Significant Digits: Responsible Use of Quantitative Information

We live in an age when good policies are assumed to be evidence-based. And that evidential base is assumed to be at its best when expressed in numbers. The digital information may be derived from quantitative data organised in statistics, or from qualitative data organised in indicators. Either way, evidence in digital form provides the accepted foundation of policy arguments over a very broad range of issues. In the policy realm there are frequent debates over particular policy issues and their associated evidence. But only rarely is the nature of the evidence called into question. Such a faith in numbers can be dangerous. Policies in economic and financial policy, based on numbers whose significance was less than assumed, recently turned out to be quite disastrously wrong. Other examples can easily be cited. The decades-long period of blaming dietary fats for heart disease, rather than sugar, is a notable recent case. We are concerned here with the systemic problem: whether we are regularly placing too much of an evidentiary burden on quantitative sciences whose strength and maturity are inherently inadequate. The harm that has been done to those sciences, as well as to the policy process, should be recognised. Only in that way can future errors be avoided. The present report gives an account of the conversations held at a workshop organised by the JRC: Significant Digits, Responsible Use of Information held in June 2015 in Brussels, offering recommendations for the operation at the JRC.JRC.DDG.01-Econometrics and applied statistic

Biochar Enhances Nitrous Oxide Reduction in Acidic but Not in Near-Neutral pH Soil

We quantified nitrous oxide (N2O) fluxes and total denitrification (N2O + N2) in an acidic (Ferralsol) and a near-neutral pH soil (Cambisol) to determine whether biochar’s alkalinization effect could be the mechanism inducing potential reductions in N2O fluxes. In Ferralsol, decreases in N2O emissions and in the N2O to N2O + N2 ratio were observed in both biochar and lime treatments. In Cambisol, neither biochar nor lime decreased N2O emissions, despite significantly increasing soil pH. The abundance and community structure of nosZ gene-bearing microorganisms indicated that gene abundances did not explain biochar effects, but a higher diversity of nosZ gene-bearing microorganisms correlated to lower total denitrification. Overall, our results suggest that biochar’s potential to decrease N2O emissions, through soil alkalinization, may be more effective in acidic soils

Development of a New Manufacturing Route by Direct Laser Metal Deposition With NiCrSiFeB Alloys to Replace Cobalt in Aeronautical Components

Nickel-based NiCrSiFeB alloy (Ni-Cr-Si-B self-fluxing family) are excellent candidates for replacing Cobalt-based alloys in aeronautical components such as sealing rings, valve seats, sliding bearing seats, etc. In this type of components, commonly manufactured by centrifugal casting and conventional processes, high temperature wear and stiffness under complex thermo-mechanical stresses cause lack of sealing and an increase in the wear rate. Metal additive manufacturing by direct laser metal deposition with powder (p-LMD) is presented as a potential manufacturing route for the complex processing of this type of alloys. This research work deals with the development of a new manufacturing route using p-LMD that ranges from the proper selection of the chemical composition for the starting powders, the development of the LMD process parameters to tackle the challenges associated to the wide solidification range and crack susceptibility of Ni-Cr-Si-B alloys, its monitoring and control, as well as the post-processing required to achieve the manufacture of aeronautical components. In this work, the porosity analysis, as-built microstructure, hardness at room temperature and at high temperature, and the strengthening mechanisms have been studied in cylinders manufactured with different chemical composition grades and LMD process parameter sets (slow, normal and fast deposition speed)

Occurrence of corynebacteriosis in foals in the state of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Assinala-se a ocorrência de um surto de infecção por Corynebacterium equi, em potros, num haras de cavalos de corrida no Estado do Rio de Janeiro. A doença, também conhecida por pneumonia purulenta infecciosa de Magnusson, vitimou cinco potros com idades entre 49 e 62 dias e um com 5 meses. Em todos os casos, havia abscessos pulmonares; em um também supuração de linfonodo mesentérico e em outro poliartrite supurada. O agente etiológico foi isolado das lesões e identificado bacteriològicamente. Deve ser a primeira descrição da corinebacteriose em potros no Brasil.An outbreak of Corynebacterium equi, Magnusson 1923, in six thoroughbred foals from a study in the state of Rio de Janeiro, is described. It appears to be the first report of corynebacteriosis in foals in Brazil

Measuring the patient perspective on latissimus dorsi donor site outcomes following breast reconstruction.

BACKGROUND: There is little evidence about the long-term donor site outcome of latissimus dorsi breast reconstruction and no patient-reported outcome measures designed specifically for the procedure. METHODS: A prospective cohort of breast cancer patients having latissimus dorsi reconstruction after a mastectomy was recruited from 270 hospitals in the United Kingdom. An 18-month follow up questionnaire containing two novel scales was sent to consenting patients. The prevalence of aesthetic and functional morbidity at the donor site was described. The two new scales were refined using the Rasch measurement model and subsequently validated. RESULTS: 1,096 women completed the new scales. 78% of patients reported that no back appearance issues had bothered them "most of the time" or "all of the time" in the past two weeks. The equivalent figure for functional morbidity was 60%. Four items were eliminated following initial psychometric testing. This produced an 8-item Back Appearance scale and an 11-item Back and Shoulder Function scale. Both scales showed adequate fit to the Rasch measurement model. Higher levels of aesthetic and functional bother were observed for completely autologous procedures versus those where latissimus dorsi reconstruction was used to cover an implant (p <0.05). Higher levels of aesthetic bother were observed in women who had suffered a perioperative complication at the donor site (p = 0.003). CONCLUSION: These results can inform patients of the morbidity associated with latissimus dorsi reconstruction. The new scales can be used to compare groups undergoing different variations of the procedure and to monitor individual patients

Portuguese emigration to Angola (2000-2015): Strengthening a specific postcolonial relationship in a new global framework?

Outflows to the Portuguese-speaking countries, although not dominant, played an important role in the growth of Portuguese emigration during the economic recession and austerity period, between 2010 and 2016. This chapter examines this migration process, considering that contemporary migration from Portugal to Angola is an example of reverse post-colonial migration within the framework of North-South movements. It presents the historical and socio-demographic background of Angola and some theoretical insights on the issue of North-South migration. The analyses of the migration process and the emigrants’ profiles rely in statistics and academic literature but especially on data gathered in a direct survey. Attention is given to indicators of integration, relations with Portugal and the post-colonial nature of the process. The profile of Portuguese in Angola shows an overrepresentation of highly skilled males over 35 years old, which migrated for professional reasons and sustain relations with Portugal through diverse transnational practices. This supports explanations for the emergence of North-South migration by appeal to economic expansion associated to the increasing insertion of several developing countries into global networks. However, the analysis fails to back up the hypothesis that Portuguese emigration to Angola is a form of reverse post-colonial migration based in ancestral return.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Exploitation of Herpesviral Transactivation Allows Quantitative Reporter Gene-Based Assessment of Virus Entry and Neutralization

Herpesviral entry is a highly elaborated process requiring many proteins to act in precise conjunction. Neutralizing antibodies interfere with this process to abrogate viral infection. Based on promoter transactivation of a reporter gene we established a novel method to quantify herpesvirus entry and neutralization by antibodies. Following infection with mouse and human cytomegalovirus and Herpes simplex virus 1 we observed promoter transactivation resulting in substantial luciferase expression (>1000-fold). No induction was elicited by UV-inactivated viruses. The response was MOI-dependent and immunoblots confirmed a correlation between luciferase induction and pp72-IE1 expression. Monoclonal antibodies, immune sera and purified immunoglobulin preparations decreased virus-dependent luciferase induction dose-dependently, qualifying this approach as surrogate virus neutralization test. Besides the reduced hands-on time, this assay allows analysis of herpesvirus entry in semi-permissive and non-adherent cells, which were previously non-assessable but play significant roles in herpesvirus pathology

The EuRRECa project as a model for data access and governance policies for rare disease registries that collect clinical outcomes

No abstract available