Earth observation data validation: implementation and performance evaluation of methods for chlorophylla retrieval

High-Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) allows determining the concentrations of phytoplankton pigments and is the most used technique to validate Earth Observation (EO) data of Chlorophylla (Chla). The challenges of current HPLC methods for pigment analysis are the use of toxic solvents and the coelution of important pigment peaks (e.g. mono and divinyl forms of chlorophylls). Despite that, these methods are established in reference laboratories, and its performance metrics were already assessed in previous work conducted by National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) intercalibration exercises. A more recent method Sanz et al. (2015) is referred as having several chromatographic and instrumental advantages as: a) the use of a simpler binary elution gradient; b) the complete resolution of mono and divinyl forms of chlorophylls; and c) a mobile phase with low toxicity solvents (methanol and ethanol). In the first part of the thesis, the laboratorial performance of Sanz et al. (2015) methodology for the analysis of phytoplankton pigments was assessed, according to performance metrics defined in NASA HPLC Round-Robin Experiments, such as resolution, injection precision and retention time precision. Considerations about main coelutions and the response to different injection volumes are also discussed. In the second part of the thesis, phytoplankton pigments were quantified in 12 coastal water samples. The followed methodology implemented in CIMA-UAlg laboratorial conditions showed to be easy to implement for a routine level of work and the resolution between mono and divinyl forms of Chlorophylla was achieved. Implications of the results for the pigment quantification were also discussed and are presented. This study contributes to the overall effort of providing accurate in-situ data to validate satellite EO Chla data, and to accomplish the goal of improving the estimations of phytoplankton distribution.A big thank you to the Erasmus Mundus WaCoMa Project coordinators Alice Newton, Elena Fabbri, and Irene Laiz for their patience, kindness, and support

Identifying the attributes of successful small apparel businesses in Armenia

Master of ScienceDepartment of Apparel, Textiles, and Interior DesignKim Y. Hiller ConnellBecause finding a job in the apparel and textile sector can be a challenging task for the graduates of the apparel and textile programs in Armenia, the focus of this study is to find the attributes of successful small apparel businesses in Armenia and to identify the knowledge and skills graduates need to secure a job, to succeed at it, and potentially open their own small apparel business. Specifically, the purpose of this study is to: 1) identifying the factors leading to the success of small apparel businesses in Armenia; 2) learn what obstacles hinder the success of small apparel businesses in Armenia; 3) gain understanding of how the small apparel businesses in Armenia address the needs and wants of their customers; and 4) establish what type of professional development would contribute to the success of the small businesses. The study also: 1) explores what knowledge and skills successful apparel businesses in Armenia are looking for in new employees; and 2) provides recommendations for curriculum changes at Armenian apparel and textile programs which would help the graduates of Apparel and Textile programs in finding a job in the apparel and textile industry or in starting their own businesses. This study adopted a qualitative approach and collected data through semi-structured interviews with 11 Armenian small apparel business owners. According to the owners of small apparel businesses in Armenia who participated in this study, one of the most important factors contributing to the success of small firms is effective utilization of innovative marketing techniques. At the same time, the use of innovative marketing techniques is still at its infancy in the small apparel business in Armenia, while the graduates of apparel and textile programs in that country to not receive marketing or business education. Other factors discussed by the participants as contributing to the success of small firms are professional and personal characteristics of the business owners, quality employees, and good customer service. Based on these responses, curriculum recommendations are provided for the apparel and textile programs in Armenia that reflect the knowledge and skills the graduates need to: 1) be successful at finding a job in the apparel and textiles industry and at excelling at it; and 2) opening and operating their own small apparel businesses. The findings of this study can be useful for graduates of the Armenian apparel and textile programs because they can learn what type of knowledge and skills are needed to succeed in the garment and textile sector in Armenia. Additionally, the apparel and textile programs in Armenia may use the results of this study to modify their curriculum, and include courses in marketing, business, and consumer behavior/service, to better equip their students with tools which will contribute to their professional success. Finally, the small businesses may use the findings to better understand how to succeed by adapting various marketing techniques, how to attract quality employees, and how to better address the needs and wants of their customers

Factors associated with unfavourable treatment outcomes among people with rifampicin-resistant tuberculosis in Armenia, 2014-2017.

Rifampicin-Resistant/Multidrug-Resistant Tuberculosis (RR/MDR-TB) is recognized as a major public health concern globally. In Armenia, the proportion of RR/MDR-TB is increasing among all people affected with TB. We conducted a nationwide cohort study involving analysis of programmatic data to investigate the rates of and factors associated with unfavourable treatment outcomes among patients with RR/MDR-TB registered by the national TB programme from 2014 to 2017 in Armenia. We used Cox regression to identify factors associated with the outcome. Among 451 RR/MDR-TB patients, 80% were men and median age was 46 years. Of them, 53 (11.8%) had Extensively Drug-Resistant Tuberculosis (XDR-TB) and 132 (29.3%) had pre-XDR-TB. Almost half (224, 49.7%) of the patients had unfavourable treatment outcome, which included 26.8% Loss To Follow-Up (LTFU), 13.3% failures and 9.5% deaths. In multivariable analysis, people with pre-XDR-TB [adjusted Hazard Ratio [aHR] 3.13, 95% confidence intervals [CI] 2.16-4.55] and XDR-TB (aHR 4.08, 95% CI 2.45-6.79) had a higher risk of unfavourable outcomes. Patients receiving home-based treatment (71/451, 15.7%) and treatment with new drugs (172/451, 38.1%) had significantly lower risk (aHR 0.45, 95% CI 0.28-0.72 and aHR 0.26, 95% CI 0.18-0.39) of unfavourable treatment outcome. The proportion of MDR-TB patients reaching favourable treatment outcome in Armenia was substantially lower than the recommended level (75%). The most common treatment outcome was LTFU indicating the need for further assessment of underlying determinants. Home-based treatment looks promising and future studies are required to see if expanding it to all RR/MDR-TB patients is feasible and cost-effective

Factors associated with unfavourable treatment outcomes in people with HIV-associated tuberculosis in Armenia, 2015 to 2019.

To evaluate factors associated with tuberculosis (TB) treatment outcomes in human Immunodeficiency Virus-Associated (HIV) TB patients in Armenia, we conducted a nation-wide cohort study using routine programmatic data of all HIV-associated TB patients receiving TB treatment with first- or second-line drugs from 2015 to 2019. Data were obtained from the TB and HIV electronic databases. We analysed occurrence of the combined unfavourable outcome (failure, lost to follow-up, death and not evaluated) and death separately, and factors associated with both outcomes using Cox regression. There were 320 HIV-associated TB patients who contributed a total of 351 episodes of TB treatment. An unfavourable TB treatment outcome was registered in 155 (44.2%) episodes, including 85 (24.2%) due to death, 38 (10.8%) lost to follow up, 13 (3.7%) failure and 19 (5.4%) not evaluated. Multivariable analysis showed that receipt of Antiretroviral Treatment (ART) [ART start before TB treatment: adjusted hazard ratio (aHR)=0.3, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.2-0.5, aHR=, 95% CI:, 95% CI:, 95% CI:TB meningitis (aHR=4.4, 95% CI: 1.6-11.9) increased the risk. The risk of death was affected by the same factors as above in addition to the low BMI (aHR=2.5, 95% CI: 1.3-4.5) and drug resistance (aHR=2.3, 95% CI: 1.0-5.4). In the subsample of episodes receiving ART, history of interruption of ART during TB treatment increased the risk of unfavourable outcome (aHR=2.1 95% CI: 1.2-3.9), while ART start during TB treatment was associated with lower risk of both unfavourable outcome (within first 8 weeks: aHR: 0.5, 95% CI: 0.3-0.9; after 8 weeks: aHR: 0.4, 95% CI: 0.2-1.0) and death (within first 8 weeks: aHR: 0.2, 95% CI: 0.1-0.4; after 8 weeks: aHR: 0.1, 95% CI: 0.01-0.3). The rates of unfavourable TB treatment outcomes, and death in particular, among HIV-associated TB patients in Armenia are high. Our findings emphasize the protective effect of ART and the importance of proper management of cases complicated by drug resistance or meningitis

PROCESSES OF SEXUAL PUBERTY AND DESTRUCTIVE MANIFESTATION OF SEXUAL IDENTIFICATION IN TEENAGER PERIOD

The importance of sexual puberty processes for formatting sexual self conciousness and sexual behaviour are discussed in the article. The peculiarities of distructive manifistation of sexual idendification during puberty period in insufficient gender socialization conditions are presented by the author

Factors that influence female entrepreneurship in the European Union

This research work aims to discuss the gender issue concerning entrepreneurship in European Union countries in a period of nine years, from 2007 to 2015, identifying the factors which drive females to be entrepreneurs. The study mainly concentrates on identifying and quantifying the personal, social, political and economic features which are motivating women, to be entrepreneurs, as well as the main difficulties they feel during the process of business creation. In order to explore the entrepreneurial activity across a set of developed countries the econometric methodology of panel data (in particular the fixed effects and random effects models) is applied to a data set of entrepreneurial statistical indicators calculated and made available by the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

ISSUES OF SEXUAL ROLE IDENTIFICATION AND IDENTIFICATION DISTRUCTION IN THE TEENAGE PERIOD

The article presents and discusses processes of sexual identification and social importance of accurate formation of sexual identification. The importance of processes of teenagers sexual maturing and peculiarities of sexual destructive behavior are discussed in the article

Utility of video-fundoscopy and prospects of portable stereo-photography of the ocular fundus in neurological patients

BackgroundProper evaluation of ocular fundi is an integral part of neurological examination. Unfortunately, neurology residents are increasingly uncomfortable performing fundoscopy and interpreting findings because of diminishing skills and lack of experience. This became more prominent during the COVID-19 pandemic as fundoscopy requires proximity to the patient. With the recent dramatic improvement of smartphone cameras, fundus photography using the PanOptic Ophthalmoscope (Welch Allyn, Skaneateles Falls, NY) with a smartphone adapter offered an alternative to direct fundoscopic examination. We present the first experience with our own design of a universal smartphone adapter.MethodsThis is a single-center case series, consecutive for a single user and certain presenting neurological symptoms, which is aimed to evaluate the feasibility and practicality of a new, universal PanOptic smartphone adapter. Presenting symptoms included headache, ocular symptoms, seizure, or encephalopathy. We used 3D modeling and printing techniques to create the adapter. We also developed a methodology of capturing stereoscopic images of the optic disc using a single smartphone camera, but the method was not systematically evaluated in this paper.ResultsHere we present our initial experience of fundus video/photography in patients, who presented with encephalopathy, headache, seizure, vision loss, and other ocular symptoms. Fundoscopic abnormalities were discovered in 11 out of 100 patients. Some were incidental findings and were unrelated to the presentation. In one case, fundoscopy played a critical role in establishing the correct diagnosis.ConclusionsOur custom-designed smartphone adapter allowed obtaining high-quality video and photo recordings using PanOptic Ophthalmoscope. The acquisition of high-quality photos enables a high-yield diagnostic tool and allows revisiting the image in the patient's chart. Improvement of smartphone cameras opens vast horizons for stereo-fundoscopy and 3D reconstruction of the ocular fundus without using sophisticated and costly equipment. Microscopic eye movements allow taking snapshots of two side-by-side photos for 3D reconstruction and stereoscopic image viewing, which is the next level of optic disc assessment

A Perplexing Case of Genito-urinary Tuberculosis in an 83-Year-Old Woman with Increased Levels of Tumor Markers: A Case Report

Background: Tuberculosis (TB) is a significant global health problem, and extrapulmonary TB can present with no specific clinical or radiographic findings. Genito-urinary TB is often associated with elevated tumor markers and can be misdiagnosed as ovarian/fallopian tube carcinomas, especially in elderly female patients, as genitourinary TB commonly affects women of reproductive age.Objective: We present a rare case of genito-urinary TB in an elderly female patient who was initially misdiagnosed with ovarian cancer with metastasis.Case presentation: An 83-year-old woman with a medical history of diabetes and hypertension presented with complaints of abdominal distension. Diagnostic imaging revealed lesions in the ovaries and omentum and tumor markers were elevated, leading to a suspicion of ovarian cancer with metastases to the omentum. The patient underwent a diagnostic laparotomy and surgical removal of ovaries, fallopian tubes, and the lesion of the greater omentum. However, no malignancy was found during the morphological evaluation. Further histopathological examination confirmed the final diagnosis of genito-urinary tuberculosis, and the patient received anti-TB drugs. The postoperative period was uneventful, and tumor marker levels decreased.Conclusion: As the clinical presentation of genito-urinary TB can mimic ovarian cancer, a histopathological examination should be performed for differential diagnosis, thereby reducing the possibility of inaccurate treatment. This case report highlights the importance of considering genito-urinary TB as a differential diagnosis in elderly female patients presenting with elevated tumor markers, abdominal distension, and suspected genital malignancy. It is crucial to carefully evaluate these cases and explore the possibility of genital TB as an alternative diagnosis, given the overlapping clinical presentation. This highlights the importance of a comprehensive diagnostic approach that includes considering TB in addition to malignancy, even in the context of elderly female patients

Selective reduction of visceral adipose tissue with injectable ice slurry

Abstract Reduction in visceral adipose tissue (VAT) mass reduces body weight and metabolic disease risk in obese patients. However surgical removal of VAT is highly invasive and thus not clinically feasible. We developed an injectable ice slurry for selective reduction of adipose tissue through cryolipolysis. The aim of this study was to investigate safety, feasibility and mechanism of ice slurry-induced cryolipolysis of VAT. Perigonadal VAT in diet-induced obese mice and rats was subjected to slurry or sham treatment. Body weight and blood chemistry were monitored for 56 days post-treatment. Histological analysis and molecular studies were performed to elucidate mechanisms of fat reduction. Treatment of VAT was well tolerated in all animals. Slurry induced adipocyte cell death via selective cryolipolysis; significant weight loss was noted at day 21 post-treatment. RNA sequencing from treated VAT samples showed increased expression of genes involved in inflammation, immune response, collagen biosynthesis and wound healing, and decreased expression of adipokines. This study demonstrates that slurry treatment is safe and effective in inducing cryolipolysis of VAT and subsequent weight loss in mice. Ice slurry is promising as a minimally-invasive treatment to reduce visceral adipose tissue