brainlife.io: a decentralized and open-source cloud platform to support neuroscience research.

Neuroscience is advancing standardization and tool development to support rigor and transparency. Consequently, data pipeline complexity has increased, hindering FAIR (findable, accessible, interoperable and reusable) access. brainlife.io was developed to democratize neuroimaging research. The platform provides data standardization, management, visualization and processing and automatically tracks the provenance history of thousands of data objects. Here, brainlife.io is described and evaluated for validity, reliability, reproducibility, replicability and scientific utility using four data modalities and 3,200 participants.

From disease- to people-centred pandemic management: organized communities, community-oriented primary care and health information systems.

BACKGROUND: The COVID-19 pandemic exposed the health equity gap between and within countries. Western countries were the first to receive vaccines and mortality was higher among socially deprived, minority and indigenous populations. Surprisingly, many sub-Saharan countries reported low excess mortalities. These countries share experiences with community organization and participation in health. The aim of this article was to analyse if and how this central role of people can promote a successful pandemic response. METHODS: This analysis was partly based on local and national experiences shared during an international and Latin American conference on person-and people-centred care in 2021. Additionally, excess mortality data and pandemic control-relevant data, as well as literature on the pandemic response of countries with an unexpected low excess mortality were consulted. RESULTS: Togo, Mongolia, Thailand and Kenya had a seven times lower mean excess mortality for 2020 and 2021 than the United States of America. More successful pandemic responses were observed in settings with experience in managing epidemics like Ebola and HIV, well-established community networks, a national philosophy of mutual aid, financial government assistance, more human resources for primary care and paid community health workers. DISCUSSION: Since trust in authorities and health needs vary greatly, local strategies are needed to complement national and international pandemic responses. Three key levers were identified to promote locally-tailored pandemic management: well-organized communities, community-oriented primary care, and health information systems. An organized community structure stems from a shared ethical understanding of humanity as being interconnected with each other and the environment. This structure facilitates mutual aid and participation in decision making. Community-oriented primary care includes attention for collective community health and ways to improve health from its roots. A health information system supports collective health and health equity analysis by presenting health needs stratified for social deprivation, ethnicity, and community circumstances. CONCLUSIONS: The difference in excess mortality between countries during the COVID-19 pandemic and various country experiences demonstrate the potential of the levers in promoting a more just and effective health emergency response. These same levers and strategies can promote more inclusive and socially just health systems.

RESUMEN: ANTECEDENTES: La pandemia de COVID-19 expuso la brecha de equidad en salud dentro y entre países. Los países occidentales fueron los primeros en recibir vacunas y la mortalidad fue mayor entre las poblaciones indígenas, minoritarias y socialmente desfavorecidas dentro de los países. Sorprendentemente, muchos países subsaharianos reportaron un exceso de mortalidad bajo. Estos países comparten experiencias de organización y participación comunitaria en salud. El objetivo es analizar si y cómo este papel central de las personas puede promover una respuesta exitosa a la pandemia. MéTODOS: Este análisis se basa en parte en las experiencias locales y nacionales compartidas durante una conferencia internacional y latinoamericana sobre la atención centrada en las personas y comunidades en 2021. Además, se consultó los datos de exceso de mortalidad y los datos relevantes para el control de la pandemia, así como la literatura sobre la respuesta a la pandemia de países con un exceso de mortalidad inesperadamente bajo. RESULTADOS: Togo, Mongolia, Tailandia y Kenia tuvieron un exceso de mortalidad promedio por 2020 y 2021 siete veces menor que los Estados Unidos de América. Se observaron respuestas pandémicas más exitosas en entornos con experiencia en el manejo de epidemias como el ébola y el VIH, redes comunitarias bien establecidas, una filosofía nacional de ayuda mutua, asistencia financiera del gobierno, más recursos humanos para atención primaria y trabajadores de salud comunitarios remunerados. DISCUSIóN: Dado que la confianza en autoridades y las necesidades en salud varían mucho, se necesitan estrategias locales para complementar las respuestas nacionales e internacionales a la pandemia. Se identificaron tres palancas clave para promover la gestión de pandemias adaptada localmente: comunidades bien organizadas, atención primaria orientada a la comunidad y sistemas de información de salud. Una estructura comunitaria organizada surge de una comprensión ética compartida que concibe a la humanidad interconectada entre sí y con el medio ambiente. Esta estructura facilita la ayuda mutua y la participación en la toma de decisiones. La atención primaria orientada a la comunidad incluye la atención a la salud comunitaria colectiva y las formas de mejorar la salud desde sus raíces. Un sistema de información de salud puede apoyar el análisis de la salud colectiva y la equidad en salud al presentar las necesidades de salud estratificadas por privación social, etnicidad y circunstancias de la comunidad. CONCLUSIONES: La diferencia en el exceso de mortalidad entre países durante la pandemia de COVID-19 y las experiencias de varios países, demuestran el potencial de las palancas para promover una respuesta de emergencia sanitaria más justa y eficaz. Estas mismas palancas y estrategias pueden promover sistemas de salud más inclusivos y socialmente justos.

brainlife.io: A decentralized and open source cloud platform to support neuroscience research.

Neuroscience research has expanded dramatically over the past 30 years by advancing standardization and tool development to support rigor and transparency. Consequently, the complexity of the data pipeline has also increased, hindering access to FAIR data analysis to portions of the worldwide research community. brainlife.io was developed to reduce these burdens and democratize modern neuroscience research across institutions and career levels. Using community software and hardware infrastructure, the platform provides open-source data standardization, management, visualization, and processing and simplifies the data pipeline. brainlife.io automatically tracks the provenance history of thousands of data objects, supporting simplicity, efficiency, and transparency in neuroscience research. Here brainlife.io's technology and data services are described and evaluated for validity, reliability, reproducibility, replicability, and scientific utility. Using data from 4 modalities and 3,200 participants, we demonstrate that brainlife.io's services produce outputs that adhere to best practices in modern neuroscience research.

La atención primaria de salud en la Región de las Américas a 40 años de la Declaración de Alma-Ata

[RESUMEN]. En este artículo se reseña la evolución de las propuestas y acuerdos regionales desde la Declaración de Alma-Ata (1978) hasta la Estrategia de Salud Universal y se destaca la vigencia de los planteamientos esenciales de la estrategia de atención primaria, que hoy se expresan en las propuestas de fortalecimiento del primer nivel de atención y la generación de redes integradas de servicios de salud. Se recuerda, también, el carácter contextual de la implementación de la estrategia en el marco de situaciones nacionales complejas a través de algunos hitos de los últimos 40 años. Se describen los factores que frenan la implementación de la atención primaria de salud (APS), así como los avances y desafíos emergentes que hoy en día enfrentan los sistemas de salud en varios países. Se reafirma que solo mediante un fuerte primer nivel articulador y resolutivo, cercano, inserto en la comunidad y accesible, es posible avanzar hacia el ejercicio del derecho a la salud para todos y se aboga por la generación de propuestas prácticas para relanzar la estrategia de APS a 40 años de la Declaración de Alma-Ata.

[ABSTRACT]. This article reviews the evolution of regional proposals and agreements from the Declaration of Alma-Ata (1978) to the Universal Health Strategy, highlighting how the core tenets of the primary health care strategy have come to be reflected in proposals to strengthen the primary level of care and establish integrated health services networks. Contextual aspects of implementing the strategy within the framework of complex national scenarios are also noted, through a review of some of the milestones of the last 40 years. Factors that hinder implementation of primary health care are described, as well as the advances and the emerging challenges that health systems face in several countries. This article reaffirms the need for a strong primary care level––with coordination and response capacity, close to and involved in the community, and accessible––in order to advance towards realizing the right to health for everyone. It also advocates for practical proposals to relaunch the primary health care strategy 40 years after the Declaration of Alma-Ata.

[RESUMO]. Este artigo apresenta a evolução das propostas e acordos regionais a partir da Declaração de Alma-Ata (1978) até a Estratégia de saúde universal, destacando a vigência das perspectivas básicas da estratégia de atenção primária, atualmente expressas nas propostas de fortalecimento da atenção primária e formação de redes integradas de serviços de saúde. Salienta-se o caráter contextual da implementação da estratégia em cenários nacionais complexos, ilustrando-se com os marcos alcançados nos últimos 40 anos. São descritos os fatores que freiam a implementação da atenção primária à saúde (APS) e os avanços e desafios emergentes atualmente enfrentados pelos sistemas de saúde em vários países. Enfatiza-se que, somente com um nível de atenção primário que seja forte, articulado e resolutivo, que esteja próximo e inserido na comunidade e de fácil acesso às pessoas, é possível progredir no direito à saúde para todos. O artigo defende a elaboração de propostas práticas para relançar a estratégia de APS após 40 anos da Declaração de Alma-Ata.

[Primary health care in the Region of the Americas 40 years after the Alma-Ata DeclarationAtenção primária à saúde na Região das Américas 40 anos após a Declaração de Alma-Ata]. / La atención primaria de salud en la Región de las Américas a 40 años de la Declaración de Alma-Ata.

This article reviews the evolution of regional proposals and agreements from the Declaration of Alma-Ata (1978) to the Universal Health Strategy, highlighting how the core tenets of the primary health care strategy have come to be reflected in proposals to strengthen the primary level of care and establish integrated health services networks. Contextual aspects of implementing the strategy within the framework of complex national scenarios are also noted, through a review of some of the milestones of the last 40 years. Factors that hinder implementation of primary health care are described, as well as the advances and the emerging challenges that health systems face in several countries. This article reaffirms the need for a strong primary care level--with coordination and response capacity, close to and involved in the community, and accessible--in order to advance towards realizing the right to health for everyone. It also advocates for practical proposals to relaunch the primary health care strategy 40 years after the Declaration of Alma-Ata.

Este artigo apresenta a evolução das propostas e acordos regionais a partir da Declaração de Alma-Ata (1978) até a Estratégia de saúde universal, destacando a vigência das perspectivas básicas da estratégia de atenção primária, atualmente expressas nas propostas de fortalecimento da atenção primária e formação de redes integradas de serviços de saúde. Salienta-se o caráter contextual da implementação da estratégia em cenários nacionais complexos, ilustrando-se com os marcos alcançados nos últimos 40 anos. São descritos os fatores que freiam a implementação da atenção primária à saúde (APS) e os avanços e desafios emergentes atualmente enfrentados pelos sistemas de saúde em vários países. Enfatiza-se que, somente com um nível de atenção primário que seja forte, articulado e resolutivo, que esteja próximo e inserido na comunidade e de fácil acesso às pessoas, é possível progredir no direito à saúde para todos. O artigo defende a elaboração de propostas práticas para relançar a estratégia de APS após 40 anos da Declaração de Alma-Ata.

La atención primaria de salud en la Región de las Américas a 40 años de la Declaración de Alma-Ata / Primary health care in the Region of the Americas 40 years after the Alma-Ata Declaration / Atenção primária à saúde na Região das Américas 40 anos após a Declaração de Alma-Ata

RESUMEN En este artículo se reseña la evolución de las propuestas y acuerdos regionales desde la Declaración de Alma-Ata (1978) hasta la Estrategia de Salud Universal y se destaca la vigencia de los planteamientos esenciales de la estrategia de atención primaria, que hoy se expresan en las propuestas de fortalecimiento del primer nivel de atención y la generación de redes integradas de servicios de salud. Se recuerda, también, el carácter contextual de la implementación de la estrategia en el marco de situaciones nacionales complejas a través de algunos hitos de los últimos 40 años. Se describen los factores que frenan la implementación de la atención primaria de salud (APS), así como los avances y desafíos emergentes que hoy en día enfrentan los sistemas de salud en varios países. Se reafirma que solo mediante un fuerte primer nivel articulador y resolutivo, cercano, inserto en la comunidad y accesible, es posible avanzar hacia el ejercicio del derecho a la salud para todos y se aboga por la generación de propuestas prácticas para relanzar la estrategia de APS a 40 años de la Declaración de Alma-Ata.

ABSTRACT This article reviews the evolution of regional proposals and agreements from the Declaration of Alma-Ata (1978) to the Universal Health Strategy, highlighting how the core tenets of the primary health care strategy have come to be reflected in proposals to strengthen the primary level of care and establish integrated health services networks. Contextual aspects of implementing the strategy within the framework of complex national scenarios are also noted, through a review of some of the milestones of the last 40 years. Factors that hinder implementation of primary health care are described, as well as the advances and the emerging challenges that health systems face in several countries. This article reaffirms the need for a strong primary care level--with coordination and response capacity, close to and involved in the community, and accessible--in order to advance towards realizing the right to health for everyone. It also advocates for practical proposals to relaunch the primary health care strategy 40 years after the Declaration of Alma-Ata.

RESUMO Este artigo apresenta a evolução das propostas e acordos regionais a partir da Declaração de Alma-Ata (1978) até a Estratégia de saúde universal, destacando a vigência das perspectivas básicas da estratégia de atenção primária, atualmente expressas nas propostas de fortalecimento da atenção primária e formação de redes integradas de serviços de saúde. Salienta-se o caráter contextual da implementação da estratégia em cenários nacionais complexos, ilustrando-se com os marcos alcançados nos últimos 40 anos. São descritos os fatores que freiam a implementação da atenção primária à saúde (APS) e os avanços e desafios emergentes atualmente enfrentados pelos sistemas de saúde em vários países. Enfatiza-se que, somente com um nível de atenção primário que seja forte, articulado e resolutivo, que esteja próximo e inserido na comunidade e de fácil acesso às pessoas, é possível progredir no direito à saúde para todos. O artigo defende a elaboração de propostas práticas para relançar a estratégia de APS após 40 anos da Declaração de Alma-Ata.

PAHO'S Strategy for Universal Access to Health and Universal Health Coverage: implications for health services and hospitals in LAC.

Moving towards Universal Access to Health and Universal Health Coverage (UAH/UHC) is an imperative task on the health agenda for the Americas. The Directing Council of the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) recently approved resolution CD53.R14, titled Strategy for Universal Access to Health and Universal Health Coverage. From the perspective of the Region of the Americas, UAH/UHC "imply that all people and communities have access, without any kind of discrimination, to comprehensive, appropriate and timely, quality health services determined at the national level according to needs, as well as access to safe, affordable, effective, quality medicines, while ensuring that the use of these services does not expose users to financial hardship, especially groups in conditions of vulnerability". PAHO's strategic approach to UAH/UHC sets out four specific lines of action toward effective universal health systems. The first strategic line proposes: a) implementation of integrated health services delivery networks (IHDSNs) based on primary health care as the key strategy for reorganizing, redefining and improving healthcare services in general and the role of hospitals in particular; and b) increasing the response capacity of the first level of care. An important debate initiated in 2011 among hospital and healthcare managers in the region tried to redefine the role of hospitals in the context of IHSDNs and the emerging UAH/UHC movement. The debates resulted in agreements around three main propositions: 1) IHSDNs cannot be envisioned without hospitals; 2) The status-quo and current hospital organizational culture makes IHSDNs inviable; and 3) Without IHSDNs, hospitals will not be sustainable. This process, that predates the approval of PAHO's UAH/UHC resolution, now becomes more relevant with the recognition that UAH/UHC cannot be attained without a profound change in healthcare service and particularly in hospitals. In this context, a set of challenges both for hospitals and for the first level of care based on the experience of hospital and healthcare services managers and the vision they have for hospitals in IHSDNs is presented.