Modelling cellphone trace travel mode with neural networks using transit smartcard and home interview survey data

This study proposes a framework to impute travel mode for trips identified from cellphone traces by developing a deep neural network model. In our framework, we use the trips from a home interview survey and transit smartcard data, for which the travel mode is known, to create a set of artificial pseudo-cellphone traces. The generated artificial pseudo-cellphone traces with known mode are then used to train a deep neural network classifier. We further apply the trained model to infer travel modes for the cellphone traces from cellular network data. The empirical case study region is Montevideo, Uruguay, where high-quality data are available for all three types of data used in the analysis: a large dataset of cellphone traces, a large dataset of public transit smartcard transactions, and a small household travel survey. The results can be used to create an enhanced representation of origin-destination trip-making in the region by time of day and travel mode

Perceptions of safety and exposure to violence in public places among working age adults with disabilities or long-term health conditions in the UK:cross sectional study

ObjectivesTo examine perceptions of safety and exposure to violence in public places among working age adults with and without disabilities in the UK and to assess the extent to which any between-group differences may be moderated by gender and socio-economic situation.  Study designCross-sectional study. MethodsSecondary analysis of data collected in Wave 3 (2011-13) of Understanding Society. Data were extracted on a subsample of 5,069 respondents aged 16 to 64 (28% of whom had a disability/long-term health condition) who were administered a questionnaire module addressing experiences of harassment. Between-group comparisons were made on four self-reported indicators of safety. ResultsRespondents with disabilities/long-term health conditions were significantly more likely to have been attacked (adjusted OR 2.30, 95%CI(1.17-4.50), p<0.05), insulted (adjusted OR 1.48, 95%CI (1.16-1.90), p<0.01) and to feel unsafe in public places (adjusted OR 1.32, 95%CI(1.16-1.56), p<0.01) over the previous 12 months. There were no statistically significant differences between groups with regard to self-reported avoidance of public places. These associations were moderated by both gender and poverty status, with the increased risk of exposure to violence among people with disabilities being greater for both women and people living in poverty. ConclusionsThe data add further support to the growing evidence base suggesting that people with a disability/long-term health condition are at significantly increased risk of exposure to interpersonal violence, particularly if they are living in poverty or are women. As such, there is a clear need to develop interventions that are targeted to the particular circumstances and needs of these high risk groups

Sustainable management of water systems in Halaba Special Woreda, Ethiopia

Access to improved drinking water in Halaba Special Woreda, Ethiopia was 43.5% in 2011. Its 280,000 residents are highly dependent on water from 40 regularly malfunctioning deep boreholes. In collaboration with stakeholders, People in Need has implemented a sustainable water systems management project in the woreda. The project seeks to address the underlying causes of persistently poor access to safe water through participatory capacity development activities. Preliminary results indicate reduced water scheme malfunction times, better links between stakeholders increased decision transparency, and improved efficiency and effectiveness of management processes. Several lessons learned and challenges have been identified including: a need for strong responsibility ownership amongst stakeholders; regulatory clarity regarding the legal status WASHCOs; and better understanding of local perspectives and financial factors. Overall, the project’s focus on improved access to safe water through better management rather than water supply investments has shown to be both cost effective and efficient

Follow-up analysis of federal process of care data reported from three acute care hospitals in rural Appalachia

Background: This investigation evaluated standardized process of care data collected on selected hospitals serving a remote rural section of westernmost North Carolina. Methods: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services data were analyzed retrospectively for multiple clinical parameters at Fannin Regional Hospital, Murphy Medical Center, and Union General Hospital. Data were analyzed by paired t-test for individual comparisons among the three study hospitals to compare the three facilities with each other, as well as with state and national average for each parameter. Results: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services “Hospital Compare” data from 2011 showed Fannin Regional Hospital to have significantly higher composite scores on standard­ized clinical process of care measures relative to the national average, compared with Murphy Medical Center (P = 0.01) and Union General Hospital (P = 0.01). This difference was noted to persist when Fannin Regional Hospital was compared with Union General Hospital using common state reference data (P = 0.02). When compared with national averages, mean process of care scores reported from Murphy Medical Center and Union General Hospital were both lower but not significantly different (−3.44 versus −6.07, respectively, P = 0.54). Conclusion: The range of process of care scores submitted by acute care hospitals in western North Carolina is considerable. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services “Hospital Compare” information suggests that process of care measurements at Fannin Regional Hospital are sig­nificantly higher than at either Murphy Medical Center or Union General Hospital, relative to state and national benchmarks. Further investigation is needed to determine what impact these differences in process of care may have on hospital volume and/or market share in this region. Additional research is planned to identify process of care trends in this demographic and geographically rural area