combined traditional app analytics with in-app surveys to collect user demographics and feedback. 31 173 subjects participated. Users were from 206 countries and represented a spectrum of healthcare provider roles. Low-income country users had greater rates of app use (p<0.001) and ascribed greater importance of the app to their practice (p<0.001). Physicians from low-income countries were more likely to adopt the app (p<0.001). The app was used primarily for paediatric patients. The app was used around the clock, peaking during times typical for first start cases. This mHealth app is a valuable decision support tool for global healthcare providers, particularly those in more resource-limited settings and with less training. App adoption and use may provide a mechanism for measuring longitudinal changes in access to surgical care and engaging providers in resource-limited settings. In-app surveys and app analytics provide a window into healthcare provider behaviour at a breadth and level of detail previously impossible to achieve. Given the potentially immense value of crowdsourced information, healthcare providers should be encouraged to participate in these types of studies.

Assessing the global reach and value of a provider-facing healthcare app using large-scale analytics

PubMed Central

Easton, George; Gillespie, Scott

2017-01-01

Background The rapid global adoption of mobile health (mHealth) smartphone apps by healthcare providers presents challenges and opportunities in medicine. Challenges include ensuring the delivery of high-quality, up-to-date and optimised information. Opportunities include the ability to study global practice patterns, access to medical and surgical care and continuing medical education needs. Methods We studied users of a free anaesthesia calculator app used worldwide. We combined traditional app analytics with in-app surveys to collect user demographics and feedback. Results 31 173 subjects participated. Users were from 206 countries and represented a spectrum of healthcare provider roles. Low-income country users had greater rates of app use (p<0.001) and ascribed greater importance of the app to their practice (p<0.001). Physicians from low-income countries were more likely to adopt the app (p<0.001). The app was used primarily for paediatric patients. The app was used around the clock, peaking during times typical for first start cases. Conclusions This mHealth app is a valuable decision support tool for global healthcare providers, particularly those in more resource-limited settings and with less training. App adoption and use may provide a mechanism for measuring longitudinal changes in access to surgical care and engaging providers in resource-limited settings. In-app surveys and app analytics provide a window into healthcare provider behaviour at a breadth and level of detail previously impossible to achieve. Given the potentially immense value of crowdsourced information, healthcare providers should be encouraged to participate in these types of studies. PMID:29082007

Online Actions with Offline Impact: How Online Social Networks Influence Online and Offline User Behavior

PubMed Central

Althoff, Tim; Jindal, Pranav; Leskovec, Jure

2017-01-01

Many of today’s most widely used computing applications utilize social networking features and allow users to connect, follow each other, share content, and comment on others’ posts. However, despite the widespread adoption of these features, there is little understanding of the consequences that social networking has on user retention, engagement, and online as well as offline behavior. Here, we study how social networks influence user behavior in a physical activity tracking application. We analyze 791 million online and offline actions of 6 million users over the course of 5 years, and show that social networking leads to a significant increase in users’ online as well as offline activities. Specifically, we establish a causal effect of how social networks influence user behavior. We show that the creation of new social connections increases user online in-application activity by 30%, user retention by 17%, and user offline real-world physical activity by 7% (about 400 steps per day). By exploiting a natural experiment we distinguish the effect of social influence of new social connections from the simultaneous increase in user’s motivation to use the app and take more steps. We show that social influence accounts for 55% of the observed changes in user behavior, while the remaining 45% can be explained by the user’s increased motivation to use the app. Further, we show that subsequent, individual edge formations in the social network lead to significant increases in daily steps. These effects diminish with each additional edge and vary based on edge attributes and user demographics. Finally, we utilize these insights to develop a model that accurately predicts which users will be most influenced by the creation of new social network connections. PMID:28345078

Methodological challenges in assessment of current use of warfarin among patients with atrial fibrillation using dispensation data from administrative health care databases.

PubMed

Sinyavskaya, Liliya; Matteau, Alexis; Johnson, Sarasa; Durand, Madeleine

2018-06-05

Algorithms to define current exposure to warfarin using administrative data may be imprecise. Study objectives were to characterize dispensation patterns, to measure gaps between expected and observed refill dates for warfarin and direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs). Retrospective cohort study using administrative health care databases of the Régie de l'assurance-maladie du Québec. We identified every dispensation of warfarin, dabigatran, rivaroxaban, or apixaban for patients with AF initiating oral anticoagulants between 2010 and 2015. For each dispensation, we extracted date and duration. Refill gaps were calculated as difference between expected and observed dates of successive dispensation. Refill gaps were summarized using descriptive statistics. To account for repeated observations nested within patients and to assess the components of variance of refill gaps, we used unconditional multilevel linear models. We identified 61 516 new users. Majority were prescribed warfarin (60.3%), followed by rivaroxaban (16.4%), dabigatran (14.5%), apixaban (8.8%). Most frequent recorded duration of dispensation was 7 days, suggesting use of pharmacist-prepared weekly pillboxes. The average refill gap from multilevel model was higher for warfarin (9.28 days, 95%CI:8.97-9.59) compared with DOACs (apixaban 3.08 days, 95%CI: 2.96-3.20, dabigatran 3.70, 95%CI: 3.56-3.84, rivaroxaban 3.15, 95%CI: 3.03-3.27). The variance of refill gaps was greater among warfarin users than among DOAC users. Greater refill gaps for warfarin may reflect inadequate capture of the period covered by the number of dispensed pills recorded in administrative data. A time-dependent definition of exposure using dispensation data would lead to greater misclassification of warfarin than DOACs use. Copyright © 2018 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Exploratory Validation of a Multidimensional Power Wheelchair Outcomes Toolkit.

PubMed

Mortenson, W Ben; Demers, Louise; Rushton, Paula W; Auger, Claudine; Routhier, Francois; Miller, William C

2015-12-01

To evaluate the relation among the measures in a power wheelchair outcomes toolkit. We performed path analysis of cross-sectional data from self-report questionnaires and 1 objective measure. Six sites. A convenience sample of power wheelchair users (N=128). Most (n=69; 53.9%) participants were women. Multiple sclerosis and spinal cord injury/disease were the most common diagnoses. Not applicable. The power wheelchair version of the Wheelchair Skills Test version 4.1 was used to carry out an objective evaluation of capacity to perform 32 wheelchair skills. The Late-Life Disability Index measured frequency of participation in 16 life activities. The Life-Space Assessment measured independence, extent, and frequency of mobility. The Assistive Technology Outcomes Profile for Mobility was used to assess perceived difficulty performing activity and participation using assistive technology. The Wheelchair Use Confidence Scale for powered wheelchair users captured users' self-efficacy with wheelchair use. Wheelchair confidence was independently associated with less difficulty with activity (β=.028, P=.002) and participation (β=.225, P<.001), increased life space (β=.095, P<.003), and greater wheelchair skills (β=.30, P<.001). Less perceived difficulty with activity was independently associated with increased frequency of participation (β=.55, P<.001). Life-space mobility was independently associated with increased frequency of participation (β=.167, P<.001). Less difficulty with participation was independently associated with greater life-space mobility (β=.59, P<.001) and greater frequency of participation (β=.13, P<.001). This study provides empirical support for the measures included as part of the power wheelchair outcomes toolkit. They appear to provide complementary information on a variety of constructs related to power wheelchair use. Copyright © 2015 American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Factors associated with severe impact of lipodystrophy on the quality of life of patients infected with HIV-1.

PubMed

Blanch, Jordi; Rousaud, Araceli; Martinez, Esteban; De Lazzari, Elisa; Milinkovic, Ana; Peri, Josep-Maria; Blanco, José-Luis; Jaen, Jesús; Navarro, Victor; Massana, Guillem; Gatell, Josep-Maria

2004-05-15

A standardized questionnaire was used to assess the impact of lipodystrophy (LD) on quality of life (QoL). Eighty-four consecutive asymptomatic human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1)-infected outpatients with clinical LD completed a modified version of the Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI) survey to measure the impact of body fat changes on their QoL. Body changes influenced dressing for 55 patients (65%), produced feelings of shame for 41 (49%), and disrupted sexual life for 23 (27%). There was a greater impact on the DLQI due to body changes among women, injection drug users, patients with abdominal or breast lipoaccumulation, and patients with a high number of non-LD side effects. Multivariate proportional odds model analysis showed that the severity of non-LD-associated side effects and the presence of breast lipoaccumulation were associated with impaired psychosocial functioning. Specific characteristics of patients, antiretroviral-based side effects, and breast lipoaccumulation exert a greater impact on QoL in HIV-1-infected patients with LD.

Light Pipe Energy Savings Calculator

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Owens, Erin; Behringer, Ernest R.

2009-04-01

Dependence on fossil fuels is unsustainable and therefore a shift to renewable energy sources such as sunlight is required. Light pipes provide a way to utilize sunlight for interior lighting, and can reduce the need for fossil fuel-generated electrical energy. Because consumers considering light pipe installation may be more strongly motivated by cost considerations than by sustainability arguments, an easy means to examine the corresponding costs and benefits is needed to facilitate informed decision-making. The purpose of this American Physical Society Physics and Society Fellowship project is to create a Web-based calculator to allow users to quantify the possible cost savings for their specific light pipe application. Initial calculations show that the illumination provided by light pipes can replace electric light use during the day, and in many cases can supply greater illumination levels than those typically given by electric lighting. While the installation cost of a light pipe is significantly greater than the avoided cost of electricity over the lifetime of the light pipe at current prices, savings may be realized if electricity prices increase.

When in doubt, ask the audience: potential users' perceptions of Internet-delivered cognitive behavioural therapy for chronic pain.

PubMed

Schneider, Luke H; Hadjistavropoulos, Heather D

2014-01-01

Although research has demonstrated that Internet-delivered cognitive behavioural therapy (ICBT) for chronic pain helps with adjustment to pain, it remains unclear how this treatment option would initially be perceived by individuals with chronic pain. To explore initial perceptions of ICBT and to examine variables that correlate with an expressed interest in ICBT as a treatment option among individuals with chronic pain. A total of 129 individuals with chronic pain completed a survey assessing perceptions of ICBT and individual difference variables that could be correlated with expressed interest in ICBT (eg, demographic characteristics, pain, computer self-efficacy). Results showed that most participants perceived ICBT as a potentially valuable service with multiple benefits. Being female, having greater pain severity and interference, and having greater computer self-efficacy and lower computer anxiety were positively correlated with interest in receiving ICBT. Combined with previous research on treatment efficacy of ICBT for chronic pain, the results should serve to stimulate further research on integrating ICBT within existing health care services.

The impact of physical navigation on spatial organization for sensemaking.

PubMed

Andrews, Christopher; North, Chris

2013-12-01

Spatial organization has been proposed as a compelling approach to externalizing the sensemaking process. However, there are two ways in which space can be provided to the user: by creating a physical workspace that the user can interact with directly, such as can be provided by a large, high-resolution display, or through the use of a virtual workspace that the user navigates using virtual navigation techniques such as zoom and pan. In this study we explicitly examined the use of spatial sensemaking techniques within these two environments. The results demonstrate that these two approaches to providing sensemaking space are not equivalent, and that the greater embodiment afforded by the physical workspace changes how the space is perceived and used, leading to increased externalization of the sensemaking process.

Attenuated Neural Processing of Risk in Young Adults at Risk for Stimulant Dependence

PubMed Central

Reske, Martina; Stewart, Jennifer L.; Flagan, Taru M.; Paulus, Martin P.

2015-01-01

Objective Approximately 10% of young adults report non-medical use of stimulants (cocaine, amphetamine, methylphenidate), which puts them at risk for the development of dependence. This fMRI study investigates whether subjects at early stages of stimulant use show altered decision making processing. Methods 158 occasional stimulants users (OSU) and 50 comparison subjects (CS) performed a “risky gains” decision making task during which they could select safe options (cash in 20 cents) or gamble them for double or nothing in two consecutive gambles (win or lose 40 or 80 cents, “risky decisions”). The primary analysis focused on risky versus safe decisions. Three secondary analyses were conducted: First, a robust regression examined the effect of lifetime exposure to stimulants and marijuana; second, subgroups of OSU with >1000 (n = 42), or <50 lifetime marijuana uses (n = 32), were compared to CS with <50 lifetime uses (n = 46) to examine potential marijuana effects; third, brain activation associated with behavioral adjustment following monetary losses was probed. Results There were no behavioral differences between groups. OSU showed attenuated activation across risky and safe decisions in prefrontal cortex, insula, and dorsal striatum, exhibited lower anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) and dorsal striatum activation for risky decisions and greater inferior frontal gyrus activation for safe decisions. Those OSU with relatively more stimulant use showed greater dorsal ACC and posterior insula attenuation. In comparison, greater lifetime marijuana use was associated with less neural differentiation between risky and safe decisions. OSU who chose more safe responses after losses exhibited similarities with CS relative to those preferring risky options. Discussion Individuals at risk for the development of stimulant use disorders presented less differentiated neural processing of risky and safe options. Specifically, OSU show attenuated brain response in regions critical for performance monitoring, reward processing and interoceptive awareness. Marijuana had additive effects by diminishing neural risk differentiation. PMID:26076493

Cannabis use in early psychosis is associated with reduced glutamate levels in the prefrontal cortex.

PubMed

Rigucci, Silvia; Xin, Lijing; Klauser, Paul; Baumann, Philipp S; Alameda, Luis; Cleusix, Martine; Jenni, Raoul; Ferrari, Carina; Pompili, Maurizio; Gruetter, Rolf; Do, Kim Q; Conus, Philippe

2018-01-01

Recent studies have shown that cannabis may disrupt glutamate (Glu) signaling depressing Glu tone in frequent users. Current evidence have also consistently reported lower Glu-levels in various brain regions, particularly in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) of chronic schizophrenia patients, while findings in early psychosis (EP) are not conclusive. Since cannabis may alter Glu synaptic plasticity and its use is a known risk factor for psychosis, studies focusing on Glu signaling in EP with or without a concomitant cannabis-usage seem crucial. We investigate the effect of cannabis use on prefrontal Glu-levels in EP users vs. both EP non-users and healthy controls (HC). Magnetic resonance spectroscopy was used to measure [Glu mPFC ] of 35 EP subjects (18 of whom were cannabis users) and 33 HC. For correlative analysis, neuropsychological performances were scored by the MATRICS-consensus cognitive battery. [Glu mPFC ] was lower in EP users comparing to both HC and EP non-users (p < 0.001 and p = 0.01, respectively), while no differences were observed between EP non-users and HC. A greater [Glu mPFC ]-decline with age was observed in EP users (r = -.46; p = 0.04), but not in EP non-users or HC. Among neuropsychological outcomes, working memory was the only domain that differentiates patients depending on their cannabis use, with users having poorer performances. Cannabis use is associated with reduced prefrontal [Glu mPFC ] and with a stronger Glu-levels decline with age. Glutamatergic abnormalities might influence the cognitive impairment observed in users and have some relevance for the progression of the disease.

Perceptions of the Harm and Addictiveness of Conventional Cigarette Smoking Among Adolescent E-Cigarette Users.

PubMed

Owotomo, Olusegun; Maslowsky, Julie; Loukas, Alexandra

2018-01-01

Although existing evidence indicates that e-cigarette use is a risk factor for cigarette smoking initiation, mechanisms of this association are not yet known. E-cigarette users perceive e-cigarette use to be less harmful relative to conventional cigarettes, but their absolute perceptions of addictiveness of conventional cigarette smoking are unknown. This study examines how e-cigarette users compare with nonusers (non-e-cigarette users/nonconventional cigarette smokers), conventional cigarette smokers, and dual users on perceptions of harm and the addictiveness of conventional cigarette smoking and on other known predictors of cigarette smoking such as peer smoking, influence of antismoking ads, and risk-taking propensity. National samples of 8th- and 10th-grade students from 2014 and 2015 (N = 14,151) were obtained from the Monitoring the Future Study. Multivariate logistic regression models were used to examine relationships between adolescent smoking status and perceptions of harm and the addictiveness of conventional cigarette smoking while controlling for potential confounders. E-cigarette users had lower perceptions of the addictiveness of conventional cigarette smoking compared with nonusers but higher than cigarette smokers and dual users. E-cigarette users reported lower influence by antismoking ads, more conventional cigarette-smoking peers, and greater risk-taking propensity than nonusers. E-cigarette users and cigarette smokers did not differ in their perceived harm of conventional cigarette smoking or in their risk-taking propensity. E-cigarette users' attitudes and perceptions regarding conventional cigarette smoking may leave them vulnerable to becoming conventional cigarette smokers. Future studies should explore the prospective relationship between smoking-related perceptions of conventional cigarette smoking among e-cigarette users and the onset of cigarette smoking. Copyright © 2017 The Society for Adolescent Health and Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Increased cortisol levels in hair of recent Ecstasy/MDMA users.

PubMed

Parrott, A C; Sands, H R; Jones, L; Clow, A; Evans, P; Downey, L A; Stalder, T

2014-03-01

Previous research has revealed an acute 8-fold increase in salivary cortisol following self-administrated Ecstasy/MDMA in dance clubbers. It is currently not known to what extent repeated usage impacts upon activity of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis over a more prolonged period of time. This study investigated the integrated cortisol levels in 3-month hair samples from recent Ecstasy/MDMA users and non-user controls. One hundred and one unpaid participants (53 males, 48 females; mean age 21.75 years) completed the University of East London recreational drug use questionnaire, modified to cover the past 3-months of usage. They comprised 32 light recent Ecstasy/MDMA users (1-4 times in last 3 months), 23 recent heavy MDMA users (+5 times in last 3 months), and 54 non-user controls. Volunteers provided 3 cm hair samples for cortisol analysis. Hair cortisol levels were observed to be significantly higher in recent heavy MDMA users (mean = 55.0 ± 80.1 pg/mg), compared to recent light MDMA users (19.4 ± 16.0 pg/mg; p=0.015), and to non-users (13.8 ± 6.1 pg/mg; p<0.001). Hence the regular use of Ecstasy/MDMA was associated with almost 4-fold raised hair cortisol levels, in comparison with non-user controls. The present results are consistent with the bio-energetic stress model for Ecstasy/MDMA, which predicts that repeated stimulant drug use may increase cortisol production acutely, and result in greater deposits of the hormone in hair. These data may also help explain the neurocognitive, psychiatric, and other psychobiological problems of some abstinent users. Future study design and directions for research concerning the psychoneuroendocrinological impact of MDMA are also discussed. © 2013 Published by Elsevier B.V. and ECNP.

Factors influencing the use of a Web-based application for supporting the self-care of patients with type 2 diabetes: a longitudinal study.

PubMed

Nijland, Nicol; van Gemert-Pijnen, Julia E W C; Kelders, Saskia M; Brandenburg, Bart J; Seydel, Erwin R

2011-09-30

The take-up of eHealth applications in general is still rather low and user attrition is often high. Only limited information is available about the use of eHealth technologies among specific patient groups. The aim of this study was to explore the factors that influence the initial and long-term use of a Web-based application (DiabetesCoach) for supporting the self-care of patients with type 2 diabetes. A mixed-methods research design was used for a process analysis of the actual usage of the Web application over a 2-year period and to identify user profiles. Research instruments included log files, interviews, usability tests, and a survey. The DiabetesCoach was predominantly used for interactive features like online monitoring, personal data, and patient-nurse email contact. It was the continuous, personal feedback that particularly appealed to the patients; they felt more closely monitored by their nurse and encouraged to play a more active role in self-managing their disease. Despite the positive outcomes, usage of the Web application was hindered by low enrollment and nonusage attrition. The main barrier to enrollment had to do with a lack of access to the Internet (146/226, 65%). Although 68% (34/50) of the enrollees were continuous users, of whom 32% (16/50) could be defined as hardcore users (highly active), the remaining 32% (16/50) did not continue using the Web application for the full duration of the study period. Barriers to long-term use were primarily due to poor user-friendliness of the Web application (the absence of "push" factors or reminders) and selection of the "wrong" users; the well-regulated patients were not the ones who could benefit the most from system use because of a ceiling effect. Patients with a greater need for care seemed to be more engaged in long-term use; highly active users were significantly more often medication users than low/inactive users (P = .005) and had a longer diabetes duration (P = .03). Innovations in health care will diffuse more rapidly when technology is employed that is simple to use and has applicable components for interactivity. This would foresee the patients' need for continuous and personalized feedback, in particular for patients with a greater need for care. From this study several factors appear to influence increased use of eHealth technologies: (1) avoiding selective enrollment, (2) making use of participatory design methods, and (3) developing push factors for persistence. Further research should focus on the causal relationship between using the system's features and actual usage, as such a view would provide important evidence on how specific technology features can engage and captivate users.

Twitter Influenza Surveillance: Quantifying Seasonal Misdiagnosis Patterns and their Impact on Surveillance Estimates.

PubMed

Mowery, Jared

2016-01-01

Influenza (flu) surveillance using Twitter data can potentially save lives and increase efficiency by providing governments and healthcare organizations with greater situational awareness. However, research is needed to determine the impact of Twitter users' misdiagnoses on surveillance estimates. This study establishes the importance of Twitter users' misdiagnoses by showing that Twitter flu surveillance in the United States failed during the 2011-2012 flu season, estimates the extent of misdiagnoses, and tests several methods for reducing the adverse effects of misdiagnoses. Metrics representing flu prevalence, seasonal misdiagnosis patterns, diagnosis uncertainty, flu symptoms, and noise were produced using Twitter data in conjunction with OpenSextant for geo-inferencing, and a maximum entropy classifier for identifying tweets related to illness. These metrics were tested for correlations with World Health Organization (WHO) positive specimen counts of flu from 2011 to 2014. Twitter flu surveillance erroneously indicated a typical flu season during 2011-2012, even though the flu season peaked three months late, and erroneously indicated plateaus of flu tweets before the 2012-2013 and 2013-2014 flu seasons. Enhancements based on estimates of misdiagnoses removed the erroneous plateaus and increased the Pearson correlation coefficients by .04 and .23, but failed to correct the 2011-2012 flu season estimate. A rough estimate indicates that approximately 40% of flu tweets reflected misdiagnoses. Further research into factors affecting Twitter users' misdiagnoses, in conjunction with data from additional atypical flu seasons, is needed to enable Twitter flu surveillance systems to produce reliable estimates during atypical flu seasons.

Measuring Individual Differences in the Perfect Automation Schema.

PubMed

Merritt, Stephanie M; Unnerstall, Jennifer L; Lee, Deborah; Huber, Kelli

2015-08-01

A self-report measure of the perfect automation schema (PAS) is developed and tested. Researchers have hypothesized that the extent to which users possess a PAS is associated with greater decreases in trust after users encounter automation errors. However, no measure of the PAS currently exists. We developed a self-report measure assessing two proposed PAS factors: high expectations and all-or-none thinking about automation performance. In two studies, participants responded to our PAS measure, interacted with imperfect automated aids, and reported trust. Each of the two PAS measure factors demonstrated fit to the hypothesized factor structure and convergent and discriminant validity when compared with propensity to trust machines and trust in a specific aid. However, the high expectations and all-or-none thinking scales showed low intercorrelations and differential relationships with outcomes, suggesting that they might best be considered two separate constructs rather than two subfactors of the PAS. All-or-none thinking had significant associations with decreases in trust following aid errors, whereas high expectations did not. Results therefore suggest that the all-or-none thinking scale may best represent the PAS construct. Our PAS measure (specifically, the all-or-none thinking scale) significantly predicted the severe trust decreases thought to be associated with high PAS. Further, it demonstrated acceptable psychometric properties across two samples. This measure may be used in future work to assess levels of PAS in users of automated systems in either research or applied settings. © 2015, Human Factors and Ergonomics Society.

Method To Display Data On A Face Mask

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Moore, Kevin-Duron

1995-01-01

Proposed electronic instrument displays information on diver's or firefighter's face mask. Includes mask, prism, electronic readouts, transceiver and control electronics. Mounted at periphery of diver's field of view to provide data on elapsed time, depth, pressure, and temperature. Provides greater safety and convenience to user.

Methodology to evaluate the performance of simulation models for alternative compiler and operating system configurations

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Simulation modelers increasingly require greater flexibility for model implementation on diverse operating systems, and they demand high computational speed for efficient iterative simulations. Additionally, model users may differ in preference for proprietary versus open-source software environment...

Crisis engagement in mental health: a New Zealand Māori contribution.

PubMed

Drury, Nick; Munro, Te Ata

2008-10-01

The active engagement of clients in mental health services offers far greater chances of successful outcomes. When clients do not actively engage in treatment, their risk of becoming part of the population of 'high users' is greater. The 'high users' consume a disproportionate share of health resources, which may prevent other potential clients from accessing services. Engagement can be particularly challenging in crisis situations, which is how many clients attracting psychotic diagnoses first enter the service. New Zealand Māori bring a transcendent quality to the idea of 'respect for Other', which would make it sacrilegious to overpower Other in most situations. This paper reviews a growing body of literature indicating how we might integrate an enhanced respect or reverence of Other into clinical practice. This includes the idea of engaging more frequently with the social network when building rapport with an individual is particularly challenging. There is some evidence that services adopting this kind of approach are more economical.

Technologies for physical activity self-monitoring: a study of differences between users and non-users

PubMed Central

Åkerberg, Anna; Söderlund, Anne; Lindén, Maria

2017-01-01

Background Different kinds of physical activity (PA) self-monitoring technologies are used today to monitor and motivate PA behavior change. The user focus is essential in the development process of this technology, including potential future users such as representatives from the group of non-users. There is also a need to study whether there are differences between the groups of users and non-users. The aims of this study were to investigate possible differences between users and non-users regarding their opinions about PA self-monitoring technologies and to investigate differences in demographic variables between the groups. Materials and methods Participants were randomly selected from seven municipalities in central Sweden. In total, 107 adults responded to the Physical Activity Products Questionnaire, which consisted of 22 questions. Results Significant differences between the users and non-users were shown for six of the 20 measurement-related items: measures accurately (p=0.007), measures with high precision (p=0.024), measures distance (p=0.020), measures speed (p=0.003), shows minutes of activity (p=0.004), and shows geographical position (p=0.000). Significant differences between the users and non-users were also found for two of the 29 encouragement items: measures accurately (p=0.001) and has long-term memory (p=0.019). Significant differences between the groups were also shown for level of education (p=0.030) and level of physical exercise (p=0.037). Conclusion With a few exceptions, the users and the non-users in this study had similar opinions about PA self-monitoring technologies. Because this study showed significant differences regarding level of education and level of physical exercise, these demographic variables seemed more relevant to investigate than differences in opinions about the PA self-monitoring technologies. PMID:28280399

Accessibility of sports facilities for persons with reduced mobility and assessment of their motivation for practice.

PubMed

Sá, Maria Manuel; Azevedo, Rui; Martins, Maria Cristina; Machado, Osvaldo; Tavares, João

2012-01-01

This study aims to create awareness, both within the scientific community and among providers of sports facilities, for individuals with impaired or reduced mobility, promoting the development of technical solutions that allow greater autonomy and social integration of people with disabilities. The purpose of this work is, on the one hand, to evaluate the accessibility of sports facilities for people with reduced mobility and, on the other hand, to investigate why this user group has such low rates of participation in sporting activities. Firstly, using the Portuguese norms and legislation transcribed from European Community directives, a check list was created comprising all the items that sports facilities should abide by in order to provide accessibility and safety to people with reduced mobility. Another questionnaire was designed aimed at this user group, with questions pertaining to their desire and ability to use sports facilities. This questionnaire was distributed in Portugal, in the greater metropolitan area of Porto, to users of Rehabilitation Centres and Physiotherapy Clinics. The results obtained from the check-list showed the compliances and non-compliances of the respective sports facilities, proving that many barriers preventing the participation of people with reduced mobility still exist. Twenty-four people with permanent impairment of the lower extremities (paraplegia) answered the questionnaire pertaining to the desire and ability to perform physical activity. Two individuals (8%) had sporting activities available to them in their area of residence and only five (21%) performed any physical activity. The main reason given for not taking part in any activity was the lack of adapted sports facilities. All the participants felt that taking part in sports is beneficial. The benefits stated were: general well-being and development of the psychomotor component (e.g. coordination, balance, body posture), of physical condition (e.g. strength, resistance, flexibility) and social integration and quality of life. Besides wellbeing, they also mentioned social interaction, a way of occupying their time and an escape from the routine as the main motives for which they would like to take up physical exercise.

Exploring the Use of Individualized, Reflective Guidance In an Educational Multi-User Virtual Environment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nelson, Brian C.

2007-02-01

This study examines the patterns of use and potential impact of individualized, reflective guidance in an educational Multi-User Virtual Environment (MUVE). A guidance system embedded within a MUVE-based scientific inquiry curriculum was implemented with a sample of middle school students in an exploratory study investigating (a) whether access to the guidance system was associated with improved learning, (b) whether students viewing more guidance messages saw greater improvement on content tests than those viewing less, and (c) whether there were any differences in guidance use among boys and girls. Initial experimental findings showed that basic access to individualized guidance used with a MUVE had no measurable impact on learning. However, post-hoc exploratory analyses indicated that increased use of the system among those with access to it was positively associated with content test score gains. In addition, differences were found in overall learning outcomes by gender and in patterns of guidance use by boys and girls, with girls outperforming boys across a spectrum of guidance system use. Based on these exploratory findings, the paper suggests design guidelines for the development of guidance systems embedded in MUVEs and outlines directions for further research.

The effect of short-term auditory deprivation on the control of intraoral pressure in pediatric cochlear implant users.

PubMed

Jones, David L; Gao, Sujuan; Svirsky, Mario A

2003-06-01

The purpose of this study was to determine whether 2 speech measures (peak intraoral air pressure [IOP] and IOP duration) obtained during the production of intervocalic stops would be altered as a function of the presence or absence of auditory stimulation provided by a cochlear implant (CI). Five pediatric CI users were required to produce repetitions of the words puppy and baby with their CIs turned on. The CIs were then turned off for 1 hr, at which time the speech sample was repeated with the CI still turned off. Seven children with normal hearing formed a comparison group. They were also tested twice, with a 1-hr intermediate interval. IOP and IOP duration were measured for the medial consonant in both auditory conditions. The results show that auditory condition affected peak IOP more so than IOP duration. Peak IOP was greater for /p/ than /b/ with the CI off, but some participants reduced or reversed this contrast when the CI was on. The findings suggest that different speakers with CIs may use different speech production strategies as they learn to use the auditory signal for speech.

Generation and Characterization of HIV-1 Transmitted and Founder Virus Consensus Sequence from Intravenous Drug Users in Xinjiang, China.

PubMed

Li, Fan; Ma, Liying; Feng, Yi; Hu, Jing; Ni, Na; Ruan, Yuhua; Shao, Yiming

2017-06-01

HIV-1 transmission in intravenous drug users (IDUs) has been characterized by high genetic multiplicity and suggests a greater challenge for HIV-1 infection blocking. We investigated a total of 749 sequences of full-length gp160 gene obtained by single genome sequencing (SGS) from 22 HIV-1 early infected IDUs in Xinjiang province, northwest China, and generated a transmitted and founder virus (T/F virus) consensus sequence (IDU.CON). The T/F virus was classified as subtype CRF07_BC and predicted to be CCR5-tropic virus. The variable region (V1, V2, and V4 loop) of IDU.CON showed length variation compared with the heterosexual T/F virus consensus sequence (HSX.CON) and homosexual T/F virus consensus sequence (MSM.CON). A total of 26 N-linked glycosylation sites were discovered in the IDU.CON sequence, which is less than that of MSM.CON and HSX.CON. Characterization of T/F virus from IDUs highlights the genetic make-up and complexity of virus near the moment of transmission or in early infection preceding systemic dissemination and is important toward the development of an effective HIV-1 preventive methods, including vaccines.

Characteristics of inmates receiving prescribed benzodiazepines in a high-security Greek prison.

PubMed

Lekka, Nicoletta P; Paschalis, Christos; Papadourakis, Antonios; Beratis, Stavroula

2003-01-01

The aim of the current study was to investigate the characteristics of Greek inmates that were taking regularly benzodiazepines (BZDs) at therapeutic doses, in the high-security prison of Patras, Greece. Three hundred eighty-four prisoners were included in the study. BZD users (BUs, n = 192), compared with non-BZD users (NBUs, n = 192), were significantly more often unemployed before imprisonment; were significantly more often single, divorced, or widowed; were significantly more often on remand; were taking in significantly greater proportions antidepressant and antipsychotic medications; had significantly more often a history of psychiatric hospitalization; and had significantly more often a history of illicit intravenous (IV) drug use. BUs were significantly more often positive on serum antibodies to hepatitis C (anti-HCV), and scored significantly higher on Hamilton's Rating Scale for Anxiety (HAM-A) and Zung's Self-Rating Depression Scale (SDS). Multivariable logistic regression analysis showed that the history of psychiatric hospitalization, history of illicit drug use, history of unemployment, symptoms of anxiety, and anti-HCV positivity were independently associated with BZD use in this prison. Medical and psychiatric interventions focusing on anxiety problems, depression, drug addiction, and HCV in this group of BUs are warranted.

STITCHER 2.0: primer design for overlapping PCR applications.

PubMed

O'Halloran, Damien M; Uriagereka-Herburger, Isabel; Bode, Katrin

2017-03-30

Overlapping polymerase chain reaction (PCR) is a common technique used by researchers in very diverse fields that enables the user to 'stitch' individual pieces of DNA together. Previously, we have reported a web based tool called STITCHER that provides a platform for researchers to automate the design of primers for overlapping PCR applications. Here we present STITCHER 2.0, which represents a substantial update to STITCHER. STITCHER 2.0 is a newly designed web tool that automates the design of primers for overlapping PCR. Unlike STITCHER, STITCHER 2.0 considers diverse algorithmic parameters, and returns multiple result files that include a facility for the user to draw their own primers as well as comprehensive visual guides to the user's input, output, and designed primers. These result files provide greater control and insight during experimental design and troubleshooting. STITCHER 2.0 is freely available to all users without signup or login requirements and can be accessed at the following webpage: www.ohalloranlab.net/STITCHER2.html.

Mini-beam collimator applications at the Advanced Photon Source

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xu, Shenglan; Keefe, Lisa J.; Mulichak, Anne; Yan, Lifen; Alp, Ercan E.; Zhao, Jiyong; Fischetti, Robert F.

2011-09-01

In 2007, the General Medicine and Cancer Institutes Collaborative Access Team (GM/CA CAT, Sector 23, Advanced Photon Source) began providing mini-beam collimators to its users. These collimators contained individual, 5- or 10-μm pinholes and were rapidly exchangeable, thereby allowing users to tailor the beam size to their experimental needs. The use of these collimators provided a reduction in background noise, and thus improved the signal-to-noise ratio [1,2]. Recent improvements in the collimator design include construction of the device from a monolithic piece of molybdenum with multiple pinholes mounted inside [3]. This allows users to select from various size options from within the beamline control software without the realignment that was previously necessary. In addition, a new, 20-μm pinhole has been added to create a "quad-collimator", resulting in greater flexibility for the users. The mini-beam collimator is now available at multiple crystallographic beamlines and also is a part of the first Mössbauer Microscopic system at sector 3-ID.

A National Study of Social Media, Television, Radio, and Internet Usage of Adults by Sexual Orientation and Smoking Status: Implications for Campaign Design

PubMed Central

Seidenberg, Andrew B.; Jo, Catherine L.; Ribisl, Kurt M.; Lee, Joseph G. L.; Buchting, Francisco O.; Kim, Yoonsang; Emery, Sherry L.

2017-01-01

Background: Smoking rates among lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) people significantly exceed that of heterosexuals. Media interventions are an important part of tobacco control efforts, but limited information is available on LGB people’s media use. Methods: A nationally representative sample of 12,900 U.S. adults completed an online questionnaire assessing media use, smoking status, and demographic information. Multivariable logistic regression was used to assess relationships between media use with sexual orientation and smoking status. Results: A total of 590 (4.6%) respondents identified as LGB, of which 29% were smokers. Regardless of sexual orientation and smoking status, the Internet was the most popular media channel used, followed by television and radio. LGB respondents had significantly greater odds of having accounts on social media websites, accessing Facebook daily, and being a frequent Internet user, compared to heterosexual respondents. Similar media use was found between smokers and non-smokers, but smokers had greater odds of being frequent television viewers and frequent Internet users, compared to non-smokers. Conclusions: Compared to heterosexuals, LGB respondents reported greater use of the Internet, especially social media. Media campaigns targeting LGB populations can maximize reach by utilizing social media alongside traditional media channels. PMID:28430161

A National Study of Social Media, Television, Radio, and Internet Usage of Adults by Sexual Orientation and Smoking Status: Implications for Campaign Design.

PubMed

Seidenberg, Andrew B; Jo, Catherine L; Ribisl, Kurt M; Lee, Joseph G L; Buchting, Francisco O; Kim, Yoonsang; Emery, Sherry L

2017-04-21

Background : Smoking rates among lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) people significantly exceed that of heterosexuals. Media interventions are an important part of tobacco control efforts, but limited information is available on LGB people's media use. Methods : A nationally representative sample of 12,900 U.S. adults completed an online questionnaire assessing media use, smoking status, and demographic information. Multivariable logistic regression was used to assess relationships between media use with sexual orientation and smoking status. Results : A total of 590 (4.6%) respondents identified as LGB, of which 29% were smokers. Regardless of sexual orientation and smoking status, the Internet was the most popular media channel used, followed by television and radio. LGB respondents had significantly greater odds of having accounts on social media websites, accessing Facebook daily, and being a frequent Internet user, compared to heterosexual respondents. Similar media use was found between smokers and non-smokers, but smokers had greater odds of being frequent television viewers and frequent Internet users, compared to non-smokers. Conclusions : Compared to heterosexuals, LGB respondents reported greater use of the Internet, especially social media. Media campaigns targeting LGB populations can maximize reach by utilizing social media alongside traditional media channels.

Associations Between Availability and Coverage of HIV-Prevention Measures and Subsequent Incidence of Diagnosed HIV Infection Among Injection Drug Users

PubMed Central

Likatavičius, Giedrius; Klempová, Danica; Hedrich, Dagmar; Nardone, Anthony; Griffiths, Paul

2009-01-01

HIV-prevention measures specific to injection drug users (IDUs), such as opioid substitution treatment and needle-and-syringe programs, are not provided in many countries where injection drug use is endemic. We describe the incidence of diagnosed HIV infection in IDUs and the availability and coverage of opioid substitution and needle-and-syringe programs in the European Union and 5 middle- and high-income countries. Countries with greater provision of both prevention measures in 2000 to 2004 had lower incidence of diagnosed HIV infection in 2005 and 2006. PMID:19372511

The effects of perceived parenting style on the propensity for illicit drug use: the importance of parental warmth and control.

PubMed

Montgomery, Catharine; Fisk, John E; Craig, Laura

2008-11-01

Research in adolescents has shown that parental warmth and control are important factors in drug use. The present study focused upon investigating perceived parental warmth and control in a sample of post-adolescent ecstasy/polydrug users, and investigating their relationship to severity of drug use. A total of 128 (65 male) ecstasy/polydrug users, 51 (17 male), cannabis-only users and 54 (13 male) non-users were recruited from a university population. All participants completed the parenting styles and drug use questionnaires. Compared to non-users, a greater proportion of ecstasy/polydrug users characterised their parents' style as neglectful. The modal style endorsed by non-users was authoritative. Those who rated their parents' style as authoritative had significantly lower lifetime consumption and average dose of ecstasy relative to those describing their parents as neglectful. Again, relative to those describing their parents as neglectful, participants from authoritarian backgrounds had significantly smaller lifetime consumption of ecstasy and cocaine and significantly smaller average doses of cannabis, ecstasy and cocaine. Contrary to expectation, there was no significant association between perceived parental warmth and the severity of ecstasy use. The present study is, to our knowledge, the first to quantify drug use, and relate it to perceived parental practices in a post-adolescent sample of ecstasy/polydrug users. The results provide further support for the relationship between perceived parental control and drug use.

The varieties of ecstatic experience: an exploration of the subjective experiences of ecstasy.

PubMed

Sumnall, Harry R; Cole, Jon C; Jerome, Lisa

2006-09-01

Previous investigations of the subjective effects of MDMA (material sold as ecstasy) have conducted interviews and surveys of various groups of ecstasy users within particular sub-populations. This study examined subjective drug effects reported by different sub-populations of ecstasy users and explored whether the function or purpose served by using ecstasy influenced the nature of the drug experience. Drawing on previous measures of alterations in consciousness, psychedelic drugs and cannabis, and informal interviews with ecstasy users and MDMA researchers, a 130-item survey assessing subjective effects of ecstasy/MDMA was developed. Principal components analysis of responses of ecstasy users revealed six components; perceptual alterations, entactogenic effects, prosocial effects, aesthetic effects, negative effects and sexual effects. The derived scale was used to predict ecstasy use behaviours, and functions and experiences of use. A variety of component scores were related to ecstasy use parameters; in particular, heavier users expected fewer negative, perceptual and aesthetic effects from taking the drug. The reasons given for using ecstasy (use function) also influenced reported drug effects. Abstainers expected greater negative, perceptual, aesthetic and sexual effects than users. These data indicate that the subjective ecstasy experience is influenced by a variety of extra-psychopharmacological factors. Drug intervention strategies may be made more effective by targeting particular user groups defined by reasons given for substance use, as it is likely that their experiences of ecstasy effects will differ. Future research into ecstasy may be improved by recognizing user diversity.

Personality Traits, Motivations, and Emotional Consequences of Social Media Usage.

PubMed

Lin, Jhih-Syuan; Lee, Yen-I; Jin, Yan; Gilbreath, Bob

2017-10-01

This study explores social media users' personality traits and motivations for the usage of two different social media platforms, Facebook and Pinterest, as well as how the varied uses impact users' negative emotional experiences. The findings suggest that the intensity of social media usage is positively related to negative emotions. For Facebook users, socialization, entertainment, and information seeking motivations significantly influence their platform use intensity and, subsequently, lead to negative emotions. Self-status seeking also has a direct effect on Facebook users' negative emotions. For Pinterest users, socialization is not a significant motivation for usage of that platform. However, entertainment, information seeking, and self-status seeking significantly predict their platform use intensity, which subsequently lead to negative emotions. Similarly, all four motivations for Facebook and Pinterest uses are influenced by users' personality traits: extraversion and openness. Yet, openness has a greater impact on using Pinterest than Facebook in terms of fulfilling socialization needs. Neuroticism has a positive impact on socialization and information seeking motives for use of both platforms, while conscientiousness and agreeableness have a negative influence on fulfilling self-status seeking needs. In addition, agreeable social networking site users are less likely to use Facebook than Pinterest for fulfilling self-status related gratifications, while they are likely to use Pinterest instead of Facebook for entertainment and information needs. Implications of the findings and suggestions for future research are discussed.

Users, uses, and value of Landsat satellite imagery: results from the 2012 survey of users

USGS Publications Warehouse

Miller, Holly M.; Richardson, Leslie A.; Koontz, Stephen R.; Loomis, John; Koontz, Lynne

2013-01-01

Landsat satellites have been operating since 1972, providing a continuous global record of the Earth’s land surface. The imagery is currently available at no cost through the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). Social scientists at the USGS Fort Collins Science Center conducted an extensive survey in early 2012 to explore who uses Landsat imagery, how they use the imagery, and what the value of the imagery is to them. The survey was sent to all users registered with USGS who had accessed Landsat imagery in the year prior to the survey and over 11,000 current Landsat imagery users responded. The results of the survey revealed that respondents from many sectors use Landsat imagery in myriad project locations and scales, as well as application areas. The value of Landsat imagery to these users was demonstrated by the high importance of and dependence on the imagery, the numerous environmental and societal benefits observed from projects using Landsat imagery, the potential negative impacts on users’ work if Landsat imagery was no longer available, and the substantial aggregated annual economic benefit from the imagery. These results represent only the value of Landsat to users registered with USGS; further research would help to determine what the value of the imagery is to a greater segment of the population, such as downstream users of the imagery and imagery-derived products.

Prospective memory impairment in "ecstasy" (MDMA) users.

PubMed

Rendell, Peter G; Gray, Timothy J; Henry, Julie D; Tolan, Anne

2007-11-01

Considerable research indicates that "ecstasy" users perceive their memory for future intentions (prospective memory) to be impaired. However, only one empirical study to date has directly tested how this capacity is affected by ecstasy use, and this study provided relatively limited information regarding the extent, scope, or implications of problems experienced. The present study assessed prospective performance on a laboratory measure of prospective memory that closely represents the types of prospective memory tasks that actually occur in everyday life and provides an opportunity to investigate the different sorts of prospective memory failures that occur ("Virtual Week"). Ecstasy user group (27 current users and 34 nonusers) was between participants, and prospective memory task (regular, irregular, time-check) was within participants. A measure sensitive to specific aspects of psychopathology was also administered. Ecstasy users were significantly impaired on Virtual Week, and these deficits were of a comparable magnitude irrespective of the specific prospective memory task demands. The pattern of results was unchanged after controlling for marijuana use, level of psychopathology, and sleep quality. Further, prospective memory was shown to be significantly impaired for both relatively infrequent and relatively frequent ecstasy users, although for the latter group the magnitude of this deficit was greater. Prospective memory performance is sensitive to regular and even moderate ecstasy use. Importantly, ecstasy users experience generalized difficulties with prospective memory, suggesting that these deficits are likely to have important implications for day-to-day functioning.

Exploring virtual worlds with head-mounted displays

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chung, James C.; Harris, Mark R.; Brooks, F. P.; Fuchs, Henry; Kelley, Michael T.

1989-02-01

Research has been conducted in the use of simple head mounted displays in real world applications. Such units provide the user with non-holographic true 3-D information, since the kinetic depth effect, stereoscopy, and other visual cues combine to immerse the user in a virtual world which behaves like the real world in some respects. UNC's head mounted display was built inexpensively from commercially available off-the-shelf components. Tracking of the user's head position and orientation is performed by a Polhemus Navigation Sciences' 3SPACE tracker. The host computer uses the tracking information to generate updated images corresponding to the user's new left eye and right eye views. The images are broadcast to two liquid crystal television screens (220x320 pixels) mounted on a horizontal shelf at the user's forehead. The user views these color screens through half-silvered mirrors, enabling the computer generated image to be superimposed upon the user's real physical environment. The head mounted display was incorporated into existing molecular and architectural applications being developed at UNC. In molecular structure studies, chemists are presented with a room sized molecule with which they can interact in a manner more intuitive than that provided by conventional 2-D displays and dial boxes. Walking around and through the large molecule may provide quicker understanding of its structure, and such problems as drug enzyme docking may be approached with greater insight.

An analysis of sensitivity of CLIMEX parameters in mapping species potential distribution and the broad-scale changes observed with minor variations in parameters values: an investigation using open-field Solanum lycopersicum and Neoleucinodes elegantalis as an example

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

da Silva, Ricardo Siqueira; Kumar, Lalit; Shabani, Farzin; Picanço, Marcelo Coutinho

2018-04-01

A sensitivity analysis can categorize levels of parameter influence on a model's output. Identifying parameters having the most influence facilitates establishing the best values for parameters of models, providing useful implications in species modelling of crops and associated insect pests. The aim of this study was to quantify the response of species models through a CLIMEX sensitivity analysis. Using open-field Solanum lycopersicum and Neoleucinodes elegantalis distribution records, and 17 fitting parameters, including growth and stress parameters, comparisons were made in model performance by altering one parameter value at a time, in comparison to the best-fit parameter values. Parameters that were found to have a greater effect on the model results are termed "sensitive". Through the use of two species, we show that even when the Ecoclimatic Index has a major change through upward or downward parameter value alterations, the effect on the species is dependent on the selection of suitability categories and regions of modelling. Two parameters were shown to have the greatest sensitivity, dependent on the suitability categories of each species in the study. Results enhance user understanding of which climatic factors had a greater impact on both species distributions in our model, in terms of suitability categories and areas, when parameter values were perturbed by higher or lower values, compared to the best-fit parameter values. Thus, the sensitivity analyses have the potential to provide additional information for end users, in terms of improving management, by identifying the climatic variables that are most sensitive.

Do You Know Your Music Users' Needs? A Library User Survey that Helps Enhance a User-Centered Music Collection

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lai, Katie; Chan, Kylie

2010-01-01

While many surveys aim primarily at measuring general user satisfaction, this survey is dedicated to understanding music users' needs, usage patterns, and preferences towards various collections. Findings showed dissimilar use behavior and perceived importance of materials between academic- and performance-oriented music users. Needs for different…

The prevalence, patterns of usage and people's attitude towards complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) among the Indian community in Chatsworth, South Africa.

PubMed

Singh, Vimal; Raidoo, Deshandra M; Harries, Catherine S

2004-02-04

The purpose of this study was to determine, among the Indian community of Chatsworth, South Africa, the prevalence and utilisation patterns of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM), attitudes associated with CAM use and communication patterns of CAM users with their primary care doctors. Face-to-face structured interviews were conducted in Chatsworth, a suburb of Durban in which South Africans of Indian origin predominantly reside. Participants were 200 randomly selected adult English-speaking Indian residents. The prevalence of CAM usage for period 2000/2001 was 38.5% (95% confidence interval 31.7% to 45.6%). Spiritual healing and herbal/natural medicines, including vitamins were the most common types of CAM used, accounting for 42.8% and 48.1% respectively of overall CAM usage. People used CAM to treat conditions including diabetes mellitus, headaches, arthritis and joint pains, stress, skin disorders, backaches, hypertension and nasal disorders. Half of the CAM users used allopathic medicines concurrently. The cost of CAM utilization over this 1-year period, incurred by 80.5% of users for the duration of therapy for their most troublesome condition was below R500 (approximately US50 dollars). Age, sex, marital status, religion, level of education and income were shown not to influence the use of CAM. Greater than half (51.9%) of CAM users did so either upon the advice of someone they knew, or after noticing a CAM advertisement in the local press. Seventy-nine percent of CAM users indicated that they had positive outcomes with their treatments. Fifty four percent of CAM users (excluding those using spiritual healing only) failed to inform their doctors that they used CAM. The main reason given by half of this group was that informing their doctors did not seem necessary. The prevalence of CAM in Chatsworth is similar to findings in other parts of the world. Although CAM was used to treat many different ailments, this practice could not be attributed to any particular demographic profile. The majority of CAM users were satisfied with the effects of CAM. Findings support a need for greater integration of allopathic medicine and CAM, as well as improved communication between patients and caregivers regarding CAM usage.

The prevalence, patterns of usage and people's attitude towards complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) among the Indian community in Chatsworth, South Africa

PubMed Central

Singh, Vimal; Raidoo, Deshandra M; Harries, Catherine S

2004-01-01

Background The purpose of this study was to determine, among the Indian community of Chatsworth, South Africa, the prevalence and utilisation patterns of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM), attitudes associated with CAM use and communication patterns of CAM users with their primary care doctors. Methods Face-to-face structured interviews were conducted in Chatsworth, a suburb of Durban in which South Africans of Indian origin predominantly reside. Participants were 200 randomly selected adult English-speaking Indian residents. Results The prevalence of CAM usage for period 2000/2001 was 38.5% (95% confidence interval 31.7% to 45.6%). Spiritual healing and herbal/natural medicines, including vitamins were the most common types of CAM used, accounting for 42.8% and 48.1% respectively of overall CAM usage. People used CAM to treat conditions including diabetes mellitus, headaches, arthritis and joint pains, stress, skin disorders, backaches, hypertension and nasal disorders. Half of the CAM users used allopathic medicines concurrently. The cost of CAM utilization over this 1-year period, incurred by 80.5% of users for the duration of therapy for their most troublesome condition was below R500 (approximately US$50). Age, sex, marital status, religion, level of education and income were shown not to influence the use of CAM. Greater than half (51.9%) of CAM users did so either upon the advice of someone they knew, or after noticing a CAM advertisement in the local press. Seventy-nine percent of CAM users indicated that they had positive outcomes with their treatments. Fifty four percent of CAM users (excluding those using spiritual healing only) failed to inform their doctors that they used CAM. The main reason given by half of this group was that informing their doctors did not seem necessary. Conclusion The prevalence of CAM in Chatsworth is similar to findings in other parts of the world. Although CAM was used to treat many different ailments, this practice could not be attributed to any particular demographic profile. The majority of CAM users were satisfied with the effects of CAM. Findings support a need for greater integration of allopathic medicine and CAM, as well as improved communication between patients and caregivers regarding CAM usage. PMID:15018622

Positive association between mammographic breast density and bone mineral density in the Postmenopausal Estrogen/Progestin Interventions Study

PubMed Central

Crandall, Carolyn; Palla, Shana; Reboussin, Beth A; Ursin, Giske; Greendale, Gail A

2005-01-01

Introduction Mammographic breast density is a strong independent risk factor for breast cancer. We hypothesized that demonstration of an association between mammographic breast density and bone mineral density (BMD) would suggest a unifying underlying mechanism influencing both breast density and BMD. Methods In a cross-sectional analysis of baseline data from the Postmenopausal Estrogen/Progestin Interventions Study (PEPI), participants were aged 45 to 64 years and were at least 1 year postmenopausal. Mammographic breast density (percentage of the breast composed of dense tissue), the outcome, was assessed with a computer-assisted percentage-density method. BMD, the primary predictor, was measured with dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. Women quitting menopausal hormone therapy to join PEPI were designated recent hormone users. Results The mean age of the 594 women was 56 years. The average time since menopause was 5.6 years. After adjustment for age, body mass index, and cigarette smoking, in women who were not recent hormone users before trial enrollment (n = 415), mammographic density was positively associated with total hip (P = 0.04) and lumbar (P = 0.08) BMD. Mammographic density of recent hormone users (n = 171) was not significantly related to either total hip (P = 0.51) or lumbar (P = 0.44) BMD. In participants who were not recent hormone users, mammographic density was 4% greater in the highest quartile of total hip BMD than in the lowest. In participants who were not recent hormone users, mammographic density was 5% greater in the highest quartile of lumbar spine BMD than in the lowest. Conclusion Mammographic density and BMD are positively associated in women who have not recently used postmenopausal hormones. A unifying biological mechanism may link mammographic density and BMD. Recent exogenous postmenopausal hormone use may obscure the association between mammographic density and BMD by having a persistent effect on breast tissue. PMID:16280044

Altered subjective reward valuation among female heavy marijuana users.

PubMed

Hefner, Kathryn R; Starr, Mark J

2017-02-01

Maladaptive decision-making is a cardinal feature of drug use, contributing to ongoing use, and reflecting alterations in how drug users assess uncertain reward value. Accumulating evidence indicates the consequences of heavy marijuana use are worse for female versus male animals and humans, but research assessing sex differences in reward-related decision-making among marijuana users remains scarce. We examined sex differences in the subjective valuation of certain and uncertain rewards among heavy marijuana users (52; 26 male and 26 female) and controls (52; 26 male and 26 female). We offered male and female heavy marijuana users and controls monetary rewards of certain and uncertain (probabilistic) values. We measured how preferences for uncertain rewards varied by the objective value of those rewards, moderators of reward uncertainty, Marijuana Group and Sex. Men were more sensitive to changes in the objective value of uncertain rewards than women. However, this effect of Sex differed by Marijuana Group. Female heavy marijuana users were more sensitive to changes in uncertain reward value, particularly when the "stakes" were high (i.e., greater difference between potential uncertain rewards), than female controls. Female heavy marijuana users' sensitivity to changes in the value of high stakes uncertain rewards was comparable to male marijuana users and controls. In contrast, male marijuana users' sensitivity to changes in the value of high stakes uncertain rewards did not differ from male controls. These results suggest sex differences in sensitivity to high risk rewards may be one pathway contributing to severer consequences of heavy marijuana use among women. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved).

Development and acceptability testing of decision trees for self-management of prosthetic socket fit in adults with lower limb amputation.

PubMed

Lee, Daniel Joseph; Veneri, Diana A

2018-05-01

The most common complaint lower limb prosthesis users report is inadequacy of a proper socket fit. Adjustments to the residual limb-socket interface can be made by the prosthesis user without consultation of a clinician in many scenarios through skilled self-management. Decision trees guide prosthesis wearers through the self-management process, empowering them to rectify fit issues, or referring them to a clinician when necessary. This study examines the development and acceptability testing of patient-centered decision trees for lower limb prosthesis users. Decision trees underwent a four-stage process: literature review and expert consultation, designing, two-rounds of expert panel review and revisions, and target audience testing. Fifteen lower limb prosthesis users (average age 61 years) reviewed the decision trees and completed an acceptability questionnaire. Participants reported agreement of 80% or above in five of the eight questions related to acceptability of the decision trees. Disagreement was related to the level of experience of the respondent. Decision trees were found to be easy to use, illustrate correct solutions to common issues, and have terminology consistent with that of a new prosthesis user. Some users with greater than 1.5 years of experience would not use the decision trees based on their own self-management skills. Implications for Rehabilitation Discomfort of the residual limb-prosthetic socket interface is the most common reason for clinician visits. Prosthesis users can use decision trees to guide them through the process of obtaining a proper socket fit independently. Newer users may benefit from using the decision trees more than experienced users.