Access To New Technologies Research Articles

The origin of an invasive air sac system in sauropodomorph dinosaurs.

One of the most remarkable features in sauropod dinosaurs relates to their pneumatized skeletons permeated by a bird-like air sac system. Many studies described the late evolution and diversification of this trait in mid to late Mesozoic forms but few focused on the origin of the invasive respiratory diverticula in sauropodomorphs. Fortunately, it is possible to solve this thanks to the boom of new species described in the last decade as well as the broad accessibility of new technologies. Here we analyze the unaysaurid sauropodomorph Macrocollum itaquii from the Late Triassic (early Norian) of southern Brazil using micro-computed tomography. We describe the chronologically oldest and phylogenetically earliest unambiguous evidence of an invasive air sac system in a dinosaur. Surprisingly, this species presented a unique pattern of pneumatization in non-sauropod sauropodomorphs, with pneumatic foramina in posterior cervical and anterior dorsal vertebrae. This suggests that patterns of pneumatization were not cladistically consistent prior to the arrival of Jurassic eusauropods. Additionally, we describe the protocamerae tissue, a new type of pneumatic tissue with properties of both camellae and camerae. This reverts the previous hypothesis which stated that the skeletal pneumatization first evolved into camarae, and derived into delicate trabecular arrangements. This tissue is evidence of thin camellate-like tissue developing into larger chambers. Finally, Macrocollum is an example of the gradual evolution of skeletal tissues responding to the fastly specializing Respiratory System of saurischian dinosaurs.

A tool to assess the registries quality: The Registry Evaluation and Quality Standards Tool (REQueST)

Abstract Background The use of registries is increasingly common in HTA as interest grows in the use of observational data to complement trial data and optimize access to new technologies. Registry data quality has been criticized, leading to reluctance to embed their use in HTA. During EUnetHTA Joint Action 3 the HTA network has produced a draft standard tool to assess registry quality. Methods The development phase included: analysis of the current use of registry data by HTA bodies (HTAb), HTAb consultation on the first draft of the tool, HTAb and stakeholder consultation on the second draftl, tool testing by three HTAb. Finally, the near-final version was submitted for public consultation. The feedback helped prepare the final version of the tool, available at https://eunethta.eu/request-tool-and-its-vision-paper/. Results The standards in REQueST are universal and essential elements of good practice and evidence quality that are relevant and applicable to different registry types. It includes three sections: 8 ‘methodological' items relating to suitability of the registry for a specific purpose; 13 ‘essential standards' relevant to any registry for HTA and 3 additional considerations for specific purposes. REQueST builds upon existing guidance and provides a means to adopt and implement best practice. It can be used by both evidence developers to assess the quality of their registry and HTA bodies and Regulators when considering whether to use them. EUnetHTA partners are encouraged to use the tool in all joint activities in which registry quality is to be defined or assessed. Moreover, EUnetHTA partners can use the tool on individual basis when assessing the quality of registries for HTA purposes. Since its publication REQueST has been used in two EUnetHTA registry qualifications and several national HTA activities related to Post Launch Evidence Generation (PLEG). Some of the national PLEG activities reported very positive feedback on the tool from registry holders.

Disruptive Technologies for Improving Water Security in Large River Basins

Large river basins present significant challenges for water resource planning and management. They typically traverse a wide range of hydroclimatic regimes, are characterized by complex and variable hydrology, and span multiple jurisdictions with diverse water demands and values. They are often data-poor and in many developing economies are characterized by weak water governance. Rapid global change is seeing significant changes to the pressures on the water resources of large basins, exacerbating the challenge of sustainable water management. Diverse technologies have long supported water resource planning and development, from data collection, analytics, simulation, to decision-making, and real-time operations. In the last two decades however, a rapid increase in the range, capability, and accessibility of new technologies, coupled with large reductions in cost, mean there are increasing opportunities for emerging technologies to significantly “disrupt” traditional approaches to water resources management. In this paper, we consider the application of ‘disruptive technologies’ in water resources management in large river basins, through a lens of improving water security. We discuss the role of different actors and institutions for water management considering a range of emerging disruptive technologies. We consider the risks and benefits associated with the use of these technologies and discuss the barriers to their widespread adoption. We obverse a positive trend away from the reliance solely on centralized government institutions and traditional modeling for the collection and analysis of data, towards a more open and dynamic ‘data and knowledge ecosystem’ that draws upon data services at different levels (global to local) to support water planning and operations. We expect that technological advances and cost reductions will accelerate, fueling increased incremental adoption of new technologies in water resources planning and management. Large-basin analytics could become virtually free for users with global, regional, and national development agencies absorbing the costs of development and any subscription services for end users (e.g., irrigators) to help improve water management at user level and improve economic productivity. Collectively, these changes can help to ‘democratize’ water management through improved access to data and information. However, disruptive technologies can also be deployed in top-down or centralized processes, and so their use is sometimes contested or misunderstood. Increased attention therefore needs to be given to ensuring equity in technology access, and to strengthening the governance context for technology deployment. Widespread adoption of disruptive technologies will require adjustments to how water professionals are trained, increased adaptiveness in water resources planning and operations, and careful consideration of privacy and cybersecurity issues.

DCache - storage for advanced scientific use cases and beyond

The dCache project provides open source storage software deployed internationally to satisfy ever more demanding scientific storage requirements. Its multifaceted approach provides an integrated way of supporting different use cases with the same storage, from high throughput data ingest, through wide access and easy integration with existing systems. In supporting new communities, such as photon science and microbiology, dCache is evolving to provide new features and access to new technologies. In this paper, we describe some of these recent features that facilitate the use of storage to maximise the gain from stored data, including quality-of-service management, support for distributed and federated systems, and improvements with support for parallel NFS (pNFS).

The Problem of the Grey Area in e-Trade in Poland

E-trade is one of the most buoyant ways of selling goods and services in Poland. All activity in this field is very attractive not only for marketing companies but also for auditing and fiscal authorities. The results of analyses show that on-line trading is threatened however by the existence of a grey area. This refers, in particular, to non-registered business activity and avoidance of taxation on trade income. The aim of this article is to show the main risks of e-trade in Poland which may influence the state budget, and some legislative solutions which have an effect of a gradual limitation of fiscal fraud in e-trade. Source material constituted results of analyses that were conducted by the Polish Central Statistical Office, independent research units and studies by specialized marketing companies on the scope of the grey area in e-commerce in Poland. A comparative analysis of the size of the grey area shows that regardless of the difference in results of its measurements, the grey area is a common phenomenon. Accessibility of new technologies (computerization of enterprises and households and Internet accessibility) favors the development of e-commerce and the existence of a grey area within it.

Technological Considerations for the Delivery of Real-Time Child Telemental Healthcare.

In recent years, rapid advances in the sophistication and accessibility of new technologies for consumer use have been leveraged to meaningfully expand the scope of mental health services for youth. However, despite many potential benefits inherent in applying new technologies to improve the accessibility and quality of care, organizations and private providers looking to expand their services with telemental health (TMH) service options may find the broad range of software packages and hardware options daunting. We summarize key considerations for adopting a videoteleconferencing (VTC) system, and provide recommendations for institutions and providers planning to launch TMH services at varying levels. Although there is currently no single combination of VTC software and equipment that works best for every provider, certain factors such as cost, ease of use, and system functionality contribute to the setup that may serve as the "best fit" for practitioners' and clients' needs. Careful consideration of these system characteristics and their bearing on institutional functioning, quality of services, and client satisfaction and privacy prior to VTC installation can proactively reduce difficulties after TMH implementation.

Metabolomics approach in allergic and rheumatic diseases.

Metabolomics is the analysis of the concentration profiles of low molecular weight compounds present in biological fluids. Metabolites are nonpeptide molecules representing the end products of cellular activity. Therefore, changes in metabolite concentrations reveal the range of biochemical effects induced by a disease or its therapeutic intervention. Metabolomics has recently become feasible with the accessibility of new technologies, including mass spectrometry and high-resolution proton nuclear magnetic resonance, and has already been applied to several disorders. Indeed, it has the advantage of being a nontargeted approach for identifying potential biomarkers, which means that it does not require a preliminary knowledge of the substances to be studied. In this review, we summarize the main studies in which metabolomic approach was used in some allergic (asthma, atopic dermatitis) and rheumatic diseases (rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus) to explore the feasibility of this technique as a novel diagnostic tool in these complex disorders.

A preliminary investigation of materialism and impulsiveness as predictors of technological addictions among young adults.

Background and aims The primary objective of the present research is to investigate the drivers of technological addiction in college students - heavy users of Information and Communication Technology (ICT). The study places cell phone and instant messaging addiction in the broader context of consumption pathologies, investigating the influence of materialism and impulsiveness on these two technologies. Clearly, cell phones serve more than just a utilitarian purpose. Cell phones are used in public and play a vital role in the lives of young adults. The accessibility of new technologies, like cell phones, which have the advantages of portability and an ever increasing array of functions, makes their over-use increasingly likely. Methods College undergraduates (N = 191) from two U.S. universities completed a paper and pencil survey instrument during class. The questionnaire took approximately 15-20 minutes to complete and contained scales that measured materialism, impulsiveness, and mobile phone and instant messaging addiction. Results Factor analysis supported the discriminant validity of Ehrenberg, Juckes, White and Walsh's (2008) Mobile Phone and Instant Messaging Addictive Tendencies Scale. The path model indicates that both materialism and impulsiveness impact the two addictive tendencies, and that materialism's direct impact on these addictions has a noticeably larger effect on cell phone use than instant messaging. Conclusions The present study finds that materialism and impulsiveness drive both a dependence on cell phones and instant messaging. As Griffiths (2012) rightly warns, however, researchers must be aware that one's addiction may not simply be to the cell phone, but to a particular activity or function of the cell phone. The emergence of multi-function smart phones requires that research must dig beneath the technology being used to the activities that draw the user to the particular technology.

Uma análise da relação entre tecnologia no local de trabalho e rendimentos no Brasil

Diferenças na qualidade dos postos de trabalho podem estar associadas, pelo menos em parte, aos elevados níveis de desigualdade de rendimentos observados entre os trabalhadores no Brasil. Este artigo procura analisar a relação entre rendimentos no mercado de trabalho e uma medida do nível de tecnologia disponível no posto, e as implicações dessa relação para a desigualdade de rendimentos no Brasil. Usando dados do suplemento sobre inovação tecnológica da PNAD (Pesquisa Nacional por Amostra de Domicílios) de 2005 e 2008, são encontradas evidências de que trabalhadores com acesso a novas tecnologias no local de trabalho recebem rendimentos substancialmente mais elevados, mesmo em setores onde não se espera que a tecnologia tenha um impacto direto expressivo sobre a produtividade. Os resultados sugerem que disparidades na qualidade dos postos de trabalho podem ser importantes na determinação da distribuição de rendimentos do trabalho.

Lontano dagli occhi, lontano dal cuore

Reflections on some issues relating to accessibility of new technologies by people with disabilities.

Reflections from the Roadside

'Information superhighways' have been constructed so that fundamental issues of access and equity are being left on the roadside. A comprehensive and dynamic conception of universal service needs to be developed to ensure equitable access to new communications technologies. Universal service is seen to require five elements: geographical availability; accessibility; affordability; technological standard; and participation in society. Without a change in the road rules by the government, many consumers of the existing telecommunications network and many more consumers in the future may have only limited access to new technologies. An information superhighway for all people is seen to require consumer-defined information and access for a diversity of residential consumers' needs and aspirations.