106 research outputs found
Effect on the demand and stock returns: cross-sectional of Big Data and time-series analysis
For reducing the degree of uncertainty caused by constant change in the environment, large, medium or small, private or public organizations must support their decisions in something more than experience or intuition; they must be supported by the development of accurate and reliable forecasts in order to meet the needs in the organization planning tasks. This case study presents a growing company dedicated to the storage of perishable products and incorporates time series forecasting techniques to estimate the volume of storage to foresee the requirements of additional facilities, personnel and materials needed for product mobility
Process evaluation of the health education resource Abre los Ojos for street-involved youth in Medellín
ABSTRACT: Conduct a process evaluation of a health
education resource (pamphlet)¸ Abre los Ojos, designed
for street-involved youth in Medellín. The primary foci
of the evaluation were the process of developing the resource
and youth’s subsequent perception of the resource.
Methodology: Drawing upon both qualitative and
quantitative data, a process evaluation was undertaken.
Ninety four street-involved youth between the ages of 14–24 years completed surveys about the resource. These
semi-structured interviews were key for the information
about youth perception of the resource. In addition
to individual interviews, prior to resource creation, a series
of focus groups were integral for the development of
the resource. Results: The process of consulting with the
target population through the focus groups was effective
in obtaining their ideas and feedback about what type of
content they would like to see in a health education resource,
and how they wanted that content presented. After
distribution, participants described that Abre los Ojos
contained information that was valuable and relevant
to their experiences. While not a primary focus of this
evaluation, the individual interviews were also able to
provide some preliminary insight into whether Abre los
Ojos was an effective means for participants to increase
their knowledge of content included in the resource.
Conclusion: The collaborative process of jointly developing
the resource content in partnership with the youth
proved very worthwhile. While our research team chose
to include information about HIV, through focus group
dialogue, the youth themselves determined the additional
content themes (piercings, use of solvents, and description
of life on the street). The resulting resource was
well-received by members of the street-involved population
who had not been involved in its design.RESUMEN: Evaluar el proceso de desarrollo del folleto
educativo en salud Abre los ojos, diseñado para jóvenes en
situación de calle en Medellín. Se evaluaron tanto el proceso
de su creación como su percepción posterior entre los jóvenes.
Metodología: la evaluación incluyó el análisis de datos
cuantitativos y cualitativos mediante entrevistas individuales
y grupos focales con jóvenes en situación de calle de
Medellín. De estos jóvenes, 94, con edades entre 14 y 24 años,
respondieron una encuesta de percepciones sobre el material.
Resultados: los grupos focales fueron efectivos para recoger
las ideas y sugerencias del tipo de contenido que ellos querían
para el material educativo de salud y la forma de presentarlo.
Después de distribuirlo, la respuesta general resultó positiva.
Manifestaron que contenía información valiosa y relevante en
relación con sus experiencias. Pese a no ser el objeto principal
de esta evaluación, las entrevistas individuales proporcionaron
resultados preliminares acerca de la posible efectividad del
material educativo para incrementar el nivel de conocimiento
de los participantes sobre los temas allí incluidos. Conclusión:
el proceso colaborativo para desarrollar el contenido del
material educativo, en asocio con los jóvenes, probó ser
muy valioso. Mientras que los investigadores seleccionaron
información sobre vih, los jóvenes seleccionaron información
de otros temas como piercing, uso de solventes y lo que
significa vivir en la calle. El material educativo resultante fue
bien recibido por representantes de los jóvenes en situación
de calle de Medellín, diferentes a los que participaron en su
diseño
Changes in the Frontotemporal Cortex and Cognitive Correlates in First-Episode Psychosis
Background: Loss of cortical volume in frontotemporal regions has been reported in patients with schizophrenia and their relatives. Cortical area and thickness are determined by different genetic processes, and measuring these parameters separately may clarify disturbances in corticogenesis relevant to schizophrenia. Our study also explored clinical and cognitive correlates of these parameters.Methods: Thirty-seven patients with first-episode psychosis (34 schizophrenia, 3 schizoaffective disorder) and 38 healthy control subjects matched for age and sex took part in the study. Imaging was performed on an magnetic resonance imaging 1.5-T scanner. Area and thickness of the frontotemporal cortex were measured using a surface-based morphometry method (Freesurfer). All subjects underwent neuropsychologic testing that included measures of premorbid and current IQ, working and verbal memory, and executive function.Results: Reductions in cortical area, more marked in the temporal cortex, were present in patients. Overall frontotemporal cortical thickness did not differ between groups, although regional thinning of the right superior temporal region was observed in patients. There was a significant association of both premorbid IQ and IQ at disease onset with area, but not thickness, of the frontotemporal cortex, and working memory span was associated with area of the frontal cortex. These associations remained significant when only patients with schizophrenia were considered.Conclusions: Our results suggest an early disruption of corticogenesis in schizophrenia, although the effect of subsequent environmental factors cannot be excluded. In addition, cortical abnormalities are subject to regional variations and differ from those present in neurodegenerative diseases
Progetti partecipativi per la (ri)costruzione collettiva della Vega de Granada come territorio agricolo periurbano
The impaired condition of agriculture, and of periurban agricultural areas in particular, necessarily requires a switch in the direction imposed by the contemporary metropolitan model, using the opportunities offered by social participation, meant as territorial government ruled by citizenship, as turning point. On the basis of this statement, the Granada metropolitan area, and in particular the irrigated plane (la Vega) that gives it sense and landscape identity, is approached through participatory projects trying to identify conflicts, values and perspectives of a sustainable future for these territories.La situazione deteriorata dell’agricoltura e, in particolare, degli spazi agricoli periurbani, implica la necessità di un cambio di direzione, rispetto a quella imposta dal modello metropolitano contemporaneo, che parta dalle opportunità offerte dalla partecipazione sociale intesa come governo del territorio da parte della cittadinanza. Sulla base di questa premessa si affronta l’area metropolitana di Granada e, in particolare, la piana irrigua che le conferisce senso e identità paesistica (la Vega) utilizzando progetti partecipativi finalizzati all’identificazione dei conflitti, dei valori e delle prospettive di un futuro sostenibile per questo territorio
A 3D numerical approach to assess the temporal evolution of settlement damage to buildings on cavities subject to weathering
Mendelian Randomization Analysis of the Relationship Between Native American Ancestry and Gallbladder Cancer Risk
Background A strong association between the proportion of Native American ancestry and the risk of gallbladder cancer (GBC) has been reported in observational studies. Chileans show the highest incidence of GBC worldwide, and the Mapuche are the largest Native American people in Chile. We set out to investigate the causal association between Native American Mapuche ancestry and GBC risk, and the possible mediating effects of gallstone disease and body mass index (BMI) on this association. Methods Markers of Mapuche ancestry were selected based on the informativeness for assignment measure and then used as instrumental variables in two-sample mendelian randomization (MR) analyses and complementary sensitivity analyses. Result We found evidence of a causal effect of Mapuche ancestry on GBC risk (inverse variance-weighted (IVW) risk increase of 0.8% for every 1% increase in Mapuche ancestry proportion, 95% CI 0.4% to 1.2%, p = 6.6×10-5). Mapuche ancestry was also causally linked to gallstone disease (IVW risk increase of 3.6% per 1% increase in Mapuche proportion, 95% CI 3.1% to 4.0%, p = 1.0×10-59), suggesting a mediating effect of gallstones in the relationship between Mapuche ancestry and GBC. In contrast, the proportion of Mapuche ancestry showed a negative causal effect on BMI (IVW estimate -0.006 kg/m2 per 1% increase in Mapuche proportion, 95% CI -0.009 to -0.003, p = 4.4×10-5). Conclusions The results presented here may have significant implications for GBC prevention and are important for future admixture mapping studies. Given that the association between Mapuche ancestry and GBC risk previously noted in observational studies appears to be causal, primary and secondary prevention strategies that take into account the individual proportion of Mapuche ancestry could be particularly efficient
Dissemination of Cephalosporin Resistance Genes between Escherichia coli Strains from Farm Animals and Humans by Specific Plasmid Lineages
Third-generation cephalosporins are a class of β-lactam antibiotics that are often used for the treatment of human infections caused by Gram-negative bacteria, especially Escherichia coli. Worryingly, the incidence of human infections caused by third-generation cephalosporin-resistant E. coli is increasing worldwide. Recent studies have suggested that these E. coli strains, and their antibiotic resistance genes, can spread from food-producing animals, via the food-chain, to humans. However, these studies used traditional typing methods, which may not have provided sufficient resolution to reliably assess the relatedness of these strains. We therefore used whole-genome sequencing (WGS) to study the relatedness of cephalosporin-resistant E. coli from humans, chicken meat, poultry and pigs. One strain collection included pairs of human and poultry-associated strains that had previously been considered to be identical based on Multi-Locus Sequence Typing, plasmid typing and antibiotic resistance gene sequencing. The second collection included isolates from farmers and their pigs. WGS analysis revealed considerable heterogeneity between human and poultry-associated isolates. The most closely related pairs of strains from both sources carried 1263 Single-Nucleotide Polymorphisms (SNPs) per Mbp core genome. In contrast, epidemiologically linked strains from humans and pigs differed by only 1.8 SNPs per Mbp core genome. WGS-based plasmid reconstructions revealed three distinct plasmid lineages (IncI1- and IncK-type) that carried cephalosporin resistance genes of the Extended-Spectrum Beta-Lactamase (ESBL)- and AmpC-types. The plasmid backbones within each lineage were virtually identical and were shared by genetically unrelated human and animal isolates. Plasmid reconstructions from short-read sequencing data were validated by long-read DNA sequencing for two strains. Our findings failed to demonstrate evidence for recent clonal transmission of cephalosporin-resistant E. coli strains from poultry to humans, as has been suggested based on traditional, low-resolution typing methods. Instead, our data suggest that cephalosporin resistance genes are mainly disseminated in animals and humans via distinct plasmids
Spread of a SARS-CoV-2 variant through Europe in the summer of 2020.
Following its emergence in late 2019, the spread of SARS-CoV-21,2 has been tracked by phylogenetic analysis of viral genome sequences in unprecedented detail3–5. Although the virus spread globally in early 2020 before borders closed, intercontinental travel has since been greatly reduced. However, travel within Europe resumed in the summer of 2020. Here we report on a SARS-CoV-2 variant, 20E (EU1), that was identified in Spain in early summer 2020 and subsequently spread across Europe. We find no evidence that this variant has increased transmissibility, but instead demonstrate how rising incidence in Spain, resumption of travel, and lack of effective screening and containment may explain the variant’s success. Despite travel restrictions, we estimate that 20E (EU1) was introduced hundreds of times to European countries by summertime travellers, which is likely to have undermined local efforts to minimize infection with SARS-CoV-2. Our results illustrate how a variant can rapidly become dominant even in the absence of a substantial transmission advantage in favourable epidemiological settings. Genomic surveillance is critical for understanding how travel can affect transmission of SARS-CoV-2, and thus for informing future containment strategies as travel resumes. © 2021, The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature Limited
COVAD survey 2 long-term outcomes: unmet need and protocol
Vaccine hesitancy is considered a major barrier to achieving herd immunity against COVID-19. While multiple alternative and synergistic approaches including heterologous vaccination, booster doses, and antiviral drugs have been developed, equitable vaccine uptake remains the foremost strategy to manage pandemic. Although none of the currently approved vaccines are live-attenuated, several reports of disease flares, waning protection, and acute-onset syndromes have emerged as short-term adverse events after vaccination. Hence, scientific literature falls short when discussing potential long-term effects in vulnerable cohorts. The COVAD-2 survey follows on from the baseline COVAD-1 survey with the aim to collect patient-reported data on the long-term safety and tolerability of COVID-19 vaccines in immune modulation. The e-survey has been extensively pilot-tested and validated with translations into multiple languages. Anticipated results will help improve vaccination efforts and reduce the imminent risks of COVID-19 infection, especially in understudied vulnerable groups
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