1,418 research outputs found

    Putting pharmaceuticals into the wider context of challenges to fish populations in rivers

    Get PDF
    The natural range of fish species in our rivers is related to flow, elevation, temperature, local habitat and connectivity. For over 2000 years, humans have altered to varying degrees the river habitat. In the past 200 years, we added to the environmental disruption by discharging poorly treated sewage, nutrients and industrial waste into our rivers. For many rivers, the low point arrived during the period of 1950s–1970s, when rapid economic development overrode environmental concerns and dissolved oxygen concentrations dropped to zero. In these more enlightened times, gross river pollution is a thing of the past in the Developed World. However, persistent legacy chemical contaminants can be found in fish long after their discharge ceased. Changes in habitat quality and morphology caused and continue to cause the disappearance of fish species. The range of fish stressors has now increased as temperatures rise, and non-native fish introductions bring new diseases. The threat from pharmaceuticals to fish populations remains hypothetical, and no studies have yet linked change in fish populations to exposure

    MitÀ annettavaa neurotaloustieteillÀ on valintateorialle?

    Get PDF
    TiivistelmÀ. TÀmÀ tutkielma kÀsittelee neurotaloustiedettÀ ja sitÀ, mitÀ lisÀarvoa neurotieteellinen nÀkökulma voi tuoda valintateoriaan. Tutkielmassa etsitÀÀn vastauksia muun muassa kysymyksiin, mitÀ neurotaloustiede on, ja mitÀ lisÀarvoa neurotieteet voivat tuoda taloustieteille. Tutkielmassa keskeisessÀ roolissa on rationaalisuus, ja sen tarkastelu neurotaloustieteellisestÀ nÀkökulmasta. Neurotaloustiede tutkii ihmisen pÀÀtöksentekoa yhdistellen taloustieteitÀ, psykologiaa, neurotieteitÀ ja tietoteknisiÀ tieteitÀ. Neurotaloustiede tutkii myös erilaisia talouden ilmiöitÀ ja ongelmakohtia neurotieteellisin menetelmin. Moderni valintateoria pohjautuu ajatukselle, jossa ihminen tekee pÀÀtöksiÀ rationaalisesti maksimoimalla henkilökohtaiset hyötynsÀ. KÀyttÀytymistaloustiede on esittÀnyt vasta-argumenttina muun muassa sen, ettÀ ihminen ei ole rationaalinen toimija, vaan ihminen voi tehdÀ myös itselleen epÀsuotuisia valintoja. Neurotaloustiede pyrkii tarjoamaan oman nÀkökulmansa valintateoriaan tutkimalla aivojen eri tapahtumia eri valintatilanteissa. Neurotiede voi auttaa ymmÀrtÀmÀÀn, mitÀ aivoissa todella tapahtuu eri pÀÀtöksentekotilanteissa, ja miten esimerkiksi ympÀröivÀ kulttuuri voi vaikuttaa valintoihimme

    Detection of SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid antigen from serum can aid in timing of COVID-19 infection

    Get PDF
    SARS-CoV-2 RNA can be detected in respiratory samples for weeks after onset of COVID-19 disease. Therefore, one of the diagnostic challenges of PCR positive cases is differentiating between acute COVID-19 disease and convalescent phase. The presence of SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid antigen in serum and plasma samples of COVID-19 patients has been demonstrated previously. Our study aimed to characterize the analytical specificity and sensitivity of an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (Salocor SARS-CoV-2 Antigen Quantitative Assay Kit (c) (Salofa Ltd, Salo, Finland)) for the detection of SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid antigen in serum, and to characterize the kinetics of antigenemia. The evaluation material included a negative serum panel of 155 samples, and 126 serum samples from patients with PCR-confirmed COVID-19. The specificity of the Salocor SARS-CoV-2 serum nucleocapsid antigen test was 98.0 %. In comparison with simultaneous positive PCR from upper respiratory tract (URT) specimens, the test sensitivity was 91.7 %. In a serum panel in which the earliest serum sample was collected two days before the collection of positive URT specimen, and the latest 48 days after (median 1 day post URT sample collection), the serum N antigen test sensitivity was 95.6 % within 14 days post onset of symptoms. The antigenemia resolved approximately two weeks after the onset of disease and diagnostic PCR. The combination of simultaneous SARS-CoV-2 antigen and antibody testing appeared to provide useful in-formation for timing of COVID-19. Our results suggest that SARS-CoV-2 N-antigenemia may be used as a diag-nostic marker in acute COVID-19.Peer reviewe

    Neural network design and feature selection using principal component analysis and Taguchi method for identifying wood veneer defects

    Get PDF
    Nowadays, ensuring high quality can be considered the main strength for a company’s success. Especially, in a period of economic recession, quality control is crucial from the operational and strategic point of view. There are different quality control methods and it has been proven that on the whole companies using a continuous improvement approach, eliminating waste and maximizing productive flow, are more efficient and produce more with lower costs. This paper presents a method to optimize the quality control stage for a wood manufacturing firm. The method is based on the employment of the principal component analysis in order to reduce the number of critical variables to be given as input for an artificial neural network (ANN) to identify wood veneer defects. The proposed method allows the ANN classifier to identify defects in real time and increase the response speed during the quality control stage so that veneers with defects do not pass through the whole production cycle but are rejected at the beginning

    Co-infections with Respiratory Viruses in Dogs with Bacterial Pneumonia

    Get PDF
    BackgroundBacterial pneumonia (BP) is an inflammation of the lower airways and lung parenchyma secondary to bacterial infection. The pathogenesis of BP in dogs is complex and the role of canine respiratory viruses has not been fully evaluated. ObjectivesThe aim of this study was to investigate the occurrence of viral co-infections in dogs with BP and to assess demographic or clinical variables as well as disease severity associated with viral co-infections. AnimalsTwenty household dogs with BP caused by opportunistic bacteria and 13 dogs with chronic (>30days) tracheobronchitis caused by Bordetella bronchiseptica (BBTB). MethodsProspective cross-sectional observational study. Diagnosis was confirmed by clinical and laboratory findings, diagnostic imaging, and cytologic and microbiologic analysis of bronchoalveolar lavage or transtracheal wash fluid. Canine parainfluenza virus (CPIV), canine adenovirus, canine herpes virus, canine influenzavirus, canine distemper virus, canine respiratory coronavirus (CRCoV) and canine pneumovirus, as well as B.bronchiseptica and Mycoplasma spp. were analyzed in respiratory samples using PCR assays. ResultsCPIV was detected in 7/20 and CRCoV in 1/20 dogs with BP. Respiratory viruses were not detected in dogs with BBTB. There were no significant differences in clinical variables between BP dogs with and without a viral co-infection. Conclusion and Clinical ImportanceRespiratory viruses were found frequently in dogs with BP and may therefore play an important role in the etiology and pathogenesis of BP. Clinical variables and disease severity did not differ between BP dogs with and without viral co-infection.Peer reviewe

    Smoking and suicidality among adolescent psychiatric patients

    Get PDF
    Purpose: To investigate the relationship between smoking and suicidality among adolescent psychiatric patients in Finland. Methods: Data from 157 patients (aged 12-17 years) admitted to inpatient psychiatric hospitalization between April 2001 and July 2002 were collected. Logistic regression analyses were used to examine the association between regular daily smoking and suicidality. The data were adjusted for several sociodemographic and clinical characteristics. Results: The results showed over four-fold risk for definite and/or life-threatening suicide attempts among smoking adolescents in inpatient psychiatric facility compared with nonsmoking ones (OR 4.33, 95% CI 1.23-15.20). Also, the smoking adolescents had three times greater risk for occasional (OR 3.32, 95% CI 1.09-10.10) or frequent (OR 3.00, 95% CI 1.08-10.10) self-mutilation. Suicidality was more common among girls than boys and among those adolescents who suffered from depression. Conclusions: Among teens hospitalized for psychiatric illnesses, daily smoking was significantly related to suicide attempts and self-mutilation, even after controlling for several confounding factors, including psychiatric diagnosis. (C) Society for Adolescent Medicine, 2004.Peer reviewe

    Low incidence of severe bacterial infections in hospitalised patients with COVID-19 : A population-based registry study

    Get PDF
    Background Bacterial infections complicating COVID-19 are rare but present a challenging clinical entity. The aim of this study was to evaluate the incidence, aetiology and outcome of severe laboratory-verified bacterial infections in hospitalised patients with COVID-19. Methods All laboratory-confirmed patients with COVID-19 admitted to specialised healthcare hospitals in the Capital Province of Finland during the first wave of COVID-19 between 27 February and 21 June 2020 were retrospectively studied. We gathered the blood and respiratory tract culture reports of these patients and analysed their association with 90-day case-fatality using multivariable regression analysis. Results A severe bacterial infection was diagnosed in 40/585 (6.8%) patients with COVID-19. The range of bacteria was diverse, and the most common bacterial findings in respiratory samples were gram-negative, and in blood cultures gram-positive bacteria. Patients with severe bacterial infection had longer hospital stay (mean 31; SD 20 days) compared to patients without (mean 9; SD 9 days; p < 0.001). Case-fatality was higher with bacterial infection (15% vs 11%), but the difference was not statistically significant (OR 1.38 CI95% 0.56-3.41). Conclusions Severe bacterial infection complicating COVID-19 was a rare occurrence in our cohort. Our results are in line with the current understanding that antibiotic treatment for hospitalised COVID-19 patients should only be reserved for situations where a bacterial infection is strongly suspected. The ever-evolving landscape of the pandemic and recent advances in immunomodulatory treatment of COVID-19 patients underline the need for continuous vigilance concerning the possibility and frequency of nosocomial bacterial infections.Peer reviewe
    • 

    corecore