A Critical Analysis on Obtaining and Using Data and Information for Pandemic Management

The chapter provides an in-depth overview and analysis for developing policies and strategies for managing a pandemic based on information and data. While looking for the credibility of an information source, various parameters are subjected for considerations (i.e., infection and death rates per given time, availability of personal protective equipment [PPE], overall population attitude, current strategy response rate, society behaviors, outcomes of policies interventions for curbing the spread of the virus, and many more). To critically analyze pandemic information and data usage along with issues and challenges that arise in collecting, extracting, or using various forms of information and data for pandemic management, numerous national action plans, world health databases, pandemic monitoring smart applications, government published infection-to-death ratios, and health cloud services are interpreted and discussed.

VISOKO OBRAZOVANjE I PODSTICAJI POPULACIONOM RAZVOJU REPUBLIKE SRBIJE

This paper discusses the current situation in the service sector in the field of higher education in the context of encouraging population development in Serbia. Depopulation is an endemic problem of Serbian society. It is necessary to start looking for an adequate answer to the question of how to encourage population policy in Serbia as soon as possible. In that sense, it is necessary to subject to critical analysis the current Strategy for Encouraging Birth in Serbia, and particularly its part that is dedicated to population education. In addition, it is necessary to consider potential future measures in the field of education, which would be aimed not only at encouraging reproductive behavior, but also towards a more complete and better understanding of population problems and issues.

Swiss cost-effectiveness analysis of universal screening for Lynch syndrome of patients with colorectal cancer followed by cascade genetic testing of relatives

BackgroundWe estimated the cost-effectiveness of universal DNA screening for Lynch syndrome (LS) among newly diagnosed patients with colorectal cancer (CRC) followed by cascade screening of relatives from the Swiss healthcare system perspective.MethodsWe integrated decision trees with Markov models to calculate incremental cost per quality-adjusted life-year saved by screening all patients with CRC (alternative strategy) compared with CRC tumour-based testing followed by DNA sequencing (current strategy).ResultsThe alternative strategy has an incremental cost-effectiveness ratio of CHF65 058 compared with the current strategy, which is cost-effective according to Swiss standards. Based on annual incidence of CRC in Switzerland, universal DNA screening correctly identifies all 123 patients with CRC with LS, prevents 17 LS deaths and avoids 19 CRC cases, while the current strategy leads to 32 false negative results and 253 LS cases lost to follow-up. One way and probabilistic sensitivity analyses showed that universal DNA testing is cost-effective in around 80% of scenarios, and that the cost of DNA testing and the number of invited relatives per LS case determine the cost-effectiveness ratio.ConclusionResults can inform policymakers, healthcare providers and insurance companies about the costs and benefits associated with universal screening for LS and cascade genetic testing of relatives.

Contemporary terrorism against religious entities and buildings

In the era of a clear intensifi cation of terrorist attacks, as well as of the threat posed by them, changes in the current strategy of terrorist groups or persons identifying themselves with their ideology are noticeable. The main change is to focus the attacks on causing the greatest possible fear by increasing the size not so much of the damage, but of the human victims. Unfortunately, such a tactic is very effective. So far, the greatest attention of the so-called Western societies has been focused mainly on very spectacular attacks on public, commonly accessible places, where a dramatic spectacle of death was created in front of hundreds of people. However, the incident in 2016 carried out by attackers who identifi ed themselves with socalled the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria took place during the celebration of the Mass, where the clergyman conducting the celebration was killed and people attending the Mass were seriously injured, including the nuns, makes us look at the problem from a different perspective. What makes us refl ect on the above is that there were not many people in the church, but it was also not a random attack target. This event inspired the author to take a deeper look at the scale of threats that modern terrorism generates to celebrants or other clergy, as well as religious buildings.

Iron-catalyzed synthesis of pyridines from α,β-unsaturated ketoxime acetates and N-acetyl enamides

A new method of FeCl2-catalyzed [4 + 2] annulation of α,β-unsaturated ketoxime acetates with N-acetyl enamides in batch and flow is reported. The current strategy features low-cost catalytic system, use of electron-rich olefins, operational simplicity and broad substrate scope, thus providing a facile and efficient access to substituted pyridines in moderate to good yields.

First total synthesis of marine derived anti-inflammatory natural product (-)-Herdmanine-D enabled by Steglich esterification

An efficient and regioselective route for the first total synthesis of anti-inflammatory marine natural product (-)-Herdmanine-D has been described with an excellent overall yield of 18%. The key feature of the synthetic strategy includes Steglich esterification of regioselectively constructed 6-bromo-5-methoxy-1H-indole-3-carboxylic acid and L-Tyrosine. L-isomer was confirmed through measurement of optical activity. The current strategy paves the way for construction of diverse analogues of the title natural product for drug development.

An economic evaluation of implementing a decentralized dengue screening intervention under the National Vector Borne Disease Control Programme in Tamil Nadu, South India

Background Lack of effective early screening is a major obstacle for reducing the fatality rate and disease burden of dengue. In light of this, the government of Tamil Nadu has adopted a decentralized dengue screening strategy at the primary healthcare (PHC) facilities using blood platelet count. Our objective was to determine the cost-effectiveness of a decentralized screening strategy for dengue at PHC facilities compared with the current strategy at the tertiary health facility (THC) level. Methods Decision tree analysis followed a hypothetical cohort of 1000 suspected dengue cases entering the model. The cost-effectiveness analysis was performed at a 3% discount rate for the proposed and current strategy. The outcomes are expressed in incremental cost-effectiveness ratios (ICERs) per quality-adjusted life years gained. One-way sensitivity analysis and probabilistic sensitivity analysis were done to check the uncertainty in the outcome. Results The proposed strategy was found to be cost-saving and ICER was estimated to be −41 197. PSA showed that the proposed strategy had a 0.84 probability of being an economically dominant strategy. Conclusions The proposed strategy is cost-saving, however, it is recommended to consider optimal population coverage, costs to economic human resources and collateral benefits of equipment.

Articulating the development strategy for the innovation and industrial cluster by the compound option method

Subject. The article focuses on the development strategy for the innovation and industrial cluster by the compound option method. Objectives. We articulate the development strategy for the innovation and industrial cluster by the compound option method, which would allow for flexible administrative decisions on the cluster evolution. Methods. The proposed method is based on the use of the compound option method, which includes constituents as follows: 1) the option for the reduction in the cluster strategy and withdrawal from it; 2) the option for the development and dissemination of experience across the cluster; 3) the option for the rearrangement and temporary suspension of the cluster strategy. Results. To illustrate the proposed method, we formulated the development strategy for the pilot innovation and industrial cluster of power engineering in the Nizhny Novgorod Oblast, which is represented with the backbone company PAO TNS Energo NN. The real option method helped increase the value of the cluster’s strategy. Combining the compound real option just as we suggest, it will be possible to avoid unreasonable administrative decisions on the withdrawal from the current strategy, which would provide for multiple, already existing tactical opportunities for the cluster’s development. The value of the current strategy, first of all, absorbs a put option. This is an option to reduce the cluster’s strategy or withdraw from it. Afterwards if the current strategy is continued, three call options are added to it. Conclusions and Relevance. The findings can be useful for governmental authorities in planning the development of innovation and industrial clusters and the harmonious advancement of the country.