An Incremental Intervention In Jakarta: An Empowering Infrastructural Approach For Upgrading Informal Settlements

Incrementalism is a growing movement within multiple design disciplines that approaches design with sustainable, social, and resilient aims structured around participatory, infrastructural, and phased approaches to design. Carefully considered structural and independent infrastructural frameworks allow infill and accretion according to the demands and needs of individuals and communities. This paper outlines the theories, case studies, and conditions driving incrementalism. My research has informed my project proposal for an incremental upgrade of a slum located in Jakarta using a phased, soft infrastructural, resident facilitated upgrade and development strategy creating new housing units, productive landscapes, and urban form. Incremental development will foster the social aims of my project, while affordably, equitably, and efficiently upgrading the standards of living for slum dwellers within the Waduk Pluit community

An Incremental Intervention in Jakarta: An Empowering Infrastructural Approach for Upgrading Informal Settelments

Incrementalism is a growing movement within multiple design disciplines that approaches design with sustainable, social, and resilient aims structured around participatory, infrastructural, and phased approaches to design. Carefully considered structural and independent infrastructural frameworks allow infill and accretion according to the demands and needs of individuals and communities. This paper outlines the theories, case studies, and conditions driving incrementalism. My research has informed my project proposal for an incremental upgrade of a slum located in Jakarta using a phased, soft infrastructural, resident facilitated upgrade and development strategy creating new housing units, productive landscapes, and urban form. Incremental development will foster the social aims of my project, while affordably, equitably, and efficiently upgrading the standards of living for slum dwellers within the Waduk Pluit community

Evaluation of Three Rapid Tests for Diagnosis of P. Falciparum and P. Vivax Malaria in Colombia.

The diagnostic capacity of three malaria rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs), NOW-Malaria-ICT, OptiMAL-IT, and Paracheck-Pf, was evaluated against expert microscopy in Colombia. We tested 896 patients, of whom microscopy confirmed 139 P. falciparum, 279 P. vivax, and 13 mixed P.f/P.v infections and 465 negatives. Paracheck-Pf and NOW-malaria-ICT were more accurate in detecting P. falciparum (sensitivities 90.8% and 90.1%, respectively) in comparison with Optimal-IT (83.6%). NOW showed an acceptable Pf detection rate at low densities (< 500/microL), but resulted in a higher proportion of false positives. For P. vivax diagnosis, Optimal-IT had a higher sensitivity than NOW (91.0% and 81.4%, respectively). The choice between the two Pf/Pv detecting RDTs balances P. falciparum and P. vivax detection rates. Considering some degree of P. falciparum overtreatment and failure to detect all P. vivax cases as more acceptable than missing some cases of P. falciparum, we recommend careful implementation of NOW-malaria-ICT in areas where microscopy is lacking. The price is however still a constraint

Gender-related factors affecting health seeking for neglected tropical diseases: findings from a qualitative study in Ethiopia

Background Despite known gender-specific differences in terms of prevalence, transmission and exposure to neglected tropical diseases (NTDs), there is limited discussion of the influence of gender in NTD programmes and interventions. There is a paucity of research on how gender interacts with NTD service provision and uptake. This study, part of broader implementation research in Ethiopia, applied a gender lens to health seeking for five NTDs: lymphatic filariasis, podoconiosis, schistosomiasis, soil-transmitted helminth infection and trachoma. Methodology/principal findings The study was conducted in a district of the Southern Nations, Nationalities, and Peoples' Region of Ethiopia where the five NTDs are prevalent. A qualitative methodology was adopted to explore participants’ perspectives and experiences. Data generation methods included 20 interviews and four focus group discussions. Community members, volunteer Health Development Army leaders, Health Extension Workers and a range of health workers at the health post, health centre and hospital level (n = 59) were purposively sampled. Interviews and focus group discussions were audio recorded, transcribed verbatim into English then analysed through open coding, drawing on constant comparative methods. Gender related factors affected care seeking for NTDs and were described as reasons for not seeking care, delayed care seeking and treating NTDs with natural remedies. Women faced additional challenges in seeking health care due to gender inequalities and power dynamics in their domestic partnerships. Participants recommended raising community awareness about NTDs, however this remains problematic due to gender and social norms around appropriate discourse with members of the opposite gender. Conclusions/significance The findings from this study provide crucial insights into how gender interacts with accessing health services, at different levels of the health system. If we are committed to leaving no one behind and achieving universal health coverage, it is essential to address gender disparities to access and utilisation of interventions delivered by national NTD programmes

In Situ Quantification of Surface Intermediates and Correlation to Discharge Products on Hematite Photoanodes using a Combined Scanning Electrochemical Microscopy Approach

Hematite is a promising photoanode for solar driven water splitting. Elucidating its surface chemical pathways is key to improving its performance. Here, we use redox titrations in the Surface Interrogation mode of Scanning Electrochemical Microscopy (SI-SECM) to quantitatively probe in situ the reactivity and time evolution of surface species formed on hematite during photo assisted water oxidation. Using SI-SECM, two distinct populations of oxidizing surface species were resolved with measured k_(si) of 316 m^3/(mol·s) and 2 m^3/(mol·s) for the more and less reactive species, respectively. While the surface coverage of both species was found to increase as a function of applied bias, the rate constants did not change appreciably, suggesting that the mechanism of water oxidation is independent of bias potential. In the absence of applied potential, both populations exhibit decay that is well described by second order kinetics, with k_d values of 1.2 × 10^5 ± 0.2 × 10^5 and 6.3 × 10^3 ± 0.9 × 10^3 m^2/(mol·s) for the fast and slow reacting adsorbates, respectively. Using transient substrate generation/tip collection mode, we detected the evolution of as much as 1.0 μmol/m^2 of H_2O_2 during this decay process, which correlates with the coverage observed by one of the titrated species. By deconvoluting the reactivity of multiple adsorbed reactants, these experiments demonstrate how SI-SECM enables direct observation of multiple adsorbates and reaction pathways on operating photoelectrodes

Rational use of antibiotics by community health workers and caregivers for children with suspected pneumonia in Zambia: A cross-sectional mixed methods study

Background: Antibiotic resistance is an issue of growing global concern. One key strategy to minimise further development of resistance is the rational use of antibiotics, by providers and patients alike. Through integrated community case management (iCCM), children diagnosed with suspected pneumonia are treated with antibiotics; one component of an essential package to reduce child mortality and increase access to health care for remote populations. Through the use of clinical algorithms, supportive supervision and training, iCCM also offers the opportunity to improve the rational use of antibiotics and limit the spread of resistance in resource-poor contexts. This study provides evidence on antibiotic use by community health workers (CHWs) and caregivers to inform iCCM programmes, safeguarding current treatments whilst maximising access to care. Methods: 1497 CHW consultations were directly observed by non-clinical researchers, with measurement of respiratory rate by CHWs recorded by video. Videos were used to conduct a retrospective reference standard assessment of respiratory rate by experts. Fifty-five caregivers whose children were prescribed a 5-day course of antibiotics for suspected pneumonia were followed up on day six to assess adherence through structured interviews and pill counts. Six focus group discussions and nine in depth interviews were conducted with CHWs and caregivers to supplement quantitative findings. Results: The findings indicate that CHWs adhered to treatment guidelines for 92 % of children seen, prescribing treatment corresponding to their assessment. However, only 65 % of antibiotics prescribed were given for children with experts' confirmed fast breathing pneumonia. Qualitative data indicates that CHWs have a good understanding of pneumonia diagnosis, and although caregivers sometimes applied pressure to receive drugs, CHWs stated that treatment decisions were not influenced. 46 % of caregivers were fully adherent and gave their child the full 5-day course of dispersible amoxicillin. If caregivers who gave treatment for 3 to 5 days were considered, adherence increased to 76 %. Conclusions: CHWs are capable of prescribing treatment corresponding to their assessment of respiratory rate. However, rational use of antibiotics could be strengthened through improved respiratory rate assessment, and better diagnostic tools. Furthermore, a shorter course of dispersible amoxicillin could potentially improve caregiver adherence, reducing risk of resistance and cost

NO SPACE LEFT BEHIND - Graduate Urban Design Studio - LANDARCH 606

The following report documents the work of the 2015 Spring Graduate Urban Design Studio course in the Department of Landscape Architecture and Regional Planning. This fourteen week studio focused on using tactical urbanism to engage Springfield’s Metro Center neighborhood with visions to revitalize the downtown core of this legacy city. In addition to completing the components of a traditional urban design studio (site analyses, schematic plans, spatial designs, and programming), the student teams also developed conceptual projects to immediately engage the public. These efforts culminated in a free afternoon walking tour throughout the Metro Center that presented several tactical interventions. These interactive, public installations illustrated potential future initiatives and brought attention to overlooked areas and assets. Throughout the semester the teams were challenged to continuously consider both the short-term impacts of their interventions and the long-term visions for the future of Springfield’s urban core. This strategy allowed students to develop a process-based approach to urban design. It provided opportunities to engage stakeholders and test new ideas with the public, rather than simply creating a master plan without any real world interactions with the city and its populace. STUDIO GOALS • To enliven public space in Springfield’s Metro Center through small-scale urban design interventions which illustrate and inform long-term plans • To activate residual spaces in the downtown with Tactical Urbanism By matching long-term visions for the Metro Center with short-term, site-specific tactical interventions the teams were able to deliver a variety of ideas in multiple formats. Furthermore, the experience of interacting with community members during the installation of projects added a great deal of meaning to the research and design process. The work explores a community service learning strategy within the framework of an urban design studio with the goal of revitalizing the city of Springfield, Massachusetts, through sustainable design, planning, and engagement with the community. The six design-team interventions are documented and published as team-authored videos: 1. Union Station Green Corridor Maozhu Mao, Yuqing Wu https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EnE8Yt8x0Es&feature=youtu.be 2. (No) Vacancy Chris Counihan, Michalagh Stoddard, Ruoying Tang https://youtu.be/CapaQ9gDxeM 3. Extra Space, Active Street Yu Yu https://youtu.be/2pgYq5HLNHA 4. Spring into Art Emilie Jordao, Matt Hisle, Jing Wang https://youtu.be/Vf2yk6Se6rU 5. Urban Agua Kellie Fenton, James Prendergast, Nelle Ward https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vk2PUJMdhTU&feature=youtu.be 6. Make the Connection Yue Li, Yanhua Lu, Yi Yang https://youtu.be/EvQD0QYV97

Protein trafficking through the endosomal system prepares intracellular parasites for a home invasion

Toxoplasma (toxoplasmosis) and Plasmodium (malaria) use unique secretory organelles for migration, cell invasion, manipulation of host cell functions, and cell egress. In particular, the apical secretory micronemes and rhoptries of apicomplexan parasites are essential for successful host infection. New findings reveal that the contents of these organelles, which are transported through the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and Golgi, also require the parasite endosome-like system to access their respective organelles. In this review, we discuss recent findings that demonstrate that these parasites reduced their endosomal system and modified classical regulators of this pathway for the biogenesis of apical organelles

Bidirectional lipid droplet velocities are controlled by differential binding strengths of HCV Core DII protein

Host cell lipid droplets (LD) are essential in the hepatitis C virus (HCV) life cycle and are targeted by the viral capsid core protein. Core-coated LDs accumulate in the perinuclear region and facilitate viral particle assembly, but it is unclear how mobility of these LDs is directed by core. Herein we used two-photon fluorescence, differential interference contrast imaging, and coherent anti-Stokes Raman scattering microscopies, to reveal novel core-mediated changes to LD dynamics. Expression of core protein’s lipid binding domain II (DII-core) induced slower LD speeds, but did not affect directionality of movement on microtubules. Modulating the LD binding strength of DII-core further impacted LD mobility, revealing the temporal effects of LD-bound DII-core. These results for DII-core coated LDs support a model for core-mediated LD localization that involves core slowing down the rate of movement of LDs until localization at the perinuclear region is accomplished where LD movement ceases. The guided localization of LDs by HCV core protein not only is essential to the viral life cycle but also poses an interesting target for the development of antiviral strategies against HCV