While these findings are provocative, further work is required to

While these findings are provocative, further work is required to determine if this propagation of aggregates occurs in vivo or is relevant to TDP-43 protein aggregation, a proteotoxicity emerging as a cardinal feature of sporadic ALS (Mackenzie et al., 2010). While adoption of an alternative structure represents a key step in the pathogenic cascade for polyglutamine disease proteins, considerable work suggests that amyloid-like protein aggregates

in these disorders are Afatinib not the toxic species, but rather coincident with the production of toxic conformers whose exact nature remains uncertain (Arrasate et al., 2004, Chia et al., 2010, Poirier et al., 2002 and Wacker et al., 2004). Nonetheless, production of protein aggregates always indicates that a process of polyglutamine proteotoxicity is underway;

hence, if dynamic interconversion between toxic conformers and aggregates is ongoing, then cell-to-cell KPT-330 manufacturer transmission of altered polyglutamine species could promote propagation of pathology. In an in vitro investigation, a highly amyloidogenic polyglutamine species was added to the culture media of HEK293 cells stably expressing a nonpathogenic huntingtin protein fragment (Ren et al., 2009). Cellular uptake of the toxic polyglutamine species unexpectedly led to aggregation of the nonpathogenic huntingtin protein, which normally does not form aggregates. Furthermore, the aggregation of huntingtin-Q25 persisted through multiple rounds of cell division, but such aggregation could not be induced with unrelated amyloidogenic proteins, such as yeast Sup35 or Aβ. In an independent study, huntingtin protein aggregation was monitored with a fluorescent signal, and cell-to-cell transmission of huntingtin protein oligomers was documented (Herrera et al., 2011). Further studies will be required to validate the significance and relevance of such cell-to-cell spreading

in disease pathogenesis. If it is true that misfolded proteins can spread from one cell to another, then the obvious question that we must address is how this occurs. One approach to this issue is 4-Aminobutyrate aminotransferase to recognize that the process can operate in at least two different ways: (1) by extracellular release and uptake or (2) by delivery within membrane-bound structures (Figure 4). In this section, we will briefly review potential pathways by which misfolded proteins could achieve intercellular transit. Misfolded proteins that are aggregate-prone pose a continual challenge to degradative pathways, forcing neurons to heavily rely on autophagy for proteostasis. Hence, misfolded protein conformers are typically directed to membrane-bound structures, in particular autophagosomes that ultimately fuse with endosomes or lysosomes.

Cependant sa présence sur plus de quatre niveaux de coupe de la c

Cependant sa présence sur plus de quatre niveaux de coupe de la corona radiata jusqu’au pont, sa largeur (supérieure à 6 mm) et sa visualisation également sur les séquences

pondérées en densité de protons seraient plus spécifiques. Un hypersignal des cordons antérieurs NU7441 solubility dmso de la moelle est également rapporté. Un hyposignal linéaire du cortex précentral est décrit avec une fréquence très variable. La signification de cette « ligne noire » visible sur les séquences pondérées en T2 reste discutée : elle pourrait correspondre à des dépôts ferriques témoignant de la dégénérescence neuronale ; des hyperintensités de la substance blanche sous-corticale localisées dans le gyrus précentral sont décrites sur les séquences flair, T2 et en densité de protons. Pour certains, leur spécificité serait de 94 % et donc supérieure à celle de l’hypersignal du faisceau pyramidal. Une atrophie corticale fronto-temporale, classique chez les patients atteints de démence fronto-temporale serait également souvent présente en l’absence d’atteinte des fonctions cognitives. Ces résultats doivent être confirmés par des études prospectives. Surtout, l’IRM

aide au diagnostic différentiel. L’IRM médullaire permet NSC 683864 chemical structure d’éliminer une myélopathie cervicale ou une ischémie médullaire, notamment dans les formes localisées aux membres supérieurs ; une syringomyélie ; une atteinte du cône terminal dans les formes localisées aux membres inférieurs. L’IRM cérébrale est indiquée dans les formes bulbaires

ou pseudo-bulbaires pures et permet d’éliminer une pathologie du tronc cérébral (tumeurs, lacune), de la base du crâne (infiltration). Les autres techniques d’imagerie (spectroscopie IRM, tenseur de diffusion, TEP et TEMP) sont en cours d’évaluation dans la SLA. whatever L’examen du LCS est normal dans la SLA : il n’y a ni réaction cellulaire, ni hyperprotéinorachie. La présence d’une anomalie est donc un élément d’orientation vers une autre affection : une hyperprotéinorachie évoque une compression médullaire, un syndrome paranéoplasique (association à un lymphome ou un cancer) ; une réaction cellulaire oriente vers un processus infectieux (maladie de Lyme, syphilis, VIH), un processus néoplasique ou lymphomateux (cellules anormales). Leur recherche est orientée par le contexte clinique [64]. Le diagnostic de neuropathie motrice pure (avec ou sans bloc de conduction) repose sur le déficit moteur prédominant aux membres supérieurs (diminution ou absence des ROT), l’ENMG et le dosage des anticorps (AC) anti-GM1. L’amyotrophie monomélique bénigne non évolutive est affection rare du sujet jeune se traduisant par une atteinte du motoneurone pure limitée à un membre. Elle se caractérise par une évolution lentement progressive suivie par une stabilisation après quelques années. Le syndrome post-poliomyélitique ne pose habituellement pas de problème diagnostique.

All statistical analyses were performed using Stata 12 0 (StataCo

All statistical analyses were performed using Stata 12.0 (StataCorp, College Station, TX, USA) statistical software. The study was conducted according to Ethical Principles for Medical Research Involving Human Participants of the World Medical Association, the Declaration of Helsinki, and the International Ethical Guidelines for Epidemiological Studies. The Ethic Research

Committee of the Directorate of Public Health and Public Health Research Center of Valencia approved the study protocol and provided the exemption from obtaining individual informed consent to obtain and merge individual data from the different registries. Overall, 438,024 adults aged 65 years and older on 1 October 2011 were vaccinated against influenza during the 2011–2012 season (51% of INK1197 price the total population ≥65 years HIF activation old in Valencia region). We excluded 252,372 who resided outside the nine HSAs under study, 5593 that were institutionalized, and 16,038 who had received a different vaccine to those being compared. This left 164,021 (19% of the total population ≥65 years old in Valencia region) subjects for the analysis (Fig. 1). The cohort mean age was 76.7 (standard deviation: 7.2) years, and 55.3% were female. A total of 49.7% of cohort members were recorded as suffering from “chronic cardio-respiratory conditions” in the Vaccine Information

System database, but only 8% were on chronic cardiovascular and respiratory medication. A total of 62,058 (37.8%) people were vaccinated with virosomal-TIV and 101,963 (62.2%) were vaccinated with intradermal-TIV (Fig. 1, Table 1). The age and sex distribution of patients vaccinated with each vaccine were similar (Table 1). Subjects vaccinated with virosomal-TIV were more likely to be reported as belonging to the “cardio-respiratory risk group” (59.3% for virosomal versus 43.8% for intradermal TIV; P < .001). However, pharmaceutical claim distributions were similar between both groups of vaccinees ( Table 1). During the time influenza

was circulating in the community, we identified 127 hospitalizations related to the influenza among subjects vaccinated with virosomal-TIV, out of 914,740 total person-weeks at risk. We also identified 133 hospitalizations related to influenza among subjects vaccinated with intradermal-TIV, out of 1,504,570 total person-weeks at risk (Fig. 1, Table 2). From the total of 260 cases, 241 were identified through the VAHNSI scheme, 12 were reported to the Microbiological Surveillance Network (RedMIVA) and 15 (0.6%) patients were ascertained from the CMBD because of a discharge diagnosis for influenza (ICD9-CM 487–488.89), seven of these (five virosomal-TIV and two intradermal-TIV vaccinees) lacked a laboratory result for the confirmation of influenza virus infection. The most frequent primary diagnosis among those with a positive laboratory result for influenza was chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) (24.5%), followed by pneumonia (21.3%). A total of 24.

This organic phase added drop by drop (2 ml/min) in external aque

This organic phase added drop by drop (2 ml/min) in external aqueous phase containing surfactant PVA in a fixed concentration (0.5% w/v) at 13,500 rpm (Omni GLH homogenizer). This suspension was then processed in high pressure homogenizer (Gea Niro Soavi, Italy) for eight cycles. A subsequently

organic solvent from external aqueous phase was removed under reduced pressure. The formed REPA-EC polymeric nanoparticles were recovered by centrifugation (R243A, Remi) at 18,000 rpm Lapatinib supplier for 20 min followed by washing thrice with distilled water and washed nanoparticles were subjected to freeze drying (Scanvac, Denmark). The viscosity of internal phase was measured by Brookfield rotational digital viscometer DVLV II at 25 °C. The obtained REPA-EC NPs were dispersed in distilled water by sonication and vortex mixing for 30 s and the particle size (Z-average mean) and zeta potential were determined by using Nano series Malvern Instruments, UK. The percentage yields of dried nanoparticles were calculated by using Eq. (1) equation(1) Percentageyield=MassofnanoparticlesrecoveredMassofpolymers,drugandformulationexcipients×100

Accurately weighed freeze dried nanoparticles were dissolved in dichloromethane. Then REPA was extracted in 50 ml phosphate buffer (pH 7.4) solution. After the evaporation of DCM and removal of precipitated polymer by filtration, the amount of drug in phosphate buffer was measured using Ultraviolet BI2536 spectroscopy (U2900, Hitachi, Japan) at 275.5 nm. Encapsulation

efficiency (%) and drug content (%, w/w) were represented by Eqs. (2) and (3) respectively. equation(2) Encapsulationefficiency(EE%)=MassofdruginnanoparticlesMassofdrugusedinformulations×100 equation(3) Drugcontent(%,ww)=MassofdruginnanoparticlesMassofnanoparticlesrecovered×100 The shape and surface characteristics of nanoparticles were investigated and photographed using Field Emission-Scanning Electron Microscopy (FE-SEM) (S4800, Hitachi, Japan). Appropriate samples were mounted on stub, using double sided adhesive carbon tapes. Samples were gold coated and observed for morphology, at acceleration voltage of 1.0 kV. The samples (REPA, EC and nanoparticles) were homogeneously mixed with potassium bromide and infrared spectrums were recorded in region of 4000-400 cm−1 by using infrared spectrophotometer (IR-8400, through Shimadzu Co. Ltd., Singapore). X-ray diffraction of samples was carried out using Model-D8 Advance, Bruker AXS GmbH, Germany diffractometer. A Cu Kα source operation (40 kV, 40 mA) was employed. The diffraction pattern were recorded over a 2θ angular range of 3–50° with a step size of 0.02° in 2θ and a 1 s counting per step at room temperature. Accurately weighed samples were suspended in 100 ml phosphate buffer saline (pH 7.4). The solution was stirred at 50 rpm with temperature adjusted to 37 ± 1 °C. At programmed time intervals 5 ml samples were reserved and centrifuged at 20,000 rpm for 30 min.

While the acute stress response is an important and necessary mec

While the acute stress response is an important and necessary mechanism to adapt

to environmental changes that occur throughout life thus promoting effective coping, severe or chronic stress can result in allostatic load and is also a contributing risk factor for the development of several psychiatric disorders such as depression and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) (McEwen and Wingfield, 2003 and McEwen, 2007). However, it is also important to note that many stress-exposed individuals do not develop stress-related psychiatric LY2157299 nmr disorders (Charney and Manji, 2004, Yehuda and LeDoux, 2007 and Caspi et al., 2003) and are thus more resilient to the negative consequences of stress than others.

Resilience to stress is the ability to cope with environmental challenges, ensuring survival, while susceptibility to the negative consequences of stress seems to result from an improper functioning of the systems of resilience or an amplification of the stress experience (Karatsoreos and McEwen, 2013), which in turn can result in maladaptive physiological and behavioural responses. Such maladaptive responses to stress may increase the risk for the development of stress-related psychiatric disorders, and as such great effort is being made to elucidate the neural processes that underlie stress-resilience in the hope GW786034 in vitro that these might be then exploited for drug development (Franklin Tamara et al., 2012, Russo et al., 2012, Wu et al., 2013 and Hughes, 2012). The hippocampus is a key brain area involved in the regulation of the stress response, exerting negative feedback on the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal (HPA) axis (Jacobson and Sapolsky, 1991), the system within the body responsible for the release of glucocorticoid stress hormones. Stressors rapidly stimulate the secretion of corticotropin-releasing

factor and vasopressin from parvocellular neurons of the paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus and this stimulates the release of adrenocorticotropic hormone from the anterior pituitary, which in turn stimulates the release of Oxymatrine glucocorticoid stress hormones from the adrenal cortex into the circulation (Cullinan et al., 1995). These glucocorticoids, cortisol in humans and corticosterone in rodents (Herman and Cullinan, 1997), feedback onto two types of receptors in the brain: the mineralocorticoid receptors – MR and glucocorticoid receptors – GR, which are highly expressed in limbic structures of the brain, including the hippocampus (Morimoto et al., 1996). While hippocampal MR mediates the effects of glucocorticoids on assessment of the stressor and initiation of the stress response, GR acts in the consolidation of acquired information (de Kloet et al., 2005 and De Kloet et al., 1998).

34 °C The pure polymer Cellulose Acetate exhibits a peak at 237

34 °C. The pure polymer Cellulose Acetate exhibits a peak at 237.15 °C. The peak of Glibenclamide was observed in NVP-BKM120 order the thermogram of prepared microparticles, thus the results revealed that there were no major interactions between the drug and the polymer during microencapsulation process. The DSC thermograms were shown in Fig. 3. The prepared microparticles exhibited good flow properties. The use of the surfactant permits the remarkable reduction in the size of the microparticles as the result of decrease in the interfacial tension. Microscopic examination of the formulations revealed that the microparticles were spherical and appeared as aggregates or discrete particles. All formulations

had a narrow particle size distribution. The particle size of the microparticles ranged between 132.54 μm and 178.44 μm. The micromeritic parameters were tabulated in Table 2. The % yield of microparticles prepared by solvent evaporation technique was found in the range of 90.25–98.75. The technique also showed good entrapment efficiency. The % yield, drug content and encapsulation efficiency data shown in Table 3. The SEM studies clearly showed that the obtained microparticles exhibited good spherical nature and the SEM photographs were shown in Fig. 4 The microparticles were

subjected to In-vitro release studies by employing 7.4 pH phosphate buffer and the drug release profiles were shown in Figs. 5 and 6. When the amount of drug release buy Anti-infection Compound Library values were plotted against time straight lines were obtained in all the cases indicating that the rate of drug release from these microparticles followed Org 27569 zero order kinetics and the graphs were shown in Figs. 7 and 8. To ascertain the mechanism of drug release from various microparticles plot of log %Released vs log time (peppas plots) were drawn. The plots were found

to be linear with all microparticle formulations. The peppas plots were shown in Figs. 9 and 10. Release Kinetics of Glibenclamide microparticles were shown in Table 4. The exponential coefficient (n) values were found to be in between 0.8162 and 1.182 indicating non Fickian mechanism. These results indicated that the release rate was found to decrease with increase in concentration of coating material applied. The wall thickness of microparticles was found to be increased with the increase in concentration of coating material applied. There exists a good correlation ship in between wall thickness and release rate constant and the graphs were shown in Fig. 11. The stability studies were carried out for the prepared microparticles. After 3 months storage of formulations at 30 ± 2 °C, 65 ± 5% RH and 40 ± 2 °C, 75 ± 5% RH, values of all parameters like % drug content, % encapsulation efficiency were checked and found to be almost similar to the initial values. The drug dissolution profile was similar to the initial profile.

Access to a bicycle is the top predictor of bicycling for transpo

Access to a bicycle is the top predictor of bicycling for transportation (Cao et al., 2009 and Pucher et al., 2010b). Fear of injury from cars is a major determinant

of cycling decisions (Dill, 2009, Handy et al., 2002, Pucher and Buehler, 2012, Shenassa et al., 2006 and Wood et al., Selleckchem Olaparib 2007). Living in a walkable neighborhood is correlated with cycling (Dill and Carr, 2003, Krizek et al., 2009, Nelson and Allen, 1997, Reynolds et al., 2009 and Van Dyck et al., 2010). The aims of the present cross-sectional study were to: (1) evaluate environmental and demographic correlates of bicycle ownership and current bicycling frequency, and (2) assess the correlates of self-projected increases in cycling if safety from cars was improved. The present paper used data from the Neighborhood Quality of Life Study (NQLS), an observational

study conducted from 2002 to 2005 in King County-Seattle, WA and Baltimore, MD-Washington DC regions. NQLS compared physical activity and health outcomes of residents of neighborhoods that differed on “walkability” and census-based median household income. Details of study design, neighborhood selection, and participant recruitment have been reported (Frank et al., 2010 and Sallis et al., 2009) but LY2835219 in vivo are summarized here. The study was approved by institutional review boards at participating academic institutions, and participants gave written informed consent. A “walkability index” was computed (Frank Casein kinase 1 et al., 2010) as a weighted sum of four standardized measures in geographic information systems (GIS) at the census block group level: (a) net residential density; (b) retail floor area ratio (retail building square footage divided by retail land square footage, with higher values reflecting pedestrian-oriented design); (c) land use mix (diversity of 5 types of land uses); and (d) intersection density. The walkability index has been related to total physical activity and walking for transportation (Owen et al., 2007 and Sallis et al., 2009). Block groups were ranked by walkability index separately for each region,

then divided into deciles. Deciles were used to define “high” versus “low” walkability areas. Block groups were ranked on census-defined median household income, deciled, and deciles were used to define “high” versus “low” income areas. The “walkability” and “income” characteristics of each block group were crossed (low/high walkability × low/high income) to identify block groups that met definitions of study “quadrants.” Contiguous block groups were combined to approximate “neighborhoods”, and 32 total neighborhoods (8 per quadrant) were selected. Participants were recruited from the selected neighborhoods, with study eligibility established by age (20–65 years), not living in a group establishment, ability to walk, and capacity to complete surveys in English.

The logistic

regression models were adjusted for all the

The logistic

regression models were adjusted for all the covariates described above (with Kinase Inhibitor Library cell assay country-specific exclusions) to minimize confounding and ensure comparability of findings across countries. Age and number of household members were treated as continuous variables. In Brazil, the ‘education’ variable was not included in the model because the variable definition was not comparable with other GATS countries (Palipudi et al., 2012), however, we did conduct a sensitivity analysis by including education variable in the model and found that the results were consistent with those obtained without including it in the model. We tested for multicollinearity between the covariates adjusted for in the analysis for each country. The multicollinearity diagnostics variance inflation factor (VIF) values were all less than five, indicating reasonable independence between the predictor variables for each country-specific model (Glantz and Slinker, 2001). The only exception Autophagy signaling pathway inhibitors to this was the covariate ‘education’ in Poland where VIF values were less than 6.5. The variable ‘national region’ was removed from the model in Egypt due to collinearity. Country-specific

sampling weights were applied for all analyses to account for the complex study design. To estimate the overall association of being employed in a smoke-free workplace with living in a smoke-free home across the 15 LMICs, we calculated a pooled AOR and 95% CI using a random effects meta-analysis based on the AOR’s from the individual countries (The random effects meta-analysis accounts for heterogeneity between countries, p < 0.0005.). All the statistical analyses were conducted using STATA v.12.0. Of the participants employed indoors outside the home, the percentage reporting

a smoke-free workplace was 83% in Uruguay, 81% in Mexico, 76% in Brazil, 74% in Thailand, 70% in India, 68% in Ukraine and Philippines, 66% in Romania below and Poland, 64% in Russian Federation, 63% in Turkey, 44% in Viet Nam, 40% in Egypt and 35% in Bangladesh and China (data not shown). In all the 15 LMICs, the percentage of participants living in a smoke-free home was higher among those employed in a smoke-free workplace compared with those employed in a workplace where smoking occurred (Fig. 1, Table 1). Among participants employed in a smoke-free workplace, the percentage living in a smoke-free home varied from 21% in China to 75% in Mexico. Among participants employed in a workplace that was not smoke-free, the percentage living in a smoke-free home varied from 9% in China to 69% in Mexico. Table 1 describes the country-specific percentages of participants reporting living in smoke-free homes by their socio-demographic characteristics. There were significant positive associations between being employed in a smoke-free workplace and living in a smoke-free home in all the LMICs except Uruguay and Mexico (Fig. 2, Table 2). The AOR estimates ranged from 1.

Four studies reported compliance of at least 80% ( Barnard et al

Four studies reported compliance of at least 80% ( Barnard et al 2000, Feiereisen et al 2007, Pu et al 2001, Tyni-Lenné et al 2001), and one study reported’excellent’ compliance ( Beckers et al 2008). Two studies reported compliance with means of 75% and 78% respectively ( Cider et al 1997, Mandic et

al 2009) and one study did not report compliance ( Selig et al 2004). Among all of the studies, only one sudden death was reported, which occurred at home three days after Selleckchem DAPT the most recent resistance training session. One drop-out was reported in the resistance training group due to noncompliance ( Table 3). One study reported that four patients had intermittent mild musculoskeletal symptoms during resistance training with minor modification of their training protocol afterwards ( Pu et al 2001). No safety issues were reported Talazoparib mw by either the resistance training alone or combined aerobic training studies. Interventions: Four studies ( Cider et al 1997, Pu et al 2001, Selig et al 2004, Tyni-Lenné et al 2001) compared resistance training alone with usual activity, usual care, or sham exercise. The other four studies ( Barnard et al 2000, Beckers et al 2008, Feiereisen et al 2007, Mandic et al 2009) studied combined (resistance and aerobic) training versus aerobic training groups. All the training programs

were supervised. The length of training ranged from 2 to 6 months. The intensity for resistance training was Calpain moderate or about 50–75% of one repetition maximum

(1RM), while aerobic training on a treadmill or cycle ergometer was moderate to vigorous intensity. Two studies used high intensity exercise at 80% of 1RM, with no exercise-induced cardiac events reported (Barnard et al 2000, Pu et al 2001). The resistance training usually consisted of 2 sets of 8–12 repetitions for 5–6 exercises targeting the large muscle groups of upper limbs, trunk, and lower limbs. The exercise duration was around 30–60 minutes and exercise frequency was 2–3 times per week. One study included respiratory muscle training as one of the nine exercises (Beckers et al 2008). This was the largest number of exercises among the eight studies. We examined by separate analyses the effect of resistance training alone or in combination with aerobic training. Four studies reported cardiac function, seven reported exercise capacity, and five reported quality of life. All reported whether there were adverse events. Cardiac function: The effect of resistance training alone on cardiac function was examined in one trial ( Pu et al 2001), with no significant difference in left ventricular ejection fraction compared to control (MD 1.8%, 95% CI –5.7 to 9.3).

, 2012), three Connect2 projects were selected for detailed study

, 2012), three Connect2 projects were selected for detailed study according to criteria including Selleckchem FG4592 implementation timetable, likelihood of measurable population impact and heterogeneity of overall mix of sites. These study sites were: Cardiff, where a traffic-free bridge was built over Cardiff Bay; Kenilworth, where a traffic-free bridge was built over a busy trunk road; and Southampton, where an informal riverside footpath was turned into a boardwalk (Ogilvie et al., 2012). None of these projects had been implemented during the baseline survey in April 2010. At one-year follow-up, most feeder

routes had been upgraded and the core projects had opened in Southampton and Cardiff in July 2010. At two-year follow-up, almost all feeder routes were complete and the core Kenilworth project had opened in September 2011. Fig. 1 illustrates the traffic-free bridge built in Cardiff (the ‘core’ project in this setting) plus the feeder routes implemented in 2010 and 2011 (the ‘greater’ network). The baseline survey used the edited electoral register to select 22,500 adults living within 5 km road network distance of the core Connect2 projects (Ogilvie et al., 2012). In April 2010 potential participants were posted

a survey pack, which 3516 individuals returned. These 3516 individuals were posted follow-up surveys in April 2011 and 2012; 1885 responded in 2011 and 1548 in 2012. After excluding individuals who had moved house, the one-year follow-up study find more population comprised 1849 participants (53% retention rate, 8% of the population originally approached) and the two-year study population comprised 1510 (43% retention, 7% of the original population). The University of Southampton Research Ethics Committee granted ethical approval (CEE200809-15). Table 1 presents the baseline characteristics examined as predictors of Connect2 use. Past-week walking and cycling for transport were measured using a seven-day recall

instrument (Goodman et al., 2012 and Ogilvie et al., 2012) while past-week recreational walking and cycling were measured by adapting the short form of the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (Craig et al., 2003). Most other predictors were similarly self-reported, including height and Tolmetin weight from which we calculated body mass index (categorised as normal/overweight/obese). The only exception was the distance from the participant’s home to the nearest access point to a completed section of the greater Connect2 infrastructure (calculated separately in 2011 and 2012 to reflect ongoing upgrades: Fig. 1). This was calculated in ArcGIS 9 using the Ordnance Survey’s Integrated Transport Network and Urban Path layers, which include the road network plus traffic-free or informal paths. For ease of interpretation, we reverse coded distance from the intervention to generate a measure of proximity – i.e. treating those living within 1 km as having a higher proximity than those living over 4 km away (Table 1).