Methods for Identifying Songs

The goal of the thesis was to identify algorithms that can be used to tell if two songs are the same based on the artist, tile and duration metadata. I based my research on metadata for more than 95000 songs from the game SongArc. From this large data set I have selected three smaller data sets to focus on. The first sample set contained the three popular songs, their variances and songs that were similar in either the title or the artist to those songs. The second sample set contained songs with similar titles. The third sample set included songs that had metadata containing non-Latin characters. These three sample set were used to measure how well algorithms perform at detecting similar songs. I have selected various approximate string matching algorithms to examine. These algorithms were based on two distinct approaches: edit-distance and tokens. My final goal was to improve the accuracy of the algorithms by transforming their input. I have found that removing text starting with the first bracket character improved the results significantly. The edit-distance based algorithms benefited the most, especially when the goal was to find a low number of false positives. Ignoring the artist metadata field if it contained the word “unknown” improved the accuracy of all algorithms. I have found that it had the greatest effect on token based algorithms. In conclusion, I have found that using my improvements the cosine similarity metric is best to be used to detect if two songs are similar based on the artist and title metadata, being able to detect 87.27% of the similar songs when high accuracy is required at a sensitivity of 0.55. When high accuracy is not required, it is able to detect 96.78% of the similar songs using a sensitivity of 0.42

A case of a bilateral accessory digastric muscle

Abnormalities of the anterior belly of the digastric muscle are rare but have received increased attention by radiologists in recent years in an attempt to avoid confusion with submental cysts or enlarged submental lymph nodes on CT or MR images. We present a case of bilateral accessory digastric muscles which fuse (partially) with the midline raphe of the mylohyoid muscle. Fibres from the right accessory anterior digastric muscle proceeded to decussate and join the mylohyoid muscle and the contralateral insertion of the digastric muscle. Embryological development and possible clinical consequences are discussed

Ο ρόλος της κανναβιδιόλης (CBD) στην ανακουφιστική και υποστηρικτική φροντίδα ογκολογικών ασθενών

Εισαγωγή: Ο έλεγχος του πόνου και των λοιπών συμπτωμάτων αποτελεί έναν από τους σημαντικούς στόχους ανακουφιστική φροντίδα ογκολογικών ασθενών και η αναζήτηση για συνεχώς βελτιούμενες θεραπευτικές προσεγγίσεις είναι πρωταρχικό μέλημα όλων των ερευνητών που ασχολούνται με το συγκεκριμένο αντικείμενο. Οι ασθενείς και οι φροντιστές τους μέχρι σήμερα παγκοσμίως λαμβάνουν λίγες πληροφορίες ή ενημερωτική υποστήριξη από τους παρόχους υγειονομικής περίθαλψης σχετικά με τις ολοένα και πιο συχνά ερευνώμενες προσεγγίσεις που βασίζονται σε κανναβινοειδή. Τα κυριότερα και πιο ευρέως εξεταζόμενα κανναβινοειδή είναι η τετραϋδροκανναβινόλη (THC) και η κανναβιδιόλη (CBD) ). Οι έρευνες που έχουν γίνει πάνω στον χρόνιο πόνο ογκολογικών ασθενών και την αντιμετώπισή του , με προσθήκη συνδυασμών κανναβιδιόλης(CBD) είναι σχετικά πρόσφατες. Παράλληλα παγκόσμια καταγράφεται το γεγονός ότι ασθενείς έχουν αρχίσει να χρησιμοποιούν το CBD επικουρικά για την καταπολέμηση του πόνου και ερευνάται αν και κατά πόσο η ουσία αυτή, έχει πραγματικά αποτελέσματα στους ογκολογικούς ασθενείς Σκοπός: Σε αυτή τη μελέτη παρουσιάζεται ιδιαίτερο ενδιαφέρον για την αξιολόγηση της χορήγησης της κανναβιδιόλης σε ογκολογικούς ασθενών με στόχο τον έλεγχο του πόνου και των λοιπών συνοδών συμπτωμάτων οφειλομένων στις εν λόγω ασθένειες και τις θεραπείες τους με σκοπό τη βελτίωση της ποιότητας ζωής τους. Υλικό και Μέθοδος: Για τον σκοπό αυτό πραγματοποιήθηκε συστηματική ανασκόπηση αναζήτησης και διαλογής βιβλιογραφίας στις βάσεις δεδομένων Pubmed, Scopus, Cochrane και Elsevier , η οποία εντόπισε δώδεκα τυχαιοποιημένες και διασταυρούμενες δοκιμές ανακουφιστικής φροντίδας σε ογκολογικούς ασθενείς από το 2002 έως το 2021, οι οποίες χορηγούσαν κανναβινοειδή σε ογκολογικούς ασθενείς. Κατασκευάστηκε flow diagram με το prisma 2009 guideline. Οι μελέτες περιείχαν χορήγηση CBD σε ογκολογικούς ασθενείς και αφορούσαν όλες ενήλικες ασθενείς. Το σύνολο των μελετών που ερευνήθηκαν ήταν 1020. Ο τελικός αριθμός των μελετών που προέκυψε ήταν 9. Αποτελέσματα: Η συνδυασμένη θεραπεία THC/CBD ήταν περισσότερο ωφέλιμη και ανεκτή στους ασθενείς σε συνδυασμό με άλλα αναλγητικά σε σύγκριση με το εικονικό φάρμακο. Τα μεγαλύτερα προβλήματα με τα οποία ήρθαν αντιμέτωποι ήταν ο μειωμένος αριθμός των ασθενών που ολοκλήρωναν τις δοκιμές. Από τα παραπάνω δεδομένα προέκυψε ότι η χορήγηση της CBD σε ογκολογικούς ασθενείς μπορεί να φέρει πολύ καλά αποτελέσματα στην διαχείριση του πόνου και των λοιπών συμπτωμάτων σε συνδυασμό με THC Συμπεράσματα: Από τις συνολικές μελέτες που διερεύνησαν το θέμα, έγινε κατανοητό ότι τα οφέλη από τη χορήγηση της κανναβιδιόλης είναι ορατά , καθώς η κανναβιδιόλη επιδρά θετικά στον έλεγχο του πόνου και των συμπτωμάτων στην ανακουφιστική φροντίδα των ογκολογικών ασθενών όταν χορηγείται σε με THC. Δίνεται, λοιπόν, ένα επιπλέον έναυσμα για περαιτέρω μελέτη της κανναβιδιόλης και μεγαλύτερο αριθμό κλινικών δοκιμών.Introduction: Pain management and symptoms relief is probably one of the most important goals of palliative care for oncology patients and the search for constantly improving therapeutic approaches is a primary concern of all researchers working in this field. Common in the palliative care of oncology patients, and the search for therapeutic approaches continues. Patients and their carers receive little information or support from healthcare providers about the increasingly popular cannabinoid-based medicines. The major and most abundant cannabinoids are tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD). Research into the chronic pain of cancer patients and its treatment with the addition of cannabidiol (CBD) combinations is relatively recent. At the same time, the fact that patients have started using CBD as an adjunct to the fight against pain is being recorded worldwide, and it is being investigated whether and to what extent this substance has real effects on cancer patients. Aim: In this study, we are particularly interested in evaluating the administration of cannabidiol to cancer patients with the aim of controlling pain and symptoms and improving their quality of life. Material and Method: For this purpose, a systematic review and literature review was performed in the Pubmed, Scopus, Cochrane and Elsevier databases, which identified twelve randomized and cross-sectional palliative care trials in oncology patients from 2002 to 2021, which administered cannabis to patients. A flow diagram was constructed with the prisma 2009 guideline. The studies included administration of CBD to oncology patients and involved adult patients. The totality of the studies investigated was 1020. The final number of studies that emerged was 9. Results. The combined THC / CBD treatment was beneficial and tolerable in patients in combination with other analgesics compared to placebo. The biggest problem faced were the reduced number of patients completing the trials. From the above data, it has been shown that the administration of CBD to oncology patients can bring very good results in the management of pain and other symptoms in combination with THC. Conclusion: From the overall studies that investigated the subject, it has been shown that the administration of CBD to oncology patients in palliative care, can bring very good results in the management of pain and the other symptoms relief, in combination with THC

Securing tropical forest carbon: the contribution of protected areas to REDD

Forest loss and degradation in the tropics contribute 6-17% of all greenhouse gas emissions. Protected areas cover 217.2 million ha (19.6%) of the world's humid tropical forests and contain c. 70.3 petagrams of carbon (Pg C) in biomass and soil to 1 m depth. Between 2000 and 2005, we estimate that 1.75 million ha of forest were lost from protected areas in humid tropical forests, causing the emission of 0.25-0.33 Pg C. Protected areas lost about half as much carbon as the same area of unprotected forest. We estimate that the reduction of these carbon emissions from ongoing deforestation in protected sites in humid tropical forests could be valued at USD 6,200-7,400 million depending on the land use after clearance. This is >1.5 times the estimated spending on protected area management in these regions. Improving management of protected areas to retain forest cover better may be an important, although certainly not sufficient, component of an overall strategy for reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation (REDD

Towards understanding interactions between Sustainable Development Goals: the role of environment–human linkages

Only 10 years remain to achieve all Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) globally, so there is a growing need to increase the effectiveness and efficiency of action by targeting multiple SDGs. The SDGs were conceived as an ‘indivisible whole’, but interactions between SDGs need to be better understood. Several previous assessments have begun to explore interactions including synergies and possible conflicts between the SDGs, and differ widely in their conclusions. Although some highlight the role of the more environmentally-focused SDGs in underpinning sustainable development, none specifically focuses on environment-human linkages. Assessing interactions between SDGs, and the influence of environment on them, can make an important contribution to informing decisions in 2020 and beyond. Here, we review previous assessments of interactions among SDGs, apply an influence matrix to assess pairwise interactions between all SDGs, and show how viewing these from the perspective of environment-human linkages can influence the outcome. Environment, and environment-human linkages, influence most interactions between SDGs. Our action-focused assessment enables decision makers to focus environmental management to have the greatest impacts, and to identify opportunities to build on synergies and reduce trade-offs between particular SDGs. It may enable sectoral decision makers to seek support from environment managers for achieving their goals. We explore cross-cutting issues and the relevance and potential application of our approach in supporting decision making for progress to achieve the SDGs

Strengthening Synergies: How Action to Achieve Post-2020 Global Biodiversity Conservation Targets Can Contribute to Mitigating Climate Change

The essential contribution of nature to addressing climate change provides an opportunity to strengthen the links between the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and the Convention on Biological Diversity. As we move towards the next Conferences of the Parties of both Conventions, there is a need to assess explicitly the role of nature in helping to meet the goals of these agreements efficiently and effectively. This series of reports aims to shed light on this topic by assessing the potential contribution that achieving biodiversity conservation targets can make to climate change mitigation. By doing so, it aims to provide both context and mandate for discussions under both Conventions on the role of nature-based solutions in climate change mitigation and links to biodiversity conservation action

The ansa cervicalis revisited

Recurrent laryngeal nerve paralysis represents a major complication in oesophageal cancer surgery. Nerve-muscle transplantation to the paraglottic space after resection of the recurrent laryngeal nerve with the ansa cervicalis (AC) has recently become the procedure of choice. The aim of this study was to investigate the anatomical variations of AC in order to avoid iatrogenic injuries and facilitate surgical procedures. We examined 100 adult human formalin-fixed cadavers. The ansa cervicalis showed a great degree of variation regarding origin and distribution. The origin of the superior root of AC was found to be superior to the digastric muscle in 92% of the cases. Its vertical descent was found to be superficial to the external carotid artery in 72% and superficial to the internal carotid artery in 28% of the specimens. The inferior root of AC was derived from the primary rami of C2 and C3 in 38%, from C2, C3 and C4 in 10%, from C3 in 40% and from C2 in 12% of the cases. The inferior root passed posterolaterally to the internal jugular vein in 74% and anteromedially in 26% of the cases. The roots of AC were long (70%) or short (30%), and the union between the two roots was situated inferior or superior to the omohyoid. Not only is knowledge of the anatomy of the ansa cervicalis important for nerve grafting procedures, but surgeons should be aware of AC and its relationships to the great vessels of the neck in order to avoid inadvertent injury during surgical procedures of the neck

Global impacts of energy demand on the freshwater resources of nations

The growing geographic disconnect between consumption of goods, the extraction and processing of resources, and the environmental impacts associated with production activities makes it crucial to factor global trade into sustainability assessments. Using an empirically validated environmentally extended global trade model, we examine the relationship between two key resources underpinning economies and human well-being—energy and freshwater. A comparison of three energy sectors (petroleum, gas, and electricity) reveals that freshwater consumption associated with gas and electricity production is largely confined within the territorial boundaries where demand originates. This finding contrasts with petroleum, which exhibits a varying ratio of territorial to international freshwater consumption, depending on the origin of demand. For example, although the United States and China have similar demand associated with the petroleum sector, international freshwater consumption is three times higher for the former than the latter. Based on mapping patterns of freshwater consumption associated with energy sectors at subnational scales, our analysis also reveals concordance between pressure on freshwater resources associated with energy production and freshwater scarcity in a number of river basins globally. These energy-driven pressures on freshwater resources in areas distant from the origin of energy demand complicate the design of policy to ensure security of fresh water and energy supply. Although much of the debate around energy is focused on greenhouse gas emissions, our findings highlight the need to consider the full range of consequences of energy production when designing policy