503 research outputs found

    Managing Stored Data For Mobile Apps: Survey Of Apps And Case Study

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    Stored data is a critical component of any application. The stored data component of mobile applications (apps) presents special considerations. This paper examines the management of stored data for mobile apps. It identifies three types of mobile apps and describes the stored data characteristics of each type. It presents decision factors for selecting a data storage approach for a mobile app and the impact of the factors on the usability of the app. The paper surveys over 70 apps in a specific domain (that of walking the Camino de Santiago in Spain) to examine their data storage characteristics. Finally the paper presents a case study of the development of one app in this domain (eCamino). The paper concludes that in the domain examined the data storage approach selected for a mobile app depends on the characteristics of the situation in which the app will be used

    A two-stage solution approach for the Directed Rural Postman Problem with Turn Penalties

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    In this paper, we consider the Directed Rural Postman Problem with Turn Penalties (DRPP-TP). A solution is a tour that traverses all required arcs of the graph. The total cost of the tour is the sum of the lengths of the traversed arcs plus the penalties associated with the turns. One solution approach involves transforming the arc routing problem into an equivalent node routing problem. An alternative direct approach (without graph transformation) that involves two stages has been proposed in the literature. In the first part of this paper, we investigate the applicability of the direct approach. We identify several characteristics of the input instance that make this approach effective and present several limitations of this approach. In the second part of this paper, we describe an integer linear program that is combined with a local search algorithm. This combination produces high-quality solutions to the DRPP-TP in a reasonable amount of computing time. (C) 2018 Published by Elsevier B.V

    Perceptions of portuguese family health care teams regarding the expansion of nurses’ scope of practice = PerceçÔes de equipas de saĂșde familiar portuguesas sobre o alargamento do campo de exercĂ­cio da enfermagem

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    Theoretical framework: Expanding primary health care nurses’ scope of practice is a strategy that has been used in various health systems to good advantage. Its feasibility depends on the health professionals’ consensus as to its suitability. Objectives: To find out the perceptions of Portuguese family health care teams regarding the expansion of primary care nurses’ scope of practice. Methodology: Focus groups. Results: The team perception is that citizen expectations, the shortage of nurses and the need for specific training are the main issues to be faced. The teams discussed various roles that the nursing profession could take on in Primary Health Care (PHC) via a work reorganisation included in the regulatory framework. Conclusion: The assignment of wider clinical roles to PHC nurses is not unanimously approved of, since it is perceived by some doctors and nurses as inappropriate and unfair. Some health care teams expressed their willingness to take part in this option, due to its potential contribution to improving the response to care needs not currently being met. Enquadramento: O alargamento do campo de exercĂ­cio do enfermeiro de cuidados primĂĄrios tem constituĂ­do uma estratĂ©gia utilizada em diversos sistemas de saĂșde com ganhos conhecidos. A sua exequibilidade depende do consenso dos profissionais de saĂșde sobre a sua adequação. Objetivos: Conhecer as perceçÔes de equipas de saĂșde familiar portuguesas sobre o alargamento do campo de exercĂ­cio do enfermeiro de cuidados primĂĄrios. Metodologia: Grupos focais. Resultados: Na perceção das equipas, as expetativas dos cidadĂŁos, a escassez de enfermeiros e a necessidade de formação especĂ­fica sĂŁo os principais problemas a enfrentar. As equipas discutiram vĂĄrios papĂ©is que a profissĂŁo de enfermagem poderia assumir em Cuidados de SaĂșde PrimĂĄrios (CSP), mediante uma reorganização do trabalho, enquadrada normativamente. ConclusĂŁo: A atribuição de papĂ©is clĂ­nicos mais vastos ao enfermeiro de CSP nĂŁo reĂșne unanimidade, por ser percebida, por alguns mĂ©dicos e enfermeiros, como desajustada e inĂ­qua. Algumas equipas de saĂșde manifestaram disponibilidade para aderir a esta opção, face ao seu potencial contributo para melhorar a resposta a necessidades assistenciais atualmente nĂŁo satisfeitas.publishersversionpublishe

    O conhecimento sobre o medicamento e literacia em saĂșde. Um estudo em adultos utentes de farmĂĄcias do concelho de Lisboa

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    Estudos recentes realizados nas farmĂĄcias portuguesas evidenciaram elevadas percentagens de indivĂ­duos que nĂŁo aderem Ă  terapĂȘutica. Em consequĂȘncia, nĂŁo controlam adequadamente o seu problema de saĂșde e geram desperdĂ­cio do medicamento. A utilização do medicamento requer conhecimento, competĂȘncias e motivação por parte do indivĂ­duo/utilizador. A informação sobre o medicamento Ă© disponibilizada de forma verbal e escrita, desconhecendo-se atĂ© hoje, na população portuguesa, em que medida as competĂȘncias de literacia em saĂșde permitem a sua obtenção, o uso e a compreensĂŁo quando perante a necessidade de utilizar medicamentos. Foi objetivo do presente estudo a medição do conhecimento sobre o medicamento numa amostra de utentes de farmĂĄcia com idades compreendidas entre os 45 e os 64 anos, analisando de que forma estĂĄ associado a competĂȘncias de literacia em saĂșde. Realizou-se um estudo descritivo transversal com a colaboração voluntĂĄria de farmĂĄcias do concelho de Lisboa, que recolheram os dados mediante inquĂ©rito por entrevista quando o utente se encontrava na farmĂĄcia a adquirir a sua terapĂȘutica. A amostra estudada foi constituĂ­da por 233 utentes com uma idade mĂ©dia de 57 anos (dp = 5,7), maioritariamente do gĂ©nero feminino, ativos, com uma escolaridade igual ou inferior ao 9.Âș ano e com hĂĄbitos gerais de leitura referindo ler frequentemente (26 por cento) ou muito frequentemente (30 por cento). Em mĂ©dia responderam corretamente a 10,48 perguntas num total de 13 (dp = 1,779), sendo este conhecimento independente do sexo (p = 0,791) e da idade (p = 0,131). O nĂșmero de respostas corretas Ă©, no entanto, maior quanto mais elevado o grau de escolaridade (p = 0,000), a categoria profissional exercida (p=0,000), os hĂĄbitos de leitura (p=0,000), o Ă­ndice de compreensĂŁo de informação (p = 0,003), a intensidade de leitura de informação sobre saĂșde ou medicamento (p = 0,005), a facilidade de utilização do folheto informativo do medicamento (p = 0,027), a intensidade de cĂĄlculo (p = 0,018) e o tempo de utilização do medicamento (p = 0,047). Do conjunto de indicadores de literacia analisados, o grau de escolaridade, o Ă­ndice de compreensĂŁo da informação transmitida pelos profissionais de saĂșde e a intensidade de leitura de materiais escritos relacionados com o medicamento ou saĂșde sĂŁo os que mais contribuem para o conhecimento sobre o medicamento, embora se revelem fracamente preditivos do nĂ­vel de conhecimento (r2 = 0,013). Evidencia-se neste estudo que o conhecimento que os indivĂ­duos possuem sobre o medicamento Ă© influenciado de forma positiva por competĂȘncias de literacia em saĂșde. Em consequĂȘncia, as intervençÔes que visam melhorar a utilização do medicamento e as estratĂ©gias de comunicação em saĂșde, tanto verbal como escrita, devem ter em consideração o nĂ­vel de literacia em saĂșde da população.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

    Development of cyclobutene- and cyclobutane-functionalized fatty acids with inhibitory activity against \u3ci\u3eMycobacterium tuberculosis\u3c/i\u3e

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    Eleven fatty acid analogs incorporating four-membered carbocycles (cyclobutenes, cyclobutanes, cyclobutanones, and cyclobutanols) were investigated for the ability to inhibit growth of Mycobacterium smegmatis (Msm) and Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb). A number of the analogs displayed inhibitory activity against both mycobacterial species in minimal media. Several of the molecules displayed potent levels of inhibition against Mtb with MIC values equal to or below those obtained with the anti-tuberculosis drugs D-cycloserine and isoniazid. In contrast, two of the analogs displaying the greatest activity against Mtb failed to inhibit E. coli growth under either set of conditions. Thus, the active molecules identified here (1, 2, 6, and 8) may provide the basis for development of anti-mycobacterial agents against Mtb

    Highly chlorinated PCBs inhibit the human xenobiotic response mediated by the steroid and xenobiotic receptor (SXR).

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    Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) are a family of persistent organic contaminants suspected to cause adverse effects in wildlife and humans. In rodents, PCBs bind to the aryl hydrocarbon (AhR) and pregnane X receptors (PXR) inducing the expression of catabolic cytochrome p450 enzymes of the CYP1A and 3A families. We found that certain highly chlorinated PCBs are potent activators of rodent PXR but antagonize its human ortholog, the steroid and xenobiotic receptor (SXR), inhibiting target gene induction. Thus, exposure to PCBs may blunt the human xenobiotic response, inhibiting the detoxification of steroids, bioactive dietary compounds, and xenobiotics normally mediated by SXR. The antagonistic PCBs are among the most stable and abundant in human tissues. These findings have important implications for understanding the biologic effects of PCB exposure and the use of animal models to predict the attendant risk

    Measuring Inequalities in the Distribution of Health Workers: The case of Tanzania.

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    The overall human resource shortages and the distributional inequalities in the health workforce in many developing countries are well acknowledged. However, little has been done to measure the degree of inequality systematically. Moreover, few attempts have been made to analyse the implications of using alternative measures of health care needs in the measurement of health workforce distributional inequalities. Most studies have implicitly relied on population levels as the only criterion for measuring health care needs. This paper attempts to achieve two objectives. First, it describes and measures health worker distributional inequalities in Tanzania on a per capita basis; second, it suggests and applies additional health care needs indicators in the measurement of distributional inequalities. We plotted Lorenz and concentration curves to illustrate graphically the distribution of the total health workforce and the cadre-specific (skill mix) distributions. Alternative indicators of health care needs were illustrated by concentration curves. Inequalities were measured by calculating Gini and concentration indices.\ud There are significant inequalities in the distribution of health workers per capita. Overall, the population quintile with the fewest health workers per capita accounts for only 8% of all health workers, while the quintile with the most health workers accounts for 46%. Inequality is perceptible across both urban and rural districts. Skill mix inequalities are also large. Districts with a small share of the health workforce (relative to their population levels have an even smaller share of highly trained medical personnel. A small share of highly trained personnel is compensated by a larger share of clinical officers (a middle-level cadre) but not by a larger share of untrained health workers. Clinical officers are relatively equally distributed. Distributional inequalities tend to be more pronounced when under-five deaths are used as an indicator of health care needs. Conversely, if health care needs are measured by HIV prevalence, the distributional inequalities appear to decline. The measure of inequality in the distribution of the health workforce may depend strongly on the underlying measure of health care needs. In cases of a non-uniform distribution of health care needs across geographical areas, other measures of health care needs than population levels may have to be developed in order to ensure a more meaningful measurement of distributional inequalities of the health workforce
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