Decoupled aquaponic systems have the potential to become one of the most effective sustainable production systems for the combined production of animal protein and plant crops. Here, recirculating ...aquaculture systems for fish production are combined with hydroponics for soilless plant production thereby recycling dissolved nutrients derived from metabolism of the fish. The aim of the present study was to characterize hydroponic lettuce production using conventional nutrient solution in comparison with decoupled aquaponics using the nutrient rich fish water as basis for the nutrient solution being supplemented by missing nutrients. In addition, one aquaponic treatment became disinfected in order to assess any occurring advantage of the aquaponics derived fish water. For evaluation the temperature, electrical conductivity, pH, and the mineral composition of the nutrient solution, as well as colony forming units in the fish water were monitored. Additionally, plant growth (fresh and dry weight, number and area of leaves) and quality parameters of lettuce leaves (nitrate, mineral content, phenolic compounds) were examined. Carbon sources and microorganisms derived from fish water seem to have neither beneficial nor detrimental effects on plant growth in this study. Except for some differences in the mineral content of the lettuce leaves, all other quality parameters were not significantly different. The use of aquaponic fish water saved 62.8% mineral fertilizer and fully substituted the required water for the nutrient solution in comparison to the control. Additionally, the reduced fertilizer demand using decoupled aquaponics can contribute to reduce greenhouse gas emissions of an annual lettuce production site per ha by 72% due to saving the energy for fertilizer production. This study clearly demonstrates the huge potential of the innovative approach of decoupled aquaponics to foster the transformation of our conventional agriculture towards sustainable production systems saving resources and minimizing emissions.
Celotno besedilo
Dostopno za:
DOBA, IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SIK, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
The applications of artificial intelligence (AI) processes have grown significantly in all medical disciplines during the last decades. Two main types of AI have been applied in medicine: symbolic AI ...(eg, knowledge base and ontologies) and nonsymbolic AI (eg, machine learning and artificial neural networks). Consequently, AI has also been applied across most obstetrics and gynecology (OB/GYN) domains, including general obstetrics, gynecology surgery, fetal ultrasound, and assisted reproductive medicine, among others.
The aim of this study was to provide a systematic review to establish the actual contributions of AI reported in OB/GYN discipline journals.
The PubMed database was searched for citations indexed with "artificial intelligence" and at least one of the following medical subject heading (MeSH) terms between January 1, 2000, and April 30, 2020: "obstetrics"; "gynecology"; "reproductive techniques, assisted"; or "pregnancy." All publications in OB/GYN core disciplines journals were considered. The selection of journals was based on disciplines defined in Web of Science. The publications were excluded if no AI process was used in the study. Review, editorial, and commentary articles were also excluded. The study analysis comprised (1) classification of publications into OB/GYN domains, (2) description of AI methods, (3) description of AI algorithms, (4) description of data sets, (5) description of AI contributions, and (6) description of the validation of the AI process.
The PubMed search retrieved 579 citations and 66 publications met the selection criteria. All OB/GYN subdomains were covered: obstetrics (41%, 27/66), gynecology (3%, 2/66), assisted reproductive medicine (33%, 22/66), early pregnancy (2%, 1/66), and fetal medicine (21%, 14/66). Both machine learning methods (39/66) and knowledge base methods (25/66) were represented. Machine learning used imaging, numerical, and clinical data sets. Knowledge base methods used mostly omics data sets. The actual contributions of AI were method/algorithm development (53%, 35/66), hypothesis generation (42%, 28/66), or software development (3%, 2/66). Validation was performed on one data set (86%, 57/66) and no external validation was reported. We observed a general rising trend in publications related to AI in OB/GYN over the last two decades. Most of these publications (82%, 54/66) remain out of the scope of the usual OB/GYN journals.
In OB/GYN discipline journals, mostly preliminary work (eg, proof-of-concept algorithm or method) in AI applied to this discipline is reported and clinical validation remains an unmet prerequisite. Improvement driven by new AI research guidelines is expected. However, these guidelines are covering only a part of AI approaches (nonsymbolic) reported in this review; hence, updates need to be considered.
Celotno besedilo
Dostopno za:
DOBA, IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
Abstract
Background
We examined the association of depressive symptoms with subsequent events – and duration thereof – of work nonparticipation (long-term sickness absence, unemployment and early ...retirement).
Methods
We employed a 5-year cohort from the Study on Mental Health at Work (S-MGA), based on a random sample of employees subject to social contributions aged 31–60 years in 2012 (N = 2413). Depressive symptoms were assessed at baseline through questionnaires, while work nonparticipation was recorded in follow-up interviews. Associations of depressive symptoms with subsequent events of work nonparticipation were examined in two-part models, with events analysed by logistic regressions and their duration by generalized linear models.
Results
Medium to severe depressive symptoms were associated with events of work nonparticipation (males Odds Ratio OR = 3.22; 95% CI = 1.90–5.45; females OR = 1.92; 95% CI = 1.29–2.87), especially with events of long-term sickness absence in both genders and events of unemployment in males. Mild depressive symptoms were also associated with events of work nonparticipation (males OR = 1.59; 95% CI = 1.19–2.11; females OR = 1.42; 95% CI = 1.10–1.84). Among those experiencing one or more events, the duration of total work nonparticipation was twice as high among males Exp(β) = 2.06; 95% CI = 1.53–2.78 and about one third higher Exp(β) = 1.38; 95% CI = 1.05–1.83 among females with medium to severe depressive symptoms.
Conclusions
The present study focuses on both events and duration of work nonparticipation, which are both critical for examining societal consequences of depressive symptoms. It is key to regard also mild depressive symptoms as a possible risk factor and to include different types of work nonparticipation.
Celotno besedilo
Dostopno za:
DOBA, IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SIK, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
The aim of this study was to analyze whether individuals reporting exposure to workplace bullying had a higher risk of suicidal behavior, including both suicide attempt and death by suicide, than ...those not reporting such exposure.
Using a prospective cohort study design, we linked data from nine Danish questionnaire-based surveys (2004-2014) to national registers up to 31 December 2016. Exposure to workplace bullying was measured by a single item. Suicide attempts were identified in hospital registers and death by suicide in the Cause of Death Register. Among participants with no previous suicide attempts, we estimated hazard ratios (HR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI), adjusting for sex, age, marital status, socioeconomic status, and history of psychiatric morbidity.
The sample consisted of 98 330 participants (713 798 person-years), 63.6% were women, and the mean age was 44.5 years. Of these participants, 10 259 (10.4%) reported workplace bullying. During a mean follow-up of 7.3 years, we observed 184 cases of suicidal behavior, including 145 suicide attempts, 35 deaths by suicide and 4 cases that died by suicide after surviving a suicide attempt. The fully-adjusted HR for the association between workplace bullying and suicidal behavior was 1.65 (95% CI 1.06-2.58). The HR for suicide attempts and death by suicide were 1.65 (1.09-2.50) and 2.08 (0.82-5.27), respectively. Analyses stratified by sex showed a statistically significant association between workplace bullying and suicidal behavior among men but not women.
The results suggest that exposure to workplace bullying is associated with an elevated risk of suicidal behavior among men.
Objectives
The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of self-reported workplace bullying on depressive symptoms in a prospective study among a representative sample of employees from ...Germany. We focused specifically on the role of the perpetrator (co-workers and superiors), which was never done before in a longitudinal design.
Methods
We used data from a nation-wide representative panel study with a 5-year follow-up (
N
= 2172). Data on bullying exposure were obtained separately for different perpetrators (co-workers and superiors) and degree of severity (severe bullying, i.e., at least weekly). Depressive symptoms were assessed with the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ). We used logistic regression analyses to examine the effect of workplace bullying at baseline on depressive symptoms at follow-up.
Results
After adjusting for baseline depressive symptoms, severe bullying by co-workers significantly increased the 5-year risk of depressive symptoms (OR = 2.50). Severe bullying by superiors had a nonsignificant effect.
Conclusions
Workplace bullying is a risk factor for depressive symptoms among employees in Germany. The type of perpetrator seems to be an important factor to consider, as indicated by the elevated risk of depressive symptoms when bullying is perpetrated by co-workers.
The aim was to investigate the longitudinal relationship between precarious work and depressive symptoms in a representative cohort of employees in Germany.
In the German Study on Mental Health at ...Work (S-MGA) (
= 2009), depressive symptoms were assessed by the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9). Precarious work was measured through baseline (2012) self-reported job insecurity, marginal part-time, fixed-term contract, hourly wage and-during follow-ups 2012-2017-unemployment. Among employees without depressive symptoms at baseline (2012), we ran logistic regression analyses stratified by gender with depressive symptoms at follow-up in 2017 as the dependent variable, adjusting for baseline (2012) age, gender, socioeconomic position and partner status.
Among men, job insecurity (OR: 2.47; 95% 95% CI: 1.37-4.48) and low wage (3.79; 1.64-8.72) at baseline were significantly associated with depressive symptoms at follow-up. Among women, indicators of precarious work were not associated with depressive symptoms at follow-up. Among men, a cumulative exposure index of precarious work was significantly associated with the development of depressive symptoms (one indicator: 1.84; 0.94-3.60, ≥two indicators: 7.65; 3.30-17.73). This index was not associated with depressive symptoms among women. The population attributable fraction of precarious work due to depressive symptoms among men was approximately 30%.
Among employees in Germany, precarious work seems to be a risk factor for the subsequent development of depressive symptoms among men, but not among women. Research on precarious employment in different countries is needed.
Plasmonic systems convert light into electrical charges and heat, mediating catalytic transformations. However, there is ongoing controversy regarding the involvement of hot carriers in the catalytic ...process. In this study, we demonstrate the direct utilisation of plasmon hot electrons in the hydrogen evolution reaction with visible light. We intentionally assemble a plasmonic nanohybrid system comprising NiO/Au/Co(1,10-Phenanthrolin-5-amine)
(H
O)
, which is unstable at water thermolysis temperatures. This assembly limits the plasmon thermal contribution while ensuring that hot carriers are the primary contributors to the catalytic process. By combining photoelectrocatalysis with advanced in situ spectroscopies, we can substantiate a reaction mechanism in which plasmon-induced hot electrons play a crucial role. These plasmonic hot electrons are directed into phenanthroline ligands, facilitating the rapid, concerted proton-electron transfer steps essential for hydrogen generation. The catalytic response to light modulation aligns with the distinctive profile of a hot carrier-mediated process, featuring a positive, though non-essential, heat contribution.
Le Freier Deutscher Kulturbund (Free German League of Culture) fut créé le 1er mars 1939 par des émigrés allemands à Londres. De nombreux artistes, intellectuels, mais aussi des universitaires issus ...de la mouvance communiste se regroupèrent au sein de cette association. Celle-ci compta parmi ses membres les artistes John Heartfield et Oskar Kokoschka. Le Kulturbund organisa un large panel de manifestations culturelles, comme des expositions, des lectures et des conférences. L'une d'entre elles fut particulièrement couronnée de succès, l’exposition Allies inside Germany qui se tint à Londres à l'été 1942. En effet, le Kulturbund avait fixé dans ses objectifs d'établir une rencontre et une compréhension mutuelle entre les émigrants et la population de leur pays d'accueil. Le Kulturbund se présentait comme une organisation trans-partisane d'opposants au national-socialisme, néanmoins, il était une organisation contrôlée par le parti communiste allemand, le KPD.
Musculoskeletal disorders are a widespread affliction in the nursing profession. Back or neck-pain-related disability of nursing staff is mainly attributed to physical and psychosocial risk factors.
...To investigate which—and to what extent—physical and psychosocial risk factors are associated with neck/back-pain-related disability in nursing, and to assess the role of the type of health care institution (hospitals, nursing homes and home care institutions) within different countries in this problem.
Cross-sectional secondary analysis of multinational data of nurses and auxiliary staff in hospitals (
n=16,770), nursing homes (
n=2140) and home care institutions (
n=2606) in seven countries from the European NEXT-Study.
Multinomial logistic regression analysis with raw models for each factor and mutually adjusted with all analysed variables.
Analysis of the pooled data revealed effort-reward imbalance as the predominant risk factor for disability in all settings (odds ratios for high disability by effort-reward ratio: hospital 5.05 4.30–5.93; nursing home 6.52 4.04–10.52 and home care 6.4 3.83–10.70 after mutual adjustment of psychosocial and physical risk factors). In contrast, physical exposure to lifting and bending showed only limited associations with odds ratios below 1.6; the availability and use of lifting aids was—after mutual adjustment—not or only marginally associated with disability. These findings were basically confirmed in separate analyses for all seven countries and types of institutions.
The findings show a pronounced association between psychosocial factors and back or neck-pain-related disability. Further research should consider psychosocial factors and should take the setting where nurses work into account.
Abstract
Background
To compare the rate of postpartum depression (PPD) during the first COVID-19 lockdown with the rate observed prior to the pandemic, and to examine factors associated with PPD.
...Methods
This was a prospective study. Women who gave birth during the first COVID-19 lockdown (spring 2020) were offered call-interviews at 10 days and 6–8 weeks postpartum to assess PPD using the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS). Post-traumatic symptoms (Perinatal Post-traumatic Stress Disorder Questionnaire, PPQ), couple adjustment, and interaction and mother-to-infant bonding were also evaluated. The observed PPD rate was compared to the one reported before the pandemic. Factors associated with an increased risk of PPD were studied. The main outcome measures were comparison of the observed PPD rate (EPDS score > 12) to pre-pandemic rate.
Results
Of the 164 women included, 27 (16.5% 95%CI: 11.14–23.04) presented an EPDS score > 12 either at 10 days or 6–8 weeks postpartum. This rate was similar to the one of 15% reported prior to the pandemic (
p
= 0.6). Combined EPDS> 12 or PPQ > 6 scores were observed in 20.7% of the mothers 95%CI: 14.8–0.28. Maternal hypertension/preeclampsia (
p
= 0.007), emergency cesarean section (
p
= 0.03), and neonatal complications (
p
= 0.008) were significantly associated with an EPDS> 12 both in univariate and multivariate analysis (OR = 10 95%CI: 1.5–68.7, OR = 4.0995%CI: 1.2–14, OR = 4.0295%CI: 1.4–11.6, respectively).
Conclusions
The rate of major PPD in our population did not increase during the first lockdown period. However, 20.7% of the women presented with post-traumatic/depressive symptoms.
Trial registration
NCT04366817.
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