scholarly journals Substantial Decreases in U.S. Cities’ Ground-Based NO2 Concentrations during COVID-19 from Reduced Transportation

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (16) ◽  
pp. 9030
Author(s):  
Asrah Heintzelman ◽  
Gabriel Filippelli ◽  
Vijay Lulla
Keyword(s):  
Substantial Reduction ◽  
Population Level ◽  
Adverse Outcomes ◽  
Sensor Data ◽  
The Novel ◽  
Traffic Patterns ◽  
Sharp Drop ◽  
Related Data ◽  
Global Transport ◽  
Travel Restrictions

A substantial reduction in global transport and industrial processes stemming from the novel SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus and subsequent pandemic resulted in sharp declines in emissions, including for NO2. This has implications for human health, given the role that this gas plays in pulmonary disease and the findings that past exposure to air pollutants has been linked to the most adverse outcomes from COVID-19 disease, likely via various co-morbidities. To explore how much COVID-19 shutdown policies impacted urban air quality, we examined ground-based NO2 sensor data from 11 U.S. cities from a two-month window (March–April) during shutdown in 2020, controlling for natural seasonal variability by using average changes in NO2 over the previous five years for these cities. Levels of NO2 and VMT reduction in March and April compared to January 2020 ranged between 11–65% and 11–89%, consistent with a sharp drop in vehicular traffic from shutdown-related travel restrictions. To explore this link closely, we gathered detailed traffic count data in one city—Indianapolis, Indiana—and found a strong correlation (0.90) between traffic counts/classification and vehicle miles travelled, a moderate correlation (0.54) between NO2 and traffic related data, and an average reduction of 1.11 ppb of NO2 linked to vehicular data. This finding indicates that targeted reduction in pollutants like NO2 can be made by manipulating traffic patterns, thus potentially leading to more population-level health resilience in the future.

scholarly journals Substantial Decreases in NO2 Pollution Measured by Ground-Based Monitors in US Cities During COVID-19 Shutdowns from Reduced Transportation Volumes

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Asrah Heintzelman ◽  
Vijay Lulla ◽  
Gabriel Filippelli
Keyword(s):  
Substantial Reduction ◽  
Population Level ◽  
Severe Form ◽  
Air Pollutant ◽  
Sensor Data ◽  
Traffic Patterns ◽  
Sharp Drop ◽  
Related Data ◽  
Travel Restrictions ◽  
Us Cities

The air pollutant NO2 is derived largely from transportation sources and is known to cause respiratory disease. A substantial reduction in transport and industrial processes around the globe from the novel SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus and subsequent pandemic resulted in sharp declines in emissions, including for NO2. Additionally, the COVID-19 disease that results from the coronavirus may present in its most severe form in those who have been exposed to high levels of air pollution. To explore these links, we compared ground-based NO2 sensor data from 11 US cities from a two-month window (March-April) over the previous five years versus the same window during 2020 shutdowns. NO2 declined roughly 12-41% in the 11 cities. This decreased coincided with a sharp drop in vehicular traffic from shutdown-related travel restrictions. To explore this link more closely, we gathered more detailed traffic count data in one city, Indianapolis, Indiana, and found a strong correlation between traffic counts/classification and vehicle miles travelled, and a moderate correlation between NO2 and traffic related data. This finding indicates that we can use such analysis in targeting reduction in pollutants like NO2 by examining and manipulating traffic patterns, thus potentially leading to more population-level health resilience in the future.

scholarly journals Temporal Contact Graph Reveals The Evolving Epidemic Situation of COVID-19

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mincheng Wu ◽  
Chao Li ◽  
Zhangchong Shen ◽  
Shibo He ◽  
Lingling Tang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Participation Rate ◽  
Population Level ◽  
User Participation ◽  
Contact Tracing ◽  
Prevention Measures ◽  
Contact Graph ◽  
Individual Level ◽  
Related Data ◽  
Epidemic Size ◽  
Travel Restrictions

Abstract Digital contact tracing has been recently advocated by China and many countries as part of digital prevention measures on COVID-19. Controversies have been raised about their effectiveness in practice as it remains open how they can be fully utilized to control COVID-19. In this article, we show that an abundance of information can be extracted from digital contact tracing for COVID-19 prevention and control. Specifically, we construct a temporal contact graph that quantifies the daily contacts between infectious and susceptible individuals by exploiting a large volume of location-related data contributed by 10,527,737 smartphone users in Wuhan, China. The temporal contact graph reveals five time-varying indicators can accurately capture actual contact trends at population level, demonstrating that travel restrictions (e.g., city lockdown) in Wuhan played an important role in containing COVID-19. We reveal a strong correlation between the contacts level and the epidemic size, and estimate several significant epidemiological parameters (e.g., serial interval). We also show that user participation rate exerts higher influence on situation evaluation than user upload rate does. At individual level, however, the temporal contact graph plays a limited role, since the behavior distinction between the infected and uninfected contacted individuals are not substantial. The revealed results can tell the effectiveness of digital contact tracing against COVID-19, providing guidelines for governments to implement interventions using information technology.

scholarly journals Combating escalating harms associated with pharmaceutical opioid use in Australia: the POPPY II study protocol

BMJ Open ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 8 (12) ◽  
pp. e025840 ◽  
Author(s):  
Natasa Gisev ◽  
Sallie-Anne Pearson ◽  
Timothy Dobbins ◽  
David C Currow ◽  
Fiona Blyth ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Risk Factors ◽  
Opioid Dependence ◽  
Service Use ◽  
Population Level ◽  
Ethics Committee ◽  
Adverse Outcomes ◽  
Opioid Use ◽  
Research Committee ◽  
Services Research ◽  
Wide Range

IntroductionOpioid prescribing has increased 15-fold in Australia in the past two decades, alongside increases in a range of opioid-related harms such as opioid dependence and overdose. However, despite concerns about increasing opioid use, extramedical use and harms, there is a lack of population-level evidence about the drivers of long-term prescribed opioid use, dependence, overdose and other harms.Methods and analysisWe will form a cohort of all adult residents in New South Wales (NSW), Australia, who initiated prescribed opioids from 2002 using Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme dispensing records. This cohort will be linked to a wide range of other datasets containing information on sociodemographic and clinical characteristics, health service use and adverse outcomes (eg, opioid dependence and non-fatal and fatal overdose). Analyses will initially examine patterns and predictors of prescribed opioid use and then apply regression and survival analysis to quantify the risks and risk factors of adverse outcomes associated with prescribed opioid use.Ethics and disseminationThis study has received full ethical approval from the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare Ethics Committee, the NSW Population and Health Services Research Committee and the ACT Health Human Research Ethics Committee. This will be the largest postmarketing surveillance study of prescribed opioids undertaken in Australia, linking exposure and outcomes and examining risk factors for adverse outcomes of prescribed opioids. As such, this work has important translational promise, with direct relevance to regulatory authorities and agencies worldwide. Project findings will be disseminated at scientific conferences and in peer-reviewed journals. We will also conduct targeted dissemination with policy makers, professional bodies and peak bodies in the pain, medicine and addiction fields through stakeholder workshops and advisory groups. Results will be reported in accordance with the REporting of studies Conducted using Observational Routinely collected Data (RECORD) Statement.

scholarly journals Measuring social networks in primates: wearable sensors versus direct observations

2020 ◽  
Vol 476 (2236) ◽  
pp. 20190737
Author(s):  
Valeria Gelardi ◽  
Jeanne Godard ◽  
Dany Paleressompoulle ◽  
Nicolas Claidiere ◽  
Alain Barrat
Keyword(s):  
Data Collection ◽  
Wearable Sensors ◽  
A Priori ◽  
Population Level ◽  
Sensor Data ◽  
Collection Method ◽  
Data Collection Method ◽  
The Social ◽  
Different Types ◽  
Data Yield

Network analysis represents a valuable and flexible framework to understand the structure of individual interactions at the population level in animal societies. The versatility of network representations is moreover suited to different types of datasets describing these interactions. However, depending on the data collection method, different pictures of the social bonds between individuals could a priori emerge. Understanding how the data collection method influences the description of the social structure of a group is thus essential to assess the reliability of social studies based on different types of data. This is however rarely feasible, especially for animal groups, where data collection is often challenging. Here, we address this issue by comparing datasets of interactions between primates collected through two different methods: behavioural observations and wearable proximity sensors. We show that, although many directly observed interactions are not detected by the sensors, the global pictures obtained when aggregating the data to build interaction networks turn out to be remarkably similar. Moreover, sensor data yield a reliable social network over short time scales and can be used for long-term studies, showing their important potential for detailed studies of the evolution of animal social groups.

scholarly journals Data safe havens to combine health and genomic data: benefits and challenges

2017 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Kerina H Jones ◽  
Arron S Lacey ◽  
Brian L Perkins ◽  
Mark I Rees
Keyword(s):  
Association Studies ◽  
Genomic Data ◽  
Population Level ◽  
Data Availability ◽  
Genome Wide Association Studies ◽  
Related Data ◽  
Research Areas ◽  
Individual Privacy ◽  
Access Controls ◽  
Health Related

ABSTRACTObjectivesData safe havens can bring together and combine a rich array of anonymised person-based data for research and policy evaluation within a secure setting. To date, the majority of available datasets have been structured micro-data derived from routine health-related records. Possibilities are opening up for the greater reuse of genomic data such as Genome Wide Association studies (GWAS) and Whole Exome/Genome Sequencing (WES or WGS). However, there are considerable challenges to be addressed if the benefits of using these data in combination with health-related data are to be realized safely. ApproachWe explore the benefits and challenges of using genomic datasets with health-related data, and using the Secure Anonymised Information Linkage (SAIL) system as a case study, the implications and way forward for Data Safe Havens in seeking to incorporate genomic data for use with health-related data. ResultsThe benefits of using GWAS, WES and WGS data in conjunction with health-related data include the potential to explore genetics at a population level and open up novel research areas. These include the ability to increasingly stratify and personalize how medical indications are detected and treated through precision medicine by understanding rare conditions and adding socioeconomic and environmental context to genomic data. Among the challenges are: data availability, computing capacity, technical solutions, legal and regulatory frameworks, public perceptions, individual privacy and organizational risk. Many of the challenges within these areas are common to person-based data in general, and often Data Safe Havens have been designed to address these. But there are also aspects of these challenges, and other challenges, specific to genomic data. These include issues due to the unknown clinical significance of genomic information now or in the future, with corresponding risks for privacy and impact on individuals. ConclusionGenomic data sets contain vast amounts of valuable information, some of which is currently undefined, but which may have direct bearing on individual health at some point. The use of these data in combination with health-related data has the potential to bring great benefits, better clinical trial stratification, epidemiology project design and clinical improvements. It is, therefore, essential that such data are surrounded by a properly-designed, robust governance framework including technical and procedural access controls that enable the data to be used safely.

scholarly journals How to Better Manage Tourism on Pandemic-Times? Moving Forward on a Discussion We Should Have Had Before the 2020 Crisis

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Laura Sinay ◽  
Maria Cristina Fogliatti de Sinay
Keyword(s):  
Literature Review ◽  
Research Funding ◽  
Tourism Industry ◽  
The Novel ◽  
Scholarly Community ◽  
Pandemic Virus ◽  
Funding Agencies ◽  
Travel Restrictions ◽  
Novel Coronavirus

Taking advantage of tourists’ intensive flow, the SARS-CoV-2 virus rapidly spread causing thousands of deaths globally. Trying to contain the already pandemic virus, government travel restrictions were suddenly imposed. Consequently, the tourism industry, which at that moment employed one in ten workers globally, suddenly collapsed. Hundreds of thousands of workers immediately lost their income. Flights were cancelled, and thousands of tourists were stuck abroad with no means to return to their home countries. The gravity of the situation raised the question of whether there was scholarly knowledge that could have helped manage tourism during the current pandemic. To answer this question, a methodical literature review was performed, allowing for up to 900 publications to be analysed. Keywords used were pandemic, tourism, tourist and travel. Based on this process, 63 publications were selected for further analysis. Among these, less than 5% were focused on the tourism side of the problem. As such, this research concludes that, by the time the novel coronavirus emerged, there was, virtually, no scholarly knowledge on how to manage tourism during pandemic times so as to avoid chaos, and that the scholarly community studying related issues is very small. Moving forward, this article recommends that research funding agencies and universities encourage the sound development of this area of knowledge. Aspects that should be investigated include when, how and by whom should tourism be halted, as well as the feasibility of a Tourism World Fund for supporting related costs.

scholarly journals The impact of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) on older adults with an intellectual disability during the first wave of the pandemic in Ireland

2021 ◽  
Vol 4 ◽  
pp. 93
Author(s):  
Mary McCarron ◽  
Darren McCausland ◽  
Retha Luus ◽  
Andrew Allen ◽  
Fintan Sheerin ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Intellectual Disability ◽  
Repeated Measures ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Adverse Outcomes ◽  
Multiple Infection ◽  
Similar Proportion ◽  
Related Data ◽  
Increased Risk ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Health And Well Being

Background: People with intellectual disability have increased risk of exposure to and adverse outcomes from coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).They also face challenges to mental health and well-being from COVID-19-related social restrictions and service closures. Methods: Data from a supplemental COVID-19 survey from the Intellectual Disability Supplement to the Irish Longitudinal Study on Ageing (IDS-TILDA) (n=710) was used to assess outcomes from the first infection wave of COVID-19 among adults with intellectual disability aged 40+ years in Ireland. Data was gathered on testing, for symptoms and outcomes; procedures to manage COVID-19; and both stress/anxiety and positive experiences during the pandemic. Demographic and health-related data from the main IDS-TILDA dataset was included in analyses. Results: High rates were identified of health conditions associated with poorer COVID-19 outcomes, including overweight/obesity (66.6%, n=365), high cholesterol (38.6%, n=274) and cardiovascular disease (33.7%, n=239). Over half (53.5%, n=380) reported emotional, nervous or psychiatric disorders. Almost two-thirds (62.4%, n=443) were tested for COVID-19, with 10% (n=71) reporting symptoms and 2.5% (n=11) testing positive. There were no instances of COVID-19 related mortality. Common symptoms included fatigue, fever, and cough. Some participants (7.8%, n=55) moved from their usual home, most often to isolate (n=31) or relocate to a family home (n=11). Three-quarters (78.7%) of those who were symptomatic or who tested positive had plans to manage self-isolation and two-thirds were able to comply with guidelines. Over half (55%, n=383) reported some COVID-19 related stress/anxiety; and a similar proportion reported positive aspects during this period (58%, n=381). Conclusions: Our data suggests that people with intellectual disability avoided the worst impacts of COVID-19 during the first infection wave in Ireland. Nevertheless, participants’ health profiles suggest that this population remains at high risk for adverse infection outcomes. Repeated measures are needed to track health and well-being outcomes across multiple infection waves.

scholarly journals ARTIST - a reAl-time low-effoRt mulTi-entity Interaction System for creaTing reusable and optimized MR experiences

2019 ◽  
Vol 5 ◽  
Author(s):  
Konstantinos Kotis
Keyword(s):  
Real Time ◽  
Development Time ◽  
Mixed Reality ◽  
Research Approach ◽  
The Novel ◽  
High Quality ◽  
Related Data ◽  
Novel Methods ◽  
Novel Concept ◽  
Heterogeneous Resources

ARTIST is a research approach introducing novel methods for real-time multi-entity interaction between human and non-human entities, to create reusable and optimized Mixed Reality (MR) experiences with low-effort, towards a Shared MR Experiences Ecosystem (SMRE2). As a result, ARTIST delivers high quality MR experiences, facilitating the interaction between a variety of entities which interact in a virtual and symbiotic way within a mega, virtual and fully-experiential world. Specifically, ARTIST aims to develop novel methods for low-effort (code-free) implementation and deployment of open and reusable MR content, applications and tools, introducing the novel concept of an Experience as a Trajectory (EaaT). In addition, ARTIST will provide tools for the tracking, monitoring and analysis of user behaviour and their interaction with the environment and with other users, towards optimizing MR experiences by recommending their reconfiguration, dynamically (at run-time) or statically (at development time). Finally, it will provide tools for synthesizing experiences into new mega and still reconfigurable EaaTs, enhancing them at the same time using semantically integrated related data/information available in disparate and heterogeneous resources.

scholarly journals How have governments supported citizens stranded abroad due to COVID-19 travel restrictions? A comparative analysis of the financial and health support in eleven countries

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pippa McDermid ◽  
Adam Craig ◽  
Meru Sheel ◽  
Holly Seale
Keyword(s):  
Information Needs ◽  
Design Tool ◽  
Government Support ◽  
Website Design ◽  
Global Public Health ◽  
Related Data ◽  
Related Information ◽  
Travel Restrictions ◽  
Health Support ◽  
Content Accessibility

Abstract Background: In response to the continuing threat of COVID-19, many countries have implemented some form of border restriction. A repercussion of these restrictions has been that some travellers have been stranded abroad unable to return to their country of residence, and in need for government support. Our analysis explores the COVID-19-related information and support options provided by 11 countries to their citizens stranded overseas due to travel restrictions. We also examined the quality (i.e., readability, accessibility, and useability) of the information that was available from selected governments’ web-based resources.Methods: Between June 18 to June 30, 2021, COVID-19-related webpages from 11 countries (Australia, New Zealand, Fiji, Canada, United States of America (USA), United Kingdom (UK), France, Spain, Japan, Singapore, and Thailand) were reviewed and content relating to information and support for citizens stuck overseas analysed. Government assistance-related data from each webpage was extracted and coded for the following themes: travel arrangements, health and wellbeing, finance and accommodation, information needs, and sources. Readability was examined using the Simplified Measure of Gobbledygook (SMOG) and the Flesch Kincaid readability tests; content ‘accessibility’ was measured using the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) Version 2.1; and content ‘usability’ assessed using the usability heuristics for website design tool.Results: Ninety-eight webpages from 34 websites were evaluated. No country assessed covered all themes analysed. Most provided information and some level of support regarding repatriation options; border control and re-entry measures; medical assistance; and traveller registration. Only three countries provided information or support for emergency housing while abroad, and six provided some form of mental health support for their citizens. Our analysis of the quality of COVID-19-related information available on a subset of four countries’ websites found poor readability and multiple accessibility and usability issues.Conclusion: With large variance in the information and services available across the countries analysed, our results highlight gaps, inconsistencies, and potential inequities in support available, and raise issues pertinent to the quality, accessibility, and usability of information. This study will assist policymakers plan and communicate comprehensive support packages for citizens stuck abroad due to the COVID-19 situation and design future efforts to prepare for global public health emergencies.

scholarly journals A reAl-time low-effoRt mulTi-entity Interaction System for creaTing reusable and optimized MR experiences

2019 ◽  
Vol 5 ◽  
Author(s):  
Konstantinos Kotis
Keyword(s):  
Real Time ◽  
Development Time ◽  
Mixed Reality ◽  
Research Approach ◽  
The Novel ◽  
High Quality ◽  
Related Data ◽  
Novel Methods ◽  
Novel Concept ◽  
Heterogeneous Resources

ARTIST is a research approach introducing novel methods for real-time multi-entity interaction between human and non-human entities, to create reusable and optimized Mixed Reality (MR) experiences with low-effort, towards a Shared MR Experiences Ecosystem (SMRE2). As a result, ARTIST delivers high quality MR experiences, facilitating the interaction between a variety of entities which interact in a virtual and symbiotic way within a mega, virtual and fully-experiential world. Specifically, ARTIST aims to develop novel methods for low-effort (code-free) implementation and deployment of open and reusable MR content, applications and tools, introducing the novel concept of an Experience as a Trajectory (EaaT). In addition, ARTIST will provide tools for the tracking, monitoring and analysis of user behaviour and their interaction with the environment and with other users, towards optimizing MR experiences by recommending their reconfiguration, dynamically (at run-time) or statically (at development time). Finally, it will provide tools for synthesizing experiences into new mega and still reconfigurable EaaTs, enhancing them at the same time using semantically integrated related data/information available in disparate and heterogeneous resources.

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