Computational Intelligence in Highway Management: A Review

Highway management systems are used to improve safety and driving comfort on highways by using control strategies and providing information and warnings to drivers. They use several strategies starting from speed and lane management, through incident detection and warning systems, ramp metering, weather information up to, for example, informing drivers about alternative roads. This paper provides a review of the existing approaches to highway management systems, particularly speed harmonization and ramp metering. It is focused only on modern and advanced approaches, such as soft computing, multi-agent methods and their interconnection. Its objective is to provide guidance in the wide field of highway management and to point out the most relevant recent activities which demonstrate that development in the field of highway management is still important and that the existing research exhibits potential for further enhancement

Occupational dermatoses caused by contact with metalworking fluids in the region of Central Slovakia between 2000 and 2012

Metalworking fluids (MWFs) are a common cause of allergic and irritant contact dermatitis. MWFs being currently used are mostly water based, containing biocides, emulsifiers, and other additives.We performed a retrospective analysis of the etiology of the occupational dermatoses caused by metalworking fluids in three regions of Central Slovakia (population of approximately 2 million) between 2000 and 2012. The primary aim was the analysis of metalworking fluid-induced dermatoses, which involved determining the particular disease type (allergic or irritant), its regional distribution, and the specific chemical causing the disease. The secondary aim of the study was to assess the level of knowledge and competence among dermatologists in performing patch testing for allergens contained in metalworking fluids using a study-specific questionnaire.Of the total number of 422 dermatoses during the analyzed period, 64 (41 in men and 23 in women) were caused by metalworking fluids. The implicated fluids were all aqueous, synthetic MWFs. 39 patients developed an allergic and 25 an irritant-induced contact dermatitis. 51 patients were tested using a special Trolab® metalworking battery (Almirall Hermal GmbH, Reinbek, Germany). The test identified a positive reaction to one of the following chemicals: methylchoroisothiazolinone/methylisothiazolinone (MCI/MI), formaldehyde, 1,2-benzisothiazoline-3-one, abietic acid, chloroxylenol, triclosan, amerchol L101, dichlorophene, propylenglycol, metylene (bis-methyl oxazolidine), monoethanolamine, and diethanolamine. The questionnaire showed that a large majority of Slovak dermatologists have no experiences with testing of MWFs.Metalworking fluids were found to be the most frequent cause of occupational contact dermatitis. They also are the second largest group of all occupational dermotoses. Their incidence corresponded with the presence of machine industry in the region. Several unresolved problems include detection of specific allergens and standardization of patch test performance among individual dermatologists. Low levels of experience in testing of MWFs revealed need to educate both dermatologists and residents.</p

PRIORITY DIRECTIONS AND STRATEGIES IN THE FIELD OF ENERGY SAVING AND RESOURCE CONSERVATION IN SAMARA REGION

The paper discusses the basic perspective directions of development of energy saving and resource conservation in Samara region. The authors analyzed the existing methods for producing energy, the most effective identified for the region to date. The directions and the results of the Samara leading scientific schools in the field of energy, the main problems of the region, ways to solve them.В работе рассмотрены основные перспективные направления развития энерго- и ресурсосбережения в Самарской области. Авторами проанализированы существующие способы получения энергии, выявлены наиболее эффективные для региона на сегодняшний день. Рассмотрены направления и результаты работы ведущих самарских научных школ в области энергетики, выявлены основные проблемы региона, предложены пути их решения

Spectrum and characterisation of BRCA1 and BRCA2 deleterious mutations in high-risk Czech patients with breast and/or ovarian cancer

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The incidence of breast cancer has doubled over the past 20 years in the Czech Republic. Hereditary factors may be a cause of young onset, bilateral breast or ovarian cancer, and familial accumulation of the disease. <it>BRCA1 </it>and <it>BRCA2 </it>mutations account for an important fraction of hereditary breast and ovarian cancer cases. One thousand and ten unrelated high-risk probands with breast and/or ovarian cancer were analysed for the presence of a <it>BRCA1 </it>or <it>BRCA2 </it>gene mutation at the Masaryk Memorial Cancer Institute (Czech Republic) during 1999–2006.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>The complete coding sequences and splice sites of both genes were screened, and the presence of large intragenic rearrangements in <it>BRCA1 </it>was verified. Putative splice-site variants were analysed at the cDNA level for their potential to alter mRNA splicing.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>In 294 unrelated families (29.1% of the 1,010 probands) pathogenic mutations were identified, with 44 different <it>BRCA1 </it>mutations and 41 different <it>BRCA2 </it>mutations being detected in 204 and 90 unrelated families, respectively. In total, three <it>BRCA1 </it>founder mutations (c.5266dupC; c.3700_3704del5; p.Cys61Gly) and two <it>BRCA2 </it>founder mutations (c.7913_7917del5; c.8537_8538del2) represent 52% of all detected mutations in Czech high-risk probands. Nine putative splice-site variants were evaluated at the cDNA level. Three splice-site variants in <it>BRCA1 </it>(c.302-3C>G; c.4185G>A and c.4675+1G>A) and six splice-site variants in <it>BRCA2 </it>(c.475G>A; c.476-2>G; c.7007G>A; c.8755-1G>A; c.9117+2T>A and c.9118-2A>G) were demonstrated to result in aberrant transcripts and are considered as deleterious mutations.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>This study represents an evaluation of deleterious genetic variants in the <it>BRCA1 </it>and <it>2 </it>genes in the Czech population. The classification of several splice-site variants as true pathogenic mutations may prove useful for genetic counselling of families with high risk of breast and ovarian cancer.</p

Tuberculosis among Health-Care Workers in Low- and Middle-Income Countries: A Systematic Review

BACKGROUND: The risk of transmission of Mycobacterium tuberculosis from patients to health-care workers (HCWs) is a neglected problem in many low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Most health-care facilities in these countries lack resources to prevent nosocomial transmission of tuberculosis (TB). METHODS AND FINDINGS: We conducted a systematic review to summarize the evidence on the incidence and prevalence of latent TB infection (LTBI) and disease among HCWs in LMICs, and to evaluate the impact of various preventive strategies that have been attempted. To identify relevant studies, we searched electronic databases and journals, and contacted experts in the field. We identified 42 articles, consisting of 51 studies, and extracted data on incidence, prevalence, and risk factors for LTBI and disease among HCWs. The prevalence of LTBI among HCWs was, on average, 54% (range 33% to 79%). Estimates of the annual risk of LTBI ranged from 0.5% to 14.3%, and the annual incidence of TB disease in HCWs ranged from 69 to 5,780 per 100,000. The attributable risk for TB disease in HCWs, compared to the risk in the general population, ranged from 25 to 5,361 per 100,000 per year. A higher risk of acquiring TB disease was associated with certain work locations (inpatient TB facility, laboratory, internal medicine, and emergency facilities) and occupational categories (radiology technicians, patient attendants, nurses, ward attendants, paramedics, and clinical officers). CONCLUSIONS: In summary, our review demonstrates that TB is a significant occupational problem among HCWs in LMICs. Available evidence reinforces the need to design and implement simple, effective, and affordable TB infection-control programs in health-care facilities in these countries

Prispevek k problematice sexualne prenosnych infekci. Behavioralni, klinicke a demograficke charakteristiky venerologickych pacientu. Vyuziti molekularne biologickych metod v diagnostice Neisseria gonorrhoeae a Chlamydia trachomatis.

Available from STL Prague, CZ / NTK - National Technical LibrarySIGLECZCzech Republi

L\u27INFLUENCE DE SCHOPENHAUER SUR ANDRE GIDE. (FRENCH TEXT)

Abstract not availabl