Preliminary needs assessment of mobile technology use for healthcare among homeless veterans

Background. Homeless veterans have complex healthcare needs, but experience many barriers to treatment engagement. While information technologies (IT), especially mobile phones, are used to engage patients in care, little is known about homeless veterans\u27 IT use. This study examines homeless veterans\u27 access to and use of IT, attitudes toward health-related IT use, and barriers to IT in the context of homelessness. Methods. Qualitative interviews were conducted with 30 homeless veterans in different housing programs in Boston, MA, ranging from emergency shelters to supportive transitional housing that allow stays of up to 2 years. Interviews were conducted in person, audio recorded and then transcribed. Three researchers coded transcripts. Inductive thematic analysis was used. Results. Most participants (90%) had a mobile phone and were receptive to IT use for health-related communications. A common difficulty communicating with providers was the lack of a stable mailing address. Some participants were using mobile phones to stay in touch with providers. Participants felt mobile-phone calls or text messages could be used to remind patients of appointments, prescription refills, medication taking, and returning for laboratory results. Mobile phone text messaging was seen as convenient, and helped participants stay organized because necessary information was saved in text messages. Some reported concerns about the costs associated with mobile phone use (calls and texting), the potential to be annoyed by too many text messages, and not knowing how to use text messaging. Conclusion. Homeless veterans use IT and welcome its use for health-related purposes. Technology-assisted outreach among this population may lead to improved engagement in care

Evaluación de aceitunas negras estilo griego utilizando salmueras de diferentes concentraciones

hree fermentation processes with black table-olives were tested. Olives were placed in: a) 16 %(w/v) concentration of NaCl, (traditional treatment), b) a buffer of CH3COOH (0.05M) and Ca(OH)2, (0.025M) without any NaCl and initial pH 4.7, and c) a buffer of CH3COOH (0.05M) and Ca(OH)2 (0.025M) containing 12.8 % (w/v) NaCl, and pH 4.3. Isolation, identification and enumeration of predominant microorganisms from fruits and brines sampled during the fermentation periods as well as color, intensity, texture and sensory evaluation tests of the final products were conducted. The third fermentation process, (c), yielded a product with low salt content no presence of spoilage microflora or other alterations during the fermentation period, with significantly better final texture and color, and higher acceptability among the consumers (PSe han ensayado tres procesos para la elaboración de aceitunas negras de mesa. Los frutos se colocaron en: a) una salmuera con una concentración de sal del 16 % (w/w), proceso tradicional; b) en una solución tampón compuesta de CH3COOH (0.05M) y Ca(OH)2 (0.025M) , sin NaCl y con un pH inicial de 4.3; c) una solución tampón compuesta de CH3COOH (0.05M) y Ca(OH)2 (0.025M),conteniendo 12.8 % (w/w) NaCl y un pH de 4.3. Se realizó el aislamiento, identificación y el recuento de los micoorganismos predominantes, tanto del fruto como de las salmueras, durante la fermentación. Asimismo, se estudió el color, textura y las características organolépticas de los productos finales. El tercer tipo de proceso fermentativo, tipo c, dio lugar a un producto con baja sal, ausencia de microorganismos alterantes o de cualquier otra alteración, dando una textura y un color significativamente mejor y resultando con una mayor aceptación entre los consumidores (

Non-Parametric Approximations for Anisotropy Estimation in Two-dimensional Differentiable Gaussian Random Fields

Spatially referenced data often have autocovariance functions with elliptical isolevel contours, a property known as geometric anisotropy. The anisotropy parameters include the tilt of the ellipse (orientation angle) with respect to a reference axis and the aspect ratio of the principal correlation lengths. Since these parameters are unknown a priori, sample estimates are needed to define suitable spatial models for the interpolation of incomplete data. The distribution of the anisotropy statistics is determined by a non-Gaussian sampling joint probability density. By means of analytical calculations, we derive an explicit expression for the joint probability density function of the anisotropy statistics for Gaussian, stationary and differentiable random fields. Based on this expression, we obtain an approximate joint density which we use to formulate a statistical test for isotropy. The approximate joint density is independent of the autocovariance function and provides conservative probability and confidence regions for the anisotropy parameters. We validate the theoretical analysis by means of simulations using synthetic data, and we illustrate the detection of anisotropy changes with a case study involving background radiation exposure data. The approximate joint density provides (i) a stand-alone approximate estimate of the anisotropy statistics distribution (ii) informed initial values for maximum likelihood estimation, and (iii) a useful prior for Bayesian anisotropy inference.Comment: 39 pages; 8 figure

Rare non-Wilms' tumors in children

We report our institutional experience of the management of 2 cases of rare non-Wilms' tumors; a rhabdoid tumor in a 17-month old boy and a clear cell sarcoma in a 5-year old girl. The two patients were treated with ifosfamide/carboplatin/etoposide (ICE) alternating with vincristine/doxorubicin/cyclophosphamide (VDC) and cyclophosphamide/etoposide (CE) alternating with vincristine/doxorubicin/cyclophosphamide (VDC) and radiotherapy, respectively. Both patients showed full response with no significant adverse events. At 2-year follow up, they are disease and relapse free. Although contemporary treatment regimens are very promising, multicenter collaborative studies are needed in order to define a standard treatment for non-Wilms' tumors

Solar Alpha Rotary Joint Anomaly: The Materials and Processes Perspective

This slide presentation reviews the anomaly discovered on the Solar Alpha Rotary Joint (SARJ). This anomaly was discovered when the SARJ mechanism produced anomalous telemetry and noticeable vibrations. Metallic debris was discovered throughout the vicinity of the mechanism. Samples were taken from the SARJ, and the findings of the analysis are discussed

New MACRO results on atmospheric neutrino oscillations

The final results of the MACRO experiment on atmospheric neutrino oscillations are presented and discussed. The data concern different event topologies with average neutrino energies of ~3 and ~50 GeV. Multiple Coulomb Scattering of the high energy muons in absorbers was used to estimate the neutrino energy of each event. The angular distributions, the L/E_nu distribution, the particle ratios and the absolute fluxes all favour nu_mu --> nu_tau oscillations with maximal mixing and Delta m^2 =0.0023 eV^2. A discussion is made on the Monte Carlos used for the atmospheric neutrino flux. Some results on neutrino astrophysics are also briefly discussed.Comment: Invited Paper at the NANP03 Int. Conf., Dubna, 200

The intraductal approach to the breast: raison d'être

Opportunities for the detection, prediction, and treatment of breast cancer exist at three biological levels: systemically via the blood, at the whole organ level, and within the individual ductal lobular structures of the breast. This review covers the evaluation of approaches targeted to the ductal lobular units, where breast cancer begins. Studies to date suggest the presence of 5 to 12 independent ductal lobular systems per breast, each harboring complex cellular fluids contributed by local and systemic processes. New techniques for accessing and interrogating these systems offer the potential to gauge the microenvironment of the breast and distill biological risk profiles

Relations between lipoprotein(a) concentrations, LPA genetic variants, and the risk of mortality in patients with established coronary heart disease: a molecular and genetic association study

Background: Lipoprotein(a) concentrations in plasma are associated with cardiovascular risk in the general population. Whether lipoprotein(a) concentrations or LPA genetic variants predict long-term mortality in patients with established coronary heart disease remains less clear. Methods: We obtained data from 3313 patients with established coronary heart disease in the Ludwigshafen Risk and Cardiovascular Health (LURIC) study. We tested associations of tertiles of lipoprotein(a) concentration in plasma and two LPA single-nucleotide polymorphisms ([SNPs] rs10455872 and rs3798220) with all-cause mortality and cardiovascular mortality by Cox regression analysis and with severity of disease by generalised linear modelling, with and without adjustment for age, sex, diabetes diagnosis, systolic blood pressure, BMI, smoking status, estimated glomerular filtration rate, LDL-cholesterol concentration, and use of lipid-lowering therapy. Results for plasma lipoprotein(a) concentrations were validated in five independent studies involving 10 195 patients with established coronary heart disease. Results for genetic associations were replicated through large-scale collaborative analysis in the GENIUS-CHD consortium, comprising 106 353 patients with established coronary heart disease and 19 332 deaths in 22 studies or cohorts. Findings: The median follow-up was 9·9 years. Increased severity of coronary heart disease was associated with lipoprotein(a) concentrations in plasma in the highest tertile (adjusted hazard radio [HR] 1·44, 95% CI 1·14–1·83) and the presence of either LPA SNP (1·88, 1·40–2·53). No associations were found in LURIC with all-cause mortality (highest tertile of lipoprotein(a) concentration in plasma 0·95, 0·81–1·11 and either LPA SNP 1·10, 0·92–1·31) or cardiovascular mortality (0·99, 0·81–1·2 and 1·13, 0·90–1·40, respectively) or in the validation studies. Interpretation: In patients with prevalent coronary heart disease, lipoprotein(a) concentrations and genetic variants showed no associations with mortality. We conclude that these variables are not useful risk factors to measure to predict progression to death after coronary heart disease is established. Funding: Seventh Framework Programme for Research and Technical Development (AtheroRemo and RiskyCAD), INTERREG IV Oberrhein Programme, Deutsche Nierenstiftung, Else-Kroener Fresenius Foundation, Deutsche Stiftung für Herzforschung, Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft, Saarland University, German Federal Ministry of Education and Research, Willy Robert Pitzer Foundation, and Waldburg-Zeil Clinics Isny