A Natural Language Processing Pipeline to Identify COVID-19 Outbreaks from Contact Tracing Interview Forms (Preprint)

BACKGROUND In Wisconsin, COVID-19 case interview forms contain free text fields that need to be mined to identify potential outbreaks for targeted policy making. We developed an automated pipeline to ingest the free text into a pre-trained neural language model to identify businesses and facilities as outbreaks. OBJECTIVE We aim to examine the performance of our pipeline. METHODS Data on cases of COVID-19 were extracted from the Wisconsin Electronic Disease Surveillance System (WEDSS) for Dane County between July 1, 2020, and June 30, 2021. Features from the case interview forms were fed into a Bidirectional Encoder Representations from Transformers (BERT) model that was fine-tuned for named entity recognition (NER). We also developed a novel location mapping tool to provide addresses for relevant NERs. The pipeline was validated against known outbreaks that were already investigated and confirmed. RESULTS There were 46,898 cases of COVID-19 with 4,183,273 total BERT tokens and 15,051 unique tokens. The recall and precision of the NER tool were 0.67 (95 % CI 0.66-0.68) and 0.55 (95 % CI: 0.54-0.57), respectively. For the location mapping tool, the recall and precision were 0.93 (95% CI: 0.92-0.95) and 0.93 (95% CI: 0.92-0.95), respectively. Across monthly intervals, the NER tool identified more potential clusters than were confirmed in the WEDSS system. CONCLUSIONS We developed a novel pipeline of tools that identified existing outbreaks and novel clusters with associated addresses. Our pipeline ingests data from a statewide database and may be deployed to assist local health departments for targeted interventions. CLINICALTRIAL Not applicable

Android Based Tire Patch Search

The number of motorized vehicles continues to increase, this will be directly proportional to the number of people who experience motorcycle damage when driving on the highway, such as leaking tires or burst tires. For motorists who do not know the surrounding area when a motorcycle tire is damaged, of course it will be difficult to find the nearest tire patch. In this study, an Android application will be developed to map and find the location of motorcycle tire patches in Bukit Raya District. This application will provide location-based services to users. With this application, users will get information in the form of a map showing the location of the nearest tire patch. Based on the test results, the tire patch location mapping application that was built is able to display the locations of the tire patches along with information on the travel route from the user's location to the nearest selected tire patch location. This application was developed on the Android operating system because Android provides an open platform for developers to create their own applications and Android is one of the operating systems that are widely used by smartphones that are growing rapidly now. This application is expected to help users who want to find the location of the tire patch along with information from the tire patch and the closest route to the tire patch location so that it is more efficient in terms of time

Can a Single Representational Object Account for Different Number-Space Mappings?

Numbers are mapped onto space from birth on, as evidenced by a variety of interactions between the processing of numerical and spatial information. In particular, larger numbers are associated to larger spatial extents (number/spatial extent mapping) and to rightward spatial locations (number/location mapping), and smaller numbers are associated to smaller spatial extents and leftward spatial locations. These two main types of number/space mappings (number/spatial extent and number/location mappings) are usually assumed to reflect the fact that numbers are represented on an internal continuum: the mental number line. However, to date there is very little evidence that these two mappings actually reflect a single representational object. Across two experiments in adults, we investigated the interaction between number/location and number/spatial extent congruency effects, both when numbers were presented in a non-symbolic and in a symbolic format. We observed a significant interaction between the two mappings, but only in the context of an implicit numerical task. The results were unaffected by the format of presentation of numbers. We conclude that the number/location and the number/spatial extent mappings can stem from the activation of a single representational object, but only in specific experimental contexts.

987 MRI As A Guide for Prostatectomy Planning

Introduction NICE guidelines suggest that PSA, mp-MRI and targeted biopsies should be used for the diagnosis of prostate cancer. This audit looked at several aspects of prostate cancer assessment and diagnosis at our trust, however we will be focusing on the use of MRI. Method A retrospective cohort study was performed at Lancashire Teaching Hospitals and this included 49 patients. We compared the pre-operative MRI tumour location and tumour grading with post-operative histology tumour location and tumour grading of prostate cancer patients. The statistical analysis was performed using Chi-squared testing. Results Prostate tumour location mapping based on MRI was accurate in 70% of the cases, these results were statistically significant (p-value <0.01). However, the tumour grading according to the MRI was only accurate in 45% of the cases (p-value <0.05). Conclusions Tumour grading based on the MRI result should not be routinely used to stratify risk and plan treatment. However, a prostate planning meeting would be recommended prior to the surgery and this can use the MRI location of the tumour along with the patient’s baseline regarding urinary and erectile function to help plan nerve sparing and surgical margins, this would help improve outcomes for patient's post-operative quality of life.

Impact of the Covid 19 pandemic on preclinical teaching in medical schools-Lessons learned

Objectives: The authors analyzed the weaknesses and areas of opportunities with the online teaching imposed by the COVID19 lockdown, and the new measures adopted to control the online examinations for medical students. Method: In addition to personalized question sets we had location mapping and Open Broadcaster Software (OBS) for monitoring students during the exams as well as disabling the back-button during examination. Results: The academic year was successfully completed on time. There was no change in the exams format or scope, yet the results were similar in terms of grade distribution, average and standard deviation as well as the validity and reliability scores. The students’ perception of online teaching was evaluated through a survey. It revealed the importance and added value of online teaching but also exposed the gaps related to lecturers’ preparedness and need for training. Conclusion: The online experience was a valuable lesson for us, as we discovered not only the weaknesses or areas to improve, but also new ways and opportunities that can be explored to enhance the learning experience. Our plan is to introduce online teaching gradually to all modules and align it with students’ readiness through direct implications of students; however, every center should develop its own long-term plan to address its own problems and weaknesses.

Effectiveness of SARS-CoV-2 Decontamination and Containment in a COVID-19 ICU

Background: Health care systems in the United States are continuously expanding and contracting spaces to treat patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in intensive care units (ICUs). As a result, hospitals must effectively decontaminate and contain severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) in constructed and deconstructed ICUs that care for patients with COVID-19. We assessed decontamination of a COVID-19 ICU and examined the containment efficacy of combined contact and droplet precautions in creating and maintaining a SARS-CoV-2–negative ICU “antechamber”. Methods: To examine the efficacy of chemical decontamination, we used high-density, semi-quantitative environmental sampling to detect SARS-CoV-2 on surfaces in a COVID-19 ICU and COVID-19 ICU antechamber. Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction was used to measure viral RNA on surfaces. Viral location mapping revealed the distribution of viral RNA in the COVID-19 ICU and COVID-19 ICU antechamber. Results were further assessed using loop-mediated isothermal amplification. Results: We collected 224 surface samples pre-decontamination and 193 samples post-decontamination from a COVID-19 ICU and adjoining COVID-19 ICU antechamber. We found that 46% of antechamber objects were positive for SARS-CoV-2 pre-decontamination despite the construction of a swinging door barrier system, implementation of contact precautions, and installation of high-efficiency particulate air filters. The object positivity rate reduced to 32.1% and viral particle rate reduced by 95.4% following decontamination. Matched items had an average of 432.2 ± 2729 viral copies/cm2 pre-decontamination and 19.2 ± 118 viral copies/cm2 post-decontamination, demonstrating significantly reduced viral surface distribution (p < 0.0001). Conclusions: Environmental sampling is an effective method for evaluating decontamination protocols and validating measures used to contain SARS-CoV-2 viral particles. While chemical decontamination effectively removes detectable viral RNA from surfaces, our approach to droplet/contact containment with an antechamber was not highly effective. These data suggest that hospitals should plan for the potential of aerosolized virions when creating strategies to contain SARS-CoV-2.

GIS PEMETAAN TITIK LOKASI APOTEK DI KOTA TERNATE BERBASIS ANDROID

Abstrak: Aplikasi SIG yang dibangun dengan PHP sebagai bahasa pemograman, Google maps API untuk peta lokasi apotek dan, MySQL untuk membuat basis data. Aplikasi yang dibuat masih berbasis web sehingga kurang praktis untuk penggunaannya, dimana masih bergantung dengan web browser untuk masuk ke website tersebut. Mengingat perkembangan teknologi informasi telah berkembang sangat pesat hingga sekarang teknologi yang sedang berkembang adalah teknologi mobile pada perangkat telepon pintar (smartphone). Untuk itulah penulis mencoba membuat pengembangan mengenai sistem Pemetaan Lokasi Apotek yang dapat dijalankan pada Smartphone. Sistem informasi pemetaan lokasi apotek berbasis android dengan bahasa pemrograman PHP dan bahasa pemograman java untuk android webview. Dengan menggunakan metode pengembangan sistem prototype. Dari sistem yang telah dibuat dan diuji dengan metode Whitebox menunjukan bahwa alur kode dari program sudah di hasilkan berupa output yang sesuai dengan yang di harapkan dengan perancangan sistem. Adanya sistem informasi pemetaan lokasi apotek yang buat dengan berbasis mobile yang dapat dijalankan pada smartphone sehingga lebih mudah dan cepat untuk di akses dimana masyarakan cenderung lebih sering menggunnakan smartphone dari pada komputer.Kata Kunci: Sistem Informasi, Pemetaan Lokasi ApotekAbstract: A GIS application built with PHP as a programming language, Google maps API to map pharmacy locations, and MySQL to create databases. The application is still web-based, so it is less practical to use, always using a web browser to enter the website. Given the development of information technology has developed rapidly, the technology currently developing is cellular technology in smartphone devices (smartphones). The author tries to make developments regarding the Pharmacy Location Mapping system that can be run on a Smartphone. Android-based pharmacy location mapping information system with PHP programming language and Java programming language for Android web view. by using the prototype system development method. The plan created and tested with the Whitebox method shows that the program's code flow has been carried out in the form of output that matches the expected results with system design. There is an information system for mapping pharmacy locations made on a mobile basis that can be run on a smartphone so that it is easier and faster to access where people tend to use smartphones more often than computers.Keywords: Location Mapping, Information System

THE MAPPING OF SUBSURFACE TEMPERATURE AND STUDY OF GEOTHERMAL GRADIENT ANOMALY IN THE DISCHARGE AREA IN NORTH SULAWESI

The aim of this research is to measure and mapping the temperature distribution in several subsurface layers in the manifestation of geothermal warm ground and steaming ground, and analyze the geothermal subsurface gradient, to determine the heat source zone, and the pattern and direction of heat flow from subsurface to surface in Hydrothermal area of Minahasa Indonesia. The method used is direct measurement in the field. To determine the coordinates of geothermal manifestations and location mapping, using remote sensing techniques. The results showed that at a depth of 200 cm the temperature reaches 102 0C and the heat source comes from the northeast and from the south. At a depth of 150 cm the temperature varies from 52 to 100 0C with an even distribution in almost every direction. At a depth of 50 to 100 cm the maximum temperature reaches 98 0C with heat propagation starting to concentrate then northeast, and then out to the surface in the northeast. The pattern of heat transmission is almost linear along with the geothermal gradient.