What are the factors associated with neighborhood park visits and health in Alabama? A cross-sectional study using a path model.

This study seeks to examine the effect of the characteristics of park users, park characteristics, and the neighborhood environment on park visits and the resultant perceived health status of residents living in Alabama, US. One hundred and eighty-nine participants, representing residents from 49 counties in Alabama, were recruited via a random-digit dial method to complete a telephone survey related to park visits. Data collection spanned 11 months.

Pediatric dental care use and parent- or caregiver-rated oral health among Alabama children enrolled in Medicaid.

Background: Reducing caries and improving access to dental care is a public health challenge. Understanding low use of dental care is of critical importance. This study estimated parent- or caregiver-reported prevalence and identified factors associated with children's dental care use, including the association with children's oral health.

Oxygen-distribution within 3-D collagen I hydrogels for bone tissue engineering.

Tissue engineering (TE) approaches typically envisage the structural and functional reconstitution of previously damaged tissue in situ. An adequate three-dimensional environment is therefore of fundamental importance for the designated cells associated to the scaffold material. The sufficient supply with nutrients and oxygen in vitro and in vivo mark thereby critical challenges of TE.

Environmental Health Priorities of Residents and Environmental Health Professionals: Implications for Improving Environmental Health Services in Rural Versus Urban Communities.

Previous research has suggested differences between public and professional understanding of the field of environmental health (EH) and the role of EH services within urban and rural communities. This study investigated EH priority differences between 1) rural and urban residents and 2) residents and EH professionals, and presents quantitative and qualitative methods for establishing locality-specific EH priorities. Residents ( = 588) and EH professionals ( = 63) in Alabama identified EH priorities via a phone or online survey.

Man Versus Machine: Comparing Double Data Entry and Optical Mark Recognition for Processing CAHPS Survey Data.

Objective: Historically, double data entry (DDE) has been considered the criterion standard for minimizing data entry errors. However, previous studies considered data entry alternatives through the limited lens of data accuracy. This study supplies information regarding data accuracy, operational efficiency, and cost for DDE and Optical Mark Recognition (OMR) for processing the Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems 5.

Hyaluronic acid facilitates chondrogenesis and matrix deposition of human adipose derived mesenchymal stem cells and human chondrocytes co-cultures.

Unlabelled: Clinical success on cartilage regeneration could be achieved by using available biomaterials and cell-based approaches. In this study, we have developed a composite gel based on collagen/hyaluronic acid (Coll-HA) as ideal, physiologically representative 3D support for in vitro chondrogenesis of human adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells (hAMSCs) co-cultured with human articular chondrocytes (hAC). The incorporation of hyaluronic acid (HA) attempted to provide an additional stimulus to the hAMSCs for chondrogenesis and extracellular matrix deposition.

Biocompatibility study of three distinct carbon pastes for application as electrode material in neural stimulations and recordings.

Neural interfaces hold great promise for research and treatment of a wide variety of neurological diseases. Medical electrodes are designed to interface with the nervous system and provide control signals for neural prostheses. We fabricated previously a hook-up neural electrode.

Synthesis of ROS scavenging microspheres from a dopamine containing poly(β-amino ester) for applications for neurodegenerative disorders.

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a common neurodegenerative disease characterized by a substantial decrease of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra pars compacta. The neurological deterioration during PD can be, in part, attributed to elevated levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS). Radical scavengers have previously been shown to protect dopaminergic cells from toxic effects in vitro.