Keeneland Conferene Plenary Sessions: Carol Moehrle

Public health accreditation is the measurement of health department performance against a set of standards that are nationally recognized. The Public Health Accreditation Board (PHAB) is a non-profit, voluntary accreditation organization founded in 2007 with the goal to advance public health practice by providing a national framework of accreditation standards for local, state, territorial, and tribal health departments. Public health accreditation has been a methodical, planned transformation of public health. There are huge benefits to accreditation individually and collectively as a system. One of them is reaching the standard of excellence that we now have established in this national voluntary accreditation process. Accreditation gives us a road map that maybe we have not had before for all public health to follow. There is no better time for public health to align with public health accreditation, and there is no better time to prove the health department’s credibility to the public through the accreditation process. The time is now to transfer public health in the way we do our work at the state, local, tribal, and territorial level and to look at the opportunities that public health accreditation brings to the research world, and those opportunities are rich and endless

Virtual Rephotography: Novel View Prediction Error for 3D Reconstruction

The ultimate goal of many image-based modeling systems is to render photo-realistic novel views of a scene without visible artifacts. Existing evaluation metrics and benchmarks focus mainly on the geometric accuracy of the reconstructed model, which is, however, a poor predictor of visual accuracy. Furthermore, using only geometric accuracy by itself does not allow evaluating systems that either lack a geometric scene representation or utilize coarse proxy geometry. Examples include light field or image-based rendering systems. We propose a unified evaluation approach based on novel view prediction error that is able to analyze the visual quality of any method that can render novel views from input images. One of the key advantages of this approach is that it does not require ground truth geometry. This dramatically simplifies the creation of test datasets and benchmarks. It also allows us to evaluate the quality of an unknown scene during the acquisition and reconstruction process, which is useful for acquisition planning. We evaluate our approach on a range of methods including standard geometry-plus-texture pipelines as well as image-based rendering techniques, compare it to existing geometry-based benchmarks, and demonstrate its utility for a range of use cases.Comment: 10 pages, 12 figures, paper was submitted to ACM Transactions on Graphics for revie

The Ethical Dilemma of Information Asymmetry in Innovation: Reputation, Investors and Noise in the Innovation Channel.

A sufficient and steady stream of innovations is widely seen as a basis for healthy modern economies. Governments divert substantial resources from other purposes in society to increase innovation. Yet the failure rate among innovative SMEs is high, suggesting that resources are wasted. Avoiding such waste is a challenge for both governments and investors, but also raises a question for the innovative company, namely how to build and fund the\ud enterprise on an ethical basis. The dilemma of giving in to temptations to ‘cut corners’ clearly exists, for example to exploit the inevitable asymmetry of information arising in innovation and potentially deploy this in support of misleading claims about specific capabilities and/or the unjustified creation and exploitation of reputation. This is consistent with Olaf Fisscher’s finding that entrepreneurs starting new ventures tend to exhibit an inherent bias towards compromising their own values in order to succeed at any cost. When the innoSME’s aspirations are unrealistic or the proposed innovations are of marginal value, the ethical issues are broader and extend also to those who are potential financiers. Noting this as a gap in the ethics literature, we argue that the current situation fails to match economic and ethical ideals and that work is needed to develop tools which allow those who provide finance and support for innovation to target it more effectively at those who have a prospect of successfully launching genuine innovations and thus reduce the ‘noise’ in the innovation field

Analysis of Erythemal UVB Dose Received Inside a Car in Valencia, Spain

"This is the peer reviewed version of the following article: Ysasi, Gonzalo Gurrea, Vicente Blanca Giménez, Juan Carlos Moreno, and María Antonia Serrano. 2018. Analysis of Erythemal UVB Dose Received Inside a Car in Valencia, Spain. Photochemistry and Photobiology 94 (2). Wiley: 390 97. doi:10.1111/php.12865, which has been published in final form at https://doi.org/10.1111/php.12865. This article may be used for non-commercial purposes in accordance with Wiley Terms and Conditions for Self-Archiving."[EN] Continuous exposures to ultraviolet radiation can lead to harmful effects on human skin. Professional drivers may spend more than 8 h per day inside a vehicle. This study describes an analysis of the UVER (erythemal ultraviolet radiation) received by a driver and passenger inside a vehicle. A three-door Peugeot 206 was used for the study. VioSpor Blue Line dosimeters (with a response profile close to that of human skin) were used to measure the erythematic dose of UV radiation (able to produce erythema on human skin). Four dosimeters were placed in the driver¿s position and another four in the passenger¿s position. Daily irradiance was analyzed for a day in April using PMA radiometers. The measurements were obtained on relatively clear days from February to December 2009 between 9:30 A.M. and 3 P.M. Additionally, a prediction was made of the time required to produce an erythema on the driver¿s skin. UVER exposure, in some of the driver¿s positions, exceeds the Exposure Limits given by the International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection (ICNIRP). Skin protection measures should be taken into account by professional drivers to prevent the harmful effects of UVER radiation.This work was carried out with financing from the Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness, Project CGL2010-15931/CLI, from the Generalitat Valenciana within the PROMETEO/2010/064 Project, and the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation, in the CGL200761813 Project.Gurrea-Ysasi, G.; Blanca Giménez, V.; Moreno, J.; Serrano, M. (2018). Analysis of Erythemal UVB Dose Received Inside a Car in Valencia, Spain. Photochemistry and Photobiology. 94(2):390-397. https://doi.org/10.1111/php.12865S390397942Ysasi, G. G., & Ribera, L. J. C. (2013). Analysis of Two Kinds of Tree as Physical Barriers Against Erythemal UVB Radiation Received. Photochemistry and Photobiology, 89(3), 724-729. doi:10.1111/php.12020Giménez, V. B., Ysasi, G. G., Moreno, J. C., & Serrano, M. A. (2015). Maximum Incident Erythemally Effective UV Exposure Received by Construction Workers, in Valencia, Spain. Photochemistry and Photobiology, 91(6), 1505-1509. doi:10.1111/php.12530Parisi, A. V., Sabburg, J., & Kimlin, M. G. (2004). Scattered and Filtered Solar UV Measurements. Advances in Global Change Research. doi:10.1007/978-94-015-1246-6Lavker, R. M., Gerberick, G. F., Veres, D., Irwin, C. J., & Kaidbey, K. H. (1995). Cumulative effects from repeated exposures to suberythemal doses of UVB and UVA in human skin. Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, 32(1), 53-62. doi:10.1016/0190-9622(95)90184-1Lavker, R., & Kaidbey, K. (1997). The Spectral Dependence for UVA-Induced Cumulative Damage in Human Skin. Journal of Investigative Dermatology, 108(1), 17-21. doi:10.1111/1523-1747.ep12285613Lowe, N. J., Meyers, D. P., Wieder, J. M., Luftman, D., Borget, T., Lehman, M. D., … Scott, I. R. (1995). Low Doses of Repetitive Ultraviolet A Induce Morphologic Changes in Human Skin. Journal of Investigative Dermatology, 105(6), 739-743. doi:10.1111/1523-1747.ep12325517Serre, I., Cano, J. P., Picot, M.-C., Meynadier, J., & Meunier, L. (1997). Immunosuppression induced by acute solar-simulated ultraviolet exposure in humans: Prevention by a sunscreen with a sun protection factor of 15 and high UVA protection. Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, 37(2), 187-194. doi:10.1016/s0190-9622(97)80123-5Reglamento (CE) 561/2006 DEL PARLAMENTO EUROPEO Y DEL CONSEJO de 15 de marzo de 2006GUIDELINES ON LIMITS OF EXPOSURE TO ULTRAVIOLET RADIATION OF WAVELENGTHS BETWEEN 180 nm AND 400 nm (INCOHERENT OPTICAL RADIATION). (2004). Health Physics, 87(2), 171-186. doi:10.1097/00004032-200408000-00006Commission Internationale de l'Eclairage 1999 Erythema Reference Action Spectrum and Standard Erythema dose. CIE S-007-1998Gies, P., & Wright, J. (2003). Measured Solar Ultraviolet Radiation Exposures of Outdoor Workers in Queensland in the Building and Construction Industry¶. Photochemistry and Photobiology, 78(4), 342. doi:10.1562/0031-8655(2003)0782.0.co;2Moehrle, M., & Garbe, C. (2000). Personal UV Dosimetry by Bacillus subtilis Spore Films. Dermatology, 200(1), 1-5. doi:10.1159/000018306CEAM, Centro de Estudios Ambientales del MediterráneoDuarte, I., Rotter, A., Malvestiti, A., & Silva, M. (2009). The role of glass as a barrier against the transmission of ultraviolet radiation: an experimental study. Photodermatology, Photoimmunology & Photomedicine, 25(4), 181-184. doi:10.1111/j.1600-0781.2009.00434.

Liver Function Test Abnormalities in Experimental and Clinical Plasmodium vivax Infection

Liver transaminase elevations after treatment in malaria volunteer infection studies (VISs) have raised safety concerns. We investigated transaminase elevations from two human Plasmodium vivax VISs where subjects were treated with chloroquine (n = 24) or artefenomel (n = 8) and compared them with studies in Thailand (n = 41) and Malaysia (n = 76). In the VISs, alanine transaminase (ALT) increased to ≥ 2.5 × upper limit of normal (ULN) in 11/32 (34%) volunteers, peaking 5–8 days posttreatment. Transaminase elevations were asymptomatic, were not associated with elevated bilirubin, and resolved by day 42. The risk of an ALT ≥ 2.5 × ULN increased more than 4-fold (odds ratio [OR] 4.28; 95% CI: 1.26–14.59; P = 0.02) for every log10 increase in the parasite clearance burden (PCB), defined as the log-fold reduction in parasitemia 24 hours post-treatment. Although an elevated ALT ≥ 2.5 × ULN was more common after artefenomel than after chloroquine (5/8 [63%] versus 6/24 [25%]; OR 5.0; 95% CI: 0.91–27.47; P = 0.06), this risk disappeared when corrected for parasite clearance burden (PCB). Peak ALT also correlated with peak C-reactive protein (R = 0.44; P = 0.012). Elevations in ALT (≥ 2.5 × ULN) were less common in malaria-endemic settings, occurring in 1/41 (2.5%) Thai patients treated with artefenomel, and in none of 76 Malaysians treated with chloroquine or artemisinin combination therapy. Post-treatment transaminase elevations are common in experimental P. vivax infection but do not appear to impact on participant safety. Although the mechanism of these changes remains uncertain, host inflammatory response to parasite clearance may be contributory

Distinguishing the spending preferences of seniors

Journal ArticleOne thousand, four hundred and six seniors were asked about their consumer spending preferences. While some could name a product spending preference, others could not. This study examines the characteristics that best distinguish those elders who are uninterested in spending on consumer products from those who choose product specific preferences. Discriminant function analyses show that age best distinguishes the non-interested group from the others, supporting a previous report by Walker and Schwenk (1991). Income and health status most reliably separate those whose most important spending priority is a recreational product from those most interested in basic needs or housing products. Those whose spending priority is a housing item tend to be home-owners who have lived in their residences for long periods of time. The results confirm that the heterogeneity among seniors documented in other areas (such as health and social characteristics) extends to their consumption preferences. The diversity in spending preferences can be understood in terms of a desire to enhance quality of life