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Sample records for town highlights disparities

  1. TOWN AND GOWN INTERFACE: ASSESSMENT OF NIGERIAN ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Prof

    TOWN AND GOWN INTERFACE: ASSESSMENT OF NIGERIAN FEDERAL. UNIVERSITIES AND .... Descriptive statistical tools were used in the analysis of the data collected. In terms of ... Response. Frequency. % ... This disparity in response.

  2. Age-disparity, sexual connectedness and HIV infection in disadvantaged communities around Cape Town, South Africa: a study protocol

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    Aerts Marc

    2011-08-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Crucial connections between sexual network structure and the distribution of HIV remain inadequately understood, especially in regard to the role of concurrency and age disparity in relationships, and how these network characteristics correlate with each other and other risk factors. Social desirability bias and inaccurate recall are obstacles to obtaining valid, detailed information about sexual behaviour and relationship histories. Therefore, this study aims to use novel research methods in order to determine whether HIV status is associated with age-disparity and sexual connectedness as well as establish the primary behavioural and socio-demographic predictors of the egocentric and community sexual network structures. Method/Design We will conduct a cross-sectional survey that uses a questionnaire exploring one-year sexual histories, with a focus on timing and age disparity of relationships, as well as other risk factors such as unprotected intercourse and the use of alcohol and recreational drugs. The questionnaire will be administered in a safe and confidential mobile interview space, using audio computer-assisted self-interview (ACASI technology on touch screen computers. The ACASI features a choice of languages and visual feedback of temporal information. The survey will be administered in three peri-urban disadvantaged communities in the greater Cape Town area with a high burden of HIV. The study communities participated in a previous TB/HIV study, from which HIV test results will be anonymously linked to the survey dataset. Statistical analyses of the data will include descriptive statistics, linear mixed-effects models for the inter- and intra-subject variability in the age difference between sexual partners, survival analysis for correlated event times to model concurrency patterns, and logistic regression for association of HIV status with age disparity and sexual connectedness. Discussion This study design is

  3. Is younger really safer? A qualitative study of perceived risks and benefits of age-disparate relationships among women in Cape Town, South Africa.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Beauclair, Roxanne; Delva, Wim

    2013-01-01

    Young women in age-asymmetric relationships may be at an elevated risk for acquisition of HIV, since relationships with older men are also correlated with other risk behaviors like less condom use. Qualitative studies have shown that women are motivated to participate in these relationships for money and emotional support. However, there is a paucity of research on women's perceived risks of these relationships, particularly in South Africa. To this end, we conducted in-depth interviews with 23 women recruited from three urban communities in Cape Town. A thematic question guide was used to direct the interviews. Thematic content analysis was used to explore women's perceived risks of age-disparate and non-age-disparate relationships, the benefits of dating older men, and risk perceptions that influence decisions around beginning or ending a relationship. A plurality of women thought that dating an older man does not bring any adverse consequences, although some thought that older men do not use condoms and may be involved in concurrent partnerships. Many women were less inclined to date same-age or younger men, because they were viewed as being disrespectful and abusive. This study points to the need for more awareness raising about the risks of age-disparate relationships. In addition to these initiatives, there is an urgent need to implement holistic approaches to relationship health, in order to curb intimate partner violence, improve gender equity and make non-age-disparate relationships more attractive.

  4. Is younger really safer? A qualitative study of perceived risks and benefits of age-disparate relationships among women in Cape Town, South Africa.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Roxanne Beauclair

    Full Text Available Young women in age-asymmetric relationships may be at an elevated risk for acquisition of HIV, since relationships with older men are also correlated with other risk behaviors like less condom use. Qualitative studies have shown that women are motivated to participate in these relationships for money and emotional support. However, there is a paucity of research on women's perceived risks of these relationships, particularly in South Africa. To this end, we conducted in-depth interviews with 23 women recruited from three urban communities in Cape Town. A thematic question guide was used to direct the interviews. Thematic content analysis was used to explore women's perceived risks of age-disparate and non-age-disparate relationships, the benefits of dating older men, and risk perceptions that influence decisions around beginning or ending a relationship. A plurality of women thought that dating an older man does not bring any adverse consequences, although some thought that older men do not use condoms and may be involved in concurrent partnerships. Many women were less inclined to date same-age or younger men, because they were viewed as being disrespectful and abusive. This study points to the need for more awareness raising about the risks of age-disparate relationships. In addition to these initiatives, there is an urgent need to implement holistic approaches to relationship health, in order to curb intimate partner violence, improve gender equity and make non-age-disparate relationships more attractive.

  5. Is Younger Really Safer? A Qualitative Study of Perceived Risks and Benefits of Age-Disparate Relationships among Women in Cape Town, South Africa

    Science.gov (United States)

    Beauclair, Roxanne; Delva, Wim

    2013-01-01

    Young women in age-asymmetric relationships may be at an elevated risk for acquisition of HIV, since relationships with older men are also correlated with other risk behaviors like less condom use. Qualitative studies have shown that women are motivated to participate in these relationships for money and emotional support. However, there is a paucity of research on women’s perceived risks of these relationships, particularly in South Africa. To this end, we conducted in-depth interviews with 23 women recruited from three urban communities in Cape Town. A thematic question guide was used to direct the interviews. Thematic content analysis was used to explore women’s perceived risks of age-disparate and non-age-disparate relationships, the benefits of dating older men, and risk perceptions that influence decisions around beginning or ending a relationship. A plurality of women thought that dating an older man does not bring any adverse consequences, although some thought that older men do not use condoms and may be involved in concurrent partnerships. Many women were less inclined to date same-age or younger men, because they were viewed as being disrespectful and abusive. This study points to the need for more awareness raising about the risks of age-disparate relationships. In addition to these initiatives, there is an urgent need to implement holistic approaches to relationship health, in order to curb intimate partner violence, improve gender equity and make non-age-disparate relationships more attractive. PMID:24260585

  6. Choropleth map legend design for visualizing community health disparities

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    Cromley Ellen K

    2009-09-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Disparities in health outcomes across communities are a central concern in public health and epidemiology. Health disparities research often links differences in health outcomes to other social factors like income. Choropleth maps of health outcome rates show the geographical distribution of health outcomes. This paper illustrates the use of cumulative frequency map legends for visualizing how the health events are distributed in relation to social characteristics of community populations. The approach uses two graphs in the cumulative frequency legend to highlight the difference between the raw count of the health events and the raw count of the social characteristic like low income in the geographical areas of the map. The approach is applied to mapping publicly available data on low birth weight by town in Connecticut and Lyme disease incidence by town in Connecticut in relation to income. The steps involved in creating these legends are described in detail so that health analysts can adopt this approach. Results The different health problems, low birth weight and Lyme disease, have different cumulative frequency signatures. Graphing poverty population on the cumulative frequency legends revealed that the poverty population is distributed differently with respect to the two different health problems mapped here. Conclusion Cumulative frequency legends can be useful supplements for choropleth maps. These legends can be constructed using readily available software. They contain all of the information found in standard choropleth map legends, and they can be used with any choropleth map classification scheme. Cumulative frequency legends effectively communicate the proportion of areas, the proportion of health events, and/or the proportion of the denominator population in which the health events occurred that falls within each class interval. They illuminate the context of disease through graphing associations with other

  7. County town -- jian-zhi town differentials and migration to towns in China.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ma, R

    1993-07-01

    China's urbanization process is unique in having been due to economic systems and migration policies. Towns and townships in rural areas are different from cities in their social and economic characteristics and their structure and function. The urban system in China is initially described with the distinction drawn between cities, "jian-zhi towns", (organic town) which are officially recognized, and rural areas. Analysis is provided f the economic and residential registration status of town residents and migration in northern China. Data were obtained from a 1987 survey of 1314 households in Wongnioute Banner in Inner Mongolia, and a 1985 migration survey of 2089 rural households in 41 villages. The study area was selected because jian-zhi town status was easily obtained and the are needed more towns for local administration and trade; the area was similar in geographic, social, economic, and cultural characteristics to other northern and northwestern regions. The Wongnioute Banner comprises 5 towns (Qiaotou, Wufendi, Hairesu, Wuduentaohai, and Wutonghua) and 1 country town (Wudan). All citizens from birth have an agricultural or nonagricultural status, which can be changed by passing national exams or completing a university education, joining the military and becoming an officer, marrying someone with a nonagricultural status, reunifying the family, or holding a special program. Quotas are set annually for status changes, e.g. in Tibet Autonomous Region the annual quota was 3%. Town residents may have either status. In the sample, 56.6% lived in town and had a nonagricultural status; 17.7% of heads of household town residents had an agricultural status and had stronger ties to villages because of family connections. Commuters are a third group and comprise 8.9%. County towns and jian-zhi towns are grouped the same, but are quite different in population size. Wudan had a population of 27,600 spread over an area of 480 hectares. The jian-zhi towns each had an

  8. Intra-regional disparities in Sisak-Moslavina County

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    Zdenko Braičić

    2011-06-01

    Full Text Available There are distinct discrepancies in social and economic development levels between different parts of the Sisak-Moslavina County. Although discussed in earlier researches, the County's intraregional disparities were approached in a new way. The paper deals with the disparities between administrative cities and municipalities and between the northern (Sisak Posavina and Moslavina and the southern (Banovina part of the County by applying two groups of indicators – economic development and demographic development. Based on these indicators administrative cities and municipalities ranking has been conducted, two synthetic ranks have been derived and their correlation tested. According to different indicators, the Municipality of Gvozd is in the most unfavourable situation while the most favourable indicators are related to the town of Kutina.

  9. No gynecologist in town: the gynecological care of women in rural Taiwan

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    Lai LJ

    2015-07-01

    Full Text Available Li-Jung Lai,1 Chia-Lin Chou,2 H Irene Su,3 Tzeng-Ji Chen,1,4 Li-Fang Chou,5 Yueh-Ching Chou,2,6,7 Shinn-Jang Hwang,1,8 Hann-Chin Yu9,10 1Department of Family Medicine, 2Department of Pharmacy, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan; 3Department of Reproductive Medicine, University of California, San Diego, CA, USA; 4Institute of Hospital and Health Care Administration, School of Medicine, National Yang-Ming University, 5Department of Public Finance, National Chengchi University, 6Department and Institute of Pharmacology, National Yang-Ming University, 7College of Pharmacy, Taipei Medical University, 8Department of Family Medicine, School of Medicine, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan; 9Taipei Veterans General Hospital Hsinchu Branch, Hsinchu County, Taiwan; 10Department of Healthcare Management, Yuanpei University, Hsinchu, Taiwan Background: A shortage of gynecologists exists in many countries. Even within an affluent country, gynecological clinics might not be evenly distributed. The purpose of the study was to investigate the disparity in gynecological care between adult women living in towns with and without gynecologists in Taiwan.Methods: Data sources were the cohort datasets of the National Health Insurance Research Database, with claims data of 1 million beneficiaries in 2010. A woman’s residency was operationally inferred from the locations where she had most frequently visited physicians’ clinics or local community hospitals within the year.Results: In Taiwan, 145 (39.4% of 368 towns had no practicing gynecologist. Of 382,167 women with health care use in the datasets, 21,794 (5.7% lived in towns without a gynecologist. The overwhelming majority of these towns lay in sparsely populated, rural areas. During the year, 132,702 women (34.7% had sought medical help for gynecological diseases and 113,698 (29.8% had visited gynecologists for gynecological diseases. Women in towns without a gynecologist were less

  10. Health Psychology special series on health disparities

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Kazak, A.E.; Bosch, J.; Klonoff, E.A.

    2012-01-01

    With the initiation of this new ongoing special series in Health Psychology on health disparities, we will publish articles that highlight ways in which health psychology can contribute to understanding and ameliorating these disparities. We welcome articles for this new special series and

  11. Review on the Evaluation System of Public Safety Carrying Capacity about Small Town Community

    Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

    Ming; SUN; Tianyu; ZHU

    2014-01-01

    Recently,small town community public safety problem has been increasingly highlighted,but its research is short on public safety carrying capacity. Through the investigation and study of community public safety carrying capacity,this paper analyzes the problem of community public safety in our country,to construct index evaluation system of public safety carrying capacity in small town community. DEA method is used to evaluate public safety carrying capacity in small town community,to provide scientific basis for the design of support and standardization theory about small town community in public safety planning.

  12. Urban-Rural Disparity in Geographical and Temporal Availability of Pediatric Clinics: A Nationwide Survey in Taiwan.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Leu, Hsin-I; Chang, Wei-Ting; Lin, Ming-Hwai; Chen, Tzeng-Ji; Hwang, Shinn-Jang; Chou, Li-Fang; Jeng, Mei-Jy

    2017-08-01

    The shortage and maldistribution of pediatricians affected after-hours pediatric services, especially in rural areas. Our study aimed to examine the urban-rural disparity in geographical and temporal availability of the pediatrician workforce in Taiwan by analyzing opening time schedules of all pediatric clinics throughout the country. The opening time schedules of nonhospital pediatric clinics were downloaded from the website of the National Health Insurance Administration in Taiwan for analysis. The geographical and temporal availability of pediatric clinics was calculated and stratified by urbanization level and opening time, which was divided into daytime and evening sessions over 1 week. Each of 368 towns in Taiwan was also regarded as a unit of measurement to estimate the local availability of at least one pediatric clinic open in after-hours sessions. Among 1483 nonhospital pediatric clinics in Taiwan, the overwhelming majority were situated in urban (65.8%) and suburban (30.6%) areas. On average, a pediatric clinic provided 16.3 (standard deviation=3.04) sessions of services per week. One-third (34.7%, n=50) of 144 suburban towns and over three-fourths (77.4%, n=120) of 155 rural towns had no pediatric clinic. Most pediatric clinics remained open on weekday evenings (91.1%) and during Saturday daytime (91.8%). The percentage of open clinics gradually decreased over the weekend: Saturday evening (58.1%), Sunday daytime (33.4%), and Sunday evening (19.4%). Rural pediatric clinics remained closed mostly on weekends. On Sunday evenings, pediatric clinics were open only in 5.2% of rural towns, with a decline of 77.1%, whereas they were open in 78.3% of urban towns, with a decline of 18.2%. Pediatric clinics in Taiwan were unevenly distributed between urban and rural areas. The disparity of pediatric services became more obvious at weekends. The consequences of undersupplied rural pediatric care deserve further investigation. Copyright © 2017. Published by

  13. Educational health disparities in hypertension and diabetes mellitus among African descent populations in the Caribbean and the USA: a comparative analysis from the Spanish town cohort (Jamaica) and the Jackson heart study (USA).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bidulescu, Aurelian; Ferguson, Trevor S; Hambleton, Ian; Younger-Coleman, Novie; Francis, Damian; Bennett, Nadia; Griswold, Michael; Fox, Ervin; MacLeish, Marlene; Wilks, Rainford; Harris, E Nigel; Sullivan, Louis W

    2017-02-14

    Studies have suggested that social inequalities in chronic disease outcomes differ between industrialized and developing countries, but few have directly compared these effects. We explored inequalities in hypertension and diabetes prevalence between African-descent populations with different levels of educational attainment in Jamaica and in the United States of America (USA), comparing disparities within each location, and between countries. We analyzed baseline data from the Jackson Heart Study (JHS) in the USA and Spanish Town Cohort (STC) in Jamaica. Participants reported their highest level of educational attainment, which was categorized as 'less than high school' (HS). Educational disparities in the prevalence of hypertension and diabetes were examined using prevalence ratios (PR), controlling for age, sex and body mass index (BMI). Analyses included 7248 participants, 2382 from STC and 4866 from JHS, with mean age of 47 and 54 years, respectively (p hypertension and diabetes was significantly higher in the JHS compared to STC, 62% vs. 25% (p hypertension and diabetes in both studies; however, after accounting for confounding or interaction by age, sex and BMI these effects were attenuated. For hypertension, after adjusting for age and BMI, a significant education disparity was found only for women in JHS, with PR of 1.10 (95% CI 1.04-1.16) for  HS and 1.07 (95% CI 1.01-1.13) for HS vs > HS. For diabetes; when considering age-group and sex specific estimates adjusted for BMI, among men: significant associations were seen only in the 45-59 years age-group in JHS with PR 1.84 (95% CI 1.16-2.91) for  HS. Among women, significant PR comparing  HS was seen for all three age-groups for JHS, but not in STC; PR were 3.95 (95% CI 1.94-8.05), 1.53 (95% CI 1.10-2.11) and 1.32 (95% CI 1.06-1.64) for 25-44, 45-59 and 60-74 age-groups, respectively. In Jamaica, educational disparities were largely explained by age, sex and BMI, while in the USA these

  14. A Town Divided

    OpenAIRE

    Waldron, Lucas H

    2018-01-01

    Residents of rural Patagonia, AZ are bitterly divided over mining. Half of the town supports Arizona Mining Inc., a Canadian mining company that bought up land near town for vast exploratory drilling. The other half of the town is fighting the mining company at every turn, seeking to preserve the region's unique wildlife and steer the economy toward environmental restoration.

  15. Knowledge, Attitudes, and Clinical Practices for Patients With Dementia Among Mental Health Providers in China: City and Town Differences.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hsiao, Hsin-Yi; Liu, Zhaorui; Xu, Ling; Huang, Yueqin; Chi, Iris

    2016-01-01

    Mental health providers are the major resource families rely on when experiencing the effects of dementia. However, mental health resources and manpower are inadequate and unevenly distributed between cities and towns in China. This study was conducted to examine similarities and differences in knowledge, attitudes, and clinical practices concerning dementia and working with family caregivers from mental health providers' perspectives in city versus town settings. Data were collected during focus group discussions with 40 mental health providers in the Xicheng (city) and Daxing (town) districts in Beijing, China in 2011. Regional disparities between providers' knowledge of early diagnosis of dementia and related counseling skills were identified. Regional similarities included training needs, dementia-related stigma, and low awareness of dementia among family caregivers. Culturally sensitive education specific to dementia for mental health providers and a specialized dementia care model for people with dementia and their family caregivers are urgently needed. Implications for geriatric practitioners and educators are discussed.

  16. Treatment of Household Waste in Small Towns of China: Status, Basic Conditions and Appropriate Modes

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    HE Pin-jing

    2015-04-01

    Full Text Available Small town is the gateway of population migrating from rural areas to urban areas in the process of urbanization. The level of its household solid waste treatment is pivotal to the environmental and sanitary quality of surrounding rural areas. Furthermore, small town is the primary administrative center for rural districts, and will impose important influences on the solid waste management in villages. Therefore, it is necessary to investigate the effects of treatment modes on the household solid waste treatment in towns and surrounding villages. Based on the waste generation in small towns, this study analyzed the current status and existing problems for solid waste treatment, and discussed the related administrative management and financial supporting conditions in small towns. By summarizing the characteristics of the existing modes and comparing the costs for different treatment modes, the present study proposed that the most appropriate mode was“diversion in villages-diversion, transportation or treatment in towns-treatment and disposal in counties”, in which the town was the core node for the treatment of rural solid waste, so that the administrative and financial advantages of small towns could be highlighted and consequentially promoted the management of rural solid waste.

  17. Revitalisation as a Method of Planning Sustainable Development of Old Town Complexes in Historic Towns

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zagroba, Marek; Gawryluk, Dorota

    2017-12-01

    Old towns in spatial structures of historic towns are the areas which - same as centuries before - serve as the town centres. This is almost invariably true about small towns especially, as the inner town district is more frequently the site where a town was originally located and is often the manifestation of its historic identity. However, functional and spatial problems of many small historic towns arise from the above trend, mostly because of the frequently high density of buildings in the oldest part of a town. The intricate nature of elements creating the structure of a town’s historic centre often calls for certain steps to be taken, which will ensure better exposure of an old town complex against the backdrop of the town’s other areas. Numerous problems need to be solved, not only spatial but also economic and social ones. A town is a living organism, inhabited by people. The key to tackling these issues successfully lies in the creation of such revitalisation programmes that will improve the quality of space and help achieve the sustainable development of inner-town areas in historic towns. The historic centres in the medieval towns of Warmia, a region rich in history and situated in north-eastern Poland, can serve as an example and has been investigated in the following study. All the towns in Warmia located in the Middle Ages, except the capital of the region Olsztyn, can be classified as small urban developments. This group of eleven towns is dominated by the ones whose territorial coverage has not changed considerably since the location and the population ranges from a few thousand to less than twenty thousand. To this day, the historic quarters of these towns have remained the central ones in each town, and their urban structures to a various extent reveal the features characteristic for the period when they were created. The differences are due to the war damage the towns suffered at the end of World War Two and because of the different ways in

  18. DEVELOPMENT OF MSW COLLECTION SERVICES ON REGIONAL SCALE: SPATIAL ANALYSIS AND URBAN DISPARITIES IN NORTH-EAST REGION, ROMANIA

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    FLORIN-CONSTANTIN MIHAI

    2013-05-01

    Full Text Available The cities are facing illegal dumping of municipal solid waste (MSW because the waste collection facilities do not cover the entire population. Furthermore, this sector is poorly developed in small towns or villages annexed to administrative territory units (ATU of cities , MSW are disposed in open dumps polluting the local environment. This paper analyzes on the one hand the urban disparities on public access to waste collection services (WCS in the North-East Region on the other hand, it performs a comparative analysis between 2003 and 2010 outlining the changes made in the context of Romania’s accession to EU. Also, it performs a quantitative assessment method of uncollected waste at urban level and correlated to demographic features of each city. Spatial-temporal analysis of waste indicators using thematic cartography or GIS techniques should be a basic tool for environmental monitoring or assessment of projects from this field in every development region (NUTS 2. The EU acquis requires the closure of noncompliant landfills, the extension of waste collection services, the development of facilities for separate collection, recycling and reuse according to waste hierarchy concept. Full coverage of urban population to waste collection services is necessary to provide a proper management of this sector. Urban disparities between counties and within counties highlights that current traditional waste management system is an environmental threat at local and regional scale.

  19. Risks of a town-forming enterprise in the risk system of a company town

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    Antonyuk V.S.

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available The article is devoted to review of risks of a town-forming enterprise in the risk system of the company town counterparties (infrastructure, population, small and medium business, local self-government authorities. It contains an algorithm of stepwise study of risks of a town-forming enterprise from the perspective of their interconnection with the risk system of the company town counterparties. Approbation of theoretical and methodical provisions by the example of town-forming enterprise Asha Metallurgical Plant OJSC, Asha, Chelyabinsk region, with the help of the graph theory allowed to analyze interconnections and dependence of risks of the town-forming enterprise and to make a conclusion on its negative role in creation of a crisis situation in the economy of the company town. The article is completed with a complex of lines for neutralization of risks of AMP OJSC: TFE’s infrastructural and technological risk management; personnel risk management policy; mitigation of consumer, product and supply risks; competitive struggle risk management and advertising risk management.

  20. in-town tour optimization town tour optimization town tour

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    eobe

    operation was formulated as a Traveling Salesman Problem on Excel spreadsheet. The results ... 19.27 %, tour time by 0.33-22.80 %, and fuel consumption. 22.80 %, and fuel ..... solving TSPs and reports a real world in-town tour improvement ...

  1. Molecular epidemiology of amoebiasis in Malaysia: highlighting the different risk factors of Entamoeba histolytica and Entamoeba dispar infections among Orang Asli communities.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Anuar, Tengku Shahrul; Al-Mekhlafi, Hesham M; Abdul Ghani, Mohamed Kamel; Abu Bakar, Edariah; Azreen, Siti Nor; Salleh, Fatmah Md; Ghazali, Nuraffini; Bernadus, Mekadina; Moktar, Norhayati

    2012-12-01

    Currently, species-specific information on Entamoeba infections is unavailable in Malaysia and is restricted worldwide due to the re-description of pathogenic Entamoeba histolytica and non-pathogenic Entamoeba dispar and Entamoeba moshkovskii. Therefore, this cross-sectional study was conducted to provide the first known documented data on the true prevalence of these three species in western Malaysia using a molecular method. Another aim of this study was to determine the association of potential risk factors associated with each Entamoeba sp. A total of 500 stool samples from three Orang Asli tribes were randomly collected. The overall prevalence of E. histolytica, E. dispar and E. moshkovskii determined by microscopy was 18.6% (93/500). Molecular analysis revealed that while most Entamoeba-positive individuals were infected with E. dispar (13.4%), followed by E. histolytica (3.2%) and E. moshkovskii (1.0%), the present findings show low prevalence rates of mixed infections with E. histolytica and E. dispar (2%), E. dispar and E. moshkovskii (1.2%) and association infections of E. histolytica, E. dispar and E. moshkovskii (0.4%). Logistical regression analysis indicates that the dynamics of the transmission of the three Entamoeba spp. was different. Of six statistically significant variables observed in the univariate analysis, three were retained as significant risk factors for E. histolytica infection in the logistical regression model. These factors were (i) not washing hands after playing with soil or gardening (Odds ratio (OR)=4.7; 95% confidence level (CI)=1.38, 16.14; P=0.013), (ii) indiscriminate defecation in the river or bush (OR=5.7; 95% CI=1.46, 21.95; P=0.012) and (iii) close contact with domestic animals (OR=5.4; 95% CI=1.36, 2.51; P=0.017). However, subjects with family members who were infected with E. histolytica/E. dispar/E. moshkovskii (OR=3.8; 95 CI=2.11, 6.86; PEntamoeba spp. Copyright © 2012 Australian Society for Parasitology Inc

  2. Evidence for Policy Making: Health Services Access and Regional Disparities in Kerman

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    Mina Anjomshoa

    2013-12-01

    Full Text Available Background and purpose: Health indices, regarding to their role in the development of society, are one of the most important indices at national level. Success of national development programs is largely dependent on the establishment of appropriate goals at the health sector, among which access to healthcare facilities is an essential requirement. The aim of this study was to examine the disparities in health services access across the Kerman province. Materials and Methods: This was a cross-sectional study. Study sample included the cities of Kerman province, ranked based on 15 health indices. Data was collected from statistical yearbook. The indices were weighted using Shannon entropy, then using the TOPSIS technique and the result were classified into three categories in terms of the level of development across towns. Results: The findings showed distinct regional disparities in health services across Kerman province and the significant difference was observed between the cities in terms of development. Shannon entropy introduced the number of pharmacologist per 10 thousand people as the most important indicator and the number of rural active health center per 1000 people as the less important indicator. According to TOPSIS, Kerman town (0.719 and Fahraj (0.1151 ranked the first and last in terms of access to health services respectively. Conclusion: There are significant differences between cities of Kerman province in terms of access to health care facilities and services. Therefore, it is recommended that officials and policy-makers determine resource allocation priorities according to the degree of development for a balanced and equitable distribution of health care facilities.

  3. REGIONAL DISPARITIES – HISTORICAL CULTURAL INFLUENCES AND

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    MARIA OŢIL

    2015-08-01

    Full Text Available In recent decades, the issue of regional disparities has become a highly debated topic, knowledge regarding regional disparities being a matter of political priority as their persistence hinders the appropriate integration process. On the other hand, emphasis was put on integration through the process of EU enlargement, thus highlighting other issues related to the nature and size of disparities. Regional disparities regarding development and the living standards of the population have long been the concern of all Member States. In the case of Romania, recently admitted into the European structures, registering large backlogs to economically developed countries, the intense mobilization of internal and external factors of economic growth in order to reduce and eliminate disparities compared to other countries, represents a clear necessity. The "European Union" (EU project is of an unprecedented complexity and scale because it involves a plurality of states, which are culturally and economically heterogeneous. Moreover, these economic and cultural differences exist even within the states. Hence, there is also the central idea of the Union, regarding unity in diversity. In Romania the local, regional communities have a strong identity, but still evolving. Taking into account Romania's objective of successfully integrating into European structures, and the principles of democratic decision-making requires that regional development should aim at reducing economic and social disparities based on a notable involvement of the local, regional communities. Based on these facts, the paper aims to present the current regional (and intra-regional disparities in Romania with regard to a number of synthetic indicators of capital, of labor and of outcomes. The persistence in time of these economic disparities can be explained by considering the cultural legacies – represented by norms, values, institutions, that impact on how people interact, communicate

  4. Company Town Shutdown.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Turnage, Martha A.

    Saltville, Virginia, is a former company town whose main employer, a soda ash plant, shut down on July 1, 1971. The closure of the chemical plant displaced 700 workers, and created a crisis that threatened not only the existence of the town, but of the entire region. In response, Virginia Highlands Community College (VHCC), in cooperation with the…

  5. Town Meeting and Community Engagement.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Uline, Cynthia L.

    1998-01-01

    Draws upon the history of the American town meeting as a vehicle for understanding this institution. Considers how a New England public school district has used town meetings effectively as a reform vehicle. Town meetings should be considered an honorable, truly democratic forum, not a symbolic gesture to improve public relations. (24 references)…

  6. Towards the making of a town

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Dahlström, Hanna Sofia Strandmark

    , that is just to set the scene for town life. What happens in the many encounters and relations between people living in the town, or visiting the town, I believe is a central aspect of urban life and something which deserves more attention. These ideas are key components in my PhD-project, which is a part......What makes the town a town is partly the diversity of activities taking place there – and with that comes a diversity of social roles among the people in the town. Trade, craft, clerical institutions and fortifications may be important functional and iconic trademarks of towns, but in some ways...... of the Urban Encounters project. My project deals with exploring the early urban development of Copenhagen, c. 1050-1300, with the material from recent year’s excavation at Rådhuspladsen as the main focus. By analyzing the material traces of daily practices related to the people active in this area, I want...

  7. Urban Ecology in Cape Town: South African Comparisons and Reflections

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sarel S. Cilliers

    2012-09-01

    Full Text Available Little urban ecological research has been done in South Africa. The papers in the Ecology and Society special feature Urban Ecological and Social-Ecological Research in the City of Cape Town make, therefore, an important contribution to the development of urban ecology locally and globally. Different approaches have been used in the study of urban ecology of different urban areas in South Africa. Cape Town is situated in a biodiversity hotspot and is the only South African city which includes a national park. As a result the urban ecological studies were mainly driven by urban nature conservation concerns. In other cities such as Durban, open space planning and environmental management were the major issues which focused ecological studies on urban areas whereas other studies of urban areas in the Eastern Cape and North-West provinces included private and public open spaces and man-made habitats. We reflect on the Cape Town studies in a South African context and highlight conservation of biodiversity, protection of ecosystem services, management of control measures, and the conflict between humans and nature. A brief synthesis has also been given of South African urban ecological research in general.

  8. Thirty years history of Daeduk Science Town

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    2003-11-01

    This book records the history of Daeduk science town for 30 years, which includes plan of construction and selection of location like background of construction and general idea of construction, transition of basic plan to construct Daeduk science town such as change of promotion organization and plan, and establishment of construction general planning, building base for town like land, infrastructure, and measures to control speculative investment, construction and present situation of moving into the science town, management of Daeduk science town, public welfare for researchers, and fruit and image of the future of the town.

  9. Development Track of Different County-Level Towns

    OpenAIRE

    ZHANG, Haijiao; ZHANG, Zhenghe

    2015-01-01

    County-level town is important space carrier of China’s urbanization and the emphasis and key of strategic distribution for urbanization. Backwardness of county-level towns limits nearby transfer of surplus labor. To promote development of county-level towns, on the basis of classifying county-level towns, this paper analyzed motive and resistance factors of evolution of different county-level towns using historical data collection and statistical method, comparative approach, typical case ...

  10. Local Government Capacity to Respond to Environmental Change: Insights from Towns in New York State.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Larson, Lincoln R; Lauber, T Bruce; Kay, David L; Cutts, Bethany B

    2017-07-01

    Local governments attempting to respond to environmental change face an array of challenges. To better understand policy responses and factors influencing local government capacity to respond to environmental change, we studied three environmental issues affecting rural or peri-urban towns in different regions of New York State: climate change in the Adirondacks (n = 63 towns), loss of open space due to residential/commercial development in the Hudson Valley (n = 50), and natural gas development in the Southern Tier (n = 62). Our analysis focused on towns' progression through three key stages of the environmental policy process (issue awareness and salience, common goals and agenda setting, policy development and implementation) and the factors that affect this progression and overall capacity for environmental governance. We found that-when compared to towns addressing open space development and natural gas development-towns confronted with climate change were at a much earlier stage in the policy process and were generally less likely to display the essential resources, social support, and political legitimacy needed for an effective policy response. Social capital cultivated through collaboration and networking was strongly associated with towns' policy response across all regions and could help municipalities overcome omnipresent resource constraints. By comparing and contrasting municipal responses to each issue, this study highlights the processes and factors influencing local government capacity to address a range of environmental changes across diverse management contexts.

  11. Preliminary Study of Ancient Town Protection and Rural Tourism Development of Caoshi Town in Hengdong County, Hunan Province

    OpenAIRE

    Liu, Tian-zhao; Yang, Zai-tian; Liu Pei-lin

    2012-01-01

    The typical style and features of mountains and waters in Caoshi Ancient Town, have hitherto been well preserved. Caoshi Ancient Town boasts superior base of the natural eco-environment and deep-rooted background of regional culture, where mountains, waters, shoals, towns and other landscape elements are merged harmoniously, the transportation and geographical conditions have been fundamentally changed. Ancient towns, old temples, ancient forests, ancient wells and ancient piers are unique in...

  12. Town mouse or country mouse: identifying a town dislocation effect in Chinese urbanization.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Fei Wang

    Full Text Available Understanding urbanization and evaluating its impact are vital for formulating global sustainable development. The results obtained from evaluating the impact of urbanization, however, depend on the kind of measurement used. With the goal of increasing our understanding of the impact of urbanization, we developed direct and indirect subjective indicators to measure how people assess their living situation. The survey revealed that the projected endorsements and perceived social ambiance of people toward living in different types of settlements did not improve along with the urbanization level in China. The assessment scores from the city dwellers were not significantly different from those from the country areas and, more surprisingly, both were significantly higher than the assessment scores of the town dwellers, which we had expected to fall between the assessment scores of the country and city dwellers. Instead their scores were the lowest. We dubbed this V-shaped relationship the "town dislocation effect." When searching for a potential explanation for this effect, we found additional town dislocation effects in social support, loss aversion, and receptivity toward genetically modified food. Further analysis showed that only social support mediated the relationship between the three tiers of settlements (cities, country areas, and towns and the subjective indicator. The projected endorsements yielded significant subjective assessments that could enhance our understanding of Chinese urbanization. Towns posed specific problems that require special attention.

  13. Do transition towns have the potential to promote health and well-being? A health impact assessment of a transition town initiative.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Richardson, J; Nichols, A; Henry, T

    2012-11-01

    Climate change and energy vulnerability present significant challenges for the development and sustainability of our communities. The adverse effects will most likely impact on those already experiencing poverty, as energy and food costs will rise, thus increasing inequalities in health. Transition town initiatives seek to build cohesive sustainable communities to prepare for a future with limited oil and a changing climate. Increasingly, public health practitioners are interested in the role of transition towns as a community development initiative, and their potential to support the wider public health agenda. Health impact assessment (HIA) is an evidence-based process that aims to predict the positive and negative impacts of a strategy, proposal or development. The HIA process provides an opportunity to promote sustainable communities by ensuring that new strategies and developments are considered in the context of their contribution to the health and well-being of local populations. The aim of this study was to use an HIA to examine the potential health and well-being benefits of two related transition town initiatives. A rapid HIA to consider the potential lifestyle changes and health and well-being impacts of Transition Together/Transition Streets (TT/TS) projects. An HIA template was used to assess key documents related to the TT/TS initiatives and those related to the characteristics of the community. Additionally, meetings with 12 key informants (four involved in TT/TS and eight purposively selected for their local knowledge) were held using the HIA template to focus the discussion. The findings highlight the associated lifestyle changes such as increased physical activity and healthy eating, and possible social and well-being benefits of engagement in such an initiative. Engagement may be limited to those already concerned about environmental issues. This paper illustrates the important links between transition towns and the wider public health agenda

  14. HIV and Cancer Interaction Highlights Need to Address Disease Stigma

    Science.gov (United States)

    The global landscape of disease highlights disparities that exist between nations. An estimated 36 million people worldwide live with HIV and AIDS, of which only 1 million are located within the United States. While the diagnosis of a life-threatening disease can be devastating, individuals with HIV and AIDS frequently bear an additional burden of stigma and discrimination.

  15. The role of food culture and marketing activity in health disparities.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Williams, Jerome D; Crockett, David; Harrison, Robert L; Thomas, Kevin D

    2012-11-01

    Marketing activities have attracted increased attention from scholars interested in racial disparities in obesity prevalence, as well as the prevalence of other preventable conditions. Although reducing the marketing of nutritionally poor foods to racial/ethnic communities would represent a significant step forward in eliminating racial disparities in health, we focus instead on a critical-related question. What is the relationship between marketing activities, food culture, and health disparities? This commentary posits that food culture shapes the demand for food and the meaning attached to particular foods, preparation styles, and eating practices, while marketing activities shape the overall environment in which food choices are made. We build on prior research that explores the socio-cultural context in which marketing efforts are perceived and interpreted. We discuss each element of the marketing mix to highlight the complex relationship between food culture, marketing activities, and health disparities. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  16. Evaluating biomass energy strategies for a UK eco-town with an MILP optimization model

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Keirstead, James; Samsatli, Nouri; Pantaleo, A. Marco; Shah, Nilay

    2012-01-01

    Recent years have shown a marked interest in the construction of eco-towns, showcase developments intended to demonstrate the best in ecologically-sensitive and energy-efficient construction. This paper examines one such development in the UK and considers the role of biomass energy systems. We present an integrated resource modelling framework that identifies an optimized low-cost energy supply system including the choice of conversion technologies, fuel sources, and distribution networks. Our analysis shows that strategies based on imported wood chips, rather than locally converted forestry residues, burned in a mix of ICE and ORC combined heat and power facilities offer the most promise. While there are uncertainties surrounding the precise environmental impacts of these solutions, it is clear that such biomass systems can help eco-towns to meet their target of an 80% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions. -- Highlights: ► An optimization model for urban biomass energy system design is presented. ► Tool selects technologies, operating rates, supply infrastructures. ► Five technology scenarios evaluated for a UK eco-town proposal. ► Results show ICE and ORC CHP units, fed by wood chips, promising. ► Results show biomass can help eco-towns achieve 80% GHG emission reductions.

  17. Marketing the Uniqueness of Small Towns. Revised.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dunn, Douglas; Hogg, David H.

    The key to marketing a town is determining and promoting the town's "differential advantage" or uniqueness that would make people want to visit or live there. Exercises to help communities gain important insights into the town's competitive edge include a brainstorming session with knowledgeable community members, a visitor…

  18. Spatial Disparities of Financial Intermediaries in Cluj County

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    LELIA PAPP

    2009-01-01

    Full Text Available The present paper aims at identifying the disparities in the spatial distribution of financial intermediaries by taking as case-study a specific territorial unit, namely Cluj County. The knowledge of the number and location of financial intermediaries has importance in understanding the complex functionality of the territory, as well as in the complex process of territorial management, since there is a close linkage between the presence and the activity of the different financial institutions and economic and social development. The analysis is focused on the following financial intermediaries: monetary financial institutions, other financial intermediaries, insurance companies and pension funds. The interpreted data, the calculated indicators (such as the number of banks per 1,000 inhabitants, the number of ATMs per 1,000 inhabitants and the cartographic materials indicate a high concentration of financial intermediaries in Cluj-Napoca, a slight diversity in the other five towns of the county and low presence or even their absence in rural area.

  19. Going to Town: Where Is the Nearest Steakhouse?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Robinson, Michael

    2013-01-01

    Growing up in Loretto, Tennessee, population 1,700, people called it "going to town" when they went to any city big enough to have a McDonald's, Walmart, or a movie theater. If someone is not from a small town, they may not know what type of economic activities a small town can support. Will the town have a police department? Will there…

  20. Cancer Disparities

    Science.gov (United States)

    Basic information about cancer disparities in the U.S., factors that contribute to the disproportionate burden of cancer in some groups, and examples of disparities in incidence and mortality among certain populations.

  1. Reducing Racial Disparities in Breast Cancer Care: The Role of 'Big Data'.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Reeder-Hayes, Katherine E; Troester, Melissa A; Meyer, Anne-Marie

    2017-10-15

    Advances in a wide array of scientific technologies have brought data of unprecedented volume and complexity into the oncology research space. These novel big data resources are applied across a variety of contexts-from health services research using data from insurance claims, cancer registries, and electronic health records, to deeper and broader genomic characterizations of disease. Several forms of big data show promise for improving our understanding of racial disparities in breast cancer, and for powering more intelligent and far-reaching interventions to close the racial gap in breast cancer survival. In this article we introduce several major types of big data used in breast cancer disparities research, highlight important findings to date, and discuss how big data may transform breast cancer disparities research in ways that lead to meaningful, lifesaving changes in breast cancer screening and treatment. We also discuss key challenges that may hinder progress in using big data for cancer disparities research and quality improvement.

  2. Archives: Town and Regional Planning

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Items 1 - 12 of 12 ... Archives: Town and Regional Planning. Journal Home > Archives: Town and Regional Planning. Log in or Register to get access to full text downloads. Username, Password, Remember me, or Register · Journal Home · ABOUT THIS JOURNAL · Advanced Search · Current Issue · Archives. 1 - 12 of 12 ...

  3. Health Disparities

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... Health and Health Disparities conduct transdisciplinary research involving social, behavioral, biological, and genetic research to improve knowledge of the causes of health disparities and devise effective methods of preventing, diagnosing, and treating disease and promoting ...

  4. Proportionality in enterprise development of South African towns

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Maitland T. Seaman

    2012-05-01

    Full Text Available We investigated proportionalities in the enterprise structures of 125 South African towns through examining four hypotheses, (1 the magnitude of enterprise development in a town is a function of the population size of the town; (2 the size of an enterprise assemblage of a town is a function of the town’s age; (3 there are statistically significant relationships, and hence proportionalities, between the total number of enterprises in towns and some, if not all, of the enterprise numbers of different business sectors in towns; and (4 the implications of proportionalities have far-reaching implications for rural development and job creation. All hypotheses were accepted on the basis of statistically significant (p < 0.05 correlations, except for the second hypothesis – the age of a town does not determine the size of its enterprise assemblage. Analysis for the fourth hypothesis suggested that there are two broad entrepreneurial types in South African towns: ‘run-of-the-mill’ entrepreneurs and ‘special’ entrepreneurs, which give rise to different enterprise development dynamics. ‘Run-of-the-mill’ enterprises are dependent on, and limited by, local demand and if there is only a small demand, the entrepreneurial space is small. By comparison, ‘special’ enterprises have much larger markets because their products and/or services are exportable. We propose that the fostering of ‘special’ entrepreneurs is an imperative for local economic development in South African towns.

  5. When does power disparity help or hurt group performance?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tarakci, Murat; Greer, Lindred L; Groenen, Patrick J F

    2016-03-01

    Power differences are ubiquitous in social settings. However, the question of whether groups with higher or lower power disparity achieve better performance has thus far received conflicting answers. To address this issue, we identify 3 underlying assumptions in the literature that may have led to these divergent findings, including a myopic focus on static hierarchies, an assumption that those at the top of hierarchies are competent at group tasks, and an assumption that equality is not possible. We employ a multimethod set of studies to examine these assumptions and to understand when power disparity will help or harm group performance. First, our agent-based simulation analyses show that by unpacking these common implicit assumptions in power research, we can explain earlier disparate findings--power disparity benefits group performance when it is dynamically aligned with the power holder's task competence, and harms group performance when held constant and/or is not aligned with task competence. Second, our empirical findings in both a field study of fraud investigation groups and a multiround laboratory study corroborate the simulation results. We thereby contribute to research on power by highlighting a dynamic understanding of power in groups and explaining how current implicit assumptions may lead to opposing findings. (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved).

  6. The early benefits of a problem-based approach to teaching social inclusion using an online virtual town.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Beadle, Mary; Santy, Julie

    2008-05-01

    This article describes the delivery of a core pre-registration nursing and midwifery module centred on social inclusion. The module was previously delivered using a classroom-based problem-based learning approach. Difficulties with this approach led to changes to the module and its delivery. Logistic issues encouraged the module team to implement a blended learning approach using a virtual town to facilitate online learning and discussion activities. The paper describes and discusses the use of online learning technology to support student nurses and midwives. It highlights the benefits of this approach and outlines some of the experiences of the students including their evaluation of the virtual town. There is also an examination of some of the practical and theoretical issues related to both problem-based learning, online working and using a virtual town to support learning. This article outlines the approach taken and its implications.

  7. Social Disparities in Exposure to Point-of-Sale Cigarette Marketing.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Siahpush, Mohammad; Farazi, Paraskevi A; Kim, Jungyoon; Michaud, Tzeyu L; Yoder, Aaron M; Soliman, Ghada; Tibbits, Melissa K; Nguyen, Minh N; Shaikh, Raees A

    2016-12-21

    While most ecological studies have shown that higher levels of point-of-sale (POS) cigarette marketing are associated with larger proportions of residents from lower socioeconomic and minority backgrounds in neighborhoods, there are no studies that examine individual-level social disparities in exposure to POS cigarette marketing among smokers in the United States. Our aim was to examine these disparities in a Midwestern metropolitan area in the United States. We conducted a telephone survey to collect data on 999 smokers. Cigarette marketing was measured by asking respondents three questions about noticing advertisements, promotions, and displays of cigarettes within their respective neighborhoods. The questions were combined to create a summated scale. We estimated ordered logistic regression models to examine the association of sociodemographic variables with exposure to POS cigarette marketing. Adjusted results showed that having a lower income ( p marketing. The results highlight social disparities in exposure to POS cigarette marketing in the United States, which can potentially be eliminated by banning all forms of cigarette marketing.

  8. Demographic changes of the Visaginas town

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kavaliauskas, A.

    1998-01-01

    The youngest Lithuanian town surrounded by pine forest is situated at the shore of a picturesque lake of Visaginas. The level of radiation of the town and its suburbs doesn't prevail the standards due to the data given by the Lithuanian Department of Environmental Protection. A relatively small, hilly, green, full of lakes areas have all facilities for tourism and recreation. The town's birth is directly linked with the construction of the nuclear power plant. Great number of nuclear energy specialists came here with their families from the East. The specific character of the town determined the ethnic composition of its population. In 1994-1995 there were Russians (59%), Lithuanians (14%), Byelorussian s (11%), Poles (6%), other nationalities (10%). The number of the residents in Visaginas is stable now with a slight tendency of increasing on the number of women. In 1990 the population of Visaginas was 33192, the women comprised 566 more in number than the men, in 1997 of its 33508 people were 1172 more women than the men. Recent Lithuanian social-economic changes greatly influenced the number of inhabitants of the town. In 1987, 3567 new inhabitants arrived to Visaginas and 1588 moved out. The inhabitants who had arrived to Visaginas in 1987 -1996 were 5,5 times less than in 1987, and moved out 5,4 times less also. One half of the inhabitants who moved from Visaginas went abroad. It shows that the mechanic and social mobility of the town's population decreased too. From 1989 to 1996 the main factor in changing the population number was not the natural increase of it but its migration. Then the natural increase lowered 4,8 times. The economic situation of the town is complex and becoming worse. The town was built as a satellite of the power plant. When the construction of the third block was stopped, the building of many objects was not completed. Other industries didn't develop in Visaginas. Most unemployed are the inhabitants at the age of 19-49 (87,9%). The

  9. Town gas plants

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Anastos, G.J.; Johnson, G.M.; Schapot, R.M.; Velez, V.G.

    1990-01-01

    Town gas plant sites are receiving increasing attention from the utility industry and regulatory communities. This attention has been prompted by greater environmental awareness of impacts due to past disposal practices and the understanding that gas plant wastes contain a wide range of chemical constituents that have persisted in the environment. This paper discusses the history of the town gas plant industry, the various processes utilized and the resultant by-products and wastes. Potential problem areas relating to these sites as well as potential approaches to site characterization are addressed. Included are recommendations for the phasing of site investigations and the use of relatively inexpensive and rapid field screening techniques to identify contamination

  10. Where Have All the Youngsters Gone? The Background and Consequences of Young Adults’ Outmigration from Hungarian Small Towns

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Makkai Bernadett

    2017-12-01

    Full Text Available Due to the general demographic situation in Hungary and the recent overall crisis of this traditional settlement-type, Hungarian small towns have been facing an intensive shrinking since the last decade. Although natural decrease and migration loss are almost equal factors of population decline, outmigration seems to be a more strategic, critical problem for these settlements. There are hardly any reliable data available about the migrants leaving small towns, but some of them seem to support the wellknown assumption that the young people, who leave these towns are looking for wider horizons and better perspectives. The aim of the present paper is to analyse the outmigration of young adults from small towns, and give estimation about the international aspects of migration, which is hardly ever published in official statistics. The paper also aims at revealing the impact of the intensive migration on the local labour market. A short statistical analysis based on census data and two empirical surveys conducted by the authors are also included. One was carried out with the support of volunteer contributors, former small-town students, who tried to reconstruct the post-secondary school migration of their former classmates. The other survey contains a series of interviews focusing on the consequences of the young adults’ migration on the labour market. The results facilitate the estimation regarding the (weak capability of small towns to keep their young population, and highlight the problems of local developmental options within the context of demographic shrinkage.

  11. Indiana Bat (Towns)

    Data.gov (United States)

    Vermont Center for Geographic Information — This dataset includes towns that contain documented hibernacula or summer range occupied by federally endangered Indiana bats. Survey data used to create this...

  12. Terrace Town

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sabin, Heather

    2010-01-01

    The "Terrace Town" program brings architecture and city planning curriculum to elementary schools in Madison, Wisconsin, and surrounding areas. Over eight weeks, classrooms discuss what makes a community livable, sustainable, and kid-friendly. Throughout the process, students gain a better understanding of their own city environments and…

  13. LOWER NORTH BATTERY - DEFENDED PORT OF SIMON'S TOWN

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    LOWER NORTH BATTERY - DEFENDED. PORT OF SIMON'S TOWN. Lt-Cdr W. M. Bisset*. In 1975 Mr H. C. Willis suggested to the present writer that the SA Navy should mount a bronze plaque similar to those commissioned by the. Simon's Town Historical Society and displayed on certain historical buildings in the town at ...

  14. Marketing the Uniqueness of Small Towns. Small Town Strategy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hogg, David H.; Dunn, Douglas

    A small town can strengthen its local economy as a result of business people and concerned citizens collectively identifying that community's uniqueness and then capitalizing on it via advertising, personal selling, sales promotion, or publicity. This publication relates the science of marketing to communities. Seven simple techniques are provided…

  15. Leading Communities: Community-led Development in England’s Small Towns: the Market Towns Initiative

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Gordon Morris

    2012-12-01

    Full Text Available The Market Towns Initiative (MTI, a UK community-led development programme, operated throughout rural England from 2000 until 2005/6. It was designed to help local people, with professional support, identify – and then capitalize on – the economic, environmental and social strengths and weaknesses of small country towns. This paper explains the origins and ways of working of the MTI. Examples of the topics explored and participants’ views are given, and conclusions drawn. The opportunity is also taken to explain how interest in the roles of England’s small country towns grew in the years following the Second World War, and how this led to the development of the MTI. Evidence suggests that the programme worked well. It demonstrated that local people have the enthusiasm, skills and knowledge to take a lead in the development of the places in which they live; something which, until local government reforms changed roles and structures, was largely taken for granted.

  16. Surviving gangs, violence and racism in cape town

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Lindegaard, Marie Rosenkrantz

    Surviving Gangs, Violence and Racism in Cape Town offers an ethnographic study of young men in Cape Town and considers how they stay safe in when growing up in post-apartheid South Africa. Breaking away from previous studies looking at structural inequality and differences, this unique book focus...... they move between "black" or "coloured" township areas and the "white" suburbs of Cape Town....

  17. Engendering health disparities.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Spitzer, Denise L

    2005-01-01

    How is gender implicated in our exploration of health disparities in Canada? Set against the backdrop of federal government policy, this review paper examines the ways in which gender intersects with other health determinants to produce disparate health outcomes. An overview of salient issues including the impact of gender roles, environmental exposures, gender violence, workplace hazards, economic disparities, the costs of poverty, social marginalization and racism, aging, health conditions, interactions with health services, and health behaviours are considered. This review suggests health is detrimentally affected by gender roles and statuses as they intersect with economic disparities, cultural, sexual, physical and historical marginalization as well as the strains of domestic and paid labour. These conditions result in an unfair health burden borne in particular by women whose access to health determinants is--in various degrees--limited. While progress has certainly been made on some fronts, the persistence of health disparities among diverse populations of women and men suggests a postponement of the vision of a just society with health for all that was articulated in the Federal Plan on Gender Equality. Commitment, creativity and collaboration from stakeholders ranging from various levels of government, communities, academics, non-governmental agencies and health professionals will be required to reduce and eliminate health disparities between and among all members of our society.

  18. Disparity, motion, and color information improve gloss constancy performance.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wendt, Gunnar; Faul, Franz; Ekroll, Vebjørn; Mausfeld, Rainer

    2010-09-01

    S. Nishida and M. Shinya (1998) found that observers have only a limited ability to recover surface-reflectance properties under changes in surface shape. Our aim in the present study was to investigate how the degree of surface-reflectance constancy depends on the availability of information that may help to infer the reflectance and shape properties of surfaces. To this end, we manipulated the availability of (i) motion-induced information (static vs. dynamic presentation), (ii) disparity information (with the levels "monocular," "surface disparity," and "surface + highlight disparity"), and (iii) color information (grayscale stimuli vs. hue differences between diffuse and specular reflections). The task of the subjects was to match the perceived lightness and glossiness between two surfaces with different spatial frequency and amplitude by manipulating the diffuse component and the exponent of the Phong lighting model in one of the surfaces. Our results indicate that all three types of information improve the constancy of glossiness matches--both in isolation and in combination. The lightness matching data only revealed an influence of motion and color information. Our results indicate, somewhat counterintuitively, that motion information has a detrimental effect on lightness constancy.

  19. Cancer Disparities - Cancer Currents Blog

    Science.gov (United States)

    Blog posts on cancer health disparities research—including factors that influence disparities, disparities-related research efforts, and diversity in the cancer research workforce—from NCI Cancer Currents.

  20. The diversity and disparity in biomedical informatics (DDBI) workshop.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Southerland, William M; Swamidass, S Joshua; Payne, Philip R O; Wiley, Laura; Williams-DeVane, ClarLynda

    2018-01-01

    The Diversity and Disparity in Biomedical Informatics (DDBI) workshop will be focused on complementary and critical issues concerned with enhancing diversity in the informatics workforce as well as diversity in patient cohorts. According to the National Institute of Minority Health and Health Disparities (NIMHD) at the NIH, diversity refers to the inclusion of the following traditionally underrepresented groups: African Americans/Blacks, Asians (>30 countries), American Indian or Alaska Native, Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander, Latino or Hispanic (20 countries). Gender, culture, and socioeconomic status are also important dimensions of diversity, which may define some underrepresented groups. The under-representation of specific groups in both the biomedical informatics workforce as well as in the patient-derived data that is being used for research purposes has contributed to an ongoing disparity; these groups have not experienced equity in contributing to or benefiting from advancements in informatics research. This workshop will highlight innovative efforts to increase the pool of minority informaticians and discuss examples of informatics research that addresses the health concerns that impact minority populations. This workshop topics will provide insight into overcoming pipeline issues in the development of minority informaticians while emphasizing the importance of minority participation in health related research. The DDBI workshop will occur in two parts. Part I will discuss specific minority health & health disparities research topics and Part II will cover discussions related to overcoming pipeline issues in the training of minority informaticians.

  1. Research collaboration 2011-2012: A joint publication highlighting the research partnerships between the CSIR and University of the Western Cape, University of Cape Town, Stellenbosch University

    CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

    CSIR

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available CSIR’s partnerships with the University of the Western Cape (UWC), University of Cape Town (UCT) and Stellenbosch University (SU) seek to conduct research that improves the quality of the lives of the people of South Africa by responding...

  2. Ethnic and Racial Disparities in Education: Psychology's Role in Understanding and Reducing Disparities

    Science.gov (United States)

    Quintana, Stephen M.; Mahgoub, Lana

    2016-01-01

    We review the scope and sources of ethnic and racial disparities in education with a focus on the the implications of psychological theory and research for understanding and redressing these disparities. We identify 3 sources of ethnic and racial disparities including (a) social class differences, (b) differential treatment based on ethnic and…

  3. Study on the natural and humanistic environment of runcheng town

    Science.gov (United States)

    Huijun, Nie; Jinping, Wang

    2018-03-01

    Runcheng town is one of the first Chinese characteristic towns to be selected in Shanxi province. It is 38 kilometers from the Jin city and 7 kilometers from Yangcheng County. It’s also an important undertaking place for the project “Industrial Westward Move of Jincheng City” and an important tourist town of Qin Castle Valley. The Runcheng town has a history of thousands of years, with a deep cultural background and unique natural landscape. This paper studies the history and cultural resources and makes a preliminary study on the natural and humanistic environment of the Runcheng town.

  4. Rethinking sustainability of small towns : towards a socio-technical approach

    CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

    Pelser, A

    2012-10-01

    Full Text Available /10/2012 12:24 PM 07 October 2012 12:24 PM Small Towns Book Page 1 Screen clipping taken: 07/10/2012 12:24 PM 07 October 2012 12:24 PM Small Towns Book Page 2 Screen clipping taken: 07/10/2012 12:22 PM 07 October 2012 12:22 PM Small... Towns Book Page 3 Screen clipping taken: 07/10/2012 12:23 PM 07 October 2012 12:23 PM Small Towns Book Page 4 Screen clipping taken: 07/10/2012 12:23 PM 07 October 2012 12:23 PM Small Towns Book Page 5 Screen clipping taken: 07...

  5. Small towns resisting urban decay through residential attractiveness

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Fertner, Christian; Groth, Niels Boje; Herslund, Lise Byskov

    2015-01-01

    composition, residential migration, social organisation and community engagement form and affect small town (1000–5000 inhabitants) development patterns in Denmark and specific place-based endowments. The study is carried out with mixed methods, comprising a quantitative analysis of development trends......, complemented by qualitative case studies in six small towns. Our findings show how favourable development paths are a combination of a positive development in population, provision of daily commodities and attractive housing, and a high number of local voluntary social organisations. Introducing the concept......Small towns are often considered as losing out in the current trend towards urban development. However, research from around Europe shows a great diversity of small town development, including successful development trajectories despite geographical disadvantages. Investigations...

  6. Methods of Services Provision in Slovak Towns

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Emília Sičáková-Beblavá

    2009-07-01

    Full Text Available This article deals with the methods of services provision in Slovak towns.  It addresses decision-making concerning selected services provision, based on a transaction cost economic model. The article looks at five types of services from that point of view. These are core services, i.e., services that are provided in most Slovak towns, thereby allowing outcomes of decision-making to be compared, and services which can be outsourced according to transaction cost theory. Findings partially confirm the hypothesis: Slovak towns do outsource, though “insourcing” moderately prevails. However, a comparison of several research studies in the area indicates a trend towards higher outsourcing of such local services provision.  The findings show that public bodies do not always select the most suitable methods of services provision, as suggested by the transaction costs theory (the Brown-Potoski model. This indicates that it is not only economic models that influence decision-making concerning the organization of services provision in the Slovak towns.

  7. VT Boundaries - town polygons

    Data.gov (United States)

    Vermont Center for Geographic Information — (Link to Metadata) The BNDHASH dataset depicts Vermont villages, towns, counties, Regional Planning Commissions (RPC), and LEPC (Local Emergency Planning Committee)...

  8. The historical town core and traffic in Novo mesto

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lilijana Jankovič

    2001-01-01

    Full Text Available The historical town core of Novo mesto is subject to intolerable traffic conditions. Individual car use is suffocating the town core, but simultaneously good access is essential for shopkeepers and other inhabitants since buses don’t go there. The project proposes changes to the traffic regime, its basic goals are to redesign the town square into a pedestrian place and to eliminate transitory traffic by rerouting vehicles to less burdened side roads. It introduces short-term parking, smaller parking garages in the core and larger parking spaces on the edge and routes the buses through the town core.

  9. Integrating the 3Ds—Social Determinants, Health Disparities, and Health-Care Workforce Diversity

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pierre, Geraldine

    2014-01-01

    The established relationships among social determinants of health (SDH), health disparities, and race/ethnicity highlight the need for health-care professionals to adequately address SDH in their encounters with patients. The ethnic demographic transition slated to occur during the next several decades in the United States will have numerous effects on the health-care sector, particularly as it pertains to the need for a more diverse and culturally aware workforce. In recent years, a substantial body of literature has developed, exploring the extent to which diversity in the health-care workforce may be used as a tool to eliminate racial/ethnic disparities in health and health care in the U.S. We explore existing literature on this topic, propose a conceptual framework, and identify next steps in health-care policy for reducing and eliminating health disparities by addressing SDH and diversification of the health-care workforce. PMID:24385659

  10. Integrating the 3Ds--social determinants, health disparities, and health-care workforce diversity.

    Science.gov (United States)

    LaVeist, Thomas A; Pierre, Geraldine

    2014-01-01

    The established relationships among social determinants of health (SDH), health disparities, and race/ethnicity highlight the need for health-care professionals to adequately address SDH in their encounters with patients. The ethnic demographic transition slated to occur during the next several decades in the United States will have numerous effects on the health-care sector, particularly as it pertains to the need for a more diverse and culturally aware workforce. In recent years, a substantial body of literature has developed, exploring the extent to which diversity in the health-care workforce may be used as a tool to eliminate racial/ethnic disparities in health and health care in the U.S. We explore existing literature on this topic, propose a conceptual framework, and identify next steps in health-care policy for reducing and eliminating health disparities by addressing SDH and diversification of the health-care workforce.

  11. Vertical binocular disparity is encoded implicitly within a model neuronal population tuned to horizontal disparity and orientation.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jenny C A Read

    2010-04-01

    Full Text Available Primary visual cortex is often viewed as a "cyclopean retina", performing the initial encoding of binocular disparities between left and right images. Because the eyes are set apart horizontally in the head, binocular disparities are predominantly horizontal. Yet, especially in the visual periphery, a range of non-zero vertical disparities do occur and can influence perception. It has therefore been assumed that primary visual cortex must contain neurons tuned to a range of vertical disparities. Here, I show that this is not necessarily the case. Many disparity-selective neurons are most sensitive to changes in disparity orthogonal to their preferred orientation. That is, the disparity tuning surfaces, mapping their response to different two-dimensional (2D disparities, are elongated along the cell's preferred orientation. Because of this, even if a neuron's optimal 2D disparity has zero vertical component, the neuron will still respond best to a non-zero vertical disparity when probed with a sub-optimal horizontal disparity. This property can be used to decode 2D disparity, even allowing for realistic levels of neuronal noise. Even if all V1 neurons at a particular retinotopic location are tuned to the expected vertical disparity there (for example, zero at the fovea, the brain could still decode the magnitude and sign of departures from that expected value. This provides an intriguing counter-example to the common wisdom that, in order for a neuronal population to encode a quantity, its members must be tuned to a range of values of that quantity. It demonstrates that populations of disparity-selective neurons encode much richer information than previously appreciated. It suggests a possible strategy for the brain to extract rarely-occurring stimulus values, while concentrating neuronal resources on the most commonly-occurring situations.

  12. Food Policing in Early Modern Danish Towns

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jørgen Mührmann-Lund

    2016-08-01

    Full Text Available This article explores the efforts of early modern authorities to provide food security in three different Danish towns in order to understand the goals and methods of early modern food policing. As in other European countries, urban authorities were expected as part of the regulation called ‘the police’ to control the guilds and fix the prices on bread, meat, beer and other life necessities in order to avoid scarcity among the urban poor. In 1682–83 the Danish king established a police force in Copenhagen and the other market towns. The goal of the metropolitan police was to increase the population of the capital and thus increase the military-fiscal power of the absolutist state, by providing food security and even a comfortable life. In practice, the vigilant policing of bakers, butchers and brewers proved difficult. The positive economic effect of food policing was doubted early on and was reduced as a means to avoid food riots at the end the 18th century. In a major provincial market town like Aalborg, the food trade was policed in a similar manner by the town council and the police, but especially the intermediate trade proved difficult to stop. In a tiny, agrarian market town like Sæby, food policing was more a question of feeding the poor with the town’s own products.

  13. Conjunctions between motion and disparity are encoded with the same spatial resolution as disparity alone.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Allenmark, Fredrik; Read, Jenny C A

    2012-10-10

    Neurons in cortical area MT respond well to transparent streaming motion in distinct depth planes, such as caused by observer self-motion, but do not contain subregions excited by opposite directions of motion. We therefore predicted that spatial resolution for transparent motion/disparity conjunctions would be limited by the size of MT receptive fields, just as spatial resolution for disparity is limited by the much smaller receptive fields found in primary visual cortex, V1. We measured this using a novel "joint motion/disparity grating," on which human observers detected motion/disparity conjunctions in transparent random-dot patterns containing dots streaming in opposite directions on two depth planes. Surprisingly, observers showed the same spatial resolution for these as for pure disparity gratings. We estimate the limiting receptive field diameter at 11 arcmin, similar to V1 and much smaller than MT. Higher internal noise for detecting joint motion/disparity produces a slightly lower high-frequency cutoff of 2.5 cycles per degree (cpd) versus 3.3 cpd for disparity. This suggests that information on motion/disparity conjunctions is available in the population activity of V1 and that this information can be decoded for perception even when it is invisible to neurons in MT.

  14. Social Disparities in Exposure to Point-of-Sale Cigarette Marketing

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mohammad Siahpush

    2016-12-01

    Full Text Available While most ecological studies have shown that higher levels of point-of-sale (POS cigarette marketing are associated with larger proportions of residents from lower socioeconomic and minority backgrounds in neighborhoods, there are no studies that examine individual-level social disparities in exposure to POS cigarette marketing among smokers in the United States. Our aim was to examine these disparities in a Midwestern metropolitan area in the United States. We conducted a telephone survey to collect data on 999 smokers. Cigarette marketing was measured by asking respondents three questions about noticing advertisements, promotions, and displays of cigarettes within their respective neighborhoods. The questions were combined to create a summated scale. We estimated ordered logistic regression models to examine the association of sociodemographic variables with exposure to POS cigarette marketing. Adjusted results showed that having a lower income (p < 0.003 and belonging to a race/ethnicity other than “non-Hispanic White” (p = 0.011 were associated with higher levels of exposure to POS cigarette marketing. The results highlight social disparities in exposure to POS cigarette marketing in the United States, which can potentially be eliminated by banning all forms of cigarette marketing.

  15. Digital Advertising System in Urban Transport System of Žilina Town

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Madleňák Radovan

    2014-09-01

    Full Text Available The Internet and information and communication technologies (ICT have changed everything: news, commerce, advertising, relating to others, getting information and transport too. It has changed how the people work, how they practice religion, how they date, how they spend the free time and how they travel. One of the technological innovations that are based on usage ICT in advertising space is digital signage. This article presents the results of research dedicated to investigate the relationships between customers-passengers and this new ICT technology in real environment. The results of the research stimulate the discussion about the future advertising practices in Žilina town. Based on the wide analysis of opportunities the digital signage technology in advertising practices, the presented marketing research investigates how passengers accept virtual advertising technology in urban transport system of Žilina town. Authors highlight the advantages of interactivity between digital signage technology and consumers. The conclusions of this article triggers further investigations in the area of the interactions between the digital advertising technology and passengers, and the passengers’ perception and acceptation of shopping activities on the basis of advertising in digital signage medias.

  16. Understanding China’s electricity market reform from the perspective of the coal-fired power disparity

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mou, Dunguo

    2014-01-01

    In China, electricity consumption has grown quickly, supply is highly dependent on coal-fired power, and the prices of electricity are determined by the government, which increases the need for reform to enhance efficiency. In response to disputes about China’s electricity market reform, this paper analyses the efficiency of China’s coal-fired power plants using the Data Envelopment Analysis—Slack Based Measure (DEA-SBM) method on three levels: groups, provinces, and plants. The results indicate that there are both coal-electricity efficiency disparities and generation-hour arrangement unfairness across groups; the disparity across provinces is obvious and long-lasting, as indicated by capacity surpluses and coal-electricity efficiencies; and the disparities are displayed in detail by the estimation at the plant level. The disparities are primarily caused by the generator combination and generation hour arrangement. Competition may be able to solve the disparities, but a further comparison indicates that competition at the national level will enhance the efficiency to a greater degree than competition at the regional level. These results demonstrate that both competition and a united electricity market are necessary for further electricity market reform. - Highlights: • This paper analyses the coal-fired electricity efficiency from three levels. • There are efficiency disparities and hour arrangement unfairness at group level. • The disparities and unfairness are long-lasting across provinces. • The disparities and unfairness are detailed by analysis at plant level. • Competition at national market can improve the efficiency better than at regional market

  17. THE INFLUENCE OF JURIDICAL REGULATIONS UPON TOURIST TOWN-PLANNING

    OpenAIRE

    Carmen IORDACHE; Iuliana CEBUC

    2009-01-01

    Urban tourism, if correctly planned, developed and managed, may create advantages and benefits both to urban communities and overall society. By systematically implementing planning based on intelligent management and town-planning regulations complying with the organizing and long-lasting growth requirements of towns, local and national communities, benefits can be maximized, whereas troubles minimized. Town planning should pursue the juridical requirements of the legislation in force, based...

  18. Take Action to Decrease Your Cancer Risk - Obesity and Its Role in Cancer Health Disparities

    Science.gov (United States)

    In support of this year’s National Minority Health Month theme “Prevention is Power: Taking Action for Health Equity!”, CRCHD is highlighting the role of obesity in cancer health disparities among diverse population groups in the U.S.

  19. Healthcare disparities in critical illness.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Soto, Graciela J; Martin, Greg S; Gong, Michelle Ng

    2013-12-01

    To summarize the current literature on racial and gender disparities in critical care and the mechanisms underlying these disparities in the course of acute critical illness. MEDLINE search on the published literature addressing racial, ethnic, or gender disparities in acute critical illness, such as sepsis, acute lung injury, pneumonia, venous thromboembolism, and cardiac arrest. Clinical studies that evaluated general critically ill patient populations in the United States as well as specific critical care conditions were reviewed with a focus on studies evaluating factors and contributors to health disparities. Study findings are presented according to their association with the prevalence, clinical presentation, management, and outcomes in acute critical illness. This review presents potential contributors for racial and gender disparities related to genetic susceptibility, comorbidities, preventive health services, socioeconomic factors, cultural differences, and access to care. The data are organized along the course of acute critical illness. The literature to date shows that disparities in critical care are most likely multifactorial involving individual, community, and hospital-level factors at several points in the continuum of acute critical illness. The data presented identify potential targets as interventions to reduce disparities in critical care and future avenues for research.

  20. A town in the making

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Dahlström, Hanna Sofia Strandmark

    on the site of Town Hall Square c. AD 1050-1300. This paper will discuss the two questions: What can the study of social practices connected to the iron processing activities, in combination with technical analyses, reveal of urban development, of people and networks involved in the iron handling? And what...... new aspects to this problem by studying urbanity through social practices in the first phases of the developing town of Copenhagen, Denmark. One of these areas concerns crafting, specifically iron processing. Through four areas of study, I analyse the material remains of social practices undertaken...

  1. What Are Cancer Disparities?

    Science.gov (United States)

    This infographic shows the factors associated with cancer disparities, examples of how the cancer burden differs across certain population groups, and NCI actions to understand and reduce cancer disparities.

  2. Spatiotemporal Simulation of Tourist Town Growth Based on the Cellular Automata Model: The Case of Sanpo Town in Hebei Province

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jun Yang

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available Spatiotemporal simulation of tourist town growth is important for research on land use/cover change under the influence of urbanization. Many scholars have shown great interest in the unique pattern of driving urban development with tourism development. Based on the cellular automata (CA model, we simulated and predicted the spatiotemporal growth of Sanpo town in Hebei Province, using the tourism urbanization growth model. Results showed that (1 average annual growth rate of the entire region was 1.5 Ha2 per year from 2005 to 2010, 4 Ha2 per year from 2010 to 2015, and 2.5 Ha2 per year from 2015 to 2020; (2 urban growth rate increased yearly, with regional differences, and had a high degree of correlation with the Euclidean distance of town center, traffic route, attractions, and other factors; (3 Gougezhuang, an important village center in the west of the town, demonstrated traffic advantages and increased growth rate since 2010; (4 Magezhuang village has the largest population in the region, so economic advantages have driven the development of rural urbanization. It showed that CA had high reliability in simulating the spatiotemporal evolution of tourist town, which assists the study of spatiotemporal growth under urbanization and rational protection of tourism resources.

  3. Aftercare engagement: A review of the literature through the lens of disparities.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Keefe, Kristen; Cardemil, Esteban V; Thompson, Matthew

    2017-02-01

    While prior research has well documented racial and ethnic disparities in mental health care broadly, significantly less attention has been given to possible disparities existing in the transition to aftercare. Grounded in Klinkenberg and Calsyn's (1996) framework, we review current research on aftercare, identify commonalities between the prior and current reviews, and highlight gaps for future research. We focus on variables pertinent to our understanding of racial/ethnic disparities. Articles were retrieved via PsycINFO, PubMed, PsycARTICLES, and Google Scholar. We targeted those written in English and conducted in the United States after 1996 that examined aftercare and disparities-related variables. Accumulating evidence across the 18 studies that we reviewed suggests that disparities exist in aftercare engagement. We found clear support for significant racial/ethnic effects on aftercare engagement, such that racial/ethnic minorities are typically more vulnerable to disengagement than Whites. In addition, we found modest support for the association between aftercare engagement and other individual- and community-level variables, including sex, insurance status, prior outpatient treatment, and residence in an urban versus rural setting. Moreover, extant qualitative research has identified barriers to aftercare engagement including stigma, low mental health literacy, and negative attitudes toward treatment. Finally, systems-level variables including assertive outreach efforts and reduced length of time on waitlists were identified as consistent predictors of engagement. Suggestions for future research and clinical implications are explored. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved).

  4. Trends in population growth in China's towns during the eighties, and town population in-migration and its decisive factors: a historic convergence of two types of demographic change.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wei, J

    1990-01-01

    Relying on socioeconomic and population statistics, as well as population censuses, the author examines the growth of China's towns in the 1980s due to in-migration, and considers the economic causes and impact of the growth of towns. Prior to 1984, China's urbanization had been slow and uneven. But in the 4 years from 1984-87, China's urban population grew 3.8 times faster than the period before 1984. and unlike the previous pattern of urbanization, slightly over half of the urban growth occurred in small cities and towns. The rapid growth of towns was due to an unprecedented level of in-migration into towns from agricultural villages. This population transformed itself into a nonagricultural population. The author attributes the increase in urbanization and its changing patterns to a historic convergence: the shift in industry for the agricultural population and a regional shift for the village population--realized through a form of village-to-town population migration. The author goes on to examine the development of small-town enterprises, facilitated after the rural reform of 1984. The author notes that since that year, small-town industries have flourished, a development that has had a number of beneficial effects on both the provincial areas and the nation as a whole. Finally, the author considers the factors that have fueled town population in-migration: 1) in most provinces, higher incomes in towns have attracted people from the villages; and 2) in provinces with little discrepancy in income between town and village, a combination of the regions' relative isolation and government policy preventing migration to cities have spurred the growth of towns.

  5. The moral problem of health disparities.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jones, Cynthia M

    2010-04-01

    Health disparities exist along lines of race/ethnicity and socioeconomic class in US society. I argue that we should work to eliminate these health disparities because their existence is a moral wrong that needs to be addressed. Health disparities are morally wrong because they exemplify historical injustices. Contractarian ethics, Kantian ethics, and utilitarian ethics all provide theoretical justification for viewing health disparities as a moral wrong, as do several ethical principles of primary importance in bioethics. The moral consequences of health disparities are also troubling and further support the claim that these disparities are a moral wrong. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights provides additional support that health disparities are a moral wrong, as does an analogy with the generally accepted duty to provide equal access to education. In this article, I also consider and respond to 3 objections to my thesis.

  6. Regional new energy vision for Kobuchizawa Town. Eco-energy town - Kobuchizawa; 2001 nendo Kobuchisawa cho chiiki shin energy vision hokokusho. Eco energy town Kobuchisawa

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    NONE

    2002-02-01

    For promoting the introduction of new energy and for enhancing people's consciousness of such at Kobuchizawa Town, Yamanashi Prefecture, surveys and studies were conducted on the trend of energy consumption in the town, the amount of new energy resources in existence, and new energy introduction projects, and a vision was formulated. The town consumes 635,021 GJ/year in energy, with the industrial sector consuming 34.6%, the transportation sector 24.8%, the residential sector 21.8%, and the commercial sector 18.7%. The energy sources are electric power, kerosene, LPG, gasoline, gas oil, and heavy oil, as named in the descending order in terms of amount. Studies were made about new energy introduction projects, which included the use of photovoltaic power for outdoor lights, primary schools, nursery schools, the flower park (Fiore Kobuchizawa), mountain huts, and for the Kannondaira sightseeing spot; mini-scale hydroelectric power generation for the maintenance of the Otaki spa and existing water channel utilities; wind power generation for improvement on mountain huts; introduction of clean-energy vehicles; introduction of cogeneration (natural gas); and a business for effectively utilizing biomass. (NEDO)

  7. Mapping Medicare Disparities Tool

    Data.gov (United States)

    U.S. Department of Health & Human Services — The CMS Office of Minority Health has designed an interactive map, the Mapping Medicare Disparities Tool, to identify areas of disparities between subgroups of...

  8. New Mexico Ghost Towns

    Data.gov (United States)

    Earth Data Analysis Center, University of New Mexico — This data provides locations and non-spatial attributes of many ghost towns in the State of New Mexico, compiled from various sources. Locations provided with...

  9. Promoting small towns for rural development: a view from Nepal.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bajracharya, B N

    1995-06-01

    Two small villages in Nepal are the subjects of case studies that illustrate the role of small towns in provision of services, employment, and market operations. Some general findings are that small towns act as service centers for distribution of basic essential goods such as food grains, salt, kerosene, and fabric for hill and mountain areas. The role of small towns as market centers and in the provision of employment is limited. In resource-poor areas small towns are less diversified. Towns with agricultural surpluses are more developed. Small hill towns satisfy consumption rather than production needs. The growth of rural areas and towns in rural areas in Nepal is dependent on arable land and levels of production in hill areas. Limited land and low levels of production have an adverse impact. Movement of people, goods, and services is limited by difficult terrain and lack of access to good roads. Variability in access to off-farm jobs and services available in small towns varies with ethnicity and place of residence. The best development strategy for small towns in Nepal is market-oriented territorial development, which retains surpluses in the local area and integrates markets in the larger economy. The strategy would decentralize planning into small territorial units that include both small towns and groups of villages, provide institutional support for the rural poor, expand off-farm employment, and include investment in region-serving functions. Subsistence agriculture needs to include diversification of high value cash crops based on local comparative advantage suitable for hill climate and terrain. Small farmers must produce both cash and subsistence crops. Government should provide market space and paved areas, weighing facilities, and overnight storage facilities. Products would be processed at the village level. Subdistricts must be established according to spatial and social linkages between villages and the service center and coordinated at the

  10. The Role of Small Towns in Local Place Making

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Csurgó Bernadett

    2016-12-01

    Full Text Available Self-promotion and reinterpretation of local identity is becoming increasingly important in rural communities. Local identity building is succeeded very differently by rural municipalities and regions. The paper analyses the role of small towns in local identity creation. There are varying interpretations of places in Hungary as ways of achieving meaningful territorialisation. Small towns based on their leading and central position within the micro regions can dominate the place-making processes. Using the example of six Hungarian rural micro-regions we analyse how rural small towns position themselves by local image building. The aim of this paper is to investigate interactions between territorial position and innovative capacity of rural towns through the analysis of symbolisation process and image building. We purpose to introduce a concept of a place oriented approach and demonstrate its usefulness for analysis of rural innovation and place-based development. The case-studies are based on qualitative methods: document-analysis, semi-structured interviews, transect walking and participatory observation. The paper analyses the process of local community and identity building in six rural micro-regions. We seek to understand how small towns position themselves in place-making, the aim of ‘placing’ themselves in the territorial hierarchy of the settlements of micro region. Our results suggest that small towns play very different roles in local image building. Characteristics and territorial scope of local cultural heritage significantly determine the innovative capacity of small towns in local image building where there is a wide range of meanings procedures and processes of place-making.

  11. The evolution of lycopsid rooting structures: conservatism and disparity.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hetherington, Alexander J; Dolan, Liam

    2017-07-01

    Contents 538 I. 538 II. 539 III. 541 IV. 542 543 References 543 SUMMARY: The evolution of rooting structures was a crucial event in Earth's history, increasing the ability of plants to extract water, mine for nutrients and anchor above-ground shoot systems. Fossil evidence indicates that roots evolved at least twice among vascular plants, in the euphyllophytes and independently in the lycophytes. Here, we review the anatomy and evolution of lycopsid rooting structures. Highlighting recent discoveries made with fossils we suggest that the evolution of lycopsid rooting structures displays two contrasting patterns - conservatism and disparity. The structures termed roots have remained structurally similar despite hundreds of millions of years of evolution - an example of remarkable conservatism. By contrast, and over the same time period, the organs that give rise to roots have diversified, resulting in the evolution of numerous novel and disparate organs. © 2016 The Authors. New Phytologist © 2016 New Phytologist Trust.

  12. TINGKAT KEPUASAN PELANGGAN TERHADAP PELAYANAN DI KFC MAKASSAR TOWN SQUARE

    OpenAIRE

    RAMADHANI, IRMA

    2017-01-01

    2017 Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengetahui tingkat kepuasan pelanggan terhadap pelayanan di KFC Makassar Town Square. Penelitian ini dilaksanakan terhadap pelanggan KFC Makassar Town Square yang telah bertransaksi lebih dari satu kali. Penelitian ini merupakan penelitian kuantitatif deskriptif dengan mendeskripsikan atau menggambarkan tentang tingkat kepuasan pelanggan terhadap pelayanan. Jumlah sampel penelitian 83 pelanggan KFC Makassar Town. Analisis data menggunak...

  13. Urban agglomerations and transformations of medium-sized towns in Poland

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Runge Anna

    2016-09-01

    Full Text Available This analysis investigates medium-sized towns in Poland, i.e. those with a population between 20–100 thousand, located up to 100 km away from the main city of the agglomeration. The aim of this article is to compare the level of socio-economic development of Polish towns depending on their location in relation to the main city in the largest agglomerations in 1998 and 2013. Three zones of distance from the main city of each agglomeration have been taken into consideration: a. the inner zone, reaching up to 25 km from the main city; b. the outer zone located at a distance of 25 to 50 km from the main city, and c. the peripheral zone, located at a distance of 50 to 100 km from the main city and including the medium-size towns located outside the agglomeration system. This analysis of the distribution of medium-sized towns and their level of socio-economic development has shown various levels of changes which depend on the distance from the main city of the agglomeration. In 1998, the highest level of development of the medium-sized towns was recorded in towns outside of these agglomeration systems, i.e. those located most remotely from the main city (peripheral zone. Most of the medium-sized towns are situated at a distance of 50–100 km from Warszawa, Kraków, Łódź, Lublin, Gdańsk and have developed their own local, or even regional labour markets and some of them have even provided administrative functions in the past as voivodeship capitals. Only in the Poznań agglomeration, the level of development of medium-sized towns was higher in the immediate surroundings of the main city (25 km. The medium-sized towns in all zones of the distance from the main city in the Wrocław agglomeration represented a similar level of development. By 2013, the level of development of the medium-sized towns in the peripheral zone in all investigated settlement systems had decreased, with a significant improvement in the level of development of the towns in

  14. The spatial flaws of new towns : Morphological comparison between a Chinese new and old town through the application of space syntax, spacematrix and mixed use index

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Ye, Y.E.; Van Nes, A.

    2014-01-01

    Many new towns are established in China with the intention of providing desirable places to live. Nevertheless, these new towns often lack the flourishing street life, small businesses, and variety of social activities that old towns have to offer. This paper explores the spatial reasons why old

  15. Renewal of a Small Town in Poland Based on Example of Ustka

    Science.gov (United States)

    Poczobut, Joanna

    2017-10-01

    Ustka is a historical seaside town, port and health resort, a town of many possibilities. In this tourist town the old urban arrangement and many historic objects are preserved. Despite such potential, the town struggles with various problems, as do many small towns in the north of Poland. In 2003 works on a revitalization programme began (it has been implemented since 2005). The next stage was a programme which started in 2011. At present Ustka prepares for the next revitalization plan-a “District Revitalization Programme for 2016 - 2022”. The article describes: the situation at different stages of town development related to previously carried out revitalization programmes and the prospects for its further prosperity.

  16. An agrarian town?

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Haase, Kirstine

    This paper will discuss how to understand the early development of Odense seen through the archaeological record. Is it possible to see if, how and when the town transformed from agrarian to urban during the 11th to 16th Century? Untill now the evidence of the earliest history of Odense has mainl...... these features change over time....

  17. Adapting adaptation: the English eco-town initiative as governance process

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Daniel Tomozeiu

    2014-06-01

    Full Text Available Climate change adaptation and mitigation have become key policy drivers in the UK under its Climate Change Act of 2008. At the same time, urbanization has been high on the agenda, given the pressing need for substantial additional housing, particularly in southeast England. These twin policy objectives were brought together in the UK government's 'eco-town' initiative for England launched in 2007, which has since resulted in four eco-town projects currently under development. We critically analyze the eco-town initiative's policy evolution and early planning phase from a multilevel governance perspective by focusing on the following two interrelated aspects: (1 the evolving governance structures and resulting dynamics arising from the development of the eco-town initiative at UK governmental level, and the subsequent partial devolution to local stakeholders, including local authorities and nongovernmental actors, under the new 'localism' agenda; and (2 the effect of these governance dynamics on the conceptual and practical approach to adaptation through the emerging eco-town projects. As such, we problematize the impact of multilevel governance relations, and competing governance strategies and leadership, on shaping eco-town and related adaptation strategies and practice.

  18. Unintended effects of emphasizing disparities in cancer communication to African-Americans.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nicholson, Robert A; Kreuter, Matthew W; Lapka, Christina; Wellborn, Rachel; Clark, Eddie M; Sanders-Thompson, Vetta; Jacobsen, Heather M; Casey, Chris

    2008-11-01

    Little is known about how minority groups react to public information that highlights racial disparities in cancer. This double-blind randomized study compared emotional and behavioral reactions to four versions of the same colon cancer (CRC) information presented in mock news articles to a community sample of African-American adults (n = 300). Participants read one of four articles that varied in their framing and interpretation of race-specific CRC mortality data, emphasizing impact (CRC is an important problem for African-Americans), two dimensions of disparity (Blacks are doing worse than Whites and Blacks are improving, but less than Whites), or progress (Blacks are improving over time). Participants exposed to disparity articles reported more negative emotional reactions to the information and were less likely to want to be screened for CRC than those in other groups (both P emotional reactions and participants were more likely to want to be screened. Moreover, negative emotional reaction seemed to mediate the influence of message type on individuals wanting to be screened for CRC. Overall, these results suggest that the way in which disparity research is reported in the medium can influence public attitudes and intentions, with reports about progress yielding a more positive effect on intention. This seems especially important among those with high levels of medical mistrust who are least likely to use the health care system and are thus the primary target of health promotion advertising.

  19. Molecular differentiation of Entamoeba histolytica and Entamoeba dispar from Tunisian food handlers with amoeba infection initially diagnosed by microscopy

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ben Ayed S.

    2008-03-01

    Full Text Available The purpose of the study was to obtain more reliable epidemiological data concerning Entamoeba (E. histolytica infection in Tunisian food handlers using established molecular tools able to differentiate E. histolytica from E. dispar. From 2002 to 2005, 4,266 fresh stools specimens received in the setting of the National program of food handlers’ control were analysed by optical microscopy. Twelve (2.8 ‰ were positive for the presence of four nuclei cysts identified as E. histolytica/E. dispar. Extraction of DNA from the 12 samples, followed by specific amplifications of E. histolytica and E. dispar SSU rDNA, showed that 11 samples (92% were positive for E. dispar and negative for E. histolytica. Sequencing analysis of 8 PCR products permitted to verify the results obtained with conventional PCR. The remaining sample was negative by PCR amplifying E. histolytica DNA or E. dispar DNA specifically, although it did not show any inhibition. It probably contains protozoan cysts genetically distinct from these two species but morphological similar. Estimation of relative proportions between E. histolytica and E. dispar in cyst carriers showed that all explored individuals harboured the non pathogenic E. dispar strains. This result highlights the need of use in this population of complementary tests that allow specific diagnosis and obviate unnecessary chemotherapy.

  20. Supercritical water decontamination of town gas soil

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kocher, B.S.; Azzam, F.O.; Lee, S.

    1994-01-01

    Town gas sites represent a large environmental problem that exists in more than 2,000 sites across North America alone. The major contaminants in town gas sods are polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). These are stable compounds that migrate deep into the soil and are traditionally very difficult to remove by conventional remediation processes. Supercritical fluids offer enhanced solvating properties along with reduced mass transfer resistances that make them ideal for removing compounds that are difficult or impossible to remove by conventional processes. Supercritical water is ideal for removing PAHs and other hydrocarbons from soil due to its high solvating power towards most hydrocarbon species. Supercritical water was investigated for its ability to remediate two different town gas sods containing from 3--20 wt% contamination. The sod was remediated in a 300-cc semi-continuous system to a more environmentally acceptable level

  1. Hong Kong New Town Sustainability Analysis from the Perspective of Low-Carbon Eco-City—Taking Tseung Kwan O New Town as an Example

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Siqi; Huang, Guanqi

    2018-01-01

    Recent years, people have paid more attentions to environmental issues involving air pollution, urban heat island effect and accessibility of green space. Hong Kong is a representative high-density city. The mission of Hong Kong New Town Development is to scatter the densely urban centre population and to improve living quality. Based on the ArcGIS and CFD scientific simulation, this paper focus on the sustainability analysis of Hong Kong new town from the view of Low-Carbon Eco-City, taking Tseung Kwan O new town as the research object.

  2. Post-Soviet Transitions of the Planned Socialist Towns: Visaginas, Lithuania

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rasa Baločkaitė

    2010-11-01

    Full Text Available Visaginas, formerly Sniečkus, (Lithuania was built as a planned socialist town and a satellite settlement to the Ignalina Nuclear Power Plant. Both the plant and the town were established in order to integrate Lithuania into the All-Union economic structures via the energy supply system,. The specific characteristics of the town were a particular mono industry, high living standards, ethnic composition (mostly Russian speaking migrants, Lithuanians as minority, absence of any history prior to 1973 and strong pro-Soviet attitudes. For years, it was a success story and the vanguard site of the socialism. After the declaration of Lithuanian Independency in 1990, the town became the site of tensions and uncertainties. The aim of this research study is to illuminate how post-Soviet transition has been experienced by this particular type of community shaped by socialism. Community experiences are retrospectively reconstructed via content analysis of the local media. The particular characteristics of the town (ethnic composition, employment structure, etc. made the process of transition extremely complicated. While other planned socialist towns established new identities and new trajectories of development, in the case of Visaginas, not the future, but the past played a crucial role in shaping the town’s identity.

  3. Unintended Effects of Emphasizing Disparities in Cancer Communication to African-Americans

    OpenAIRE

    Nicholson, Robert A.; Kreuter, Matthew W.; Lapka, Christina; Wellborn, Rachel; Clark, Eddie M.; Sanders-Thompson, Vetta; Jacobsen, Heather M.; Casey, Chris

    2008-01-01

    Little is known about how minority groups react to public information that highlights racial disparities in cancer. This double-blind randomized study compared emotional and behavioral reactions to four versions of the same colon cancer (CRC) information presented in mock news articles to a community sample of African-American adults (n = 300). Participants read one of four articles that varied in their framing and interpretation of race-specific CRC mortality data, emphasizing impact (CRC is...

  4. Peripatetic Highlights in Bern

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hentschel, Ann M.

    The capital city of the Swiss Canton of Bern and of the Swiss Confederation is nestled in a narrow loop of the Aare river, at the foot of the Alps. The old town, founded around 1191, is well preserved despite a devastating fire in 1405.** Major industries of the region developed under the constraints of modest domestic markets, high transportation costs, and protectionist legislation across national borders. Switzerland thus found its niche in higher-end markets, such as chocolate making, engine building, instruments, fine textiles, and chemicals or pharmaceuticals. My tour past historically significant scientific sites in Bern will use the local legacy of its most illustrious residents, Albert Einstein (1879-1955), who lived there from 1902-1909, and Fritz Houtermans (1903-1966), who lived there from 1952-1966, as its guiding thread through the old town and the university district. Place names in italics mark stops along the tour.

  5. A roadmap and best practices for organizations to reduce racial and ethnic disparities in health care.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chin, Marshall H; Clarke, Amanda R; Nocon, Robert S; Casey, Alicia A; Goddu, Anna P; Keesecker, Nicole M; Cook, Scott C

    2012-08-01

    Over the past decade, researchers have shifted their focus from documenting health care disparities to identifying solutions to close the gap in care. Finding Answers: Disparities Research for Change, a national program of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, is charged with identifying promising interventions to reduce disparities. Based on our work conducting systematic reviews of the literature, evaluating promising practices, and providing technical assistance to health care organizations, we present a roadmap for reducing racial and ethnic disparities in care. The roadmap outlines a dynamic process in which individual interventions are just one part. It highlights that organizations and providers need to take responsibility for reducing disparities, establish a general infrastructure and culture to improve quality, and integrate targeted disparities interventions into quality improvement efforts. Additionally, we summarize the major lessons learned through the Finding Answers program. We share best practices for implementing disparities interventions and synthesize cross-cutting themes from 12 systematic reviews of the literature. Our research shows that promising interventions frequently are culturally tailored to meet patients' needs, employ multidisciplinary teams of care providers, and target multiple leverage points along a patient's pathway of care. Health education that uses interactive techniques to deliver skills training appears to be more effective than traditional didactic approaches. Furthermore, patient navigation and engaging family and community members in the health care process may improve outcomes for minority patients. We anticipate that the roadmap and best practices will be useful for organizations, policymakers, and researchers striving to provide high-quality equitable care.

  6. Disparities in Gynecological Malignancies

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sudeshna eChatterjee

    2016-02-01

    Full Text Available Objectives: Health disparities and inequalities in access to care among different socioeconomic, ethnic, and racial groups have been well documented in the U.S. healthcare system. In this review, we aimed to provide an overview of barriers to care contributing to health disparities in gynecological oncology management and to describe site-specific disparities in gynecologic care for endometrial, ovarian, and cervical cancer. Methods: We performed a literature review of peer-reviewed academic and governmental publications focusing on disparities in gynecological care in the United States by searching PubMed and Google Scholar electronic databases. Results: There are multiple important underlying issues that may contribute to the disparities in gynecological oncology management in the United States, namely geographic access and hospital based-discrepancies, research-based discrepancies, influence of socioeconomic and health insurance status, and finally the influence of race and biological factors. Despite the reduction in overall cancer-related deaths since the 1990s, the 5-year survival for Black women is significantly lower than for White women for each gynecologic cancer type and each stage of diagnosis. For ovarian and endometrial cancer, black patients are less likely to receive treatment consistent with evidence-based guidelines and have worse survival outcomes even after accounting for stage and comorbidities. For cervical and endometrial cancer, the mortality rate for black women remains twice that of White women. Conclusions: Health care disparities in the incidence and outcome of gynecologic cancers are complex and involve biologic factors as well as racial, socioeconomic and geographic barriers that influence treatment and survival. These barriers must be addressed to provide optimal care to women in the U.S. with gynecologic cancer.

  7. Determining town base socioeconomic indices to sensitize development in lahore, pakistan

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Aziz, A.

    2014-01-01

    Urban Population is increasing tremendously across the World with many cities struggling to reduce urban divides. Lahore, the second largest city of Pakistan and a provincial capital confronted with challenge of urban divides. Socioeconomic inequalities engrossed the city and have become unrelenting in the wake of absence of an effective mechanism to ensure equity of services and development priorities. Consequently, state/cities resources are misdirected from the real and cogent use. Area based socio-economic indices help to classify areas which require for setting priorities and compatible uses. This paper highlights application of Principle Component Analysis to make socioeconomic indices (SESI) for towns of Lahore with outlined extension to union council level. (author)

  8. Challenges and prospects of Danish service towns in the new urban geography

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Fertner, Christian; Groth, Niels Boje

    2012-01-01

    Many small towns in Denmark lost population and functions in recent decades. The service towns established between 1850 and 1940 take a considerable share of those. In that time almost 500 new towns emerged all over the country to serve the new export-oriented agricultural production as regional...... service centres. This development was accompanied by new communication and transport technologies including railways, which gave the towns the Danish name “stationsby” (“station town”). Many experienced rapid growth in population and economic activities, which first levelled off with the crisis...... of the 1930s and later with the introduction of the car as dominant mode of transport. After a municipal reform in 1970, some of the railway towns became administrative centres in the new larger municipalities followed by a pronounced growth. However, most of the service towns are still very small: 40 % have...

  9. Archaeological Documentation of a Defunct Iraqi Town

    Science.gov (United States)

    Šedina, J.; Pavelka, K.; Housarová, E.

    2016-06-01

    The subject of this article is the possibilities of the documentation of a defunct town from the Pre-Islamic period to Early Islamic period. This town is located near the town Makhmur in Iraq. The Czech archaeological mission has worked at this dig site. This Cultural Heritage site is threatened by war because in the vicinity are positions of ISIS. For security reasons, the applicability of Pleiades satellite data has been tested. Moreover, this area is a no-fly zone. However, the DTM created from stereo-images was insufficient for the desired application in archeology. The subject of this paper is the testing of the usability of RPAS technology and terrestrial photogrammetry for documentation of the remains of buildings. RPAS is a very fast growing technology that combines the advantages of aerial photogrammetry and terrestrial photogrammetry. A probably defunct church is a sample object.

  10. ARCHAEOLOGICAL DOCUMENTATION OF A DEFUNCT IRAQI TOWN

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    J. Šedina

    2016-06-01

    Full Text Available The subject of this article is the possibilities of the documentation of a defunct town from the Pre-Islamic period to Early Islamic period. This town is located near the town Makhmur in Iraq. The Czech archaeological mission has worked at this dig site. This Cultural Heritage site is threatened by war because in the vicinity are positions of ISIS. For security reasons, the applicability of Pleiades satellite data has been tested. Moreover, this area is a no-fly zone. However, the DTM created from stereo-images was insufficient for the desired application in archeology. The subject of this paper is the testing of the usability of RPAS technology and terrestrial photogrammetry for documentation of the remains of buildings. RPAS is a very fast growing technology that combines the advantages of aerial photogrammetry and terrestrial photogrammetry. A probably defunct church is a sample object.

  11. The Promise and Perils of the Island City of George Town (Penang as a Creative City

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Suet Leng Khoo

    2015-12-01

    Full Text Available The peripheral and semi-peripheral roles of islands are being challenged and contested as contemporary island cities assume positions as engines of growth and become centres of progress for driving economic development. Notably, island cities around the globe have become instrumental in shaping and influencing the dynamics of urban development as cities now compete with each other to strategically position themselves in today’s competitive global economy that leverages creativity and innovation. Particularly in a creative economy, the availability, quantity, and quality of unique cultures; creative talents; and creative/cultural industries within a city are differentiating and determining factors that can boost a city’s position and subsequently spur economic growth and progress. Against this backdrop, this paper explores the position of the island city of George Town (Penang en route to becoming a Creative City. This paper highlights the island’s urban dynamics as well as discusses the promise and perils of transforming George Town into a Creative City in its own right.

  12. Processing vertical size disparities in distinct depth planes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Duke, Philip A; Howard, Ian P

    2012-08-17

    A textured surface appears slanted about a vertical axis when the image in one eye is horizontally enlarged relative to the image in the other eye. The surface appears slanted in the opposite direction when the same image is vertically enlarged. Two superimposed textured surfaces with different horizontal size disparities appear as two surfaces that differ in slant. Superimposed textured surfaces with equal and opposite vertical size disparities appear as a single frontal surface. The vertical disparities are averaged. We investigated whether vertical size disparities are averaged across two superimposed textured surfaces in different depth planes or whether they induce distinct slants in the two depth planes. In Experiment 1, two superimposed textured surfaces with different vertical size disparities were presented in two depth planes defined by horizontal disparity. The surfaces induced distinct slants when the horizontal disparity was more than ±5 arcmin. Thus, vertical size disparities are not averaged over surfaces with different horizontal disparities. In Experiment 2 we confirmed that vertical size disparities are processed in surfaces away from the horopter, so the results of Experiment 1 cannot be explained by the processing of vertical size disparities in a fixated surface only. Together, these results show that vertical size disparities are processed separately in distinct depth planes. The results also suggest that vertical size disparities are not used to register slant globally by their effect on the registration of binocular direction of gaze.

  13. Preventing Filipino Mental Health Disparities: Perspectives from Adolescents, Caregivers, Providers, and Advocates.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Javier, Joyce R; Supan, Jocelyn; Lansang, Anjelica; Beyer, William; Kubicek, Katrina; Palinkas, Lawrence A

    2014-12-01

    Filipino Americans are the second largest immigrant population and second largest Asian ethnic group in the U.S. Disparities in youth behavioral health problems and the receipt of mental health services among Filipino youth have been documented previously. However, few studies have elicited perspectives from community stakeholders regarding how to prevent mental health disparities among Filipino youth. The purpose of the current study is to identify intervention strategies for implementing mental health prevention programs among Filipino youth. We conducted semi-structured interviews (n=33) with adolescents, caregivers, advocates, and providers and focus groups (n=18) with adolescents and caregivers. Interviews were audio taped and transcribed verbatim. Transcripts were analyzed using a methodology of "coding consensus, co-occurrence, and comparison" and was rooted in grounded theory. Four recommendations were identified when developing mental health prevention strategies among Filipino populations: address the intergenerational gap between Filipino parents and children, provide evidence-based parenting programs, collaborate with churches in order to overcome stigma associated with mental health, and address mental health needs of parents. Findings highlight the implementation of evidence-based preventive parenting programs in faith settings as a community-identified and culturally appropriate strategy to prevent Filipino youth behavioral health disparities.

  14. Old regime towns and villages: consent and conflict in local castile

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Susana Truchuelo García

    2013-12-01

    Full Text Available Castilian towns and villages had a long development process in medieval times. Then, they were formed as political bodies to the prosecution of the common good. Despite town and village reciprocal relationships were part of the common political body they formed together, their relationships were hierarchical. Towns, as heads of jurisdictional districts, kept relations of domination on the villages. There, powerful local lineages tried to widen their authority and power. This traditional scheme, that explained town and village Old Regime relationships, was changing in the long-run perspective. Charles V initiated sales of town titles and privileges to increase royal incomes. This favored not only these last, but also higher degrees of jurisdictional local autonomy and, at the same time, it went in favor of local oligarchies aspirations of wider spheres of local self government

  15. Digital divide and body size disparities among Chinese adults

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Chih-Chien Huang

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available Background: The rapid development of information and communication technology (ICT in China has increased people's sedentary behavior and raised a number of related issues. ICT screen-viewing activities are increasingly considered to contribute to obesity, and sociodemographic characteristics such as gender, income, age, education, and geographical location seem to magnify the digital divide. Objective: This study first examines dissimilar stages of ICT transition, and then establishes how ICT screen-viewing activities relate to the Chinese obesity epidemic. Finally, this study assesses whether unequal access to digital resources and technology by geographic location and gender reinforces existing obesity disparities in China. Methods: This study uses longitudinal data drawn from 10,616 households and 17,377 person-years of those aged 18-55 who participated in the 2006, 2009, and 2011 China Health and Nutrition Survey (CHNS. Fixed effect linear regression models capture the link between ICT screen-viewing activities and body mass index (BMI. Results: The results show that while between 91.37Š and 96.70Š of individuals had access to televisions during 2006-2011, there is a significant disparity in terms of Internet activity by gender and geographical location. The results show that Internet use could decrease a rural women's BMI by .87 kg/m2, while playing computer games could increase a rural man's BMI by .42 kg/m2. Contribution: This study highlights that unequal access to digital resources and technology might reinforce existing obesity disparities in China.

  16. Tourism Development: Issues for Historic Walled Towns = Razvoj turizma v mestih z obzidjem

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    David Bruce

    2009-06-01

    Full Text Available This paper discusses issues in tourism development and visitor management in historic walled towns. Historic towns and walled towns in particular, attract tourists that enjoy the preserved medieval ambience, architecture and picturesque streets. Tourism has an impact on economic and social life as well as on the urban and natural environment. Walled towns and cities with their obvious barriers exemplify and crystallise issues, challenges, and opportunities critical to the development of tourism. A research designed to identify issues related to tourism development and visitor management in walled towns included an extensive questionnaire and two workshops. Eight European historic/ walled towns were included in the research: Chester (United Kingdom, Piran (Slovenia, ’s-Hertogenbosch (Netherlands, Valetta (Malta, Arabarri (Spain, Lucca (Italy, Lörrach (Germany, and Verona (Italy. The questionnaire was used to identify the tourism profile of participating towns as well as the issues and concerns related to tourism development. Participating towns discussed their concerns and exchanged their views and good practices at two workshops. Identified issues include providing adequate tourist information, involvement of residents in tourism development, development of products to decrease seasonality, and concentration of tourism demand. The paper presents good practices and suggests solutions in solving tourism related issues in historic walled towns.

  17. Your Town Television Show: SMART Program (Part 1) [video

    OpenAIRE

    Naval Postgraduate School, (U.S.); Sanders, John; Millsaps, Knox; Shifflett, Deborah

    2010-01-01

    From "Your Town" television show. SMART Scholarship Program featured on Your Town television program in Monterey, California. Host John Sanders, Special Collections Manager of the Naval Postgraduate School's Dudley Knox Library, interviews Dr. Knox Millsaps, Executive Agent for the SMART Program, and Deborah Shifflett, SMART Program Manager.

  18. Your Town Television Show: SMART Program (Part 3) [video

    OpenAIRE

    Naval Postgraduate School, (U.S.); Sanders, John; Millsaps, Knox; Shifflett, Deborah

    2010-01-01

    From "Your Town" television show. SMART Scholarship Program featured on Your Town television program in Monterey, California. Host John Sanders, Special Collections Manager of the Naval Postgraduate School's Dudley Knox Library, interviews Dr. Knox Millsaps, Executive Agent for the SMART Program, and Deborah Shifflett, SMART Program Manager.

  19. Social Networks and Sexual Orientation Disparities in Tobacco and Alcohol Use

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hatzenbuehler, Mark L; McLaughlin, Katie A; Xuan, Ziming

    2015-01-01

    Objective: The purpose of this study was to examine whether the composition of social networks contributes to sexual orientation disparities in substance use and misuse. Method: Data were obtained from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health (Add Health), a nationally representative cohort study of adolescents (N = 20,745). Wave 1 collected extensive information about the social networks of participants through peer nomination inventories. Results: Same- and both-sex–attracted youths had higher frequency/quantity of tobacco use in their peer networks than did opposite-sex–attracted youths, and both-sex–attracted youths had higher frequency/quantity of alcohol use and misuse in their peer networks than opposite-sex–attracted youths. Among same- and both-sex–attracted youths, greater frequency/quantity of tobacco use in one’s social network predicted greater use of cigarettes. In addition, greater frequency/quantity of peers’ drinking and drinking to intoxication predicted more alcohol use and alcohol misuse in the both-sex–attracted group. These social network factors mediated sexual orientation–related disparities in tobacco use for both- and same-sex–attracted youths. Moreover, sexual orientation disparities in alcohol misuse were mediated by social network characteristics for the same-sex and both-sex–attracted youths. Importantly, sexual minority adolescents were no more likely to have other sexual minorities in their social networks than were sexual majority youths, ruling out an alternative explanation for our results. Conclusions: These findings highlight the importance of social networks as correlates of substance use behaviors among sexual minority youths and as potential pathways explaining sexual orientation disparities in substance use outcomes. PMID:25486400

  20. Minority Health and Health Disparities

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... ik People" People Awakening Resilience Project (PARP), Cuqyun "Measuring" Treatment and Health Services Research Alcohol Treatment and ... addressing Health Disparities . 1 2009-2013 Health Disparities Strategic Plan, p.4 2 Ibid, p.4 3 ...

  1. Risk factors for meningococcal disease in Cape Town | Moodley ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Objective. To determine the risk factors associated with meningococcal disease among children living in Cape Town. Design. A case-control study was conducted from October 1993 to January 1995. Setting. The study population consisted of all children tmder the age of 14 years who were resident in the Cape Town ...

  2. The 1992 measles epidemic in Cape Town - a changing ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Over the last 6 years there has been a decline in the incidence of measles in Cape Town. However, during August 1992 an outbreak occurred, with cases reported at many schools in children presumably immunised. The objectives of this study were to characterise the epidemic in Cape Town and to determine possible ...

  3. Counties eliminating racial disparities in colorectal cancer mortality.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rust, George; Zhang, Shun; Yu, Zhongyuan; Caplan, Lee; Jain, Sanjay; Ayer, Turgay; McRoy, Luceta; Levine, Robert S

    2016-06-01

    Although colorectal cancer (CRC) mortality rates are declining, racial-ethnic disparities in CRC mortality nationally are widening. Herein, the authors attempted to identify county-level variations in this pattern, and to characterize counties with improving disparity trends. The authors examined 20-year trends in US county-level black-white disparities in CRC age-adjusted mortality rates during the study period between 1989 and 2010. Using a mixed linear model, counties were grouped into mutually exclusive patterns of black-white racial disparity trends in age-adjusted CRC mortality across 20 three-year rolling average data points. County-level characteristics from census data and from the Area Health Resources File were normalized and entered into a principal component analysis. Multinomial logistic regression models were used to test the relation between these factors (clusters of related contextual variables) and the disparity trend pattern group for each county. Counties were grouped into 4 disparity trend pattern groups: 1) persistent disparity (parallel black and white trend lines); 2) diverging (widening disparity); 3) sustained equality; and 4) converging (moving from disparate outcomes toward equality). The initial principal component analysis clustered the 82 independent variables into a smaller number of components, 6 of which explained 47% of the county-level variation in disparity trend patterns. County-level variation in social determinants, health care workforce, and health systems all were found to contribute to variations in cancer mortality disparity trend patterns from 1990 through 2010. Counties sustaining equality over time or moving from disparities to equality in cancer mortality suggest that disparities are not inevitable, and provide hope that more communities can achieve optimal and equitable cancer outcomes for all. Cancer 2016;122:1735-48. © 2016 American Cancer Society. © 2016 American Cancer Society.

  4. Prevalence and risk factors associated with Entamoeba histolytica/dispar/moshkovskii infection among three Orang Asli ethnic groups in Malaysia.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Tengku Shahrul Anuar

    Full Text Available Entamoeba histolytica/Entamoeba dispar/Entamoeba moshkovskii infection is still prevalent in rural Malaysia especially among Orang Asli communities. Currently, information on prevalence of this infection among different ethnic groups of Orang Asli is unavailable in Malaysia. To contribute to a better comprehension of the epidemiology of this infection, a cross-sectional study aimed at providing the first documented data on the prevalence and risk factors associated with E. histolytica/E. dispar/E. moshkovskii infection was carried out among three Orang Asli ethnic groups (Proto-Malay, Negrito, and Senoi in selected villages in Negeri Sembilan, Perak, and Pahang states, Malaysia.Faecal samples were examined by formalin-ether sedimentation and trichrome staining techniques. Of 500 individuals, 8.7% (13/150 of Proto-Malay, 29.5% (41/139 of Negrito, and 18.5% (39/211 of Senoi were positive for E. histolytica/E. dispar/E. moshkovskii, respectively. The prevalence of this infection showed an age-dependency relationship, with higher rates observed among those aged less than 15 years in all ethnic groups studied. Multivariate analysis confirmed that not washing hands after playing with soils or gardening and presence of other family members infected with E. histolytica/E. dispar/E. moshkovskii were significant risk factors of infection among all ethnic groups. However, eating with hands, the consumption of raw vegetables, and close contact with domestic animals were identified as significant risk factors in Senoi.Essentially, the findings highlighted that E. histolytica/E. dispar/E. moshkovskii parasites are still prevalent in Malaysia. Further studies using molecular approaches to distinguish the morphologically identical species of pathogenic, E. histolytica from the non-pathogenic, E. dispar and E. moshkovskii are needed. The establishment of such data will be beneficial for the public health authorities in the planning and implementation of specific

  5. Being young in a boom town

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    O' Connor, Christopher

    2011-08-15

    Fort McMurray is a booming town, having grown from small town to big city in a short time. A study was conducted to determine how this change affected young people. Results show they felt the changing environment required them to adapt all the time, which was a challenge but also a source of opportunities. Fort McMurray, with a labour shortage, afforded young people a lot of well-paid, flexible part time jobs during high school. These jobs were important to fund their post-secondary education. Although most of the young people saw themselves living elsewhere in 10 years, they could possibly stay if local challenges in the city were addressed.

  6. Data on microscale atmospheric pollution of Bolshoy Kamen town (Primorsky region, Russia)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kholodov, Aleksei; Ugay, Sergey; Drozd, Vladimir; Maiss, Natalia; Golokhvast, Kirill

    2017-10-01

    The paper discusses the study of atmospheric particulate matter of Bolshoy Kamen town by means of laser granulometry of snow water samples. Snow sampling points were selected close to major enterprises, along the main streets and roads of the town and in the residential area. The near-ground layer of atmospheric air of the town contains particulate matter of three main size classes: under 10 microns, 10-50 microns and over 700 microns. It is shown that the atmosphere of this town is lightly polluted with particles under 10 μm (PM10). Only in 5 sampling points out of 11 we found microparticles potentially hazardous to human health in significant quantities - from 16.2% to 34.6%. On the most territory of the town large particles (over 400 μm) dominate reaching 79.2%. We can conclude that judging by the particle size analysis of snow water samples Bolshoy Kamen town can be considered safe in terms of presence of particles under 10 μm (PM10) in the atmosphere.

  7. A Paradox of Town Spatial Development: The Growing Real Estate and Shrinking Town - a Case Study of Hsinchu County, Taiwan

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hung, Chi-Tung; Chuang, Mo-Hsiung; Lin, Wen-Yen

    2017-04-01

    The key factors of many discussions on shrinking towns are focusing at decreasing population and declining industries. Our study, using Hsinchu County as an example, has found that part of the county (Guanxi township) is following a typical and traditional town development pattern, while somewhere else of this county (Zhubei township) shows rapid growth in real estate but with a high vacancy rate. Even though the distance between Guanxi and Zhubei is less than 20 kilometers, the spatial development phenomenon of the two townships are both "shrinking" in the same county but very different in their developing paths. This study used GIS to overlay the maps from field survey and archive data, such as real estate prices of different years, environmental hazards and disaster records, local area power consumptions, and vulnerable population data, to clarify the causes and systems behind the shrinking phenomena of the two townships and to construct a theory of "shrinking town" in Taiwan. The contribution of this study is the findings of the tangling relations of the vulnerability from land-enclosure policy, the system design of local industrial development and urban planning, and structural factors of environmental hazards. Note: This study is part of the results from the Ministry of Science and Technology funding project (MOST 105-2621-M-120-002) KEYWORDS: shrinking town, environmental hazards, urban planning, spatial disasters, real estate development

  8. Message design strategies to raise public awareness of social determinants of health and population health disparities.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Niederdeppe, Jeff; Bu, Q Lisa; Borah, Porismita; Kindig, David A; Robert, Stephanie A

    2008-09-01

    Raising public awareness of the importance of social determinants of health (SDH) and health disparities presents formidable communication challenges. This article reviews three message strategies that could be used to raise awareness of SDH and health disparities: message framing, narratives, and visual imagery. Although few studies have directly tested message strategies for raising awareness of SDH and health disparities, the accumulated evidence from other domains suggests that population health advocates should frame messages to acknowledge a role for individual decisions about behavior but emphasize SDH. These messages might use narratives to provide examples of individuals facing structural barriers (unsafe working conditions, neighborhood safety concerns, lack of civic opportunities) in efforts to avoid poverty, unemployment, racial discrimination, and other social determinants. Evocative visual images that invite generalizations, suggest causal interpretations, highlight contrasts, and create analogies could accompany these narratives. These narratives and images should not distract attention from SDH and population health disparities, activate negative stereotypes, or provoke counterproductive emotional responses directed at the source of the message. The field of communication science offers valuable insights into ways that population health advocates and researchers might develop better messages to shape public opinion and debate about the social conditions that shape the health and well-being of populations. The time has arrived to begin thinking systematically about issues in communicating about SDH and health disparities. This article offers a broad framework for these efforts and concludes with an agenda for future research to refine message strategies to raise awareness of SDH and health disparities.

  9. VT Designated New Town Center Boundary

    Data.gov (United States)

    Vermont Center for Geographic Information — Municipalities that lack a historic downtown may obtain New Town Center designation, meeting requirements for planning, capital expenditures, and regulatory tools...

  10. Ensuring water supply for all towns and villages in the Eastern Cape ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Eastern Cape and Western Cape Provinces of South Africa. ER Hay1, K .... The current water balance (see Fig. 1) and the .... in selected towns in the Eastern and Western Cape. Town .... work in order to reduce the risk of failure in the water supply to the town. .... Asset management, to prolong the life of the infrastructure.

  11. Innovative sewerage solutions for small rural towns.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Diaper, C; Sharma, A

    2007-01-01

    The development and implementation of alternative wastewater servicing approaches in rural communities in Australia appears more feasible than in larger urban developments as many rural centres rely on septic tanks and surface discharge of greywater. This method of disposal creates many environmental, social and economic issues and is seen to limit potential for growth in many towns. This paper describes a generic methodology for the selection of innovative sewerage options for six regional towns in Victoria, Australia. The method includes consultation with stakeholders, multi-criteria assessment and concept design of the most favourable option. Despite the broad range of initial wastewater servicing options presented which included cluster-scale systems, upgrade of existing systems, greywater reuse and alternative collection, the outcome for five of the six towns was a modified centralised collection system as the preferred option. Lack of robust and reliable data on the human health risks and environmental impacts of alternative systems were identified as the primary data gaps in the sustainability assessment. In addition, biases in the assessment method due to stakeholder perceptions were found to be an additional issue.

  12. Geophysical Investigations at the Hanna's Town Cemetery, Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania

    Science.gov (United States)

    Taylor, Ashley D.

    Hanna's Town (36WM203), an 18th century site located in Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, was a major frontier settlement that was attacked and destroyed by a force of British and Native Americans in 1782. The town never fully recovered, and by the early 1800s, no buildings remained from the settlement. The land was repurposed for agricultural use until it was purchased by the Westmoreland County Historical Society, who reconstructed the town for tourism and educational purposes. In addition to the town, the site also contains a cemetery that currently has five headstones. There are several stone fragments in storage that are no longer associated with burials, providing evidence that the cemetery may contain unmarked graves. Geophysical investigations using ground penetrating radar, magnetometry, and electrical resistance were performed to examine the presence of additional grave shafts in and adjacent to the present-day cemetery.

  13. AIR POLLUTION FEATURES OF THE VALLEY-BASED TOWNS IN HUNGARY

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Z. UTASI

    2016-03-01

    Full Text Available There are 30 valley-based towns with >10,000 inhabitants in Hungary, filled by 1.023 million people i.e. 10 % of the population. Two criteria are used to define the valley-based town. They are: (i Vertical difference between the lowest point in the town and the highest one around it should be >100 m. At the same time, (ii the same difference on the opposite side should be >50 m. Air pollution data by the National Air Pollution Observation Network are used. Five contaminants were selected and analysed for 2007, 2010 and 2013. Due to a sharp reduction in the network, we could find data for a small part of the valley-based towns. Control towns with equal air-quality observations and similar cumulative number of inhabitants were also selected. The contaminants and the number of the settlements are: NO2 manual (14 valley-based vs. 2x14 control, NO2 automatic (8 vs. 8, SO2 automatic (7 vs. 2x6, PM10 automatic (8 vs. 2x7 and PM10 deposition manual (6 vs. 8. Average values, as well as high concentration episodes (>98%thresholds are equally analysed and evaluated. The main conclusion is that there are so big differences between the years both in absolute values and relative sequence of valley-based and control groups that the analysed there years is not enough to make any final conclusion. For step-over frequencies, however valley-based towns have some advantage, possibly due to the valley-hill wind system.

  14. The enduring and spatial nature of the enterprise richness of South African towns

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Daan F. Toerien

    2017-03-01

    Full Text Available Enterprise richness (measured by the number of enterprise types showed a statistically significant log-log relationship (or power law with the total number of enterprises in (1 towns in different regions of South Africa and (2 towns in the same region but seven decades apart. Entrepreneurial space in towns develops or disappears in a regular way as towns grow or regress, which is further proof of orderliness in the enterprise dynamics of South African towns. The power laws are very similar to one another, which was powerfully illustrated by the fact that one relationship extracted from seven-decade-old information could accurately predict the enterprise richness of modern towns in South Africa. The enterprise richness power law of towns in South Africa extends over space and time. Recent reviews of research on small towns and local economic development in South Africa have ignored the orderliness detected in their enterprise structures. Islands have provided laboratories for the study of natural evolution and the MacArthur-Wilson Species Equilibrium Model based on island biogeography was a main contributor to progress in ecology. Research on regional economic geography in South Africa should move beyond the merely descriptive/narrative to more quantified research. In considering the lack of employment and poverty in South Africa, the National Development Plan suggests that towns and rural areas are important cogs in efforts to overcome these problems. Development plans that are out of sync with the observed regularities are perhaps bound to fail.

  15. Work with the public in an industrial town

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gelman, Stanislav

    1998-01-01

    Open joint stock company 'Mashinostroitelny zavod' ('MSZ') is the manufacturer of nuclear fuel for 20 NPPs in Russia, CIS countries and Europe; it is situated in 55 km to the east of Moscow in a town called Electrostal that has the population of 150.000 people. The Public Information Center of the factory established 6 years ago informs the population of and public of the town of the technological and ecological peculiarities of the nuclear fuel production and forms positive attitude towards both, activities of the enterprise and atomic energy on the whole. Annually the Center is visited by up to 1.5 thousand people, mainly these are schoolchildren and college students. This has certain importance. The center maintains constant links with all the educational establishments of the town. Each excursion of the students to the Center turns into an open lesson on the main issues of nuclear physics, energy and ecology. The Center has sufficient choice of demo material in favour of the nuclear energy and fuel cycle enterprises.These are NPP diagrams, dummy reactors, full-scale dummy fuel rods and fuel assemblies produced by the factory, stands, scientific popular literature, huge video fund including films on nuclear energy . Video films made in the main workshops of the enterprise and demonstrating high degree of automation of the processes providing for the good quality of nuclear fuel and high level of nuclear and radiation safety of the production are of the highest interest. The work with the public is carried out through the factory weekly paper 'Energia' (3.5 000 copies) distributed almost for free as well as own TV-station 'Pioneer' connected to the town cable TV-network for 2000 users. The paper publications and TV broadcasting constantly enlighten on the issues related to the optimization of the technology of the nuclear fuel production, irradiation and nuclear protection means. The results of the polls held in 1996 show that the majority of the town population

  16. Louisiana Speaks Regional Plan Vision New Town Center Growth Areas, UTM Zone 15N NAD83, Louisiana Recovery Authority (2007), [louisiana_speaks_vision_new_town_growth_areas

    Data.gov (United States)

    Louisiana Geographic Information Center — This GIS shapefile data illustrates town center new growth areas included in the Louisiana Speaks Regional Plan Vision. Town center new growth areas include local...

  17. Socioeconomic disparity in survival after breast cancer in ireland: observational study.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Paul M Walsh

    Full Text Available We evaluated the relationship between breast cancer survival and deprivation using data from the Irish National Cancer Registry. Cause-specific survival was compared between five area-based socioeconomic deprivation strata using Cox regression. Patient and tumour characteristics and treatment were compared using modified Poisson regression with robust variance estimation. Based on 21356 patients diagnosed 1999-2008, age-standardized five-year survival averaged 80% in the least deprived and 75% in the most deprived stratum. Age-adjusted mortality risk was 33% higher in the most deprived group (hazard ratio 1.33, 95% CI 1.21-1.45, P<0.001. The most deprived groups were more likely to present with advanced stage, high grade or hormone receptor-negative cancer, symptomatically, or with significant comorbidity, and to be smokers or unmarried, and less likely to have breast-conserving surgery. Cox modelling suggested that the available data on patient, tumour and treatment factors could account for only about half of the survival disparity (adjusted hazard ratio 1.18, 95% CI 0.97-1.43, P = 0.093. Survival disparity did not diminish over time, compared with the period 1994-1998. Persistent survival disparities among Irish breast cancer patients suggest unequal use of or access to services and highlight the need for further research to understand and remove the behavioural or other barriers involved.

  18. Tourist Profile and Destination Brand Perception: The Case of Cape Town, South Africa

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ikechukwu O. Ezeuduji

    2016-08-01

    Full Text Available Tourists pay for destination brands. This study checked for the relationships between tourists’ profile and how they perceived the destination brand of Cape Town. A questionnaire survey of 220 tourists visiting Cape Town was done. This study found that repeat visit, age of tourist, length of stay, and tourist origin, have significant influences on how tourists visiting Cape Town perceived the destination. The top three destination attributes of Cape Town (cognitive images, which enhance visitor experience satisfaction are (1 the overall level of service quality at facilities in Cape Town, (2 the city being one of the best places the tourists have visited, and (3 the destination’s good value for money. The top three emotional valuations of destination attributes (affective images which enhance visitor experience satisfaction in Cape Town include (1 memorable visit, (2 valuable visit, and (3 friendly and hospitable population. It is therefore recommended that tourism businesses in Cape Town develop relationship marketing tools to attract and retain its tourists segments of loyal, advanced in age, long-staying and domestic tourists. Results from this research could be compared with related findings in the international arena and have related implications, especially for developing economies

  19. The contribution of town functions to the development of rural areas: empirical analyses for Ethiopia

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Tadesse Woeldesenbet, T.

    2012-01-01

    Rural areas in many developing countries often lack infrastructure and institutions. However, rural towns and towns possess some of the major services that rural and town households can use to advance their economic activities. The study of the contribution that towns and their functions make to

  20. Narrating Muslim women’s identities in Cape Town

    OpenAIRE

    Boswell, R.

    2011-01-01

    This paper considers the complexity of Muslim women’s identities in the city of Cape Town in 2010. It is argued that emerging super-diversity in the form of African immigration, the commercialisation of Islam and increasing freedoms for women in South Africa impact on women’s engagement with religion and diversifies their identity. The paper also offers glimpses into the diversity of Islam in Cape Town, suggesting that this religion is not monolithic in the city and that it is continuously di...

  1. The structure of the medieval town of Rupea

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Borcoman, M.

    2010-11-01

    Full Text Available The town of Rupea, set up at the beginning of the 12th century, was the capital of the county of Rupea between 1337 and 1876. Its urban structure and organization prove that it belonged to group of Transylvania’s German medieval towns. Here, alongside with the German (established in the central area, Romanians lived in the outskirts. This structure was preserved until the early 1800s, and even until nowadays although the initial ethnical composition has altered.

  2. Measuring the scale of sustainability of new town development based on the assessment of the residents of the native settlement around the new town area of Gading Serpong Tangerang

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ischak, M.; Setioko, B.; Nurgandarum, D.

    2018-01-01

    The growth trend of Jakarta city as a Metropolitan city nowadays is the construction of large-scale planned settlement that is often referred to as a new town and is carried out by major developers. The process of land tenure and the process of constructing the new town are directly tangent to the original pre-existing settlements and shape the pattern or types of original settlements in the context of their relationship with the new town. This research was intended to measure the scale of sustainability due to land expansion by new town developers and was measured from the side of the original settlers who still exist. The research method used was descriptive explorative that is by formulating sustainability criteria that match best with research context and using the criteria as a tool to measure the sustainability level of new city development at research site that is new town of Gading Serpong Tangerang. The research concludes that despite the apparent displacement and restriction of original settlement’ lands, it indicates, overall, that new town development meets sustainability criteria when viewed from the residents of three types of the original settlements.

  3. Expansion Strategy of Agricultural Industrial Chain of Suburban Villages and Towns in the Process of Urbanization - A Case Study of Yongle Town in Nanming District of Guiyano City

    OpenAIRE

    Zhu, Li; Zhu, Jing

    2011-01-01

    On the basis of introducing the connotation of agricultural industrial chain, taking Yongle Town in Nanming District of Guiyang City as an example, this paper analyzes me advantages and constraint factors of the suburban villages and towns in the process of expanding agricultural industrial chain in the context of urbanization. Corresponding strategies of expanding the agricultural industrial chain of Yongle Town in the process of urbanization as follows, vigorously develop the leading enterp...

  4. Disseminating Health Disparities Education Through Tele-Learning

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    LaSonya Knowles

    2008-08-01

    Full Text Available Twenty years of research demonstrate that there are wide disparities in health throughout America. Health disparities are differences in the incidence, prevalence, mortality, and burden of diseases and other adverse health conditions that exist when specific population subgroups are compared. Health Disparities in America: Working Toward Social Justice is a course instructed every fall by Dr. Lovell Jones, director of The Center for Research on Minority Health (CRMH at UT M.D. Anderson Cancer Center. The CRMH has created a course that examines the social and societal factors that are fundamental in creating disparities in health. Students from 10 different academic programs and institutions participate in this course. The course is unique in the aspect that various, diverse speakers whom are experts in their field of study instruct each class. This health disparities course is conducted at one of three different academic institutions in the Houston area and broadcast via satellite to various academic institutions by means of teleeducation. Tele-education is defined as a mode of instruction utilizing different forms of media such as video, audio technology tools and computers. Video and audio technologies involve the transmission of interface between learners and instructors, either interactive or non-interactive. Tele-education technologies have an important role to play in addressing the dissemination of health disparities education. The purpose of this program is to determine the feasibility of tele-education as a mode of instruction to introduce the multi-disciplinary components of health disparities. Our findings suggest that tele-education is a useful tool in imparting health disparities education.

  5. Assessing The Current Status Of Solid Waste Management Of Gondar Town Ethiopia

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mohammed Gedefaw

    2015-08-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Ethiopia is facing rapid urbanization leading to overcrowding and the development of slums and informal settlements with poor waste management practices. Urban dwellers generally consume more resources than rural dwellers and so generate huge quantities of solid wastes. This study is focused on the overall assessment of the existing MSWM service of Gondar town. The overall objective of this study was assessing the current solid waste management service of Gondar town. Both primary and secondary sources were used to achieve the objectives. The analysis of this study was carried out using both qualitative and quantitative techniques. The findings of this study revealed that the present system of MSWM in Gondar town entirely relied on the municipality which provided the full range of waste collection transportation and disposal service. But the provision of this service is not kept in pace with the town solid waste generation. Based on the findings of this study the town households dominantly produced biodegradable solid wastes with generation rate of 0.21kgpersonday. This made the daily total solid waste generation of households to be 8140Kg. Together with other four solid waste sources the total daily solid waste generation of the town is about 11660 kg. So that MSWM of the town is found in very low status and spatial coverage. This poor status of MSWM is also intensified by three critical factors i.e poor institutional structure and capacity of Sanitation and beautification limited participation and contribution of stakeholders and poor households solid waste management practices. This study concluded that there should be sustainable solid waste management systems reuse recycle composting and incineration through awareness creation and training improvement of SB institutional structure and capacity and implementation of integrated MSWM approach which recognizes and comprises all stakeholders in the town.

  6. Gender Disparities Across the Spectrum of Advanced Cardiac Therapies: Real or Imagined?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bogaev, Roberta C

    2016-11-01

    Cardiovascular disease has been responsible for more deaths in women than in men each year since 1985. This review discusses federal laws that have influenced the inclusion of women in research and reporting sex-specific differences, then addresses gender differences and gender disparities in four areas of clinical cardiovascular medicine: coronary heart disease, valvular heart disease, electrophysiology, and heart failure. The prevalence of disease in women is highlighted, the clinical characteristics of women at the time of referral for advanced therapies are reviewed, and the clinical outcomes of women are discussed. With the emergence of new technology such as smaller devices and less invasive procedures, more women are being referred for advanced therapies. However, a gap in awareness and diagnosis remains, contributing to later referrals for women. Women who do undergo advanced therapies often have more comorbidities and worse outcomes than men. A call is made to increase awareness, educate healthcare providers, and report more sex-specific data to resolve these gender disparities.

  7. A STUDY ON LAND SYSTEM INNOVATIONS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF SMALL TOWNS IN CHINA

    Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

    2002-01-01

    The economic development in China and the rising of the living standard need to speed up the urbanisa-tion. The development of small towns is an important way to Chinese urbanisation. Land use plays a very important rolein the development of small towns. However there are many problems in the development of small towns, esp. in landuse. The paper first discusses the land problems in the development of small towns. Such as much cultivated land liesidle, under-utilization and waste of land, increasing illegal use of land, unstable contractual relationship for land use.The relationship between the development of small towns and land use is also studied. Then the guidelines for the landsystem innovations of small towns are put forward. Namely the sustainability of social and economic development, the bal-ance between land reservation and land utilization, the provision of service to village, agriculture and farmer, the manage-ment of land resource and land assets, the parsimonious and legal use of land. The basic framework of land system innova-tions of small towns is put forward finally. It include the land replacement policy for small towns and the permanent tenan-cy of farmland, the overall plan for land uses and other plans in harmony, the establishment of a flexible system of landsupplies, using land with payments, the transfer of agricultural land and refining the land law related to the constructionof small towns.

  8. Possibilities and limitations of territorial cooperation among Serbian and European towns

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Tošić Branka

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available This paper deals with the significant European aims of the process of intra-continental integration, as well as the role of the urban centers in its transregional cooperation. Although the process of transborder cooperation of towns exists also in other parts of the world, the roots of that complex form of cooperation appeared rather early in Western Europe. The area of Central Europe, especially the politically unstable southeastern part of the continent, are considerably late in this process. Serbia, especially its western and southern parts, is even more late in transborder regional cooperation of towns. The paper emphasizes that towns of Serbia, as development carriers with their intellectual potentials, have to express the ideas on starting the international actions. The possibilities are extensive: activation of neglected cooperation relations, improvement of technological and economical development, modernization of infrastructural systems, cooperation in culture, education, sports and recreation, environmental protection, etc. Towns need to find the ways for all kinds of cooperation with surrounding towns, if such cooperation gives the results which are favourable for both parties. Isolation from the world courses would lead to long-term stagnation. [Projekat Ministarstva nauke Republike Srbije, br. 176017

  9. Language and intercourse in Visaginas town

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kazlauskiene, V.

    1998-01-01

    The article deals with the attitude towards the key integration problems of the non Lithuanian population in town Visaginas (its building began in 1975 as Ignalina nuclear power plant - NPP - worker's settlement, first residents settled in 1977, up to 1992 it was named Sniechkus, in 1995 Visaginas received town status). The town was built on Visaginas' lake bank, Ignalina NPP - on Drukshiai lake bank. Ignalina is name of district, one of 44 in Lithuania. Ignalina town is in 14 kilometres from NPP. The situation of language and intercourse was investigated by three stages, three inquests. The first was expert inquest in 1993, the second - workers of Ignalina NPP inquest in 1995, third - inhabitants and institutions of administration of Visaginas and 4 districts around NPP in 1996. Investigation in 1996 displayed the 38% of non-indigenous residents of Visaginas absolutely had no command of Lithuanian (a desire their children to learn the language practically has been expressed by everybody). Inhabitants of Visaginas up to now can't to read any Lithuanian book or newspaper, to listen Lithuanian radio, to see Lithuanian television. The intercourse with indigenous residents mostly are going on Russian because 82% inhabitants of the region around Ignalina NPP can speak in Russian. In Visaginas no one have a good command of English, German or French in time as 2-5% habitants of districts around Visaginas have a good command of the languages. The 14% of non indigenous residents of Visaginas said they had a good command of Lithuanian. Problems of intercourse had 24% inhabitants in Visaginas,.26% - in Ignalina district, 12-13% - in Zarasai, Utena, Shvenchionys (districts around Ignalina NPP). Inhabitants of Visaginas interest for their living land, they have a big tolerance for mixed marriage (indigenous habitants - considerably less). Inhabitants of Visaginas may catch integration in Lithuanian culture in manner from Lithuanian language, and catch wealth which accumulated

  10. The effect of fires on the development and appearance of medieval towns

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Domen Kušar

    2003-01-01

    Full Text Available The occurrence of fires was one of the main dangers, which slowed down development of medieval towns. Frequent fires, whether they occurred due to carelessness, poorly maintained fireplaces and chimneys or military attacks, caused damage, particularly to those towns and buildings, which were constructed of inflammable materials such as timber and straw. In medieval times most towns were built using such materials, except those near the coast. Citizens tried to reduce fire hazards and the consequences of fires. With substitution of inflammable materials, apparatus and with the improved maintenance of fireplaces and chimneys, as well as other preventive measures, they influenced the development of towns and thus changed their architectural image.

  11. Water supply: reshaper of Cape Town's local government a century ago

    CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

    Wall, K

    2008-08-01

    Full Text Available to go a distance of up to 50 miles from Cape Town." (Ibid) The cost would amount to about 1 500 000 pounds (Parker, 1911). During 1904, J Cook (City Engineer of Cape Town) together with R H Charters and R W Menmuir (Town Engineer of Woodstock.... In Woodstock and Maitland moreover, there being no system of surface drainage, slop water was allowed to pass into the street gutter or on to adjacent land, and ultimately to find its way into neighbouring streams - in the other suburbs, the 'very dirty slop...

  12. Health disparities through a psychological lens.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Adler, Nancy E

    2009-11-01

    There is growing concern in the United States about avoidable, unjust differences in health associated with sociodemographic characteristics, such as socioeconomic status and race/ethnicity. This concern has sparked research to identify how disparities develop and how they can be reduced. Studies showing that disparities occur at all levels of socioeconomic status, not simply at the very bottom, suggest that psychosocial factors play an important role. The author discusses both content and process issues in psychological research on disparities. Copyright 2009 by the American Psychological Association

  13. Time-dependent Autler-Townes spectroscopy

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Qamar, Sajid; Zhu, S.-Y.; Zubairy, M Suhail

    2003-01-01

    Autler-Townes spontaneous emission spectroscopy is revisited for a time-dependent case. We report the results of spontaneous emission spectra for nonstationary scattered light signals using the definition of the time-dependent physical spectrum. This is a rare example of problems where time-dependent spectra can be calculated exactly

  14. Time-dependent Autler-Townes spectroscopy

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Qamar, Sajid [Institute for Quantum Studies, Department of Physics, Texas A and M University, College Station, TX 77843-4242 (United States); Zhu, S.-Y. [Institute for Quantum Studies, Department of Physics, Texas A and M University, College Station, TX 77843-4242 (United States); Zubairy, M Suhail [Institute for Quantum Studies, Department of Physics, Texas A and M University, College Station, TX 77843-4242 (United States)

    2003-04-01

    Autler-Townes spontaneous emission spectroscopy is revisited for a time-dependent case. We report the results of spontaneous emission spectra for nonstationary scattered light signals using the definition of the time-dependent physical spectrum. This is a rare example of problems where time-dependent spectra can be calculated exactly.

  15. The Effectiveness of a School-Based Intervention for Adolescents in Reducing Disparities in the Negative Consequences of Substance Use Among Ethnic Groups.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stewart, David G; Moise-Campbell, Claudine; Chapman, Meredith K; Varma, Malini; Lehinger, Elizabeth

    2017-06-01

    Ethnic minority youth are disproportionately affected by substance use-related consequences, which may be best understood through a social ecological lens. Differences in psychosocial consequences between ethnic majority and minority groups are likely due to underlying social and environmental factors. The current longitudinal study examined the outcomes of a school-based motivational enhancement treatment intervention in reducing disparities in substance use consequences experienced by some ethnic minority groups with both between and within-subjects differences. Students were referred to the intervention through school personnel and participated in a four-session intervention targeting alcohol and drug use. Participants included 122 youth aged 13-19 years. Participants were grouped by ethnicity and likelihood of disparate negative consequences of substance use. African American/Hispanic/Multiethnic youth formed one group, and youth identifying as White or Asian formed a second group. We hypothesized that (1) there would be significant disparities in psychosocial, serious problem behavior, and school-based consequences of substance use between White/Asian students compared to African American/Hispanic/Multiethnic students at baseline; (2) physical dependence consequences would not be disparate at baseline; and (3) overall disparities would be reduced at post-treatment follow-up. Results indicated that African American/Hispanic/Multiethnic adolescents demonstrated statistically significant disparate consequences at baseline, except for physical dependency consequences. Lastly, significant reductions in disparities were evidenced between groups over time. Our findings highlight the efficacy of utilizing school-based substance use interventions in decreasing ethnic health disparities in substance use consequences.

  16. Balanced territorial development: problems of single-industry towns in the Sverdlovsk region

    OpenAIRE

    Илюхин Алексей Александрович; Ilyuhin Aleksey Aleksandrovich

    2017-01-01

    the article examines the questions concerning the optimization of territorial structure in the Sverdlovsk region associated with the comprehensive transformation of the economy of single-industry towns and mono economics areas. The author has analyzed the population dynamics of the region and industrial production, with allocation of single-industry towns. A classification of towns by type of localization economy has been classified. The author has made some conclusions on quality solution of...

  17. Do wealth disparities contribute to health disparities within racial/ethnic groups?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pollack, Craig Evan; Cubbin, Catherine; Sania, Ayesha; Hayward, Mark; Vallone, Donna; Flaherty, Brian; Braveman, Paula A

    2013-05-01

    Though wide disparities in wealth have been documented across racial/ethnic groups, it is largely unknown whether differences in wealth are associated with health disparities within racial/ethnic groups. Data from the Survey of Consumer Finances (2004, ages 25-64) and the Health and Retirement Survey (2004, ages 50+), containing a wide range of assets and debts variables, were used to calculate net worth (a standard measure of wealth). Among non-Hispanic black, Hispanic and non-Hispanic white populations, we tested whether wealth was associated with self-reported poor/fair health status after accounting for income and education. Except among the younger Hispanic population, net worth was significantly associated with poor/fair health status within each racial/ethnic group in both data sets. Adding net worth attenuated the association between education and poor/fair health (in all racial/ethnic groups) and between income and poor/fair health (except among older Hispanics). The results add to the literature indicating the importance of including measures of wealth in health research for what they may reveal about disparities not only between but also within different racial/ethnic groups.

  18. RECURRENT CONVULSIONS IN CAPE TOWN CHILDREN*

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    1970-11-03

    Nov 3, 1970 ... Child Health, Medical School, University of Cape Town studied and the .... Sex Distribution (Table III) ... family history in children with brain damage is surprisingly high. .... nized that more male infants develop the respiratory.

  19. Balancing regional industrial development: analysis on regional disparity of China's industrial emissions and policy implications

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Liang, Hanwei; Dong, Liang; Luo, Xiao

    2016-01-01

    Efficient industrial emissions mitigation strategy is critical for China's national action on climate change and sustainable development, considering its rapid industrialization. Regional disparity brings difficulties and uncertainties to policy implementation in China. Therefore, an investigation...... development, and highlight not only disparity, but also inequity exists. It is concluded that, there is a larger unequal distribution of GDP per unit of air pollutants and CO2 emission between eastern and western regions, reveals that less developed western and central regions suffer from the emission leakage...... on the regional features of industrial emissions is critical to better decision makings. While to date, related studies have been rather few. This paper applies a spatial analysis on regional features of China's industrial emissions (SO2, NOx and PM2.5 and CO2 emission) in 31 provinces. Spatial autocorrelation...

  20. 77 FR 55691 - Establishment of Class E Airspace; Circle Town, MT

    Science.gov (United States)

    2012-09-11

    ... (RNAV) Global Positioning System (GPS) standard instrument approach procedures at Circle Town County..., at Circle Town County Airport, to accommodate IFR aircraft executing new RNAV (GPS) standard..., Washington on August 30, 2012. Steven L. Vale, Acting Manager, Operations Support Group, Western Service...

  1. Town and Citadel of Quebec

    OpenAIRE

    Vallée Louis-Prudent, 1837-1905, photographer

    2003-01-01

    230 x 176 mm. A view looking across the St. Lawrence towards the town and Citadel of Quebec, with shipping at anchor in the river. A photograph taken from the Grand Trunk Railway Depot, Point Lewis, probably in 1870. In the foreground railway lines run down to wharves beside the terminal.

  2. Comparative Noise Pollution Study Of Some Major Towns In Delta ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Comparative noise pollution studies have been carried out in some major towns in Delta State, Nigeria using a PIONneer 65 noise dosimeter. The noise measurements were taken at ten points within each of the towns at an interval of 30 minutes during the peak period of the day and at the cool of the night. The results ...

  3. Measuring Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Health Care: Efforts to Improve Data Collection.

    OpenAIRE

    Patricia Collins Higgins; Erin Fries Taylor

    2009-01-01

    Disparities in the quality of health care contribute to higher rates of disease, disability, and mortality in racial and ethnic minority groups. A new policy brief examines recent federal and state activities aimed at strengthening the collection of health-related data on race, ethnicity, and primary language. It highlights three states—California, Massachusetts, and New Jersey—that implemented laws or regulations guiding data collection activities by hospitals, health plans, and governme...

  4. Philanthropy and disparities: progress, challenges, and unfinished business.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mitchell, Faith; Sessions, Kathryn

    2011-10-01

    Philanthropy has invested millions of dollars to reduce disparities in health care and improve minority health. Grants to strengthen providers' cultural competence, diversify health professions, and collect data have improved understanding of and spurred action on disparities. The persistence of disparities in spite of these advances has shifted philanthropic attention toward strategies to change social, economic, and environmental conditions. We argue that these evolving perspectives, along with earlier groundwork, present new opportunities for funders, especially in combination with progress toward universal health coverage. This article looks at how philanthropy has addressed health disparities over the past decade, with a focus on accomplishments, the work remaining to be done, and how funders can help advance the disparities agenda.

  5. Environmental Health Disparities in Housing

    Science.gov (United States)

    2011-01-01

    The physical infrastructure and housing make human interaction possible and provide shelter. How well that infrastructure performs and which groups it serves have important implications for social equity and health. Populations in inadequate housing are more likely to have environmental diseases and injuries. Substantial disparities in housing have remained largely unchanged. Approximately 2.6 million (7.5%) non-Hispanic Blacks and 5.9 million Whites (2.8%) live in substandard housing. Segregation, lack of housing mobility, and homelessness are all associated with adverse health outcomes. Yet the experience with childhood lead poisoning in the United States has shown that housing-related disparities can be reduced. Effective interventions should be implemented to reduce environmental health disparities related to housing. PMID:21551378

  6. Perceived descriptive safety-related driving norms within and outside Arab towns and villages in Israel.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Baron-Epel, Orna; Obid, Samira; Fertig, Shahar; Gitelman, Victoria

    2016-01-01

    Involvement in car crashes is higher among Israeli Arabs compared to Jews. This study characterized perceived descriptive driving norms (PDDNs) within and outside Arab towns/villages and estimated their association with involvement in car crashes. Arab drivers (594) living in 19 towns and villages were interviewed in face-to-face interviews. The questionnaire included questions about involvement in car crashes, PDDNs within and outside the towns/villages, attitudes toward traffic safety laws, traffic law violations, and socioeconomic and demographic variables. PDDNs represent individuals' perceptions on how safe other people typically drive. The low scores indicate a low percentage of drivers performing unsafe behaviors (safer driving-related norms). A structural equation modeling analysis was applied to identify factors associated with PDDNs and involvement in car crashes. A large difference was found in PDDNs within and outside the towns/villages. Mostly, the respondents reported higher rates of unsafe PDDNs within the towns/villages (mean = 3.76, SD = 0.63) and lower rates of PDDNs outside the towns/villages (mean = 2.12, SD = 0.60). PDDNs outside the towns/villages were associated with involvement in a car crash (r = -0.12, P driving and involvement in car crashes in Arab Israelis. Because PDDNs outside towns/villages were better, increased law enforcement within towns/villages may improve these norms and decrease involvement in car crashes.

  7. Town engineers in South Africa before 1910, with reference to water supply

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Harri Mäki

    2013-07-01

    Full Text Available This article looks at the town engineers in South Africa prior to Union in 1910. It briefly examines the growth in the number of municipalities and town engineers in the country in this period and investigates the background and training of these engineers; why municipalities decided to appoint an engineer; and what kind of appointment processes were followed. Finally the relations between engineers and town councils and the prevailing circumstances at the end of the engineers’ tenures is studied. The article also presents ten specific cases which have reference to the development of water supply. It emerges that most early town engineers received training via apprenticeship for the positions they held, and that there was added pressure from elected councillors in municipalities who were prone to monitor assiduously how officials were spending public money. It is also clear that engineers who did not have earlier municipal experience were bound to have problems in their interaction with town councillors. Keywords: Municipal history, civil engineering, water supply, sanitation, Cape Colony, Natal, Orange Free State, Transvaal Disciplines: History, Engineering, Public Management

  8. New DHC system of international business district in Makuhari new town

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Ogo, Shohei (Tokyo Gas Co., Ltd., Tokyo, (Japan))

    1989-08-05

    Chiba prefectural government is promoting to create the 21st Century New Town which is named Makuhari New Town project. This new town is one of biggest projects in Japan, and have a land area of 440 hectare. At International Business District (the land area of 61.6 hectare) in Makuhari New Town, the new District Heating and Cooling (DHC) system which is scheduled to introduce a cogeneration system, has been constructing. The customer's buildings supplied with the Thermal energy are expected to be about 25 buildings including a super high building, of which total floor space will be 1.2 million m{sup 2}. The final plant capacity of DHC using town gas will be refrigerating capacity of 32000 USRt, boiler capacity of 190ton/h and gas turbine cogeneration with 3000 KW. The distribution pipe line for DHC counts for 2000 m in total length, which will be installed through the culvert. The heat supply will be started in October of 1989. Through DHC by use of clean energy natural gas, the effect of air pollution control and energy conservation is expected to be achieved and the realization of a harmonized and comfortable city life is intended. 2 refs., 11 figs., 2 tabs.

  9. Disparity in cancer care: a Canadian perspective

    OpenAIRE

    Ahmed, S.; Shahid, R.K.

    2012-01-01

    Canada is facing cancer crisis. Cancer has become the leading cause of death in Canada. Despite recent advances in cancer management and research, growing disparities in cancer care have been noticed, especially in socio-economically disadvantaged groups and under-served communities. With the rising incidence of cancer and the increasing numbers of minorities and of social disparities in general, and without appropriate interventions, cancer care disparities will become only more pronounced. ...

  10. Rural Urban Disparity in and around Surabaya Region, Indonesia

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Vely Kukinul Siswanto

    2014-12-01

    Full Text Available A shift in development towards the outskirts of urban areas changes the characteristics of the region and can ultimately lead to urban disparities in economic and social terms. The current study has tried to divide the study area covers the areas of surrounding Surabaya as urban, peri urban and rural areas with reference to three time periods (2008, 2009 and 2010 and shows that the typology in the study area changes each year. Furthermore, based on the theil index analysis, using a number of pre-prosperous household for social disparity and per capita GDP (Gross Domestic Product for economic disparity shows that urban and peri urban areas have medium and high level of social and economic disparity compare with rural area which have low levels of disparity. Through multivariate correlation analysis can be seen that the health center distance, electricity and water users effecting the social disparity. Moreover, the financial, industrial, electricity, trade, construction, transportation, agriculture, and mining sector's productivity have a significant relationship with the economic disparity. Health facilities, water and electricity improvement strategies to be followed for reducing the social disparity. Electricity improvement, water, services sector, transportation infrastructure, and industrial development to reduce the economic disparity.

  11. Global stereo matching algorithm based on disparity range estimation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Jing; Zhao, Hong; Gu, Feifei

    2017-09-01

    The global stereo matching algorithms are of high accuracy for the estimation of disparity map, but the time-consuming in the optimization process still faces a curse, especially for the image pairs with high resolution and large baseline setting. To improve the computational efficiency of the global algorithms, a disparity range estimation scheme for the global stereo matching is proposed to estimate the disparity map of rectified stereo images in this paper. The projective geometry in a parallel binocular stereo vision is investigated to reveal a relationship between two disparities at each pixel in the rectified stereo images with different baselines, which can be used to quickly obtain a predicted disparity map in a long baseline setting estimated by that in the small one. Then, the drastically reduced disparity ranges at each pixel under a long baseline setting can be determined by the predicted disparity map. Furthermore, the disparity range estimation scheme is introduced into the graph cuts with expansion moves to estimate the precise disparity map, which can greatly save the cost of computing without loss of accuracy in the stereo matching, especially for the dense global stereo matching, compared to the traditional algorithm. Experimental results with the Middlebury stereo datasets are presented to demonstrate the validity and efficiency of the proposed algorithm.

  12. Informal waste harvesting in Victoria Falls town, Zimbabwe: Socio-economic benefits

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Masocha, M.

    2006-01-01

    Waste harvesting, which occurs mostly but not exclusively at open waste dumps in Zimbabwe, constitutes one of the most important survival options for the urban poor. This paper analyses and discusses socio-economic benefits of informal waste harvesters in Victoria Falls town. Victoria Falls town has

  13. Addressing cancer disparities via community network mobilization and intersectoral partnerships: a social network analysis.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Shoba Ramanadhan

    . The findings support investment in infrastructure-building and intersectoral mobilization in addressing disparities and highlight the benefits of using CBPR approaches for such work.

  14. Allometric disparity in rodent evolution

    OpenAIRE

    Wilson LAB

    2013-01-01

    In this study, allometric trajectories for 51 rodent species, comprising equal representatives from each of the major clades (Ctenohystrica, Muroidea, Sciuridae), are compared in a multivariate morphospace (=allometric space) to quantify magnitudes of disparity in cranial growth. Variability in allometric trajectory patterns was compared to measures of adult disparity in each clade, and dietary habit among the examined species, which together encapsulated an ecomorphological breadth. Results ...

  15. Enrollment Trends and Disparity Among Patients With Lung Cancer in National Clinical Trials, 1990 to 2012

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pang, Herbert H.; Stinchcombe, Thomas E.; Wong, Melisa L.; Cheng, Perry; Ganti, Apar Kishor; Sargent, Daniel J.; Zhang, Ying; Hu, Chen; Mandrekar, Sumithra J.; Redman, Mary W.; Manola, Judith B.; Schilsky, Richard L.; Cohen, Harvey J.; Bradley, Jeffrey D.; Adjei, Alex A.; Gandara, David; Ramalingam, Suresh S.; Vokes, Everett E.

    2016-01-01

    Purpose Under-representation of elderly, women, and racial/ethnic minority patients with cancer in clinical trials is of national concern. The goal of this study was to characterize enrollment trends and disparities by age, sex, and race/ethnicity in lung cancer trials. Methods We analyzed data for 23,006 National Cancer Institute cooperative group lung cancer trial participants and 578,476 patients with lung cancer from the SEER registry from 1990 to 2012. The enrollment disparity difference (EDD) and enrollment disparity ratio (EDR) were calculated on the basis of the proportion of each subgroup in the trial population and the US lung cancer population. Annual percentage changes (APCs) in the subgroup proportions in each population were compared over time. Results Enrollment disparity for patients ≥ 70 years of age with non–small-cell lung cancer improved from 1990 to 2012 (test of parallelism, P = .020), with a remaining EDD of 0.22 (95% CI, 0.19 to 0.25) and EDR of 1.65 (95% CI, 1.51 to 1.82) in 2010 to 2012. No improvement was seen for elderly patients with small-cell lung cancer (SCLC), with an APC of 0.20 (P = .714) among trial participants, despite a rising proportion of elderly patients with SCLC in the US population (APC, 0.32; P = .020). Enrollment disparity for women with lung cancer improved overall, with the gap closing by 2012 (EDD, 0.03 [95% CI, 0.00 to 0.06]; EDR, 1.07 [95% CI, 1.00 to 1.16]). Enrollment disparities persisted without significant improvement for elderly women, blacks, Asians/Pacific Islanders, and Hispanics. Conclusion Under-representation in lung cancer trials improved significantly from 1990 to 2012 for elderly patients with non–small-cell lung cancer and for women, but ongoing efforts to improve the enrollment of elderly patients with SCLC and minorities are needed. Our study highlights the importance of addressing enrollment disparities by demographic and disease subgroups to better target under-represented groups of

  16. Partnerships in Sustainability: The Transition Town Movement in Minnesota

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Leslie MacKenzie

    2017-06-01

    Full Text Available Transition Towns is a citizen-led movement that seeks to address individual and societal dependence on fossil fuels and the need to reduce greenhouse gas production in order to fight climate change. The foundation of Transition is permaculture, a design process based on whole-systems thinking informed by the patterns and relationships found in nature. Since its inception in 2005, the Transition movement has spread worldwide, as people in small groups and across large towns look for ways to take practical action to fight climate change: from home vegetable gardens to weatherization work parties, from time banks and tool shares to renewable energy systems. Transition looks different in every location because it meets the needs and draws on the skills of the local community. This article looks at Transition in one community: The Twin Cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul, profiling several Transition Town groups.

  17. Health Disparities Calculator (HD*Calc) - SEER Software

    Science.gov (United States)

    Statistical software that generates summary measures to evaluate and monitor health disparities. Users can import SEER data or other population-based health data to calculate 11 disparity measurements.

  18. The Buried Town of Beaver.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jostad, Karen

    Local history as source material for environmental education is uniquely portrayed in this resource kit. Utilizing a Winona County Historical Society publication, "The Beaver Story" and accompanied by a teacher's guide, "The Buried Town of Beaver," and other teaching aids, a case study of the area can be developed. Based on the reminiscences of…

  19. Book review: Don Pinnock, Gang town | van der Spuy | South African ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Title: Gang town. Publisher: Tafelberg, Cape Town, 2016. Price: 312. Pages: R196 Availability: Published ISBN: 9780624067894. Full Text: EMAIL FREE FULL TEXT EMAIL FREE FULL TEXT · DOWNLOAD FULL TEXT DOWNLOAD FULL TEXT · AJOL African Journals Online. HOW TO USE AJOL... for Researchers · for ...

  20. Energy price disparity and public welfare

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Templet, P.H.

    2001-01-01

    The differences in the price of energy to economic sectors are linked to a number of system parameters and to public welfare. There are large disparities in energy prices within states when comparing residential and industrial prices although neoclassical economics predicts one price in markets. The large disparities between the two sectors across states negatively affects the efficiency of resource allocation, creates subsidies for those getting the cheap energy and results in unequal access to energy. These in turn lead to inefficient partitioning of energy between products and waste, higher pollution, leakage of wealth and poorer energy use efficiency, i.e. high energy intensity. States with large energy price disparities between sectors have statistically higher poverty, lower incomes, more pollution and use more energy but with less efficiency. Higher energy price disparities also result in higher throughput per unit of output thus reducing the chances for sustainability and lower public welfare. 31 refs

  1. Study on garbage disposal mode with low energy consumption for villages and towns in cold region

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ma Yi

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Through field research of typical villages and towns in China's northern cold region, this paper research energy consumption and resource recovery in the process of village and town garbage collection and disposal and organizes current situation and problems of village and town garbage collection and disposal. At present, village and town garbage collection and disposal means and thoughts are traditional and lag behind in China's northern cold region. There is the lack of garbage collection and disposal mode suitable for cold villages and towns. Thus, village and town resources are not effectively utilized, and residents’ living environment is affected continuously. This paper selects two mature garbage disposal methods: sanitary landfill and incineration power generation. Meanwhile, energy consumption and ultimate emission utilization of two schemes in garbage collection and disposal links are overall compared to propose garbage collection and disposal mode with low energy consumption suitable for green villages and towns in cold region. Besides, various control indexes of village and town garbage disposal schemes are explained in detail in combination of specific conditions.

  2. Luminance, Colour, Viewpoint and Border Enhanced Disparity Energy Model.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jaime A Martins

    Full Text Available The visual cortex is able to extract disparity information through the use of binocular cells. This process is reflected by the Disparity Energy Model, which describes the role and functioning of simple and complex binocular neuron populations, and how they are able to extract disparity. This model uses explicit cell parameters to mathematically determine preferred cell disparities, like spatial frequencies, orientations, binocular phases and receptive field positions. However, the brain cannot access such explicit cell parameters; it must rely on cell responses. In this article, we implemented a trained binocular neuronal population, which encodes disparity information implicitly. This allows the population to learn how to decode disparities, in a similar way to how our visual system could have developed this ability during evolution. At the same time, responses of monocular simple and complex cells can also encode line and edge information, which is useful for refining disparities at object borders. The brain should then be able, starting from a low-level disparity draft, to integrate all information, including colour and viewpoint perspective, in order to propagate better estimates to higher cortical areas.

  3. Health Disparities in Veterans: A Map of the Evidence.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kondo, Karli; Low, Allison; Everson, Teresa; Gordon, Christine D; Veazie, Stephanie; Lozier, Crystal C; Freeman, Michele; Motu'apuaka, Makalapua; Mendelson, Aaron; Friesen, Mark; Paynter, Robin; Friesen, Caroline; Anderson, Johanna; Boundy, Erin; Saha, Somnath; Quiñones, Ana; Kansagara, Devan

    2017-09-01

    Goals for improving the quality of care for all Veterans and eliminating health disparities are outlined in the Veterans Health Administration Blueprint for Excellence, but the degree to which disparities in utilization, health outcomes, and quality of care affect Veterans is not well understood. To characterize the research on health care disparities in the Veterans Health Administration by means of a map of the evidence. We conducted a systematic search for research studies published from 2006 to February 2016 in MEDLINE and other data sources. We included studies of Veteran populations that examined disparities in 3 outcome categories: utilization, quality of health care, and patient health. We abstracted data on study design, setting, population, clinical area, outcomes, mediators, and presence of disparity for each outcome category. We grouped the data by population characteristics including race, disability status, mental illness, demographics (age, era of service, rural location, and distance from care), sex identity, socioeconomic status, and homelessness, and created maps illustrating the evidence. We reviewed 4249 citations and abstracted data from 351 studies which met inclusion criteria. Studies examining disparities by race/ethnicity comprised by far the vast majority of the literature, followed by studies examining disparities by sex, and mental health condition. Very few studies examined disparities related to lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender identity or homelessness. Disparities findings vary widely by population and outcome. Our evidence maps provide a "lay of the land" and identify important gaps in knowledge about health disparities experienced by different Veteran populations.

  4. Small-town migration to metropolitan centres: a case in Peninsular Malaysia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lee Boon Thong

    1979-12-01

    In Malaysia small towns are an important source of population gowth in metropolitan areas. To provide empirical evidence of the magnitude and roles of small urban centers as complementary sources of population growth in metropolitan areas, a small survey was conducted in 10 small towns in the State of Selangor. Criteria for the selection of these towns include a fair geographical spread over the State, and each area must characteristically possess a dominant urban center. The questionnaires were directed to the heads of 300 households with the intention of investigating the socioeconomic background of the households and the magnitude and characteristics of those members of the households who have migrated elsewhere. The total number of outmigrants from each area varied from 27-57, giving an overall average figure of 1.53 outmigrants/household. About 77% of the outmigrants had moved to the metropolitan centers. As the majority of the metropolitan migrants were more attracted to Kuala Lumpur, Klang, and Petaling Jaya, it may be assumed that the total outmigrants from small towns as derived would have consitituted about 39% of the population in the Klang Valley region. Based on this estimate, the role of small towns in metropolitan population growth is important. In the survey conducted, 2 broad categories of movements were involved: "economic movers," i.e., those who migrated to work or to establish businesses in the metropolitan areas; and "noneconomic movers," i.e., those who moved to continue their studies or to follow their spouses, and so forth. The economic mover stream made up 71% of the total metropolitan migrants. 2 variables--marital status and sex--were significantly related to the economic or noneconomic nature of the metropolitan migrants. The movement of males tended to be associated with economic motives whereas noneconomic reasons for movement tended to be the case among females migrants. The most important occupational group of the economically

  5. Reimagining Education in Small Towns

    Science.gov (United States)

    Carr, Patrick J.; Kefalas, Maria J.

    2010-01-01

    Things are not going so well in small-town America. While the so-called "Great Recession" of the moment has focused considerable attention on the travails of Main Street and Middle America, the truth is that the troubles that plague such places have been a long time in the making. For the past 30 years, nonmetropolitan counties and the…

  6. Disparity modifications and the emotional effects of stereoscopic images

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kawai, Takashi; Atsuta, Daiki; Tomiyama, Yuya; Kim, Sanghyun; Morikawa, Hiroyuki; Mitsuya, Reiko; Häkkinen, Jukka

    2014-03-01

    This paper describes a study that focuses on disparity changes in emotional scenes of stereoscopic (3D) images, in which an examination of the effects on pleasant and arousal was carried out by adding binocular disparity to 2D images that evoke specific emotions, and applying disparity modification based on the disparity analysis of famous 3D movies. From the results of the experiment, for pleasant, a significant difference was found only for the main effect of the emotions. On the other hand, for arousal, there was a trend of increasing the evaluation values in the order 2D condition, 3D condition and 3D condition applied the disparity modification for happiness, surprise, and fear. This suggests the possibility that binocular disparity and the modification affect arousal.

  7. Magnetic and geoelectrical surveying in the Roman age town Porolissum (NW Romania)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Petrovszki, J.

    2009-04-01

    We present the results of magnetic and geoelectrical surveys carried out in a Roman age town Porolissum (NW Romania). Porolissum was the capital of the province Dacia Porolissensis in the 2nd and 3rd centuries, and it had 20000 inhabitants. After the Romans left Dacia the town was deserted. The buildings in the town were built from dacite mined in nearby quarries. The dacite has large magnetic susceptibility and large electric resistivity compared to the soil, which allows the detection of the ruins by magnetic and geoelectrical measurements. We made magnetic surveying using GSM-19 Overhauser magnetometers in the fortress, the town and the cemetery. We were able to map streets, foundations of different buildings: houses, sanctuaries, and in the cemetery roads, graves and graveyards. In those places where the interpretation of the results of the magnetic surveys was not clear, geoelectrical measurements were made to clarify the presence of dacite. The geophysical surveys help to reconstruct the structure of the archeological objects, and on large scale the structure of the town. Based upon our results, the archeologists dug more trenches, which confirmed the interpretation of geophysical measurements.

  8. Analyzing Street Art to Present the Heritage of George Town, Malaysia

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Seyedehelham Sadatiseyedmahalleh

    2015-08-01

    Full Text Available Street art comprises all kinds of art developed in public locations. This form of art has spread to all heritage streets in George Town, the capital of Penang Island, which is also a known UNESCO World Heritage Site. However, instead of its heritage, food, and interesting past life and structure, the rapid multiplication of street art in George Town has created a new and unusual art that attracts tourists. Street art has spread to small roads and heritage streets in the city. This art increases the awareness of spectators by introducing them to the rich history of these streets and inducing a lively concept in the inner city of George Town. Accordingly, the impact of iron rod sculptures and murals, which comprises approximately 90% of street art in George Town, were determined to explore and identify the effects of this street art on this world heritage site. The findings were obtained from 263 out of 306 questionnaires accomplished by tourists in George Town. The results confirm that tourists prefer murals over iron rod sculptures. Iron rod sculptures are designed to tell the history of the street, whereas murals are designed to create aesthetic value. The findings indicated that similar to iron rod sculptures, more control should be exercised on the subjects of murals.

  9. Eliminating tobacco-related disparities among Pacific Islanders through leadership and capacity building - Promising practices and lessons learned

    Science.gov (United States)

    David, Annette M.; Lew, Rod; Lyman, Annabel K.; Otto, Caleb; Robles, Rebecca; Cruz, George

    2013-01-01

    Tobacco remains a major risk factor for premature death and ill health among Pacific Islanders, and tobacco-related disparities persist. Eliminating these disparities requires a comprehensive approach to transform community norms about tobacco use through policy change, as contained in the World Health Organization (WHO) international Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC). Three of the six US-affiliated Pacific Islands – the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM), Palau and the Marshall Islands – are Parties to the FCTC; the remaining three territories – American Samoa, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI) and Guam – are excluded from the treaty by virtue of US non-ratification. Capacity building and leadership development are essential in achieving policy change and health equity within Pacific Islander communities. We describe promising practices from American Samoa, CNMI, FSM, Guam and Palau and highlight some of the key lessons learned in supporting and sustaining the reduction in tobacco use among Pacific Islanders as a first step towards eliminating tobacco-related disparities in these populations. PMID:23690256

  10. Eliminating tobacco-related disparities among Pacific Islanders through leadership and capacity building: promising practices and lessons learned.

    Science.gov (United States)

    David, Annette M; Lew, Rod; Lyman, Annabel K; Otto, Caleb; Robles, Rebecca; Cruz, George J

    2013-09-01

    Tobacco remains a major risk factor for premature death and ill health among Pacific Islanders, and tobacco-related disparities persist. Eliminating these disparities requires a comprehensive approach to transform community norms about tobacco use through policy change, as contained in the World Health Organization international Framework Convention on Tobacco Control. Three of the six U.S.-affiliated Pacific Islands-the Federated States of Micronesia, Palau, and the Marshall Islands-are Parties to the Framework; the remaining three territories-American Samoa, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, and Guam-are excluded from the treaty by virtue of U.S. nonratification. Capacity building and leadership development are essential in achieving policy change and health equity within Pacific Islander communities. We describe promising practices from American Samoa, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, the Federated States of Micronesia, Guam, and Palau and highlight some of the key lessons learned in supporting and sustaining the reduction in tobacco use among Pacific Islanders as the first step toward eliminating tobacco-related disparities in these populations.

  11. Factors affecting public support for forest-based biorefineries: A comparison of mill towns and the general public in Maine, USA

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Marciano, James A.; Lilieholm, Robert J.; Teisl, Mario F.; Leahy, Jessica E.; Neupane, Binod

    2014-01-01

    Community views toward the risks and benefits of emerging renewable energy technologies are important factors in facility siting decisions and their eventual success. While the actual socioeconomic and biophysical impacts of proposed industrial developments are fraught with uncertainty, understanding public perceptions is critical in managing costs and benefits to local citizens. Here, we explore the social acceptability of forest-based biorefineries in Maine using random utility modeling to identify how project attributes and citizen characteristics interact to affect level of support. Using a statewide sample (Statewide) and a subsample of mill towns (Mill Towns), we found that: (1) in both samples, individual characteristics had similar coefficients and significance levels except for pro-environment attitudes; (2) the coefficients related to the industry’s negative attributes were notably different between the two samples, while positive attributes were not; (3) in both samples, positive industry attributes such as “producing products from a sustainable resource” and “increased economic development” were the most influential variables in determining the level of support for a new biorefinery in an individual’s community; and (4) in general, Mill Town respondents were more accepting of potential negative attributes such as increased levels of truck traffic, odor, noise, and air and water pollution. - Highlights: • We examined social views of bioproducts processing in mill towns and statewide. • Environmental sustainability was a major concern expressed by both samples. • Views were affected by proximity to processing, and by respondent characteristics. • Public concerns should be considered along the entire supply chain. • Views toward biorefineries may be influenced by views of related industries

  12. [Patients' diet in "Town" and "City" hospitals in Belgrade].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stojanović, Svetlana; Jovanović-Simić, Jelena

    2009-01-01

    The roots of hospital foundation in Serbs date from the 12th century, when the hospitals in the monasteries Hilandar (1199) and Studenica (1207) were established. The "Town" Hospital of Belgrade was founded in 1841, which had the status of town and regional hospital until 1881. After that, it was transformed into a general state-owned hospital based on the Law of National Health Protection. The inhabitants of Belgrade obtained a municipal hospital again in 1935, when the "City" Hospital was founded in Zvezdara municipality, named at that period Bulbulder. By researching and observing hospital diet development of municipal hospitals in Belgrade, it was concluded that from the very beginning of the "Town" Hospital functioning there was awareness about its significance, place and role in the overall treatment of patients. Hospital diet, regardless of existing knowledge as the part of medical doctrines of particular time-periods, was often conditioned by limited hospital budgets and under the influence of different social movements and wartime periods

  13. The intersection of disability and healthcare disparities: a conceptual framework.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Meade, Michelle A; Mahmoudi, Elham; Lee, Shoou-Yih

    2015-01-01

    This article provides a conceptual framework for understanding healthcare disparities experienced by individuals with disabilities. While health disparities are the result of factors deeply rooted in culture, life style, socioeconomic status, and accessibility of resources, healthcare disparities are a subset of health disparities that reflect differences in access to and quality of healthcare and can be viewed as the inability of the healthcare system to adequately address the needs of specific population groups. This article uses a narrative method to identify and critique the main conceptual frameworks that have been used in analyzing disparities in healthcare access and quality, and evaluating those frameworks in the context of healthcare for individuals with disabilities. Specific models that are examined include the Aday and Anderson Model, the Grossman Utility Model, the Institute of Medicine (IOM)'s models of Access to Healthcare Services and Healthcare Disparities, and the Cultural Competency model. While existing frameworks advance understandings of disparities in healthcare access and quality, they fall short when applied to individuals with disabilities. Specific deficits include a lack of attention to cultural and contextual factors (Aday and Andersen framework), unrealistic assumptions regarding equal access to resources (Grossman's utility model), lack of recognition or inclusion of concepts of structural accessibility (IOM model of Healthcare Disparities) and exclusive emphasis on supply side of the healthcare equation to improve healthcare disparities (Cultural Competency model). In response to identified gaps in the literature and short-comings of current conceptualizations, an integrated model of disability and healthcare disparities is put forth. We analyzed models of access to care and disparities in healthcare to be able to have an integrated and cohesive conceptual framework that could potentially address issues related to access to

  14. Why the WTA - WTP disparity matters

    Science.gov (United States)

    Brown Thomas C.; Gregory R.

    1999-01-01

    The disparity between willingness to pay (WTP) and willingness to accept compensation (WTA) has been demonstrated repeatedly. Because using WTP estimates of value where a WTA estimate is appropriate tends to undervalue environmental assets, this issue is important to environmental managers. We summarize reasons for the disparity and then discuss some of the...

  15. 34 CFR 222.162 - What disparity standard must a State meet in order to be certified and how are disparities in...

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-07-01

    ... 34 Education 1 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false What disparity standard must a State meet in order to be certified and how are disparities in current expenditures or revenues per pupil measured? 222.162... of the Act § 222.162 What disparity standard must a State meet in order to be certified and how are...

  16. Foster Town History and Documents Located at the Tyler Free Library.

    Science.gov (United States)

    McDonough, Leslie B.

    This annotated bibliography attempts to make the collection of the Tyler Free Library in Foster, Rhode Island, more accessible to anyone interested in the history of the town. The library has long been an unofficial repository of historical information and town documents for the community of Foster, Rhode Island. The library also houses the files…

  17. Reduced Disparities in Birth Rates Among Teens

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... Teens Winnable Battles Social Media at CDC Reduced Disparities in Birth Rates among Teens Aged 15–19 ... Pregnancy Prevention Community-Wide Initiative. National Rates and Disparities Nationally, the teen birth rate (number of births ...

  18. Jimma Town: Foundation and Early Growth from ca. 1830 to 1936

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Seifu Yonas

    2017-12-01

    Full Text Available This study deals with the early history of Jimma town and its growth from its foundation until 1936. It explores social, economic and administrative themes, but also attempts to show the interrelationship between these themes. The town of Jimma evolved during this period from being the home-town of a relatively homogenous society and culture into a place of residence for a diverse and increasingly cosmopolitan population. Economically, the story of Jimma during this period is one of both continuity and change. It is a story of continuity because Jimma, which had been a center of trade from the very beginning, continued to be so during this period. There was significant change, however, because unlike the previous decades in which Jimma had served as a point of exchange or transit for elite goods that mostly originated from beyond the borders of the Oromo Kingdom (such as slaves, ivory and musk, during this period the town developed into the chief center for the collection, organization and export of a cash crop that was grown locally (coffee.

  19. GENDER DISPARITIES – ISSUE OF THE CONTEMPORARY SOCIETY?

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Suzana Demyen

    2016-12-01

    Full Text Available The purpose of this paper is to illustrate the situation of gender disparities in Romania, an important subject of our days, based both on literature review and official data analysis. Since the status of the woman in contemporary society cannot be treated independently from what is largely debated nowadays in relation to the presence of women in different fields on the labor market, we have firstly proceeded to review the main theoretical and empirical literature in this respect. The paper starts with a short introduction in the field, followed by a brief analysis of important data regarding education, wage and hierarchical positions. The second part represents a correlation between the main determinants of the overall progress of society, trying to highlight the main conclusions of this delicate issue

  20. Shrinking, ageing, disconnecting? The resilience of (some) Danish small towns

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Fertner, Christian; Herslund, Lise Byskov; Carstensen, Trine Agervig

    2013-01-01

    , even if they are located peripheral to the big labour markets. We will discuss how far these approaches can enable a development which can withstand the general urban dynamics in Denmark. Reference: Groth, N. B. (ed.) 2013. Stationsbyernes situation, udfordringer og potentialer. En hvidbog (White book......This paper is based on findings of a project investigating the challenges and prospects of Danish service towns with 1000 to 5000 inhabitants (Groth and Fertner 2013). Small towns in general are often associated with being losers of globalisation and suffering under urban and economic decline...... play an important part in more development oriented issues as it is them that communicate with larger municipalities on issues of local concern and they fundraise through holding events for local activities and also for actual physical changes to take place in the towns. The current socio-economic...

  1. Types of Planning Structures of Small Historic Towns of Ukraine

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ievgeniia Zapunna

    2015-05-01

    Full Text Available The present article exhibits the results of systematic analysis on structure and planning of fragments of urban environment. The results have been obtained by looking into the prerequisites of formation of urban environment, specifically the impact of the Magdeburg Rights on urban culture. The study covers the small towns in Ukraine, which retained their historical background to a greater extent. 70 towns in Ukraine that had the Magdeburg Law have been analyzed and their historic, architectural and planning capacity investigated. The most valuable urban fragments have been classified in accordance with a number of criteria, such as the form of the plan, planning composition, etc. Based on the conducted analysis the author presents further generalized proposals for comprehensive development of historical and architectural heritage within the socio-cultural and tourism infrastructure of the Ukrainian towns.

  2. Identifying health disparities across the tobacco continuum.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fagan, Pebbles; Moolchan, Eric T; Lawrence, Deirdre; Fernander, Anita; Ponder, Paris K

    2007-10-01

    Few frameworks have addressed work-force diversity, inequities and inequalities as part of a comprehensive approach to eliminating tobacco-related health disparities. This paper summarizes the literature and describes the known disparities that exist along the tobacco disease continuum for minority racial and ethnic groups, those living in poverty, those with low education and blue-collar and service workers. The paper also discusses how work-force diversity, inequities in research practice and knowledge allocation and inequalities in access to and quality of health care are fundamental to addressing disparities in health. We examined the available scientific literature and existing public health reports to identify disparities across the tobacco disease continuum by minority racial/ethnic group, poverty status, education level and occupation. Results indicate that differences in risk indicators along the tobacco disease continuum do not explain fully tobacco-related cancer consequences among some minority racial/ethnic groups, particularly among the aggregate groups, blacks/African Americans and American Indians/Alaska Natives. The lack of within-race/ethnic group data and its interactions with socio-economic factors across the life-span contribute to the inconsistency we observe in the disease causal paradigm. More comprehensive models are needed to understand the relationships among disparities, social context, diversity, inequalities and inequities. A systematic approach will also help researchers, practitioners, advocates and policy makers determine critical points for interventions, the types of studies and programs needed and integrative approaches needed to eliminate tobacco-related disparities.

  3. Disparities at the intersection of marginalized groups

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jackson, John W.; Williams, David R.; VanderWeele, Tyler J.

    2016-01-01

    Mental health disparities exist across several dimensions of social inequality, including race/ethnicity, socioeconomic status and gender. Most investigations of health disparities focus on one dimension. Recent calls by researchers argue for studying persons who are marginalized in multiple ways, often from the perspective of intersectionality, a theoretical framework applied to qualitative studies in law, sociology, and psychology. Quantitative adaptations are emerging but there is little guidance as to what measures or methods are helpful. Here, we consider the concept of a joint disparity and its composition, show that this approach can illuminate how outcomes are patterned for social groups that are marginalized across multiple axes of social inequality, and compare the insights gained with that of other measures of additive interaction. We apply these methods to a cohort of males from the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth, examining disparities for black males with low early life SES vs. white males with high early life SES across several outcomes that predict mental health, including unemployment, wages, and incarceration. We report striking disparities in each outcome, but show that the contribution of race, SES, and their intersection varies. PMID:27531592

  4. Heritage Landmark of the Royal Town of Klang: Balai Bomba Klang Selatan

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sulaiman, Normah; Powell, Robert

    2017-10-01

    The arrival of the British colony in Kuala Lumpur sparked a radical change in the town in terms of infrastructure and town planning. Due to the British Empire’s reign over Malaya in the advent of 20th century, the colonial architectural style has influenced a lot of important building in the royal town of Selangor. Some of the building is abandoned disrespect, disregard and it’s frightening. Many deemed historic buildings and structures disappears in exchange for modernity, which is a threat to the townscape and history. The local council of Klang aims to preserve clusters of colonial sights, place of worships, schools, and remnants of a fort that has shaped the town enabling people to be more appreciative towards it. Located in the heart of Klang town, the fire station sits next to another heritage trail icon, Raja Abdullah Warehouse. Without proper documentation and curation, the building significant will remain unknown and eventually disappear. The core of this paper will showcase the building design quality and its importance, as the first attempt to document the Balai Bomba Klang Selatan to assist in conserving its tangible and intangible qualities. The study aims to collate and document the tangible qualities of the fire station to complement the measured drawing exercise.

  5. Social determinants and sexually transmitted disease disparities.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hogben, Matthew; Leichliter, Jami S

    2008-12-01

    Social determinants of health play an important role in sexually transmitted disease (STD) transmission and acquisition; consequently, racial and ethnic disparities among social determinants are influences upon disparities in STD rates. In this narrative review, we outline a general model showing the relationship between social determinants and STD outcomes, mediated by epidemiologic context. We then review 4 specific social determinants relevant to STD disparities: segregation, health care, socioeconomics and correctional experiences, followed by 2 facets of the resultant epidemiologic context: core areas and sexual networks. This review shows that disparities exist among the social determinants and that they are related to each other, as well as to core areas, sexual networks, and STD rates. Finally, we discuss the implications of our review for STD prevention and control with particular attention to STD program collaboration and service integration.

  6. Hope-filled, energy-conscious town of Itakura. Regional new energy vision for Itakura Town; 2001 nendo Itakura machi shin energy vision. Yume ippai enetown Itakura

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    NONE

    2002-02-01

    For promoting the introduction of new energy and for enhancing people's consciousness of such at Itakura Town, Niigata Prefecture, surveys and studies were conducted involving energy demand of the town, the amount of new energy resources in existence, and new energy introduction projects, and a vision was formulated. In fiscal 2000 the town consumed 549,973 GJ/year in energy, with the industrial sector consuming 202,014 GJ, the residential/commercial sector 194,233 GJ, and the transportation sector 153,725 GJ. The energy types were gasoline, kerosene, electricity, gas oil, heavy oil, and LPG, as named in the descending order in terms of consumed amount. It is estimated that the energy consumption resulted in the emission of carbon dioxide of 11,839 t-C/year. New energy introduction projects were discussed, which involved wind power generation for the Itakura sewage purification center; snow-aided cooling systems for a Yasuragi rest house and the special nursing home for elderly people; snow-aided refrigeration for a unhusked rice silo; photovoltaic power generation and cogeneration for the town office; photovoltaic/wind power-driven hybrid street lamps; use of biomass solid fuel for heating public facilities; use of clean-energy vehicles as official vehicles; and the like. (NEDO)

  7. Isotopic and microbial indicators of sewage pollution from Stone Town, Zanzibar, Tanzania

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Moynihan, Molly A.; Baker, David M.; Mmochi, Aviti J.

    2012-01-01

    In Stone Town, Zanzibar, sewage treatment is minimal, with a biological oxygen demand reduction to 60% and no removal of bacteria or nutrients. Here, Stone Town’s sewage pollution was studied by measuring Enterococci and NH 4 + concentrations in seawater and δ 15 N of benthic organisms; samples were collected along the Stone Town shoreline and from offshore coral reefs. Public perceptions of sewage pollution were investigated via interviews. Enterococci from the Stone Town shoreline exceeded USEPA guidelines for recreational use. Benthic organisms from two of the four reefs were relatively enriched (δ 15 N > 10‰), indicative of sewage derived N. δ 15 N values of organisms from Stone Town exceeded 16‰. A strong correlation was found between Enterococci and δ 15 N across sites, while step-wise regression indicated rainfall and tidal stage as important predictors for bacterial concentrations. These data provide an important impact assessment from which the efficacy of future policy and management change can be assessed.

  8. Tobacco Town: Computational Modeling of Policy Options to Reduce Tobacco Retailer Density.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Luke, Douglas A; Hammond, Ross A; Combs, Todd; Sorg, Amy; Kasman, Matt; Mack-Crane, Austen; Ribisl, Kurt M; Henriksen, Lisa

    2017-05-01

    To identify the behavioral mechanisms and effects of tobacco control policies designed to reduce tobacco retailer density. We developed the Tobacco Town agent-based simulation model to examine 4 types of retailer reduction policies: (1) random retailer reduction, (2) restriction by type of retailer, (3) limiting proximity of retailers to schools, and (4) limiting proximity of retailers to each other. The model examined the effects of these policies alone and in combination across 4 different types of towns, defined by 2 levels of population density (urban vs suburban) and 2 levels of income (higher vs lower). Model results indicated that reduction of retailer density has the potential to decrease accessibility of tobacco products by driving up search and purchase costs. Policy effects varied by town type: proximity policies worked better in dense, urban towns whereas retailer type and random retailer reduction worked better in less-dense, suburban settings. Comprehensive retailer density reduction policies have excellent potential to reduce the public health burden of tobacco use in communities.

  9. Widening rural-urban disparities in all-cause mortality and mortality from major causes of death in the USA, 1969-2009.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Singh, Gopal K; Siahpush, Mohammad

    2014-04-01

    This study examined trends in rural-urban disparities in all-cause and cause-specific mortality in the USA between 1969 and 2009. A rural-urban continuum measure was linked to county-level mortality data. Age-adjusted death rates were calculated by sex, race, cause-of-death, area-poverty, and urbanization level for 13 time periods between 1969 and 2009. Cause-of-death decomposition and log-linear and Poisson regression were used to analyze rural-urban differentials. Mortality rates increased with increasing levels of rurality overall and for non-Hispanic whites, blacks, and American Indians/Alaska Natives. Despite the declining mortality trends, mortality risks for both males and females and for blacks and whites have been increasingly higher in non-metropolitan than metropolitan areas, particularly since 1990. In 2005-2009, mortality rates varied from 391.9 per 100,000 population for Asians/Pacific Islanders in rural areas to 1,063.2 for blacks in small-urban towns. Poverty gradients were steeper in rural areas, which maintained higher mortality than urban areas after adjustment for poverty level. Poor blacks in non-metropolitan areas experienced two to three times higher all-cause and premature mortality risks than affluent blacks and whites in metropolitan areas. Disparities widened over time; excess mortality from all causes combined and from several major causes of death in non-metropolitan areas was greater in 2005-2009 than in 1990-1992. Causes of death contributing most to the increasing rural-urban disparity and higher rural mortality include heart disease, unintentional injuries, COPD, lung cancer, stroke, suicide, diabetes, nephritis, pneumonia/influenza, cirrhosis, and Alzheimer's disease. Residents in metropolitan areas experienced larger mortality reductions during the past four decades than non-metropolitan residents, contributing to the widening gap.

  10. Virginia Tech Graduate Student Team Gives Town of Appomattox Good Grades

    OpenAIRE

    Felker, Susan B.

    2004-01-01

    "So how are we doing?" asked Town of Appomattox Mayor Ronald Spiggle about his administration's government. The experts he queried were Virginia Tech graduate students in public administration. After spending a semester analyzing the activities of the town administration, conducting citizen surveys, and comparing the performance data to other localities, the student team concluded that the Appomattox government is doing a good job.

  11. Nerdfighters, "Paper Towns," and heterotopia

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lili Wilkinson

    2012-06-01

    Full Text Available Socially and politically controlled teenagers find emancipatory spaces in young adult (YA literature, spaces where institutions can be challenged and individuals can gain agency and empowerment. Drawing on Foucault's theory of heterotopia, I examine the literary spaces in John Green's YA novel Paper Towns and examine how Green's online social networking community Nerdfighters shares an ideological common ground with the novel.

  12. The impact of deprivation on youth violence: a comparison of cities and their feeder towns.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jones, S J; Sivarajasingam, V; Shepherd, J

    2011-06-01

    66,000 children and adolescents are treated at emergency departments (EDs) in England and Wales each year for assault injury. The aim of this study was to compare adolescent assault injury rates in cities and towns and determine how assault injury varies with deprivation and gender. The study was set in three cities in Wales, UK, and their surrounding towns. Subjects were 11-17 year olds treated for assault injury at one of seven EDs from 1 October 2005 to 30 September 2006. Area of residence (electoral divisions, EDivs) was identified from patient postcode. EDivs were aggregated into deprivation fifths for males and females and cities and towns. Assault injury rates, rate ratios and 95% CIs were calculated. 1472 children and adolescents of 11-17 years old were treated for assault injury. Male city assault injury rates were 14.2/1000 11-17 year olds; and 13.1 in towns. Female city assault injury rates were 6.0; and 5.6 in towns. In the most deprived city areas males had assault injury rates 2.6 times (95% CI 1.85 to 3.59) that of the most affluent, compared with 2.0 times in towns (95% CI 1.39 to 2.86). For females, the most deprived city areas had assault injury rates 5.3 times that of the most affluent (95% CI 2.93 to 9.41), compared with 2.8 times in towns (95% CI 1.47 to 5.28). Injury in youth violence increased with increasing deprivation in cities and their feeder towns. This was true for boys and girls, though rates for boys were consistently higher. This link between assault injury and deprivation was stronger for girls in cities than in feeder towns. Strategies to prevent youth violence need to include improved safeguarding arrangements for girls living in the most deprived city areas.

  13. Managing the Risk of Flooding and Sea-level Rise in Cape Town ...

    International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Digital Library (Canada)

    Studies. Managing disasters in the context of climate change : towards sustainable urban flood management in Cape Town ... Moving through the city : gender and floods at play; a case study in Sweet Home Farm informal settlement, Cape Town ... public health, and health systems research relevant to the emerging crisis.

  14. Factors determining waste generation in Spanish towns and cities.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Prades, Miriam; Gallardo, Antonio; Ibàñez, Maria Victoria

    2015-01-01

    This paper analyzes the generation and composition of municipal solid waste in Spanish towns and cities with more than 5000 inhabitants, which altogether account for 87% of the Spanish population. To do so, the total composition and generation of municipal solid waste fractions were obtained from 135 towns and cities. Homogeneity tests revealed heterogeneity in the proportions of municipal solid waste fractions from one city to another. Statistical analyses identified significant differences in the generation of glass in cities of different sizes and in the generation of all fractions depending on the hydrographic area. Finally, linear regression models and residuals analysis were applied to analyze the effect of different demographic, geographic, and socioeconomic variables on the generation of waste fractions. The conclusions show that more densely populated towns, a hydrographic area, and cities with over 50,000 inhabitants have higher waste generation rates, while certain socioeconomic variables (people/car) decrease that generation. Other socioeconomic variables (foreigners and unemployment) show a positive and null influence on that waste generation, respectively.

  15. Historic town centre management - The real estate industry

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ciubotaru Mihai

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available In modern times, many of the socio-economic aspects of our lives (beside the classical understanding of the term industry “evolved(?” into industries: music, arts in general, sports, education, health....have become professionally managed industries. Historical town centres provide goods and services and, in this context, can be regarded as industries, as a whole. All the elements of an industry can be identified in these complex “places”: provision of goods and services, human resources issues, technology, marketing, regulatory and legal aspects, management...all of which pointing towards an approach that needs to be looked at as such. The most important industry in hist oric town centres is the real estate industry.

  16. Cell-matrix interactions of Entamoeba histolytica and E. dispar. A comparative study by electron-, atomic force- and confocal microscopy

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Talamás-Lara, Daniel, E-mail: daniel_talamas@hotmail.com [Department of Infectomics and Molecular Pathogenesis, Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados, Apartado Postal 14-740, Mexico City (Mexico); Talamás-Rohana, Patricia, E-mail: ptr@cinvestav.mx [Department of Infectomics and Molecular Pathogenesis, Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados, Apartado Postal 14-740, Mexico City (Mexico); Fragoso-Soriano, Rogelio Jaime, E-mail: rogelio@fis.cinvestav.mx [Department of Physics, Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados, Apartado Postal 14-740, Mexico City (Mexico); Espinosa-Cantellano, Martha, E-mail: mespinosac@cinvestav.mx [Department of Infectomics and Molecular Pathogenesis, Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados, Apartado Postal 14-740, Mexico City (Mexico); Chávez-Munguía, Bibiana, E-mail: bchavez@cinvestav.mx [Department of Infectomics and Molecular Pathogenesis, Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados, Apartado Postal 14-740, Mexico City (Mexico); González-Robles, Arturo, E-mail: goroa@cinvestav.mx [Department of Infectomics and Molecular Pathogenesis, Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados, Apartado Postal 14-740, Mexico City (Mexico); Martínez-Palomo, Adolfo, E-mail: amartine@cinvestav.mx [Department of Infectomics and Molecular Pathogenesis, Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados, Apartado Postal 14-740, Mexico City (Mexico)

    2015-10-01

    Invasion of tissues by Entamoeba histolytica is a multistep process that initiates with the adhesion of the parasite to target tissues. The recognition of the non-invasive Entamoeba dispar as a distinct, but closely related protozoan species raised the question as to whether the lack of its pathogenic potential could be related to a weaker adhesion due to limited cytoskeleton restructuring capacity. We here compared the adhesion process of both amebas to fibronectin through scanning, transmission, atomic force, and confocal microscopy. In addition, electrophoretic and western blot assays of actin were also compared. Adhesion of E. histolytica to fibronectin involves a dramatic reorganization of the actin network that results in a tighter contact to and the subsequent focal degradation of the fibronectin matrix. In contrast, E. dispar showed no regions of focal adhesion, the cytoskeleton was poorly reorganized and there was little fibronectin degradation. In addition, atomic force microscopy using topographic, error signal and phase modes revealed clear-cut differences at the site of contact of both amebas with the substrate. In spite of the morphological and genetic similarities between E. histolytica and E. dispar the present results demonstrate striking differences in their respective cell-to-matrix adhesion processes, which may be of relevance for understanding the invasive character of E. histolytica. - Highlights: • Striking differences in adhesion to FN between E. histolytica and E. dispar. • A greater degree of cell stiffness in E. histolytica with respect to E. dispar. • E. histolytica but not E. dispar forms regions of close contact with FN. • The actin cytoskeleton is involved in the pathogenicity of E. histolytica.

  17. Cell-matrix interactions of Entamoeba histolytica and E. dispar. A comparative study by electron-, atomic force- and confocal microscopy

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Talamás-Lara, Daniel; Talamás-Rohana, Patricia; Fragoso-Soriano, Rogelio Jaime; Espinosa-Cantellano, Martha; Chávez-Munguía, Bibiana; González-Robles, Arturo; Martínez-Palomo, Adolfo

    2015-01-01

    Invasion of tissues by Entamoeba histolytica is a multistep process that initiates with the adhesion of the parasite to target tissues. The recognition of the non-invasive Entamoeba dispar as a distinct, but closely related protozoan species raised the question as to whether the lack of its pathogenic potential could be related to a weaker adhesion due to limited cytoskeleton restructuring capacity. We here compared the adhesion process of both amebas to fibronectin through scanning, transmission, atomic force, and confocal microscopy. In addition, electrophoretic and western blot assays of actin were also compared. Adhesion of E. histolytica to fibronectin involves a dramatic reorganization of the actin network that results in a tighter contact to and the subsequent focal degradation of the fibronectin matrix. In contrast, E. dispar showed no regions of focal adhesion, the cytoskeleton was poorly reorganized and there was little fibronectin degradation. In addition, atomic force microscopy using topographic, error signal and phase modes revealed clear-cut differences at the site of contact of both amebas with the substrate. In spite of the morphological and genetic similarities between E. histolytica and E. dispar the present results demonstrate striking differences in their respective cell-to-matrix adhesion processes, which may be of relevance for understanding the invasive character of E. histolytica. - Highlights: • Striking differences in adhesion to FN between E. histolytica and E. dispar. • A greater degree of cell stiffness in E. histolytica with respect to E. dispar. • E. histolytica but not E. dispar forms regions of close contact with FN. • The actin cytoskeleton is involved in the pathogenicity of E. histolytica

  18. Rural Health Disparities

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... in the Delta Region for specific data. U.S. – Mexico Border While life expectancy in many counties of ... documents the successes, challenges, and relevant information for planning. ... on rural/urban disparities see What sources cover health behaviors and ...

  19. Challenges for Multilevel Health Disparities Research in a Transdisciplinary Environment

    Science.gov (United States)

    Holmes, John H.; Lehman, Amy; Hade, Erinn; Ferketich, Amy K.; Sarah, Gehlert; Rauscher, Garth H.; Abrams, Judith; Bird, Chloe E.

    2008-01-01

    Numerous factors play a part in health disparities. Although health disparities are manifested at the level of the individual, other contexts should be considered when investigating the associations of disparities with clinical outcomes. These contexts include families, neighborhoods, social organizations, and healthcare facilities. This paper reports on health disparities research as a multilevel research domain from the perspective of a large national initiative. The Centers for Population Health and Health Disparities (CPHHD) program was established by the NIH to examine the highly dimensional, complex nature of disparities and their effects on health. Because of its inherently transdisciplinary nature, the CPHHD program provides a unique environment in which to perform multilevel health disparities research. During the course of the program, the CPHHD centers have experienced challenges specific to this type of research. The challenges were categorized along three axes: sources of subjects and data, data characteristics, and multilevel analysis and interpretation. The CPHHDs collectively offer a unique example of how these challenges are met; just as importantly, they reveal a broad range of issues that health disparities researchers should consider as they pursue transdisciplinary investigations in this domain, particularly in the context of a large team science initiative. PMID:18619398

  20. Perspectives of Orthopedic Surgeons on Racial/Ethnic Disparities in Care.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Adelani, Muyibat A; O'Connor, Mary I

    2017-08-01

    Racial/ethnic disparities in healthcare, including orthopedics, have been extensively documented. However, the level of knowledge among orthopedic surgeons regarding racial/ethnic disparities is unknown. The purpose of this study is to determine the views of orthopedic surgeons on (1) the extent of racial/ethnic disparities in orthopedic care, (2) patient and system factors that may contribute, and (3) the potential role of orthopedic surgeons in the reduction of disparities. Three hundred five members of the American Orthopaedic Association completed a survey to assess their knowledge of racial/ethnic disparities and their perceptions about the underlying causes. Twelve percent of respondents believe that patients often receive different care based on race/ethnicity in healthcare in general, while 9 % believe that differences exist in orthopedic care in general, 3 % believe that differences exist within their hospitals/clinics, and 1 % reported differences in their own practices. Despite this, 68 % acknowledge that there is evidence of disparities in orthopedic care. Fifty-one percent believe that a lack of insurance significantly contributes to disparities. Thirty-five percent believe that diversification of the orthopedic workforce would be a "very effective" strategy in addressing disparities, while 25 % percent believe that research would be "very effective" and 24 % believe that surgeon education would be "very effective." Awareness regarding racial/ethnic disparities in musculoskeletal care is low among orthopedic surgeons. Additionally, respondents were more likely to acknowledge disparities within the practices of others than their own. Increased diversity, research, and education may help improve knowledge of this problem.

  1. Global health disparities: crisis in the diaspora.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cox, Raymond L.

    2004-01-01

    The United States spends more than the rest of the world on healthcare. In 2000, the U.S. health bill was 1.3 trillion dollars, 14.5% of its gross domestic product. Yet, according to the WHO World Health Report 2000, the United States ranked 37th of 191 member nations in overall health system performance. Racial/ethnic disparities in health outcomes are the most obvious examples of an unbalanced healthcare system. This presentation will examine health disparities in the United States and reveal how health disparities among and within countries affect the health and well-being of the African Diaspora. PMID:15101675

  2. Health priorities in an Australian mining town

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Ellis, I. K.; Skinner, T. C.; Bhana, A.

    2014-01-01

    Introduction: In developed countries men's health is poorer than women's for a range of key indicators, and being an Indigenous man in Australia widens the gap substantially. Establishing the rates of mortality and health inequality between the sexes is useful for identifying that men's health...... with the aim of targeting health promotion activities more effectively. Methods: An intercept survey was conducted of residents of the Pilbara region towns Port Hedland and South Hedland in 2010. Settings included the main shopping centres and precincts in the towns and at community event venues. Interviewers...... recorded gender, age, Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander self-identification status, whether people worked in the mining industry or not and in what capacity and occupation. Participants were asked a series of questions about health issues of concern from a list of 13 issues which included national...

  3. New Town in the Øresund Region

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Vestergaard, Hedvig; Ærø, Thorkild

    2006-01-01

    This paper gives a short introduction to the current housing market situation which is relevant for the presentation and discussion of the housing potential of a new town in the Copenhagen Metropolitan area, a main part of the cross border Øresund Region between Denmark and Sweden. Presently...... there is a huge demand for housing in this area and a lack of supply. The result is a dramatic housing price increase as well as rising commuting time in general. In the Greater Copenhagen region alone there is a call for another 90.000 dwellings in the next 12 years. The new town in the middle finger...... and their preferences as well as scenarios of the housing potential. The analysis of the preferences of future resident groups is based on information and data from four focus group interviews conducted in November 2005....

  4. Gender and regional disparities of tuberculosis in Hunan, China.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Mengshi; Kwaku, Abuaku Benjamin; Chen, Youfang; Huang, Xin; Tan, Hongzhuan; Wen, Shi Wu

    2014-04-27

    Major efforts have been made to improve the health care system in Hunan province, China. The aims of this study were to assess whether and to what extent these efforts have impacted on gender and regional disparities of Tuberculosis (TB) incidence in recent years, especially for less developed areas. We obtained data from the 2005-2009 China Information System for Disease Control and Prevention (CISDCP)to conduct this study in Hunan province. Counties within the province were divided into four regions according to quartiles based on the 2007 per capita GDP. Index of Disparity (ID) and Relative Index of Inequality (RII) were used to measure the disparities of TB incidence in relation to gender and region. Bootstrap technique was used to increase the precision. The average annual incidence of TB was 111.75 per 100,000 in males and 43.44 per 100 000 in females in Hunan. The gender disparity was stable, with ID from 42.34 in 2005 to 43.92 in 2009. For regional disparity, ID, RII (mean) and RII (ratio) decreased significantly from 2005 to 2009 in males (P China, regional disparity in relation to incidence of TB decreased significantly, but the gender disparity remains in the Hunan province.

  5. Stigma and Racial/Ethnic HIV Disparities: Moving toward Resilience

    Science.gov (United States)

    Earnshaw, Valerie A.; Bogart, Laura M.; Dovidio, John F.; Williams, David R.

    2013-01-01

    Prior research suggests that stigma plays a role in racial/ethnic health disparities. However, there is limited understanding about the mechanisms by which stigma contributes to HIV-related disparities in risk, incidence and screening, treatment, and survival and what can be done to reduce the impact of stigma on these disparities. We introduce…

  6. The Nature of Society: Enmapping Nature, Space and Society into a Town-green Hybrid

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Louis Rice

    2014-10-01

    Full Text Available The paper describes the transformation of derelict land into a 'town-green' and the role legislation played in transforming social and natural relationships. Town-green denotes a legal status under the Great Britain Commons Act (2006 that protects certain open spaces from building development; the status requires that a space must simultaneously have a specific social quality (i.e. 'town-ness' and a specific natural quality (i.e. 'green-ness'. This hybrid condition requires an alliance between society and nature in a certain configuration (referred to here as nature2 and society2. In this empirical study it involved the participation and consensus of local residents, volunteer gardeners as well as nature itself; flowers needed to bloom and grass had to grow in order for the hybrid town-green status to be conferred. There are two distinct phases of this transformation; the first is the change in identities and configuration of the constituents of town and green. This involved the production of a modified 'real' world with: different plants and flowers; reconfigured spatial arrangements; as well as different social actors. The second phase is a shift from changes in the "real" world towards an 'enmap' - a displacement of myriad actors into documentation. This transfer from a complex messy reality into an enmap permitted the legitimation of the new network to be accepted as a 'town-green'. What the research reveals, other than hints for gardeners and community activists, is how material and non-material; social and natural; spatial, discursive and temporal worlds are hybridised.

  7. Land sliding in the area of the town of Ocna Mures

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pop, Elena

    2013-04-01

    Land sliding in the area of the town of Ocna Mures Situated near the center of Romania, the town of Ocna Mures, Alba county, once was considered a health resort. Positioned on the left bank of the river Mures, it has a most important natural asset - that is salt. This town began its growth around the year 1896 when the Sodium Product Plant came into being. From the salt extracted as brine they obtained different chlorine-sodium products. On the morning of December 22, 2010, a landslide occurred in the area close to the center of the town, causing a release of a great deal of salty water that soon formed a lake. During that day the big supermarket that was situated on the back of the sliding area collapsed into the crater of the newly formed salty lake. Due to this sliding the main road began to present huge cracks and it sank into the ground around 3 meters, along a length of 100 meters. Thus the asphalt wrinkled as a result of the landslide and one can no longer use the road. Together with my students I went to that area in order to study the alterations that were produced in the ground and to observe the efforts of the specialized workers trying to avoid a catastrophe. Thus we learned that a variety of corrections were needed: - The design and the installation of a barrier around that area in order to prevent more plain water to enter; - Stopping excavations of pebbles from the river Mures over an area of 5 kilometers up- and down-river of the town area; - The removal of the other salty lakes from the town area; - The new design of the sewer system of the town using resistant materials; - Increased capacity of the sewer system for industrial water and drainage from the abundant rains; - The planting of trees in the area in order to fix the ground and prevent new landslides; In order to establish the safety coefficient to protect the salt reserve due to its ubiquity they have to consult seismology specialists. Therefore they have to do all the necessary efforts in

  8. The species of the Neotropical genus Fractipons Townes, 1970 (Hymenoptera, Ichneumonidae, Cryptinae).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bordera, Santiago; González-Moreno, Alejandra

    2011-01-19

    In this paper, two new species of the Neotropical genus Fractipons Townes, 1970 (Hymenoptera, Ichneumonidae) are described. A new diagnosis for the genus, a re-description of Fractipons cincticornis Townes, 1970 and a key to known species are provided. New distribution records for the genus now include Argentina, Costa Rica, Panama and Peru.

  9. DOE Zero Energy Ready Home Case Study: New Town Builders, Denver, Colorado

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    none,

    2013-09-01

    All homes in the Stapleton community must be ENERGY STAR certified; New Town Builders has announced that it will build 250–300 new homes over the next 7–10 years, all of which will be Challenge Homes. New Town received a 2013 Housing Innovation Award in the production builder category.

  10. Impact of Birth Order on Procrastination among College Students in Eldoret Town

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gabriel, Chege Kimani

    2015-01-01

    The study sought to investigate the impact of birth order on procrastination among college students in Eldoret town. The study sought to achieve the following objectives: (1) to find out the prevalence of procrastination among college students in Eldoret town, (2) to find out the relationship between birth order on procrastination among college…

  11. Town and Regional Planning - Vol 59 (2011)

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Land quality, urban development and urban agriculture within the Cape Town urban edge · EMAIL FREE FULL TEXT EMAIL FREE FULL TEXT DOWNLOAD FULL TEXT DOWNLOAD FULL TEXT. H Geyer, B Schloms, D du Plessis, A van Eeden, 41-52 ...

  12. A quantitative measurement of binocular color fusion limit for different disparities

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Zaiqing; Shi, Junsheng; Tai, Yonghan; Huang, Xiaoqiao; Yun, Lijun; Zhang, Chao

    2018-01-01

    Color asymmetry is a common phenomenon in stereoscopic display system, which can cause visual fatigue or visual discomfort. When the color difference between the left and right eyes exceeds a threshold value, named binocular color fusion limit, color rivalry is said to occur. The most important information brought by stereoscopic displays is the depth perception produced by the disparity. As the stereo pair stimuli are presented separately to both eyes with disparities and those two monocular stimuli differ in color but share an iso-luminance polarity, it is possible for stereopsis and color rivalry to coexist. In this paper, we conducted an experiment to measure the color fusion limit for different disparity levels. In particular, it examines how the magnitude and sign of disparity affect the binocular color fusion limit that yields a fused, stable stereoscopic percept. The binocular color fusion limit was measured at five levels of disparities: 0, +/-60, +/-120 arc minutes for a sample color point which was selected from the 1976 CIE u'v' chromaticity diagram. The experimental results showed that fusion limit for the sample point varied with the level and sign of disparity. It was an interesting result that the fusion limit increased as the disparity decreases at crossed disparity direction (sign -), but there is almost no big change at uncrossed disparity direction (sign +). We found that color fusion was more difficult to achieve at the crossed disparity direction than at the uncrossed disparity direction.

  13. Racial/Ethnic Disparities in Mental Health Care Utilization among U.S. College Students: Applying the Institution of Medicine Definition of Health Care Disparities.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hunt, Justin B; Eisenberg, Daniel; Lu, Liya; Gathright, Molly

    2015-10-01

    The authors apply the Institute of Medicine's definition of health care disparities to college students. The analysis pools data from the first two waves of the Healthy Minds Study, a multicampus survey of students' mental health (N = 13,028). A probit model was used for any past-year service utilization, and group differences in health status were adjusted by transforming the entire distribution for each minority population to approximate the white distribution. Disparities existed between whites and all minority groups. Compared to other approaches, the predicted service disparities were greater because this method included the effects of mediating SES variables. Health care disparities persist in the college setting despite improved access and nearly universal insurance coverage. Our findings emphasize the importance of investigating potential sources of disparities beyond geography and coverage.

  14. Decomposing Racial/Ethnic Disparities in Influenza Vaccination among the Elderly

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yoo, Byung-Kwang; Hasebe, Takuya; Szilagyi, Peter G.

    2015-01-01

    While persistent racial/ethnic disparities in influenza vaccination have been reported among the elderly, characteristics contributing to disparities are poorly understood. This study aimed to assess characteristics associated with racial/ethnic disparities in influenza vaccination using a nonlinear Oaxaca-Blinder decomposition method. We performed cross-sectional multivariable logistic regression analyses for which the dependent variable was self-reported receipt of influenza vaccine during the 2010–2011 season among community dwelling non-Hispanic African-American (AA), non-Hispanic White (W), English-speaking Hispanic (EH) and Spanish-speaking Hispanic (SH) elderly, enrolled in the 2011 Medicare Current Beneficiary Survey (MCBS) (un-weighted/weighted N= 6,095/19.2million). Using the nonlinear Oaxaca-Blinder decomposition method, we assessed the relative contribution of seventeen covariates—including socio-demographic characteristics, health status, insurance, access, preference regarding healthcare, and geographic regions —to disparities in influenza vaccination. Unadjusted racial/ethnic disparities in influenza vaccination were 14.1 percentage points (pp) (W-AA disparity, p.8). The Oaxaca-Blinder decomposition method estimated that the unadjusted W-AA and W-SH disparities in vaccination could be reduced by only 45% even if AA and SH groups become equivalent to Whites in all covariates in multivariable regression models. The remaining 55% of disparities were attributed to (a) racial/ethnic differences in the estimated coefficients (e.g., odds ratios) in the regression models and (b) characteristics not included in the regression models. Our analysis found that only about 45% of racial/ethnic disparities in influenza vaccination among the elderly could be reduced by equalizing recognized characteristics among racial/ethnic groups. Future studies are needed to identify additional modifiable characteristics causing disparities in influenza vaccination. PMID

  15. Planning Failure of Satellite Town: A Case Study of Korangi, Karachi-Pakistan

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Tania Ali Soomro

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available The Satellite town of Korangiis part of the ‘Greater Karachi Resettlement Plan’ along with other satellite towns of Landhi and New Karachi proposed by the Greek Architect Constantinos Apostolou Doxiadis in 1958. It is located in southern part of Karachi next to the Arabian Sea at latitude: 24°49' and longitude: 67° 7'. It is considered as one of the major post-independence urban regeneration projects. The actual plan of Doxiadis was supposed to be developed as self-sufficient satellite town for refugees (from Indian sub-continent partition with the provision of employment through industries and commercial areas along with residential settlement. This research revolves around the planning strategies adopted by the architect influenced by the indigenous way of living. The analysis is based upon the main proposition of the Greater Karachi Resettlement Plan that aimed to develop industrial activity in the satellite towns of Landhi-Korangi and North Karachi freeing the central Karachi from low income groups (poor and from environmental degradation. From here began the multiple issues mainly the transportation troubles of city, as these settlement towns were positioned at least 25 Kilometer off the city centre which probably was the only working hub for most of people then. This eventually led to the failure of the plan leaving behind the inhabitants with economic pandemonium. The objective of this research is to understand the issues related to the existing satellite town and the reasons for its decline; not growing on the pace of what it was assumed to develop. The paper also focuses on the stated argument of the failure of this massive relocation plan and its impacts on rest of the city.

  16. Epidemiology, Policy, and Racial/Ethnic Minority Health Disparities

    Science.gov (United States)

    Carter-Pokras, Olivia; Offutt-Powell, Tabatha; Kaufman, Jay S.; Giles, Wayne; Mays, Vickie

    2013-01-01

    Purpose Epidemiologists have long contributed to policy efforts to address health disparities. Three examples illustrate how epidemiologists have addressed health disparities in the U.S. and abroad through a “social determinants of health” lens. Methods To identify examples of how epidemiologic research has been applied to reduce health disparities, we queried epidemiologists engaged in disparities research in the U.S., Canada, and New Zealand, and drew upon the scientific literature. Results Resulting examples covered a wide range of topic areas. Three areas selected for their contributions to policy were: 1) epidemiology's role in definition and measurement, 2) the study of housing and asthma, and 3) the study of food policy strategies to reduce health disparities. While epidemiologic research has done much to define and quantify health inequalities, it has generally been less successful at producing evidence that would identify targets for health equity intervention. Epidemiologists have a role to play in measurement and basic surveillance, etiologic research, intervention research, and evaluation research. However, our training and funding sources generally place greatest emphasis on surveillance and etiologic research. Conclusions: The complexity of health disparities requires better training for epidemiologists to effectively work in multidisciplinary teams. Together we can evaluate contextual and multilevel contributions to disease and study intervention programs in order to gain better insights into evidenced-based health equity strategies. PMID:22626003

  17. Influence of small towns on the lichen vegetation. Part VII. Discussion and general conclusions

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Rydzak, J

    1958-01-01

    The problem of poverty of lichen vegetation in large or industrial towns was raised in 1866. Since then several large European cities have been studied and there were described zones of gradual impoverishment of lichen flora from the outskirts to the centre of the town. The zones are: (1) Zone of normally developed flora at the outskirts of the town. (2) Struggle zone which is a more or less extensive area with scattered houses and which surrounds the crowded central quarters. In this zone scanty specimens of a few lichen species were found; their thalli were contracted, under-developed, as if fighting for life in unfavorable environmental conditions. (3) Lichen-free zone, lichen desert, which comprises the centre of the town and its industrial quarters; no lichens could be found there. The results of these investigations strengthened the belief that lichens are organisms very sensitive to the action of substances formed during coal combustion in town. Sulphur dioxide (SO/sub 2/) was believed to be especially harmful to lichens, causing their death even in trace concentrations.

  18. Energy use for transport in 22 Nordic towns; Energibruk til transport i 22 nordiske byer

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Naess, Petter; Larsen, Synnoeve Lyssand; Roee, Per Gunnar

    1994-07-01

    This report presents the methods used and the results obtained from an investigation of relationships between energy use for transport and the physical urban structure of 22 towns in Denmark, Iceland, Norway and Sweden. It is found that urban planning is very important for the inhabitants' average energy use for transport. High population density in the inner and central areas of a town tends to reduce the energy use. The composition of trades and the commuting frequency between the town and its surroundings affect the energy use to the same degree as does the urban planning. The energy data are based on the oil companies' information on the sales of gasoline and auto diesel oil from the filling stations in each town and on the public transport companies' information on the energy use of their vehicles. The energy data are combined with physical and socio economical characteristics of each town.

  19. Status of intestinal parasitic infections among residents of Jimma Town, Ethiopia

    OpenAIRE

    Jejaw, Ayalew; Zeynudin, Ahmed; Zemene, Endalew; Belay, Tariku

    2014-01-01

    Background Intestinal parasites cause considerable morbidity and mortality in the world, especially in developing countries like Ethiopia. Both urban and rural inhabitants are vulnerable to infection with intestinal parasites in developing countries. The aim of this study was to determine the status of intestinal parasitic infections (IPIs) among residents of Jimma Town, seven years after high prevalence was reported. Results Four hundred and thirty four residents of Jimma Town were included ...

  20. Racial Disparities in Palliative Care for Prostate Cancer

    Science.gov (United States)

    2016-01-01

    1 | P a g e Award Number: W81XWH-10-1-0802 TITLE: " Racial Disparities in Palliative Care for Prostate Cancer." PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR: Alfred I...CONTRACT NUMBER W81XWH-10-1-0802 " Racial Disparities in Palliative Care for Prostate Cancer." 5b. GRANT NUMBER PC094372 5c. PROGRAM ELEMENT NUMBER...developed the tools/methods for working with SEER-Medicare. We plan to use analytic approaches and methods to explore racial disparities in the use of

  1. Rural roadway safety perceptions among rural teen drivers living in and outside of towns.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ramirez, Marizen; Roth, Lisa; Young, Tracy; Peek-Asa, Corinne

    2013-01-01

    To compare perceptions about rural road and general driving behaviors between teens who live in- and out-of-town from rural communities in Iowa. A cross-sectional survey was conducted with 160 teens anticipating their Intermediate License within 3 months upon enrollment into this study. Self-administered surveys were used to collect demographics and driving exposures (eg, frequency of driving, age when first drove unsupervised). Two Likert scales were included to measure agreement with safe driving behaviors on rural roads and general safe driving behaviors (eg, speeding, seat belt use). T-tests were calculated comparing mean composite scores between in- and out-of-town teens, and between mean rural road and general driving safety attitude scores. A linear regression multivariable model was constructed to identify predictors of the rural road score. While the majority of teens endorsed rural road and general safe driving behaviors, up to 40% did not. Thirty-two percent did not believe the dangers of animals on rural roads, and 40% disagreed that exceeding the speed limit is dangerous. In-town teens were less safety conscious about rural road hazards with a significantly lower mean composite score (4.4) than out-of-town teens (4.6); mean scores for general driving behaviors were similar. Living out-of-town and owning one's own car were significant predictors of increased rural road safety scores. Rural, in-town teens have poorer safety attitudes about rural roadway hazards compared with out-of-town teens. Interventions that involve education, parental supervision, and practice on rural roads are critical for preventing teen crashes on rural roads. No claim to original US government works.

  2. Detection and Solution of Indoor Air Quality Problems in a Danish Town Hall

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Hyldgård, Carl-Erik; Brohus, Henrik

    In connection with the research programme "Healthy Buildings", a building with indoor air quality problems was selected for further investigations. A Danish town hall was chosen because of many complaints over several years. A full-scale mock-up of a typical town hall office was built...... in the climate laboratory. A new heating and ventilating system and a new control strategy were chosen and implemented into the town hall. It was found that air supply upwards along a window may make it nearly impossible to achieve comfort and a good air quality the year round without full-scale measurements....

  3. Reconstruction of Chernobyl source parameters using gamma dose rate measurements in town Pripjat

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    M. M. Talerko

    2010-06-01

    Full Text Available With the help of mathematical modeling of atmospheric transport the calculations of accidental release dispersion from the Chernobyl NPP to town Pripjat during period from 26 till 29 April 1986 have been carried out. Data of gamma rate measurements which was made in 31 points of the town were used. Based on the solution of atmospheric transport inverse problem the reconstruction of Chernobyl source parameters has been made including release intensity and effective source height. The input of main dose-forming radionuclides into the exposure dose during the first 40 hours after the accident (the period of population residence in the town before the evacuation has been estimated. According to the calculations the 131I deposition density averaged over the town territory was about 5.2 × 104 kBq/m2 (on 29.04.86. Minimum and maximum 131I deposition values were 2.8 × 104 kBq/m2 (western part, distance to the unit is 4.5 km and 1.2 × 105 kBq/m2 (north-eastern part of town, 2 km from the unit accordingly. For the moment of the evacuation dated April 27, deposition values were about 90 percent of these values.

  4. Municipal solid waste generation and disposal in Robe town, Ethiopia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Erasu, Duguma; Faye, Tesfaye; Kiros, Amaha; Balew, Abel

    2018-04-20

    The amount of solid waste generated in developing countries is rising from time to time due to economic growth, change in consumer behavior and lifestyles of people. But it is hard to manage and handle the increase of solid waste with existing waste management infrastructure. Thus, the management system of solid waste is very poor and become a serious problem. The main purpose of this study is to quantify the volume of solid waste generated and investigate factors affecting generation and disposal of wastes in the study area. The result of this study indicated that total waste generated from households was about 97.092kg/day.Furthermore, the study reveals that the solid waste generation rate of the town is 0.261kg/person/day.About 57.5% of solid waste is properly disposed of to landfill site whereas the remaining 42.5% is illegally dumped at the roadsides and open fields. Implication Statement Nowadays, in developing countries there is high concentration of people in urban areas and cause for the generation of enormous concentration of municipal waste in urban areas. Therefore this finding will be important for various policy makers and town planners. It may also serve as a benchmark for the municipal authorities of the town for whom the problem is still invisible and negligible and can push environmental protection authorities to reexamine the implementation of their policies and strategies with regard to the broader issues of human and environmental health condition of town dwellers.

  5. Disparities in Disability by Educational Attainment Across US States.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Montez, Jennifer Karas; Zajacova, Anna; Hayward, Mark D

    2017-07-01

    To examine how disparities in adult disability by educational attainment vary across US states. We used the nationally representative data of more than 6 million adults aged 45 to 89 years in the 2010-2014 American Community Survey. We defined disability as difficulty with activities of daily living. We categorized education as low (less than high school), mid (high school or some college), or high (bachelor's or higher). We estimated age-standardized disability prevalence by educational attainment and state. We assessed whether the variation in disability across states occurs primarily among low-educated adults and whether it reflects the socioeconomic resources of low-educated adults and their surrounding contexts. Disparities in disability by education vary markedly across states-from a 20 percentage point disparity in Massachusetts to a 12-point disparity in Wyoming. Disparities vary across states mainly because the prevalence of disability among low-educated adults varies across states. Personal and contextual socioeconomic resources of low-educated adults account for 29% of the variation. Efforts to reduce disparities in disability by education should consider state and local strategies that reduce poverty among low-educated adults and their surrounding contexts.

  6. Explaining Racial Disparities in Infant Health in Brazil

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nyarko, Kwame A.; Lopez-Camelo, Jorge; Castilla, Eduardo E.

    2015-01-01

    Objectives. We sought to quantify how socioeconomic, health care, demographic, and geographic effects explain racial disparities in low birth weight (LBW) and preterm birth (PTB) rates in Brazil. Methods. We employed a sample of 8949 infants born between 1995 and 2009 in 15 cities and 7 provinces in Brazil. We focused on disparities in LBW (Public policies to improve children’s health should target prenatal care and geographic location differences to reduce health disparities between infants of African and European ancestries in Brazil. PMID:26313046

  7. Energy use for transport in 22 Nordic towns; Energibruk til transport i 22 nordiske byer

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Naess, Petter; Larsen, Synnoeve Lyssand; Roee, Per Gunnar

    1994-07-01

    This report presents the methods used and the results obtained from an investigation of relationships between energy use for transport and the physical urban structure of 22 towns in Denmark, Iceland, Norway and Sweden. It is found that urban planning is very important for the inhabitants' average energy use for transport. High population density in the inner and central areas of a town tends to reduce the energy use. The composition of trades and the commuting frequency between the town and its surroundings affect the energy use to the same degree as does the urban planning. The energy data are based on the oil companies' information on the sales of gasoline and auto diesel oil from the filling stations in each town and on the public transport companies' information on the energy use of their vehicles. The energy data are combined with physical and socio economical characteristics of each town.

  8. neonatal bacterial meningitis in Cape Town children

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    neonatal bacterial meningitis in Cape Town children. Bacterial meningitis is a major cause of childhood morbidity and mortality in South Africa. However, comprehensive regional or national epidemiological data, essential for rational public health interventions, are lacking. The purpose of this 1-year prospective study, from.

  9. An Approach to Integrating Health Disparities within Undergraduate Biomedical Engineering Education.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vazquez, Maribel; Marte, Otto; Barba, Joseph; Hubbard, Karen

    2017-11-01

    Health disparities are preventable differences in the incidence, prevalence and burden of disease among communities targeted by gender, geographic location, ethnicity and/or socio-economic status. While biomedical research has identified partial origin(s) of divergent burden and impact of disease, the innovation needed to eradicate health disparities in the United States requires unique engagement from biomedical engineers. Increasing awareness of the prevalence and consequences of health disparities is particularly attractive to today's undergraduates, who have undauntedly challenged paradigms believed to foster inequality. Here, the Department of Biomedical Engineering at The City College of New York (CCNY) has leveraged its historical mission of access-and-excellence to integrate the study of health disparities into undergraduate BME curricula. This article describes our novel approach in a multiyear study that: (i) Integrated health disparities modules at all levels of the required undergraduate BME curriculum; (ii) Developed opportunities to include impacts of health disparities into undergraduate BME research projects and mentored High School summer STEM training; and (iii) Established health disparities-based challenges as BME capstone design and/or independent entrepreneurship projects. Results illustrate the rising awareness of health disparities among the youngest BMEs-to-be, as well as abundant undergraduate desire to integrate health disparities within BME education and training.

  10. Beyond the Stone Town: Maritime Architecture at Fourteenth-Fifteenth Century Songo Mnara, Tanzania

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pollard, Edward; Fleisher, Jeffrey; Wynne-Jones, Stephanie

    2012-10-01

    The towns of the Swahili coast of East Africa are widely acknowledged as the remains of a maritime society whose relationship with the ocean was fundamental to their economy and identity. Yet research that links the terrestrial environments of the towns to their adjacent maritime landscapes is rare, and urgently required in the light of marine erosional processes unmitigated by human actions. In the Kilwa archipelago of southern Tanzania, survey of the coastal foreshore has documented maritime architecture—particularly a series of coral-built causeways—that serve to link the medieval towns of this area to coastal resources and to expand the limits of the settlements themselves. This paper reports on survey recovering these causeways on Songo Mnara Island, putting the structures into context as part of the broader spatial manifestation of the island's fourteenth-fifteenth century town. Several possible uses of the causeways are discussed, including functional explanations linked to the exploitation of oceanic resources, and more social reasons of territoriality and spatial demarcation.

  11. Infant mortality rates and structure in a town near a nuclear power enterprise

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Tret'yakov, F.D.; Voronina, Z.I.; Voronin, P.F.; Demin, S.N.

    1991-01-01

    The paper is devoted to analysis of the rates and structure of mortality of infants aged under 1 in a town, situated near a nuclear power enterprise (NPE). Altogether 38124 infants born in 1950-1978, were investigated. The dead infants (1160) were divided into 3 groups with relation to their parents' place of work: 1 - infants whose parents worked in the NPE; 2 - infants whose parents worked in town factories and offices; 3 - all infants in the town. The total doses of γ-irradiation for mothers were 10-400 cSv, those for fathers - 30-520 cSv, intrauterine irradiation of a fetus was 0.5-0.55 cSv. The individual effective equivalent dose of irradiation of the residents of the town was 17.3 cSv over 40 years. Occupational γ-irradiation of the parents at doses exceeding the maximum permissible ones in the first 10 years of work at the NPE made no effect on the mortality rates in infants of the first generation

  12. Geological Study of Monica Pintado mine. Florida town

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Medina, E.; Carrion, R.

    1988-01-01

    This work is about the geological study carried in Monica Pintado mine in Florida town by photointepretation - scale 1.20.000. In the area were found rocks granites, deep metamorfites and black granite

  13. Water quality of Lake Austin and Town Lake, Austin, Texas

    Science.gov (United States)

    Andrews, Freeman L.; Wells, Frank C.; Shelby, Wanda J.; McPherson, Emma

    1988-01-01

    Lake Austin and Town Lake are located on the Colorado River in Travis County, central Texas, and serve as a source of water for municipal and industrial water supplies, electrical-power generation, and recreation for more than 500,000 people in the Austin metropolitan area. Lake Austin, located immediately downstream of Lake Travis, extends for more than 20 miles into the western edge of the city of Austin. Town Lake extends through the downtown area of the city of Austin for nearly 6 miles where the Colorado River is impounded by Longhorn Dam.

  14. DESIGNING OF TOWN SKYLINE ON THE STAGE OF GENERAL LAYOUT

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yu. N. Kishik

    2007-01-01

    Full Text Available It is proposed to consider an aggregation of such active elements of town structure as multistoreyed dominants to be used as a basis for designing skyline of a large town on the stage of its general layout. Some interrelated principles, namely: spatial integration, subordination, nature consistence, succession are formulated for improvement of their spatial organization. Every principle takes down any general property of the network of vertical accents which is formed as a system. The obtained principles of the system organization of the multistoreyed dominants are checked while designing Grodno skyline. 

  15. A reaction-diffusion model to capture disparity selectivity in primary visual cortex.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mohammed Sultan Mohiuddin Siddiqui

    Full Text Available Decades of experimental studies are available on disparity selective cells in visual cortex of macaque and cat. Recently, local disparity map for iso-orientation sites for near-vertical edge preference is reported in area 18 of cat visual cortex. No experiment is yet reported on complete disparity map in V1. Disparity map for layer IV in V1 can provide insight into how disparity selective complex cell receptive field is organized from simple cell subunits. Though substantial amounts of experimental data on disparity selective cells is available, no model on receptive field development of such cells or disparity map development exists in literature. We model disparity selectivity in layer IV of cat V1 using a reaction-diffusion two-eye paradigm. In this model, the wiring between LGN and cortical layer IV is determined by resource an LGN cell has for supporting connections to cortical cells and competition for target space in layer IV. While competing for target space, the same type of LGN cells, irrespective of whether it belongs to left-eye-specific or right-eye-specific LGN layer, cooperate with each other while trying to push off the other type. Our model captures realistic 2D disparity selective simple cell receptive fields, their response properties and disparity map along with orientation and ocular dominance maps. There is lack of correlation between ocular dominance and disparity selectivity at the cell population level. At the map level, disparity selectivity topography is not random but weakly clustered for similar preferred disparities. This is similar to the experimental result reported for macaque. The details of weakly clustered disparity selectivity map in V1 indicate two types of complex cell receptive field organization.

  16. Neighbourhood food, physical activity, and educational environments and black/white disparities in obesity: a complex systems simulation analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Orr, Mark G; Kaplan, George A; Galea, Sandro

    2016-09-01

    Multiple approaches that can contribute to reducing obesity have been proposed. These policies may share overlapping pathways, and may have unanticipated consequences, creating considerable complexity. Aiming to illuminate the use of agent-based models to explore the consequences of key policies, this paper simulates the effects of increasing neighbourhood availability of good food stores, physical activity infrastructure and higher school quality on the reduction of black/white disparities in body mass index (BMI) in the USA. We used an agent-based model, with parameters derived from the empirical literature, which included individual and neighbourhood characteristics over the life course as determinants of behaviours thought to impact BMI. We systematically varied the strength of the 3 policy interventions, examining the impact of 125 different policy scenarios on black/white BMI disparities. In the absence of any of these policies, black/white BMI disparities generally increased over time. However, we found that some combinations of these policies resulted in reductions in BMI, yielding decreases in the black/white BMI disparity as large as a 90%. Within the structure of relationships captured in this simulation model, there is support for the further use of agent-based simulation models to explore upstream policies as plausible candidates for the reduction of black/white disparities in BMI. These results highlight the potential insights into important public health problems, such as obesity, that can come from uniting the systems science approach with policy analysis. 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/

  17. Cities, Towns, Villages with 1990 Census Population (GNIS)

    Data.gov (United States)

    Earth Data Analysis Center, University of New Mexico — This data set contains points for 1600 populated places, cities and towns, in New Mexico. The points were generated from latitude and longitude coordinates contained...

  18. EPA Region 1 - New England Towns, with Population

    Data.gov (United States)

    U.S. Environmental Protection Agency — The New England Town Boundary coverage is a compilation of coverages received from the six New England State GIS Offices. The EPA New England GIS Center appended the...

  19. Cancer Genomics: Diversity and Disparity Across Ethnicity and Geography.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tan, Daniel S W; Mok, Tony S K; Rebbeck, Timothy R

    2016-01-01

    Ethnic and geographic differences in cancer incidence, prognosis, and treatment outcomes can be attributed to diversity in the inherited (germline) and somatic genome. Although international large-scale sequencing efforts are beginning to unravel the genomic underpinnings of cancer traits, much remains to be known about the underlying mechanisms and determinants of genomic diversity. Carcinogenesis is a dynamic, complex phenomenon representing the interplay between genetic and environmental factors that results in divergent phenotypes across ethnicities and geography. For example, compared with whites, there is a higher incidence of prostate cancer among Africans and African Americans, and the disease is generally more aggressive and fatal. Genome-wide association studies have identified germline susceptibility loci that may account for differences between the African and non-African patients, but the lack of availability of appropriate cohorts for replication studies and the incomplete understanding of genomic architecture across populations pose major limitations. We further discuss the transformative potential of routine diagnostic evaluation for actionable somatic alterations, using lung cancer as an example, highlighting implications of population disparities, current hurdles in implementation, and the far-reaching potential of clinical genomics in enhancing cancer prevention, diagnosis, and treatment. As we enter the era of precision cancer medicine, a concerted multinational effort is key to addressing population and genomic diversity as well as overcoming barriers and geographical disparities in research and health care delivery. © 2015 by American Society of Clinical Oncology.

  20. Small Town Energy Program (STEP) Final Report revised

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Wilson, Charles (Chuck) T.

    2014-01-02

    University Park, Maryland (“UP”) is a small town of 2,540 residents, 919 homes, 2 churches, 1 school, 1 town hall, and 1 breakthrough community energy efficiency initiative: the Small Town Energy Program (“STEP”). STEP was developed with a mission to “create a model community energy transformation program that serves as a roadmap for other small towns across the U.S.” STEP first launched in January 2011 in UP and expanded in July 2012 to the neighboring communities of Hyattsville, Riverdale Park, and College Heights Estates, MD. STEP, which concluded in July 2013, was generously supported by a grant from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). The STEP model was designed for replication in other resource-constrained small towns similar to University Park - a sector largely neglected to date in federal and state energy efficiency programs. STEP provided a full suite of activities for replication, including: energy audits and retrofits for residential buildings, financial incentives, a community-based social marketing backbone and local community delivery partners. STEP also included the highly innovative use of an “Energy Coach” who worked one-on-one with clients throughout the program. Please see www.smalltownenergy.org for more information. In less than three years, STEP achieved the following results in University Park: • 30% of community households participated voluntarily in STEP; • 25% of homes received a Home Performance with ENERGY STAR assessment; • 16% of households made energy efficiency improvements to their home; • 64% of households proceeded with an upgrade after their assessment; • 9 Full Time Equivalent jobs were created or retained, and 39 contractors worked on STEP over the course of the project. Estimated Energy Savings - Program Totals kWh Electricity 204,407 Therms Natural Gas 24,800 Gallons of Oil 2,581 Total Estimated MMBTU Saved (Source Energy) 5,474 Total Estimated Annual Energy Cost Savings $61,343 STEP clients who

  1. Report on new energy vision in Koushida Town area; Koushidacho chiiki shin energy vision hokokusho

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    NONE

    2001-03-01

    A new energy vision was established in the Koushida Town area in Miyagi Prefecture. The population of Koushida Town has leveled off in recent years at 20,245 persons in fiscal 2000. However, number of people working outside the town is increasing, and the ratio of the daytime population is decreasing slowly. Agriculture in this town depends mainly on production rice of such brands as 'Hitomebore' and 'Sasanishiki', wherein the agricultural production amount is 3 billion 260 million yen in fiscal 1998. Commercial activities are decreasing its power with the annual retail sales amount of 17 billion 800 million yen, while the product shipping amount from the attracted factories is on the increasing trend, at 25 billion 700 million yen in 1998. The energy consumption is 526 times 10{sup 9} kcal in total, accounted for by the business department at 42.0%, the transportation department at 32.3%, and the consumer department at 25.7%. The annual utilizable quantity of new energies amounts to 28,816 times 10{sup 6} kcal, made available from solar power, wind power, bio-mass, and refuses, which is about 5.5% of the final energy consumption of the town. The new energy introducing project includes introduction of photovoltaic power generation into the town office building, facilities for interchange of citizens and schools, conversion of the automobiles used in the official organizations into clean energy fueled automobiles, the Eco-town Plan for the east side of Koushida Station, and the project of utilizing bio-mass supplied from the livestock market. (NEDO)

  2. Report on new energy vision in Koushida Town area; Koushidacho chiiki shin energy vision hokokusho

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    NONE

    2001-03-01

    A new energy vision was established in the Koushida Town area in Miyagi Prefecture. The population of Koushida Town has leveled off in recent years at 20,245 persons in fiscal 2000. However, number of people working outside the town is increasing, and the ratio of the daytime population is decreasing slowly. Agriculture in this town depends mainly on production rice of such brands as 'Hitomebore' and 'Sasanishiki', wherein the agricultural production amount is 3 billion 260 million yen in fiscal 1998. Commercial activities are decreasing its power with the annual retail sales amount of 17 billion 800 million yen, while the product shipping amount from the attracted factories is on the increasing trend, at 25 billion 700 million yen in 1998. The energy consumption is 526 times 10{sup 9} kcal in total, accounted for by the business department at 42.0%, the transportation department at 32.3%, and the consumer department at 25.7%. The annual utilizable quantity of new energies amounts to 28,816 times 10{sup 6} kcal, made available from solar power, wind power, bio-mass, and refuses, which is about 5.5% of the final energy consumption of the town. The new energy introducing project includes introduction of photovoltaic power generation into the town office building, facilities for interchange of citizens and schools, conversion of the automobiles used in the official organizations into clean energy fueled automobiles, the Eco-town Plan for the east side of Koushida Station, and the project of utilizing bio-mass supplied from the livestock market. (NEDO)

  3. Off The Scale - Expansion or Development? A Small Town within a Metropolitan Zone as an Alternative Place of Residence

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wójtowicz-Wróbel, Agnieszka

    2017-10-01

    The goal of this paper is to point out the types of spatial changes that the small towns located in Krakow’s range of influence are currently undergoing, as well as what are the consequences of the various types of changes in these towns. The author asks the question whether the current changes seen in small towns that are under the influence of Krakow can be described as sustainable development - at the basis of which is the increasing of the quality of the functional and spatial structure of a town while preserving its qualities and character - or, on the contrary, that it is more appropriate to describe the changes in the spatial structure of towns as an expansion, which is related only to an increase in their surface area or an increase in the density of their built environment? An attempt has also been made to determine the cause of these changes. An analysis of a set of towns in terms of their accessibility in relation to Krakow, as well as the demographic changes in towns in recent years, has been carried out. This research was useful in determining the dynamic of urban changes or their stagnation. Afterwards, groups of towns with varying degrees of transformation (towns that have been intensively transformed, towns with a balanced degree of spatial changes and towns which remain on the side-lines) were established. In addition, various forms of changes were defined - ranging from cities which register an increase in attractiveness and the changes that it brings while preserving their qualities in accordance with the principles of sustainable development, to settlements which are losing their small-town character as a result of intensive change, at the same time undergoing unification both in terms of space and form of use. From among the groups of towns, example which most fully illustrate the varying degrees and character of the changes of small towns in the area of Krakow has been selected. Based on the research that has been conducted, we can state

  4. Racial and ethnic disparities in antidepressant drug use.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Jie; Rizzo, John A

    2008-12-01

    Little is known about racial and ethnic disparities in health care utilization, expenditures and drug choice in the antidepressant market. This study investigates factors associated with the racial and ethnic disparities in antidepressant drug use. We seek to determine the extent to which disparities reflect differences in observable population characteristics versus heterogeneity across racial and ethnic groups. Among the population characteristics, we are interested in identifying which factors are most important in accounting for racial and ethnic disparities in antidepressant drug use. Using Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS) data from 1996-2003, we have an available sample of 10,416 Caucasian, 1,089 African American and 1,539 Hispanic antidepressant drug users aged 18 to 64 years. We estimate individual out-of-pocket payments, total prescription drug expenditures, drug utilization, the probability of taking generic versus brand name antidepressants, and the share of drugs that are older types of antidepressants (e.g., TCAs and MAOIs) for these individuals during a calendar year. Blinder-Oaxaca decomposition techniques are employed to determine the extent to which disparities reflect differences in observable population characteristics versus unobserved heterogeneity across racial and ethnic groups. Caucasians have the highest antidepressant drug expenditures and utilization. African-Americans have the lowest drug expenditures and Hispanics have the lowest drug utilization. Relative to Caucasians and Hispanics, African-Americans are more likely to purchase generics and use a higher share of older drugs (e.g., TCAs and MAOIs). Differences in observable characteristics explain most of the racial/ethnic differences in these outcomes, with the exception of drug utilization. Differences in health insurance and education levels are particularly important factors in explaining disparities. In contrast, differences in drug utilization largely reflect unobserved

  5. New energy vision in Daito Town area; Daitocho chiiki shin energy vision

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    NONE

    2001-02-01

    A new energy vision was established in the Daito Township area in Iwate Prefecture. The energy consumed by Daito town as a whole in fiscal 1998 is about 213,685 two-hundred-kL drums, accounted for by the consumer department at 35.7%, the transportation department at 33.3%, and the industrial department at 31.0%. Carbon dioxide emission amount is estimated to be 109,647 t-CO2. General households in the town consume fossil fuel largely for room heating, whose energy conservation or substitution by new energies is important. The utilizable quantity of new energies in the town include solar energy, forest bio-mass, agricultural resource bio-mass, livestock excreta bio-mass, and refuses, whose total quantity is estimated to be 23,161 drums. The new energy utilization project includes enlightenment activities by introducing a photovoltaic power generator and a small wind power generator into Daito Middle School and the Murone Plateau Natural Energy Park, introduction of solar heat generated hot water supply devices for public facilities and town-operated houses, a discussion on a pellet production line in the wood processing industrial complex, and introduction of pellet boilers into public facilities. (NEDO)

  6. Regional new energy vision for Aogaki town; Aogakicho chiiki shin energy vision

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    NONE

    2001-02-01

    A regional new energy vision has been formulated as part of Phase 4 of the Town Development Program of Aogaki town, Hyogo Prefecture, calling for 'building a town, comfortable to live in and full of hope, by utilizing rich natural environments.' The results of activities conducted in this connection are summarized in five chapters, which are (1) the description of the new energy vision, (2) Aogaki-town's energy characteristics, (3) basic plan, (4) driving forward of prioritized plans, and (5) toward the driving forward of the new energy vision. Chapter (4) comprises the goal of the formulation of the prioritized plans, the definition of the prioritized plans, and the establishment of individual projects. Established as the individual projects are the introduction of new energy linked to the inhibition of carbon dioxide gas emissions, use of wind energy for multiple purposes, public facilities preceding others in the introduction of new energy, building of environmentally symbiotic residences utilizing new energy, utilization of new energy at recreation facilities, and the popularization of and enlightening about new energy and its introduction through the participation of the local population. (NEDO)

  7. Bacterial Artificial Chromosome Clones of Viruses Comprising the Towne Cytomegalovirus Vaccine

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Xiaohong Cui

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available Bacterial artificial chromosome (BAC clones have proven invaluable for genetic manipulation of herpesvirus genomes. BAC cloning can also be useful for capturing representative genomes that comprise a viral stock or mixture. The Towne live attenuated cytomegalovirus vaccine was developed in the 1970s by serial passage in cultured fibroblasts. Although its safety, immunogenicity, and efficacy have been evaluated in nearly a thousand human subjects, the vaccine itself has been little studied. Instead, genetic composition and in vitro growth properties have been inferred from studies of laboratory stocks that may not always accurately represent the viruses that comprise the vaccine. Here we describe the use of BAC cloning to define the genotypic and phenotypic properties of viruses from the Towne vaccine. Given the extensive safety history of the Towne vaccine, these BACs provide a logical starting point for the development of next-generation rationally engineered cytomegalovirus vaccines.

  8. Bacterial artificial chromosome clones of viruses comprising the towne cytomegalovirus vaccine.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cui, Xiaohong; Adler, Stuart P; Davison, Andrew J; Smith, Larry; Habib, El-Sayed E; McVoy, Michael A

    2012-01-01

    Bacterial artificial chromosome (BAC) clones have proven invaluable for genetic manipulation of herpesvirus genomes. BAC cloning can also be useful for capturing representative genomes that comprise a viral stock or mixture. The Towne live attenuated cytomegalovirus vaccine was developed in the 1970s by serial passage in cultured fibroblasts. Although its safety, immunogenicity, and efficacy have been evaluated in nearly a thousand human subjects, the vaccine itself has been little studied. Instead, genetic composition and in vitro growth properties have been inferred from studies of laboratory stocks that may not always accurately represent the viruses that comprise the vaccine. Here we describe the use of BAC cloning to define the genotypic and phenotypic properties of viruses from the Towne vaccine. Given the extensive safety history of the Towne vaccine, these BACs provide a logical starting point for the development of next-generation rationally engineered cytomegalovirus vaccines.

  9. Town Centre Redevelopment Strategies

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Vagnby, Bo Hellisen

    After many years of urban growth Danish downtowns are facing some important choices. Shall the stake one-sidedly be on the town centres as driving forces for growth and 'city marketing', or do they still have a role to play in a broader socio-economic context? In the paper we look back on eight...... as slum clearence and urban renewal. To a certain extent parallels are drawn to international experiences, especially where these are of such a nature that they can be assumed transferred to Danish connctions. Conclusively, the strategies are discussed in the light of the turn of Danish urban planning...

  10. Vector disparity sensor with vergence control for active vision systems.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Barranco, Francisco; Diaz, Javier; Gibaldi, Agostino; Sabatini, Silvio P; Ros, Eduardo

    2012-01-01

    This paper presents an architecture for computing vector disparity for active vision systems as used on robotics applications. The control of the vergence angle of a binocular system allows us to efficiently explore dynamic environments, but requires a generalization of the disparity computation with respect to a static camera setup, where the disparity is strictly 1-D after the image rectification. The interaction between vision and motor control allows us to develop an active sensor that achieves high accuracy of the disparity computation around the fixation point, and fast reaction time for the vergence control. In this contribution, we address the development of a real-time architecture for vector disparity computation using an FPGA device. We implement the disparity unit and the control module for vergence, version, and tilt to determine the fixation point. In addition, two on-chip different alternatives for the vector disparity engines are discussed based on the luminance (gradient-based) and phase information of the binocular images. The multiscale versions of these engines are able to estimate the vector disparity up to 32 fps on VGA resolution images with very good accuracy as shown using benchmark sequences with known ground-truth. The performances in terms of frame-rate, resource utilization, and accuracy of the presented approaches are discussed. On the basis of these results, our study indicates that the gradient-based approach leads to the best trade-off choice for the integration with the active vision system.

  11. Temporal Integration of Auditory Stimulation and Binocular Disparity Signals

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Marina Zannoli

    2011-10-01

    Full Text Available Several studies using visual objects defined by luminance have reported that the auditory event must be presented 30 to 40 ms after the visual stimulus to perceive audiovisual synchrony. In the present study, we used visual objects defined only by their binocular disparity. We measured the optimal latency between visual and auditory stimuli for the perception of synchrony using a method introduced by Moutoussis & Zeki (1997. Visual stimuli were defined either by luminance and disparity or by disparity only. They moved either back and forth between 6 and 12 arcmin or from left to right at a constant disparity of 9 arcmin. This visual modulation was presented together with an amplitude-modulated 500 Hz tone. Both modulations were sinusoidal (frequency: 0.7 Hz. We found no difference between 2D and 3D motion for luminance stimuli: a 40 ms auditory lag was necessary for perceived synchrony. Surprisingly, even though stereopsis is often thought to be slow, we found a similar optimal latency in the disparity 3D motion condition (55 ms. However, when participants had to judge simultaneity for disparity 2D motion stimuli, it led to larger latencies (170 ms, suggesting that stereo motion detectors are poorly suited to track 2D motion.

  12. Geographically Weighted Regression Models in Estimating Median Home Prices in Towns of Massachusetts Based on an Urban Sustainability Framework

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yaxiong Ma

    2018-03-01

    Full Text Available Housing is a key component of urban sustainability. The objective of this study was to assess the significance of key spatial determinants of median home price in towns in Massachusetts that impact sustainable growth. Our analysis investigates the presence or absence of spatial non-stationarity in the relationship between sustainable growth, measured in terms of the relationship between home values and various parameters including the amount of unprotected forest land, residential land, unemployment, education, vehicle ownership, accessibility to commuter rail stations, school district performance, and senior population. We use the standard geographically weighted regression (GWR and Mixed GWR models to analyze the effects of spatial non-stationarity. Mixed GWR performed better than GWR in terms of Akaike Information Criterion (AIC values. Our findings highlight the nature and spatial extent of the non-stationary vs. stationary qualities of key environmental and social determinants of median home price. Understanding the key determinants of housing values, such as valuation of green spaces, public school performance metrics, and proximity to public transport, enable towns to use different strategies of sustainable urban planning, while understanding urban housing determinants—such as unemployment and senior population—can help modify urban sustainable housing policies.

  13. (Boda boda) riders in Bungoma Town, Kenya

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Even stationary bikes can cause trauma to the blood supply to the penis, resulting in Erectile Dysfunction. Objective: To evaluate the effects of long term bicycle riding on erectile function among bicycle taxi (bodaboda) riders in Bungoma town. Design: A cross-sectional comparative study. Setting: Bungoma County, Kenya.

  14. George A. Towns Elementary School. Atlanta, Georgia

    Science.gov (United States)

    Burt, Ralph H.

    1976-01-01

    A project testing solar heating and cooling in an existing building, the George A. Towns Elementary School, is intended to provide information on system design and performance, allow the identification and correction of problems encountered in installing large units, and gauge community/user reaction to solar equipment. (Author/MLF)

  15. Why should we investigate the morphological disparity of plant clades?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Oyston, Jack W; Hughes, Martin; Gerber, Sylvain; Wills, Matthew A

    2016-04-01

    Disparity refers to the morphological variation in a sample of taxa, and is distinct from diversity or taxonomic richness. Diversity and disparity are fundamentally decoupled; many groups attain high levels of disparity early in their evolution, while diversity is still comparatively low. Diversity may subsequently increase even in the face of static or declining disparity by increasingly fine sub-division of morphological 'design' space (morphospace). Many animal clades reached high levels of disparity early in their evolution, but there have been few comparable studies of plant clades, despite their profound ecological and evolutionary importance. This study offers a prospective and some preliminary macroevolutionary analyses. Classical morphometric methods are most suitable when there is reasonable conservation of form, but lose traction where morphological differences become greater (e.g. in comparisons across higher taxa). Discrete character matrices offer one means to compare a greater diversity of forms. This study explores morphospaces derived from eight discrete data sets for major plant clades, and discusses their macroevolutionary implications. Most of the plant clades in this study show initial, high levels of disparity that approach or attain the maximum levels reached subsequently. These plant clades are characterized by an initial phase of evolution during which most regions of their empirical morphospaces are colonized. Angiosperms, palms, pines and ferns show remarkably little variation in disparity through time. Conifers furnish the most marked exception, appearing at relatively low disparity in the latest Carboniferous, before expanding incrementally with the radiation of successive, tightly clustered constituent sub-clades. Many cladistic data sets can be repurposed for investigating the morphological disparity of plant clades through time, and offer insights that are complementary to more focused morphometric studies. The unique structural and

  16. Optimizing the selection of small-town wastewater treatment processes

    Science.gov (United States)

    Huang, Jianping; Zhang, Siqi

    2018-04-01

    Municipal wastewater treatment is energy-intensive. This high energy consumption causes high sewage treatment plant operating costs and increases the energy burden. To mitigate the adverse impacts of China’s development, sewage treatment plants should adopt effective energy-saving technologies. Artificial fortified natural water treatment and use of activated sludge and biofilm are all suitable technologies for small-town sewage treatment. This study features an analysis of the characteristics of small and medium-sized township sewage, an overview of current technologies, and a discussion of recent progress in sewage treatment. Based on this, an analysis of existing problems in municipal wastewater treatment is presented, and countermeasures to improve sewage treatment in small and medium-sized towns are proposed.

  17. 78 FR 35837 - National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities Research Endowments

    Science.gov (United States)

    2013-06-14

    ... disparities research to close the disparity gap in the burden of illness and death experienced by racial and... Number NIH-2007-0931] RIN 0925-AA61 National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities Research... disparities research and other health disparities research. DATES: Comments must be received on or before...

  18. Recurrent connectivity can account for the dynamics of disparity processing in V1

    Science.gov (United States)

    Samonds, Jason M.; Potetz, Brian R.; Tyler, Christopher W.; Lee, Tai Sing

    2013-01-01

    Disparity tuning measured in the primary visual cortex (V1) is described well by the disparity energy model, but not all aspects of disparity tuning are fully explained by the model. Such deviations from the disparity energy model provide us with insight into how network interactions may play a role in disparity processing and help to solve the stereo correspondence problem. Here, we propose a neuronal circuit model with recurrent connections that provides a simple account of the observed deviations. The model is based on recurrent connections inferred from neurophysiological observations on spike timing correlations, and is in good accord with existing data on disparity tuning dynamics. We further performed two additional experiments to test predictions of the model. First, we increased the size of stimuli to drive more neurons and provide a stronger recurrent input. Our model predicted sharper disparity tuning for larger stimuli. Second, we displayed anti-correlated stereograms, where dots of opposite luminance polarity are matched between the left- and right-eye images and result in inverted disparity tuning in the disparity energy model. In this case, our model predicted reduced sharpening and strength of inverted disparity tuning. For both experiments, the dynamics of disparity tuning observed from the neurophysiological recordings in macaque V1 matched model simulation predictions. Overall, the results of this study support the notion that, while the disparity energy model provides a primary account of disparity tuning in V1 neurons, neural disparity processing in V1 neurons is refined by recurrent interactions among elements in the neural circuit. PMID:23407952

  19. Integrating intersectionality and biomedicine in health disparities research.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kelly, Ursula A

    2009-01-01

    Persisting health disparities have lead to calls for an increase in health research to address them. Biomedical scientists call for research that stratifies individual indicators associated with health disparities, for example, ethnicity. Feminist social scientists recommend feminist intersectionality research. Intersectionality is the multiplicative effect of inequalities experienced by nondominant marginalized groups, for example, ethnic minorities, women, and the poor. The elimination of health disparities necessitates integration of both paradigms in health research. This study provides a practical application of the integration of biomedical and feminist intersectionality paradigms in nursing research, using a psychiatric intervention study with battered Latino women as an example.

  20. 77 FR 7598 - Notice of Submission of Proposed Information Collection to OMB CDBG Urban County/New York Towns...

    Science.gov (United States)

    2012-02-13

    ... Proposed Information Collection to OMB CDBG Urban County/New York Towns Qualification/Requalification... following information: Title Of Proposal: CDBG Urban County/New York Towns Qualification/ Requalification... comments on the subject proposal. The UC/New York Towns qualification/requalification process obtains...

  1. Cable Television: Applied Anthropology in a New Town

    Science.gov (United States)

    Topper, Martin D.; Wilson, W. Leigh

    1976-01-01

    The anthropologist's role in using cable television as a tool of applied anthropology in a new town was examined. The project's purpose was to give a group of people a new usage for a communications medium. (Author/NQ)

  2. Potential improvement of Lymantria dispar L. management by quercetin

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Perić-Mataruga Vesna

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Lymantria dispar, a polyphagous insect pest, copes with a wide variety of host-specific allelochemicals. Glutathione S-transferases (GST are important for catalyzing detoxification in L. dispar. Larval mortality, GST activity in midgut tissue and mass of L. dispar with different trophic adaptations (originating from two forests with a suitable host, Quercus robur, and an unsuitable host, Robinia pseudoacacia, differed after feeding on quercetin supplemented diets (2% or 5% w/w. Quercetin inhibited GST most potently in oak forest larvae that were less adapted to flavonoids in their diet. The larvicidal effect of quercetin on L. dispar larvae depended on the host-use history. We believe this is important in strategies for sustainable control of insect pests. [Projekat Ministarstva nauke Republike Srbije, br. 173027

  3. A New Neighborhood Every Fall: Aging in Place in a College Town.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Powell, Kathleen H

    Older adults who live in residential neighborhoods adjacent to college and university campuses have a unique experience that makes them vulnerable to marginalization and displacement. As these neighborhoods become increasingly dominated by college students living in rental properties, older adults find themselves in the minority in a neighborhood where they have lived for many years. In addition, these neighborhoods are attractive to universities, city governments, and private companies for their development potential, which can result in gentrification. A year-long ethnographic study of a campus-adjacent neighborhood in a small US college town that is home to a medium-sized public university sheds light on the relationships between members of 5 stakeholder groups that have a vested interest in the neighborhood. The study highlights the need for additional research on different types of neighborhoods and their effects on aging in place in addition to outlining social work interventions in campus-adjacent neighborhoods that are designed to enhance these intergenerational spaces.

  4. Luxury and Gender in European Towns, 1700-1914

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    and across borders. This book will mirror some of the concerns of the network and will focus on the operation of gender in three distinct, but interrelated, areas of urban study: the economic, the political and the spatial. The three central themes speak directly to newer ideas of exploring the dynamics......The three hundred year period between the 1650s and 1950s traces the emergence, diversification and developing hegemony of the town in the history of Europe. As places which fostered and disseminated key social, economic, political and cultural developments, towns were central to the creation...... of gendered identities and the transmission of ideas across local, national and transnational boundaries. This book draws on research undertaken within a pan-European network of historians from twelve countries whose interests lie in examining the ways that the European urban experience was gendered over time...

  5. Characterization of fish consumers in the town of Lavras, Minas Gerais.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Carlos Cicinato Vieira Melo

    2015-10-01

    Full Text Available The objective of this study was to evaluate and characterize the fish consumption profile in the town of Lavras, Minas Gerais. A descriptive-quantitative study was conducted. A structured questionnaire elaborated using previously formulated questions and answers was used for data collection. The questionnaire was applied between March and May 2014 to the household reference person. A total of 402 households were sampled. The data were analyzed by analysis of the distribution of frequencies using the SPSS program. The results showed that fish meat occupied fourth place in the preference of household consumption in the town of Lavras, after beef, poultry and pork meat. It was also observed that fish is usually purchased as fillet and is consumed occasionally in the households. The price is an important factor for the choice of meat. Most respondents prefer to consume fried fish. The species most appreciated by consumers in the town of Lavras is Dourado. Most respondents usually buy less than 2.0 kg/household/year.

  6. Stereo Disparity through Cost Aggregation with Guided Filter

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Pauline Tan

    2014-10-01

    Full Text Available Estimating the depth, or equivalently the disparity, of a stereo scene is a challenging problem in computer vision. The method proposed by Rhemann et al. in 2011 is based on a filtering of the cost volume, which gives for each pixel and for each hypothesized disparity a cost derived from pixel-by-pixel comparison. The filtering is performed by the guided filter proposed by He et al. in 2010. It computes a weighted local average of the costs. The weights are such that similar pixels tend to have similar costs. Eventually, a winner-take-all strategy selects the disparity with the minimal cost for each pixel. Non-consistent labels according to left-right consistency are rejected; a densification step can then be launched to fill the disparity map. The method can be used to solve other labeling problems (optical flow, segmentation but this article focuses on the stereo matching problem.

  7. Alternative approaches to community participation beyond formal structures: evidence from Langa within the municipality of Cape Town

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Adam Andani

    2018-05-01

    Full Text Available While ward committees and Integrated Development Planning (IDP representative forums constitute formal participatory mechanisms in South Africa’s local government, little is known about the potential of local approaches in enhancing participation in municipal planning. This paper examines alternative approaches to participation based on research conducted in Langa – a township situated on the Cape Flats of Cape Town. The paper highlights approaches to residents’ participation in planning tested during the ‘interregnum’ – the period when ward committees are in abeyance due to elections. The study found that, while IDP participatory processes facilitated awareness of participation, ward councillors were crucial in operationalising participation that reflects the diversity of the community.

  8. Disparity Disambiguation by Fusion of Signal and Symbolic-Level Information

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Ralli, J.; Diaz, J.; Ros, E.

    2012-01-01

    We describe a method for resolving ambiguities in low-level disparity calculations in a stereo-vision scheme by using a recurrent mechanism that we call signal-symbol loop. Due to the local nature of low-level processing it is not always possible to estimate the correct disparity values produced...... at this level. Symbolic abstraction of the signal produces robust, high confidence, multimodal image features which can be used to interpret the scene more accurately and therefore disambiguate low-level interpretations by biasing the correct disparity. The fusion process is capable of producing more accurate...... dense disparity maps than the low- and symbolic-level algorithms can produce independently. Therefore we describe an efficient fusion scheme that allows symbolic- and low-level cues to complement each other, resulting in a more accurate and dense disparity representation of the scene....

  9. Literacy and Health Disparities

    Science.gov (United States)

    Prins, Esther; Mooney, Angela

    2014-01-01

    This chapter explores the relationship between literacy and health disparities, focusing on the concept of health literacy. Recommendations are provided for ways to bridge the health literacy gap for learners in adult basic education and family literacy programs.

  10. The association between racial disparity in income and reported sexually transmitted infections.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Owusu-Edusei, Kwame; Chesson, Harrell W; Leichliter, Jami S; Kent, Charlotte K; Aral, Sevgi O

    2013-05-01

    We examined the association between racial disparity in income and reported race-specific county-level bacterial sexually transmitted infections (STIs) in the United States focusing on disparities between Blacks and Whites. Data are from the US 2000 decennial census. We defined 2 race-income county groups (high and low race-income disparity) on the basis of the difference between Black and White median household incomes. We used 2 approaches to examine disparities in STI rates across the groups. In the first approach, we computed and compared race-specific STI rates for the groups. In the second approach, we used spatial regression analyses to control for potential confounders. Consistent with the STI literature, chlamydia, gonorrhea, and syphilis rates for Blacks were substantially higher than were those for Whites. We also found that racial disparities in income were associated with racial disparities in chlamydia and gonorrhea rates and, to a lesser degree, syphilis rates. Racial disparities in household income may be a more important determinant of racial disparities in reported STI morbidity than are absolute levels of household income.

  11. Urbanization and Effective Town Planning in Nigeria

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    User

    2011-04-19

    Apr 19, 2011 ... Aluko, Ola E. - Dept. of Urban & Regional Planning, Faculty of ... studies and management is essentially for all town and country planning activities and ... In this case, most of the inhabitants are not in any way connected with the ... The impact of rapid population growth on urban development and conditions.

  12. CIP Course Aids in Town's Water Supply Quest

    OpenAIRE

    Center for Homeland Defense and Security

    2012-01-01

    Center for Homeland Defense and Security, OUT OF THE CLASSROOM Michael Biasotti studied his town’s aging water infrastructure while taking the Critical Infrastructure: Vulnerability Analysis and Protection course at CHDS. His study would eventually provide a map for the town...

  13. Potential of heritage as the basis for the development of town tourism: The case of Škofja Loka

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Grafenauer Boža

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Škofja Loka is one of the best preserved medieval towns in Slovenia. In 1987 it was declared a cultural monument. In this article I will discuss the reasons why the town does not live in the tourist sense in spite of a huge heritage potential. The local population often sees living in the old part of the town as an obstacle, tourists do not stay in the town for more than two hours, important events at- tract a large number of people only a few times per year which is not enough for the old part of the town to live on tourism, and consequently it is slowly dying. Why is Škofja Loka a town which is not able to apply its own cultural heritage and create a very interesting and attractive tourist story? Škofja Loka does have stories which represent timelessness and the ability to connect different time periods. I linked its potential different brand name and I will show how the heritage can be a potential and basis for the development of town tourism, not linked only to a few one-off events.

  14. LIKE TURTLES IN THEIR SHELLS?: CIVIC WITHDRAWAL AMONG YOUNG PEOPLE IN DIVERSE SMALL TOWNS

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    J. Celeste Lay

    2012-04-01

    Full Text Available Robert Putnam has argued that ethnic diversity is associated with declines in civic engagement because when faced with diversity, a natural reaction is to retreat into oneself. Goals: This paper tests this proposition by looking at adolescents in small towns that have recently undergone “rapid ethnic diversification”. Immigrants and refugees from Latin America and Southeast Asia have migrated to these small, ethnically homogeneous towns. Methods: I utilize a panel study in which adolescents in five small Iowa public high schools were surveyed at the beginning and the end of an academic year. Conclusions: This paper shows very little evidence of a lasting negative effect of ethnic diversity on civic engagement. In the first wave, young people in the diverse towns have lower levels of political knowledge and trust than those in predominantly-White towns, but they also have higher levels of participation in school activities. At the end of the year, these differences have been alleviated.

  15. New energy visions for the Town of Ichinohe district; Ichinohecho chiiki shin energy vision

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    NONE

    2001-02-01

    The new energy visions are drawn for Town of Ichinohe, Iwate Pref. The town's population has been generally decreasing since 1975, from 21,433 to 17,906 in 1995. The town consumed energy totaling 288,691Gcal in 1998, of which the transportation sector accounts for 55%, followed by the domestic, commercial and industrial sectors, in this order, the industrial sector accounting for only 7%. The estimated new energy sources available to the town are wind power, power generated by temperature difference at rivers or using snow, solar energy, biomass energy and energy from wastes, in the order of quantity, totaling 137GWh/y as electrical power and 45.6Tcal/y as heat. The priority projects include making Ichinohe Primary School an eco-school, construction of a biomass demonstration plant in the Okunakayama district, introduction of a boiler firing wood chips at Okunakayama Heights, construction of a wind power mill at Takamori Heights, and introduction of new energies by the citizens. (NEDO)

  16. New energy visions for the Town of Ichinohe district; Ichinohecho chiiki shin energy vision

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    NONE

    2001-02-01

    The new energy visions are drawn for Town of Ichinohe, Iwate Pref. The town's population has been generally decreasing since 1975, from 21,433 to 17,906 in 1995. The town consumed energy totaling 288,691Gcal in 1998, of which the transportation sector accounts for 55%, followed by the domestic, commercial and industrial sectors, in this order, the industrial sector accounting for only 7%. The estimated new energy sources available to the town are wind power, power generated by temperature difference at rivers or using snow, solar energy, biomass energy and energy from wastes, in the order of quantity, totaling 137GWh/y as electrical power and 45.6Tcal/y as heat. The priority projects include making Ichinohe Primary School an eco-school, construction of a biomass demonstration plant in the Okunakayama district, introduction of a boiler firing wood chips at Okunakayama Heights, construction of a wind power mill at Takamori Heights, and introduction of new energies by the citizens. (NEDO)

  17. Coastal erosion hazard and vulnerability using sig tools. Comparison between "La Barra town, Buenaventura, (Pacific Ocean of Colombia) and Providence - Santa Catalina islands (Colombian Caribbean Sea)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Coca-Domínguez, Oswaldo; Ricaurte-Villota, Constanza; Morales-Giraldo, David; Rangel-Buitrago, Nelson

    2014-05-01

    Analysis of hazards and vulnerability associated to coastal erosion along coastlines is a first issue in order to establish plans for adaptation to climate change in coastal areas. La Barra Town, Buenaventura (Pacific ocean of Colombia) and Providence - Santa Catalina Islands (Colombian Caribbean) were selected to develop a detailed analysis of coastal erosion hazard and vulnerability from different perspectives: i) physical (hazard) , ii) social , iii) conservation approach and iv) cultural heritage (Raizal). The analysis was made by a semi quantitative approximation method, applying variables associated with the intrinsic coastal zone properties (i.e. type of beach, exposure of the coast to waves, etc.). Coastal erosion data and associated variables as well land use; conservation and heritage data were used to carry out a further detailed analysis of the human - structural vulnerability and exposure to hazards. The data shows erosion rates close to -17 m yr-1 in La Barra Town (highlighting their critical condition and urgent relocation process), while in some sectors of Providence Island, such as Old Town, erosion rate was -5 m yr-1. The observed erosion process affects directly the land use and the local and regional economy. The differences between indexes and the structural and physical vulnerability as well the use of methodological variables are presented in the context of each region. In this work, all the information was worked using a GIS environment since this allows editing and updating the information continuously. The application of this methodology generates useful information in order to promote risk management as well prevention, mitigation and reduction plans. In both areas the adaptation must be a priority strategy to be considered, including relocation alternatives and sustainable protection with the support of studies of uses and future outlooks in the coast. The methodology is framed into the use of GIS tools and it highlights their benefits

  18. CDC Health Disparities and Inequalities Report--U.S. 2013

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... Women's Health Health Literacy Health Equity CDC Health Disparities & Inequalities Report (CHDIR) Recommend on Facebook Tweet Share ... 2011 Report More Information CDC Releases Second Health Disparities & Inequalities Report - United States, 2013 CDC and its ...

  19. Spatial Analysis of Urban Master Plans of Towns in North-Eastern Poland in the Context of Urban Revalorisation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zagroba, Marek; Klopotowski, Maciej

    2017-12-01

    The research subject raised in this study is the urban structure of small towns in Warmia, a region rich in history, situated in the north-eastern Poland. This area, together with the neighbouring region of Mazury, is referred to as the Land of a Thousand Lakes. The historical events, such as the conquest of this territory by the Teutonic Order in 13th century, gave rise to the foundation of twelve towns in Warmia, which have survived until our time. Of these settlements, only one, which is Olsztyn, grew to a larger size over the centuries and eventually became the capital of Warmia. The others are still small towns, with a population from a few to less than twenty thousand inhabitants. The policy and economic goals of the Teutonic Order underlay the spread of a uniform type of urban master plan in the entire region. The establishment of urban centres was dictated by military considerations - all towns had fortified castles and were 15-30 km distant from one another, which stemmed from the organisation of the Teutonic State. The location of new towns in Warmia coincided in time with the general urban planning principles governing urban development in the Middle Ages. The medieval towns, which grew on the foundations of ancient cultures, were developed on a regular grid of streets, delineating land lots for compact town houses and a central square serving as a market place. Within this structure, the town’s most significant spatial dominants, such as a town hall, a church and a fortified castle, were situated. The castle often stood on the outskirts of a town, as it had to be connected to the town’s fortifications. The location of medieval towns in Warmia proceeded according to a similar concept. All these towns are distinguished by characteristically medieval, regular urban layouts, which - while being similar - have certain intrinsic features. Differences can be seen in the design of main streets, the size and proportions of market squares, the ways in which

  20. Gender Disparity in Education Enrollment in Pakistan

    OpenAIRE

    Shakil Quayes; Richard David Ramsey

    2015-01-01

    The paper examines the determinants of school enrollment in Pakistan. The likelihood of school enrollment is estimated using separate logistic regression models for three different age groups. The empirical results indicate severe gender disparity in school enrollment across all age groups, particularly among the older age groups. Although the rate of school enrollment is positively associated with household income, the gender disparity actually deteriorates with an increase in household inco...

  1. Mind the gap: race/ethnic and socioeconomic disparities in obesity.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Krueger, Patrick M; Reither, Eric N

    2015-11-01

    Race/ethnic and socioeconomic status (SES) disparities in obesity are substantial and may widen in the future. We review nine potential mechanisms that recent research has used to explain obesity disparities. Those nine mechanisms fall into three broad groups-health behaviors, biological factors, and the social environment-which incorporate both proximate and upstream determinants of obesity disparities. Efforts to reduce the prevalence of obesity in the US population and to close race/ethnic and SES disparities in obesity will likely require the use of multifaceted interventions that target multiple mechanisms simultaneously. Unfortunately, relatively few of the mechanisms reviewed herein have been tested in an intervention framework.

  2. Astroparticle Physics European Consortium Town Meeting Conference

    CERN Document Server

    2016-01-01

    The Astroparticle Physics European Consortium (APPEC) invites you to a town meeting at the Grand Amphithéatre de Sorbonne in Paris on the 6th and 7th April 2016 to discuss an update of the 2011 APPEC Astroparticle Physics roadmap, to be published in September 2016. In 2014 APPEC decided to launch an update of the 2011 Roadmap, transforming it to a “resource aware” roadmap. The intention was to gauge the financial impact of the beginnings of operation of the large global scale observatories put forward in the previous roadmap and to examine the possibilities of international coordination of future global initiatives. The APPEC Scientific Advisory Committee examined the field and prepared a set of recommendations. Based on these recommendations, the APPEC General Assembly drafted a set of “considerations” to be published by end of February 2016 and be debated in an open dialogue with the community, through the web page but primarily at the town meeting of 6-7 April. Based on this debate the final re...

  3. Urban Vitality in Dutch and Chinese New Towns. A comparative study between Almere and Tongzhou

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jing Zhou

    2017-11-01

    Full Text Available Building new towns seems to be a rational regionalization approach that releases pressure from overly burdened large cities. This strategy was developed in Western Europe in the middle of twentieth century. Since the 1990s, the European new town model has been widely implemented in China. However, the author questions the feasibility of the large-scale, hasty new town developments. The study of worldwide new town experiences, especially European and Chinese cases, demonstrates that many new towns in fact have difficulty in achieving a real sense of urban quality and vitality. So far, few research projects have been conducted to evaluate and develop solutions for this problem. The purpose of this research project is therefore to identify the spatial and non-spatial factors and conditions that facilitate the development of urban vitality in new towns. It is aimed to reveal the impacts of spatial design, urban planning and governance approaches on the degree and patterns of local urban life of new towns in China and in the Netherlands. The generated knowledge of this research project helps develop not only a better understanding of the main problems of new towns, but also spatial strategies with the aim to enliven new towns and other types of (suburban areas as well. The central research question is approached through literature review and case studies. The literature review provides a critical re-evaluation of the scientific validation of the new town model, especially the notion of town self-containment in economic terms. The relevant theories under study mainly include regional science and economic geography. The literature review also clarifies the general definition of urban vitality and its distinct meanings in different socio-economic and political backgrounds of the two societies, sets up the quantitative measurements methodology, and identifies a preliminary framework of spatial factors and conditions. As it turns out, the key indicators

  4. The town in Serbia and Bulgaria: A comparative reading of current processes. Introduction

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Zlatanović Sanja

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available The topic of this volume is a result from The Contemporary City in Serbia and Bulgaria: Processes and Changes, a bilateral project of the Institute of Ethnography of the Serbian Academy of Sciences and Arts and the Institute of Ethnology and Folklore Studies with Ethnographic Museum of the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences (2014-2016. The six papers offer a comparative view of current social processes in two neighbouring Balkan countries, linked by numerous historical and political experiences. Comparative research into societal trends enables a more thorough understanding and monitoring of global processes. In today’s increasingly globalised and glocalised world, towns experience sudden changes and it is in the towns that these changes are most vividly to be seen. The focus of our research is on the dynamism of the contemporary town, on processuality and changes in societal practices. Ana Luleva examines life in the small town of Nessebar in southeast Bulgaria, which has been on the UNESCO World Heritage list since 1983. The protection, management and presentation of Nessebar’s cultural heritage are highly complex issues, further complicated by the problem of collision with the interests of the inhabitants. The author analyses the relations between the various factors - the state administration, municipal authorities and the local population. Here the tourist industry, investment interests, corrupt institutions and civil society all play their part. Ivanka Petrova chose to research Belogradchik, a small town in northwest Bulgaria. Petrova investigates how local social and cultural resources are used in the work of a family tourist enterprise. The author looks for answers to questions such as: how its members identify with the town and its culture and how the work of the enterprise fits into the Belogradchik local context. At the focus of her paper are current societal practices: the local urban economy and the production of images and symbols

  5. Geographic disparity in kidney transplantation under KAS.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhou, Sheng; Massie, Allan B; Luo, Xun; Ruck, Jessica M; Chow, Eric K H; Bowring, Mary G; Bae, Sunjae; Segev, Dorry L; Gentry, Sommer E

    2017-12-12

    The Kidney Allocation System fundamentally altered kidney allocation, causing a substantial increase in regional and national sharing that we hypothesized might impact geographic disparities. We measured geographic disparity in deceased donor kidney transplant (DDKT) rate under KAS (6/1/2015-12/1/2016), and compared that with pre-KAS (6/1/2013-12/3/2014). We modeled DSA-level DDKT rates with multilevel Poisson regression, adjusting for allocation factors under KAS. Using the model we calculated a novel, improved metric of geographic disparity: the median incidence rate ratio (MIRR) of transplant rate, a measure of DSA-level variation that accounts for patient casemix and is robust to outlier values. Under KAS, MIRR was 1.75 1.81 1.86 for adults, meaning that similar candidates across different DSAs have a median 1.81-fold difference in DDKT rate. The impact of geography was greater than the impact of factors emphasized by KAS: having an EPTS score ≤20% was associated with a 1.40-fold increase (IRR =  1.35 1.40 1.45 , P geographic disparities with KAS (P = .3). Despite extensive changes to kidney allocation under KAS, geography remains a primary determinant of access to DDKT. © 2017 The American Society of Transplantation and the American Society of Transplant Surgeons.

  6. Determinants of health disparities between Italian regions

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Giannoni Margherita

    2010-06-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Among European countries, Italy is one of the countries where regional health disparities contribute substantially to socioeconomic health disparities. In this paper, we report on regional differences in self-reported poor health and explore possible determinants at the individual and regional levels in Italy. Methods We use data from the "Indagine Multiscopo sulle Famiglie", a survey of aspects of everyday life in the Italian population, to estimate multilevel logistic regressions that model poor self-reported health as a function of individual and regional socioeconomic factors. Next we use the causal step approach to test if living conditions, healthcare characteristics, social isolation, and health behaviors at the regional level mediate the relationship between regional socioeconomic factors and self-rated health. Results We find that residents living in regions with more poverty, more unemployment, and more income inequality are more likely to report poor health and that poor living conditions and private share of healthcare expenditures at the regional level mediate socioeconomic disparities in self-rated health among Italian regions. Conclusion The implications are that regional contexts matter and that regional policies in Italy have the potential to reduce health disparities by implementing interventions aimed at improving living conditions and access to quality healthcare.

  7. Controlling disease and creating disparities: a fundamental cause perspective.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Phelan, Jo C; Link, Bruce G

    2005-10-01

    The United States and other developed countries experienced enormous improvements in population health during the 20th century. In the context of this dramatic positive change, health disparities by race and socioeconomic status emerged for several potent killers. Any explanation for current health disparities must take these changing patterns into account. Any explanation that ignores large improvements in population health and fails to account for the emergence of disparities for specific diseases is an inadequate explanation of current disparities. We argue that genetic explanations and some prominent social causation explanations are incompatible with these facts. We propose that the theory of "fundamental causes" can account for both vast improvements in population health and the creation of large socioeconomic and racial disparities in mortality for specific causes of death over time. Specifically, we argue that it is our enormously expanded capacity to control disease and death in combination with existing social and economic inequalities that create health disparities by race and socioeconomic status: When we develop the ability to control disease and death, the benefits of this new-found ability are distributed according to resources of knowledge, money, power, prestige, and beneficial social connections. We present data on changing mortality patterns by race and socioeconomic status for two types of diseases: those for which our capacity to prevent death has increased significantly and those for which we remain largely unable to prevent death. Time trends in mortality patterns are consistent with the fundamental cause explanation.

  8. Freight transport in towns. [Denmark]. Godstransport i byer; Hovedrapport

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    1992-10-01

    The aim was to evaluate a number of possibilities for reducing energy consumption and thus air pollution caused by freight transport in urban areas. The Danish towns of Vejle and Roskilde were taken as examples and the two towns were compared with regard to the town plan, use of land area, the road network, amount of traffic and commercial structure. Economical aspects and the most important initiatives for improvements, including a decrease in traffic accidents, are discussed. These initiatives are coordination of transportation by firms, more drivers using the same vehicles, less frequent deliveries, optimazation of route planning, car sharing, special routes for lorries, traffic and speed control, better siting of new transport functions, re-siting of firms dependent on freight transport, the use of smaller vehicles where possible, no transport of people in trucks or vans, less use of bicycles for transporting messages, more use of underground pipes for transport of materials, lifting equipment for smaller vans and trucks, lifting equipment that is more flexible, motors turned off when loading and loading, reduction of emballage volume, and a more careful way of driving which can help to reduce energy consumption. A computer programme was constructed in order to calculate energy consumption in these relations, emission of hydrocarbons, carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides and particles, transportation costs and number of traffic accidents. Results are presented in detail and discussed. (AB) (78 refs.).

  9. New energy vision of the Daito town area. Creation of a green energy town - Aiming at realizing the zero-emission society; 2001 nendo Daito cho chiiki shin energy vision. Green enenrgy town no sozo - Zero emisshon shakai no jitsugen wo mezashite

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    NONE

    2002-02-01

    For the purpose of promoting the introduction of new energy and enhancing the awareness of it in Daito Town, Shimane Prefecture, an investigational study was conducted of the energy demand of the town, existence amount of new energy, project for new energy introduction, etc., and a new energy vision was worked out. The energy demand amount of the town was estimated at 141,437 x 10{sup 6} kcal, and the amount of CO2 emitted from this was 15,787 t-C. By sector, the energy demand amount consisted of 38% in the transportation sector, 37% in the commercial/residential sector and 26% in the industrial sector. As the project for new energy introduction, the following were studied: formation of the zone for learning new energy; introduction of solar system/thermoelectric supply system to the center for providing school lunch; introduction of thermoelectric supply system by stockbreeding biomass gas turbine; introduction of large wind power system; introduction of micro hydraulic power system/heat pump using waste hot water as heat source to tourist facilities/townspeople exchange facilities; introduction of photovoltaic power system/solar system/cogeneration system/solar car to public facilities; district thermoelectric supply using wood biomass. (NEDO)

  10. Simulating the conversion of rural settlements to town land based on multi-agent systems and cellular automata.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Yaolin; Kong, Xuesong; Liu, Yanfang; Chen, Yiyun

    2013-01-01

    Rapid urbanization in China has triggered the conversion of land from rural to urban use, particularly the conversion of rural settlements to town land. This conversion is the result of the joint effects of the geographic environment and agents involving the government, investors, and farmers. To understand the dynamic interaction dominated by agents and to predict the future landscape of town expansion, a small town land-planning model is proposed based on the integration of multi-agent systems (MAS) and cellular automata (CA). The MAS-CA model links the decision-making behaviors of agents with the neighbor effect of CA. The interaction rules are projected by analyzing the preference conflicts among agents. To better illustrate the effects of the geographic environment, neighborhood, and agent behavior, a comparative analysis between the CA and MAS-CA models in three different towns is presented, revealing interesting patterns in terms of quantity, spatial characteristics, and the coordinating process. The simulation of rural settlements conversion to town land through modeling agent decision and human-environment interaction is very useful for understanding the mechanisms of rural-urban land-use change in developing countries. This process can assist town planners in formulating appropriate development plans.

  11. Employment and Wage Disparities for Nurses With Activity Limitations.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wilson, Barbara L; Butler, Richard J; Butler, Matthew J

    2016-11-01

    No studies quantify the labor market disparities between nurses with and without activity difficulties (physical impairment or disability). We explore disparate treatment of nurses with activity difficulties at three margins of the labor market: the ability to get a job, the relative wage rate offered once a nurse has a job, and the annual hours of work given that wage rate. Key variables from the American Community Survey (ACS) were analyzed, including basic demographic information, wages, hours of work, and employment status of registered nurses from 2006 to 2014. Although there is relatively little disparity in hourly wages, there is enormous disparity in the disabled's employment and hours of work opportunities, and hence a moderate amount of disparity in annual wages. This has significant implications for the nursing labor force, particularly as the nursing workforce continues to age and physical limitations or disabilities increase by 15-fold from 25 to 65 years of age.  Physical or psychological difficulties increase sharply over the course of a nurse's career, and employers must heighten efforts to facilitate an aging workforce and provide appropriate job accommodations for nurses with activity limitations. © 2016 Sigma Theta Tau International.

  12. Isolation of Intestinal Parasites of Public Health Importance from Cockroaches (Blattella germanica) in Jimma Town, Southwestern Ethiopia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hamu, Haji; Debalke, Serkadis; Zemene, Endalew; Birlie, Belay; Mekonnen, Zeleke; Yewhalaw, Delenasaw

    2014-01-01

    Cockroaches are claimed to be mechanical transmitters of disease causing microorganisms such as intestinal parasites, bacteria, fungi, and viruses. This study assessed the potential of the German cockroach Blattella germanica in the mechanical transmission of intestinal parasites of public health importance. A total of 2010 cockroaches were collected from 404 households in Jimma Town, southwestern Ethiopia. All the collected cockroaches were identified to species as B. germanica. The contents of their gut and external body parts were examined for the presence of intestinal parasites. Overall, 152 (75.6%) of the 210 batches were found to harbor at least one species of human intestinal parasite. Ascaris lumbricoides, Trichuris trichiura, Taenia spp, Strongyloides-like parasite, Entamoeba histolytica/dispar/moshkovski, Giardia duodenalis and Balantidium coli were detected from gut contents. Moreover, parasites were also isolated from the external surface in 22 (10.95%) of the batches. There was significant difference in parasite carriage rate of the cockroaches among the study sites (P = 0.013). In conclusion, B. germanica was found to harbor intestinal parasites of public health importance. Hence, awareness on the potential role of cockroaches in the mechanical transmission of human intestinal parasites needs to be created. Moreover, further identification of the Strongyloides-like worm is required using molecular diagnostics.

  13. Isolation of Intestinal Parasites of Public Health Importance from Cockroaches (Blattella germanica in Jimma Town, Southwestern Ethiopia

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Haji Hamu

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Cockroaches are claimed to be mechanical transmitters of disease causing microorganisms such as intestinal parasites, bacteria, fungi, and viruses. This study assessed the potential of the German cockroach Blattella germanica in the mechanical transmission of intestinal parasites of public health importance. A total of 2010 cockroaches were collected from 404 households in Jimma Town, southwestern Ethiopia. All the collected cockroaches were identified to species as B. germanica. The contents of their gut and external body parts were examined for the presence of intestinal parasites. Overall, 152 (75.6% of the 210 batches were found to harbor at least one species of human intestinal parasite. Ascaris lumbricoides, Trichuris trichiura, Taenia spp, Strongyloides-like parasite, Entamoeba histolytica/dispar/moshkovski, Giardia duodenalis and Balantidium coli were detected from gut contents. Moreover, parasites were also isolated from the external surface in 22 (10.95% of the batches. There was significant difference in parasite carriage rate of the cockroaches among the study sites (P=0.013. In conclusion, B. germanica was found to harbor intestinal parasites of public health importance. Hence, awareness on the potential role of cockroaches in the mechanical transmission of human intestinal parasites needs to be created. Moreover, further identification of the Strongyloides-like worm is required using molecular diagnostics.

  14. Development tendencies of regional disparities in the Slovak Republic

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Klamár Radoslav

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Presented paper deals with the issues of regional development and regional disparities in Slovakia in the years 2001-2014. Levelling respectively increase of regional disparities was evaluated through a set of 13 socio-economic indicators (gross birth rate, average monthly wage, monthly labour costs per employee, employment rate, unemployment rate, net monthly income and expenses per capita, completed dwellings, creation of GDP, labour productivity per employee in industry and construction, number of organizations focused on generating profit and number of freelancers which were used in the territorial units at the level of self-governing regions of the Slovak Republic (NUTS III level. In terms of the evaluation and comparison of regional disparities were used the Gini coefficient and the coefficient of variation for mutual comparison and validation of divergent or convergent tendencies of regional disparities in Slovakia.

  15. Surficial Geologic Map of the Town of Randolph, Vermont

    Data.gov (United States)

    Vermont Center for Geographic Information — Digital data from VG10-2 Wright, S., Larsen, F., and Springston, G., 2010,�Surficial Geologic Map of the Town of Randolph, Vermont: Vermont Geological Survey...

  16. Property and quinone profile analysis of the compost made in Kuriyama town

    OpenAIRE

    森本, 正則; 桑原, 直美; 田中, 尚道; 駒井, 功一郎

    2006-01-01

    [Synopsis] Application of compost made from garbage and bio-sludge show crop growth promoting effect in the field. We have evaluated to a property of the compost made in Kuriyama town (Hokkaido). Kuriyama town have a compost producing facility established in 2004. Mainly, we have evaluated suppression of the plant disease and plant growth promotion by using this compost. Application of this compost had promoted the cucumber growth in dose dependent manner. Application of native compost ...

  17. Evaluation of the cycling city and towns programme: Qualitative research with residents

    OpenAIRE

    Christensen, J.; Chatterjee, K.; Marsh, S.; Sherwin, H.; Jain, J.

    2012-01-01

    Between 2008 and 2011, the Department for Transport , Cycling England and the Department of Health invested over £43m (plus local match funding) to create the twelve Cycling City and Towns (CCTs): Greater Bristol, Blackpool, Cambridge, Chester, Colchester, Leighton-Linslade, Shrewsbury, Stoke-on-Trent, Southend, Southport, Woking and York. The aim of the programme was to explore the relationship between investment in cycling, as part of a whole-town strategy, and the number of cyclists and fr...

  18. The problems of Visaginas town

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Schiurov, V.

    1998-01-01

    The problems of Visaginas are specific and, first of all, connected with the operation of the Ignalina nuclear power plant and cultural development of Visaginas ethnic minorities, lack of skilled specialists employed in different spheres. Some difficulties we have with the learning of the official language. A strong well-reasoned opinion of the scientists corresponds to our practical directions: the problems of the town of Visaginas are not only the problems of its inhabitants but also a composite part of the problems of the Ignalina nuclear power plant region. (author)

  19. Public participation in town-planning applications: Tlokwe Local ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Although public participation is deemed important in South Africa, negative perceptions of its legitimacy are widely acknowledged. Inclusive town-planning processes, as instruments to address inequality, have a significant role in enhancing democracy. This article reports on a study done from a communicative planning ...

  20. Perceived Indices of Truancy among Selected Adolescents in Oyo Town: Implications for Behavioural Change

    Science.gov (United States)

    Adika, Lawrence Olagoke

    2016-01-01

    The study investigated perceived indices of truancy behaviour among selected adolescents in Oyo town. The descriptive survey study had 200 randomly selected adolescents from five secondary schools in Oyo town. A self-designed instrument tagged Adolescent Truancy Scale (ATS) was employed in collecting data for the study and the data was subjected…

  1. Assessing the contribution of the dental care delivery system to oral health care disparities.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pourat, Nadereh; Andersen, Ronald M; Marcus, Marvin

    2015-01-01

    Existing studies of disparities in access to oral health care for underserved populations often focus on supply measures such as number of dentists. This approach overlooks the importance of other aspects of the dental care delivery system, such as personal and practice characteristics of dentists, that determine the capacity to provide care. This study aims to assess the role of such characteristics in access to care of underserved populations. We merged data from the 2003 California Health Interview Survey and a 2003 survey of California dentists in their Medical Study Service Areas (MSSAs). We examined the role of overall supply and other characteristics of dentists in income and racial/ethnic disparities in access, which was measured by annual dental visits and unmet need for dental care due to costs. We found that some characteristics of MSSAs, including higher proportions of dentists who were older, white, busy or overworked, and did not accept public insurance or discounted fees, inhibited access for low-income and minority populations. These findings highlight the importance of monitoring characteristics of dentists in addition to traditional measures of supply such as licensed-dentist-to-population ratios. The findings identify specific aspects of the delivery system such as dentists' participation in Medicaid, provision of discounted care, busyness, age, race/ethnicity, and gender that should be regularly monitored. These data will provide a better understanding of how the dental care delivery system is organized and how this knowledge can be used to develop more narrowly targeted policies to alleviate disparities. © 2014 American Association of Public Health Dentistry.

  2. Black-white preterm birth disparity: a marker of inequality

    Science.gov (United States)

    Purpose. The racial disparity in preterrn birth (PTB) is a persistent feature of perinatal epidemiology, inconsistently modeled in the literature. Rather than include race as an explanatory variable, or employ race-stratified models, we sought to directly model the PTB disparity ...

  3. Surficial geology and hydrogeology of the Town Londonderry, Vermont

    Data.gov (United States)

    Vermont Center for Geographic Information — Digital data from VG08-2 De Simone, D., and Gale, M., 2008,�Surficial geology and hydrogeology of the Town Londonderry, Vermont: Vermont Geological Survey Open-File...

  4. Methamphetamine use and sexual risk behaviour in Cape Town ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    4Department of Psychiatry & Mental Health, University of Cape Town, South Africa. Abstract. Objective: ... Keywords: Methamphetamine; Sexual behaviour; HIV; South Africa ... to high school students who had used drugs other than MA in their.

  5. Geology and hydrogeology of the Town of Calais, Vermont

    Data.gov (United States)

    Vermont Center for Geographic Information — Digital data from VG2016-1 Springston, G., Kim, J., Gale. M. and Thomas, E., 2016, Geology and hydrogeology of the Town of Calais, Vermont: Vermont Geological Survey...

  6. EROSIVE PROCESSES IN THE AREA OF RAPOSA TOWN IN MARANHÃO

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Márcia Fernanda Pereira Gonçalves

    2005-05-01

    Full Text Available The dynamics of the environment always awakened the human curiosity, being the aim of analysis from part of the societies through the history. The interference of human being in the environment results in environmental alterations and natural dynamics of the landscape, provoking modifications in several existent ecosystems.According to Silva (1999, the problems that result from the irracional use of the soil have awakened more interest from scholars and researchers from around the world. In the last five decades, the population of the Maranhão State grew quickly, provoking the great use of the natural resources. In this context the transformations of landscape of Maranhão island stand out, in focus Raposa town as the area in studying.In Raposa town area, the erosive processes are very clear, considering the populational growth and mainly the expantion of the extractive activities, standing out the extraction of raw material for civil construction. The extraction of clay (mud and silte causes serious erosive processes, resulting in damages for the environment and community of the town.

  7. Dynamic Analysis on Population Suburbanization and New Town Development in Shanghai

    Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

    Wang Chunlan; Yang Shangguang; Li Min

    2016-01-01

    This paper studies the suburbanization process of Shanghai from 2000 to 2010 and the population aggregation of its five suburban new towns including Jiading,Songjiang,Qingpu,Nanqiao,and Lingang.It finds that Shanghai's population distribution pattern is featured by both continuity and variety.In detail,although Shanghai is still dominated by a single-centered expansion pattern,a multi-centered spatial pattern is gradually formed with a narrowing gap in population density between the central city and the suburbs.As the suburbanization of the migrant population is faster than that of the registered population and migrants re-gather in the central city as a result of its service industry development,there is a relatively smaller migrant population in the area between the Inner Ring Road and the Outer Ring Road.Consequently,the population in the new towns that the city planning strategy has focused on is not increasing at the expected speed,thus more attention should be paid to a reasonable central citycentered,multi-leveled,towns-grouped,and compact urban spatial structure.

  8. Dynamic Analysis on Population Suburbanization and New Town Development in Shanghai

    Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

    Wang; Chunlan; Yang; Shangguang

    2016-01-01

    This paper studies the suburbanization process of Shanghai from 2000 to 2010 and the population aggregation of its five suburban new towns including Jiading,Songjiang,Qingpu,Nanqiao,and Lingang.It finds that Shanghai’s population distribution pattern is featured by both continuity and variety.In detail,although Shanghai is still dominated by a single-centered expansion pattern,a multi-centered spatial pattern is gradually formed with a narrowing gap in population density between the central city and the suburbs.As the suburbanization of the migrant population is faster than that of the registered population and migrants re-gather in the central city as a result of its service industry development,there is a relatively smaller migrant population in the area between the Inner Ring Road and the Outer Ring Road.Consequently,the population in the new towns that the city planning strategy has focused on is not increasing at the expected speed,thus more attention should be paid to a reasonable central citycentered,multi-leveled,towns-grouped,and compact urban spatial structure.

  9. Radon concentrations in contaminated and uncontaminated premises in two Ontario towns

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Aitken, J.H.; Baker, E.G.; Chatterjee, R.M.; Kusiak, R.; Tai-Pow, J.

    1977-01-01

    Radon-222 concentrations in air were measured by grab sampling in a large number of private homes and other buildings in the town of Port Hope, Ontario. The purpose of the measurements is to identify places where a health hazard might exist due to improper disposal of radium-contaminated materials. Contaminated fill, rubble, lumber, and other building materials have been found in a number of premises in the town. Radon concentrations up to 750 pCi/l have been found in some homes. The thrust of the program is to identify quickly places where concentrations might be high enough to justify some prompt interim remedial action such as installation of special ventilation systems, pending final remedial work by removal of the contamination. The methods and instrumentation immediately available are those formerly used for radon-in-breath analysis in radium workers. Grab sampling for radon and gamma surveying in every building in town are used together in a screening program. Experience showed that both radon sampling and gamma surveying are required to identify contaminated locations

  10. The cultural and historical heritage of towns Trebinje and Jajce: A resource for the growth of tourism

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Guzijan Jasna

    2009-01-01

    Full Text Available This paper considers the possibility of including cultural heritage in cultural and tourist development policies. The tourist potential of historically and artistically significant urban entities will be described and assessed in the paper, with a focus on the cases of Trebinje and Jajce two Bosnian and Herzegovinian towns with preserved historical town cores. The two towns were both founded in the Middle Ages and have developed to this day, with their urban areas continuously expanding and being built up. Their spatial and cultural historical complexes are diverse and multilayered, with various natural and man-made structures dating back to different epochs. They are the greatest cultural monuments and a testimony of the past, of the physical and spiritual development of these communities. Trebinje is an old town located at the intersection of various influences and interests, with a rich and long history which has altered not only the appearance and contents of its town core, but also its significance and its functional impact on the broader surroundings. The Old Town, a surviving historical complex, which originated in the Middle Ages and developed considerably under Turkish rule is one of Trebinje's tourist resources. Nowadays, tourism is becoming one of the world's most important industries, its appeal coming from the natural cultural and historical values of towns and cities. Due to that, the natural cultural and historical values of Trebinje and Jajce can be preserved only if their economic potential is also taken into account.

  11. Magnetic Prospecting On Ancient Towns In Turkey and Greece

    Science.gov (United States)

    Smekalova, T.; Smekalov, S.

    Magnetic prospecting on ancient towns in Turkey and Greece. Tatyana Smekalova, Sergey Smekalov. Saint-Petersburg In 2001 archaeophysical group of Saint-Petersburg State University participated in archaeological investigation of ancient town Pisidian Antioch in Turkey (near mod- ern town Yalvach) and ancient town Kalydon in Greece (not far from modern town Mesolongy). Both sites have a big size (more than kilometer in perimeter) and com- plicated hilly relief (especially Kalydon). The mine idea of the magnetic survey on the sites was to try the method of magnetic prospecting in conditions of the sites, to estimate the possibilities and limitations of the method and to reveal ancient structures on several different parts of the site. Magnetic survey on the Pisidian Antioch carried out in four areas of the site showed that much could be recovered by this non-invasive technique. Most significantly, sur- vey of the area previously thought to contain a palestra shows instead the plan of a Christian basilica. Other areas included houses, streets, important elements in the water system and industrial establishments. The work was supported by Columbia University, USA On the Ancient Kalydon, the whole area of the site was investigated by method of Sfree searchT that is walking with magnetometers and measuring without a grid. Five ´ different areas have been chosen for detail investigation with regular grid. The most interesting result is in one of the the areas, where it seems to be an SindustrialT quar- & cedil;ter of the site. There are several workshops, revealed on this place. The work was supported by Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek, Denmark. During the work on both sites we used GPS equipment to put the survey areas on the maps. Simultaneously with magnetic survey archaeological teams made a usual topographical survey of the sites (team of Calgary University in Turkey, Canada and team of Greece topographers, working together with Danish archaeologist in Greece). Thanks to that

  12. The Other Half Speaks: Reminiscences of Coal Town Women, 1900-1950, Athens County, Ohio.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Horn, Helen, Ed.; Good, Roger, Ed.

    These materials are intended to accompany a videotape, that incorporates stories from 15 women who lived in the coal producing towns of Athens County, Ohio during the first half of the 20th century. Discussion questions, a list of resource volunteers, and background information on mining and Athens County coal towns are included. (DB)

  13. Blue-Collar Affluence in a Remote Mining Town: Challenging the Modernist Myth of Education

    Science.gov (United States)

    Forsey, Martin

    2015-01-01

    Based on research in Karratha, a remote resource town in Western Australia, this paper explores the ways in which blue-collar affluence disturbs the meritocratic mythology of formal education. In the opening decade of the twenty-first century Karratha was one of Australia's most affluent towns, yet its adult population was characterised by a level…

  14. Bedrock geologic map of the town of Williston, Vermont

    Data.gov (United States)

    Vermont Center for Geographic Information — Digital Data from VG07-4, Kim, J., Gale, M., Thompson, P.J. and Derman, K., 2007, Bedrock geologic map of the town of Williston, Vermont: Vermont Geological Survey...

  15. Gender disparities in health care.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kent, Jennifer A; Patel, Vinisha; Varela, Natalie A

    2012-01-01

    The existence of disparities in delivery of health care has been the subject of increased empirical study in recent years. Some studies have suggested that disparities between men and women exist in the diagnoses and treatment of health conditions, and as a result measures have been taken to identify these differences. This article uses several examples to illustrate health care gender bias in medicine. These examples include surgery, peripheral artery disease, cardiovascular disease, critical care, and cardiovascular risk factors. Additionally, we discuss reasons why these issues still occur, trends in health care that may address these issues, and the need for acknowledgement of the current system's inequities in order to provide unbiased care for women in the future. © 2012 Mount Sinai School of Medicine.

  16. Mind the Gap: Race\\Ethnic and Socioeconomic Disparities in Obesity

    OpenAIRE

    Krueger, Patrick M.; Reither, Eric N.

    2015-01-01

    Race/ethnic and socioeconomic status (SES) disparities in obesity are substantial and may widen in the future. We review seven potential mechanisms that recent research has used to explain obesity disparities. Those seven mechanisms fall into three broad groups—health behaviors, biological and developmental factors, and the social environment—which incorporate both proximate and upstream determinants of obesity disparities. Efforts to reduce the prevalence of obesity in the U.S. population an...

  17. [Spatiotemporal differentiation of construction land expansion in a typical town of south Jiangsu Province].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhou, Rui; Li, Yue-hui; Hu, Yuan-man; Su, Hai-long; Wang, Jin-nian

    2011-03-01

    Choosing Xinzhuang Town in south Jiangsu Province as study area, and by using 1980, 1991, 2001, and 2009 high-resolution remote sensing images and GIS spatial analysis technology, an integrated expansion degree index model was established based on the existing indicators of construction land expansion, and the general and spatiotemporal differentiation characteristics of construction land expansion in the Town in three time periods of 1980-2009 were quantitatively analyzed. In 1980-2009, with the acceleration of rural urbanization and industrialization, the area of construction land in the Town increased significantly by 19.24 km2, and especially in 2001-2009, the expanded area, expanded contribution rate, and expansion intensity reached the maximum. The construction land expansion had an obvious spatial differentiation characteristic. In 1980-1991, the newly increased construction land mainly concentrated in town area. After 1991, the focus of construction land gradually spread to the villages with developed industries. Most of the increased construction lands were converted from paddy field and dry land, accounting for 88.1% of the total increased area, while the contribution from other land types was relatively small.

  18. Five Stones – Four Rivers – One Town

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Aktor, Mikael

    2016-01-01

    in northern Nepal to Vallam Town in Tamil Nadu. The chapter examines each of these stones – their visual qualities and their mythological and iconographical associations with their respective deities, the collection, manufacturing and marketing, as well as their present ritual use. It will bring to light...

  19. Examining the Gap: Compensation Disparities between Male and Female Physician Assistants.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Smith, Noël; Cawley, James F; McCall, Timothy C

    Compensation disparities between men and women have been problematic for decades, and there is considerable evidence that the gap cannot be entirely explained by nongender factors. The current study examined the compensation gap in the physician assistant (PA) profession. Compensation data from 2014 was collected by the American Academy of PAs in 2015. Practice variables, including experience, specialty, and hours worked, were controlled for in an ordinary least-squares sequential regression model to examine whether there remained a disparity in total compensation. In addition, the absolute disparity in compensation was compared with historical data collected by American Academy of PAs over the previous 1.5 decades. Without controlling for practice variables, a total compensation disparity of $16,052 existed between men and women in the PA profession. Even after PA practice variables were controlled for, a total compensation disparity of $9,695 remained between men and women (95% confidence interval, $8,438-$10,952). A 17-year trend indicates the absolute disparity between men and women has not lessened, although the disparity as a percent of male compensation has decreased in recent years. There remain challenges to ensuring pay equality in the PA profession. Even when compensation-relevant factors such as experience, hours worked, specialty, postgraduate training, region, and call are controlled for, there is still a substantial gender disparity in PA compensation. Remedies that may address this pay inequality include raising awareness of compensation disparities, teaching effective negotiation skills, assisting employers as they develop equitable compensation plans, having less reliance on past salary in position negotiation, and professional associations advocating for policies that support equal wages and opportunities, regardless of personal characteristics. Copyright © 2017 Jacobs Institute of Women's Health. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  20. Rate-distortion analysis of steganography for conveying stereovision disparity maps

    Science.gov (United States)

    Umeda, Toshiyuki; Batolomeu, Ana B. D. T.; Francob, Filipe A. L.; Delannay, Damien; Macq, Benoit M. M.

    2004-06-01

    3-D images transmission in a way which is compliant with traditional 2-D representations can be done through the embedding of disparity maps within the 2-D signal. This approach enables the transmission of stereoscopic video sequences or images on traditional analogue TV channels (PAL or NTSC) or printed photographic images. The aim of this work is to study the achievable performances of such a technique. The embedding of disparity maps has to be seen as a global rate-distortion problem. The embedding capacity through steganography is determined by the transmission channel noise and by the bearable distortion on the watermarked image. The distortion of the 3-D image displayed as two stereo views depends on the rate allocated to the complementary information required to build those two views from one reference 2-D image. Results from the works on the scalar Costa scheme are used to optimize the embedding of the disparity map compressed bit stream into the reference image. A method for computing the optimal trade off between the disparity map distortion and embedding distortion as a function of the channel impairments is proposed. The goal is to get a similar distortion on the left (the reference image) and the right (the disparity compensated image) images. We show that in typical situations the embedding of 2 bits/pixels in the left image, while the disparity map is compressed at 1 bit per pixel leads to a good trade-off. The disparity map is encoded with a strong error correcting code, including synchronisation bits.

  1. Partnering health disparities research with quality improvement science in pediatrics.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lion, K Casey; Raphael, Jean L

    2015-02-01

    Disparities in pediatric health care quality are well described in the literature, yet practical approaches to decreasing them remain elusive. Quality improvement (QI) approaches are appealing for addressing disparities because they offer a set of strategies by which to target modifiable aspects of care delivery and a method for tailoring or changing an intervention over time based on data monitoring. However, few examples in the literature exist of QI interventions successfully decreasing disparities, particularly in pediatrics, due to well-described challenges in developing, implementing, and studying QI with vulnerable populations or in underresourced settings. In addition, QI interventions aimed at improving quality overall may not improve disparities, and in some cases, may worsen them if there is greater uptake or effectiveness of the intervention among the population with better outcomes at baseline. In this article, the authors review some of the challenges faced by researchers and frontline clinicians seeking to use QI to address health disparities and propose an agenda for moving the field forward. Specifically, they propose that those designing and implementing disparities-focused QI interventions reconsider comparator groups, use more rigorous evaluation methods, carefully consider the evidence for particular interventions and the context in which they were developed, directly engage the social determinants of health, and leverage community resources to build collaborative networks and engage community members. Ultimately, new partnerships between communities, providers serving vulnerable populations, and QI researchers will be required for QI interventions to achieve their potential related to health care disparity reduction. Copyright © 2015 by the American Academy of Pediatrics.

  2. Status of intestinal parasitic infections among residents of Jimma Town, Ethiopia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jejaw, Ayalew; Zeynudin, Ahmed; Zemene, Endalew; Belay, Tariku

    2014-08-07

    Intestinal parasites cause considerable morbidity and mortality in the world, especially in developing countries like Ethiopia. Both urban and rural inhabitants are vulnerable to infection with intestinal parasites in developing countries. The aim of this study was to determine the status of intestinal parasitic infections (IPIs) among residents of Jimma Town, seven years after high prevalence was reported. Four hundred and thirty four residents of Jimma Town were included in this study. By the cross-sectional survey, the overall prevalence of intestinal parasites was 209 (48.2%). Nine species of intestinal parasites were isolated, Ascaris lumbricoides and Trichuris trichiura being the most predominant. Residence in Hermata Mentina kebele, Adjusted Odds Ratio (AOR), 3.0, 95% CI, 1.71-5.39), age less than 10 years (AOR, 3.7, 95% CI, 1.33-10.36), illiteracy (AOR, 3.2, 95% CI, 1.64-6.19), estimated monthly family income of less than 500 Ethiopian Birr (AOR, 2.9, 95% CI, 1.32-4.90) and irregular washing hands before meal (AOR, 5.3, 95% CI, 1.36-21.07) were predictors of IPI in this study. The retrospective study revealed a significant decrease (P = 0.037) in the proportion of patients infected with intestinal parasites out of those who requested stool examination over the six-year period. This study confirms that IPIs are still common among residents of Jimma Town. Nearly half of the study participants were infected with at least one intestinal parasite. Public health interventions targeting prevention of IPIs should be strengthened in Jimma Town.

  3. Psychiatrists' attitudes toward and awareness about racial disparities in mental health care.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mallinger, Julie B; Lamberti, J Steven

    2010-02-01

    Psychiatrists may perpetuate racial-ethnic disparities in health care through racially biased, albeit unconscious, behaviors. Changing these behaviors requires that physicians accept that racial-ethnic disparities exist and accept their own contributions to disparities. The purposes of this study were to assess psychiatrists' awareness of racial disparities in mental health care, to evaluate the extent to which psychiatrists believe they contribute to disparities, and to determine psychiatrists' interest in participating in disparities-reduction programs. A random sample of psychiatrists, identified through the American Psychiatric Association's member directory, was invited to complete the online survey. The survey was also distributed to psychiatrists at a national professional conference. Of the 374 respondents, most said they were not familiar or only a little familiar with the literature on racial disparities. Respondents tended to believe that race has a moderate influence on quality of psychiatric care but that race is more influential in others' practices than in their own practices. One-fourth had participated in any type of disparities-reduction program within the past year, and approximately one-half were interested in participating in such a program. Psychiatrists may not recognize the pervasiveness of racial inequality in psychiatric care, and they may attribute racially biased thinking to others but not to themselves. Interventions to eliminate racial-ethnic disparities should focus on revealing and modifying unconscious biases. Lack of physician interest may be one barrier to such interventions.

  4. Race-Based Health Disparities and the Digital Divide: Implications for Nursing Practice.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Price, Zula

    2015-12-01

    Knowledge of the sources of race-based health disparities could improve nursing practice and education in minority underserved communities. This purpose of this paper was to consider if Black-nonBlack health disparities were at least in part explained by Black-nonBlack disparities in access to Internet-based health information. With data on the U.S. adult population from the 2012 General Social Survey, the parameters of a health production function in which computer usage as an input was estimated. It was found that while there are Black-nonBlack disparities in health, once computer usage was accounted for, Black-nonBlack health disparities disappeared. This suggests nursing and health interventions that improve Internet access for Black patients in underserved communities could improve the health of Black Americans and close the racial health disparities gap. These findings complement recent nursing researchfindings that suggest closing Black-nonBlack disparities in computer access, the "digital divide," can render nursing practice more effective in providing care to minority and underserved communities.

  5. Racial disparities in survival outcomes by breast tumor subtype among African American women in Memphis, Tennessee.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vidal, Gregory; Bursac, Zoran; Miranda-Carboni, Gustavo; White-Means, Shelley; Starlard-Davenport, Athena

    2017-07-01

    Racial disparities in survival among African American (AA) women in the United States have been well documented. Breast cancer mortality rates among AA women is higher in Memphis, Tennessee as compared to 49 of the largest US cities. In this study, we investigated the extent to which racial/ethnic disparities in survival outcomes among Memphis women are attributed to differences in breast tumor subtype and treatment outcomes. A total of 3527 patients diagnosed with stage I-IV breast cancer between January 2002 and April 2015 at Methodist Health hospitals and West Cancer Center in Memphis, TN were included in the analysis. Kaplan-Meier survival curves were generated and Cox proportional hazards regression were used to compare survival outcomes among 1342 (38.0%) AA and 2185 (62.0%) non-Hispanic White breast cancer patients by race and breast tumor subtype. Over a mean follow-up time of 29.9 months, AA women displayed increased mortality risk [adjusted hazard ratio (HR), 1.65; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.35-2.03] and were more likely to be diagnosed at advanced stages of disease. AA women with triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) had the highest death rate at 26.7% compared to non-Hispanic White women at 16.5%. AA women with TNBC and luminal B/HER2- breast tumors had the highest risk of mortality. Regardless of race, patients who did not have surgery had over five times higher risk of dying compared to those who had surgery. These findings provide additional evidence of the breast cancer disparity gap between AA and non-Hispanic White women and highlight the need for targeted interventions and policies to eliminate breast cancer disparities in AA populations, particularly in Memphis, TN. © 2017 The Authors. Cancer Medicine published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  6. Lossless Compression of Stereo Disparity Maps for 3D

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Zamarin, Marco; Forchhammer, Søren

    2012-01-01

    Efficient compression of disparity data is important for accurate view synthesis purposes in multi-view communication systems based on the “texture plus depth” format, including the stereo case. In this paper a novel technique for lossless compression of stereo disparity images is presented...

  7. Using temporal seeding to constrain the disparity search range in stereo matching

    CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

    Ndhlovu, T

    2011-11-01

    Full Text Available for reusing computed disparity estimates on features in a stereo image sequence to constrain the disparity search range. Features are detected on a left image and their disparity estimates are computed using a local-matching algorithm. The features...

  8. Human Thermal Comfort In Residential House Buildings Of Jimma Town Southwest Ethiopia.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Chali Yadeta

    2015-08-01

    Full Text Available Indoor human thermal comfort is an important factor in indoor air quality assessment. Thermal comfort affects human health work efficiency and overall wellbeing. Thermal discomfort in indoors lowers the emotional and physical health of the occupants. This paper targets to explore human thermal comfort in residential house buildings of Jimma town and state some possible mechanisms to improve the existing thermal discomfort in large number the houses. For the study 303 structured questionnaires were distributed to the residential houses in thirteen places of the town based on predetermined criteria. The study reveals that human thermal discomfort in residential houses Jimma town are mainly from poor architectural design and improper use of heat generating appliances in indoors. The uses architectural design that suites the present climatic conditions and use of materials that facilitates ventilations will enhance the realization of the required human thermal comfort in residential houses of the study area.

  9. Simulating the Conversion of Rural Settlements to Town Land Based on Multi-Agent Systems and Cellular Automata

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Yaolin; Kong, Xuesong; Liu, Yanfang; Chen, Yiyun

    2013-01-01

    Rapid urbanization in China has triggered the conversion of land from rural to urban use, particularly the conversion of rural settlements to town land. This conversion is the result of the joint effects of the geographic environment and agents involving the government, investors, and farmers. To understand the dynamic interaction dominated by agents and to predict the future landscape of town expansion, a small town land-planning model is proposed based on the integration of multi-agent systems (MAS) and cellular automata (CA). The MAS-CA model links the decision-making behaviors of agents with the neighbor effect of CA. The interaction rules are projected by analyzing the preference conflicts among agents. To better illustrate the effects of the geographic environment, neighborhood, and agent behavior, a comparative analysis between the CA and MAS-CA models in three different towns is presented, revealing interesting patterns in terms of quantity, spatial characteristics, and the coordinating process. The simulation of rural settlements conversion to town land through modeling agent decision and human-environment interaction is very useful for understanding the mechanisms of rural-urban land-use change in developing countries. This process can assist town planners in formulating appropriate development plans. PMID:24244472

  10. Foreword: Big Data and Its Application in Health Disparities Research.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Onukwugha, Eberechukwu; Duru, O Kenrik; Peprah, Emmanuel

    2017-01-01

    The articles presented in this special issue advance the conversation by describing the current efforts, findings and concerns related to Big Data and health disparities. They offer important recommendations and perspectives to consider when designing systems that can usefully leverage Big Data to reduce health disparities. We hope that ongoing Big Data efforts can build on these contributions to advance the conversation, address our embedded assumptions, and identify levers for action to reduce health care disparities.

  11. The Town-Gown Relationship: Collaboration in University Communities

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cotsones, Rena K.

    2013-01-01

    As communities and universities confront increasingly complex social and fiscal pressures, there is a growing need to align and maximize local resources, knowledge and efforts. Historic and current tensions between town and gown can challenge the ability of universities and communities to collaborate for mutual benefit. This dissertation explores…

  12. School Segregation and Disparities in Urban, Suburban, and Rural Areas

    Science.gov (United States)

    Logan, John R.; Burdick-Will, Julia

    2018-01-01

    Much of the literature on racial and ethnic educational inequality focuses on the contrast between Black and Hispanic students in urban areas and white suburban students. This study extends past research on school segregation and racial/ethnic disparities by highlighting the importance of rural areas and regional variation. Although schools in rural America are disproportionately white, they nevertheless are like urban schools, and disadvantaged relative to suburban schools, in terms of poverty and test performance. The group most affected by rural school disadvantage is Native Americans, who are a small share of students nationally but much more prominent and highly disadvantaged in rural areas, particularly in some parts of the country. These figures suggest a strong case for including rural schools in the continuing conversation about how to deal with unfairness in public education. PMID:29430018

  13. The impact of the Ignalina NPP and Visaginas town on the economy of the region

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Brazhukiene, I.; Krauchiunas, E.; Burneika, D.

    1998-01-01

    The present article is devoted to the influence of Visaginas town and Ignalina NPP on economy in the surrounding region. Preliminary the region includes the Ignalina and Zarasai administrative districts. However, these boundaries are relative. The analysis of the influence of Visaginas town and Ignalina NPP on the economy in the region revealed that such an influence exists, however, it is not as distinct as could have been expected from the town of such size. The influence on economy of the region includes influence on markets of economic resources (labour force and real estate markets were analyzed), influence on consumption market, influence on industries and services (the appearance of new manufacturing enterprises in the town itself, where, excluding the NPP, the economic sector is rather poorly developed, and the impact of the town on the enterprises of considered region were analyzed) and the influence on conditions for investment in the region. After the building Ignalina NPP and Visaginas the distribution of surrounding forests into protective categories has changed. The Ignalina NPP and Visaginas directly posses 1250 ha of forests. The influence of the town and Ignalina NPP on the enterprises of industry of considered region is important because Visaginas serving as a good market for various manufacturing enterprises makes it possible for them to maintain a certain economic level and have better profits. This aspect is extremely important for food and light industries. The extraction and building industry as well as many other branches of industries were most highly influenced during the building works of NPP. At present the building works meet only the current requirements of NPP and so they are not very intensive. The influence on consumption markets is more noticeable. With the building of Visaginas town consumption market of the region increased more than three times. The demand in the region increased as well as supply. The incomes of people in the

  14. Development of Government Schools in Orangi Town, Karachi

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sumaira Zafar

    2017-12-01

    Full Text Available The primary school system in Pakistan needs improvement in order to provide the basic right of education to all. Government schools are not enough to cater the needs of increasing population of the country. The main goal of this study was to present a methodology for the development of government schools based on geographical information system (GIS through a case study of Orangi Town in Karachi. In this study, first the adequacy of government schools in the study area was evaluated and then the need for additional schools with their suitable locations were identified.  Data regarding school locations and students enrollments were collected from Sindh Basic Education Program of a non-profit NGO iMMAP. School building footprints were digitized from 2001 and 2013 Google Earth archived images. Population in 2013 was estimated by projecting 1998 census data downloaded from the website of the Census Bureau of Pakistan. An educated assumption of 20 % of the total population of Orangi Town was used to calculate number of primary school-aged children. Study results showed that schools existed in 2013 were not sufficient to serve all these children. This study also revealed that new schools were built during this time period, but the population growth rate was much higher than the growth rate of schools that created a big supply-demand gap. The most progressive Union Council (UC of Orangi Town was Haryana Colony where 17 new schools were constructed between 2001 and 2013 though the required number of schools still fall short. New sites for schools were also proposed to optimally serve Orangi Town’s residents using GIS proximity analysis.

  15. Restraining private vehicles in town centres. A handbook for those considering strategies

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    NONE

    2001-07-01

    The desire and need to travel has shown an explosive growth in recent years and society has become more and more dependent on the motor car with all its harmful side effects such as congestion and air pollution and burgeoning use of energy. Nowhere is this more apparent than in town centres where limitations on space aggravate all the problems, and it is here that the necessity to limit the use of private cars is most urgent. In 1995, Energie-Cites, a network of local authorities interested in energy issues, proposed a project on this topic (RePriVe) as part of the PACTE programme, to the European Commission's Directorate General for Regional Policy. Six local authorities: Cork County Council in Ireland, Bridgend County Borough Council in Wales, Erlangen in Germany, Vejle in Denmark and Edessa and Menemeni in Greece, met to discuss and exchange experience on this issue in a project whose technical co-ordination was handled by Energie-Cites. The Authorities' own experience varies widely. Erlangen and Vejle have developed sophisticated traffic management arrangements for their towns, Porthcawl (in Bridgend CBC), Menemeni and Cork have started to introduce traffic management arrangements in small or suburban settlements, while in Bridgend town and Edessa the Authorities are considering how they can improve their towns following the construction of relief roads. Energie-Cites itself has made studies of how local authorities have responded to this challenge through the planning process. There are a number of conclusions that can be drawn from these studies. Firstly the barriers to action are largely political. While there are institutional barriers, with sufficient political will-power all local authorities can undertake effective action, and there is no size too small for action to be. Secondly, certain actions in medium and large size towns are likely to be more successful than others. Projects to encourage modal transfer to public transport are likely to be

  16. Racial disparities in smoking knowledge among current smokers: data from the health information national trends surveys.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Reimer, Rachel Ann; Gerrard, Meg; Gibbons, Frederick X

    2010-10-01

    Although African-Americans (Blacks) smoke fewer cigarettes per day than European-Americans (Whites), there is ample evidence that Blacks are more susceptible to smoking-related health consequences. A variety of behavioural, social and biological factors have been linked to this increased risk. There has been little research, however, on racial differences in smoking-related knowledge and perceived risk of lung cancer. The primary goal of the current study was to evaluate beliefs and knowledge that contribute to race disparities in lung cancer risk among current smokers. Data from two separate nationally representative surveys (the Health Information National Trends surveys 2003 and 2005) were analysed. Logistic and hierarchical regressions were conducted; gender, age, education level, annual household income and amount of smoking were included as covariates. In both studies, Black smokers were significantly more likely to endorse inaccurate statements than were White smokers, and did not estimate their lung cancer risk to be significantly higher than Whites. Results highlight an important racial disparity in public health knowledge among current smokers.

  17. Urban Vitality in Dutch and Chinese New Towns : A comparative study between Almere and Tongzhou

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Zhou, J.

    2012-01-01

    Building new towns seems to be a rational approach that releases pressure from overly burdened large cities. This strategy was developed in Western Europe in the middle of twentieth century. Since the 1990s, the European new town model has been widely implemented in China. However, the author

  18. Unequal before the Law : Measuring Legal Gender Disparities across the World

    OpenAIRE

    Iqbal, Sarah; Islam, Asif; Ramalho, Rita; Sakhonchik, Alena

    2016-01-01

    Several economies have laws that treat women differently from men. This study explores the degree of such legal gender disparities across 167 economies around the world. This is achieved by constructing a simple measure of legal gender disparities to evaluate how countries perform. The average number of overall legal gender disparities across 167 economies is 17, ranging from a minimum of ...

  19. Valladolid, a Festival Town (17th-18th Centuries

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lourdes AMIGO VÁZQUEZ

    2017-11-01

    Full Text Available The festival was a great sociocultural event whose dimensions reached their maximum evolution in Early Modern Spain, especially in the 17th and 18th centuries and in its urban centres. This was the «festive society» par excellence, because of the frequency of the celebrations and the multiplicity of meanings, implications and consequences. Society and power, ultimately, were represented at the festival. In this context, the specific case of Valladolid demonstrates both its character as a germane model, applicable to any other town, and its uniqueness. Significantly, in the early 17th century it was once again the seat of the Court and yet even after being abandoned by Philip III in 1606, it continued to be one of the most important towns of Castile, the seat of the Royal Chancellery.

  20. Racial/ethnic disparity in obesity among US youth, 1999-2013.

    Science.gov (United States)

    An, Ruopeng

    2015-11-04

    One fundamental goal in the Healthy People 2020 is to achieve health equity and eliminate disparities. To examine the annual trends in racial/ethnic disparity in obesity among US youth from 1999 to 2013. Nationally representative sample of 108,811 students in grades 9th-12th from the Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System (YRBSS) 1999-2013 surveys. Body mass index (BMI) was calculated based on self-reported height and weight. Obesity in youth is defined as BMI at or above 95th sex- and age-specific percentile of the 2000 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention growth charts. Multiple logistic regressions were conducted to estimate the annual prevalence of obesity by race/ethnicity, adjusted for gender and age group and accounted for the YRBSS survey design. Between-group variance (BGV) was used to measure absolute racial/ethnic disparity in obesity, and the mean log deviation (MLD) and the Theil Index (T) were used to measure relative racial/ethnic disparity in obesity, weighted by corresponding racial/ethnic population size. The obesity prevalence among non-Hispanic Whites, non-Hispanic African Americans, non-Hispanic other race or multi-race, and Hispanic increased from 10.05%, 12.31%, 10.25%, and 13.24% in 1999 to 13.14%, 15.76%, 10.87%, and 15.20% in 2013, respectively. Both absolute and relative racial/ethnic disparity in obesity increased initially since 1999 but then steadily declined starting from mid-2000s back to around its original level by 2013. The obesity epidemic in youth is marked by salient and persistent disparity pertaining to race/ethnicity. No improvement on racial/ethnic disparity in obesity among American youth was observed during 1999-2013.

  1. Protect and bring up forest of Kuse Town. New energy vision at Kuse Town area; 2001 nendo Kuse cho chiiki shin energy vision. Kuse no mori to machi wo mamori sodateru

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    NONE

    2002-03-01

    With an objective of accelerating introduction of and uplifting consciousness on new energies at Kuse Town in Okayama Prefecture, investigations and discussions were given on the current situation of energy demand, quantity of new energies available, and the idea of introducing new energies, thus a new energy vision was established. The estimated amount of energy consumption in Kuse Town is 304,768 MWh/year, and the amount of carbon dioxide discharge associated therewith is 22,300 t-C. Regarding the energy consumption by departments, the industrial department accounts for 40%, followed by the transportation department accounting for 30%. The basic new energy introduction ideas have discussed town resident enlightenment and town resident participation projects, bio-mass energy utilization, such as bark combustion plant, procurement of wood resources remaining in forest, ligneous pellet and transportation fuel manufacture, utilization of edible oil into diesel fuel, introduction of photovoltaic power generation at public facilities and places of refuge, introduction of solar heat utilization system into public facilities and homes, large size wind power generation project, introduction of small size wind power generation into road illumination and places of refuge at disaster, small hydro-energy utilization system, and introduction of clean energy fueled automobiles and fuel cells. (NEDO)

  2. Added value. Collaboration on mitigating climate change in coastal towns by community driven processes

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Mechlenborg, Mette; Hansen, Jesper Rohr

    2018-01-01

    How should the collaborations between private and public landowners be organized and driven in order to make the mitigation of coastal towns and lines more innovative, economic and environmental sustainable?......How should the collaborations between private and public landowners be organized and driven in order to make the mitigation of coastal towns and lines more innovative, economic and environmental sustainable?...

  3. Underrecognition and undertreatment of asthma in Cape Town ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Background. In view of the high local prevalence of asthma, the extent of recognition and appropriate managementof childhood asthma was studied in a large suburban area of Cape Town. Design. Cross-sectional study based on random community sample of schools. Method. 1955 parents of sub B pupils from 16 schools ...

  4. Male/Female Salary Disparity for Professors of Educational Administration.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pounder, Diana G.

    The earnings gap between male and female workers across all occupational groups has been well documented; full-time women workers earn, on average, approximately 65 percent of men's salaries. Although male/female salary disparity is largest across occupational groups, salary disparity within occupational groups still prevails. For example, the…

  5. Association of soil cadmium contamination with ceramic industry: A case study in a Chinese town

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Liao, Q. Lin; Liu, Cong; Wu, H. Yun; Jin, Yang; Hua, Ming; Zhu, B. Wan; Chen, Kai; Huang, Lei

    2015-01-01

    Soil cadmium (Cd) contamination is attributable to many sources, among which the ceramic industry is probably an important contributor whose relationship will be explored in this study. Upon studying a town in southeastern China that is quite famous for its ceramics, we observed that the soil Cd distribution agreed with the local ceramic industry's distribution in space and time from 2004 to 2014. Ceramic and pigment samples from a typical factory were selected in a case study, and a sediment core from a nearby river was collected. First, an application of the geo-accumulation index suggested that the sediment was very strongly polluted by Cd (mean 1874 mg/kg). Second, sediment dating indicated that the Cd concentration surge and the establishment of the factory were proximate in time (2002–2004). Third, principal component analysis showed high loading of Cd (0.947) solely, suggesting that the factory was most likely responsible for the Cd pollution found in the sediments of a nearby river. Finally, we infer that the soil cadmium pollution in the whole area may be related to the region's prosperous ceramic industry. Local government should reinforce controls of the ceramic industry and implement effective countermeasures. - Highlights: • The sediment is strongly polluted by Cd in a Chinese town. • Cd concentration surged when the nearby ceramic factory was established. • Cd is solely loaded in a principal component and abundant in the ceramic pigments. • The local ceramic industry may be responsible for the soil Cd contamination

  6. Association of soil cadmium contamination with ceramic industry: A case study in a Chinese town

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Liao, Q. Lin [Geological Survey of Jiangsu Province, Nanjing 210018 (China); Liu, Cong [Jiangsu Provincial Department of Land Resources, Nanjing 210017 (China); Wu, H. Yun [State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of the Environment, Nanjing University, Xianlin Campus, Box 624, 163 Xianlin Avenue, Nanjing 210023 (China); Jin, Yang; Hua, Ming; Zhu, B. Wan [Geological Survey of Jiangsu Province, Nanjing 210018 (China); Chen, Kai [State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of the Environment, Nanjing University, Xianlin Campus, Box 624, 163 Xianlin Avenue, Nanjing 210023 (China); Huang, Lei, E-mail: huanglei@nju.edu.cn [State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of the Environment, Nanjing University, Xianlin Campus, Box 624, 163 Xianlin Avenue, Nanjing 210023 (China)

    2015-05-01

    Soil cadmium (Cd) contamination is attributable to many sources, among which the ceramic industry is probably an important contributor whose relationship will be explored in this study. Upon studying a town in southeastern China that is quite famous for its ceramics, we observed that the soil Cd distribution agreed with the local ceramic industry's distribution in space and time from 2004 to 2014. Ceramic and pigment samples from a typical factory were selected in a case study, and a sediment core from a nearby river was collected. First, an application of the geo-accumulation index suggested that the sediment was very strongly polluted by Cd (mean 1874 mg/kg). Second, sediment dating indicated that the Cd concentration surge and the establishment of the factory were proximate in time (2002–2004). Third, principal component analysis showed high loading of Cd (0.947) solely, suggesting that the factory was most likely responsible for the Cd pollution found in the sediments of a nearby river. Finally, we infer that the soil cadmium pollution in the whole area may be related to the region's prosperous ceramic industry. Local government should reinforce controls of the ceramic industry and implement effective countermeasures. - Highlights: • The sediment is strongly polluted by Cd in a Chinese town. • Cd concentration surged when the nearby ceramic factory was established. • Cd is solely loaded in a principal component and abundant in the ceramic pigments. • The local ceramic industry may be responsible for the soil Cd contamination.

  7. Objective quality assessment of stereoscopic images with vertical disparity using EEG

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shahbazi Avarvand, Forooz; Bosse, Sebastian; Müller, Klaus-Robert; Schäfer, Ralf; Nolte, Guido; Wiegand, Thomas; Curio, Gabriel; Samek, Wojciech

    2017-08-01

    Objective. Neurophysiological correlates of vertical disparity in 3D images are studied in an objective approach using EEG technique. These disparities are known to negatively affect the quality of experience and to cause visual discomfort in stereoscopic visualizations. Approach. We have presented four conditions to subjects: one in 2D and three conditions in 3D, one without vertical disparity and two with different vertical disparity levels. Event related potentials (ERPs) are measured for each condition and the differences between ERP components are studied. Analysis is also performed on the induced potentials in the time frequency domain. Main results. Results show that there is a significant increase in the amplitude of P1 components in 3D conditions in comparison to 2D. These results are consistent with previous studies which have shown that P1 amplitude increases due to the depth perception in 3D compared to 2D. However the amplitude is significantly smaller for maximum vertical disparity (3D-3) in comparison to 3D with no vertical disparity. Our results therefore suggest that the vertical disparity in 3D-3 condition decreases the perception of depth compared to other 3D conditions and the amplitude of P1 component can be used as a discriminative feature. Significance. The results show that the P1 component increases in amplitude due to the depth perception in the 3D stimuli compared to the 2D stimulus. On the other hand the vertical disparity in the stereoscopic images is studied here. We suggest that the amplitude of P1 component is modulated with this parameter and decreases due to the decrease in the perception of depth.

  8. 75 FR 29357 - National Center on Minority and Health Disparities; Notice of Closed Meeting

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-05-25

    ... and Health Disparities; Notice of Closed Meeting Pursuant to section 10(d) of the Federal Advisory... and Health Disparities Special NCMHD Health Disparities Research on Minority and Underserved... Health and Health Disparities, 6707 Democracy Boulevard, Suite 800, Bethesda, MD 20892. (301) 594-8696...

  9. Radon Mapping of the Osijek Town

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Radolic, V.; Faj, Z.; Smit, G.; Culo, D.; Planinic, J.

    1998-01-01

    After ten years investigation of radon seasonal variations at three very different locations, as well as radon concentration measurements in kindergartens and schools, systematical indoor radon measurements were undertaken in dwellings of Osijek. Indoor radon was measured by means of the LR-115 nuclear track detector at 48 town locations that gave the arithmetic mean of 71.6 Bq m -3 , standard deviation of 44.0 Bq m -3 and geometric mean of 60.1 Bq m -3 , for the radon concentration range from 23 to 186 Bq m -3 . The empirical frequency distribution of radon concentrations, with the class width of 20 Bq m -3 , was in accordance with the theoretical log-normal distribution which was shown with χ 2 - test. The radon map pointed out a region of higher radon concentrations (central part of the town) that was ascribed to the geological soil structure. Thus supposition was confirmed by radon measurement in the soil gas using radon emanators with the LR-115 film that showed the positive correlation between radon concentrations in the soil and indoors. Radon measurements in Osijeks primary schools pointed out a school that had the highest radon concentration (300 Bq m -3 ) considering all the former indoor radon measurements. The radon distribution in the school building was investigated afterwards radon mitigation procedures were undertaken. (author)

  10. Sense of place in the coastal town of Tipaza in Algeria: Local-community’s socio-cognitive representations

    OpenAIRE

    S. Khettab; N. Chabbi-Chemrouk

    2017-01-01

    This study explores the sense of place in the small coastal Algerian town of Tipaza. The town is famous for its world archaeological sites, but its inhabitants and the local community in general seem to appreciate more its exceptional landscape than the universal archaeological values conferred to it by UNESCO. The particular townscape clearly delimited by the Mediterranean Sea and the Chenoua Mountain seems to have strongly influenced people’s mental images and attachments to their town. Bas...

  11. The Role of Binocular Disparity in Rapid Scene and Pattern Recognition

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Matteo Valsecchi

    2013-04-01

    Full Text Available We investigated the contribution of binocular disparity to the rapid recognition of scenes and simpler spatial patterns using a paradigm combining backward masked stimulus presentation and short-term match-to-sample recognition. First, we showed that binocular disparity did not contribute significantly to the recognition of briefly presented natural and artificial scenes, even when the availability of monocular cues was reduced. Subsequently, using dense random dot stereograms as stimuli, we showed that observers were in principle able to extract spatial patterns defined only by disparity under brief, masked presentations. Comparing our results with the predictions from a cue-summation model, we showed that combining disparity with luminance did not per se disrupt the processing of disparity. Our results suggest that the rapid recognition of scenes is mediated mostly by a monocular comparison of the images, although we can rely on stereo in fast pattern recognition.

  12. Prevalence of intestinal parasites among street beggars in Jimma town, Southwest Ethiopia

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ashebir Lakew

    2015-06-01

    Full Text Available Objective: To determine the rate of intestinal parasitic infections and related risk factors among street beggars in Jimma town from February 10 to March 20, 2010. Methods: A cross sectional study was conducted on 116 street beggars cached at four different churches in Jimma town during ‘Abbey’ or two months Easter Christian fasting days. Interview was made using a structured questionnaire to collect socio-demographic data. Concentrated stool samples were collected and examined microscopically using direct wet smear. The data was analyzed using SPSS version 11.5 software package. Results: Of 116 street beggars whose stool had investigated, 104 (89.7% harbored one or more intestinal parasites. The most frequent intestinal parasites were Ascaris lumbricoides 76 (65.5% followed by Trichuris trichiura 52 (44.8%. Schistosoma mansoni accounted 14 (12.1% and hook worm 11 (9.5%. The rate of multiple parasitic infections was 63 (54.3%. The finger nail status, habit of shoe wearing and using source of river water for bathing showed statistical significant association with parasitic infections (P < 0.05. Conclusions: Ninety percent of street beggars harbored intestinal parasites and yet they do not have accesses to latrine indicates, these people obviously contribute for the spreading of parasites to the community and being potential risk for the environmental contamination. Therefore, regular deworming activity and insuring accesses of adequate public latrine in selected sites of the Jimma town need help to control parasitic infections in this town.

  13. 76 FR 63310 - National Center On Minority and Health Disparities Notice of Closed Meetings

    Science.gov (United States)

    2011-10-12

    ... and Health Disparities Notice of Closed Meetings Pursuant to section 10(d) of the Federal Advisory... and Health Disparities Special Emphasis Panel; NIMHD Health Disparities Research (R01). Date: November... Disparities, National Institutes of Health, 6707 Democracy Blvd., MSC. 5465, Suite 800, Bethesda, MD 20892...

  14. Temnikov: The Town of a Tümen Commander. The History of Towns of the “Mordovian Peripheries” in the 15th–16th centuries

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    M.M. Akchurin

    2017-09-01

    Full Text Available Objective: To identify possible circumstances behind the appearance of towns in the Western Mordovian lands, as well as their place and role in the 15th–16th centuries. Research materials: Various written sources were used in this study, including primarily act materials, chronicle accounts, genealogical legends, as well as materials relating to archaeological research carried out at the Ityakov hillfort and Starokadom hillfort. Results and novelty of the research: Analysis of the act materials of the 16th–17th centuries led us to the opinion that during the Moscow period, the towns of the Mordovian lands were the residences of Tatar vicegerents and, possibly, the focal points of the subordinated groups of the serving Tatar population. These towns (Temnikov, Kadoma, Sacony, Andreev townlet were the local administrative centers for the surrounding Mordovian regions, which in the second half of the 16th century became a separate uyezds of the larger Meshchersky uyezd. Taken as a whole, the consulted written sources and archaeological materials suggest that since the 1430s there was some agreement between the Tatar princes of the former Mokhshi ulus and the princes of Moscow and Ryazan Grand Principalities. These agreements could provide the safe resettlement of the Tatar population from the surroundings of Narovchat to more secure northern areas of the Mordovian lands, adjacent to the boundaries of Moscow and the Ryazan Grand Principalities. This process led to the emergence of heavily fortified castle-towns there. However, the Mordovian region was finally annexed, no earlier than the 1480–90s. In our opinion, the presented information may be interesting for the study of the history of the peoples living in these areas and, primarily, the Tatars, whose modern descendants are now called the Mishars. It is also useful for understanding the processes by which the former Horde’s territories were incorporated into Muscovy during the 15th and 16

  15. Evidence from population mixing in British New Towns 1946-85 of an infective basis for childhood leukaemia

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kinlen, L.J.; Clarke, K. (Edinburgh Univ. (UK). CRC Cancer Epidemiology Unit); Hudson, C. (Oxford Univ. (UK). CRC Cancer Epidemiology Research Group)

    1990-09-08

    Mortality from leukaemia under age 25 was studied in British New Towns to test the hypothesis that leukaemia represents a rare response to a much commoner (unrecognised) infection, the transmission of which is facilitated when large numbers of people come together. The density of children was higher in the rural, but lower in the overspill, New Towns than in areas from which their incomers originated. Residents of the rural New Towns had greater diversity of origin than those of overspill towns of London and Glasgow. These two factors would encourage a greater rise in the postulated underlying infection in the rural towns, and in these a significant excess of leukaemia at ages 0-4 was found in 1946-65. In both sets there was a significant deficit in other age groups consistent with immunising effects of the relevant infection. There are parallels with feline leukaemia virus infection, in which contrasting leukaemogenic and immunising effects occur in different social settings owing mainly to differences in intensity of viral exposure. (author).

  16. Evidence from population mixing in British New Towns 1946-85 of an infective basis for childhood leukaemia

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kinlen, L.J.; Clarke, K.; Hudson, C.

    1990-01-01

    Mortality from leukaemia under age 25 was studied in British New Towns to test the hypothesis that leukaemia represents a rare response to a much commoner (unrecognised) infection, the transmission of which is facilitated when large numbers of people come together. The density of children was higher in the rural, but lower in the overspill, New Towns than in areas from which their incomers originated. Residents of the rural New Towns had greater diversity of origin than those of overspill towns of London and Glasgow. These two factors would encourage a greater rise in the postulated underlying infection in the rural towns, and in these a significant excess of leukaemia at ages 0-4 was found in 1946-65. In both sets there was a significant deficit in other age groups consistent with immunising effects of the relevant infection. There are parallels with feline leukaemia virus infection, in which contrasting leukaemogenic and immunising effects occur in different social settings owing mainly to differences in intensity of viral exposure. (author)

  17. Rural and small-town attitudes about alcohol use during pregnancy: a community and provider sample.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Logan, T K; Walker, Robert; Nagle, Laura; Lewis, Jimmie; Wiesenhahn, Donna

    2003-01-01

    While there has been considerable research on prenatal alcohol use, there have been limited studies focused on women in rural and small-town environments. This 2-part study examines gender differences in attitudes and perceived barriers to intervention in large community sample of persons living in rural and small-town environments in Kentucky (n = 3,346). The study also examines rural/small-town prenatal service providers' perceptions of barriers to assessment and intervention with pregnant substance abusers (n = 138). Surveys were administered to a convenience sample of employees and customers from 16 rural and small-town community outlets. There were 1503 males (45%) and 1843 females (55%) ranging in age from under 18 years old to over 66 years old. Surveys also were mailed to prenatal providers in county health departments of the 13-county study area, with 138 of 149 responding. Overall results of the community sample suggest that neither males nor females were knowledgeable about the harmful effects of alcohol use during pregnancy. Results also indicate substantial gender differences in alcohol attitudes, knowledge, and perceived barriers. Further, prenatal care providers identified several barriers in assessment and treatment of pregnant women with alcohol use problems in rural and small-town communities, including lack of knowledge and comfort with assessment as well as a lack of available and accessible treatment for referrals.

  18. Disparities in abortion experience and access to safe abortion ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    In Ghana, abortion mortality constitutes 11% of maternal mortality. Empirical studies on possible disparities in abortion experience and access to safe abortion services are however lacking. Based on a retrospective survey of 1,370 women aged 15-49 years in two districts in Ghana, this paper examines disparities in ...

  19. Examples of Cancer Health Disparities

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... and the bacterium H. pylori (stomach cancer) in immigrant countries of origin contributes to these disparities. ( ACS ) ... Cancer.gov en español Multimedia Publications Site Map Digital Standards for NCI Websites POLICIES Accessibility Comment Policy ...

  20. Socio-economic disparities in health system responsiveness in India.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Malhotra, Chetna; Do, Young Kyung

    2013-03-01

    To assess the magnitude of socio-economic disparities in health system responsiveness in India after correcting for potential reporting heterogeneity by socio-economic characteristics (education and wealth). Data from Wave 1 of the Study on Global Ageing and Adult Health (2007-2008) involving six Indian states were used. Seven health system responsiveness domains were considered for a respondent's last visit to an outpatient service in 12 months: prompt attention, dignity, clarity of information, autonomy, confidentiality, choice and quality of basic amenities. Hierarchical ordered probit models (correcting for reporting heterogeneity through anchoring vignettes) were used to assess the association of socio-economic characteristics with the seven responsiveness domains, controlling for age, gender and area of residence. Stratified analysis was also conducted among users of public and private health facilities. Our statistical models accounting for reporting heterogeneity revealed socio-economic disparities in all health system responsiveness domains. Estimates suggested that individuals from the lowest wealth group, for example, were less likely than individuals from the highest wealth group to report 'very good' on the dignity domain by 8% points (10% vs 18%). Stratified analysis showed that such disparities existed among users of both public and private health facilities. Socio-economic disparities exist in health system responsiveness in India, irrespective of the type of health facility used. Policy efforts to monitor and improve these disparities are required at the health system level.

  1. What is a Korean officetel? Case study on Bundang New Town

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Emilien Gohaud

    2017-06-01

    Bundang is a satellite new town of Seoul, and its development coincides with that of the officetel. With this town as a case study, we clarify the concept of the officetel and analyze the different architectural forms it has generated. We use 12 representative cases to analyze the internal structure of the officetel and its relation to the city. We demonstrate that the officetel is a unique housing type, and its peculiar characteristics are related to its origin in office buildings. Such characteristics as high density, compactness, urban compatibility, and versatility should be valorized in the search for new urban housing forms in Korea.

  2. Racial and ethnic disparities in U.S. cancer screening rates

    Science.gov (United States)

    The percentage of U.S. citizens screened for cancer remains below national targets, with significant disparities among racial and ethnic populations, according to the first federal study to identify cancer screening disparities among Asian and Hispanic gr

  3. Assessing the active living environment in three rural towns with a high proportion of Native Hawaiians and other Pacific Islanders.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hafoka, Siosaia F

    2017-01-01

    Background: Existing literature on the built environment and physical activity in rural areas is very limited. Studies have shown that residents in rural areas are less likely to meet physical activity requirements than their counterparts living in urban and suburban areas. They are also less likely to have access to amenities and programs that promote physical activity. This study seeks to fill gaps in the literature by assessing the built environment in three rural towns in Hawai'i that have a high proportion of Native Hawaiians and other Pacific Islanders. Methods: The Rural Active Living Assessment (RALA) tools will be used to assess the built environment. The RALA has three components - Policy and Program Assessment (PPA), Town Wide Assessment (TWA), and Street Segment Assessment (SSA) which will be used to provide a comprehensive assessment of the active living environment. Assessments were completed in September and October 2016. Results: One assessment was completed in each town for the TWA and PPA. The SSA was completed with 60 segments (20 from each town). Conclusion: The RALA tools identified supports in these three rural towns. The assessment also identified barriers and gaps - especially with the town and school polices of each town.

  4. The Bright Lights Grow Fainter - livelihoods, migration and a small town in Zimbabwe

    OpenAIRE

    Andersson, Agnes

    2002-01-01

    The Aids pandemic and structural adjustment policies (SAP) have had effects on lower income households in Zimbabwe which have been devastating and people have been required to adapt their livelihood strategies. Small towns meahnwhile are growing rapidly in Zimbabwe and mobility towards these towns may be connected with the changes being forged by SAP on the economic landscape. This study seeks to establish how the individual migrant uses mobility tot negotiate this landscape. This involves mo...

  5. January Monthly Spotlight: Cervical Health and Cervical Cancer Disparities

    Science.gov (United States)

    In January, CRCHD joins the nation in raising awareness for Cervical Health and Cervical Cancer Disparities. This month we share a special focus on NCI/CRCHD research programs that are trying to reduce cervical cancer disparities in underserved communities and the people who are spreading the word about the importance of early detection.

  6. The health benefits of attaining and strengthening air quality standards in Cape Town

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Samantha Keen

    2016-12-01

    Full Text Available The link between pollution and poor health and mortality has been established globally. Developing countries carry most of the burden of ill health from air pollution, and urban centres like the City of Cape Town even more so. Effective air quality management to protect human health relies on the attainment of air quality standards. This study uses the Benefits Mapping and Analysis Program (BenMAP along with a locally derived exposure-response function and air quality monitor data to investigate whether the consistent attainment of current or more stringent air quality standards would avoid loss of life. The results show that attaining the PM10 24-hour mean South Africa National Standard limit and the PM10 and SO2 24-hour mean World Health Organisation guidelines in Cape Town reduces levels of pollutants and does reduce excess risk of mortality in Cape Town.

  7. Geospatial Water Quality Analysis of Dilla Town, Gadeo Zone, Ethiopia - A Case Study

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pakhale, G. K.; Wakeyo, T. B.

    2015-12-01

    Dilla is a socio-economically important town in Ethiopia, established on the international highway joining capital cities of Ethiopia and Kenya. It serves as an administrative center of the Gedeo Zone in SNNPR region of Ethiopia accommodating around 65000 inhabitants and also as an important trade centre for coffee. Due to the recent developments and urbanization in town and surrounding area, waste and sewage discharge has been raised significantly into the water resources. Also frequent rainfall in the region worsens the problem of water quality. In this view, present study aims to analyze water quality profile of Dilla town using 12 physico-chemical parameters. 15 Sampling stations are identified amongst the open wells, bore wells and from surface water, which are being extensively used for drinking and other domestic purposes. Spectrophotometer is used to analyze data and Gaussian process regression is used to interpolate the same in GIS environment to represent spatial distribution of parameters. Based on observed and desirable values of parameters, water quality index (WQI); an indicator of weighted estimate of the quantities of various parameters ranging from 1 to 100, is developed in GIS. Higher value of WQI indicates better while low value indicates poor water quality. This geospatial analysis is carried out before and after rainfall to understand temporal variation with reference to rainfall which facilitates in identifying the potential zones of drinking water. WQI indicated that 8 out of 15 locations come under acceptable category indicating the suitability of water for human use, however remaining locations are unfit. For example: the water sample at main_campus_ustream_1 (site name) site has very low WQI after rainfall, making it unfit for human usage. This suggests undertaking of certain measures in town to enhance the water quality. These results are useful for town authorities to take corrective measures and ameliorate the water quality for human

  8. The Effects of Hurricane Katrina on Food Access Disparities in New Orleans

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bodor, J. Nicholas; Rice, Janet C.; Swalm, Chris M.; Hutchinson, Paul L.

    2011-01-01

    Disparities in neighborhood food access are well documented, but little research exists on how shocks influence such disparities. We examined neighborhood food access in New Orleans at 3 time points: before Hurricane Katrina (2004–2005), in 2007, and in 2009. We combined existing directories with on-the-ground verification and geographic information system mapping to assess supermarket counts in the entire city. Existing disparities for African American neighborhoods worsened after the storm. Although improvements have been made, by 2009 disparities were no better than prestorm levels. PMID:21233432

  9. Confronting inequities: A scoping review of the literature on pharmacist practice and health-related disparities.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wenger, Lisa M; Rosenthal, Meagen; Sharpe, Jane Pearson; Waite, Nancy

    2016-01-01

    An expanding body of literature is exploring the presence and impact of health and health care disparities among marginalized populations. This research challenges policy makers, health professionals, and scholars to examine how unjust and avoidable inequities are created at the societal, institutional, and individual level, and explore strategies for mitigating challenges. Recognizing the significance of this broader conversation, this scoping review provides an overview of pharmacy-specific research attentive to health-related disparities. Following Arksey and O'Malley's framework, a rigorous screening process yielded 93 peer-reviewed and 23 grey literature articles, each analyzed for core themes. Lending critical insight to how pharmacy practice researchers are conceptualizing and measuring health inequities, this review highlights three paths of inquiry evident across this literature, including research focused on what pharmacists know about marginalized groups, how pharmacists perceive these groups, and how they provide services. Striving to drive research and practice forward, this review details research gaps and opportunities, including a need to expand the scope of research and integrate knowledge. As pharmacists endeavor to provide equitable and impactful patient care, it is essential to understand challenges, and build strong evidence for meaningful action. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  10. 76 FR 9340 - Mill Town Power Project; Notice of Preliminary Permit Application Accepted for Filing and...

    Science.gov (United States)

    2011-02-17

    ... DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Federal Energy Regulatory Commission [Project No. 13995-000] Mill Town Power Project; Notice of Preliminary Permit Application Accepted for Filing and Soliciting Comments, Motions To Intervene, and Competing Applications On January 4, 2011, Mill Town Power Project filed an application for a...

  11. Freight transport in towns. Main report; Godstransport i byer. Hovedrapport

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    1992-10-01

    The aim was to evaluate a number of possibilities for reducing energy consumption and thus air pollution caused by freight transport in urban areas. The Danish towns of Vejle and Roskilde were taken as examples and the two towns were compared with regard to the town plan, use of land area, the road network, amount of traffic and commercial structure. Economical aspects and the most important initiatives for improvements, including a decrease in traffic accidents, are discussed. These initiatives are coordination of transportation by firms, more drivers using the same vehicles, less frequent deliveries, optimazation of route planning, car sharing, special routes for lorries, traffic and speed control, better siting of new transport functions, re-siting of firms dependent on freight transport, the use of smaller vehicles where possible, no transport of people in trucks or vans, less use of bicycles for transporting messages, more use of underground pipes for transport of materials, lifting equipment for smaller vans and trucks, lifting equipment that is more flexible, motors turned off when loading and loading, reduction of emballage volume, and a more careful way of driving which can help to reduce energy consumption. A computer programme was constructed in order to calculate energy consumption in these relations, emission of hydrocarbons, carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides and particles, transportation costs and number of traffic accidents. Results are presented in detail and discussed. (AB) (78 refs.).

  12. Effect of Medicaid Managed Care on racial disparities in health care access.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cook, Benjamin Lê

    2007-02-01

    To evaluate the impact of Medicaid Managed Care (MMC) on racial disparities in access to care consistent with the Institute of Medicine (IOM) definition of racial disparity, which excludes differences stemming from health status but includes socioeconomic status (SES)-mediated differences. Secondary data from the Adult Samples of the 1997-2001 National Health Interview Survey, metropolitan statistical area (MSA)-level Medicaid Health Maintenance Organization (MHMO) market share from the 1997 to 2001 InterStudy MSA Trend Dataset, and MSA characteristics from the 1997 to 2001 Area Resource File. I estimate multivariate regression models to compare racial disparities in doctor visits, emergency room (ER) use, and having a usual source of care between enrollees in MMC and Medicaid Fee-for-Service (FFS) plans. To contend with potential selection bias, I use a difference-in-difference analytical strategy and assess the impact of greater MHMO market share at the MSA level on Medicaid enrollees' access measures. To implement the IOM definition of racial disparity, I adjust for health status but not SES factors using a novel method to transform the distribution of health status for minority populations to approximate the white health status distribution. MMC enrollment is associated with lowered disparities in having any doctor visit in the last year for blacks, and in having any usual source of care for both blacks and Hispanics. Increasing Medicaid HMO market share lowered disparities in having any doctor visits in the last year for both blacks and Hispanics. Although disparities in most other measures were not much affected, black-white ER use disparities exist among MMC enrollees and in areas of high MHMO market share. MMC programs' reduction of some disparities suggests that recent shifts in Medicaid policy toward managed care plans have benefited minority enrollees. Future research should investigate whether black-white disparities in ER use within MMC groups

  13. PLANNING STRUCTURE ANALYSIS OF SMALL TOWNS IN IRAN

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    M. M. Kashiripoor

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Planning structure of cities plays an important role in shaping their sustainable development while elaborating urban planning documentation (master plans and detailed plan projects. The existing studies of small towns in Iran reveal issues of architectural heritage and do not touch upon such peculiar features of small town planning as shape of their plan, network of streets, their configuration. It has not been established how a planning structure of a small city influences on its sustainable development.An inspection of 16 small towns of Iran has shown that the majority of the cities have a compact planning form which is due to flat relief, as well as the need for efficient use of valuable agricultural land. At the same time the paper demonstrates that territory development for building construction within city boundaries has unequal character. It has been determined that cities have very few green areas. Undeveloped wastelands owned by private individuals are often located close to densely developed areas. Such situation is due to specific features of the Iranian legislation that does not specify time terms for territory development. Parameters of urban road-street networks (width in red lines, presence of such transverse profile elements as landscaping along roadways do not correspond to the existing recommendations in Iran. Mixed or free system of streets is considered as the most common one and it is due to changes in urban conditions during the long process of development. Frequent network of narrow streets forms a system of small blocks of various shapes and needs to be improved. The majority of the inspected cities do not have bypass roads for freight transport, and there is also a transit transport through their historic centers.

  14. Micromorphological Approaches to the Formation and Biographies of Early Medieval Towns in Northwest Europe

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Wouters, Barbora

    Even after decades of intensive research, the complex stratigraphy of many early medieval and Viking towns in continental Europe remains poorly understood. Debate continues about crucial aspects such as their origins, the changes they underwent through time and, in some cases, their supposed...... on - the youngest early medieval urban phases 7. Post-depositional transformations This framework makes it possible to gain a deeper, more detailed understanding of the sites’ evolution through time as well their spatial organisation, and to mutually compare them without losing sight of their individual...... idiosyncrasies. At the same time, this approach bypasses a generalising discourse of early medieval towns. By juxtaposing the results of these five case studies with existing debates on early medieval towns, a number of set historical narratives can be challenged....

  15. Small towns as centres of rural micro-regions

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Vaishar, Antonín; Zapletalová, Jana

    2009-01-01

    Roč. 1, č. 2 (2009), s. 70-81 ISSN 1803-8417 Grant - others:Nadace Volkswagen(DE) RA2240/06 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z30860518 Keywords : small towns * periphery * Czechia Subject RIV: AP - Urban, Regional and Transport Planning http://versita.metapress.com/content/w7p7282292l48735/fulltext.pdf

  16. Regional new energy vision for Sakurae town; Sakuraecho chiiki shin energy vision

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    NONE

    2001-02-01

    The town is situated in a mountainous region typical of the Iwami district, Shimane Prefecture, rich in natural energy resources with as many as four hydroelectric power stations in service. Such local features were taken into account fully when a regional new energy vision was formulated for showing the town the course to follow for promoting the introduction of new energy which is environmentally friendly. The results of related efforts are described in eight chapters, which are (1) the outline of the vision, (2) survey of the trend of new energy, (3) description of Sakurae town, (4) townspeople's awareness of energy matters, (5) rate of energy consumption, (6) available amount of new energy, (7) basic policy for introducing new energy, and (8) projects for introducing new energy. Part (8) covers a photovoltaic project, wind power project, ligneous biomass energy introduction project, and the introduction of clean energy vehicles. Under the ligneous biomass energy introduction project, business profitability is discussed of a scrap wood fueled power plant. (NEDO)

  17. Piedramuelle Limestone in the building heritage of Oviedo, Spain, and adjacent towns.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cardenes Van den Eynde, Victor; Mateos, Felix Javier; Valdeon, Luis; Rojo, Araceli

    2017-04-01

    The Piedramuelle limestone has a very important representation in the building heritage of Oviedo, historical capital of Asturias (Spain) and surrounding towns. This argillaceous limestone has been quarried since the High Middle Ages until the beginning of the XX century. The main mineralogical components are carbonates (mainly calcite and sometimes ankerite, 70-90%), quartz (5-15%), terrigenous minerals (6-15%) and iron oxides (blocks and ashlars of the buildings. Some of the buildings constructed with Piedramuelle limestone are the Cathedral, the Old University and the Palaces from the XVII and XVIII centuries. The ambiance and historical architecture of Oviedo and adjacent towns is closely linked with the textures and colors of this stone. Nowadays, the Piedramuelle limestone is not exploited anymore, being the quarries exhausted. This represents an issue from a conservation point of view, since there is not a suitable stone for replacement. In order to preserve and maintain the building heritage of these towns, it is very important to prospect and protect the remaining outcrops still able to supply this characteristic stone.

  18. Temperature breaks within fruit reefer containers in the Cape Town ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    kirstam

    Key words: fruit exports; reefer containers; cold chain; Cape Town Container ... challenges required for maintaining high product quality when exporting large ... perishable products due to the availability of a range of temperature settings.

  19. In-town dispersion calculations with RIMPUFF and UDM

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Astrup, P.; Thykier-Nielsen, S.; Mikkelsen, Torben

    2005-11-01

    Input to ERMIN, deposition of radioactive matter inside inhabited areas from releases both within and outside such areas, shall in a decision support system be produced by dispersion codes, followed by data-assimilation. The present work focuses on the differences in near surface concentrations and in depositions obtained with a code designed for dispersion of a release from a nuclear power plant, typically situated at a distance from densely inhabited areas, and a code specifically designed for predicting dispersion from sources inside urban areas. The codes applied are the RIMPUFF code, RIsoe Mesoscale PUFF model from Risoe National Laboratory, Denmark, and the UDM code, Urban Dispersion Model, from 'dstl', Defence Science and Technology Laboratory, Porton Down, United Kingdom. For an above-town release only small differences are seen between the codes, but for a in-town ground release, e.g. a dirty bomb, the UDM code predicts much larger concentrations in an area close to the release point and, if wind shifts occur, gives a rather different plume all over. (au)

  20. Prioritizing health disparities in medical education to improve care

    Science.gov (United States)

    Awosogba, Temitope; Betancourt, Joseph R.; Conyers, F. Garrett; Estapé, Estela S.; Francois, Fritz; Gard, Sabrina J.; Kaufman, Arthur; Lunn, Mitchell R.; Nivet, Marc A.; Oppenheim, Joel D.; Pomeroy, Claire; Yeung, Howa

    2015-01-01

    Despite yearly advances in life-saving and preventive medicine, as well as strategic approaches by governmental and social agencies and groups, significant disparities remain in health, health quality, and access to health care within the United States. The determinants of these disparities include baseline health status, race and ethnicity, culture, gender identity and expression, socioeconomic status, region or geography, sexual orientation, and age. In order to renew the commitment of the medical community to address health disparities, particularly at the medical school level, we must remind ourselves of the roles of doctors and medical schools as the gatekeepers and the value setters for medicine. Within those roles are responsibilities toward the social mission of working to eliminate health disparities. This effort will require partnerships with communities as well as with academic centers to actively develop and to implement diversity and inclusion strategies. Besides improving the diversity of trainees in the pipeline, access to health care can be improved, and awareness can be raised regarding population-based health inequalities. PMID:23659676

  1. Prioritizing health disparities in medical education to improve care.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Awosogba, Temitope; Betancourt, Joseph R; Conyers, F Garrett; Estapé, Estela S; Francois, Fritz; Gard, Sabrina J; Kaufman, Arthur; Lunn, Mitchell R; Nivet, Marc A; Oppenheim, Joel D; Pomeroy, Claire; Yeung, Howa

    2013-05-01

    Despite yearly advances in life-saving and preventive medicine, as well as strategic approaches by governmental and social agencies and groups, significant disparities remain in health, health quality, and access to health care within the United States. The determinants of these disparities include baseline health status, race and ethnicity, culture, gender identity and expression, socioeconomic status, region or geography, sexual orientation, and age. In order to renew the commitment of the medical community to address health disparities, particularly at the medical school level, we must remind ourselves of the roles of doctors and medical schools as the gatekeepers and the value setters for medicine. Within those roles are responsibilities toward the social mission of working to eliminate health disparities. This effort will require partnerships with communities as well as with academic centers to actively develop and to implement diversity and inclusion strategies. Besides improving the diversity of trainees in the pipeline, access to health care can be improved, and awareness can be raised regarding population-based health inequalities. © 2013 New York Academy of Sciences.

  2. New energy visions for the Town of Naie district. Human-friendly Town of Naie City by environment-friendly energies; Naiemachi chiiki shin energy vision. Kankyo ni yasashii energy ga tsukuru hito ni yasashii machi Naie

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    NONE

    2001-03-01

    The new energy visions are drawn for Town of Naie, Sorachi-gun in Hokkaido, where the industrial sector (manufacturing industries) consumes more than 60% of the total energy consumption. By energy type, oil and others account for 80%. When arranged in the order of expected recoverable quantity, the new energies for the town include utilization of solar energy, photovoltaic power generation, wind power generation, and utilization of wastes, biomass energy (agricultural products) and snow energy. The basic guidelines for introduction of new energies are for health and welfare, clearing and utilization of snow, environmental education and bringing up talented persons, supporting the related entrepreneurs, and integration of new energy with promotion of energy-saving movement. The priority projects the town plans to promote include utilization of biogas and temperature-differential energy for the town's water purification center; foundation of the Naie eco-school; and drawing conceptions for utilization of underground heat, utilization of low-temperature and snow/ice energy, co-energy around the spa of Naie, and mega-solar and eco-park at the Sorachi housing complex. (NEDO)

  3. New energy visions for the Town of Naie district. Human-friendly Town of Naie City by environment-friendly energies; Naiemachi chiiki shin energy vision. Kankyo ni yasashii energy ga tsukuru hito ni yasashii machi Naie

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    NONE

    2001-03-01

    The new energy visions are drawn for Town of Naie, Sorachi-gun in Hokkaido, where the industrial sector (manufacturing industries) consumes more than 60% of the total energy consumption. By energy type, oil and others account for 80%. When arranged in the order of expected recoverable quantity, the new energies for the town include utilization of solar energy, photovoltaic power generation, wind power generation, and utilization of wastes, biomass energy (agricultural products) and snow energy. The basic guidelines for introduction of new energies are for health and welfare, clearing and utilization of snow, environmental education and bringing up talented persons, supporting the related entrepreneurs, and integration of new energy with promotion of energy-saving movement. The priority projects the town plans to promote include utilization of biogas and temperature-differential energy for the town's water purification center; foundation of the Naie eco-school; and drawing conceptions for utilization of underground heat, utilization of low-temperature and snow/ice energy, co-energy around the spa of Naie, and mega-solar and eco-park at the Sorachi housing complex. (NEDO)

  4. Racial Disparities in Access to Care Under Conditions of Universal Coverage.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Siddiqi, Arjumand A; Wang, Susan; Quinn, Kelly; Nguyen, Quynh C; Christy, Antony Dennis

    2016-02-01

    Racial disparities in access to regular health care have been reported in the U.S., but little is known about the extent of disparities in societies with universal coverage. To investigate the extent of racial disparities in access to care under conditions of universal coverage by observing the association between race and regular access to a doctor in Canada. Racial disparities in access to a regular doctor were calculated using the largest available source of nationally representative data in Canada--the Canadian Community Health Survey. Surveys from 2000-2010 were analyzed in 2014. Multinomial regression analyses predicted odds of having a regular doctor for each racial group compared to whites. Analyses were stratified by immigrant status--Canadian-born versus shorter-term immigrant versus longer-term immigrants--and controlled for sociodemographics and self-rated health. Racial disparities in Canada, a country with universal coverage, were far more muted than those previously reported in the U.S. Only among longer-term Latin American immigrants (OR=1.90, 95% CI=1.45, 2.08) and Canadian-born Aboriginals (OR=1.34, 95% CI=1.22, 1.47) were significant disparities noted. Among shorter-term immigrants, all Asians were more likely than whites, and among longer-term immigrants, South Asians were more like than whites, to have a regular doctor. Universal coverage may have a major impact on reducing racial disparities in access to health care, although among some subgroups, other factors may also play a role above and beyond health insurance. Copyright © 2016 American Journal of Preventive Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  5. Injured pedestrians in Cape Town - the role of alcohol

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    pedestrians and attempt to define the role which alcohol plays in this ... Forensic Chemistry Laboratory, Department of National Health, Cape. Town. J. Monis .... Short term « 8 wks). 80. 40.8. 47. 39.2. 33. 43.4. Long tenn (;;. 8 wks). 54 27.6.

  6. prevalence of hypertension and associated factors in bedele town

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    GB

    2014-01-01

    Jan 1, 2014 ... and its risk factors among adults in Bedele Town, South-west Ethiopia. METHOD: A community-based cross-sectional survey was ... Measurements of their blood pressure, body weight, height, and waist ... prevalence in urban areas, its frequent under- ... sphygmomanometer and stethoscope after the.

  7. The mass miniature chest radiography programme in Cape Town ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Background. Tuberculosis (TB) control programmes rely mainly on passive detection of symptomatic individuals. The resurgence of TB has rekindled interest in active case finding. Cape Town (South Africa) had a mass miniature radiography (MMR) screening programme from 1948 to 1994. Objective. To evaluate screening ...

  8. Green Infrastructure Implementation Strategy for the Town of Franklin, Massachusetts

    Science.gov (United States)

    The report outlines best techniques for the Town, based on land uses and physical constraints, experience with the implementation of existing practices, and the findings of recently completed reviews of current programs and practices.

  9. [The dynamics of heath indicators of population of industrial town].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kalinkin, D E; Karpov, A B; Takhauov, R M; Samoĭlova, Iu A

    2013-01-01

    The article presents the results of analysis of dynamics of health indicators of population of industrial town (medical demographic indicators, disability, morbidity of social hygienically important diseases) during 1970-2010. The classified administrative territorial municipality of Seversk constructed near the Siberian chemical industrial center, the internationally first-rate complex of nuclear industry enterprises was used as a research base. It is demonstrated that dynamics of health indicators of studied population had such negative tendencies as rapid population ageing, population loss due to decrease of natality and increase of mortality (population of able-bodied age included), prevalence of cardio-vascular diseases, malignant neoplasms and external causes, chronization of diseases. The established tendencies are to be considered in management decision making targeted to support and promote population health in industrial towns.

  10. Why Devil's town has Devil's water

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jovic, Sladjana; Mitriceski, Bojana

    2015-04-01

    Why Devil's town has Devil's water In the south of Serbia, lies a first-class natural landmark "Devil's Town" at an altitude of 660-700 m. Earthen figures or "towers" as the locals call them, are located in the watershed between two gullies, whose sources joined together create a unique erosive formation, tremendously demolished by the erosive processes. The gullies also have strange names: "Devil's Gully" and "Hell's Gully". There are two rare natural phenomena at the same spot: 202 earthen figures of different shape and dimension, from 2 m to 15 m in height, and from 0.5 m to 3 m in width, with stone caps on the top. They are an outcome of a specific erosive process that lasts for centuries. When figures are formed, they grow, change, shorten, gradually (very slowly) disappear and reappear. The loose soil is dissolved and washed away by the rain. However, the material under the stone caps is protected from the "bombardment" of the rain drops and washout, and remains in place in the form of the rising earthen pillars - figures. Another natural rarity in "Devil's Town" are two springs of extraordinary properties "Devil's Water", which is located in vicinity of these earthen figures, is a cold and extremely acid spring (pH 1.5) of high mineral concentration (15 g/l of water), springing out in "Devil's Gully". In comparison to drinking water, it is 10 to 1000 times richer in minerals (aluminium, iron, potassium, copper, nickel, sulphur, and alaun). "Red Well" is another spring located downstream, in the alluvial plain, 400 m away from the first spring. Its water (pH 3.5) is less acid and has a lower general mineral concentration (4.372 mg/l of water). Due to the oxidation of iron, which is contained in water in large amounts, an attractive red terrace in the form of a fan is created. The main assessment for students is to take some examples of water from Devils Gully and the others from Red Well . Second part is to find out content of minerals in water examples and

  11. An Analysis of Wind Power Development in the Town of Hull, MA

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Adams, Christopher

    2013-06-30

    Over the past three decades the Town of Hull, MA has solidified its place in U.S. wind energy history through its leadership in community-based generation. This is illustrated by its commissioning of the first commercial-scale wind turbine on the Atlantic coastline, the first suburban-sited turbine in the continental United States, pursuit of community-based offshore wind, and its push toward creating an energy independent community. The town's history and demographics are briefly outlined, followed by experience in projects to provide wind power, including pre-construction and feasibility efforts, financial aspects, and market/industry factors.

  12. Challenges and Recommendation for Organizing the Traffic in the Down Town Ferizaj

    OpenAIRE

    , F. Isufi; , A. Hashani; , S. Bulliqi; , F. Humolli

    2016-01-01

    The area “down town” is located in the middle of the town. In this area began initially the settlement: like train station, dosshouses, handicrafts shops and other shops. This area was having 20 h, with good and functional road net, where 5.5 km was paved road along with side walks and 60.000 m² or 30 % of a total area (Hashani A 2006). However, the growth of town as well the large numbers of social buildings as well as the number of inhabitants has caused a fact that the large number in this...

  13. Ambient air quality in Lower Town Quebec

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sebez, S.

    2007-01-01

    A municipal waste incinerator near Lower Town Quebec has been identified as a major source of air pollution, notably emissions of dioxins, furans, nitrogen oxides (NOx), volatile organic matter (VOC) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH). Combustion fumes contain gases such as carbon monoxide (CO), carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) and sulphur dioxide (SO 2 ), as well as dusts, fly ash and particulate matter that is easily airborne. The risks associated with poor air quality have been evaluated along with the effects of pollutants on young children, pregnant women, senior citizens and those with cardiac problems. Some studies have reported that exposure to NOx may cause lung cancer and certain VOCs can irritate the respiratory tract system. Air quality tests have also revealed the presence of mercury. In combination, all these pollutants create smog. The concrete actions that have been taken to address smog issues were discussed. The distance between the incinerator and different residential areas within Lower Town Quebec have been measured along with air quality. Health risks were found to be higher in areas closer to the incinerator. Major modifications have been recommended in order to reduce pollution emissions from the incinerator. These include modernizing the equipment, installing proper scrubbers, and to ultimately the close the incinerator if it continues to underperform. refs., tabs., figs

  14. Gender disparities in completing school education in India: Analyzing regional variations

    OpenAIRE

    Husain, Zakir

    2010-01-01

    Is gender disparity greater in North India? This paper seeks to answer this question by examining gender differences in probability of completing school education across regions in India. A Gender Disparity Index is calculated using National Sample Survey Organization unit level data from the 61st Round and regional variations in this index analyzed to examine the hypothesis that gender disparity is greater in the North, comparative to the rest of India. This is followed by an econometric exe...

  15. Contribution of screening and survival differences to racial disparities in colorectal cancer rates

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lansdorp-Vogelaar, Iris; Kuntz, Karen M.; Knudsen, Amy B.; van Ballegooijen, Marjolein; Zauber, Ann G.; Jemal, Ahmedin

    2012-01-01

    Background Considerable disparities exist in colorectal cancer (CRC) incidence and mortality rates between blacks and whites in the US. We estimated how much of these disparities could be explained by differences in CRC screening and stage-specific relative CRC survival. Methods We used the MISCAN-Colon microsimulation model to estimate CRC incidence and mortality rates in blacks aged 50 years and older from 1975 to 2007 assuming they had: 1) the same trends in screening rates as whites instead of observed screening rates (incidence and mortality); and 2) the same trends in stage-specific relative CRC survival rates as whites instead of observed (mortality only); and 3) a combination of both. The racial disparities in CRC incidence and mortality rates attributable to differences in screening and/or stage-specific relative CRC survival were then calculated by comparing rates from these scenarios to the observed black rates. Results Differences in screening account for 42% of disparity in CRC incidence and 19% of disparity in CRC mortality between blacks and whites. 36% of the disparity in CRC mortality could be attributed to differences in stage-specific relative CRC survival. Together screening and survival explained a little over 50% of the disparity in CRC mortality between blacks and whites. Conclusion Differences in screening and relative CRC survival are responsible for a considerable proportion of the observed disparities in CRC incidence and mortality rates between blacks and whites. Impact Enabling blacks to achieve equal access to care as whites could substantially reduce the racial disparities in CRC burden. PMID:22514249

  16. Variable disparity-motion estimation based fast three-view video coding

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bae, Kyung-Hoon; Kim, Seung-Cheol; Hwang, Yong Seok; Kim, Eun-Soo

    2009-02-01

    In this paper, variable disparity-motion estimation (VDME) based 3-view video coding is proposed. In the encoding, key-frame coding (KFC) based motion estimation and variable disparity estimation (VDE) for effectively fast three-view video encoding are processed. These proposed algorithms enhance the performance of 3-D video encoding/decoding system in terms of accuracy of disparity estimation and computational overhead. From some experiments, stereo sequences of 'Pot Plant' and 'IVO', it is shown that the proposed algorithm's PSNRs is 37.66 and 40.55 dB, and the processing time is 0.139 and 0.124 sec/frame, respectively.

  17. Leveling off the energy demand. Air conditioning by town gas NEXT STAGE. Energy juyo no heijunka wo motomete. Gas reibo NEXT STAGE

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Watanabe, K. (Keio Univ., Tokyo (Japan). Faculty of Science and Technology)

    1994-07-01

    Utilizing various types of energy with combining them rationally is now drawing attention. One of these types of energy is the town gas. The air conditioning by town gas draws a special attention. The town gas is characterized by environmental conservation, energy saving, and comfortability. The town gas does not contain sulfur compounds which cause the acid rain. The town gas produces the least amount of carbon dioxide among all the fossil fuel. The air conditioning by the town gas is getting popular. Examples are Tokyo Dome in Tokyo, Pavilion Plaza, a new shopping spot in Fukuoka, Umeda Sky Building in Osaka, Dai-ich Apparel Center in Tokyo, Ohno Memorial Hospital in Osaka, Nagoya Municipal Integrated Stadium in Nagoya, Meguro-Gajoen in Tokyo, and New Yomiuri-Shimbun Building in Sapporo. 41 figs.

  18. 75 FR 66114 - National Center on Minority Health and Health Disparities; Notice of Closed Meeting

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-10-27

    ... Health and Health Disparities; Notice of Closed Meeting Pursuant to section 10(d) of the Federal Advisory... and Health Disparities Special Emphasis Panel; NCMHD Health Disparities Research on Minority and... Review Officer, National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities, 6707 Democracy Boulevard...

  19. 75 FR 12766 - National Center on Minority Health and Health Disparities; Notice of Closed Meetings

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-03-17

    ... Health and Health Disparities; Notice of Closed Meetings Pursuant to section 10(d) of the Federal... and Health Disparities Special Emphasis Panel Loan Repayment Program for Health Disparities Research... Review, National Center on Minority Health and Health Disparities, 6707 Democracy Boulevard, Suite 800...

  20. Unintended pregnancy and induced abortion in a town with ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in Harrar town in southeast Ethiopia where family planning services are relatively easily accessible. The study was carried out in nine kebeles (smallest administrative units), selected from three woredas (districts). A multistage sampling technique was used to select females ...

  1. Supernumerary registrar experience at the University of Cape Town ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Background. Despite supernumerary registrars (SNRs) being hosted in South African (SA) training programmes, there are no reports of their experience. Objectives. To evaluate the experience of SNRs at the University of Cape Town, SA, and the experience of SNRs from the perspective of. SA registrars (SARs). Methods.

  2. Integrated energy and waste water solutions to solve small town municipal service delivery problems in South Africa

    CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

    Du Plessis, C

    2010-02-01

    Full Text Available Providing municipal services such as electricity and waste water treatment is a major challenge for small towns that often lack the institutional capacity to manage and maintain the necessary infrastructure. High levels of poverty in these towns...

  3. Foreign University Involvement in Sustainable New Town Planning in Provincial China

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    David. J. Edelman

    Full Text Available ABSTRACT: Recent concern with sustainable urban development has focused on the widespread development of new towns and the expansion of cities throughout China. In recent decades, an increasing number of planning and design professionals in the United States and Europe have undertaken consulting work in China. This study examines the first instance of a Chinese city funding an American academic planning unit to create a conceptual plan for a new town. The School of Planning from the University of Cincinnati was commissioned to prepare the conceptual plan for the Anyang Eastern New Town. Prior to the drafting of the plan, faculty and students visited the site on a reconnaissance and data gathering mission, undertook research and studio work, organized presentations, and navigated the labyrinthine bureaucracy at the local, provincial, and national levels. These experiences differ considerably from those encountered in places such as Shanghai and the southern coastal plain region. This article identifies a number of issues that play a key role in the success of projects involving American or European Universities in conjunction with the Chinese government, particularly provincial authorities. This paper provides a valuable reference for any organization involved in such undertakings. KEYWORDS: Chinese urban planning, sustainable urban design, provincial planning

  4. Disparities in criminal court referrals to drug treatment and prison for minority men.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nicosia, Nancy; Macdonald, John M; Arkes, Jeremy

    2013-06-01

    We investigated the extent to which racial/ethnic disparities in prison and diversion to drug treatment were explained by current arrest and criminal history characteristics among drug-involved offenders, and whether those disparities decreased after California's Proposition 36, which mandated first- and second-time nonviolent drug offenders drug treatment instead of prison. We analyzed administrative data on approximately 170,000 drug-involved arrests in California between 1995 and 2005. We examined odds ratios from logistic regressions for prison and diversion across racial/ethnic groups before and after Proposition 36. We found significant disparities in prison and diversion for Blacks and Hispanics relative to Whites. These disparities decreased after controlling for current arrest and criminal history characteristics for Blacks. Proposition 36 was also associated with a reduction in disparities, but more so for Hispanics than Blacks. Disparities in prison and diversion to drug treatment among drug-involved offenders affect hundreds of thousands of citizens and might reinforce imbalances in criminal justice and health outcomes. Our study indicated that standardized criminal justice policies that improved access to drug treatment might contribute to alleviating some share of these disparities.

  5. Report on new energy vision in Utazu Town area (aiming at building town where people and nature live together); Utazucho chiiki shin energy vision hokokusho. Ningen to shizen no kyoseisuru machizukuri wo mezashite

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    NONE

    2001-02-01

    A new energy vision was established in Utazu Town in Miyagi Prefecture. The population of the town is decreasing year after year to 5,905 persons in fiscal 1996. The industrial structure has the ratio of primary, secondary, and tertiary industries at 43:26:31 in 1995, wherein the marine products industry is the basic industry. The annual energy consumption of the town in fiscal 1998 is 69,950 Gcal, and is accounted for by the transportation department at 48.8%, the consumer and household department at 29.9%, the consumer business department at 12.4%, and the industrial department at 8.7%. Evaluation on utilizable quantity of new energies revealed 9,925 MWh annually by wind power generation, 1,000 MWh annually by small to medium hydropower generation, 33,033 GJ annually by bio-mass, and 11,565 GJ annually by refuses. The new energy introducing project includes utilization of photovoltaic power generation at the Road Station, the town office, the public hall, primary and middle schools, fishing boats, fishery cultivation and fishing industry, introduction of wind power generation into the Tazukayama sightseeing road, introduction of small to medium hydropower generation into the Harai River dam, introduction of clean energy type community buses, and introduction of cogeneration system to the meal supply center. (NEDO)

  6. Feminist intersectionality: bringing social justice to health disparities research.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rogers, Jamie; Kelly, Ursula A

    2011-05-01

    The principles of autonomy, beneficence, non-maleficence, and justice are well established ethical principles in health research. Of these principles, justice has received less attention by health researchers. The purpose of this article is to broaden the discussion of health research ethics, particularly the ethical principle of justice, to include societal considerations--who and what are studied and why?--and to critique current applications of ethical principles within this broader view. We will use a feminist intersectional approach in the context of health disparities research to firmly establish inseparable links between health research ethics, social action, and social justice. The aim is to provide an ethical approach to health disparities research that simultaneously describes and seeks to eliminate health disparities. © The Author(s) 2011

  7. Conditions for sports activities in selected organisations for disabled individuals in the town Teplice

    OpenAIRE

    Shaymardanova, Karina

    2010-01-01

    3 ABSTRACT Name: Conditions for sports activities in selected organisations for disabled individuals in the town of Teplice. Aim of the work: Monitoring sports activities as a socialisation factor for integration and socialisation of individuals with disabilities caused by poliomyelitis in the selected town of Teplice. Another objective was to describe conditions of sports activities and to determine opinions of handicapped individuals on attendance at sports groups in selected centres as wel...

  8. 75 FR 9421 - National Center on Minority Health and Health Disparities; Notice of Closed Meeting

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-03-02

    ... Health and Health Disparities; Notice of Closed Meeting Pursuant to section 10(d) of the Federal Advisory... and Health Disparities Special Emphasis Panel; Loan Repayment Program for Health Disparities Research..., National Center on Minority Health and Health Disparities, 6707 Democracy Boulevard, Suite 800, Bethesda...

  9. Solving Disparities Through Payment And Delivery System Reform: A Program To Achieve Health Equity.

    Science.gov (United States)

    DeMeester, Rachel H; Xu, Lucy J; Nocon, Robert S; Cook, Scott C; Ducas, Andrea M; Chin, Marshall H

    2017-06-01

    Payment systems generally do not directly encourage or support the reduction of health disparities. In 2013 the Finding Answers: Solving Disparities through Payment and Delivery System Reform program of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation sought to understand how alternative payment models might intentionally incorporate a disparities-reduction component to promote health equity. A qualitative analysis of forty proposals to the program revealed that applicants generally did not link payment reform tightly to disparities reduction. Most proposed general pay-for-performance, global payment, or shared savings plans, combined with multicomponent system interventions. None of the applicants proposed making any financial payments contingent on having successfully reduced disparities. Most applicants did not address how they would optimize providers' intrinsic and extrinsic motivation to reduce disparities. A better understanding of how payment and care delivery models might be designed and implemented to reduce health disparities is essential. Project HOPE—The People-to-People Health Foundation, Inc.

  10. Integrated water resource planning in the city of Cape Town

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    driniev

    supply (at a 98% level of assurance) in 1999. Should ... WDM policy. The WDM Policy is based on three broad principles namely that ... and Cape Town Water Services. ... audit of all schools, which includes implementing some immediate.

  11. Getting Under the Skin: Children's Health Disparities as Embodiment of Social Class.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kramer, Michael R; Schneider, Eric B; Kane, Jennifer B; Margerison-Zilko, Claire; Jones-Smith, Jessica; King, Katherine; Davis-Kean, Pamela; Grzywacz, Joseph G

    2017-10-01

    Social class gradients in children's health and development are ubiquitous across time and geography. The authors develop a conceptual framework relating three actions of class-material allocation, salient group identity, and inter-group conflict-to the reproduction of class-based disparities in child health. A core proposition is that the actions of class stratification create variation in children's mesosystems and microsystems in distinct locations in the ecology of everyday life. Variation in mesosystems (e.g., health care, neighborhoods) and microsystems (e.g., family structure, housing) become manifest in a wide variety of specific experiences and environments that produce the behavioral and biological antecedents to health and disease among children. The framework is explored via a review of theoretical and empirical contributions from multiple disciplines and high-priority areas for future research are highlighted.

  12. Disparities in Birth Weight and Gestational Age by Ethnic Ancestry in South American countries

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wehby, George L.; Gili, Juan A.; Pawluk, Mariela; Castilla, Eduardo E.; López-Camelo, Jorge S.

    2015-01-01

    Objective We examine disparities in birth weight and gestational age by ethnic ancestry in 2000–2011 in eight South American countries. Methods The sample included 60480 singleton live-births. Regression models were estimated to evaluate differences in birth outcomes by ethnic ancestry controlling for time trends. Results Significant disparities were found in seven countries. In four countries – Brazil, Ecuador, Uruguay, and Venezuela – we found significant disparities in both low birth weight and preterm birth. Disparities in preterm birth alone were observed in Argentina, Bolivia, and Colombia. Several differences in continuous birth weight, gestational age, and fetal growth rate were also observed. There were no systematic patterns of disparities between the evaluated ethnic ancestry groups across the study countries, in that no racial/ethnic group consistently had the best or worst outcomes in all countries. Conclusions Racial/ethnic disparities in infant health are common in several South American countries. Differences across countries suggest that racial/ethnic disparities are driven by social and economic mechanisms. Researchers and policymakers should acknowledge these disparities and develop research and policy programs to effectively target them. PMID:25542227

  13. The 21st Century Cures Act Implications for the Reduction of Racial Health Disparities in the US Criminal Justice System: a Public Health Approach.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cole, Donna M; Thomas, Dawna Marie; Field, Kelsi; Wool, Amelia; Lipiner, Taryn; Massenberg, Natalie; Guthrie, Barbara J

    2017-11-09

    Past drug epidemics have disproportionately criminalized drug addiction among African Americans, leading to disparate health outcomes, increased rates of HIV/AIDS, and mass incarceration. Conversely, the current opioid addiction crisis in the USA focuses primarily on white communities and is being addressed as a public health problem. The 21st Century Cures Act has the potential to reduce racial health disparities in the criminal justice system through the Act's public health approach to addiction and mental health issues. The 21st Century Cures Act is a progressive step in the right direction; however, given the historical context of segregation and the criminalization of drug addiction among African Americans, the goals of health equity are at risk of being compromised. This paper discusses the implications of this landmark legislation and its potential to decrease racial health disparities, highlighting the importance of ensuring that access to treatment and alternatives to incarceration must include communities of color. In this paper, the authors explain the key components of the 21st Century Cures Act that are specific to criminal justice reform, including a key objective, which is treatment over incarceration. We suggest that without proper attention to how, and where, funding mechanisms are distributed, the 21st Century Cures Act has the potential to increase racial health disparities rather than alleviate them.

  14. The first 50Myr of dinosaur evolution: macroevolutionary pattern and morphological disparity.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Brusatte, Stephen L; Benton, Michael J; Ruta, Marcello; Lloyd, Graeme T

    2008-12-23

    The evolutionary radiation of dinosaurs in the Late Triassic and Early Jurassic was a pivotal event in the Earth's history but is poorly understood, as previous studies have focused on vague driving mechanisms and have not untangled different macroevolutionary components (origination, diversity, abundance and disparity). We calculate the morphological disparity (morphospace occupation) of dinosaurs throughout the Late Triassic and Early Jurassic and present new measures of taxonomic diversity. Crurotarsan archosaurs, the primary dinosaur 'competitors', were significantly more disparate than dinosaurs throughout the Triassic, but underwent a devastating extinction at the Triassic-Jurassic boundary. However, dinosaur disparity showed only a slight non-significant increase after this event, arguing against the hypothesis of ecological release-driven morphospace expansion in the Early Jurassic. Instead, the main jump in dinosaur disparity occurred between the Carnian and Norian stages of the Triassic. Conversely, dinosaur diversity shows a steady increase over this time, and measures of diversification and faunal abundance indicate that the Early Jurassic was a key episode in dinosaur evolution. Thus, different aspects of the dinosaur radiation (diversity, disparity and abundance) were decoupled, and the overall macroevolutionary pattern of the first 50Myr of dinosaur evolution is more complex than often considered.

  15. Translating Research into Policy: Reducing Breast Cancer Disparities in Illinois

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dr. Carol Ferrans is internationally recognized for her work in disparities in health care and quality of life outcomes. She has a distinguished record of research that includes major grants funded by three institutes of the National Institutes of Health (National Cancer Institute, National Institute for Minority Health and Health Disparities, and National Institute for Nursing Research).    Dr. Ferrans’ work has been instrumental in reducing the disparity in breast cancer mortality Chicago, which at its peak was among the worst in the nation.  Efforts led by Dr. Ferrans and colleagues led directly to statewide legislation, to address the multifaceted causes of black/white disparity in deaths from breast cancer.  She was one of the founders of the Metropolitan Chicago Breast Cancer Task Force (MCBCTF), leading the team focusing on barriers to mammography screening, to identify reasons for the growing disparity in breast cancer mortality. Their findings (citing Ferrans’ research and others) and recommendations for action were translated directly into the Illinois Reducing Breast Cancer Disparities Act and two additional laws strengthening the Act.  These laws and other statewide efforts have improved access to screening and quality of mammography throughout the Illinois. In addition, Dr. Ferrans and her team identified cultural beliefs contributing to later stage diagnosis of breast cancer in African American and Latino women in Chicago, and most importantly, showed that these beliefs can be changed.  They reached more than 8,000 African American women in Chicago with a short film on DVD, which was effective in changing beliefs and promoting screening.  Her team’s published findings were cited by the American Cancer Society in their guidelines for breast cancer screening.  The Chicago black/white disparity in breast cancer deaths has decreased by 35% since the MCBCTF first released its report, according to data from the Illinois Department of Public

  16. Life style and home environment are associated with racial disparities of asthma and allergy in Northeast Texas children

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Sun, Yuexia, E-mail: ysun@engr.psu.edu [Texas Institute of Allergy, Indoor Environment and Energy (TxAIRE), University of Texas at Tyler, 3900 University Blvd, Tyler, Tx 75799 (United States); Architecture Engineering Department, Pennsylvania State University, 104 Engineering Unit A, State College, PA 16802 (United States); Sundell, Jan, E-mail: ja.sundell@gmail.com [Dept of Building Science, Tsinghua University, Haidian District, Beijing City 100084 (China); The Faculty of Urban Construction and Environmental Engineering, Chongqing University, Shapingba District, Chongqing City 400030 (China)

    2011-09-15

    A high prevalence and racial disparities in asthma and allergy have been observed in American children. This study aimed to identify risk factors for asthma and allergy among children, and their contribution to racial disparities in allergy prevalence. A population-based cross-sectional study was carried out among children aged 1-8 years in Northeast Texas 2008-2009. The health conditions, life style and home environment of 3766 children were surveyed by parental questionnaires through e.g. daycares, elementary school, and medical clinics. Among participants who indicated their ethnicity, 255 were Mexican-Americans, 178 Afro-Americans and 969 Caucasians. Afro-American children had a significantly higher prevalence of asthma and eczema. Caucasian had the highest prevalence of rhinitis. Compared to Mexican-American children, Afro-American and Caucasian children were breast fed shorter time, more often went to day care center, had pets and environmental tobacco smoke exposure at home more often. For all children, being at a day care center, being exposed to dampness and environmental tobacco smoke at home were strong risk factors for asthma and allergy. Central air conditioning system was associated with an increased prevalence of wheeze among Mexican-American children, while pets were associated with an increased risk of rhinitis among Afro-American and Caucasian children. Caucasian children were generally not healthier than relatively poor Mexican-American children. Differences in the prevalence of asthma and allergy between races cannot be explained by socioeconomic status only. Life style and home environmental exposures are important risk factors for asthma and allergy in Northeast Texas children. - Highlights: {yields} This is a general population cross-sectional study in Northeast Texas. {yields} Racial disparity of allergy cannot be explained by socioeconomic status only. {yields} Life style and home environment caused racial disparity of allergy in children

  17. Life style and home environment are associated with racial disparities of asthma and allergy in Northeast Texas children

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sun, Yuexia; Sundell, Jan

    2011-01-01

    A high prevalence and racial disparities in asthma and allergy have been observed in American children. This study aimed to identify risk factors for asthma and allergy among children, and their contribution to racial disparities in allergy prevalence. A population-based cross-sectional study was carried out among children aged 1-8 years in Northeast Texas 2008-2009. The health conditions, life style and home environment of 3766 children were surveyed by parental questionnaires through e.g. daycares, elementary school, and medical clinics. Among participants who indicated their ethnicity, 255 were Mexican-Americans, 178 Afro-Americans and 969 Caucasians. Afro-American children had a significantly higher prevalence of asthma and eczema. Caucasian had the highest prevalence of rhinitis. Compared to Mexican-American children, Afro-American and Caucasian children were breast fed shorter time, more often went to day care center, had pets and environmental tobacco smoke exposure at home more often. For all children, being at a day care center, being exposed to dampness and environmental tobacco smoke at home were strong risk factors for asthma and allergy. Central air conditioning system was associated with an increased prevalence of wheeze among Mexican-American children, while pets were associated with an increased risk of rhinitis among Afro-American and Caucasian children. Caucasian children were generally not healthier than relatively poor Mexican-American children. Differences in the prevalence of asthma and allergy between races cannot be explained by socioeconomic status only. Life style and home environmental exposures are important risk factors for asthma and allergy in Northeast Texas children. - Highlights: → This is a general population cross-sectional study in Northeast Texas. → Racial disparity of allergy cannot be explained by socioeconomic status only. → Life style and home environment caused racial disparity of allergy in children. → Daycare

  18. Methamphetamine use and sexual risk behaviour in Cape Town ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Objective: Community studies and studies of admissions to drug treatment centers indicate a dramatic increase in the prevalence of methamphetamine use in Cape Town since 2003. There has also been a substantial increase over this time period in the prevalence of HIV infection among women attending public antenatal ...

  19. DRUG ABUSE IN KISUMU TOWN WESTERN KENYA Otieno AO ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    drug abuse among secondary school students in nine schools in Kisumu town, ... Kenya. The objective of this study was to determine the effect of age, gender and peer .... A preliminary survey of drug abuse was conducted among secondary school ..... illegal and medically prescribed psychotropic drugs from adolescence to.

  20. Regional new energy vision for Tadami Town; 2001 nendo Tadami machi chiiki shin energy vision

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    NONE

    2002-02-01

    For promoting the introduction of new energy and for enhancing people's consciousness of such at Tadami Town, Fukushima Prefecture, surveys and studies were conducted involving the energy demand characteristics of the town, the amount of new energy resources in existence, and new energy introduction projects, and a vision was formulated. Though there is not a great change through the year in town's demand for power, more power is necessary in winter for heating and lighting. As for demand for gas and oil, demand for heating oil reaches its peak in winter. New energy introduction projects were discussed, which would utilize snow for the dynamization of industries, and studies were conducted about the selection of items to be stored in snow rooms, selection of proper cold heat utilization systems, care to be taken in the designing of facilities, installation of snow rooms, development of specialty goods proper to the town, and so forth. Eco-school development was also studied as an environmental education project harmonizing with the local circumstances. Discussed for the fostering of welfare were an energy business for a Welfare House, snow handling measures linked to new energy utilization systems, and the like. (NEDO)

  1. Perspectives of wild medicine harvesters from Cape Town, South Africa

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Leif Petersen

    2017-09-01

    Full Text Available Cape Town is a fast-growing cityscape in the Cape Floristic Region in South Africa with 24 formally protected conservation areas including the World Heritage Table Mountain National Park. These sites have been protected and managed as critical sites for local biodiversity, representing potentially one-third of all Cape Floristic Region flora species and 18% of South Africa's plant diversity. Cape Town is also inhabited by a rapidly growing culturally and economically diverse citizenry with distinct and potentially conflicting perspectives on access to, and management of, local natural resources. In a qualitative study of 58 locally resident traditional healers of distinct cultural groups, we examined motivations underlying the generally illicit activity of harvesting of wild resources from Cape Town protected areas. Resource harvester motivations primarily link to local economic survival, health care and cultural links to particular resources and practices, 'access for all' outlooks, and wholesale profit-seeking perspectives. We describe these motivations, contrast them with the current formal, legal and institutional perspectives for biodiversity protection in the city, and propose managerial interventions that may improve sustainability of ongoing harvest activities. Significance: The study reveals, for the first time in the Cape Floristic Region, informal economy viewpoints on terrestrial nature and how its direct use has important economic and cultural roles – specifically in wild medicine harvesting and trade. We contrast the formal and informal approaches to nature conservation in the city and propose new considerations for conservation managers.

  2. AGRICULTURE AND THE SOCIALECONOMIC SITUATION OF THE RURAL POPULATION IN GEORGIA: A CASE STUDY FOCUSING ON THE KAKHETI-REGION

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Boris FORKEL

    2009-08-01

    Full Text Available Like in many other transition countries, agriculture in Georgia is usually termed as subsistence farming. Lack of employment opportunities and insufficient household income make rural people dependent on state-funded pensionschemes and agricultural production. Similarly, the income-disparity between rural households is also noticed remarkably, while citizens of smaller towns possess, on average, higher income. The study presented in this report is intended to explore the situation of rural households concerning parcel size, employment opportunities, income sources and income disparities between citizens of villages and small towns, by presenting findings obtained during a field survey conducted during the months of March and May 2008 in the Kakheti region in eastern Georgia.

  3. Behavior Space Design and Expression by the Theories and Methods of Urban Design—The Yan Dao ancient town of design practice

    OpenAIRE

    Chen Wei; Wang Yinan

    2015-01-01

    In recent years, the ancient town of update and development has become a new hot spot, the study of old town renewal of concern is gradually warming. And again there are a lot of space in the middle of the old town renewal design and traditional style, space activities and use the contradiction between population, which becomes a problem urgently to be solved in design stage. The purpose of this study was to explore old town design space and behavior, traditional and modern conflict resolutio...

  4. Can universal coverage eliminate health disparities? Reversal of disparate injury outcomes in elderly insured minorities.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ramirez, Michelle; Chang, David C; Rogers, Selwyn O; Yu, Peter T; Easterlin, Molly; Coimbra, Raul; Kobayashi, Leslie

    2013-06-15

    Health outcome disparities in racial minorities are well documented. However, it is unknown whether such disparities exist among elderly injured patients. We hypothesized that such disparities might be reduced in the elderly owing to insurance coverage under Medicare. We investigated this issue by comparing the trauma outcomes in young and elderly patients in California. A retrospective analysis of the California Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development hospital discharge database was performed for all publicly available years from 1995 to 2008. Trauma admissions were identified by International Classification of Disease, Ninth Revision, primary diagnosis codes from 800 to 959, with certain exclusions. Multivariate analysis examined the adjusted risk of in-hospital mortality in young (<65 y) and elderly (≥65 y) patients, controlling for age, gender, injury severity as measured by the survival risk ratio, Charlson comorbidity index, insurance status, calendar year, and teaching hospital status. A total of 1,577,323 trauma patients were identified. Among the young patients, the adjusted odds ratio of death relative to non-Hispanic whites for blacks, Hispanics, Asians, and Native Americans/others was 1.2, 1.2, 0.90, and 0.78, respectively. The corresponding adjusted odds ratios of death for elderly patients were 0.78, 0.87, 0.92, and 0.61. Young black and Hispanic trauma patients had greater mortality risks relative to non-Hispanic white patients. Interestingly, elderly black and Hispanic patients had lower mortality risks compared with non-Hispanic whites. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  5. The concentration of radon in a town where radium-activated paints were used

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lauffenburger, T.; Auf der Maur, A.

    1984-01-01

    In a particular town in the Swiss Jura, important for its watch industry, probably 20 workshops existed between 1920 and 1963, where dials and faces were painted with radium-activated paints. Some workshops produced even their own paints. After removal of the radium and complete decontamination of such workshops, which presents its own problems, one sometimes still finds a high radon concentration in the cellar of such a workshop. Similar high values are sometimes found also in adjacent houses. In that particular town, however, a larger area was concerned. (orig.)

  6. Trust in physicians and racial disparities in HIV care.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Saha, Somnath; Jacobs, Elizabeth A; Moore, Richard D; Beach, Mary Catherine

    2010-07-01

    Mistrust among African Americans is often considered a potential source of racial disparities in HIV care. We sought to determine whether greater trust in one's provider among African-American patients mitigates racial disparities. We analyzed data from 1,104 African-American and 201 white patients participating in a cohort study at an urban, academic HIV clinic between 2005 and 2008. African Americans expressed lower levels of trust in their providers than did white patients (8.9 vs. 9.4 on a 0-10 scale; p African Americans were also less likely than whites to be receiving antiretroviral therapy (ART) when eligible (85% vs. 92%; p = 0.02), to report complete ART adherence over the prior 3 days (83% vs. 89%; p = 0.005), and to have a suppressed viral load (40% vs. 47%; p = 0.04). Trust in one's provider was not associated with receiving ART or with viral suppression but was significantly associated with adherence. African Americans who expressed less than complete trust in their providers (0-9 of 10) had lower ART adherence than did whites (adjusted OR, 0.40; 95% CI, 0.25-0.66). For African Americans who expressed complete trust in their providers (10 of 10), the racial disparity in adherence was less prominent but still substantial (adjusted OR, 0.59; 95% CI, 0.36-0.95). Trust did not affect disparities in receipt of ART or viral suppression. Our findings suggest that enhancing trust in patient-provider relationships for African-American patients may help reduce disparities in ART adherence and the outcomes associated with improved adherence.

  7. Age-Related Racial Disparity in Suicide Rates Among U.S. Youth

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... May 30, 2018 Age-Related Racial Disparity in Youth Suicide Rates May 21, 2018 News by Year 2018 ... May 30, 2018 Age-Related Racial Disparity in Youth Suicide Rates May 21, 2018 News by Year 2018 ...

  8. Friend Effects and Racial Disparities in Academic Achievement

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jennifer Flashman

    2014-07-01

    Full Text Available Racial disparities in achievement are a persistent fact of the US educational system. An often cited but rarely directly studied explanation for these disparities is that adolescents from different racial and ethnic backgrounds are exposed to different peers and have different friends. In this article I identify the impact of friends on racial and ethnic achievement disparities. Using data from Add Health and an instrumental variable approach, I show that the achievement characteristics of youths’ friends drive friend effects; adolescents with friends with higher grades are more likely to increase their grades compared to those with lower-achieving friends. Although these effects do not differ across race/ethnicity, given differences in friendship patterns, if black and Latino adolescents had friends with the achievement characteristics of white students, the GPA gap would be 17 to 19 percent smaller. Although modest, this effect represents an important and often overlooked source of difference among black and Latino youth.

  9. Behavior Space Design and Expression by the Theories and Methods of Urban Design—The Yan Dao ancient town of design practice

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Chen Wei

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available In recent years, the ancient town of update and development has become a new hot spot, the study of old town renewal of concern is gradually warming. And again there are a lot of space in the middle of the old town renewal design and traditional style, space activities and use the contradiction between population, which becomes a problem urgently to be solved in design stage. The purpose of this study was to explore old town design space and behavior, traditional and modern conflict resolution methods, and to present the town development and design with a design concept. This paper’ uses three theories of urban design (The relationship between figure and ground, Contact theory and Place theory as a real-time monitoring, assessment, comparison of methods, to study Yan Dao Ancient Town, and the space for analysis. In the research, this paper based on the design theory of the three major city as a starting point, detailedly describes the different types in a certain area of difference in the behavior and the properties of space, and the ancient town of Hubei Shennongjia forest region salt path planning and design practice, the ancient town of updating the connotation of the historical context and space behavior of connection. The conclusion of this thesis put forward the method of that based on the space shape of ancient design method of its application in practice.

  10. Can Cape Town's unique biodiversity be saved? Balancing conservation imperatives and development needs

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Patricia M. Holmes

    2012-06-01

    Full Text Available Cape Town is an urban hotspot within the Cape Floristic Region global biodiversity hotspot. This city of 2,460 km² encompasses four local centers of fynbos plant endemism, 19 national terrestrial vegetation types (six endemic to the city, wetland and coastal ecosystems, and 190 endemic plant species. Biodiversity in the lowlands is under threat of extinction as a result of habitat loss to agriculture, urban development, mining, and degradation by invasive alien plants. Cape Town's population is 3.7 million, increasing by an estimated 55,000 people/yr, which puts pressure on biodiversity remnants for development. South Africa is a signatory to international instruments to reduce biodiversity loss and has a good legislative and policy framework to conserve biodiversity, yet implementation actions are slow, with limited national and provincial support to conserve Cape Town's unique and irreplaceable biodiversity. The lack-of-action problem is two-fold: national government is slow to implement the policies developed to realize the international instruments it has signed, with conservation initiatives inadequately funded; and local governments are not yet recognized as important implementation partners. A further problem is created by conflicting policies such as the national housing policy that contributes to urban sprawl and loss of critical biodiversity areas. The City's Biodiversity Management Branch, with partners, is making some headway at implementation, but stronger political commitment is needed at all levels of government. Our objective is to improve the status and management of biodiversity in existing conservation areas through the statutory proclamation process and management effectiveness monitoring, respectively, and to secure priority areas of the BioNet, Cape Town's systematic biodiversity plan. The most important tools for the latter are incorporating the BioNet plan into City spatial plans; communication, education, and public

  11. Community-led approaches and interventions for the regeneration of abandoned towns in Southern Italy

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    May East

    2016-04-01

    Full Text Available Defined as towns or villages that have been abandoned by their original inhabitants, the so-called ‘ghost towns’ are a sub-product of the opposing conditions of excessive urban growth in one hand and decline of rural regions on the other. Natural disasters, economic and demographic decline, armed conflict, disease and environmental contamination are repeatedly the drivers for their abandonment.  An increasing large concentration of these abandoned small villages is found in the impoverished Southern regions of Italy.  To investigate this problem and identify conservation approaches that could generate new dynamics to the abandoned historic villages, the paper starts by identifying the linkages between globalisation, rapid urbanisation and ghost towns. This is followed by an analysis of the root causes of ghost towns in an attempt to define a ghost town typology. With this in mind, this paper investigates integrated conservation approaches, which could promote the restoration of abandoned towns, strengthening their local identity and enhancing resource-efficient local economies. Based on these considerations, the paper focus the attention on three scenarios of rehabilitation: a community-led approach to conservation demonstrated by the medieval village Torri Superiore embedded in ecovillage principles; the hospitality concept albergo diffuso demonstrated by Albergo Diffuso Borgo di Castelvetere, acting as social, cultural and economic stimuli to depopulated villages; the Riace village humanitarian approach which has integrated migrants in the social fabric of its aging population. The paper ends by reflecting if Torri Superiore and Riace’s approaches offer a potential solution to the housing crises currently engulfing southern Europe. As a result of imaginative housing and food production practices, these villages have made significantly more progress than mainstream government approaches towards the realisation of sustainable communities

  12. Asthma Management Disparities: A Photovoice Investigation with African American Youth

    Science.gov (United States)

    Evans-Agnew, Robin

    2016-01-01

    Disparities in asthma management are a burden on African American youth. The objective of this study is to describe and compare the discourses of asthma management disparities (AMDs) in African American adolescents in Seattle to existing youth-related asthma policies in Washington State. Adolescents participated in a three-session photovoice…

  13. Millimeter wave detection via Autler-Townes splitting in rubidium Rydberg atoms

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Gordon, Joshua A., E-mail: josh.gordon@nist.gov; Holloway, Christopher L. [National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), Electromagnetics Division, U.S. Department of Commerce, Boulder Laboratories, Boulder, Colorado 80305 (United States); Schwarzkopf, Andrew; Anderson, Dave A.; Miller, Stephanie; Thaicharoen, Nithiwadee; Raithel, Georg [Department of Physics, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109 (United States)

    2014-07-14

    In this paper, we demonstrate the detection of millimeter waves via Autler-Townes splitting in {sup 85}Rb Rydberg atoms. This method may provide an independent, atom-based, SI-traceable method for measuring mm-wave electric fields, which addresses a gap in current calibration techniques in the mm-wave regime. The electric-field amplitude within a rubidium vapor cell in the WR-10 wave guide band is measured for frequencies of 93.71 GHz and 104.77 GHz. Relevant aspects of Autler-Townes splitting originating from a four-level electromagnetically induced transparency scheme are discussed. We measured the E-field generated by an open-ended waveguide using this technique. Experimental results are compared to a full-wave finite element simulation.

  14. Identification of the main processes in new towns Development ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Identification of the main processes in new towns Development Company in Iran and provision of the model of ideal processes for optimal management of ... The most important result of this project is that after identifying the status quo, mapping the processes, revising the processes and applying revised processes, the ...

  15. Liver transplantation in New Orleans: parity in a world of disparity?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Smith, Alison A; Darden, Michael; Al-Qurayshi, Zaid; Paramesh, Anil S; Killackey, Mary; Kandil, Emad; Parker, Geoffrey; Balart, Luis; Friedlander, Paul; Buell, Joseph F

    2017-09-01

    Racial disparity in access to liver transplantation among African Americans (AA) compared to Caucasians (CA) has been well described. The aim of this investigation was to examine the presentation of AA liver transplant recipients in a socioeconomically challenged region. 680 adult liver transplant candidates and 233 resultant recipients between 2007 and 2015 were analyzed using univariate and multivariate analyses to evaluate factors significant for transplantation. Percentages of wait list patients transplanted were similar between CA and AA (34.9% vs. 32.2%, p = 0.5205). AA were younger (50.4 ± 1.8 vs. 56.3 ± 0.7 yrs, p = 0.0003) with higher average MELD scores (22.9 ± 1.6 vs. 19.4 ± 0.7, p = 0.0230). Overall patient mortality was similar (AA 22.7% vs. CA 26.3%, p = 0.5931). A multiple linear regression showed that male gender was strongly associated with transplantation. Equal access to liver transplantation remains challenging for racial minorities. At our institution, AA were accepted and transplanted at an equivalent rate as CA despite a higher AA population, HCV rate and diagnosed HCC. AA were younger and sicker at the time of transplant, but overall had similar outcomes compared to CA. Our study highlights the need for studies to delineate the underpinnings of disparity in transplantation access. Copyright © 2017 International Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Association Inc. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  16. Social justice, health disparities, and culture in the care of the elderly.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dilworth-Anderson, Peggye; Pierre, Geraldine; Hilliard, Tandrea S

    2012-01-01

    Older minority Americans experience worse health outcomes than their white counterparts, exhibiting the need for social justice in all areas of their health care. Justice, fairness, and equity are crucial to minimizing conditions that adversely affect the health of individuals and communities. In this paper, Alzheimer's disease (AD) is used as an example of a health care disparity among elderly Americans that requires social justice interventions. Cultural factors play a crucial role in AD screening, diagnosis, and access to care, and are often a barrier to support and equality for minority communities. The "conundrum of health disparities" refers to the interplay between disparity, social justice, and cultural interpretation, and encourages researchers to understand both (1) disparity caused by economic and structural barriers to access, treatment, and diagnosis, and (2) disparity due to cultural interpretation of disease, in order to effectively address health care issues and concerns among elderly Americans. © 2012 American Society of Law, Medicine & Ethics, Inc.

  17. Organizational Change Management For Health Equity: Perspectives From The Disparities Leadership Program.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Betancourt, Joseph R; Tan-McGrory, Aswita; Kenst, Karey S; Phan, Thuy Hoai; Lopez, Lenny

    2017-06-01

    Leaders of health care organizations need to be prepared to improve quality and achieve equity in today's health care environment characterized by a focus on achieving value and addressing disparities in a diverse population. To help address this need, the Disparities Solutions Center at Massachusetts General Hospital launched the Disparities Leadership Program in 2007. The leadership program is an ongoing, year-long, executive education initiative that trains leaders from hospitals, health plans, and health centers to improve quality and eliminate racial and ethnic disparities in health care. Feedback from participating organizations demonstrates that health care leaders seem to possess knowledge about what disparities are and about what should be done to eliminate them. Data collection, performance measurement, and multifaceted interventions remain the tools of the trade. However, the barriers to success are lack of leadership buy-in, organizational prioritization, energy, and execution, which can be addressed through organizational change management strategies. Project HOPE—The People-to-People Health Foundation, Inc.

  18. Linking Diversity and Disparity Measures

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sahadeb Sarkar

    2012-07-01

    Full Text Available Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";} The purpose of this paper is to examine links between the diversity measures (Patil and Taillie 1982 and the disparity measures (Lindsay 1994, quantities apparently developed for somewhat different purposes. We demonstrate that numerous diversity measures satisfying all the desirable criteria mentioned by Patil and Taillie can be defined by the generating functions of certain disparities and the associated residual adjustment functions. This provides the statistician and the ecologist a wide class of flexible indices for the statistical measurement of diversity.

  19. Socioeconomic Disparities and Health: Impacts and Pathways

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kondo, Naoki

    2012-01-01

    Growing socioeconomic disparity is a global concern, as it could affect population health. The author and colleagues have investigated the health impacts of socioeconomic disparities as well as the pathways that underlie those disparities. Our meta-analysis found that a large population has risks of mortality and poor self-rated health that are attributable to income inequality. The study results also suggested the existence of threshold effects (ie, a threshold of income inequality over which the adverse impacts on health increase), period effects (ie, the potential for larger impacts in later years, specifically after the 1990s), and lag effects between income inequality and health outcomes. Our other studies using Japanese national representative survey data and a large-scale cohort study of Japanese older adults (AGES cohort) support the relative deprivation hypothesis, namely, that invidious social comparisons arising from relative deprivation in an unequal society adversely affect health. A study with a natural experiment design found that the socioeconomic gradient in self-rated health might actually have become shallower after the 1997–98 economic crisis in Japan, due to smaller health improvements among middle-class white-collar workers and middle/upper-income workers. In conclusion, income inequality might have adverse impacts on individual health, and psychosocial stress due to relative deprivation may partially explain those impacts. Any study of the effects of macroeconomic fluctuations on health disparities should also consider multiple potential pathways, including expanding income inequality, changes in the labor market, and erosion of social capital. Further studies are needed to attain a better understanding of the social determinants of health in a rapidly changing society. PMID:22156290

  20. Socioeconomic disparities and health: impacts and pathways.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kondo, Naoki

    2012-01-01

    Growing socioeconomic disparity is a global concern, as it could affect population health. The author and colleagues have investigated the health impacts of socioeconomic disparities as well as the pathways that underlie those disparities. Our meta-analysis found that a large population has risks of mortality and poor self-rated health that are attributable to income inequality. The study results also suggested the existence of threshold effects (ie, a threshold of income inequality over which the adverse impacts on health increase), period effects (ie, the potential for larger impacts in later years, specifically after the 1990s), and lag effects between income inequality and health outcomes. Our other studies using Japanese national representative survey data and a large-scale cohort study of Japanese older adults (AGES cohort) support the relative deprivation hypothesis, namely, that invidious social comparisons arising from relative deprivation in an unequal society adversely affect health. A study with a natural experiment design found that the socioeconomic gradient in self-rated health might actually have become shallower after the 1997-98 economic crisis in Japan, due to smaller health improvements among middle-class white-collar workers and middle/upper-income workers. In conclusion, income inequality might have adverse impacts on individual health, and psychosocial stress due to relative deprivation may partially explain those impacts. Any study of the effects of macroeconomic fluctuations on health disparities should also consider multiple potential pathways, including expanding income inequality, changes in the labor market, and erosion of social capital. Further studies are needed to attain a better understanding of the social determinants of health in a rapidly changing society.

  1. Program of social protection for Chornobyl nuclear power plant staff and Slavutich town residents in the aftermath of the plant shutdown

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Komarov, V.A.

    2001-01-01

    In order to solve social issues related to ChNPP shutdown, the Ukrainian Government approved 'Program of Social Protection for Chornobyl Nuclear Power Plant Staff and Slavutich Town Residents in Aftermath of Plant Shutdown' on 29 November 2000. The Program Objective is to ensure social protection and support of well being of ChNPP staff and Slavutich town residents after the plant shutdown. Preserve and develop town infrastructure. Create compensatory jobs; efficiently manage human resources; provide social allowances and guarantees to the ChNPP staff that is being released, and Slavutich town residents

  2. Racial/Ethnic Disparities in Nursing Home Quality of Life Deficiencies, 2001 to 2011

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lauren J. Campbell MA

    2016-06-01

    Full Text Available Objectives: Racial/ethnic disparities in nursing homes (NHs are associated with lower quality of care, and state Medicaid payment policies may influence NH quality. However, no studies analyzing disparities in NH quality of life (QoL exist. Therefore, this study aims to estimate associations at the NH level between average number of QoL deficiencies and concentrations of racial/ethnic minority residents, and to identify effects of state Medicaid payment policies on racial/ethnic disparities. Method: Multivariable Poisson regression with NH random effects was used to determine the association between NH minority concentration in 2000 to 2010 and average number of QoL deficiencies in 2001 to 2011 at the NH level, and the effect of state NH payment policies on QoL deficiencies and racial/ethnic disparities in QoL deficiencies across NH minority concentrations. Results: Racial/ethnic disparities in QoL between high and low minority concentration NHs decrease over time, but are not eliminated. Case mix payment was associated with an increased disparity between high and low minority concentration NHs in QoL deficiencies. Discussion: NH managers and policy makers should consider initiatives targeting minority residents or low-performing NHs with higher minority concentrations for improvement to reduce disparities and address QoL deficiencies.

  3. The role of health-related behaviors in the socioeconomic disparities in oral health.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sabbah, Wael; Tsakos, Georgios; Sheiham, Aubrey; Watt, Richard G

    2009-01-01

    This study aimed to examine the socioeconomic disparities in health-related behaviors and to assess if behaviors eliminate socioeconomic disparities in oral health in a nationally representative sample of adult Americans. Data are from the US Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (1988-1994). Behaviors were indicated by smoking, dental visits, frequency of eating fresh fruits and vegetables and extent of calculus, used as a marker for oral hygiene. Oral health outcomes were gingival bleeding, loss of periodontal attachment, tooth loss and perceived oral health. Education and income indicated socioeconomic position. Sex, age, ethnicity, dental insurance and diabetes were adjusted for in the regression analysis. Regression analysis was used to assess socioeconomic disparities in behaviors. Regression models adjusting and not adjusting for behaviors were compared to assess the change in socioeconomic disparities in oral health. The results showed clear socioeconomic disparities in all behaviors. After adjusting for behaviors, the association between oral health and socioeconomic indicators attenuated but did not disappear. These findings imply that improvement in health-related behaviors may lessen, but not eliminate socioeconomic disparities in oral health, and suggest the presence of more complex determinants of these disparities which should be addressed by oral health preventive policies.

  4. Examining Sexual Orientation Disparities in Unmet Medical Needs among Men and Women

    OpenAIRE

    Everett, Bethany G.; Mollborn, Stefanie

    2013-01-01

    Using the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health (N = 13,810), this study examines disparities in unmet medical needs by sexual orientation identity during young adulthood. We use binary logistic regression and expand Andersen’s health care utilization framework to identify factors that shape disparities in unmet medical needs by sexual orientation. We also investigate whether the well-established gender disparity in health-seeking behaviors among heterosexual persons holds for sexu...

  5. Gender Disparity at Elementary Education Level in Jammu and Kashmir: An Exploratory Study

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gul, Showkeen Bilal Ahmad; Khan, Zebun Nisa

    2014-01-01

    This paper is based on a study to explore gender disparity at elementary education level in Jammu and Kashmir. Gender disparity in education refers to differences in outcomes observed between two sexes. Education disparities can be seen in different enrolment rates, dropout rates, and survival rates among the sexes. The central government and…

  6. The influence of health disparities on targeting cancer prevention efforts.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zonderman, Alan B; Ejiogu, Ngozi; Norbeck, Jennifer; Evans, Michele K

    2014-03-01

    Despite the advances in cancer medicine and the resultant 20% decline in cancer death rates for Americans since 1991, there remain distinct cancer health disparities among African Americans, Hispanics, Native Americans, and the those living in poverty. Minorities and the poor continue to bear the disproportionate burden of cancer, especially in terms of stage at diagnosis, incidence, and mortality. Cancer health disparities are persistent reminders that state-of-the-art cancer prevention, diagnosis, and treatment are not equally effective for and accessible to all Americans. The cancer prevention model must take into account the phenotype of accelerated aging associated with health disparities as well as the important interplay of biological and sociocultural factors that lead to disparate health outcomes. The building blocks of this prevention model will include interdisciplinary prevention modalities that encourage partnerships across medical and nonmedical entities, community-based participatory research, development of ethnically and racially diverse research cohorts, and full actualization of the prevention benefits outlined in the 2010 Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. However, the most essential facet should be a thoughtful integration of cancer prevention and screening into prevention, screening, and disease management activities for hypertension and diabetes mellitus because these chronic medical illnesses have a substantial prevalence in populations at risk for cancer disparities and cause considerable comorbidity and likely complicate effective treatment and contribute to disproportionate cancer death rates. Published by Elsevier Inc.

  7. Solar building construction. Town planning - construction planning. 2. rev. ed.

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Schempp, D.; Krampen, M.; Moellring, F.

    1994-01-01

    The book discusses the problems of solar energy use under the following aspects: Town planing; Typology of green solar architecture; Typologie of solar architecture; Vegetation in green solar architecture; Planning and simulation; Building materials; Ventilation, illumination; Research projects. (HW) [de

  8. Trends in racial disparities for asthma outcomes among children 0 to 17 years, 2001-2010.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Akinbami, Lara J; Moorman, Jeanne E; Simon, Alan E; Schoendorf, Kenneth C

    2014-09-01

    Racial disparities in childhood asthma have been a long-standing target for intervention, especially disparities in hospitalization and mortality. Describe trends in racial disparities in asthma outcomes using both traditional population-based rates and at-risk rates (based on the estimated number of children with asthma) to account for prevalence differences between race groups. Estimates of asthma prevalence and outcomes (emergency department [ED] visits, hospitalizations, and deaths) were calculated from national data for 2001 to 2010 for black and white children. Trends were calculated using weighted loglinear regression, and changes in racial disparities over time were assessed using Joinpoint. Disparities in asthma prevalence between black and white children increased from 2001 to 2010; at the end of this period, black children were twice as likely as white children to have asthma. Population-based rates showed that disparities in asthma outcomes remained stable (ED visits and hospitalizations) or increased (asthma attack prevalence, deaths). In contrast, analysis with at-risk rates, which account for differences in asthma prevalence, showed that disparities in asthma outcomes remained stable (deaths), decreased (ED visits, hospitalizations), or did not exist (asthma attack prevalence). Using at-risk rates to assess racial disparities in asthma outcomes accounts for prevalence differences between black and white children, and adds another perspective to the population-based examination of asthma disparities. An at-risk rate analysis shows that among children with asthma, there is no disparity for asthma attack prevalence and that progress has been made in decreasing disparities in asthma ED visit and hospitalization rates. Published by Elsevier Inc.

  9. When the moving town meets the greenhouse effect; Quand la ville mobile rencontre l'effet de serre

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Gout, D.

    2006-06-15

    Facing the climatic change, three scientists present the challenges of the town of the future and propose solutions for a better use of the energy in the towns from the transports to the buildings. (A.L.B.)

  10. Not just a rural occurrence: differences in agricultural equipment crash characteristics by rural-urban crash site and proximity to town.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Harland, Karisa K; Greenan, Mitchell; Ramirez, Marizen

    2014-09-01

    Although approximately one-third of agricultural equipment-related crashes occur near town, these crashes are thought to be a rural problem. This analysis examines differences between agricultural equipment-related crashes by their urban-rural distribution and distance from a town. Agricultural equipment crashes were collected from nine Midwest Departments of Transportation (2005-2008). Crash zip code was assigned as urban or rural (large, small and isolated) using Rural-Urban Commuting Areas. Crash proximity to a town was estimated with ArcGIS. Multivariable logistic regression was used to estimate the odds of crashing in an urban versus rural zip codes and across rural gradients. ANOVA analysis estimated mean distance (miles) from a crash site to a town. Over four years, 4444 crashes involved agricultural equipment. About 30% of crashes occurred in urban zip codes. Urban crashes were more likely to be non-collisions (aOR=1.69[1.24-2.30]), involve ≥2 vehicles (2 vehicles: aOR=1.58[1.14-2.20], 3+ vehicles: aOR=1.68[0.98-2.88]), occur in a town (aOR=2.06[1.73-2.45]) and within one mile of a town (aOR=1.65[1.40-1.95]) than rural crashes. The proportion of crashes within a town differed significantly across rural gradients (Purban-rural distribution (Pagricultural equipment are unexpectedly common in urban areas and near towns and cities. Education among all roadway users, increased visibility of agricultural equipment and the development of complete rural roads are needed to increase road safety and prevent agricultural equipment-related crashes. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  11. Implementing the Institute of Medicine definition of disparities: an application to mental health care.

    Science.gov (United States)

    McGuire, Thomas G; Alegria, Margarita; Cook, Benjamin L; Wells, Kenneth B; Zaslavsky, Alan M

    2006-10-01

    In a recent report, the Institute of Medicine (IOM) defines a health service disparity between population groups to be the difference in treatment or access not justified by the differences in health status or preferences of the groups. This paper proposes an implementation of this definition, and applies it to disparities in outpatient mental health care. Health Care for Communities (HCC) reinterviewed 9,585 respondents from the Community Tracking Study in 1997-1998, oversampling individuals with psychological distress, alcohol abuse, drug abuse, or mental health treatment. The HCC is designed to make national estimates of service use. Expenditures are modeled using generalized linear models with a log link for quantity and a probit model for any utilization. We adjust for group differences in health status by transforming the entire distribution of health status for minority populations to approximate the white distribution. We compare disparities according to the IOM definition to other methods commonly used to assess health services disparities. Our method finds significant service disparities between whites and both blacks and Latinos. Estimated disparities from this method exceed those for competing approaches, because of the inclusion of effects of mediating factors (such as income) in the IOM approach. A rigorous definition of disparities is needed to monitor progress against disparities and to compare their magnitude across studies. With such a definition, disparities can be estimated by adjusting for group differences in models for expenditures and access to mental health services.

  12. 75 FR 10241 - Town of Dexter; Notice of Declaration of Intention and Soliciting Comments, Protests, and/or...

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-03-05

    ... DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Federal Energy Regulatory Commission [Docket No. DI10-7-000] Town of Dexter.... Date Filed: February 16, 2010. d. Applicant: Town of Dexter. e. Name of Project: Dexter Hydroelectric Project. f. Location: The proposed Dexter Hydroelectric Project will be located on the East Branch...

  13. 77 FR 29929 - Safety Zone; Town of Cape Charles Fireworks, Cape Charles Harbor, Cape Charles, VA

    Science.gov (United States)

    2012-05-21

    ... section of this notice. Basis and Purpose On July 4, 2012 the Town of Cape Charles will sponsor a...-AA00 Safety Zone; Town of Cape Charles Fireworks, Cape Charles Harbor, Cape Charles, VA AGENCY: Coast... temporary safety zone on the waters of Cape Charles City Harbor in Cape Charles, VA in support of the Fourth...

  14. Clinical cultural competency and knowledge of health disparities among pharmacy students.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Okoro, Olihe N; Odedina, Folakemi T; Reams, Romonia R; Smith, W Thomas

    2012-04-10

    To evaluate the level of competency and knowledge about health disparities among third-year doctor of pharmacy (PharmD) students at 2 Florida public colleges of pharmacy and to explore the demographic correlates of these variables. A cross-sectional survey study design was used to collect data from participants. The students had low health-disparities knowledge and moderate skills in dealing with sociocultural issues and cross-cultural encounters. Speaking a language(s) other than English and having exposure to cultural-competency instruction were the demographic variables found to be most significantly associated with clinical cultural competency and/or knowledge of health disparities. Clinical cultural competency and health-disparities instruction may not be adequately incorporated into the pharmacy school curricula in the institutions studied. Relevant education and training are necessary to enhance cultural competency among pharmacy students.

  15. Area-socioeconomic disparities in mental health service use among children involved in the child welfare system.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kim, Minseop; Garcia, Antonio R; Yang, Shuyan; Jung, Nahri

    2018-06-01

    Relying on data from a nationally representative sample of youth involved in the child welfare system (CWS) in 1999-2000 (the National Survey of Child and Adolescent Well-Being, Cohort 1) and 2008-2009 (Cohort 2), this study implemented a diverse set of disparity indicators to estimate area-socioeconomic disparities in mental health (MH) services use and changes in area-socioeconomic disparities between the two cohorts. Our study found that there are area-socioeconomic disparities in MH service use, indicating that the rates of MH service use among youth referred to the CWS differ by area-socioeconomic positions defined by county-level poverty rates. We also found that area-socioeconomic disparities increased over time. However, the magnitude of the increase varied widely across disparity measures, suggesting that there are different conclusions about the trend and magnitude of area-socioeconomic disparities, depending upon which disparity measures are implemented. A greater understanding of the methodological differences among disparity measures is warranted, which will in turn impact how interventions are designed to reduce socioeconomic disparities among children in the CWS. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

  16. Gender identity and HIV risk among men who have sex with men in Cape Town, South Africa.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jobson, Geoffrey; Tucker, Andrew; de Swardt, Glenn; Rebe, Kevin; Struthers, Helen; McIntyre, James; Peters, Remco

    2018-04-18

    Gender identity plays a potentially important role contributing to HIV risk among MSM in South Africa. Where studies have included a focus on gender identity, MSM reporting gender non-conformity have been found to have a higher risk of being HIV positive than other MSM. This article examines HIV risk among gender non-conforming MSM in a sample of 316 MSM in Cape Town, South Africa. Reporting gender non-conformity was associated with higher HIV prevalence and increased HIV risk behaviour. Gender non-conformity was also associated with a higher likelihood of being unemployed and reporting low household incomes. These findings highlight the importance of gender-identity as a factor affecting access to HIV treatment, care, and prevention in South Africa and this is an issue that needs to be addressed in interventions targeting MSM populations.

  17. Disparities in Intratumoral Steroidogenesis

    Science.gov (United States)

    2017-12-01

    cancer. The reasons for this racial disparity in prostate cancer incidence and mortality are unknown but may stem from economic , social, psychological...them are elevated in the prostate tumors of African American men. We further hypothesize that elevated cholesterol, which is an essential component of...cancer promotional effects of high cholesterol. Essentially , we anticipate the level of cholesterol reduction needed to protect the prostate will be

  18. Autonomy and interdependence: beliefs of Brazilian mothers from state capitals and small towns.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vieira, Mauro Luis; Seidl-de-Moura, Maria Lucia; Macarini, Samira Mafioletti; Martins, Gabriela Dal Forno; Lordelo, Eulina da Rocha; Tokumaru, Rosana Suemi; Oliva, Angela Donate

    2010-11-01

    This study aimed to investigate characteristics of Brazilian mothers' beliefs system, in the dimensions of autonomy and interdependence. A group of 600 women, half from state capitals and half from small towns, participated in the study. They were individually interviewed with Scales of Allocentrism, Beliefs about Parental Practices and Socialization Goals. Paired and Independent samples t tests and Multivariate GLM were performed. The results indicate that although mothers from both contexts value autonomy, mothers inhabiting small towns considered the relational dimension as the most important; whereas mothers inhabiting capitals valued equally both dimensions, either in their beliefs about practices or in the socialization goals for their children. Mothers from small towns have a higher mean score for allocentrism than mothers living in capitals. Thus, place of residence proved to be a relevant variable in the modulation of maternal beliefs. Educational level was not a significant factor in the variables considered and with this group of mothers. The study results are discussed in terms of their contribution to the understanding of the complex relationship between dimensions of autonomy and interdependence in mothers' beliefs system.

  19. Tohoku Town developing with new energy. New energy vision of the Tohoku town area; 2001 nendo Tohoku machi chiiki shin energy vision. Shin energy de hiraku Tohoku machi

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    NONE

    2002-03-01

    For the purpose of promoting the introduction of new energy and enhancing the awareness of it in Tohoku Town, Aomori Prefecture, an investigational study was conducted of the potential utilization of new energy, etc., and a vision was worked out. The population of Tohoku Town was 10,662 according to the results of the national census taken in 2000, which is slightly decreasing. The energy consumption amount of Tohoku Town was estimated at 280,977 Gcal/y, and the consumption of fossil fuel in the commercial/residential sector stands out. This is because a lot of kerosene is consumed in the area where it is cold. As measures to be taken for the new energy vision, the following were cited: initiative introduction of new energy to public facilities/preparation of a system toward the promotion of introduction, supply of thermal energy to townspeople/creation of the living environment using new energy, new energy use to activities of agricultural production/energy use of stockbreeding resource/energy use of forestry resource/potential study of the wind power generation, spread/education for townspeople/proprietors, preparation of places of bodily sensation/exchanges of new energy, training/support of activities of townspeople themselves, etc. (NEDO)

  20. Gender-Based Pay Disparities in Intercollegiate Coaching: The Legal Issues.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gaal, John; Glazier, Michael S.; Evans, Thomas S.

    2002-01-01

    Explores the legal issues surrounding pay disparities between men and women in intercollegiate coaching, including how courts have treated disparate wage claims under the Equal Pay Act, Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, and Title IX, and the defenses used by institutions. Offers suggestions for defending claims and a detailed review of…

  1. Same-Sex and Race-Based Disparities in Statutory Rape Arrests.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chaffin, Mark; Chenoweth, Stephanie; Letourneau, Elizabeth J

    2016-01-01

    This study tests a liberation hypothesis for statutory rape incidents, specifically that there may be same-sex and race/ethnicity arrest disparities among statutory rape incidents and that these will be greater among statutory rape than among forcible sex crime incidents. 26,726 reported incidents of statutory rape as defined under state statutes and 96,474 forcible sex crime incidents were extracted from National Incident-Based Reporting System data sets. Arrest outcomes were tested using multilevel modeling. Same-sex statutory rape pairings were rare but had much higher arrest odds. A victim-offender romantic relationship amplified arrest odds for same-sex pairings, but damped arrest odds for male-on-female pairings. Same-sex disparities were larger among statutory than among forcible incidents. Female-on-male incidents had uniformly lower arrest odds. Race/ethnicity effects were smaller than gender effects and more complexly patterned. The findings support the liberation hypothesis for same-sex statutory rape arrest disparities, particularly among same-sex romantic pairings. Support for race/ethnicity-based arrest disparities was limited and mixed. © The Author(s) 2014.

  2. Racial and Socioeconomic Disparities Are More Pronounced in Inflammatory Breast Cancer Than Other Breast Cancers

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ryan A. Denu

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available Inflammatory breast cancer (IBC is a rare yet aggressive form of breast cancer. We examined differences in patient demographics and outcomes in IBC compared to locally advanced breast cancer (LABC and all other breast cancer patients from the Breast and Prostate Cancer Data Quality and Patterns of Care Study (POC-BP, containing information from cancer registries in seven states. Out of 7,624 cases of invasive carcinoma, IBC and LABC accounted for 2.2% (N=170 and 4.9% (N=375, respectively. IBC patients were more likely to have a higher number (P=0.03 and severity (P=0.01 of comorbidities than other breast cancer patients. Among IBC patients, a higher percentage of patients with metastatic disease versus nonmetastatic disease were black, on Medicaid, and from areas of higher poverty and more urban areas. Black and Hispanic IBC patients had worse overall and breast cancer-specific survival than white patients; moreover, IBC patients with Medicaid, patients from urban areas, and patients from areas of higher poverty and lower education had worse outcomes. These data highlight the effects of disparities in race and socioeconomic status on the incidence of IBC as well as IBC outcomes. Further work is needed to reveal the causes behind these disparities and methods to improve IBC outcomes.

  3. Water: hygienistic discourse and town council practice (Mallorca, 1855-1936

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Joana Maria Pujadas-Mora

    2014-04-01

    Full Text Available The aim of this article is to analyze the relationship between the hygienistic discourse on water cycle and the sanitary interventions carried out by the town councils of Mallorca from 1855 to 1936. The purpose of the discourse was to make the population and the municipal authorities aware of the importance of improving the water supply. The used sources have been municipal minutes, press and scientific articles from that period. Our main conclusion is the lack of timing between the hygienistic proposals and the undertaken interventions. Nevertheless these late interventions were useful to improve the quantity and the quality of the water that the citizens were supplied. The water interventions were attempted at the same time than other sanitary actions, such as isolation measures (quarantines or town walls demolition, reforms done by the municipal or provincial authorities having a scientific consensus too.

  4. A survey on the knowledge and attitudes of men in Machakos town towards vasectomy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Qureshi, Z P; Solomon, M M

    1995-01-01

    In November and December, 1993, a self-administered questionnaire was distributed to men in the town of Machakos and to nonmedical hospital workers of Machakos General Hospital. The purpose of the study was to assess their knowledge about and attitude towards vasectomy. The majority of men were in the age group of 30-44 years and were married; the hospital group was more educated. The town men perceived the pill to be the best contraceptive method for women in contrast to the hospital group who gave more importance to bilateral tubal ligation. The hospital group also perceived vasectomy as the best method for men. Overall, 53.2% men were aware of the correct procedure of vasectomy, but only 24% had correct knowledge of how the procedure affects masculinity. The knowledge of the procedure among hospital workers was not very different from that of the town group. Recommendations were made to increase information and education to all groups of people through various media.

  5. The Biology of Cancer Health Disparities

    Science.gov (United States)

    These examples show how biology contributes to health disparities (differences in disease incidence and outcomes among distinct racial and ethnic groups, ), and how biological factors interact with other relevant factors, such as diet and the environment.

  6. The Cape Town Statement on Geoethics

    Science.gov (United States)

    Di Capua, Giuseppe; Peppoloni, Silvia; Bobrowsky, Peter

    2017-04-01

    The interest of geoscientists in (geo)ethical aspects of geoscience knowledge, education, research and practice is rising and today geoethics has a significant visibility. This prominence is the result of hard work done in the last 4 years by the IAPG - International Association for Promoting Geoethics (http://www.geoethics.org), a not-for-profit, multidisciplinary, scientific network (with more than 1350 members in 107 countries) established for widening the discussion and creating awareness about problems of ethics applied to the geosciences. IAPG has produced a strong conceptual substratum on which to base the future development of geoethics, by clarifying the meaning of the word Geoethics, formalizing its definition, and identifying a framework of reference values on which the geoscience community can base more effective codes of conduct. IAPG members have published numerous books and articles in peer reviewed international journals, and organized scientific sessions to bring geoethics at the most important geoscience conferences. Geoethical issues have been included in the European project ENVRI-Plus, dedicated to the environmental and solid Earth research infrastructures. Moreover, the most prestigious geoscience organizations around the world now recognize geoethics as an important issue that warrants attention. This success was confirmed by the high quality of contents and the large participation of scientists in the 6 technical sessions and single panel session on geoethics organized by IAPG at the 35th IGC - International Geological Congress, held in 2016 in Cape Town (South Africa), with the cooperative work of different geoscience organizations (IUGS-TGGP - Task Group on Global Geoscience Professionalism; GSL - Geological Society of London; EFG - European Federation of Geologists; EGS - EuroGeoSurveys; AGI - American Geosciences Institute; AGU - American Geophysical Union, and AAWG - African Association of Women in Geosciences). IAPG considers the 35th

  7. Disappearance rate of praziquantel-containing bait around villages and small towns in southern Bavaria, Germany.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Janko, Christof; König, Andreas

    2011-04-01

    In recent years, the red fox (Vulpes vulpes) has increasingly occupied urban areas in central Europe. Meanwhile, prevalence of infection in foxes with the small fox tapeworm (Echinococcus multilocularis) has increased, thereby increasing the human risk of infection with the parasite, which causes alveolar echinococcosis. Baiting strategies to counteract E. multilocularis have been implemented in cities and the open countryside, but there are few data on the situation in villages and small towns (edges for 7 days after distribution. Disappearance rates were 89.2% in villages, 88.8% in small towns, and 91.8% in settlement edges. More than 75% of the bait was consistently taken within the first three nights. There were no significant differences in disappearance rates between years or among seasons (Cox proportional hazard model). The survival time of the bait in small towns (P=0.021) and villages (P=0.026) depended on the zone (zone 1, first row of houses bordering on open countryside; zone 2, second to fourth rows, zone 3; beyond the fifth row) in which bait was distributed. In villages, the probability of bait being eaten in zone 1 was 119% higher than it was in zone 3 (P=0.007). In small towns, the probability was 60% higher (P=0.006).

  8. Effects of Social, Economic, and Labor Policies on Occupational Health Disparities

    Science.gov (United States)

    Siqueira, Carlos Eduardo; Gaydos, Megan; Monforton, Celeste; Slatin, Craig; Borkowski, Liz; Dooley, Peter; Liebman, Amy; Rosenberg, Erica; Shor, Glenn; Keifer, Matthew

    2018-01-01

    Background This article introduces some key labor, economic, and social policies that historically and currently impact occupational health disparities in the United States. Methods We conducted a broad review of the peer-reviewed and gray literature on the effects of social, economic, and labor policies on occupational health disparities. Results Many populations such as tipped workers, public employees, immigrant workers, and misclassified workers are not protected by current laws and policies, including worker’s compensation or Occupational Safety and Health Administration enforcement of standards. Local and state initiatives, such as living wage laws and community benefit agreements, as well as multiagency law enforcement contribute to reducing occupational health disparities. Conclusions There is a need to build coalitions and collaborations to command the resources necessary to identify, and then reduce and eliminate occupational disparities by establishing healthy, safe, and just work for all. PMID:23606055

  9. 76 FR 18566 - National Center on Minority and Health Disparities; Notice of Closed Meeting

    Science.gov (United States)

    2011-04-04

    ... and Health Disparities; Notice of Closed Meeting Pursuant to section 10(d) of the Federal Advisory... and Health Disparities Special Emphasis Panel, NIMHD Conference Grant Application (R13) Review. Date... Health and Health Disparities, 6707 Democracy Boulevard, Suite 800, Bethesda, MD 20892, (301) 451-9536...

  10. Human papillomavirus in normal cervical smears from Cape Town

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    to be 13% (25/192) using Southern blot hybridisation. The types of HPV found in normaJ cervical tissue from Cape. Town did not differ significantly from those found elsewhere in the world. Nine per cent (17/192) were positive for 'high-risk' HPV types which are associated with premalignant and malignant cervical lesions.

  11. Maternal health service utilization in urban slums of selected towns ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Maternal health service utilization in urban slums of selected towns in Ethiopia: Qualitative study. ... Reasons were found to be attributed to individual characteristics, perceived capacities of health facilities and friendliness of service providers and socio-cultural factors including socially sanctioned expectations at community ...

  12. Disparities in sexually transmitted disease rates across the "eight Americas".

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chesson, Harrell W; Kent, Charlotte K; Owusu-Edusei, Kwame; Leichliter, Jami S; Aral, Sevgi O

    2012-06-01

    The purpose of this study was to examine rates of 3 bacterial sexually transmitted diseases (STDs; syphilis, gonorrhea, and chlamydia) in 8 subpopulations (known as the "eight Americas") defined by race and a small number of county-level sociodemographic and geographical characteristics. The eight Americas are (1) Asians and Pacific Islanders in specific counties; (2) Northland low-income rural white; (3) Middle America; (4) Low-income whites in Appalachia and Mississippi Valley; (5) Western Native American; (6) Black middle America; (7) Southern low-income rural black; and (8) High-risk urban black. A list of the counties comprising each of the eight Americas was obtained from the corresponding author of the original eight Americas project, which examined disparities in mortality rates across the eight Americas. Using county-level STD surveillance data, we calculated syphilis, gonorrhea, and chlamydia rates (new cases per 100,000) for each of the eight Americas. Reported STD rates varied substantially across the eight Americas. STD rates were generally lowest in Americas 1 and 2 and highest in Americas 6, 7, and 8. Although disparities in STDs across the eight Americas are generally similar to the well-established disparities in STDs across race/ethnicity, the grouping of counties into the eight Americas does offer additional insight into disparities in STDs in the United States. The high STD rates we found for black Middle America are consistent with the assertion that sexual networks and social factors are important drivers of racial disparities in STDs.

  13. Examining Sexual Orientation Disparities in Unmet Medical Needs among Men and Women.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Everett, Bethany G; Mollborn, Stefanie

    2014-08-01

    Using the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health (N = 13,810), this study examines disparities in unmet medical needs by sexual orientation identity during young adulthood. We use binary logistic regression and expand Andersen's health care utilization framework to identify factors that shape disparities in unmet medical needs by sexual orientation. We also investigate whether the well-established gender disparity in health-seeking behaviors among heterosexual persons holds for sexual minorities. The results show that sexual minority women are more likely to report unmet medical needs than heterosexual women, but no differences are found between sexual minority and heterosexual men. Moreover, we find a reversal in the gender disparity between heterosexual and sexual minority populations: heterosexual women are less likely to report unmet medical needs than heterosexual men, whereas sexual minority women are more likely to report unmet medical needs compared to sexual minority men. Finally, this work advances Andersen's model by articulating the importance of including social psychological factors for reducing disparities in unmet medical needs by sexual orientation for women.

  14. Examining Sexual Orientation Disparities in Unmet Medical Needs among Men and Women

    Science.gov (United States)

    Everett, Bethany G.; Mollborn, Stefanie

    2013-01-01

    Using the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health (N = 13,810), this study examines disparities in unmet medical needs by sexual orientation identity during young adulthood. We use binary logistic regression and expand Andersen’s health care utilization framework to identify factors that shape disparities in unmet medical needs by sexual orientation. We also investigate whether the well-established gender disparity in health-seeking behaviors among heterosexual persons holds for sexual minorities. The results show that sexual minority women are more likely to report unmet medical needs than heterosexual women, but no differences are found between sexual minority and heterosexual men. Moreover, we find a reversal in the gender disparity between heterosexual and sexual minority populations: heterosexual women are less likely to report unmet medical needs than heterosexual men, whereas sexual minority women are more likely to report unmet medical needs compared to sexual minority men. Finally, this work advances Andersen’s model by articulating the importance of including social psychological factors for reducing disparities in unmet medical needs by sexual orientation for women. PMID:25382887

  15. 76 FR 55078 - National Center on Minority and Health Disparities; Notice of Closed Meeting

    Science.gov (United States)

    2011-09-06

    ... and Health Disparities; Notice of Closed Meeting Pursuant to section 10(d) of the Federal Advisory... and Health Disparities Special Emphasis Panel, ZMD1 RN (02) NIMHD Comprehensive Center of Excellence... Disparities, 6707 Democracy Boulevard, Suite 800, Bethesda, MD 20892, (301) 496-3996, [email protected

  16. 75 FR 42100 - National Center on Minority and Health Disparities; Notice of Closed Meeting

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-07-20

    ... and Health Disparities; Notice of Closed Meeting Pursuant to section 10(d) of the Federal Advisory... and Health Disparities Special Emphasis Panel, NCMHD Social Determinants of Health (R01) Panel. Date... Disparities, 6707 Democracy Boulevard, Suite 800, Bethesda, MD 20892, (301) 594-8696, [email protected

  17. Dialysis facility staff perceptions of racial, gender, and age disparities in access to renal transplantation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lipford, Kristie J; McPherson, Laura; Hamoda, Reem; Browne, Teri; Gander, Jennifer C; Pastan, Stephen O; Patzer, Rachel E

    2018-01-10

    Racial/ethnic, gender, and age disparities in access to renal transplantation among end-stage renal disease (ESRD) patients have been well documented, but few studies have explored health care staff attitudes towards these inequalities. Staff perceptions can influence patient care and outcomes, and identifying staff perceptions on disparities could aid in the development of potential interventions to address these health inequities. The objective of this study was to investigate dialysis staff (n = 509), primarily social workers and nurse managers, perceptions of renal transplant disparities in the Southeastern United States. This is a mixed methods study that uses both deductive and inductive qualitative analysis of a dialysis staff survey conducted in 2012 using three open-ended questions that asked staff to discuss their perceptions of factors that may contribute to transplant disparities among African American, female, and elderly patients. Study results suggested that the majority of staff (n = 255, 28%) perceived patients' low socioeconomic status as the primary theme related to why renal transplant disparities exist between African Americans and non-Hispanic whites. Staff cited patient perception of old age as a primary contributor (n = 188, 23%) to the disparity between young and elderly patients. The dialysis staff responses on gender transplant disparities suggested that staff were unaware of differences due to limited experience and observation (n = 76, 14.7%) of gender disparities. These findings suggest that dialysis facilities should educate staff on existing renal transplantation disparities, particularly gender disparities, and collaboratively work with transplant facilities to develop strategies to actively address modifiable patient barriers for transplant.

  18. Regional Disparities in Online Map User Access Volume and Determining Factors

    Science.gov (United States)

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

    2017-09-01

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

  19. Diversity and disparity of sparassodonts (Metatheria) reveal non-analogue nature of ancient South American mammalian carnivore guilds

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dolgushina, Tatiana; Wesley, Gina

    2018-01-01

    This study investigates whether terrestrial mammalian carnivore guilds of ancient South America, which developed in relative isolation, were similar to those of other continents. We do so through analyses of clade diversification, ecomorphology and guild structure in the Sparassodonta, metatherians that were the predominant mammalian carnivores of pre-Pleistocene South America. Body mass and 16 characters of the dentition are used to quantify morphological diversity (disparity) in sparassodonts and to compare them to extant marsupial and placental carnivores and extinct North American carnivoramorphans. We also compare trophic diversity of the Early Miocene terrestrial carnivore guild of Santa Cruz, Argentina to that of 14 modern and fossil guilds from other continents. We find that sparassodonts had comparatively low ecomorphological disparity throughout their history and that South American carnivore palaeoguilds, as represented by that of Santa Cruz, Argentina, were unlike modern or fossil carnivore guilds of other continents in their lack of mesocarnivores and hypocarnivores. Our results add to a growing body of evidence highlighting non-analogue aspects of extinct South American mammals and illustrate the dramatic effects that historical contingency can have on the evolution of mammalian palaeocommunities. PMID:29298933

  20. New energy vision of the Kosaka town area; 2001 nendo Kosaka machi chiiki shin energy vision

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    NONE

    2002-03-01

    For the purpose of promoting the introduction of new energy and enhancing the awareness of it in Kosaka Town, Akita Prefecture, an investigational study was conducted of the energy demand of the town, existence amount of new energy, project on new energy introduction, etc., and a new energy vision was worked out. The amount of energy demand of the town was 2,442,464 GJ/y. The energy demand consists of C heavy oil (about 1/3) and electric power (about 1/3) in the industrial sector, which are outstanding, and others including kerosene (about 12%) in the commercial/residential sector and light oil (about 10%) and gasoline (about 7%) in the transportation sector. The CO2 emissions from these are 60,000 t-C/y. As the project on the new energy introduction, study was made on the introduction of solar energy/snow cold energy space cooling to the insurance welfare center/interchange center, introduction of the photovoltaic power generation to the Korakukan area/elementary school/junior high school, introduction of the snow melting system using soil heat to town street/sidewalk, use of clean energy vehicle to public vehicle, use of ligneous biomass energy, etc. (NEDO)