The CNIB Foundation (French: Fondation INCA) is a volunteer agency and charitable organization dedicated to assisting Canadians who are blind or living with vision loss, and to provide information about vision health for all Canadians. Founded in 1918 as the Canadian National Institute for the Blind (French: Institut national canadien pour les aveugles) to assist soldiers who had been blinded in the First World War, CNIB originally offered sheltered care and specialized employment to people with vision loss. It has since expanded to include other programs and services, including research, public education, rehabilitation counselling and training, advocacy and an alternative-format library for people living with a print disability. It is a member of the Braille Authority of North America..
PURPOSE:The prevalence of Canadians living with blindness or low vision is increasing, impacting healthcare access and management, particularly for those with cardiovascular disease. Home blood pressure monitoring is recommended for hypertension diagnosis and management, yet accessibility barriers persist for individuals living with low vision or blindness. This study aimed to evaluate the accessibility and usability of commercially available home blood pressure monitors (HBPMs) for individuals who are blind or have low vision to identify user-informed design recommendations to support independent hypertension monitoring. MATERIALS AND METHODS:In collaboration with the Canadian National Institute for the Blind (CNIB), participants who are blind or have low vision evaluated three commercially available HBPMs. Participants assessed device usability and accessibility based on their ability to independently navigate device interfaces and features during device operation. RESULTS:Participants reported persistent barriers when navigating device interfaces, including the absence of tactile or audible guidance, which limited independent use. Participants also noted that while some HBPMs included "accessible" features, these were often restricted to premium models, thereby reducing affordability and equitable access. CONCLUSIONS:Based on participant feedback, design recommendations were identified to enhance the accessibility of HBPMs. These findings highlight the importance of inclusive co-design in developing equitable monitoring devices and support the advancement of accessible technologies.
Natural radiological anomalies occur in nature as a result of geological and geochemical variability. They can indicate mineral resources, but can also represent a hazard. In this contribution, we report results of the radiometric investigation of a small but intense radiation anomaly that was detected in the course of a regional survey of ambient dose rate in the outskirts of the city of Poços Caldas, Minas Gerais, Brazil, and discuss its radiological significance. The anomaly is only a few meters large and boasts a dose rate up to ∼ 5 µSv/h above the local background values, typically 0.1 µSv/h. As part of a workshop organized by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), a field measurement exercise was performed at the location, aimed at training participants and conducting a closer investigation of the anomaly. The overall result is that most likely the spot is due to the circulation of a hydrothermal fluid on the fracture system intruding uranium-bearing phases (not determined at this moment) within an otherwise radiologically unsuspecting sedimentary rock. The extension of the anomaly could be delineated to be less than about 5 m, with local soil radon concentration in the order of some MBq/m3. We report the data of the detailed evaluation and show maps of the anomaly. The appropriateness of the chosen measurement methods for the purpose is addressed. We also discuss possible consequences of such findings regarding radioprotection and their suitability for training under field conditions.
Objective: This article aims to identify predictive factors of recurrence and survival in temporal bone resection (TBR) for non-melanoma skin cancer of the head and neck.
