Varieties of platform work: Platforms and social inequality in Germany and the United States

The platform economy has been criticized for exacerbating social inequalities in various ways. This study draws on these discussions and examines the extent to which social inequalities are being reproduced, reduced, or even increased within platform work. The first central question is that of the precariousness of this form of work and the vulnerability of the platform workers as a group. This is followed by a second question about the role of classical dimensions of inequality of education and gender within the group of platform workers. The study focuses on inequalities related to income, workload, and the subjective perception of platform work. It follows a comparative approach, building on institutionalist analyses developed in labor market and inequality research. The empirical analysis is based on case studies of 15 crowdwork platforms in the United States and Germany and on an online survey of crowdworkers in both countries. While platforms represent a global organizational model, they are embedded in different models of capitalism. The study shows that existing labor market segmentation and social welfare systems determine who works on platforms and to what extent. The weaker the social safety net, the more likely platform work is to be both a curse and a blessing: It offers a much needed and flexible source of income, albeit under extremely precarious conditions. The stronger the social safety net, on the other hand, the greater the market power of workers vis-à-vis the platforms

Levocabastine eye drops are effective and well tolerated for the treatment of allergic conjunctivitis in children

This open-label, prospective, multicentre, 4-week trial was undertaken to assess the efficacy and tolerability of twice daily levocabastine eye drops (0.5 mg/ml), with sodium cromoglycate nasal spray for the relief of concurrent nasal symptoms if required, in a total of 233 children with seasonal allergic conjunctivitis. No correlation between efficacy, tolerability and age was found. Investigator assessments revealed that the total severity of ocular symptoms decreased by 84 ± 34% in patients < 12 years and 85 ± 30% in those ≥ 12 years, with corresponding reductions in the total severity of ocular findings of 84% in both patient groups over the 4-week treatment period. Global assessments of therapeutic efficacy revealed the effect of therapy on ocular symptoms to be excellent or good in 81% of patients < 12 years and 82% of those ≥ 12 years after 2 weeks of treatment, with corresponding values at the end of the trial of 88% and 82% in the two groups, respectively. Treatment tolerability was considered to be excellent or good by 94% of patients overall. Application site reactions were the most common adverse event associated with ocular levocabastine, occurring in 13% of patients < 12 years and 9% of those ≥ 12 years. Twice daily levocabastine eye drops therefore appear to be effective and well tolerated for the treatment of seasonal allergic conjunctivitis in children

Identification of harmonics and sidebands in a finite set of spectral components

International audienceSpectral analysis along with the detection of harmonics and modulation sidebands are key elements in condition monitoring systems. Several spectral analysis tools are already able to detect spectral components present in a signal. The challenge is therefore to complete this spectral analysis with a method able to identify harmonic series and modulation sidebands. Compared to the state of the art, the method proposed takes the uncertainty of the frequency estimation into account. The identification is automatically done without any a priori, the search of harmonics is exhaustive and moreover the identification of all the modulation sidebands of each harmonic is done regardless of their energy level. The identified series are characterized by criteria which reflect their relevance and which allow the association of series in families, characteristic of a same physical process. This method is applied on real-world current and vibration data, more or less rich in their spectral content. The identification of sidebands is a strong indicator of failures in mechanical systems. The detection and tracking of these modulations from a very low energy level is an asset for earlier detection of the failure. The proposed method is validated by comparison with expert diagnosis in the concerned fields

Time-Frequency Tracking of Spectral Structures Estimated by a Data-Driven Method

International audience—The installation of a condition monitoring system aims to reduce the operating costs of the monitored system by applying a predictive maintenance strategy. However, a system-driven configuration of the condition monitoring system requires the knowledge of the system kinematics and could induce lots a false alarms because of predefined thresholds. The purpose of this paper is to propose a complete data-driven method to automatically generate system health indicators without any a priori on the monitored system or the acquired signals. This method is composed of two steps. First, every acquired signal is analysed: the spectral peaks are detected and then grouped in more complex structure as harmonic series or modulation sidebands. Then, a time-frequency tracking operation is applied on all available signals: the spectral peaks and the spectral structures are tracked over time and grouped in trajectories, which will be used to generate the system health indicators. The proposed method is tested on real-world signals coming from a wind turbine test rig. The detection of a harmonic series and a modulation sideband reports the birth of a fault on the main bearing inner ring. The evolution of the fault severity is characterised by three automatically generated health indicators and is confirmed by experts

Regional origin and decrease of pain in patients with depressive symptoms under treatment with venlafaxine

Objective: Patient's language, tradition, conventions, and customs may all determine integration into a society and are also part of the doctor-patient relationship that influences diagnostic and therapeutic outcome. Language barrier and sociocultural disparity of Eastern and Southern European patients may hamper recovery from pain and depression compared to Middle European patients in Switzerland. Methods: In a prospective naturalistic observational trial we investigated the influence of regional origin on treatment outcome in 420 pain sufferers with depressive symptoms from all over Switzerland who were treated with venlafaxine by 122 physicians in primary care. Physicians rated severity of depressive symptoms using the clinical global impression severity scale and pain intensity by means of visual analogue scales. We hypothesized that in Eastern and Southern European patients the magnitude of pain reduction under treatment with venlafaxine is less compared to Middle European patients. Results: Three months after study entry, Middle European patients were found to profit more from treatment with venlafaxine in terms of severity of depression and pain intensity than patients from Eastern Europe and Southern Europe. Conclusion: Regional origin may contribute to the magnitude of pain reduction in patients with depressive symptoms under treatment with venlafaxine. Our results provide a rational for care provider educational programs aimed at improving capacities in treating patients from different regional origin with psychosomatic complaints such as depression and comorbid pai

Charakteristika chronischer Schmerzpatienten mit depressiver Begleitsymptomatik in drei unterschiedlichen Behandlungssettings

Zusammenfassung : Hintergrund: : Über demographische und medizinische Charakteristika von chronischen Schmerzpatienten mit depressiven Symptomen in der Praxis ist bisher wenig bekannt. Methodik: : Die Charakteristika hinsichtlich regionaler Herkunft und Schmerz intensität zu Beginn einer antidepressiven Behandlung werden von 585 chronischen Schmerzpatienten mit depressiver Symptomatik aus 122 Arztpraxen der ganzen Schweiz (Innere Medizin, Allgemeinmedizin, Psychiatrie) beschrieben. Aufgrund der klinischen Erfahrungen im Schweizer Gesundheitssystem wurde vermutet, dass Internisten und Allgemeinpraktiker im Vergleich zu Psychiatern eher ältere und geringergradig depressive Patienten mit weniger intensiven chronischen Schmerzen behandeln, die vermehrt aus mitteleuropäischen Ländern stammen. Ergebnisse: : Tatsächlich behandelten Internisten (und Allgemeinpraktiker) gegenüber Psychiatern häufiger ältere Patienten aus Mitteleuropa mit leichteren depressiven Symptomen und geringerer Schmerzintensität sowie seltener Schmerzen im Kopfbereich. Weiter litten Patienten aus Ost- und Südeuropa gegenüber Mitteleuropäern unter intensiveren Gesamtschmerzen, und dies vor allem im Kopf-, Extremitäten-, Rücken- und Brustbereich, während Südeuropäer gegenüber Mitteleuropäern zusätzlich auch vermehrt unter Brustschmerzen litten. Schlussfolgerung: : Es handelt sich um eine vergleichsweise große Stichprobe, die praxisnah und aus allen Regionen der Schweiz niedergelassene, in Schmerzbehandlungen involvierte Internisten, Allgemeinpraktiker und Psychiater einbezieht und damit die Verhältnisse von Patienten mit körperlichen Schmerzen und einer depressiven Begleitsymptomatik hinsichtlich regionaler Herkunft und Schmerzintensität gut repräsentier

On Elementary Loops of Logic Programs

Using the notion of an elementary loop, Gebser and Schaub (2005. Proceedings of the Eighth International Conference on Logic Programming and Nonmonotonic Reasoning (LPNMR\u2705), 53–65) refined the theorem on loop formulas attributable to Lin and Zhao (2004) by considering loop formulas of elementary loops only. In this paper, we reformulate the definition of an elementary loop, extend it to disjunctive programs, and study several properties of elementary loops, including how maximal elementary loops are related to minimal unfounded sets. The results provide useful insights into the stable model semantics in terms of elementary loops. For a nondisjunctive program, using a graph-theoretic characterization of an elementary loop, we show that the problem of recognizing an elementary loop is tractable. On the other hand, we also show that the corresponding problem is coNP-complete for a disjunctive program. Based on the notion of an elementary loop, we present the class of Head-Elementary-loop-Free (HEF) programs, which strictly generalizes the class of Head-Cycle-Free (HCF) programs attributable to Ben-Eliyahu and Dechter (1994. Annals of Mathematics and Artificial Intelligence 12, 53–87). Like an HCF program, an HEF program can be turned into an equivalent nondisjunctive program in polynomial time by shifting head atoms into the body

Automatic method for spectral pattern association with characteristic frequencies

International audienceThis paper proposes an advanced signal-processing technique to improve the condition monitoring of rotating machinery. The proposed method employs the results of a blind spectrum interpretation including harmonic and sideband series detection. The contribution of this paper is an algorithm for automatic association of harmonic and sideband series with the characteristic fault frequencies listed in the kinematic configuration of the monitored system. The proposed algorithm is efficient in inspection of real-world signals, which contain a vast number of detected spectral components. The proposed approach has the advantage of taking into account a possible slip of the rolling-element bearings. The performance of the proposed algorithm is illustrated on real-world data by investigating a shaft problem of an industrial wind turbine high-speed shaft

Measuring work and workers: Wearables and digital assistance systems in manufacturing and logistics

The smart glove or smart data glasses: Digitalization of work means that technology is moving closer to the bodies of employees. It can make movements, vital signs and even emotions visible. Technologies which many people use privately to monitor their sporting activities or health opens up a new dimension of control in the workplace, but also the possibility of supporting employees in complex work processes. Based on case studies of companies in manufacturing and logistics as well as a survey of employees, this study provides insights into operational use cases of wearables and the assessments of employees. It reveals contradictory experiences and a high importance of co-determination and co-design of new technologies by employees and works councils as a condition for using new technologies for improving work quality

Focal palmoplantar and gingival keratosis ? A rare genodermatoses : case report

Focal palmoplantar and gingival keratosis syndrome is a rare dominant inherited disease with an early onset in life. Clinically, the condition is characterized by pressure related thickening of the epidermis of the palms and soles, usually accompanied by pain and different levels of skin involvement and thickness between patients. Recently, we observed a 38-year-old woman with multiple non-removable, painless white plaques of variable size and thickness on the attached gingiva and a white plaque widespread across the hard palate. By further questioning, the patient comments that she has thick yellowish focal plaques in both soles of her feet. Histopathological analysis revealed a hyperplastic and hyperorthokeratinized stratified squamous epithelium with basal hyperplasia. The spinous, granular and stratum corneum showed dispersed basophilic keratohyalin granules. At higher magnification, the keratinocytes contained paranuclear bodies, seen as round eosinophilic condensation that indented the nuclei. Based on these findings the final diagnosis was rendered as focal palmoplantar and gingival keratosis