Birth Outcomes Associated With Heavy Metal Exposures In The Surroundings Of A Former Chemical Plant In Târnăveni, Romania

Heavy metal exposures have long been a public health concern, research on this field may promote policies and regulations to restrict or limit certain industrial practices. This study aims to evaluate potential associations between toxic heavy metal exposures via contaminated environmental media and the frequency of the birth defects in the designated area: Tarnaveni, Romania; historically contaminated by a former chemical plant. In 2018, a pilot investigation conducted on the site demonstrated that chromium (Cr), lead (Pb), and manganese (Mn) are common heavy metal contaminants found. Soil concentrations for all three metals exceeded normal background levels according to Romanian Environmental Law. This study highlights a mixed approach in terms of using both soil (environmental) and blood (biofluid) samples to identify exposures, stratifying the results into individual effects of different metals, and integrating the effects from all exposures. Data from 30 pregnant women in the area were collected and heavy metal concentrations were measured (Cr, Pb, Mn in soil and blood; in addition to Arsenic and Cadmium in blood) and correlated these exposures levels to birth outcomes. The estimated exposure intakes were calculated for the population using a probabilistic method. The end-point specific hazard quotients (HQs) and hazard index (HI) were calculated to evaluate the non-carcinogenic health risk. A spatial analysis was performed to investigate the relationship of metal concentration and cases. By assessing the population needs and communities’ health, it is hoped to raise awareness and potentially promote further studies in this subject

2013 Catalyst Census: Fortune 500 Women Executive Officers and Top Earners

This census shows the number of women in top earner and executive positions in Fortune 500 companies and compares the results to previous years

A Markov Switching Vector Error Correction Model on Oil Price and Gold Price Effect on Stock Market Returns

Stock market index represent a country growth and always as an interest for economist and statisticians. In this paper, the effect of oil price and gold price on stock market index on Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand and Indonesia are investigated and a two-regime Markov Switching Vector Error Correction model is used to examine the nonlinear properties model. Moreover, a two regime mean adjusted Markov Switching Vector Error Correction model is used in the study to capture the filtered and smoothed probabilities of the time series sequence in the economic model. Results found that the oil price and gold price affect the movement of the Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand and Indonesia stock market index and there is an asymmetric cycle since 97% of the total sample size is recorded in the growth state

Ultraaccurate genome sequencing and haplotyping of single human cells.

Accurate detection of variants and long-range haplotypes in genomes of single human cells remains very challenging. Common approaches require extensive in vitro amplification of genomes of individual cells using DNA polymerases and high-throughput short-read DNA sequencing. These approaches have two notable drawbacks. First, polymerase replication errors could generate tens of thousands of false-positive calls per genome. Second, relatively short sequence reads contain little to no haplotype information. Here we report a method, which is dubbed SISSOR (single-stranded sequencing using microfluidic reactors), for accurate single-cell genome sequencing and haplotyping. A microfluidic processor is used to separate the Watson and Crick strands of the double-stranded chromosomal DNA in a single cell and to randomly partition megabase-size DNA strands into multiple nanoliter compartments for amplification and construction of barcoded libraries for sequencing. The separation and partitioning of large single-stranded DNA fragments of the homologous chromosome pairs allows for the independent sequencing of each of the complementary and homologous strands. This enables the assembly of long haplotypes and reduction of sequence errors by using the redundant sequence information and haplotype-based error removal. We demonstrated the ability to sequence single-cell genomes with error rates as low as 10-8 and average 500-kb-long DNA fragments that can be assembled into haplotype contigs with N50 greater than 7 Mb. The performance could be further improved with more uniform amplification and more accurate sequence alignment. The ability to obtain accurate genome sequences and haplotype information from single cells will enable applications of genome sequencing for diverse clinical needs

A Study of Intercept Adjusted Markov Switching Vector Autoregressive Model in Economic Time Series Data

Commodity price always related to the movement of stock market index. However real economic time series data always exhibit nonlinear properties such as structural change, jumps or break in the series through time. Therefore, linear time series models are no longer suitable and Markov Switching Vector Autoregressive models which able to study the asymmetry and regime switching behavior of the data are used in the study. Intercept adjusted Markov Switching Vector Autoregressive (MSI-VAR) model is discuss and applied in the study to capture the smooth transition of the stock index changes from recession state to growth state. Results found that the dramatically changes from one state to another state are continuous smooth transition in both regimes. In addition, the 1-step prediction probability for the two regime Markov Switching model which act as the filtered probability to the actual probability of the variables is converged to the actual probability when undergo an intercept adjusted after a shift. This prove that MSI-VAR model is suitable to use in examine the changes of the economic model and able to provide significance, valid and reliable results. While oil price and gold price also proved that as a factor in affecting the stock exchange

Linear Vector Error Correction Model Versus Markov Switching Vector Error Correction Model To Investigate Stock Market Behaviour

The stock market can reflect the economy of a country. The movement of the stock market index may imply the economic condition in general. The 1997 Asian Financial Crisis and the 2008 Global Economic Crisis are examples of share depressions that impacted countries’ inflation, unemployment rates and gross national product (GNP). This study investigates how oil and gold prices impact the stock exchange using a linear vector error correction model (VECM) and a Markov switching vector error correction model (MS-VECM). The results show that oil and gold prices affect the stock market returns for the four selected countries, namely Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand and Indonesia. The MS-VECM is able to capture every change in the transition probabilities of the financial time series data and is more reliable than the linear VECM for examining the effect of oil and gold prices on the stock market

Cerebral small vessel disease burden is associated with poststroke depressive symptoms: A 15-month prospective study

Objective: All types of cerebral small vessel disease (SVD) markers including lacune, white matter hyperintensities (WMH), cerebral microbleeds, and perivascular spaces were found to be associated with poststroke depressive symptoms (PDS). This study explored whether the combination of the four markers constituting an overall SVD burden was associated with PDS. Methods: A cohort of 563 patients with acute ischemic stroke were followed over a 15-month period after the index stroke. A score of _7 on the 15-item Geriatric Depression Scale was defined as clinically significant PDS. Scores of the four SVD markers ascertained on magnetic resonance imaging were summed up to represent total SVD burden. The association between SVD burden and PDS was assessed with generalized estimating equation models. Results: The study sample had a mean age of 67.0 _ 10.2 years and mild-moderate stroke [National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale score: 3, interquartile, 1–5]. PDS were found in 18.3%, 11.6%, and 12.3% of the sample at 3, 9, and 15 months after stroke, respectively. After adjusting for demographic characteristics, vascular risk factors, social support, stroke severity, physical and cognitive functions, and size and locations of stroke, the SVD burden was associated with an increased risk of PDS [odds ratio = 1.30; 95% confidence interval = 1.07–1.58; p = 0.010]. Other significant predictors of PDS were time of assessment, female sex, smoking, number of acute infarcts, functional independence, and social support. Conclusion: SVD burden was associated with PDS examined over a 15-month follow-up in patients with mild to moderate acute ischemic stroke

Integrating Corporate Social Media Communication into the English Language Curricula

The rise of social media has affected how people do business and communicate. Companies interact with potential customers, share offers and promote sales, tracking instant Responses on the internet. Exploring how they do them with language can enable meaningful changes in the vocational English language curricula. This study gives a descriptive analysis of 500 selected corporate FaceBook (FB) threads collected from the 100 Best Global Brands in 2017. It delivers a sizable collection of corporate FB posts categorised according to industry, business topics, language functions, etc. For contextual analysis, the three parameters ‘Field’, ‘Tenor’ and ‘Mode’ based on the Hallidayan framework (Halliday and Hasan, 1985) are used while the Language Analysis Framework for Writing (California Department of Education, 2015) is adopted for the analysis of language characteristics. The findings reveal that a range of communication strategies, remarkably different from those in traditional business communication, are employed by corporates to boost FB traffic, achieve succinctness and innovation and build brand images. The study is significant to vocational and professional education and training as it facilitates close reference to exemplary authentic language materials of the best global brands. The unique characteristics of social media like spontaneity, interactivity and openness will also shed light on a new variety of topics, content and styles for vocational English training. The versatile nature of social media also makes the study a good stepping stone for any further joint research on content and language integrated learning (CLIL)

2013 Catalyst Census: Fortune 500 Women Board Directors

This census looks at the number of women who serve on the board of directors at Fortune 500 companies and compares the results to previous years