A machine learning PROGRAM to identify COVID-19 and other diseases from hematology data.

AIM: We propose a method for screening full blood count metadata for evidence of communicable and noncommunicable diseases using machine learning (ML). MATERIALS & METHODS: High dimensional hematology metadata was extracted over an 11-month period from Sysmex hematology analyzers from 43,761 patients. Predictive models for age, sex and individuality were developed to demonstrate the personalized nature of hematology data. Both numeric and raw flow cytometry data were used for both supervised and unsupervised ML to predict the presence of pneumonia, urinary tract infection and COVID-19. Heart failure was used as an objective to prove method generalizability. RESULTS: Chronological age was predicted by a deep neural network with R2: 0.59; mean absolute error: 12; sex with AUROC: 0.83, phi: 0.47; individuality with 99.7% accuracy, phi: 0.97; pneumonia with AUROC: 0.74, sensitivity 58%, specificity 79%, 95% CI: 0.73-0.75, p < 0.0001; urinary tract infection AUROC: 0.68, sensitivity 52%, specificity 79%, 95% CI: 0.67-0.68, p < 0.0001; COVID-19 AUROC: 0.8, sensitivity 82%, specificity 75%, 95% CI: 0.79-0.8, p = 0.0006; and heart failure area under the receiver operator curve (AUROC): 0.78, sensitivity 72%, specificity 72%, 95% CI: 0.77-0.78; p < 0.0001. CONCLUSION: ML applied to hematology data could predict communicable and noncommunicable diseases, both at local and global levels.

Amblyopia treatment and quality of life: the child's perspective on atropine versus patching.

Background: The impact on children of patching versus atropine treatment for amblyopia was assessed using children's perspective Health-Related Quality of Life (HRQoL) scores in 5 to 7-year olds. Methods: Forty-six children on the threshold of commencing either patching or atropine treatment for amblyopia were recruited. Treatment was prescribed for uniocular amblyopia of visual acuity (VA) 0.2 logMAR or worse. After four weeks of their chosen treatment, each child completed the Child Amblyopia Treatment Quality-of-Life Questionnaire (CAT-QoL). The Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory (PedsQL™), Young Child (5-7) Self-Report version, was completed before and after four weeks of treatment. Quality of life scores were compared between the two treatment groups. Results: Sixty-one percent (n = 28) of participants were male and 56.5% (n = 26) were white British. The CAT-QoL has a range of 0-16, with 16 being the worst quality of life. No significant difference was found between the patching group (n = 30, mean age 69.7 months) and the atropine group (n = 16, mean age 69.3 months) for CAT-QoL quality of life scores (Patch median = 6.3, Atropine median = 5.6, U = 199, p = .341, 95% CI of the median difference of -2.3 to 0.9). The Young Child (5-7) Self-Report version of the PedsQL™ has a 'total score' range of 0-100, with 0 being the worst quality of life. There was also no significant difference in PedsQL™ quality of life total scores (Patch median = 80, Atropine median = 83.33, U = 239.5, p = .991, 95% CI of the median difference -13.33 to 10) after four weeks of treatment. Conclusion: Amblyopic children reported that patching and atropine treatments did not have a significant impact on their quality of life. Patching and atropine should continue to be offered as first-line treatments for amblyopia, as children appear to tolerate both well and do not favor one over the other.

Mortalidad y Fertilidad del Semen de Carnero Descongelado a Dos Diferentes Ritmos de Temperatura / Mortality and fertility of frozen ram semen thawed in two diferrent rhythms of temperature

El objetivo del presente trabajo fue comparar el efecto de dos temperaturas y tiempos de descongelación sobre la motilidad y fertilidad del semen del ovino. Se utilizó un total de 208 ovejas y 13 carneros de diferentes razas. El semen se obtuvo por medio de una vagina artificial. Se evaluó, se diluyó con Tris-ácido cítrico-fructosa-glicerol-yema de huevo y se centrifugó a 200 g/15 min; el paquete celular se resuspendió con el mismo diluyente. El semen diluido se congeló en pajillas francesas de 0.25 ml con 300 millones de espermatozoides mótiles. Se determinó la motilidad al descongelamiento en 212 pajillas descongeladas en baño María a 36§C/8 seg (grupo 1) o a 70§C/4 seg (grupo 2) y otras 208 dosis se utilizaron en la inseminación artificial de las ovejas por vía intracervical. Se determinó el porcentaje de ovejas paridas/ovejas inseminadas con semen descongelado a diferentes ritmos. La motilidad al descongelar fue de 51.28 por ciento y 47.98 por ciento en el semen descongelado de los grupos 1 y 2, respectivamente, y la fertilidad de 30.7 por ciento y 29.2 por ciento, para los mismos grupos, respectivamente, sin que existiera diferencia significativa entre grupos (c 2 ; P>0.05). Se concluye que la descongelación de las pajillas a 36§C durante 8 segundos es un método más práctico e inocuo

The impact of intergovernmental distance on disaster communications

Previous research into disaster communications, while fairly extensive, has been limited primarily to sociological analysis and organizational theory. This body of research, however, has not explored disaster communications in a federal, international or other multi-level governmental response system. This paper expands upon existing research to present a new theory of intergovernmental disaster communications. The theory is based on the concept of intergovernmental distance, which refers to distance in terms of differing procedures and approaches used by organizations in different functional areas at various levels of government. The theory postulates that the organizational distance created by these differences becomes a critical factor that must be addressed during a disaster. The study employs three sets of dimensions. The first is two dimensions and examines distances between functional areas at various levels of government. The second is three dimensional and considers distances between functional area and central management. The third is multidimensional. Here a multiple regression equation is used to analyze intergovernmental distance. The study concludes by addressing the policy implications of the findings, especially the need to overcome inherent intergovernmental distance through disaster planning, the need to recognize the exponential increase in communications problems caused by increases in the number of disaster responders, and the need to determine if the marginal benefits contributed by each new responder exceed the marginal communication and coordination costs each responder imposes