91 research outputs found

    Frameworks for implementation, uptake and use of digital health interventions in ethnic minority populations: a scoping review using cardiometabolic disease as a case study

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    Background: Digital health interventions have become increasingly common across health care, both before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. Health inequalities, particularly with respect to ethnicity, may not be considered in frameworks that address the implementation of digital health interventions. We considered frameworks to include any models, theories, or taxonomies that describe or predict implementation, uptake, and use of digital health interventions. Objective: We aimed to assess how health inequalities are addressed in frameworks relevant to the implementation, uptake, and use of digital health interventions; health and ethnic inequalities; and interventions for cardiometabolic disease. Methods: SCOPUS, PubMed, EMBASE, Google Scholar, and gray literature were searched to identify papers on frameworks relevant to the implementation, uptake, and use of digital health interventions; ethnically or culturally diverse populations and health inequalities; and interventions for cardiometabolic disease. We assessed the extent to which frameworks address health inequalities, specifically ethnic inequalities; explored how they were addressed; and developed recommendations for good practice. Results: Of 58 relevant papers, 22 (38%) included frameworks that referred to health inequalities. Inequalities were conceptualized as society-level, system-level, intervention-level, and individual. Only 5 frameworks considered all levels. Three frameworks considered how digital health interventions might interact with or exacerbate existing health inequalities, and 3 considered the process of health technology implementation, uptake, and use and suggested opportunities to improve equity in digital health. When ethnicity was considered, it was often within the broader concepts of social determinants of health. Only 3 frameworks explicitly addressed ethnicity: one focused on culturally tailoring digital health interventions, and 2 were applied to management of cardiometabolic disease. Conclusions: Existing frameworks evaluate implementation, uptake, and use of digital health interventions, but to consider factors related to ethnicity, it is necessary to look across frameworks. We have developed a visual guide of the key constructs across the 4 potential levels of action for digital health inequalities, which can be used to support future research and inform digital health policies

    Concurrence of form and function in developing networks and its role in synaptic pruning

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    A fundamental question in neuroscience is how structure and function of neural systems are related. We study this interplay by combining a familiar auto-associative neural network with an evolving mechanism for the birth and death of synapses. A feedback loop then arises leading to two qualitatively different types of behaviour. In one, the network structure becomes heterogeneous and dissasortative, and the system displays good memory performance; furthermore, the structure is optimised for the particular memory patterns stored during the process. In the other, the structure remains homogeneous and incapable of pattern retrieval. These findings provide an inspiring picture of brain structure and dynamics that is compatible with experimental results on early brain development, and may help to explain synaptic pruning. Other evolving networks—such as those of protein interactions—might share the basic ingredients for this feedback loop and other questions, and indeed many of their structural features are as predicted by our model.We are grateful for financial support from the Spanish MINECO (project of Excellence: FIS2017-84256-P) and from “Obra Social La Caixa”

    Investigating Guided Extensive Reading And Vocabulary Knowledge Performance Among Remedial Esl Learners In A Public University In Malaysia

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    Penyelidikan menyokong pembacaan ekstensif, yang tertumpu pada pembelajaran kebetulan (incidental learning), sebagai wadah utama bagi perkembangan pengetahuan kosa kata bahasa kedua/asing. Research supports extensive reading, which draws on incidental learning, as a primary tool for second/foreign language vocabulary knowledge development

    Rh-POP Pincer Xantphos Complexes for C-S and C-H Activation. Implications for Carbothiolation Catalysis

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    The neutral Rh­(I)–Xantphos complex [Rh­(κ<sup>3</sup>-<sub>P,O,P</sub>-Xantphos)­Cl]<sub><i>n</i></sub>, <b>4</b>, and cationic Rh­(III) [Rh­(κ<sup>3</sup>-<sub>P,O,P</sub>-Xantphos)­(H)<sub>2</sub>]­[BAr<sup>F</sup><sub>4</sub>], <b>2a</b>, and [Rh­(κ<sup>3</sup>-<sub>P,O,P</sub>-Xantphos-3,5-C<sub>6</sub>H<sub>3</sub>(CF<sub>3</sub>)<sub>2</sub>)­(H)<sub>2</sub>]­[BAr<sup>F</sup><sub>4</sub>], <b>2b</b>, are described [Ar<sup>F</sup> = 3,5-(CF<sub>3</sub>)<sub>2</sub>C<sub>6</sub>H<sub>3</sub>; Xantphos = 4,5-bis­(diphenylphosphino)-9,9-dimethylxanthene; Xantphos-3,5-C<sub>6</sub>H<sub>3</sub>(CF<sub>3</sub>)<sub>2</sub> = 9,9-dimethylxanthene-4,5-bis­(bis­(3,5-bis­(trifluoromethyl)­phenyl)­phosphine]. A solid-state structure of <b>2b</b> isolated from C<sub>6</sub>H<sub>5</sub>Cl solution shows a κ<sup>1</sup>-chlorobenzene adduct, [Rh­(κ<sup>3</sup>-<sub>P,O,P</sub>-Xantphos-3,5-C<sub>6</sub>H<sub>3</sub>(CF<sub>3</sub>)<sub>2</sub>)­(H)<sub>2</sub>(κ<sup>1</sup>-ClC<sub>6</sub>H<sub>5</sub>)]­[BAr<sup>F</sup><sub>4</sub>], <b>3</b>. Addition of H<sub>2</sub> to <b>4</b> affords, crystallographically characterized, [Rh­(κ<sup>3</sup>-<sub>P,O,P</sub>-Xantphos)­(H)<sub>2</sub>Cl], <b>5</b>. Addition of diphenyl acetylene to <b>2a</b> results in the formation of the C–H activated metallacyclopentadiene [Rh­(κ<sup>3</sup>-<sub>P,O,P</sub>-Xantphos)­(ClCH<sub>2</sub>Cl)­(σ,σ-(C<sub>6</sub>H<sub>4</sub>)­C­(H)CPh)]­[BAr<sup>F</sup><sub>4</sub>], <b>7</b>, a rare example of a crystallographically characterized Rh–dichloromethane complex, alongside the Rh­(I) complex <i>mer</i>-[Rh­(κ<sup>3</sup>-<sub>P,O,P</sub>-Xantphos)­(η<sup>2</sup>-PhCCPh)]­[BAr<sup>F</sup><sub>4</sub>], <b>6</b>. Halide abstraction from [Rh­(κ<sup>3</sup>-<sub>P,O,P</sub>-Xantphos)­Cl]<sub><i>n</i></sub> in the presence of diphenylacetylene affords <b>6</b> as the only product, which in the solid state shows that the alkyne binds perpendicular to the κ<sup>3</sup>-POP Xantphos ligand plane. This complex acts as a latent source of the [Rh­(κ<sup>3</sup>-<sub>P,O,P</sub>-Xantphos)]<sup>+</sup> fragment and facilitates <i>ortho</i>-directed C–S activation in a number of 2-arylsulfides to give <i>mer</i>-[Rh­(κ<sup>3</sup>-<sub>P,O,P</sub>-Xantphos)­(σ,κ<sup>1</sup>-Ar)­(SMe)]­[BAr<sup>F</sup><sub>4</sub>] (Ar = C<sub>6</sub>H<sub>4</sub>COMe, <b>8</b>; C<sub>6</sub>H<sub>4</sub>(CO)­OMe, <b>9</b>; C<sub>6</sub>H<sub>4</sub>NO<sub>2</sub>, <b>10</b>; C<sub>6</sub>H<sub>4</sub>CNCH<sub>2</sub>CH<sub>2</sub>O, <b>11</b>; C<sub>6</sub>H<sub>4</sub>C<sub>5</sub>H<sub>4</sub>N, <b>12</b>). Similar C–S bond cleavage is observed with allyl sulfide, to give <i>fac</i>-[Rh­(κ<sup>3</sup>-<sub>P,O,P</sub>-Xantphos)­(η<sup>3</sup>-C<sub>3</sub>H<sub>5</sub>)­(SPh)]­[BAr<sup>F</sup><sub>4</sub>], <b>13</b>. These products of C–S activation have been crystallographically characterized. For <b>8</b> in situ monitoring of the reaction by NMR spectroscopy reveals the initial formation of <i>fac</i>-κ<sup>3</sup>-<b>8</b>, which then proceeds to isomerize to the <i>mer</i>-isomer. With the <i>para</i>-ketone aryl sulfide, 4-SMeC <sub>6</sub>H<sub>4</sub>COMe, C–H activation <i>ortho</i> to the ketone occurs to give <i>mer</i>-[Rh­(κ<sup>3</sup>-<sub>P,O,P</sub>-Xantphos)­(σ,κ<sup>1</sup>-4-(COMe)­C<sub>6</sub>H<sub>3</sub>SMe)­(H)]­[BAr<sup>F</sup><sub>4</sub>], <b>14</b>. The temporal evolution of carbothiolation catalysis using <i>mer</i>-κ<sup>3</sup>-<b>8</b>, and phenyl acetylene and 2-(methylthio)­acetophenone substrates shows initial fast catalysis and then a considerably slower evolution of the product. We suggest that the initially formed <i>fac</i>-isomer of the C–S activation product is considerably more active than the <i>mer</i>-isomer (i.e., <i>mer</i>-<b>8</b>), the latter of which is formed rapidly by isomerization, and this accounts for the observed difference in rates. A likely mechanism is proposed based upon these data

    Measuring macroscopic brain connections in vivo

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    Decades of detailed anatomical tracer studies in non-human animals point to a rich and complex organization of long-range white matter connections in the brain. State-of-the art in vivo imaging techniques are striving to achieve a similar level of detail in humans, but multiple technical factors can limit their sensitivity and fidelity. In this review, we mostly focus on magnetic resonance imaging of the brain. We highlight some of the key challenges in analyzing and interpreting in vivo connectomics data, particularly in relation to what is known from classical neuroanatomy in laboratory animals. We further illustrate that, despite the challenges, in vivo imaging methods can be very powerful and provide information on connections that is not available by any other means

    Towards neuro-inspired symbolic models of cognition: linking neural dynamics to behaviors through asynchronous communications

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    A computational architecture modeling the relation between perception and action is proposed. Basic brain processes representing synaptic plasticity are first abstracted through asynchronous communication protocols and implemented as virtual microcircuits. These are used in turn to build mesoscale circuits embodying parallel cognitive processes. Encoding these circuits into symbolic expressions gives finally rise to neuro-inspired programs that are compiled into pseudo-code to be interpreted by a virtual machine. Quantitative evaluation measures are given by the modification of synapse weights over time. This approach is illustrated by models of simple forms of behaviors exhibiting cognition up to the third level of animal awareness. As a potential benefit, symbolic models of emergent psychological mechanisms could lead to the discovery of the learning processes involved in the development of cognition. The executable specifications of an experimental platform allowing for the reproduction of simulated experiments are given in “Appendix”

    Frameworks for implementation, uptake, and use of cardiometabolic disease–related digital health interventions in ethnic minority populations : scoping review

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    Background: Digital health interventions have become increasingly common across health care, both before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. Health inequalities, particularly with respect to ethnicity, may not be considered in frameworks that address the implementation of digital health interventions. We considered frameworks to include any models, theories, or taxonomies that describe or predict implementation, uptake, and use of digital health interventions. Objective: We aimed to assess how health inequalities are addressed in frameworks relevant to the implementation, uptake, and use of digital health interventions; health and ethnic inequalities; and interventions for cardiometabolic disease. Methods: SCOPUS, PubMed, EMBASE, Google Scholar, and gray literature were searched to identify papers on frameworks relevant to the implementation, uptake, and use of digital health interventions; ethnically or culturally diverse populations and health inequalities; and interventions for cardiometabolic disease. We assessed the extent to which frameworks address health inequalities, specifically ethnic inequalities; explored how they were addressed; and developed recommendations for good practice. Results: Of 58 relevant papers, 22 (38%) included frameworks that referred to health inequalities. Inequalities were conceptualized as society-level, system-level, intervention-level, and individual. Only 5 frameworks considered all levels. Three frameworks considered how digital health interventions might interact with or exacerbate existing health inequalities, and 3 considered the process of health technology implementation, uptake, and use and suggested opportunities to improve equity in digital health. When ethnicity was considered, it was often within the broader concepts of social determinants of health. Only 3 frameworks explicitly addressed ethnicity: one focused on culturally tailoring digital health interventions, and 2 were applied to management of cardiometabolic disease. Conclusions: Existing frameworks evaluate implementation, uptake, and use of digital health interventions, but to consider factors related to ethnicity, it is necessary to look across frameworks. We have developed a visual guide of the key constructs across the 4 potential levels of action for digital health inequalities, which can be used to support future research and inform digital health policies

    Epidemiology and interactions of Human Immunodeficiency Virus - 1 and Schistosoma mansoni in sub-Saharan Africa.

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    Human Immunodeficiency Virus-1/AIDS and Schistosoma mansoni are widespread in sub-Saharan Africa and co-infection occurs commonly. Since the early 1990s, it has been suggested that the two infections may interact and potentiate the effects of each other within co-infected human hosts. Indeed, S. mansoni infection has been suggested to be a risk factor for HIV transmission and progression in Africa. If so, it would follow that mass deworming could have beneficial effects on HIV-1 transmission dynamics. The epidemiology of HIV in African countries is changing, shifting from urban to rural areas where the prevalence of Schistosoma mansoni is high and public health services are deficient. On the other side, the consequent pathogenesis of HIV-1/S. mansoni co-infection remains unknown. Here we give an account of the epidemiology of HIV-1 and S. mansoni, discuss co-infection and possible biological causal relationships between the two infections, and the potential impact of praziquantel treatment on HIV-1 viral loads, CD4+ counts and CD4+/CD8+ ratio. Our review of the available literature indicates that there is evidence to support the hypothesis that S. mansoni infections can influence the replication of the HIV-1, cell-to-cell transmission, as well as increase HIV progression as measured by reduced CD4+ T lymphocytes counts. If so, then deworming of HIV positive individuals living in endemic areas may impact on HIV-1 viral loads and CD4+ T lymphocyte counts.RIGHTS : This article is licensed under the BioMed Central licence at http://www.biomedcentral.com/about/license which is similar to the 'Creative Commons Attribution Licence'. In brief you may : copy, distribute, and display the work; make derivative works; or make commercial use of the work - under the following conditions: the original author must be given credit; for any reuse or distribution, it must be made clear to others what the license terms of this work are
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