Unsupervised Clustering in Epidemiological Factor Analysis

Background: The analysis of epidemiological data at an early phase of an epidemiological situation, when the confident correlation of contributing factors to the outcome has not yet been established, may present a challenge for conventional methods of data analysis. Objective: This study aimed to develop approaches for the early analysis of epidemiological data that can be effective in the areas with less labeled data. Methods: An analysis of a combined dataset of epidemiological statistics of national and subnational jurisdictions, aligned at approximately two months after the first local exposure to COVID-19 with unsupervised machine learning methods, including principal component analysis and deep neural network dimensionality reduction, to identify the principal factors of influence was performed. Results: The approach and methods utilized in the study allow to clearly separate milder background cases from those with the most rapid and aggressive onset of the epidemics. Conclusion: The findings can be used in the evaluation of possible epidemiological scenarios and as an effective modeling approach to identify possible negative epidemiological scenarios and design corrective and preventative measures to avoid the development of epidemiological situations with potentially severe impacts.

Natural Disasters and Electoral Support for Green Parties - Evidence from the 2021 Flood in Germany

A growing literature studies how natural disasters affect political attitudes towards climate change. In this paper, we examine the electoral effects of major flood that occurred just two months prior to the 2021 German federal election. Using a difference-in-differences design in conjunction with municipal--level voting data, we analyze how local exposure to the flood affected support for the Green Party -- the party most closely associated with policies that address climate change. Our results reveal pronounced differences between the two most affected states. In the state of North Rhine-Westphalia, we find no evidence that the flood affected Green Party support. In the neighboring Rhineland-Palatinate, we show that the flood increased the Green Party vote share by more than two percentage points. We then provide additional support for these results through synthetic control analyses of the most heavily affected localities in each state. Our results suggest that incumbency moderates the relationship between extreme weather events and Green Party support.

Christian-Muslim Relations in the Shadow of Conflict

In February 2000, large-scale Christian-Muslim riots shook the Nigerian city of Kaduna, killing thousands of people and displacing tens of thousands more. Drawing on original survey data from a random sample of three hundred young men living in particularly conflict-prone neighborhoods in Kaduna, the chapter analyzes patterns of Christian-Muslim relations fifteen years after the February 2000 crisis. The author argues that local exposure to deadly intergroup violence continues to have profoundly negative effects on intergroup relations nearly two decades later. Kaduna residents on either side of the religious divide continue to exhibit high levels of mistrust and prejudice against members of the religious out-group, and demonstrate substantial out-group discrimination in behavioral games with real material stakes. The chapter highlights three interrelated consequences of exposure to large-scale episodes of intercommunal violence, each of which complicates post-conflict reconciliation: (1) the erosion of intergroup trust, (2) the tendency that the violence increases local residential segregation along communal lines, and (3) lasting psychological effects. The chapter offers micro-level evidence on each of these consequences from the Nigerian context, and cautions against expectations that post-conflict communities should quickly bounce back from large-scale interreligious violence.

EXPERIMENTAL ASSESSMENT OF THE EFFECT OF EXPOSURE LEVEL ON THE RESOLUTION OF A DIGITAL PHOTOGRAPHIC SYSTEM

While photographing in a wide range of brightness within the frame, the exposure devices must provide exposure control for each elementary area of ​​the frame, i.e., provide local exposure control. Cameras which equipped by well-known exposure devices with local exposure control is used a multiplicative, additive or multifunction method of image recording. Using of the multiplicative method leads to energy losses in the optical channel, which requires correction of the exposure control parameters. Using of the additive method makes it possible to reduce the effective shutter speed, but reduces the contrast of small images. The multiplicative method of image registration allows to suppress low-informative low-frequency components of the spectrum of the input signal, providing less losses from the image blur according to the multiplicative method and less losses from reducing the contrast of images of small parts according to the additive method. Comparative evaluation of cameras’ effectiveness which are equipped by exposure devices with local exposure control, which are based on different methods of image registration, is convenient to assess the criterion of "resolution averaged over the frame field". According to the developed methodology of evaluating the effectiveness of this type of cameras, the averaged field resolution can be calculated in several ways, each of which assumes a preliminary calculation or obtaining the dependence of resolution from exposure (resolvometric characteristics of the camera). The methodology of experimental determination of the resolvometric characteristic of a photographic image recorder equipped by exposure devices of local exposure control is proposed. This methodology is illustrated by the example of measuring the resolvometric characteristics of the digital camera nex-6 for different external conditions. The good convergence of results of theoretical and experimental researches is shown. The proposed methodology can be used in studies of the impact of the process of the multifunction method of image recording on the photographing efficiency. Keywords: image; resolution; measure; camera

The Impact of COVID-19 on Americans’ Attitudes toward China: Does Local Incidence Rate Matter?

Linking local COVID-19 and population statistics to a U.S.-based survey we recently conducted, we study the spatial variation in the impact of COVID-19 on Americans’ attitudes toward China. The research strategy capitalizes on differential local COVID-19 incidence rates as varying dosages of the COVID-19 impact across local contexts in the U.S. Our results reveal negative yet heterogeneous effects of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic on Americans’ attitudes toward China. We find that a greater local exposure to COVID-19 is associated with a lower level of trust in Chinese and a less favorable attitude toward China. These findings lend consistent support to behavioral immune system theory by bridging the literature on contextual variations in public opinion, with broader implications for U.S.–China relations.

Evidence of West Nile Virus Circulation in Lebanon

West Nile virus (WNV) has never been reported from Lebanon. Yet, this country is located on the flyway of migratory birds in the Middle East region. Serological screening was conducted to assess the potential circulation of this virus. Human, horse, and chicken sera were collected from the Bekaa and North districts. Specific IgG and IgY were first screened by ELISA. Then, positive samples were confirmed by plaque reduction neutralization test (PRNT). Besides this, adult mosquitoes were collected and tested for the presence of WNV RNA using conventional RT-PCR. Sera screening revealed a seroprevalence rate reaching 1.86% among humans and 2.47% among horses. Cross-reactions revealed by ELISA suggested the circulation of flaviviruses other than WNV. None of the tested mosquitoes was positive for WNV. The observed results constitute strong evidence of local exposure of the Lebanese population to this virus and the first report of equine WNV in Lebanon.

LOCAL APPLICATION OF LOW POWER MILLIMETER INDUCES PAIN RELIEF IN CHRONIC PANCREATITIS ALLOWING PHYSICAL REHABILITATION: A CASE REPORT

Aims : to report effects of local exposure to low level millimetric waves on chronical pancreatitis (PCC) related pain. Chronic pancreatitis at the initial stages,is characterized by flare-ups of acute pancreatitis,and by recurrent and chronic pain which is the main clinical expression of the disease. Presentation of the case : We report the effects of low level electromagnetic wave in the millimetric frequency (MMW, 60GHz, continuous wave) wrist exposure on PCC related typical epigastric pain (transfixing, triggered by any food intake), leading to extreme weight loss by apprehension of food intake. Results: MMW exposure resulted in almost complete pain relief and antalgic drug suppression, this allowing weight recovery and active rehabilitation. Discussion : beside natural PCC evolution, different mechanisms involved in such pain release: endorphins and/or parasympathetic pathways, neuro inflammation are presented. Conclusion :low level millimetric exposure could be proposed for PCC ,and other chronical digestive painful diseases to overcome pain and thus facilitate clinical care or rehabilitation.

Methods of application of ozone therapy for the treatment of peri-implantation mucositis

At the dental reception, complications after dental implantation in the form of mucositis and peri-implantitis are becoming more and more common. There are quite a lot of risk factors for the development of inflammation of the parotid tissue, there is no single idea about the etiopathogenesis of the above pathology. Mucositis refers to the initial stage of peri-implantitis development and is reversible. The specialist should promptly diagnose the development of the inflammatory potential and start treatment, in order to prevent the development of bone destruction around the implants. One of the methods of local exposure to the lesion is ozone therapy.Goal. This paper describes the method of treatment of peri-implantation mucositis by ozone therapy.Materials and methods. In patients with peri-implantation mucositis, the inflammatory peri-implantation tissue was ozonated directly in the oral cavity with the Ozotron device in order to relieve inflammation and improve microcirculation in the oral cavity. Before performing oral ozonation, all patients underwent a general clinical examination to identify contraindications to this method. It also describes in detail the scheme that prevents the penetration of ozone into the body and prevents its ingestion.Results. During ozonation, a positive trend was obtained in the treatment of post-prosthetic complications during dental implantation. The developed scheme of ozonation in the oral cavity stops the inflammation of the peri-implantation tissue. Side effects and complications during ozone therapy directly in the oral cavity were not detected.Conclusions. The inclusion of ozone therapy in the treatment regimen of patients with peri-implantation mucositis is an appropriate and justified physiotherapy method.

Field size effects on DNA damage and proliferation in normal human cell populations irradiated with X-ray microbeams

To clarify the health risks of internal radiation exposure, it is important to investigate the radiological effects of local exposure at cell levels from radioactive materials taken up by organs. Focusing on the response of cell populations post-irradiation, X-ray microbeams are very effective at reproducing the effects of local exposure within an internal exposure in vitro. The present study aims to clarify the effects of local exposure by investigating the response of normal human cell (MRC-5) populations irradiated with X-ray microbeams of different beam sizes to DNA damage. The populations of MRC-5 were locally irradiated with X-ray microbeams of 1 Gy at 0.02–1.89 mm2 field sizes, and analyzed whether the number of 53BP1 foci as DSB (DNA double strand break) per cell changed with the field size. We found that even at the same dose, the number of DSB per cell increased depending on the X-irradiated field size on the cell population. This result indicated that DNA damage repair of X-irradiated cells might be enhanced in small size fields surrounded by non-irradiated cells. This study suggests that X-irradiated cells received some signal (a rescue signal) from surrounding non-irradiated cells may be involved in the response of cell populations post-irradiation.

Exposure to asylum seekers and changing support for the radical right: A natural experiment in the Netherlands

As a result of the 2015 refugee crisis, a substantial number of voters experienced a sudden and unexpected influx of asylum seekers in their neighbourhood in the Netherlands. We examined whether and why local exposure to asylum seekers leads to more support for the radical right (i.e. PVV). Our analyses are based on a longitudinal individual-level panel dataset including more than 19,000 respondents (1VOP) who were interviewed just before and shortly after the height of the refugee crisis. We enriched this dataset with detailed information about where asylum seekers were housed from the Central Agency for the Reception of Asylum Seekers. Our empirical study resembles a natural experiment, because some residents experienced an increase in exposure to asylum seekers but similar residents did not. PVV support increased during the refugee crisis and especially among residents who became more exposed to asylum seekers in their neighbourhood.