Using a knowledge-based approach: the way healthy communities make decisions

The planning for Knowledge Cities faces significant challenges due to the lack of effective information tools. These challenges are magnified while planning healthy communities. The Australian Health Information Council (AHIC) concluded in its last report that health information needs to be shared more effectively (AHIC, 2008). Some research justifies the use of Decision Support Systems (DSS) as an E-planning tool, particularly in the context of healthy communities. However, very limited research has been conducted in this area to date, especially in terms of evaluating the impact of these tools on decision-makers within the health planning practice. The paper presents the methodological instruments which were developed to measure the impact of the E-planning tool (i.e., Health Decision Support System [HDSS])) on a group of health planners, namely, the Logan Beaudesert Health Coalition (LBHC). The paper is focused on the culture in which decisions were made before and after the intervention of the HDSS. Subsequently, the paper presents the observed impact of the HDSS tool, to facilitate a knowledge-based decision-making approach. This study is an attempt to make some contribution to the Knowledge Cities literature in the context of planning healthy communities by adopting E-planning tools

I Spy: Addressing the Privacy Implications of Live Streaming Technology and the Current Inadequacies of the Law

This Note argues that live-streaming technology has implicated several important legal rights held by various parties, from the freedom of expression rights of the videographers/streamers themselves, to privacy rights of inadvertent participants in a third party’s live stream. Part I briefly discusses the types of streaming currently available, focusing on an explanation of live-streaming and the transition from archived content applications to live-streaming applications, and then moves on to examining the trajectory of the laws governing live-streaming technology. Additionally, Part I discusses parts of the body of both state and federal privacy laws which could apply to live-streaming. Part II of this Note applies the framework established in Part I to Facebook Live, comparing the live-streaming service to more traditional broadcasting, and discussing the rights and liabilities of live-streamers, those who may inadvertently find themselves included in a live stream, and select third parties. Part III discusses past solutions to privacy issues raised by media activities, and Part IV examines why the advent of social media live-streaming presents novel questions. Part V concludes this Note by discussing potential policy implications and asking the question: where do we go from here

Trail Vision: Utilizing Leopold As Environmental Equipment For Living

Hiking trails are one of the major ways citizens make observations about the natural world. An analysis of trail maintenance texts demonstrates a focus on concealment and camouflage of human construction and upkeep in National Scenic Trails. These practices are detrimental to environmentalism, since the resulting ideology frames nature as overly self-sufficient and not in need of human stewardship. Trail maintenance practices are analyzed in reference to the nature/culture dichotomy. Perceptions of nature’s self-healing ability are analyzed through a comparison of the oil spills in Santa Barbara during 1969 and 2015. An alternative approach is found through Aldo Leopold. Leopold provides environmental “equipment for living” in issues of trail management and stewardship. The main focus of the alternative perspective is encouraging trekkers to reflect on the sources of items used to create trails, by utilizing transparency in trail construction methods

The effects of light spectra on stress and behavior.

Modern Western culture has brought most of us indoors and away from extreme changes in temperature and weather, and perhaps more importantly, away from the sun. Nevertheless, the sun plays a critical role in our survival. Wurtman (1975) has summarized the known and crucial roles played by the sun in human biology. Sunlight acts on the skin to produce vitamin D which is essential for the development of a strong bone structure in children and equally essential for the maintenance of a healthy skeletal structure in the elderly. Sunlight is also known to activate and regulate many biological mechanisms such as the timing of biological clocks, endocrine control, immunologic responsiveness, sexual growth and development, stress and fatigue, and control of colds and infections

A histochemical and ultrastructural study of vascular innervation in selected human and animal tissues

A review of the factors regulating peripheral blood flow is presented and the importance of the autonomic nervous system discussed. The purpose of this project was to extend the animal studies on vascular innervation to human tissues and in this way attempt to determine some of the constraints operating in the control of blood flow in particular vascular beds. A number of techniques designed to identify autonomic subpopulations were employed. Adrenergic nerves were demonstrated by the formaldehyde-induced fluorescence and glyoxylic acid fluorescence techniques, whilst possible cholinergic nerves were shown by acetylcholinesterase staining. The electron microsoope was also used to aid identification of autonomic subpopulations through an examination of vesicle populations in nerve endings. Extensive ultrastructural studies were undertaken on non- lactating human breast and no periarteriolar axon profiles were observed. Ultra-violet fluorescence microscopy and acetylcholinesterase staining also gave negative results indicating that blood flow through the non-lactating human breast is not controlled by autonomic nerves supplying the vessels. Studies on lactating rat mammary gland revealed a rich periarteriolar adrenergic innervation and the possibility remains that such an innervation may be present in the human gland when lactating. No acetylcholinesterase stained fibres were observed around the vessels but the arteriolar walls themselves stained strongly. Human axillary lymph nodes were examined in the electron microscope and periarteriolar adrenergic nerves demonstrated

Identifying Factors That Impact Female Leadership Presence

This research aims to acknowledge and weaken various factors that deter women from taking up leadership in our current systems. Increasing one’s personal capacity for leadership is especially beneficial for women who participate in systems that lack equal gender representation. Despite differences in organizational culture, certain patterns of experience have been negatively related to female Leadership Presence, and depend on the theoretical lens of leadership for development. Examining the demand-side and supply-side factors that inhibit female career progression is significant to understanding the environmental and individual impositions impacting leadership development. Specific strategies to strengthen Leadership Presence, as well as the related key, manageable skills; Authenticity, Self-Efficacy, and Influence (O’Neil, 2015), are presented for applied practice

Do consumer voices in health-care citizens’ juries matter?

Background There is widespread agreement that the public should be engaged in health-care decision making. One method of engagement that is gaining prominence is the citizens’ jury, which places citizens at the centre of the deliberative process. However, little is known about how the jury process works in a health-care context. There is even less clarity about how consumer perspectives are heard within citizens’ juries and with what consequences. Objectives This paper focuses on what is known about the role of consumer voices within health-care citizens’ juries, how these voices are heard by jurors and whether and in what ways the inclusion or exclusion of such voices may matter. Results Consumer voices are not always included in health-care citizens’ juries. There is a dearth of research on the conditions under which consumer voices emerge (or not), from which sources and why. As a result, little is known about what stories are voiced or silenced, and how such stories are heard by jurors, with what consequences for jurors, deliberation, decision-makers, policy and practice. Discussion and Conclusion The potential role of consumer voices in influencing deliberations and recommendations of citizens’ juries requires greater attention. Much needed knowledge about the nuances of deliberative processes will contribute to an assessment of the usefulness of citizens’ juries as a public engagement mechanism

Understanding the Comorbidity of Asthma and Anxiety in Childhood: Characteristics, Vulnerabilities, and Treatment Implications

Introduction: Given the high incidence of asthma and anxiety comorbidity, clinicians should be informed of the unique presentation of these clients in clinical practice. Although much is known about the development and characteristics of childhood anxiety, less is known about children with anxiety and comorbid asthma. Methods: This study, using archival data, examined the potential differences in children with comorbid asthma and anxiety compared to children with anxiety from a random controlled trial. These two groups were compared on negative self-talk, number of physical symptoms, parent anxiety, content of their worries, and presence of panic, generalized anxiety, and separation anxiety disorder. Both groups were compared on their responsiveness to traditional Cognitive Behavioral Treatment for Childhood Anxiety. Discussion: Findings will contribute to more effective ways of addressing asthma in psychotherapy