Predicting the Impact of Long-Term Temperature Changes on the Epidemiology and Control of Schistosomiasis: A Mechanistic Model

This study investigates the impact of thought suppression over a 1-week interval. In two experiments with 80 university students each, we used the think/no-think paradigm in which participants initially learn a list of word pairs (cue-target associations). Then they were presented with some of the cue words again and should either respond with the target word or avoid thinking about it. In the final test phase, their memory for the initially learned cue-target pairs was tested. In Experiment 1, type of memory test was manipulated (i.e., direct vs. indirect). In Experiment 2, type of no-think instructions was manipulated (i.e., suppress vs. substitute). Overall, our results showed poorer memory for no-think and control items compared to think items across all experiments and conditions. Critically, however, more no-think than control items were remembered after the 1-week interval in the direct, but not in the indirect test (Experiment 1) and with thought suppression, but not thought substitution instructions (Experiment 2). We suggest that during thought suppression a brief reactivation of the learned association may lead to reconsolidation of the memory trace and hence to better retrieval of suppressed than control items in the long term.

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What is the impact of methotrexate on liver in patients with juvenile idiopathic arthritis? Results of liver SWE performed in a single centre

Modern Rheumatology ◽

10.1093/mr/roab064 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Vildan Güngörer ◽

Mehmet Öztürk ◽

Mustafa Yasir Özlü ◽

Şükrü Arslan

Keyword(s):

Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis ◽

Shear Wave Elastography ◽

Term Therapy ◽

Control Group ◽

Significant Difference ◽

Group 2 ◽

Long Term Therapy ◽

And Control ◽

The Impact

ABSTRACT Objectives Long-term therapy with low-dose methotrexate (MTX) is widely used in treatment of rheumatic diseases, in children. The purpose of this study was to evaluate liver elasticity in patients with juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) who received MTX and compare the results with control group. Methods Liver elasticity was evaluated with shear wave elastography (SWE) technique in 25 patients aged 3–17 years who were followed up with JIA and received MTX and compared with 25 healthy controls of the same age and weight. Factors that had an effect on liver elasticity were examined. Results The mean SWE value of patients was 2.64 ± 2.13 m/s and 24.10 ± 18.50 kPa, whereas 1.83 ± 0.16 m/s and 10.09 ± 1.83 kPa in control group. There was a significant difference in liver elasticity in the patient and control groups. When the patients were evaluated as Group 1 (< 1000 mg) and Group 2 (≥ 1000 mg) according to the cumulative MTX dose, no significant difference was obtained. There was positive correlation between liver elasticity and weekly MTX dose and age. Conclusions Our study revealed that liver elasticity significantly decreased in patients who received MTX when compared with the control group. The elastography technique will be understood better over time and used safely in many areas.

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DOES HARMFUL CLIMATE INCREASE OR DECREASE MIGRATION? EVIDENCE FROM RURAL HOUSEHOLDS IN NIGERIA

Climate Change Economics ◽

10.1142/s2010007819500131 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 10 (04) ◽

pp. 1950013

Author(s):

CRISTINA CATTANEO ◽

EMANUELE MASSETTI

Keyword(s):

Climate Change ◽

Adaptation Strategy ◽

Climatic Conditions ◽

Marginal Effect ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Temperature Changes ◽

And Migration ◽

Migrant Households ◽

The Impact

This paper analyzes whether migration is an adaptation strategy that households employ to cope with climate in Nigeria. We estimate our model using the cross-sectional variation in climate and long-term migration decisions because we are interested in the average response to long-term climatic conditions. For households that operate farms, we find that the relationship between climate and migration is nonlinear. In particular, climates closer to ideal farming conditions are associated with a higher propensity to migrate, whereas in the least favorable climatic conditions, the propensity to migrate declines. The marginal effect of rainfall and temperature changes on migration varies by season. We estimate the impact of climate change on the number of migrant households in 2031–2060 and 2071–2100, ceteris paribus. With current population levels, climate change generates between 3.6 and 6.3 million additional migrants, most of them being internal. However, these estimates are not statistically significant.

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Modelling the Evolution of COVID-19 in High-Incidence European Countries and Regions: Estimated Number of Infections and Impact of Past and Future Intervention Measures

Journal of Clinical Medicine ◽

10.3390/jcm9061825 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 9 (6) ◽

pp. 1825 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Juan Fernández-Recio

Keyword(s):

Reproduction Number ◽

Mechanistic Model ◽

Control Measures ◽

European Countries ◽

Intervention Measures ◽

High Incidence ◽

Future Outcomes ◽

Long Term Impact ◽

The Impact

A previously developed mechanistic model of COVID-19 transmission has been adapted and applied here to study the evolution of the disease and the effect of intervention measures in some European countries and territories where the disease has had a major impact. A clear impact of the major intervention measures on the reproduction number (Rt) has been found in all studied countries and territories, as already suggested by the drop in the number of deaths over time. Interestingly, the impact of such major intervention measures seems to be the same in most of these countries. The model has also provided realistic estimates of the total number of infections, active cases and future outcomes. While the predictive capabilities of the model are much more uncertain before the peak of the outbreak, we could still reliably predict the evolution of the disease after a major intervention by assuming the subsequent reproduction number from the current study. A greater challenge is to foresee the long-term impact of softer intervention measures, but this model can estimate the outcome of different scenarios and help to plan changes for the implementation of control measures in a given country or region.

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Real Versus Sample-Based Differences in Comparative Family Business Research

Family Business Review ◽

10.1111/j.1741-6248.2005.00044.x ◽

2005 ◽

Vol 18 (3) ◽

pp. 229-246 ◽

Cited By ~ 78

Author(s):

Ann Jorissen ◽

Eddy Laveren ◽

Rudy Martens ◽

Anne-Mie Reheul

Keyword(s):

Management Training ◽

Business Research ◽

Planning And Control ◽

Versus Sample ◽

And Gender ◽

Educational Degree ◽

And Control ◽

The Impact ◽

Perceived Environmental Uncertainty

This article analyzes the impact of not controlling for “demographic sample” differences on research results in the area of comparative family/nonfamily business research. Using different statistical methods with and without control for “demographic sample” differences, the results show that controlling for these firm demographics in a bivariate as well as a multivariate framework is very important to discover “real” differences between family and nonfamily firms. We found “real” differences for export, budgeting, variable reward systems, profitability and gender, educational degree, and tenure of the CEO. Strategy, networking, long-term planning and control systems, perceived environmental uncertainty, growth, and management training, classified by prior empirical research as different between family and nonfamily firms, do not differ.

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Concomitant Use of Diosmin/Hesperidin and Oral Rivaroxaban Increases Deep Vein Recanalization and Reduces the Incidence of Post-Thrombotic Syndrome in Patients with Proximal Deep Vein Thrombosis

Blood ◽

10.1182/blood-2018-99-110084 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 132 (Supplement 1) ◽

pp. 986-986

Author(s):

Kirill Lobastov ◽

Iliya Schastlivtsev ◽

Victor Barinov

Keyword(s):

Deep Vein Thrombosis ◽

Clinical Severity ◽

Proximal Deep Vein Thrombosis ◽

Control Groups ◽

Vein Thrombosis ◽

Post Thrombotic Syndrome ◽

And Control ◽

Deep Vein ◽

The Impact

Abstract Aim: To assess the impact of long-term Diosmin/Hesperidin use in the treatment of proximal deep vein thrombosis (DVT). Methods: This study was a pilot randomized open-label study with blinded outcome assessor - enrolled patients with their first episodes of popliteal-femoral DVT confirmed by duplex ultrasound (DUS). All participants were randomized into two groups: 1.) control that received a standard treatment with oral Rivaroxaban, and 2.) experimental that required additional treatment with Diosmin/Hesperidin 450/50 mg twice a day. Both drugs were used for six months. Patients were followed-up for the whole treatment period with series DUS every two months in order to evaluate the degree of recanalization by popliteal (PV), superficial femoral (SFV), and common femoral (CFV) veins' compressibility. Thrombi extension was assessed by modified Marder score. At the end of the follow-up period, patients were assessed with Villalta and venous clinical severity scores. Post-thrombotic syndrome (PTS) was diagnosed in those who had ≥5 Villalta score. Results: Sixty patients were randomized to the control and experimental groups (n=30 in each group). There were 40 men and 20 women with mean age of 56.3±13.4. Clinically unprovoked DVT was recognized in 65% of cases and left side localization in 45%. The median of Marder baseline scores were 15.0±4.8 and 11.1±4.3 in the experimental and control groups, respectively (p=0.002). After six months of treatment, the Marder score decreased to 0.8±1.6 and 2.8±3.5 in the main control groups, respectively (p=0.006). The generalized linear model repeated measures found a greater reduction in the Marder score (р <0.0001) and increased speed of recanalization on SFV (р <0.0001) with a non-significant tendency in the CFV (p=0.130) and PV (p=0.204) in the experimental group compared to the control one. Full recanalization of the PV at six months was observed in 24 patients (80%), who had received Diosmin/Hesperidin, and only in 17 persons (57%) of the control group (p=0.047). The median of Villalta score in the group treated with Diosmin/Hesperidin was significantly lower compared to the control one (2.9±2.7 versus 5.8±3.0 [p <0.0001]). The same difference was found for VCSS score (2.3±1.9 versus 4.9±1.9 [p <0001]). According to the Villalta score, PTS was recognized in six patients (20%) and 17 patients (57%) in the experimental and control groups, respectively (p=0.004). Conclusion: Long-term treatment with Diosmin/Hesperidin can increase the speed of deep vein recanalization and reduce the incidence of PTS diagnosed at six months in patients with proximal DVT treated with oral rivaroxaban. Disclosures Lobastov: Bayer: Honoraria, Speakers Bureau; Servier: Honoraria, Speakers Bureau. Schastlivtsev:Bayer: Honoraria, Speakers Bureau; Servier: Honoraria, Speakers Bureau. Barinov:Bayer: Honoraria, Speakers Bureau; Servier: Honoraria, Speakers Bureau.

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Modelling the evolution of COVID-19 in high-incidence European countries and regions: estimated number of infections and impact of past and future intervention measures

10.1101/2020.05.09.20096735 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Juan Fernandez-Recio

Keyword(s):

Reproduction Number ◽

Mechanistic Model ◽

Control Measures ◽

European Countries ◽

Intervention Measures ◽

High Incidence ◽

Long Term Impact ◽

The Impact ◽

Over Time

A previously developed mechanistic model of COVID-19 transmission has been adapted and applied here to study the evolution of the disease and the effect of intervention measures in some European countries and territories where the disease had major impact. A clear impact of the major intervention measures on the reproduction number (Rt) has been found in all studied countries and territories, as already suggested by the drop in the number of deaths over time. Interestingly, the impact of such major intervention measures seems to be the same in most of these countries. The model has also provided realistic estimates of the total number of infections, active cases and future outcome. While the predictive capabilities of the model are much more uncertain before the peak of the outbreak, we could still reliably predict the evolution of the disease after a major intervention by assuming the afterwards reproduction number from current study. More challenging is to foresee the long-term impact of softer intervention measures, but this model can estimate the outcome of different scenarios and help planning changes in the implementation of control measures in a given country or region.

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Long-term study of the impact of temperature changes, material aging and service load on the strains of a reinforced concrete structure

E3S Web of Conferences ◽

10.1051/e3sconf/20186602006 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 66 ◽

pp. 02006

Author(s):

Adam Kanciruk

Keyword(s):

Reinforced Concrete ◽

Concrete Slab ◽

Reinforced Concrete Structure ◽

Reinforced Concrete Slab ◽

Temperature Changes ◽

Long Term Study ◽

Monitoring Process ◽

Service Load ◽

The Impact

The article discusses five year long measurements of strains of a concrete floor of a hangar. That hangar, originally meant for servicing light military aircraft, was rebuilt with a view to making it fit for servicing larger and heavier passenger planes. As part of that redevelopment, a new floor - reinforced concrete slab, capable of withstanding the weight of the planes - was constructed. In the areas of the floor where the greatest loads occur, ie. in the areas of the concrete slab on which the wheels of the three undercarriage legs rest, three strain rosettes were installed so that the slab strains could be measured. The rosettes were connected to two meters - dataloggers. The latter were programmed in such a way as to register the measured strains and additionally temperatures many times during every 24 hours. The monitoring process, conducted in such an automatic way, demonstrated the occurrence of strains resulting from service load, aging of the reinforced concrete, as well as changes in its temperature.

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Energy, water and carbon exchanges in managed forest ecosystems: description, sensitivity analysis and evaluation of the INRAE GO+ model, version 3.0

10.5194/gmd-2020-66 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Virginie Moreaux ◽

Simon Martel ◽

Alexandre Bosc ◽

Delphine Picart ◽

David Achat ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Soil Carbon ◽

Mechanistic Model ◽

Biogeochemical Processes ◽

Forest Operations ◽

Time Step ◽

Vegetation Control ◽

Clear Cutting ◽

Go Model ◽

The Impact

Abstract. The mechanistic model GO+ describes the functioning and growth of managed forests based upon biophysical and biogeochemical processes. The biophysical and biogeochemical processes included are modelled using standard formulations of radiative transfer, convective heat exchange, evapotranspiration, photosynthesis, respiration, plant phenology, growth and mortality, biomass nutrient content, and soil carbon dynamics. The forest ecosystem is modelled as three layers, namely the tree overstorey, understorey and soil. The vegetation layers include stems, branches and foliage and are partitioned dynamically between sunlit and shaded fractions. The soil carbon sub-model is an adaption of the Roth-C model to simulate the impact of forest operations. The model runs at an hourly time-step. It represents a forest stand covering typically 1 ha and can be straightforwardly up-scaled across gridded data at regional, country or continental levels. GO+ accounts for both the immediate and long-term impacts of forest operations on energy, water and carbon exchanges within the soil-vegetation-atmosphere continuum. It includes exhaustive and versatile descriptions of management operations (soil preparation, regeneration, vegetation control, selective thinning, clear-cutting, coppicing, etc.), thus permitting the effects of a wide variety of forest management strategies to be estimated: from close-to-nature to intensive. This paper examines the sensitivity of the model to its main parameters and estimates how errors in parameter values are propagated into the predicted values of its main output variables. We show how the model performs when compared with observations such as time series of forest-atmosphere exchanges of energy, water and CO2 monitored over Douglas fir, European beech and pine forests of different ages as well as long-term series of tree growth, soil water and soil carbon data recorded at continuously monitored forests plots. We also illustrate the capacity of the GO+ model to simulate the provision of key ecosystem services, such as the long-term storage of carbon in biomass and soil under various management and climate scenarios.

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The impact of strategic planning on the competitiveness, performance and effectiveness of bank branches: a neural network analysis

International Journal of Bank Marketing ◽

10.1108/02652320210424188 ◽

2002 ◽

Vol 20 (3) ◽

pp. 102-110 ◽

Cited By ~ 9

Author(s):

L. Moutinho ◽

P.A. Phillips

Keyword(s):

Neural Network ◽

Strategic Planning ◽

Distribution System ◽

Management Practices ◽

Bank Branch ◽

Marketing Effectiveness ◽

Overall Performance ◽

And Control ◽

The Impact

The banking distribution system is going through a rapid process of change. This research study focuses on the analysis of the perceptions, of 58 bank branch managers selected from 14 branches belonging to two major Scottish banks, of the impact of a variety of planning practices on competitiveness, overall performance, strategic planning effectiveness and marketing effectiveness. The gathered data were then subjected to a number of learning iterations as part of a specifically designed neural network topology. Major findings derived from the study revealed that: bank branch effectiveness is affected by effective management practices; the overall performance of the branch depends highly on both long term thinking and innovation; long‐term thinking seems to have also a high degree of impact on strategic planning effectiveness; and finally, the degree of precision attached to planning, programming, budgeting and control seems to trigger high levels of marketing effectiveness.

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