Our article illustrates how to compare the outputs from models that simulate transitions among categories through time. We illustrate the concepts by comparing two land change models: Land Change ...Modeler and Cellular Automata Markov. We show how the modeling options influence the quantity and allocation of simulated transitions, and how to compare output maps from pairs of model runs with respect to a reference map of transitions during the validation interval. We recommend that the first step is to assess the quantity of each transition and to determine the cause of the variation in quantity among model runs. The second step is to assess the allocation of transitions and to determine the cause of the variation in allocation among model runs. The separation of quantity and allocation of the transitions is a helpful approach to communicate how models work and to describe pattern validation.
•We compare three runs of models that simulate transitions among land categories.•Pattern validation compares a reference map of transition to maps from pairs of runs.•Quantity and allocation are helpful concepts to describe models and to compare maps.•Quantity refers to the size of each transition from one category to another category.•Allocation refers to the spatial distribution of the transitions.
Input maps are one of the main sources of uncertainty in Land Use Cover Change (LUCC) models. Such models are usually raster-based. Although extensive research has assessed the impact of the scale of ...input raster data in the modelling exercise, few studies have focused on the scale of input vector maps. This paper aims to investigate the effect that the Minimum Mapping Unit (MMU) and Minimum Mapping Width (MMW) of input vector maps have on a specific modelling application. To this end, we have set up different exercises with two input maps (SIOSE and CORINE) that have different MMU and MMW. Results prove the influence of these components of the scale on the simulations produced by the models. Modelled changes and quantities vary depending on the input maps. The modelled pattern is, however, very similar, despite the big differences between the reference maps.
•Changes associated with different input maps are very different (up to 90% of difference) when varying the MMU and MMW.•More detailed maps (smaller MMU and MMW) are associated with more changes than coarser maps.•The modelled pattern is similar independent of the MMU and MMW of input maps.•Model performance is usually better in exercises with coarser input maps, though the model may be too simple.•Simulations vary more because of scale of input data than because of different parameters.
Social network data offer interesting opportunities in urban studies. In this study, we used Twitter data to analyse city dynamics over the course of the day. Users of this social network were ...grouped according to city zone and time slot in order to analyse the daily dynamics of the city and the relationship between this and land use. First, daytime activity in each zone was compared with activity at night in order to determine which zones showed increased activity in each of the time slots. Then, typical Twitter activity profiles were obtained based on the predominant land use in each zone, indicating how land uses linked to activities were activated during the day, but at different rates depending on the type of land use. Lastly, a multiple regression analysis was performed to determine the influence of the different land uses on each of the major time slots (morning, afternoon, evening and night) through their changing coefficients. Activity tended to decrease throughout the day for most land uses (e.g. offices, education, health and transport), but remained constant in parks and increased in retail and residential zones. Our results show that social network data can be used to improve our understanding of the link between land use and urban dynamics.
•We use Twitter data to uncover the link between land use and urban dynamics.•Twitter activity profiles were obtained based on the type of land use.•Using OLS we determine the influence of land uses on Twitter temporal activity.•The unit of analysis is the Twitter user rather than the geotagged tweet.
After embryonic development, Caenorhabditis elegans progress through for larval stages, each of them finishing with molting. The repetitive nature of C. elegans postembryonic development is ...considered an oscillatory process, a concept that has gained traction from regulation by a circadian clock gene homologue. Nevertheless, each larval stage has a defined duration and entails specific events. Since the overall duration of development is controlled by numerous factors, we have asked whether different rate-limiting interventions impact all stages equally.
We have measured the duration of each stage of development for over 2500 larvae, under varied environmental conditions known to alter overall developmental rate. We applied changes in temperature and in the quantity and quality of nutrition and analysed the effect of genetically reduced insulin signalling. Our results show that the distinct developmental stages respond differently to these perturbations. The changes in the duration of specific larval stages seem to depend on stage-specific events. Furthermore, our high-resolution measurement of the effect of temperature on the stage-specific duration of development has unveiled novel features of temperature dependence in C. elegans postembryonic development.
Altogether, our results show that multiple factors fine tune developmental timing, impacting larval stages independently. Further understanding of the regulation of this process will allow modelling the mechanisms that control developmental timing.
Objectives
Information on the recently COVID‐19‐associated pulmonary aspergillosis (CAPA) entity is scarce. We describe eight CAPA patients, compare them to colonised ICU patients with coronavirus ...disease 2019 (COVID‐19), and review the published literature from Western countries.
Methods
Prospective study (March to May, 2020) that included all COVID‐19 patients admitted to a tertiary hospital. Modified AspICU and European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer/Mycoses Study Group (EORTC/MSG) criteria were used.
Results
COVID‐19‐associated pulmonary aspergillosis was diagnosed in eight patients (3.3% of 239 ICU patients), mostly affected non‐immunocompromised patients (75%) with severe acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) receiving corticosteroids. Diagnosis was established after a median of 15 days under mechanical ventilation. Bronchoalveolar lavage was performed in two patients with positive Aspergillus fumigatus cultures and galactomannan (GM) index. Serum GM was positive in 4/8 (50%). Thoracic CT scan findings fulfilled EORTC/MSG criteria in one case. Isavuconazole was used in 4/8 cases. CAPA‐related mortality was 100% (8/8). Compared with colonised patients, CAPA subjects were administered tocilizumab more often (100% vs. 40%, p = .04), underwent longer courses of antibacterial therapy (13 vs. 5 days, p = .008), and had a higher all‐cause mortality (100% vs. 40%, p = .04). We reviewed 96 similar cases from recent publications: 59 probable CAPA (also putative according modified AspICU), 56 putative cases and 13 colonisations according AspICU algorithm; according EORTC/MSG six proven and two probable. Overall, mortality in the reviewed series was 56.3%.
Conclusions
COVID‐19‐associated pulmonary aspergillosis must be considered a serious and potentially life‐threatening complication in patients with severe COVID‐19 receiving immunosuppressive treatment.
As a consequence of the accelerated globalization process, today major cities all over the world are characterized by an increasing multiculturalism. The integration of immigrant communities may be ...affected by social polarization and spatial segregation. How are these dynamics evolving over time? To what extent the different policies launched to tackle these problems are working? These are critical questions traditionally addressed by studies based on surveys and census data. Such sources are safe to avoid spurious biases, but the data collection becomes an intensive and rather expensive work. Here, we conduct a comprehensive study on immigrant integration in 53 world cities by introducing an innovative approach: an analysis of the spatio-temporal communication patterns of immigrant and local communities based on language detection in Twitter and on novel metrics of spatial integration. We quantify the Power of Integration of cities -their capacity to spatially integrate diverse cultures- and characterize the relations between different cultures when acting as hosts or immigrants.
Patients with cancer (PC) are at high risk of acquiring COVID-19 and can develop more serious complications. Deeper understanding of vaccines immunogenicity in this population is crucial for ...adequately planning vaccines programs. The ONCOVac study aimed to comprehensively assess the immunogenicity of mRNA-1273 vaccine in terms of humoral and cellular response.
We conducted a prospective, single-center study including patients with solid tumours treated with cyclin-dependent kinases 4 and 6 inhibitors (CDK4/6i), immunotherapy (IT) or chemotherapy (CT). Patients were enrolled previously to vaccination with mRNA-1273. We also involved health care workers (HCW) to serve as a control group. We took blood samples before first dose administration (BL), after first dose (1D), and after second dose (2D). The primary objective was to compare the rate and magnitude of T cell response after second dose whereas safety and humoral response were defined as secondary objectives. We also collected patient reported outcomes after both the first and second vaccine dose and a six-month follow-up period to diagnose incident COVID-19 cases was planned.
The rate of specific anti-S serologic positivity (anti-S IgG cut-off point at 7,14 BAU/mL) was significantly higher in HCW compared to PC after 1D (100% versus 83.8%; p = 0.04), but similar after 2D (100% versus 95.8%; p = 0.5). This difference after 1D was driven by PC treated with CT (100% versus 64.5%; p = 0.001). Cellular response after 2D was significantly lower in PC than in HCW for both CD4+ (91.7% versus 59.7%; p = 0.001) and CD8+ (94.4% versus 55.6%; p < 0.001) T cells. We found a difference on pre-existing CD4+ T cell response in HCW comparing to PC (36% and 17%, p = 0.03); without difference in pre-existing CD8+ T cell response (31% and 23%, p = 0.5). After excluding patients with pre-existing T cell response, PC achieved even lower CD4+ (50.9% versus 95.5%, p < 0.001) and CD8+ (45.5% versus 95.5%, p < 0.001) T cell response compared with HCW. Regarding safety, PC reported notably more adverse events than HCW (96.6% versus 69.2%, p < 0.001).
We demonstrated that PC showed a similar humoral response but a lower T cell response following two doses of mRNA-1273 vaccination. Further studies are needed to complement our results and determine the implication of low T cell response on clinical protection of PC against COVID-19.
•Cancer patients showed lower humoral response after one dose of mRNA-1273 vaccine.•Humoral response achieves similar levels after full vaccination.•Cellular response was significantly lower in cancer patients compared to controls.
Cystic echinococcosis (CE) is present in all continents, except for the Antarctica. Characteristically, CE lesions are found in the liver and the lungs, but virtually any part of the body may be ...affected (the spleen, kidneys, heart, central nervous system, bones, among others). It is estimated that the incidence of bone involvement in CE is 0.5% to 4%.
A retrospective study was performed of patients with osseous CE treated at the National Reference Unit of Tropical Diseases of the Ramon y Cajal Hospital, Madrid, Spain, between 1989 and December 2017. Epidemiological, clinical, diagnostic and therapeutic data of patients with long-term follow-up were collected.
During the study period, of the 104 patients with CE, 27 exhibited bone involvement (26%). The bones most frequently affected were the spine, followed by the ribs, pelvis, femur, tibia and the scapula. The most common symptom was pain followed by medullar syndrome and pathologic fracture. In total, 81.5% of patients underwent surgery for osseous CE at least once. As many as 96% received albendazol either in (mostly long-term) monotherapy or in combination with praziquantel.
The diagnosis and management of osseous CE is challenging. In many cases osseous CE should be considered a chronic disease and should be managed on a case-by-case basis. Lifelong follow-up should be performed for potential recurrence and sequels.
Several studies have shown that following a healthy diet and practicing regular physical activity (PA) are related with multiple health benefits. However, the cognitive and academic implications of ...these behaviors within adolescents requires further study.
A cross-sectional study was conducted with a simple of 1059 adolescents from Spain. The main instruments employed were the Adherence to Mediterranean Diet Test (KIDMED), the Physical Activity Questionnaire for Adolescents (PAQ-A) and the Motivation and Learning Strategies Short Form (MSLQ-SF).
Practicing PA for more than three hours per week was related to better dietary habits (
< 0.001) such as increased consumption of vegetables (0.75 ± 0.43 vs. 0.62 ± 0.48), fish (0.67 ± 0.47 vs. 0.58 ± 0.49), cereals (0.85 ± 0.35 vs. 0.77 ± 0.41) and nuts (0.44 ± 0.49 vs. 0.35 ± 0.47). High adherence to a Mediterranean diet (MD) was positively related to elaboration strategies (
= 0.116), organizational strategies (
= 0.109), critical thinking (
= 0.116), self-regulation (
= 0.159), time and study habits (
= 0.160), self-regulation of effort (
= 0.118), and intrinsically orientated goals (
= 0.090) (
< 0.01 for all variables). Practicing PA every week was also related to improvements in several of the measured variables and in addition was related to lower levels of anxiety within the academic environment (
= -0.070;
< 0.05).
Given the benefits of eating habits and the practice of PA in the cognitive processes involved in adolescent learning, intervention programs within the educational context are recommended to improve healthy habits.
Understanding the uncertainty of every spatial analysis is a required step to be aware of its usefulness and limitations. The chosen scale of analysis determines part of this uncertainty. Thematic ...resolution refers to the grain component of scale, regarding the thematic detail at which categorical maps are made. The higher the thematic detail or resolution, the larger the amount of information we have and the more complex the analysis will be. Through this paper, we aim to assess how the calibration of a Land Use Cover Change (LUCC) model differs according to variation of the thematic resolution of input Land Use Land Cover (LULC) maps. To achieve this objective, we have set up four modelling exercises in Metronamica, each one calibrated with maps at different thematic resolutions. Obtained simulations were compared in terms of allocation of changes, modelled quantities, explanatory power of the model and pattern of simulated changes. Results show that the model behaves differently depending on the selected thematic resolution. Lower thematic resolution led to simpler simulations that, however, get better validation scores. High thematic resolution maps introduce more complexity and information in the analysis. If not correctly managed, this complexity and information can translate to model noise, worsening the model performance. The paper ends with a proposal of criteria to follow to aid modellers and researchers in the selection of the proper thematic resolution for their analyses.
•Thematic resolution selection determines the simulated landscape.•The effect of thematic resolution on the simulation is also dependent on other dimensions, kinds and components of scale.•Complexity of a modelling exercise is very dependent on the chosen level of thematic resolution.•Modellers may vary the thematic resolution to avoid scale-based uncertainty and to improve model performance.•The lower the thematic resolution, the simpler the pattern a model can simulate.
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