Visual Interference with a Transparent Head Mounted Display

Potential perceptual problems that may occur with monocular wearable displays are binocular rivalry and visual interference. We report the results from an experiment with a monocular wearable showing that text becomes increasingly difficult to read as the background becomes more complex. Indeed subjects adopted strategies to avoid the visually complex backgrounds and thereby minimize the interference

Infant feeding knowledge, attitudes,and beliefs predict antenatal intention among first-time mothers in Queensland

Aim: This study assessed infant feeding knowledge, attitudes, and beliefs among women from Queensland, Australia, in their first pregnancy. Antenatal feeding intention in this group was described, and the hypothesis was tested that antenatal knowledge, attitudes, and beliefs about infant feeding are associated with antenatal intention for the duration and exclusivity of breastfeeding for the infant’s first year. Subjects and Methods: The Feeding Queensland Babies Study is a prospective survey of infant feeding attitudes and behaviors among first-time mothers in Queensland, Australia. Data on infant feeding knowledge, attitudes, beliefs, and intention were collected antenatally, and an Infant Feeding Attitudes Score was calculated. Results: Although 85% of respondents endorsed breastfeeding as most appropriate for infants, 11% valued formula feeding equally. Intention to give any breastmilk during the first weeks was 98%, but it fell to 18% during the second year. More than one-quarter of women reported intention to introduce foods other than breastmilk before 5 months of infant age. The infant feeding attitudes and beliefs score correlated positively with feeding intention for breastfeeding and the introduction of complementary solids. Conclusions: Enhancing women’s knowledge of recommendations and their understanding of breastfeeding’s specific benefits and the reasons for recommended scheduling of feeding transitions may positively impact breastfeeding exclusivity and duration and the age-appropriate introduction of complementary solids. Communication of detailed feeding recommendations for the infant’s first year and specific information about the health benefits of breastfeeding should be a goal of healthcare providers working with pregnant women

Rivalry and interference with a head-mounted display

Perceptual factors that affect monocular, transparent (a.k.a see-thru ) head-mounted displays include binocular rivalry, visual interference, and depth of focus. We report the results of an experiment designed to evaluate the effects of these factors on user performance in a table look-up task. Two backgrounds were used. A dynamic moving background was provided by a large screen TV and an untidy bookshelf was used to provide a complex static background. With the TV background large effects were found attributable to both rivalry and visual interference. These two effects were roughly additive. Smaller effects were found with the bookshelf. In conclusion we suggest that monocular transparent HMDs may be unsuitable for use in visually dynamic environments. However when backgrounds are relatively static, having a transparent display may be preferable to having an opaque display

Implementation and Sustainment of a Statewide Telemedicine Diabetic Retinopathy Screening Network for Federally Designated Safety-Net Clinics

CONTEXT: Diabetic retinopathy (DR) is the leading cause of incident blindness among working-age adults in the United States. Federally designated safety-net clinics (FDSC) often serve as point-of-contact for patients least likely to receive recommended DR screenings, creating opportunity for targeted interventions to increase screening access and compliance. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: With such a goal, we implemented and assessed the longitudinal performance of an FDSC-based telemedicine DR screening (TDRS) network of 22 clinical sites providing nonmydriatic fundus photography with remote interpretation and reporting. Retrospective analysis of patient encounters between February 2014 and January 2019 was performed to assess rates of pathology and referral. A generalized estimating equation logistic regression model was used for subset analysis from audits of pre- and post-implementation screening rates. Finally, patient surveys were conducted and assessed as a measure of intervention acceptability. RESULTS: Of the 13,923 individual telescreening encounters (4327 female, 4220 male, and 5376 unspecified; mean [SD] age, 54.9 [12.5] years) studied, 10,540 were of adequate quality to identify 3532 (33.5%) patients with ocular pathology: 2319 (22.0%) patients had some level of DR with 1604 (15.2%) requiring specialist referral, and 808 (7.7%) patients required referral for other ocular pathologies. The mean screening rate for audited clinics in the year prior to program implementation was 29.9% (641/2147), which increased to 47.7% (1012/2124) in the program’s first year, doubling patients’ odds of being screened (OR 2.2; 95% CI: 1.3–3.7; P = .003). These gains were sustained over four years following implementation (OR 1.9; 95% CI: 1.1–3.1; P = .018) despite varied clinic screening performance (4-year averaged range, 22.9–55.1%). Odds of early detection likewise doubled for patients with consecutive screenings (OR 2.2, 95% CI: 2.0–2.4; P \u3c .001). Finally, surveyed patients preferred TDRS to specialist exams (82.5%; 776/941) and would recommend the service to friends (92.7%; 868/936). CONCLUSION AND RELEVANCE: A statewide, FDSC-centered TDRS network was successfully established and sustained in a medically underserved region of the United States. Our results suggest that large TDRS networks in FDSCs can increase screening access and compliance for otherwise unscreened populations, but outcomes can vary greatly among clinics. Further work to optimize program implementation is needed to maximize this model\u27s impact

Pan American Climate Study (PACS) mooring deployment cruise report : R/V Roger Revelle cruise number Genesis 4, 9 April-5 May 1997

Three surface moorings were deployed in the eastern equatorial Pacifc from the R/V Roger Revelle as part of the Pan American Climate Study (PACS). PACS is a NOAA-funded study with the goal of investigating links between sea surface temperature varabilty in the tropical oceans near the Americas and climate over the American continents. The three moorings were deployed near 125°W, spanning the strong meridional sea surface temperature gradient associated with the cold tongue south of the equator and the warmer ocean north of the equator, near the northernmost, summer location of the Intertropical Convergence Zone. The mooring deployment was done to improve understading of the air-sea fluxes and of the processes that control the evolution of the sea surface temperature field in the region. Two surface moorings of the Upper Ocean Processes Group at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI) were deployed-one at 3°S, 125°W and the other at lO°N, 125°W. One mooring from the Ocean Circulation Group (R. Weisberg) at the University of South Florida (USP) was deployed on the equator at 128°W. The buoys of the two WHOI moorings were each equipped with meteorological instrmentation, including a Vector Averaging Wind Recorder, and an Improved Meteorological (IMET) system. The WHOI moorings also carried Vector Measurng Current Meters, single-point temperature recorders, and conductivity and temperature recorders located in the upper 200 meters of the mooring line. In addition to the instrumentation noted above, a variety of other instruments, including an acoustic current meter, acoustic doppler current meters, bio-optical instrument packages and an acoustic rain gauge, were deployed during the PACS field program. The USF mooring had an IMET system on the surface buoy and for oceanographic instrumentation, two RD Instruments acoustic doppler current profilers, single-point temperature recorders, and conductivity and temperature recorders. Conductivity-temperature-depth (CTD) profiles were made at each mooring site and during the transit between mooring locations. This report describes, in a general manner, the work that took place durig the Genesis 4 cruise aboard the R/V Roger Revelle. The three surface moorings deployed during this cruise will be recovered and re-deployed after approximately nine months, with a final recovery planned for 17 months after the first setting. Details of the mooring designs and preliminary data from the CT profies are included.Funding was provided by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration under Contract No. NA66GP0130

Development of a questionnaire-based insecticide exposure assessment method and comparison with urinary insecticide biomarkers in young Australian children

Environmental and behavioural factors assessed via an online questionnaire were compared to insecticide metabolite concentrations in urine collected from 61 children from South East Queensland, Australia. Metabolite concentrations (μg/L urine) were transformed using the natural logarithm prior to regression analysis and adjusted for age and creatinine. A significant dietary association was reported for vegetable intake and 3-phenoxybenzoic acid (3-PBA) (β: 1.47 for top quartile of intake versus bottom quartile of intake 95% CI: 0.36, 2.57). Intake of vegetables and fruit were also positively associated with sum non-specific organophosphate metabolites (ƩnsOP). ƩnsOP concentrations were lower when fruits and vegetables were always or almost always washed prior to cooking or eating (β: -0.69 95% CI: -1.25, -0.12). In multivariable modelling 3-PBA concentrations were also associated with hand-washing frequency (β: 1.69 95% CI: 0.76, 2.61 for  3 day), presence of a dog in the home (β: 0.73 95% CI: 0.07, 1.38), frequency of pest-spray use in the summer months (β: 0.88 95% CI: 0.22, 1.54 weekly versus less than weekly) and season (β: 0.88 95% CI: 0.32, 1.44 for spring/summer versus winter/autumn). This is the first study in Australia to report dietary, behavioural and environmental factors associated with biomarkers of insecticide exposure in young children

Early detection of Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander infants at high risk of adverse neurodevelopmental outcomes at 12 months corrected age:LEAP-CP prospective cohort study protocol

INTRODUCTION: Neurodevelopmental disorders (NDD), including cerebral palsy (CP), autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and foetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD), are characterised by impaired development of the early central nervous system, impacting cognitive and/or physical function. Early detection of NDD enables infants to be fast-tracked to early intervention services, optimising outcomes. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander infants may experience early life factors increasing their risk of neurodevelopmental vulnerability, which persist into later childhood, further compounding the health inequities experienced by First Nations peoples in Australia. The LEAP-CP prospective cohort study will investigate the efficacy of early screening programmes, implemented in Queensland, Australia to earlier identify Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander infants who are ‘at risk’ of adverse neurodevelopmental outcomes (NDO) or NDD. Diagnostic accuracy and feasibility of early detection tools for identifying infants ‘at risk’ of a later diagnosis of adverse NDO or NDD will be determined. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander infants born in Queensland, Australia (birth years 2020–2022) will be invited to participate. Infants aged <9 months corrected age (CA) will undergo screening using the (1) General Movements Assessment (GMA); (2) Hammersmith Infant Neurological Examination (HINE); (3) Rapid Neurodevelopmental Assessment (RNDA) and (4) Ages and Stages Questionnaire-Aboriginal adaptation (ASQ-TRAK). Developmental outcomes at 12 months CA will be determined for: (1) neurological (HINE); (2) motor (Peabody Developmental Motor Scales 2); (3) cognitive and communication (Bayley Scales of Infant Development III); (4) functional capabilities (Paediatric Evaluation of Disability Inventory-Computer Adaptive Test) and (5) behaviour (Infant Toddler Social and Emotional Assessment). Infants will be classified as typically developing or ‘at risk’ of an adverse NDO and/or specific NDD based on symptomology using developmental and diagnostic outcomes for (1) CP (2) ASD and (3) FASD. The effects of perinatal, social and environmental factors, caregiver mental health and clinical neuroimaging on NDOs will be investigated. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: Ethics approval has been granted by appropriate Queensland ethics committees; Far North Queensland Health Research Ethics Committee (HREC/2019/QCH/50533 (Sep ver 2)-1370), the Townsville HHS Human Research Ethics Committee (HREC/QTHS/56008), the University of Queensland Medical Research Ethics Committee (2020000185/HREC/2019/QCH/50533) and the Children’s Health Queensland HHS Human Research Ethics Committee (HREC/20/QCHQ/63906) with governance and support from local First Nations communities. Findings from this study will be disseminated via peer-reviewed publications and conference presentations. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: ACTRN12619000969167