Data Management Practices for Collaborative Research

The success of research in the field of maternal–infant health, or in any scientific field, relies on the adoption of best practices for data and knowledge management. Prior work by our group and others has identified evidence-based solutions to many of the data management challenges that exist, including cost–effective practices for ensuring high-quality data entry and proper construction and maintenance of data standards and ontologies. Quality assurance practices for data entry and processing are necessary to ensure that data are not denigrated during processing, but the use of these practices has not been widely adopted in the fields of psychology and biology. Furthermore, collaborative research is becoming more common. Collaborative research often involves multiple laboratories, different scientific disciplines, numerous data sources, large data sets, and data sets from public and commercial sources. These factors present new challenges for data and knowledge management. Data security and privacy concerns are increased as data may be accessed by investigators affiliated with different institutions. Collaborative groups must address the challenges associated with federating data access between the data-collecting sites and a centralized data management site. The merging of ontologies between different data sets can become formidable, especially in fields with evolving ontologies. The increased use of automated data acquisition can yield more data, but it can also increase the risk of introducing error or systematic biases into data. In addition, the integration of data collected from different assay types often requires the development of new tools to analyze the data. All of these challenges act to increase the costs and time spent on data management for a given project, and they increase the likelihood of decreasing the quality of the data. In this paper, we review these issues and discuss theoretical and practical approaches for addressing these issues

A Toolkit for Integrating Menstrual Hygiene Management (MHM) Into Humanitarian Response: The Full Guide

The menstrual hygiene management (MHM) in Emergencies project is a collaboration between the International Rescue Committee and Columbia University's Mailman School of Public Health, and is supported by Research for Health in Humanitarian Crises (R2HC). The aim of this project is to improve the guidance available to humanitarian responders who need to incorporate MHM into their programming during emergencies. Formative assessments were conducted in two humanitarian response settings (Myanmar and Lebanon) at the onset of the project in addition to interviews with global humanitarian experts, a major meeting of specialists across sectors and agencies, and a desk review. The toolkit was then piloted in an on-going emergency context (refugee camps in Tanzania) where it was evaluated and further improved upon.The toolkit looks at MHM from a multi-sectoral perspective and aims to give practical, streamlined guidance to humanitarian workers. The toolkit is co-published by 27 leading organizations that work in the humanitarian sphere.

Revitalizing downtown commercial centers in suburban Boston

Thesis (M.C.P.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Urban Studies and Planning, 1984.MICROFICHE COPY AVAILABLE IN ARCHIVES AND ROTCH.Bibliography: leaves 74-76.Margaret Schmitt.M.C.P

AAV2 mediated transduction of the mouse retina after optic nerve injury

PURPOSE. Gene therapy of retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) has promise as a powerful therapeutic for the rescue and regeneration of these cells after optic nerve damage. However, early after damage, RGCs undergo atrophic changes, including gene silencing. It is not known if these changes will deleteriously affect transduction and transgene expression, or if the therapeutic protein can influence reactivation of the endogenous genome. METHODS. Double-transgenic mice carrying a Rosa26-(LoxP)-tdTomato reporter, and a mutant allele for the proapoptotic Bax gene were reared. The Bax mutant blocks apoptosis, but RGCs still exhibit nuclear atrophy and gene silencing. At times ranging from 1 hour to 4 weeks after optic nerve crush (ONC), eyes received an intravitreal injection of AAV2 virus carrying the Cre recombinase. Successful transduction was monitored by expression of the tdTomato reporter. Immunostaining was used to localize tdTomato expression in select cell types. RESULTS. Successful transduction of RGCs was achieved at all time points after ONC using AAV2 expressing Cre from the phosphoglycerate kinase (Pgk) promoter, but not the CMV promoter. ONC promoted an increase in the transduction of cell types in the inner nuclear layer, including Müller cells and rod bipolar neurons. There was minimal evidence of transduction of amacrine cells and astrocytes in the inner retina or optic nerve. CONCLUSIONS. Damaged RGCs can be transduced and at least some endogenous genes can be subsequently activated. Optic nerve damage may change retinal architecture to allow greater penetration of an AAV2 virus to transduce several additional cell types in the inner nuclear layer

Mental Agency and Attributionist (or "Real Self") Accounts of Moral Responsibility

Recently a number of philosophers have begun to promote what are broadly referred to as attributionist or real self views of moral responsibility. According these views a person is responsible for a thing just in case it is indicative or expressive of her judgments, values, or "world-directed" attitudes. These philosophers have focused a great deal of attention on dissolving the apparent tension between our commonsense intuitions concerning the connection between control and responsibility, on the one hand, and our lack of voluntary control over our values, beliefs and attitudes on the other. In attempting to relieve this tension, many of them have introduced various forms of non-voluntary control or agency we are said to exercise with respect to things such as our values, beliefs and attitudes. I argue that these supposed forms of non-voluntary agency are untenable because they typically rest on a failure to adequately distinguish between two ways in which we make up our minds; in short, they rest on a failure to adequately distinguish theoretical from practical reasoning. Once certain fundamental differences between theoretical and practical reasoning are brought back to the fore of the discussion, it becomes much harder to sustain some sort of unique species of agency that can be said to apply to beliefs and certain other world-directed attitudes. Without such forms of non-voluntary agency, however, proponents of attributionists accounts of moral responsibility seem to face a dilemma; they must either: sneak volition in through the backdoor or commit to holding people responsible for things with respect to which they are passive. The thesis falls into four main sections. In the first section, I introduce the problem by describing an ongoing debate between defenders of attributionist accounts of moral responsibility and defenders of what have been termed volitionist accounts of moral responsibility. In the second section, I explicate Pamela Hieronymi's construal of the form of non-voluntary agency she calls "evaluative control." In section three, I critique Hieronymi's account of evaluative control by pointing to two predominant points of divergence between theoretical and practical reasoning. In the fourth section, I examine the upshots of the absence of non-voluntary for attributionist accounts of moral responsibility; I do so by examining each horn of the dilemma mentioned above

Improving the impact of menstrual health innovations in low- and middle-income countries: a theory of change and measurement framework

There exists growing global attention focused on tackling the menstrual management related challenges facing adolescent girls and women in low- and middle-income countries (LMIC). This includes a surge of growth in new and locally produced menstrual products, often accompanied by innovative distribution approaches aimed at enhancing accessibility, along with the provision of menstruation-related education. Increasing global investments support the development of such products by local and international menstrual innovators, with the aim of shifting from product development towards achieving scale. Parallel to such efforts, there is a need for rigorous monitoring to evaluate the process and impact of implementation, to ensure resources are effectively utilized. In response, a new measurement model was developed that includes a Theory of Change (ToC) and measurement framework, to enable improved measurement of the impact and growth of menstrual product innovations. These tools aim to help investors to more effectively monitor and assess the impact of investments. They will also support social entrepreneurs, innovators, and non-governmental organizations to adopt approaches that are most effective for impacting the lives of menstruating adolescent girls and women across LMIC. This paper seeks to introduce the ToC and monitoring and evaluation framework as supportive resources that provide a common framework for the global community to utilize as both investors and social entrepreneurs seek to develop more scalable menstrual solutions globally

The Application of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) to Improving Health Systems in the Upper East Region of Ghana

Despite the increased use of Geographic Information System (GIS) for health research, the technology is least used in settings where evidence based decision-making is needed most: High mortality settings of Africa where resource constraints impede the provision of essential care. This paper reports on a case study of GIS application in the Upper East Region (UER), one of the poorest regions in Ghana. Methods: Ghana Health Service (GHS) workers were trained to use GPS handheld devices to gather waypoints (coordinates) of all health care facilities and amenities throughout the UER. The waypoints data were then exported to Excel spreadsheets and cleaned of all inconsistencies. The final data was imported into ArcMap 10.2.2 software for data manipulation, display, and analysis. Results: Preventive health issues portrayed by GIS visualization included a substandard access to potable water in one community and health facility deficiencies in the Binduri district. As examples of GIS morbidity surveillance, we map the temporal incidence of cholera in two districts, and evidence of a pattern in the seasonal outbreaks of cerebral spinal meningitis (CSM). Conclusion: Results attest to the feasibility of using GIS to clarify health issues in a severely health service deprived setting, enabling public health authorities to optimize system responses where mostly needed. GIS technology has enabled health officials in the region to visualize the geographic pattern of disease outbreaks in ways that permit the imposition of efficient containment strategies

Population structure and virulence gene profiles of Streptococcus agalactiae collected from different hosts worldwide

Streptococcus agalactiae is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality among neonates and causes severe infections in pregnant women and nonpregnant predisposed adults, in addition to various animal species worldwide. Still, information on the population structure of S. agalactiae and the geographical distribution of different clones is limited. Further data are urgently needed to identify particularly successful clones and obtain insights into possible routes of transmission within one host species and across species borders. We aimed to determine the population structure and virulence gene profiles of S. agalactiae strains from a diverse set of sources and geographical origins. To this end, 373 S. agalactiae isolates obtained from humans and animals from five different continents were typed by DNA microarray profiling. A total of 242 different S. agalactiae strains were identified and further analyzed. Particularly successful clonal lineages, hybridization patterns, and strains were identified that were spread across different continents and/or were present in more than one host species. In particular, several strains were detected in both humans and cattle, and several canine strains were also detected in samples from human, bovine, and porcine hosts. The findings of our study suggest that although S. agalactiae is well adapted to various hosts including humans, cattle, dogs, rodents, and fish, interspecies transmission is possible and occurs between humans and cows, dogs, and rabbits. The virulence and resistance gene profiles presented enable new insights into interspecies transmission and make a crucial contribution to the identification of suitable targets for therapeutic agents and vaccines

Using Participatory Design to Develop a Menstrual Hygiene Management Intervention: Designing WASH UP! Girl Talk in Zimbabwe

Globally, as more girls transition from primary to secondary education, there is a new generation of girls who will have to manage their menses in school environments. Few schools are designed with girls’ menstrual hygiene management (MHM) needs in mind and many girls begin menstruating without knowing what is happening to them. This lack of knowledge about menstruation is associated with profound psychological and reproductive health issues. As such, school-based WASH interventions, especially those focused on MHM, can improve educational opportunities, promote lifelong health, and enhance the wellbeing of children and their families. In Zimbabwe, these global realities hold true, where menstruation is a taboo subject and girls find it difficult to access accurate information and are unable to manage their menstruation safely, hygienically, and with dignity and privacy. An effective solution to these challenges must address school infrastructure concerns and limitations in knowledge, attitudes, and practices around MHM. In response, Sesame Workshop, in collaboration with World Vision, launched WASH UP! Girl Talk in Zimbabwe, targeting students 10-14 years old. Girl Talk involved the development and implementation of an intervention aimed at improving students’ knowledge and practice of healthy hygiene behaviors. Girl Talk also focused on increasing girls’ confidence in their personal MHM. This article highlights the development of Girl Talk and its focus on participatory design to standardize a curriculum framework, implementation process, and research approach to contextualize education content. This process of program design, grounded in the intersections of best practices and local knowledge, provides both a conceptual and practical framework to inform future MHM interventions

What is the scope for addressing menstrual hygiene management in complex humanitarian emergencies? A global review.

Global attention on improving the integration of menstrual hygiene management (MHM) into humanitarian response is growing. However, there continues to be a lack of consensus on how best to approach MHM inclusion within response activities. This global review assessed the landscape of MHM practice, policy, and research within the field of humanitarian response. This included an analysis of the limited existing documentation and research on MHM in emergencies and global key informant interviews (n=29) conducted with humanitarian actors from relevant sectors (water, sanitation, and hygiene; women's protection; child protection; health; education; non-food items; camp management). The findings indicate that despite a growing dialogue around MHM in emergencies, there remains a lack of clarity on the key components for a complete MHM response, the responsible sectoral actors to implement MHM activities, and the most effective interventions to adapt in emergency contexts, and insufficient guidance on monitoring and evaluation. There is a critical need for improved technical guidance and documentation on how to integrate MHM into existing programming and monitoring systems and to ensure adequate coordination and communication about MHM across relevant sectors. There is also a need for improved evidence on effective MHM approaches, the development of MHM-specific indicators, improved consultation with girls and women in crisis-afflicted areas, and the documentation of practical learning. It is only through improving the resources available and enhancing this evidence base that MHM can be perceived as an integral and routine component of any humanitarian response