DEMOGRAPHICS AND THE VALUE OF PARK PROXIMITY IN GREENVILLE, SOUTH CAROLINA

The effect of proximity to different types of parks on housing prices is estimated using a unique data set of single family homes sold between 1990 and 1999 in Greenville, South Carolina. The value of park proximity is found to vary with respect to park size and amenities, as well as household income and family size. The greatest impact on housing values was found with proximity to small neighborhood parks, with property values as much as 13 percent higher for homes within 600 feet of such parks. The positive impact of proximity to attractive medium size parks extended to homes as far as 1500 feet from the park. The value of park proximity increases with family size and is greater, as a percentage of housing value, for households with income below the median.Resource /Energy Economics and Policy,

DOES PROXIMITY TO A GOLF COURSE MATTER?

In this study, we augment an earlier study by estimating the effect of golf courses on housing values using a data set of single-family homes sold between 1994 and 2000. We find that there is generally a positive impact on houses proximate to open space (golf courses and neighborhood parks). The value of proximity to a golf course is found to be greater than figures reported in previous studies. Proximity impacts extend beyond abutting properties and go as far as to those within almost a quarter of a mile. The value of properties proximate to parks is found to be significant and varies with park size and type. Parks classified as small and medium had positive impacts extending over a quarter of a mile with the small parks having the greatest impact on the value of properties.Land Economics/Use,

SCHOOL QUALITY AND PROPERTY VALUES IN GREENVILLE, SOUTH CAROLINA

This study estimates the impact of school quality on property values within the city limits of Greenville, South Carolina. This study differs from others in its use of a relative, rather than an absolute measure of school quality. We apply a hedonic pricing model to estimate the impact of K-12 rankings on the real constant-quality housing values. Based on 3,731 housing transactions carried out from 1994 to 2000, our results suggest that those who choose to live within the city limits of the study pay a premium to live in high quality school attendance areas. Therefore, high-ranked schools have values capitalized into single-family house prices. Further, greater distance to assigned K-12 schools has a negative impact on the value of the property.Land Economics/Use,

NEIGHBORHOOD PARKS AND RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY VALUES IN GREENVILLE, SOUTH CAROLINA

The effect on housing prices of proximity to different types of parks is estimated using a unique data set of single-family homes sold between 1990 and 1999 in Greenville, South Carolina. While the value of park proximity is found to vary with respect to park size and amenities, the estimates from this study are larger than previous studies. The greatest impact on housing values was found with proximity to small neighborhood parks, with the positive impact of proximity to both small and medium-size parks extending to homes as far as 1500 feet from the park.hedonic valuation, open space, urban parks, value of parks, Land Economics/Use,

Exploration of carbon nanotube composites and piezoelectric materials for implantable devices

This thesis describes an exploration of carbon nanotube (CNT) nanocomposites for application in implantable medical devices. The focus here is on materials and structures of interest as components of devices incorporating electrodes. Electrodes for implantable devices are commonly required to interface between an electrical system, where the charge carriers are electrons presented through a metal, and human tissue, where the charge carriers are ions as well as electrons not in a metal. These interfaces are found to be prone to issues such as fibrosis and rejection. The properties of carbon nanomaterials, piezoelectric peptides/polymers and their composites suggest them as promising candidate materials that could resolve these issues. The superior conductivity, mechanical properties and chemical stability of carbon nanotubes have been explored in recent years for potential application in biomedical sensors and devices. This work has explored piezoelectric materials, carbon nanotubes, polymers and nanocomposites of these as potential components of implantable devices. Diphenylalanine is a chiral, amphiphilic dipeptide molecule which has the ability to self-assemble into piezoelectric microtubules. The self-assembly process of diphenylalanine microtubules has been explored and its properties have been compared to the properties of poly[vinylidenefluoride-co-trifluoroethylene] (P[VDF-TrFE]) electrospun nanofibres. Later parts of this work considered the deposition of electrodes by printing. The development of CNT-polymer nanocomposites as printable inks for the fabrication of electrodes was explored. The structure and properties of the piezoelectric nano/ micro-materials, CNT-peptide complex and conductive CNT-polymer printable inks were characterised by a range of microscopic and spectroscopic techniques. The viability of neural cells on the developed functional materials and electrodes were tested by metabolic activity measurements and immunochemical staining microscopy. A CNT-polymer ink demonstrated good conductivity and dimensional stability when printed by 3D printer. Good biocompatibility of all the functional materials developed have been demonstrated in vitro, showing promise for further development of soft electrodes and applications in nanostructure piezoelectric sensors and implantable devices

Data Accuracy and Completeness of Monthly Midwifery Returns Indicators of Ejisu Juaben Health Directorate of Ghana

The broad range of activities contained in the provision of Primary Health Care (PHC) places a burden on providers to make optimal use of limited resources to achieve maximal health benefit to the population served. All too often, ad hoc decisions and personal preferences guide PHC resource allocations, making accountability for results impossible. Problems constraining Routine Health Information System (RHIS) performance in low-income countries include: poor data quality; limited use of available information; weaknesses in how data are analyzed and poor RHIS management practices. This study sought to investigate these constraints. A non-experimental before and after study involving bassline assessment of data accuracy and completeness, application of innovative strategies such as mentoring and coaching of Health Information Officers in data quality improvement process. Coincidentally, the intervention improved both data accuracy and completeness performance significantly among the participating facilities. The outstanding performance may be attributed to management's new orientation and growing interest towards quality data. Engaging frontline staff in data quality improvement work and provision of regular feedback leads to improvement in data accuracy and completeness. This has implications for decision-making and resource allocation, especially in low-income countries, where the routine health information management system relies heavily on paper work

ROLE OF NEWLY SYNTHESIZED STEROID HORMONE ANTAGONISTS IN ADRENOCORTICO-STEROID HORMONE-INDUCED HYPERTENSION

Excess adrenocorticosteroid hormones such as glucocorticoids and mineralocorticoids is well known to induce hypertension in several animal species as well as in humans. Therefore, the development of potent and specific glucocorticoid and mineralocorticoid antagonists with antihypertensive effects is clinically necessary. steroid hormone antagonists being used therapeutically present serious endocrinology side effects such as the widely used antimineralocorticoid, spironolactone. The antiglucocorticoids available so far have been active only in vitro or only weakly in viva. Recently, three new exciting adrenocorticosteroid hormone antagonists have been synthesized. RU 486 is a potent antiglucocorticoid (and antiprogesterone with potential as an abortifacient), RU 26752 and mespirenone, are novel mineralocorticoid antagonists. I studied the antihypertensive effect of RU 486, RU 26752 and mespirenone in Sprague- Dawley rats with dexamethasone- or aldosterone-induced hypertension. In addition, the effect of these antagonists on the hypertension developed by genetic model, spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) were also studied. The SHR is the closest animal model to human essential hypertension and it is believed that adrenocorticosteroid hormones are involved in the induction and maintenance of the hypertension. The results obtained from my studies showed that RU 486 administered simultaneously with dexamethasone prevented the hypertension induced by dexamethasone treatment. However, RU 486 had no effect on mineralocorticoid-induced hypertension. The administration of the antimineralocorticoid RU 26752 or mespirenone in combination with aldosterone successfully presented aldosterone-induced hypertension but not dexamethasone- induced hypertension. Surprisingly, RU 486 caused a significant increase in the blood pressure of the SHR whilst mespirenone caused a slight decrease in blood pressure as compared to control SHR. The effect of these antihormones on body/organ weights, fluid intake and urinary output was observed. Morphologically examination of the heart and kidney showed no abnormalities with treatment. These results suggest that 1) RU 486 is specific in preventing dexamethasone-induced hypertension; 2) RU 26752 and mespirenone are successful in preventing aldosterone-induced hypertension and 3) mineralocorticoids may be involved in the development and maintenance of hypertension in the SHR

Demonstrating Agency and Resilience amidst Recurrent Health Challenges: A Case of Street Children in Kumasi Metropolitan Area

A substantial number of people across the globe live in extreme poverty and deprivation. With regards to children, a significant number of them especially those in the developing countries are entrapped in a cycle of poverty which has extensively limited their development. One of such groups of children includes street children who often live on the margins of major cities. Their poor living conditions constantly expose them to diverse health related risks and problems. A number of these children have however thrived on streets amidst the prevailing health related challenges. According to research, this is attributed to skills and attitude which enables them to thrive adequately. These peculiar skills and attitudes are summed up in the concepts of agency and resilience. Emphasis has lately been placed on the ingenuity these group of children exhibit in dealing with their everyday challenges such as health problems. The paper finds that, despite their poverty levels and hardships, these children showed traits of self motivation, creativity, flexibility and adaptability which demonstrated their agency. Moreover, they were able take advantage of meagre opportunities such as their limited social capital, little erratic incomes and experience on the streets to address some of their health problems by themselves. The paper thus argues that, it is pertinent for these special skills and coping mechanisms to be critically incorporated into efforts geared at the health related wellbeing of poor and vulnerable groups. This could be done through the application of appropriate participatory methods in the initiation and implementation of relevant policies and strategies to give people the opportunity to demonstrate their inherent capabilities as human beings. Key Words and Phrases: Agency, Resilience, Health, Street Children, poor and vulnerable, participation