Accessible Platform Research Articles

SCRATCH: A programmable, open-hardware, benchtop robot that automatically scratches cultured tissues to investigate cell migration, healing, and tissue sculpting.

Despite the widespread popularity of the ' scratch assay', where a pipette is dragged through cultured tissue to create an injury gap to study cell migration and healing, the manual nature of the assay carries significant drawbacks. So much of the process depends on individual manual technique, which can complicate quantification, reduce throughput, and limit the versatility and reproducibility of the approach. Here, we present a truly open-source, low-cost, accessible, and robotic scratching platform that addresses all of the core issues. Compatible with nearly all standard cell culture dishes and usable directly in a sterile culture hood, our robot makes highly reproducible scratches in a variety of complex cultured tissues with high throughput. Moreover, we demonstrate how scratching can be programmed to precisely remove areas of tissue to sculpt arbitrary tissue and wound shapes, as well as enable truly complex co-culture experiments. This system significantly improves the usefulness of the conventional scratch assay, and opens up new possibilities in complex tissue engineering and cell biological assays for realistic wound healing and migration research.

Impact of Learning Mediums: A Comparative Analysis of Telephone and Virtual Education on Women's Childbearing Attitudes

Background: Improving women's attitudes towards childbearing plays a key role in promoting childbearing policies. Objectives: The present study aimed to compare the effectiveness of two educational methods-telephone-based and virtual training-on women's attitudes towards childbearing. Methods: This interventional study was conducted on 174 married women aged 18-35, without children, living in Babol city. The participants were randomly divided into three groups of 58: Two intervention groups and one control group. The first group received telephone-based training, while the second group received virtual training via WhatsApp video calls, both on the topic of childbearing over a four-week period. Data collection tools included a demographic questionnaire and a fertility and childbearing attitude scale, completed before, immediately after, and three months post-intervention. Data was analyzed using SPSS version 22 with chi-square tests, analysis of variance, and a linear mixed model. Results: The mean attitude scores towards childbearing increased significantly in both the telephone training group (P = 0.008) and the virtual training group (P = 0.038) compared to the control group three months later. Although telephone-based training had a greater effect on attitude scores during the follow-up phase compared to virtual training, this difference was not statistically significant. Conclusions: Both educational methods had a lasting impact on women's attitudes towards childbearing. This underscores the value of using accessible and cost-effective platforms to support childbearing policies.

Impact of a social media-delivered distance learning program on mhGAP training among primary care providers in Jalisco, Mexico

BackgroundThe World Health Organization’s (WHO) Mental Health Gap Action Programme (mhGAP) aims to provide evidence-based guidelines for the management of mental, neurological, and substance use disorders in non-specialized healthcare settings. However, implementing these guidelines remains a challenge due to various factors, including limited training opportunities for primary care providers. This study con the effectiveness of a social media-delivered distance education program on the mhGAP intervention guide, to overcome barriers of technology access and digital literacy, providing a familiar and accessible platform for primary care providers in Jalisco.MethodsA quasi-experimental study with a pre-test/post-test design was conducted. Primary care providers from Jalisco were invited to participate in a distance education program on the mhGAP intervention guide. The program consisted of online modules, webinars, and discussion forums facilitated by mental health experts. Knowledge assessments were conducted before and after the intervention using a standardized questionnaire. Participant satisfaction and perceived utility were also evaluated through surveys and focus group discussions.ResultsA total of 1,096 primary care providers completed the program. The mean knowledge score significantly improved from 58.2% (SD = 12.8%) in the pre-test to 81.4% (SD = 9.6%) in the post-test (p < 0.001), with a large effect size (Cohen’s d = 2.04). Subgroup analyses revealed consistent knowledge gains across different demographic and professional characteristics. Participant satisfaction was high, with 92% rating the program’s overall quality as “good” or “excellent.” Qualitative findings highlighted the benefits of accessibility, flexibility, interactivity, and practical applicability of the distance education approach.ConclusionsThe social media-delivered distance education program on the mhGAP intervention guide effectively improved the knowledge of primary care providers in Jalisco, Mexico. Participants reported high levels of satisfaction and perceived utility. This study demonstrates the potential of distance education strategies to disseminate evidence-based guidelines and enhance mental health service delivery in primary care settings, particularly in resource-limited areas.

Poetry unveiled: Multimodality and aesthetic responses as a fresh approach to teaching and reading verse

AbstractIn secondary English classrooms, poetry is often a text that is least liked because it is viewed as being “inaccessible,” reserved for the elite, and/or too abstract. Part of the reason for this also lies in the traditional, colonial structures of introducing poetry such as relying on canonical texts and close reading analysis. Yet, outside of the classroom poetry is used in more accessible and engaging manners. With the advancements of technology, there also includes multimodal ways in which to read and write poetry that could be much more interesting for both educators and youth. This paper opens a discussion to consider multimodal and aesthetic responses to including poetry such as using digital apps like PhoneMe, a free accessible platform that allows users to post their written poems, record themselves reciting poems, and pin their poems directly on to an interactive digital map. The uniqueness of PhoneMe—a layered multimodal approach—can provide a more engaging way to teach and learn poetry.

Data Access Platform for Marine and Freshwater Applications

Data Access Platform for Marine and Freshwater Applications

Development of robotic arm control using Arduino controller

The advance of Arduino-based technology has spurred innovation in the realm of robotic arm control, offering a cost-effective and accessible platform for enthusiasts and professionals alike. This paper presents the development of robot arm control using an Arduino controller. The work involves the integration of Arduino microcontrollers and sensors to enable precise and dynamic control of a robotic arm. The proposed robot is controlled by 4 servo motors, the motors rotate left, right, front, and back. The paper discusses the challenges encountered during the development process and proposes solutions, paving the way for further advancements in this burgeoning field. With Arduino's widespread availability and affordability, the presented robotic arm control system holds promise for expanding the accessibility of robotics education and fostering innovation in automation technologies. This paper provides a glimpse into the promising synergy between Arduino and robotic arm control, highlighting the contributions and implications of this technology in shaping the future of automation.

An integrated dataset of near-surface Eulerian fields and Lagrangian trajectories from an ocean model

A dataset consisting of numerically simulated oceanic velocities and sea surface height changes, provided conjointly from Eulerian and Lagrangian points of view, is made available as cloud-optimized archives on a cloud storage platform for unrestricted access. The Eulerian component of the dataset comprises oceanic velocity components at 0 m and 15 m depth, as well as total and steric sea surface height changes, obtained at hourly time steps for one year, with an approximate horizontal resolution of 1/25 degree on an irregular global geographical spatial grid, from the HYbrid Coordinate Ocean Model. The Lagrangian component of the dataset comprises the trajectories of particles advected in the Eulerian velocity field of the model. The particles were advected forward and backward for 30 days from a regular 1/4 degree grid in order to achieve 60-day long trajectories at 0 m and 15 m depths, with start times separated by 30 days, in 11 releases. This integrated dataset may help to link Eulerian and Lagrangian observational perspectives.

EHerbarium: A Global Platform for Exploring and Sharing Herbarium and Live Plant Images to Enhance Biodiversity Preservation

Historically, herbaria have been instrumental in preserving and studying plant biodiversity. The widespread use of smartphones has led to a surge in the digital documentation of plants. Over the last decade, herbarium digitizing projects are also underway. Many of the digitized herbarium images are available online through different portals. The examples of these portals include Kew Gardens and New York Botanic Garden Herbarium. Combining the latest mobile, cloud and AI technologies as well as plant taxonomy and herbarium artifacts, the mission of eHerbarium*1 is to provide an accessible digital platform for plant enthusiasts, including botanists, researchers, students, as well as the general public around the world, to collect, identify and share live plant and herbarium images. It promotes data collection and data sharing around the globe for biodiversity preservation. It further provides educational benefits about plants and the plant biodiversity around us and the world. eHerbarium offers access to an extensive collection of herbarium images from Kew’s Herbarium at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. The platform is also extensible, allowing it to host images from other herbaria. In addition, this platform provides high-quality botanical visuals, enabling users to capture and share live plant photos or herbarium images, or upload from existing collections. Customizable licensing options facilitate community use and enhance collaborative botanical research. The platform’s AI-powered tools streamline plant identification, offering autocomplete suggestions for taxonomy details such as scientific name, family name or common names. Our proprietary technology ensures seamless and accurate botanical data entry by automatically retrieving corresponding scientific or common names. Additionally, eHerbarium enriches botanical records by automatically associating image locations with Biodiversity Information Standards (TDWG) Level 2 regions. TDWG Level 2 regions are specific geographical areas defined by TDWG to standardize the recording and reporting of biodiversity data. These regions, which typically correspond to large countries or significant subnational areas, help ensure consistent and accurate geographical referencing in botanical studies and herbarium records, while also respecting image owners' location privacy. eHerbarium has more than 40,000 worldwide downloads since its debut less than six months ago on March 18, 2024. We encourage further collaborations to expand our repositories for herbarium and live plant images. We also welcome partnerships to tailor the application to specific needs for natural history and biodiversity data collection.

Bacterial Genomics for National Antimicrobial Resistance Surveillance in Cambodia.

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) surveillance in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) often relies on poorly resourced laboratory processes. Centralized sequencing was combined with cloud-based, open-source bioinformatics solutions for national AMR surveillance in Cambodia. Blood cultures growing gram-negative bacteria were collected at six Cambodian hospitals (January 2021 - October 2022). Isolates were obtained from pure plate growth and shotgun DNA sequencing performed in-country. Using public nucleotide and protein databases, reads were aligned for pathogen identification and AMR gene characterization. Multilocus sequence typing was performed on whole genome assemblies and haplotype clusters compared against published genomes. Genes associated with acquired resistance to fluoroquinolones were identified in 59%, TMP/SMX in 45%, and aminoglycosides in 52% of 715 isolates. Extended-spectrum beta-lactamase encoding genes were identified in 34% isolates, most commonly blaCTX-M-15, blaCTX-M-27, and blaCTX-M-55 in E. coli sequence types 131 and 1193. Carbapenemase genes were identified in 12% isolates, most commonly blaOXA-23, blaNDM-1, blaOXA-58 and blaOXA-66 in Acinetobacter species. Phylogenetic analysis revealed clonal strains of A. baumannii, representing suspected nosocomial outbreaks, and genetic clusters of quinolone-resistant typhoidal Salmonella and ESBL E. coli cases suggesting community transmission. With accessible sequencing platforms and bioinformatics solutions, bacterial genomics can supplement AMR surveillance in LMICs. Research was supported by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation [OPP1211806].

Socially Sustainable Mobility as a Service (MaaS): A practical MCDM framework to evaluate accessibility and inclusivity with application

Promoting socially sustainable mobility services for all social groups is one of the key elements for sustainable development according to the UN's sustainable development goals. Mobility as a Service (MaaS), a rapidly growing smart mobility concept, has the potential to achieve this goal. However, measuring societal impacts of MaaS considering vulnerable social groups' (elderly, disabled, low-income people) needs is still a question for scholars, practitioners, and policy makers. This paper presents a practical 3-stage framework to evaluate the accessibility and inclusion of MaaS systems based on a range of indicators, and a multi-criteria decision making (MCDM) method. A worldwide experts' view survey was conducted among transportation academics and practitioners with 105 valid responses to prioritise the main and sub-criteria in proving an accessible and inclusive MaaS system. The results of MCDM analysis show that accessible transport services, accessible MaaS platforms, and accessibility data collection have a share of 51 %, 29 %, and 20 %, respectively. The functionality of the proposed framework has been illustrated on a real-world multi-city MaaS implementation within the Solent area, in particular Portsmouth city located in Southeast England (UK). The policy recommendations proposed in this study shed light on guiding stakeholders and policymakers to select and implement an accessible and inclusive MaaS system.

Efficient Departmental Coordination: Real-Time Schedule Display using Arduino

This project tackles the time-consuming task of schedule management for Heads of Departments (HODs) by developing a dynamic, automatic display system. Utilizing an Arduino microcontroller, an RTC module, and a P10 LED display (16x32), the system displays their one-week schedule in real-time, updating automatically each day. Bluetooth connectivity empowers adjustments to the schedule through an external device, offering flexibility and control. Utilizing a P10 LED display for clear visibility, it automatically updates with the real-time clock. Schedule information is embedded within the code for reliability, and the display format is divided for time and detailed schedule. Prioritizing eco- friendliness, it uses low-power components. This project aims to improve departmental communication, transparency, and efficiency by providing a clear and accessible platform for HOD schedule information.

Effectiveness of eLearning for educational advancement in selected universities in Nairobi City County, Kenya: The role of gender-based factors

eLearning has provided a favourable education platform for access to timely, quality, and cost-effective education advancement in Kenyan universities. It has not, however, achieved its expected potential and suffers numerous challenges that affect its full implementation. A notable challenge is its effectiveness in catalysing educational advancement by enhancing transition and completion rates in various academic programs. This study aimed to assess the gender disparities that influence the effectiveness of eLearning in select universities. The indicators for effectiveness were defined as the functionality of the eLearning Management Systems (ELMS), benefits accrued from eLearning, and progression and completion rates in the programs offered under eLearning. This was a descriptive study using multistage sampling with a sample size of 395 students and 32 KII. The questionnaire, key informant interview guide, and content analysis were used as the data collection tools. Data was quantitatively and qualitatively analysed. Analysis of the ELMS found that the instructor’s availability and guidance on inline interaction was the most effective functionality of ELMSs with means of 4.10 and 4.31 for males and females, respectively. The least concern was the provision of technological devices for eLearning, 3.49 and 3.42, for males and females respectively. There was notable gender disparity in information received during course registration, protection of student data, academic progress data, and support by technical staff. The composite means were 3.81 and 4.01 for males and females respectively. Most females (3.92) found that simplification of e-materials was the most important enabler for eLearning whereas males (3.68) stated that eLearning had improved their accessibility to educational advancement. The highest gender disparities influencing eLearning were the cost-effectiveness and availability of e-materials. These factors influenced completion rates which were slightly higher for males than females as previously reported. This study provides data that can be used to formulate gender-responsive policies that promote, enhance, and sustain the effectiveness of eLearning by minimizing gender-based disparities that would otherwise negatively impact educational advancement.

Teleoperated Magnetic Endoscopy: A Case Study and Perspective

Teleoperated robotic surgery is a rapidly growing field that promises to overcome geographical barriers and share expertise over long distances for a variety of minimally invasive procedures. A particularly promising technology for teleoperation is robotic magnetic navigation. In contrast to conventional surgical robots, a robotic magnetic navigation system generates external magnetic fields to safely and dexterously steer soft magnetic devices within the human body, enabling a versatile, economical, and accessible telesurgery platform for a variety of procedures. This perspective highlights the recent research efforts in robotic magnetic platforms for telesurgery and their translation to clinical settings in the context of endoscopic procedures. This discussion is supported by a case study performed at the Multi‐Scale Medical Robotics Center in Hong Kong, where an in vivo gastroscopy in a porcine model is performed in tandem with two operators, alternating between a clinician controlling the procedure from the operating room in Hong Kong and a remote expert controlling the procedure from an operator console in Zurich. The achievements and challenges of this study highlight the capabilities and future potential of robotic magnetic navigation for telesurgery.

Can the digital economy transform financial inclusion in rural communities? A gendered lens

Rural communities in Africa face various challenges related to infrastructure, limited economic activities and poverty. The COVID-19 pandemic, which aggravated some of the rural areas’ socioeconomic conditions, has illuminated the vast divide in accessing digital platforms for social services and financial access. Rural communities’ socioeconomic burdens can be alleviated through participation in the digital economy; however, this is yet to be a reality for these communities. While financial digital technologies have helped with financial access elsewhere, the same cannot be said for Africa’s rural areas. This exclusion is because location plays a significant role in the availability of digital solutions; hence areas with limited infrastructure will not have access to products such as digital financing, which is supposed to reach those that are far from financial institutions. The study employed a systematic literature view to understand the extent of financial inclusion in Africa. Content and thematic analysis were used to analyse the data. The findings highlighted a myriad of challenges that affect the participation of the rural population in the digital economy, stemming from access to and stable supply of electricity, the poor or limited infrastructure required for accessing digital products and gender-related issues where women’s gendered roles limit them from harnessing digital products. The study revealed that there is a shortage of digital products to reach all that needs access to finance. This is due to infrastructural challenges that are making access difficult for digital products such as mobile money to reach rural communities. Therefore, policymakers must focus on digital transformation for rural areas and support the usage of financial digital technologies to build the rural digital economy. In this way they will be promoting digital inclusion and reducing digital inequalities.

An integrated cyberinfrastructure system for water quality resources in the Upper Mississippi River Basin

ABSTRACT The Upper Mississippi Information System (UMIS) is a cyberinfrastructure framework designed to support large-scale real-time water-quality data integration, analysis, and visualization for the Upper Mississippi River Basin (UMRB). UMIS is intended to directly address three of the Grand Challenges for Engineering including (1) understanding access to clean drinking water, (2) management of the nitrogen cycle, and (3) engineering the tools of scientific discovery. The UMIS is designed to provide significant immediate and long-term impacts including a central platform for data access, integration, discovery, and adoption of cyberinfrastructure tools and services. The UMIS demonstrates that public data aggregators and central repositories can provide important services to anyone interested in water-quality research or education. In addition, working across multiple scales (e.g., state, region, county, or watershed) allows researchers to understand broad and narrow effects of water-quality strategies. Exploration of data across these scales encourages the development of problem-based research questions that can eventually provide feedback to public policies.

Development and Evaluation of a Web-Based Platform for Personalized Educational and Professional Assistance for Dementia Caregivers: Proposal for a Mixed Methods Study.

Alzheimer disease (AD) and AD-related dementia are prevalent concerns for aging populations. With a growing older adult population living in the United States, the number of people living with dementia is expected to grow, posing significant challenges for informal caregivers. The mental and physical burdens associated with caregiving highlight the importance of developing novel and effective resources to support caregivers. However, technology solutions designed to address their needs often face low adoption rates due to usability issues and a lack of contextual relevance. This study focuses on developing a web-based platform providing financial and legal planning information and education for dementia caregivers and evaluating the platform's usability and adoptability. The goal of this project is to create a web-based platform that connects caregivers with personalized and easily accessible resources. This project involves industrial, academic, and community partners and focuses on two primary aims: (1) developing a digital platform using a Dementia Care Personalization Algorithm and assessing feasibility in a pilot group of caregivers, and (2) evaluating the acceptability and usability of the digital platform across different racial or ethnic populations. This work will aid in the development of technology-based interventions to reduce caregiver burden. The phase I study follows an iterative Design Thinking approach, involving at least 25 dementia caregivers as a user feedback panel to assess the platform's functionality, aesthetics, information, and overall quality using the adapted Mobile Application Rating Scale. Phase II is a usability study with 300 dementia caregivers in Texas (100 African American, 100 Hispanic or Latinx, and 100 non-Hispanic White). Participants will use the digital platform for about 4 weeks and evaluate its usefulness and ease of use through the Technology Acceptance Survey. The study received funding from the National Institute on Aging on September 3, 2021. Ethical approval for phase I was obtained from the Texas A&M University Institutional Review Board on December 8, 2021, with data collection starting on January 1, 2022, and concluding on May 31, 2022. Phase I results were published on September 5, 2023, and April 17, 2024, respectively. On June 21, 2023, ethical approval for human subjects for phase II was granted, and participant recruitment began on July 1, 2023. Upon completing these aims, we expect to deliver a widely accessible digital platform tailored to assist dementia caregivers with financial and legal challenges by connecting them to personalized, contextually relevant information and resources in Texas. If successful, we plan to work with caregiving organizations to scale and sustain the platform, addressing the needs of the growing population living with dementia. DERR1-10.2196/64127.

Microfluidic Lab-on-CMOS Packaging Using Wafer-Level Molding and 3D-Printed Interconnects.

Lab-on-a-chip (LoC) technologies continue to promise lower cost and more accessible platforms for performing biomedical testing in low-cost and disposable form factors. Lab-on-CMOS or lab-on-microchip methods extend this paradigm by merging passive LoC systems with active complementary metal-oxide semiconductor (CMOS) integrated circuits (IC) to enable front-end signal conditioning and digitization immediately next to sensors in fluid channels. However, integrating ICs with microfluidics remains a challenge due to size mismatch and geometric constraints, such as non-planar wirebonds or flip-chip approaches in conflict with planar microfluidics. In this work, we present a hybrid packaging solution for IC-enabled microfluidic sensor systems. Our approach uses a combination of wafer-level molding and direct-write 3D printed interconnects, which are compatible with post-fabrication of planar dielectric and microfluidic layers. In addition, high-resolution direct-write printing can be used to rapidly fabricate electrical interconnects at a scale compatible with IC packaging without the need for fixed tooling. Two demonstration sensor-in-package systems with integrated microfluidics are shown, including measurement of electrical impedance and optical scattering to detect and size particles flowing through microfluidic channels over or adjacent to CMOS sensor and read-out ICs. The approach enables fabrication of impedance measurement electrodes less than 1 mm from the readout IC, directly on package surface. As shown, direct fluid contact with the IC surface is prevented by passivation, but long-term this approach can also enable fluid access to IC-integrated electrodes or other top-level IC features, making it broadly enabling for lab-on-CMOS applications.

Design and Implementation of Digital Collection of Past Questions Papers in Auchi Polytechnic Library

This paper presents an overview of the implementation and implications of an electronic repository of past question papers within a polytechnic library setting. The electronic repository represents a significant advancement in academic resource management, offering a streamlined and accessible platform for students and staff to access past question papers. Through intuitive interface design and robust search functionalities, users can efficiently navigate through vast collections of question papers spanning various academic disciplines, courses and semesters. The repository enhances accessibility by allowing users to retrieve materials remotely, thereby eliminating the constraints of physical visits to the library. Security measures ensure the integrity and confidentiality of question papers, while also promoting sustainability by reducing paper usage. The availability of a comprehensive repository of past question papers fosters a culture of academic excellence by empowering students to enhance their understanding of course material and improved examination preparation. Overall, the electronic repository of question papers signifies a transformative approach to information management within educational institutions, reflecting a commitment to innovation and efficiency in academic processes.

The Use of Low-Cost Drone and Multi-Trait Analysis to Identify High Nitrogen Use Lines for Wheat Improvement

Breeding for nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) is becoming more important as global uncertainty makes the production and application of nitrogen (N) fertilizers more expensive and environmentally unfriendly. Despite this, most cereal breeding programs still use yield-related components as proxies for NUE, likely due to the prohibitive cost and time of collecting and analyzing samples through traditional lab-based methods. Drone-based NUE phenotyping provides a viable and scalable alternative as it is quicker, non-destructive, and consistent. Here, we present a study that utilized financially accessible cost-effective drones mounted with red-green-blue (RGB) image sensors coupled with the open-source AirMeasurer platform and advanced statistical analysis to exclude low-NUE lines in multi-seasonal field experiments. The method helped us to identify high N agronomic use efficiency lines but was less effective with a high N recovery efficiency line. We found that the drone-powered approach was very effective at 180 kg N per hectare (N180, an optimized N-rate) as it completely removed low-NUE wheat lines in the trial, which would facilitate breeders to quickly reduce the number of lines taken through multi-year breeding programs. Hence, this encouraging and scalable approach demonstrates its ability to conduct NUE phenotyping in wheat. With continuous refinements in field experiments, this method would be employable as an openly accessible platform to identify NUE lines at different N-rates for breeding and resource use efficiency studies in wheat.

Visualization Of Spatial Distribution Of Village Development Index A Review Of Location Data In West Java Province

The spatial distribution of the Village Development Index (IDM) is the result of village development analysis for the purposes of mapping and assessing variations in the level of village development results in a region. The aim of the research is to analyze the spatial distribution of IDM, which is a comprehensive indicator that covers social, economic and environmental aspects in assessing village development progress. The methodology used in this research includes spatial analysis using a spatial data integration system with secondary data (statistical data). The combination of the internet of things (IoT) with WebGIS makes it possible to integrate data from various sources, in the form of spatial and non-spatial data into one easily accessible platform. This allows for more in-depth and accurate data analysis; and it is possible to disseminate information quickly and widely because it can be accessed by various stakeholders. That spatial distribution of the IDM can be used as an important tool in planning for a more inclusive and sustainable regional development. With WebGIS, data collected from IoT devices can be processed and analyzed to producing interactive maps and reports that will help in a better decision-making process, the research results can be accessed at https://jabar-e.netlify.app.