Large scale HIV survey in Cameroon by mass HIV testing mobile units: Evidence of HIV epidemic hot spot areas and high HIV vulnerability of women over time

Life history calendars (LHCs) are able to capture large-scale retrospective quantitative data, which can be utilized to learn about transitions of behavior change over time. The Testing and Risk History Calendar (TRHC) is a version of life history calendar (LHC) which correlates critical social, sexual and health variables with the timing of HIV testing. In order to fulfill the need for time-bound data regarding HIV testing and risk of older persons in South Africa, a pilot of the TRHC was performed using a paper fold-out grid format. Though the TRHC study in this format was effective as older persons were able to recall details about their HIV testing and risk contexts, the interview process was tedious as data were collected manually. Development of a tablet application for TRHC study will improve data quality and make data entry and collection more automated. This paper presents the development of the TRHC application prototype in order to collect TRHC data electronically and provides a platform for efficient large-scale life history calendar data collection.

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Analysis of 220 Years of Floodplain Population Dynamics in the US at Different Spatial Scales

Water ◽

10.3390/w13020141 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 13 (2) ◽

pp. 141

Author(s):

Firoza Akhter ◽

Maurizio Mazzoleni ◽

Luigia Brandimarte

Keyword(s):

Population Dynamics ◽

Large Scale ◽

Spatial Scales ◽

National Level ◽

State Level ◽

Economic Activities ◽

Protection Measures ◽

Management Planning ◽

The Us ◽

Over Time

In this study, we explore the long-term trends of floodplain population dynamics at different spatial scales in the contiguous United States (U.S.). We exploit different types of datasets from 1790–2010—i.e., decadal spatial distribution for the population density in the US, global floodplains dataset, large-scale data of flood occurrence and damage, and structural and nonstructural flood protection measures for the US. At the national level, we found that the population initially settled down within the floodplains and then spread across its territory over time. At the state level, we observed that flood damages and national protection measures might have contributed to a learning effect, which in turn, shaped the floodplain population dynamics over time. Finally, at the county level, other socio-economic factors such as local flood insurances, economic activities, and socio-political context may predominantly influence the dynamics. Our study shows that different influencing factors affect floodplain population dynamics at different spatial scales. These facts are crucial for a reliable development and implementation of flood risk management planning.

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Development and Evaluation of Geostatistical Methods for Estimating Weather Related Collisions: A Large-Scale Case Study

Transportation Research Record Journal of the Transportation Research Board ◽

10.1177/03611981211020008 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 036119812110200

Author(s):

Andy H. Wong ◽

Tae J. Kwon

Keyword(s):

Large Scale ◽

Mean Squared Error ◽

Hot Spot ◽

High Ratio ◽

Contributing Factors ◽

Geostatistical Methods ◽

Road Users ◽

Statistical Measures ◽

Weather Events

Winter driving conditions pose a real hazard to road users with increased chance of collisions during inclement weather events. As such, road authorities strive to service the hazardous roads or collision hot spots by increasing road safety, mobility, and accessibility. One measure of a hot spot would be winter collision statistics. Using the ratio of winter collisions (WC) to all collisions, roads that show a high ratio of WC should be given a high priority for further diagnosis and countermeasure selection. This study presents a unique methodological framework that is built on one of the least explored yet most powerful geostatistical techniques, namely, regression kriging (RK). Unlike other variants of kriging, RK uses auxiliary variables to gain a deeper understanding of contributing factors while also utilizing the spatial autocorrelation structure for predicting WC ratios. The applicability and validity of RK for a large-scale hot spot analysis is evaluated using the northeast quarter of the State of Iowa, spanning five winter seasons from 2013/14 to 2017/18. The findings of the case study assessed via three different statistical measures (mean squared error, root mean square error, and root mean squared standardized error) suggest that RK is very effective for modeling WC ratios, thereby further supporting its robustness and feasibility for a statewide implementation.

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China’s Investments in Germany and the Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic

Intereconomics ◽

10.1007/s10272-021-0962-0 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 56 (2) ◽

pp. 113-119

Author(s):

Xinming Xia ◽

Wan-Hsin Liu

Keyword(s):

Large Scale ◽

Know How ◽

Advanced Technologies ◽

The Future ◽

Potential Impact ◽

Chinese State ◽

The Impact ◽

Gain Access ◽

Over Time

AbstractThis paper analyses how China’s investments in Germany have developed over time and the potential impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in this regard, based on four different datasets, including our own survey in mid-2020. Our analysis shows that Germany is currently one of the most attractive investment destinations for Chinese investors. Chinese state-owned enterprises have played an important role as investors in Germany — particularly in large-scale projects. The COVID-19 pandemic has had some negative but rather temporary effects on Chinese investments in Germany. Germany is expected to stay attractive to Chinese investors who seek to gain access to advanced technologies and know-how in the future.

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Pioneers in International Administration: A Prosopography of the Directors of the League of Nations Secretariat

New Global Studies ◽

10.1515/ngs-2018-0039 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 13 (2) ◽

pp. 190-227 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Torsten Kahlert

Keyword(s):

International Organizations ◽

Large Scale ◽

Second World War ◽

League Of Nations ◽

World War ◽

Clear Trend ◽

Organizational Contexts ◽

Career Trajectories ◽

Second World ◽

Over Time

AbstractThis article investigates interwar internationalism from the perspective of the highest personnel of the first large-scale international administration, the League of Nations Secretariat. It applies a prosopographical approach in order to map out the development of the composition of the group of the section directors of the Secretariat over time in terms of its social and cultural characteristics and career trajectories. The analysis of gender, age, nationality, as well as educational and professional backgrounds and careers after their service for the League’s Secretariat gives insight on how this group changed over time and what it tells us about interwar internationalism. I have three key findings to offer in this article: First, the Secretariat was far from being a static organization. On the contrary, the Secretariat’s directors developed in three generations each with distinct characteristics. Second, my analysis demonstrates a clear trend towards professionalization and growing maturity of the administration over time. Third, the careers of the directors show a clear pattern of continuity across the Second World War and beyond. Even though the careers continued in different organizational contexts, the majority of the directors remained closely connected to the world of internationalism of the League, the UN world and its surrounding organizations. On a methodological level, the article offers an example of how prosopographical analysis can be used to study international organizations.

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A Framework and Case Study for Earthquake Vulnerability Assessment of Incrementally Expanding Buildings

Earthquake Spectra ◽

10.1193/011116eqs010m ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 33 (4) ◽

pp. 1369-1384 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

David Lallemant ◽

Henry Burton ◽

Luis Ceferino ◽

Zach Bullock ◽

Anne Kiremidjian

Keyword(s):

Large Scale ◽

Building Construction ◽

Risk Assessment Models ◽

Earthquake Vulnerability ◽

Valley Area ◽

Common Understanding ◽

Dynamic Structural Analysis ◽

Neighborhood Level ◽

Over Time

This study proposes a framework for incorporating time-dependent fragility into large-scale risk assessment models, focusing on incremental building expansion as a significant driver of changes in vulnerability. In rapidly urbanizing areas in developing countries, the pay-as-you-go process of informal building construction and staged expansion is the de facto pattern of growth. While there is a common understanding that such expansions increase the earthquake vulnerability of buildings, this study proposes a framework to model and quantify this increase. Vulnerability curves are developed through incremental dynamic structural analysis for common building expansion typologies. Building expansions are modeled as Markov chain processes and used to simulate stochastic expansion sequences over a building's lifetime. The model is then used to simulate a hypothetical neighborhood in the Kathmandu valley area to understand neighborhood-level risk over time. The study provides a new methodology to analyze changing seismic risk over time, driven by any building modification that impacts the building's vulnerability (incremental expansion, deterioration, retrofit, etc.).

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Rapid Spread of the SARS-CoV-2 Variant of Concern 202012/01 in Southern Italy (December 2020–March 2021)

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ◽

10.3390/ijerph18094766 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 18 (9) ◽

pp. 4766

Author(s):

Daniela Loconsole ◽

Francesca Centrone ◽

Caterina Morcavallo ◽

Silvia Campanella ◽

Anna Sallustio ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Clinical Characteristics ◽

Large Scale ◽

Southern Italy ◽

Whole Genome ◽

Third Wave ◽

Gene Target ◽

The Third ◽

Rapid Spread ◽

Pharmaceutical Interventions ◽

Over Time

Epidemiological and virological studies have revealed that SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern (VOCs) are emerging globally, including in Europe. The aim of this study was to evaluate the spread of B.1.1.7-lineage SARS-CoV-2 in southern Italy from December 2020–March 2021 through the detection of the S gene target failure (SGTF), which could be considered a robust proxy of VOC B.1.1.7. SGTF was assessed on 3075 samples from week 52/2020 to week 10/2021. A subset of positive samples identified in the Apulia region during the study period was subjected to whole-genome sequencing (WGS). A descriptive and statistical analysis of the demographic and clinical characteristics of cases according to SGTF status was performed. Overall, 20.2% of samples showed SGTF; 155 strains were confirmed as VOC 202012/01 by WGS. The proportion of SGTF-positive samples rapidly increased over time, reaching 69.2% in week 10/2021. SGTF-positive cases were more likely to be symptomatic and to result in hospitalization (p < 0.0001). Despite the implementation of large-scale non-pharmaceutical interventions (NPIs), such as the closure of schools and local lockdowns, a rapid spread of VOC 202012/01 was observed in southern Italy. Strengthened NPIs and rapid vaccine deployment, first among priority groups and then among the general population, are crucial both to contain the spread of VOC 202012/01 and to flatten the curve of the third wave.

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Accessing Voluntary HIV Testing in the Construction Industry: A Qualitative Analysis of Employee Interviews from the Test@Work Study

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ◽

10.3390/ijerph18084184 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 18 (8) ◽

pp. 4184

Author(s):

Sarah Somerset ◽

Catrin Evans ◽

Holly Blake

Keyword(s):

Sexual Health ◽

Hiv Testing ◽

Construction Industry ◽

Large Scale ◽

Early Stage ◽

Structured Interview ◽

Health Check ◽

Public Health Issue ◽

Health Awareness ◽

Health Checks

HIV, globally, remains a significant public health issue and community HIV testing can help to identify those with HIV at an early stage of disease. The workplace offers a prime location for provision of opt-in HIV testing as part of wider health promotion initiatives. The construction industry offers a key opportunity for HIV testing provision in a generally male-dominated group exhibiting some risky behaviors related to HIV. The intervention was an optional one-off individual health check with tailored health advice and signposting, offered to the construction workforce in health check events delivered as part of a large-scale multi-site research program called Test@Work. The events were undertaken at 10 participating organizations (21 events across 16 different sites), none had previously offered sexual health awareness or HIV testing to their workforce. Participants were invited to participate in a semi-structured interview following general health checks which included HIV testing. Out of 426 employees attending the health check events, 338 (79.3%) consented to interview on exit. Accessing HIV testing at work was valued because it was convenient, quick, and compatible with work demands. Interviewees identified HIV risks for construction including drug use, high numbers of sexual partners and job-related exposures, e.g., to used needles. Health seeking in construction was limited by stigma and low support, with particular barriers for non-permanent workers. The organization of the construction industry is complex with multiple organizations of different sizes having responsibility for varying numbers of employees. A disparity between organizational policies and employment circumstances is evident, and this generates significant health inequalities. To combat this, we recommend that organizations in the construction sector offer their employees awareness-raising around health behaviors and health protection in packages, such as toolbox talks. We recommend these be accompanied by annual health checks, including sexual health awareness and opt-in workplace HIV testing. This approach is highly acceptable to the workforce in the industry and removes barriers to access to healthcare.

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Kinetically driven successive sodic and potassic alteration of feldspar

Nature Communications ◽

10.1038/s41467-021-24628-1 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 12 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Gan Duan ◽

Rahul Ram ◽

Yanlu Xing ◽

Barbara Etschmann ◽

Joël Brugger

Keyword(s):

Hydrothermal Fluid ◽

Large Scale ◽

Ore Deposits ◽

Potassic Alteration ◽

Positive Feedbacks ◽

Micro Scale ◽

Equilibrium Reaction ◽

Earth's Crust ◽

Mineral Transformations ◽

Over Time

AbstractThe dynamic evolutions of fluid-mineral systems driving large-scale geochemical transformations in the Earth’s crust remain poorly understood. We observed experimentally that successive sodic and potassic alterations of feldspar can occur via a single self-evolved, originally Na-only, hydrothermal fluid. At 600 °C, 2 kbar, sanidine ((K,Na)AlSi3O8) reacted rapidly with a NaCl fluid to form albite (NaAlSi3O8); over time, some of this albite was replaced by K-feldspar (KAlSi3O8), in contrast to predictions from equilibrium reaction modelling. Fluorine accelerated the process, resulting in near-complete back-replacement of albite within 1 day. These findings reveal that potassic alteration can be triggered by Na-rich fluids, indicating that pervasive sequential sodic and potassic alterations associated with mineralization in some of the world’s largest ore deposits may not necessarily reflect externally-driven changes in fluid alkali contents. Here, we show that these reactions are promoted at the micro-scale by a self-evolving, kinetically-driven process; such positive feedbacks between equilibrium and kinetic factors may be essential in driving pervasive mineral transformations.

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An Ancient Retrovirus-like Element Contains Hot Spots for SINE Insertion

Genetics ◽

10.1093/genetics/158.2.769 ◽

2001 ◽

Vol 158 (2) ◽

pp. 769-777

Author(s):

Michael A Cantrell ◽

Brian J Filanoski ◽

Angela R Ingermann ◽

Katherine Olsson ◽

Nicole DiLuglio ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Hot Spots ◽

Hot Spot ◽

Phylogenetic Analyses ◽

Common Ancestry ◽

Specific Element ◽

Sine Insertion ◽

Specific Locus ◽

Multiple Species ◽

Phylogenetic Character ◽

Over Time

Abstract Vertebrate retrotransposons have been used extensively for phylogenetic analyses and studies of molecular evolution. Information can be obtained from specific inserts either by comparing sequence differences that have accumulated over time in orthologous copies of that insert or by determining the presence or absence of that specific element at a particular site. The presence of specific copies has been deemed to be an essentially homoplasy-free phylogenetic character because the probability of multiple independent insertions into any one site has been believed to be nil. Mys elements are a type of LTR-containing retrotransposon present in Sigmodontine rodents. In this study we have shown that one particular insert, mys-9, is an extremely old insert present in multiple species of the genus Peromyscus. We have found that different copies of this insert show a surprising range of sizes, due primarily to a continuing series of SINE (short interspersed element) insertions into this locus. We have identified two hot spots for SINE insertion within mys-9 and at each hot spot have found that two independent SINE insertions have occurred at identical sites. These results have major repercussions for phylogenetic analyses based on SINE insertions, indicating the need for caution when one concludes that the existence of a SINE at a specific locus in multiple individuals is indicative of common ancestry. Although independent insertions at the same locus may be rare, SINE insertions are not homoplasy-free phylogenetic markers.

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