State space models with spatial deformation

Space deformation has been proposed to model space-time varying observation processes with non-stationary spatial covariance structure under the hypothesis of temporal stationarity. In real applications, however, the temporal stationarity assumption is inappropriate and unrealistic. In thisworkwe propose a spatialtemporal model whose temporal trend is modeled through state space models and a spatially varying anisotropy is modeled through spatial deformation, under the Bayesian approach. A distinctive feature of our approach is the consideration of model uncertainty in an unified framework. Our model has a clear advantage over the ones proposed so far in the literature when themain objective of the study is to perform spatial interpolation for fixed points in time. Approximations of the posterior distributions of the model parameters are obtained via Markov chain Monte Carlo methods. This allows for prediction of the process values in space and time as well as handling of missing values. Two applications are presented: the first one to model concentrations of sulfur dioxide in the eastern United States and the second one to model monthly minimum temperatures in the State of Rio de Janeiro

Compreendendo o padrão espacial punitivo no Brasil e o McDonald prisional de São Paulo

The study of the spatial distribution of Brazilian prisons is one of the ways to understand the mass incarceration phenomenon. By using the Penitentiary Census of the Ministry of Justice, 2014, we analyse punitive patterns around the country. The results show the existence of five punitive spatial clusters: two of which are prominent, in the Southeast region and the other centred in the Northeast region (between the states of Pernambuco and Ceará). Methodologically, we structured models for point patterns considering the geographic location (latitude and longitude), in addition, we introduced into the models the prisons’ characteristics, such as occupancy rate and prison capacity. As a result, it is possible to observe a statistical regularity that shows a differential punitive pattern in the São Paulo state. There are many units with large capacities, higher than other states' prisons. The statistical inference was made under the Bayesian paradigm, which allows characterizing the uncertainties of the models in a probabilistic way and circumventing the problems of scientific decision-making based on the p-value. The present paper is the first one to identify punitive groups in Brazil and to statistically verify the existence of different spatial patterns in São Paulo’s prisons, contributing to the debate on punitive policies in the country.Uma das maneiras de compreender o fenômeno do encarceramento em massa no Brasil é através do estudo da distribuição das unidades prisionais em seu território. A partir do Censo Penitenciário realizado pelo Ministério da Justiça, em 2014, foi feita uma análise de estatística espacial para identificar os padrões punitivos no país. Os resultados mostram a existência de cinco agrupamentos punitivos, sendo dois principais: um na região sudeste, centrado no estado de São Paulo, e outro no Nordeste, com centro entre os estados de Pernambuco e Ceará. Metodologicamente, modelos estruturados para padrões de pontos foram expandidos introduzindo características do fenômeno, além das geográficas (latitude e longitude), tais como: taxa de ocupação e capacidade dos presídios. Como resultado, foi possível observar uma regularidade estatística que mostra um padrão punitivo diferenciado em São Paulo. Observa-se grande quantidade de unidades com capacidade superior à de seus pares na região. A inferência estatística foi feita sob o paradigma bayesiano que permite caracterizar as incertezas dos modelos de forma probabilística e contornar os problemas de tomada de decisão científica baseada no p-valor. Este trabalho é o primeiro a identificar os agrupamentos punitivos no país e verificar estatisticamente a existência de padrões diferenciados nas unidades prisionais de São Paulo, contribuindo para o debate sobre o punitivismo no Brasil

Mitochondrial physiology

As the knowledge base and importance of mitochondrial physiology to evolution, health and disease expands, the necessity for harmonizing the terminology concerning mitochondrial respiratory states and rates has become increasingly apparent. The chemiosmotic theory establishes the mechanism of energy transformation and coupling in oxidative phosphorylation. The unifying concept of the protonmotive force provides the framework for developing a consistent theoretical foundation of mitochondrial physiology and bioenergetics. We follow the latest SI guidelines and those of the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC) on terminology in physical chemistry, extended by considerations of open systems and thermodynamics of irreversible processes. The concept-driven constructive terminology incorporates the meaning of each quantity and aligns concepts and symbols with the nomenclature of classical bioenergetics. We endeavour to provide a balanced view of mitochondrial respiratory control and a critical discussion on reporting data of mitochondrial respiration in terms of metabolic flows and fluxes. Uniform standards for evaluation of respiratory states and rates will ultimately contribute to reproducibility between laboratories and thus support the development of data repositories of mitochondrial respiratory function in species, tissues, and cells. Clarity of concept and consistency of nomenclature facilitate effective transdisciplinary communication, education, and ultimately further discovery

Mitochondrial physiology

As the knowledge base and importance of mitochondrial physiology to evolution, health and disease expands, the necessity for harmonizing the terminology concerning mitochondrial respiratory states and rates has become increasingly apparent. The chemiosmotic theory establishes the mechanism of energy transformation and coupling in oxidative phosphorylation. The unifying concept of the protonmotive force provides the framework for developing a consistent theoretical foundation of mitochondrial physiology and bioenergetics. We follow the latest SI guidelines and those of the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC) on terminology in physical chemistry, extended by considerations of open systems and thermodynamics of irreversible processes. The concept-driven constructive terminology incorporates the meaning of each quantity and aligns concepts and symbols with the nomenclature of classical bioenergetics. We endeavour to provide a balanced view of mitochondrial respiratory control and a critical discussion on reporting data of mitochondrial respiration in terms of metabolic flows and fluxes. Uniform standards for evaluation of respiratory states and rates will ultimately contribute to reproducibility between laboratories and thus support the development of data repositories of mitochondrial respiratory function in species, tissues, and cells. Clarity of concept and consistency of nomenclature facilitate effective transdisciplinary communication, education, and ultimately further discovery

Impact of COVID-19 on cardiovascular testing in the United States versus the rest of the world

Objectives: This study sought to quantify and compare the decline in volumes of cardiovascular procedures between the United States and non-US institutions during the early phase of the coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted the care of many non-COVID-19 illnesses. Reductions in diagnostic cardiovascular testing around the world have led to concerns over the implications of reduced testing for cardiovascular disease (CVD) morbidity and mortality. Methods: Data were submitted to the INCAPS-COVID (International Atomic Energy Agency Non-Invasive Cardiology Protocols Study of COVID-19), a multinational registry comprising 909 institutions in 108 countries (including 155 facilities in 40 U.S. states), assessing the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on volumes of diagnostic cardiovascular procedures. Data were obtained for April 2020 and compared with volumes of baseline procedures from March 2019. We compared laboratory characteristics, practices, and procedure volumes between U.S. and non-U.S. facilities and between U.S. geographic regions and identified factors associated with volume reduction in the United States. Results: Reductions in the volumes of procedures in the United States were similar to those in non-U.S. facilities (68% vs. 63%, respectively; p = 0.237), although U.S. facilities reported greater reductions in invasive coronary angiography (69% vs. 53%, respectively; p < 0.001). Significantly more U.S. facilities reported increased use of telehealth and patient screening measures than non-U.S. facilities, such as temperature checks, symptom screenings, and COVID-19 testing. Reductions in volumes of procedures differed between U.S. regions, with larger declines observed in the Northeast (76%) and Midwest (74%) than in the South (62%) and West (44%). Prevalence of COVID-19, staff redeployments, outpatient centers, and urban centers were associated with greater reductions in volume in U.S. facilities in a multivariable analysis. Conclusions: We observed marked reductions in U.S. cardiovascular testing in the early phase of the pandemic and significant variability between U.S. regions. The association between reductions of volumes and COVID-19 prevalence in the United States highlighted the need for proactive efforts to maintain access to cardiovascular testing in areas most affected by outbreaks of COVID-19 infection

Global Retinoblastoma Presentation and Analysis by National Income Level.

Importance: Early diagnosis of retinoblastoma, the most common intraocular cancer, can save both a child's life and vision. However, anecdotal evidence suggests that many children across the world are diagnosed late. To our knowledge, the clinical presentation of retinoblastoma has never been assessed on a global scale. Objectives: To report the retinoblastoma stage at diagnosis in patients across the world during a single year, to investigate associations between clinical variables and national income level, and to investigate risk factors for advanced disease at diagnosis. Design, Setting, and Participants: A total of 278 retinoblastoma treatment centers were recruited from June 2017 through December 2018 to participate in a cross-sectional analysis of treatment-naive patients with retinoblastoma who were diagnosed in 2017. Main Outcomes and Measures: Age at presentation, proportion of familial history of retinoblastoma, and tumor stage and metastasis. Results: The cohort included 4351 new patients from 153 countries; the median age at diagnosis was 30.5 (interquartile range, 18.3-45.9) months, and 1976 patients (45.4%) were female. Most patients (n = 3685 [84.7%]) were from low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Globally, the most common indication for referral was leukocoria (n = 2638 [62.8%]), followed by strabismus (n = 429 [10.2%]) and proptosis (n = 309 [7.4%]). Patients from high-income countries (HICs) were diagnosed at a median age of 14.1 months, with 656 of 666 (98.5%) patients having intraocular retinoblastoma and 2 (0.3%) having metastasis. Patients from low-income countries were diagnosed at a median age of 30.5 months, with 256 of 521 (49.1%) having extraocular retinoblastoma and 94 of 498 (18.9%) having metastasis. Lower national income level was associated with older presentation age, higher proportion of locally advanced disease and distant metastasis, and smaller proportion of familial history of retinoblastoma. Advanced disease at diagnosis was more common in LMICs even after adjusting for age (odds ratio for low-income countries vs upper-middle-income countries and HICs, 17.92 [95% CI, 12.94-24.80], and for lower-middle-income countries vs upper-middle-income countries and HICs, 5.74 [95% CI, 4.30-7.68]). Conclusions and Relevance: This study is estimated to have included more than half of all new retinoblastoma cases worldwide in 2017. Children from LMICs, where the main global retinoblastoma burden lies, presented at an older age with more advanced disease and demonstrated a smaller proportion of familial history of retinoblastoma, likely because many do not reach a childbearing age. Given that retinoblastoma is curable, these data are concerning and mandate intervention at national and international levels. Further studies are needed to investigate factors, other than age at presentation, that may be associated with advanced disease in LMICs

Robust estimation of bacterial cell count from optical density

Optical density (OD) is widely used to estimate the density of cells in liquid culture, but cannot be compared between instruments without a standardized calibration protocol and is challenging to relate to actual cell count. We address this with an interlaboratory study comparing three simple, low-cost, and highly accessible OD calibration protocols across 244 laboratories, applied to eight strains of constitutive GFP-expressing E. coli. Based on our results, we recommend calibrating OD to estimated cell count using serial dilution of silica microspheres, which produces highly precise calibration (95.5% of residuals &lt;1.2-fold), is easily assessed for quality control, also assesses instrument effective linear range, and can be combined with fluorescence calibration to obtain units of Molecules of Equivalent Fluorescein (MEFL) per cell, allowing direct comparison and data fusion with flow cytometry measurements: in our study, fluorescence per cell measurements showed only a 1.07-fold mean difference between plate reader and flow cytometry data

Desigualdade de renda e situação de saúde: o caso do Rio de Janeiro

Este estudo ecológico testa a associação entre desigualdade de renda e condições de saúde no Município do Rio de Janeiro. Utilizaram-se técnicas de geoprocessamento e de regressão múltipla, além do coeficiente de mortalidade infantil, da taxa de mortalidade padronizada por idade, da esperança de vida ao nascer e da taxa de homicídios. Os padrões de desigualdade de renda foram avaliados por meio do índice de Gini, do índice de Robin Hood e da razão da renda média entre os 10% mais ricos e os 40% mais pobres. Os resultados evidenciam correlações significativas dos indicadores de desigualdade de renda com todos os indicadores de saúde, demonstrando que as piores condições de saúde não podem ser dissociadas das disparidades de renda. Para os homicídios, a concentração de indivíduos residentes em favelas se mostrou relevante, sugerindo uma piora adicional das condições de saúde através da deterioração das interações comunitárias e do aumento da criminalidade. A análise geoepidemiológica aponta para o vínculo entre as piores condições de saúde e a concentração residencial de pobreza. Conclui-se que há necessidade urgente de se implementarem políticas compensatórias para amenizar os efeitos danosos da desigualdade social

Income inequality and health: the case of Rio de Janeiro

Made available in DSpace on 2010-08-23T16:58:27Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 3 license.txt: 1848 bytes, checksum: 46b8ba50dba6cf1071e02acb1809616b (MD5) LANDMANN_BASTOS_Desigualdade Renda Situacao Saude_1999.pdf: 1550318 bytes, checksum: 9443ca815485265d1b5ba059e1b9b9b3 (MD5) LANDMANN_BASTOS_Desigualdade Renda Situacao Saude_1999.pdf.txt: 50203 bytes, checksum: 9913947ee4d87efa75de426149fe6c21 (MD5) Previous issue date: 1999-03Made available in DSpace on 2010-11-04T14:19:56Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 3 LANDMANN_BASTOS_Desigualdade Renda Situacao Saude_1999.pdf.txt: 50203 bytes, checksum: 9913947ee4d87efa75de426149fe6c21 (MD5) LANDMANN_BASTOS_Desigualdade Renda Situacao Saude_1999.pdf: 1550318 bytes, checksum: 9443ca815485265d1b5ba059e1b9b9b3 (MD5) license.txt: 1848 bytes, checksum: 46b8ba50dba6cf1071e02acb1809616b (MD5) Previous issue date: 1999-03Este trabalho teve os seguintes apoios: CNPq (n.350025/97-5); Papes/Fiocruz (n.0250.250.369); Medical Research Council, Canada.Fundação Oswaldo Cruz. Centro de Informação Científica e Tecnológica. Departamento de Informações em Saúde. Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil.Fundação Oswaldo Cruz. Centro de Informação Científica e Tecnológica. Departamento de Informações em Saúde. Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil.Fundação Oswaldo Cruz. Centro de Informação Científica e Tecnológica. Departamento de Informações em Saúde. Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil.Fundação Oswaldo Cruz. Centro de Informação Científica e Tecnológica. Departamento de Informações em Saúde. Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil.Fundação Oswaldo Cruz. Centro de Informação Científica e Tecnológica. Departamento de Informações em Saúde. Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil.Fundação Oswaldo Cruz. Centro de Informação Científica e Tecnológica. Departamento de Informações em Saúde. Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil.Fundação Oswaldo Cruz. Centro de Informação Científica e Tecnológica. Departamento de Informações em Saúde. Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil.Este estudo ecológico testa a associação entre desigualdade de renda e condições de saúde no Município do Rio de Janeiro. Utilizaram-se técnicas de geoprocessamento e de regressão múltipla, além do coeficiente de mortalidade infantil, da taxa de mortalidade padronizada por idade, da esperança de vida ao nascer e da taxa de homicídios. Os padrões de desigualdade de renda foram avaliados por meio do índice de Gini, do índice de Robin Hood e da razão da renda média entre os 10% mais ricos e os 40% mais pobres. Os resultados evidenciam correlações significativas dos indicadores de desigualdade de renda com todos os indicadores de saúde, demonstrando que as piores condições de saúde não podem ser dissociadas das disparidades de renda. Para os homicídios, a concentração de indivíduos residentes em favelas se mostrou relevante, sugerindo uma piora adicional das condições de saúde através da deterioração das interações comunitárias e do aumento da criminalidade. A análise geoepidemiológica aponta para o vínculo entre as piores condições de saúde e a concentração residencial de pobreza. Conclui-se que há necessidade urgente de se implementarem políticas compensatórias para amenizar os efeitos danosos da desigualdade social.This ecological analysis addresses the association between income inequality and health status in the municipality of Rio de Janeiro. Data were analyzed using geo-processing and multiple regression techniques. The following health indicators were used: infant mortality rate; standardized mortality rate; life expectancy at birth; and homicide rate among 15-29-year-old males. Patterns of income inequality were assessed through income distribution indicators: Gini index, Robin Hood index, and top 10%/bottom 40% average income ratio. The results indicate significant correlations between income distribution indicators and health indicators, providing additional empirical evidence of the association between health status and income inequality. For the homicide rate, the effect of the indicator “density of slum residents” was also relevant, suggesting that further deterioration in health standards may be due to social disruption of deprived communities and the resultant increase in criminal activity. The geo-epidemiological analysis presented here highlights the association between adverse health outcomes and residential concentration of poverty. Social policies focused on slum residents are needed to reduce the harmful effects of relative deprivation