Ethnic differences in housing in post-Soviet Tartu,Estonia

Social and ethnic stratification has changed significantly in the former Soviet space since 1991. This research analyses the evolution of inherited ethnic differences in housing during two post-Soviet decades in Tartu, Estonia. The results suggest that ethnic inequalities in dwelling type as well as in housing size per person decreased between 1989 and 2008. More minorities now occupy single-family houses than at the end of the Soviet period. Access to modern facilities within dwelling units, however, is still higher among the minority population. We conclude that inherited ethnic differences in housing conditions were pronounced and, despite evidence of decreasing housing inequalities, subsequent changes have been too modest to overcome inherited patterns of housing segmentation from the Soviet period.     

Geostatistics applied to mine waste characterization at Leadville,Colorado, USA

ABSTRACT

This paper will describe the process of identifying lead contaminated soil areas exceeding a certain threshold at a historical mining district using geostatistical tools. For this purpose, lead concentration samples coming from Leadville County, Colorado were chosen as the data sets to be examined. In order to check integrity of data files, posting of the data values at sample locations is performed on each of the four data sets available. Statistical analysis is used for identifying possible different populations within the study area Based on the statistical results, the data sets were subdivided into four different populations as they relate to residential domains. More detail geostatistical analysis of data set representing the City of Leadville domain (CL) is performed Variogram analysis is used to characterize spatial variability on the data sets within CL limits. Generation of variograms for such data sets and identification of their parameters such as sill, nugget, range, and anisotropy ratios is performed. Once these parameters are identified, variogram modeling is accomplished. A significant spatial correlation is found within CL boundaries and two geostatistical estimation techniques named ordinary kriging and indicator kriging are applied to determine level of contamination at unsampled locations exceeding 3500 PPM threshold. Such techniques are tested by cross validation in order to check possible overestimation bias over 3500 PPM threshold. Indicator Kriging was found to be the best estimator which provided the minimum overestimation bias of areas of contamination exceeding 3500 PPM threshold compared with ordinary kriging.     

Cloxacillin‐induced seizure in a hemodialysis patient

We are reporting a cloxacillin‐induced seizure in a patient with stage 5 chronic kidney disease requiring hemodialysis. To our knowledge, there are no published case reports of seizures induced by parenteral cloxacillin in hemodialysis patients. A young hemodialysis female was admitted to the hospital with decreased level of consciousness. Blood cultures revealed methicillin‐sensitive Staphylococcus aureus where cloxacillin 2 g intravenously every 4 hours was initiated. Head computed tomography (CT) was not significant. After 14 hours of cloxacillin therapy (4 doses), the patient demonstrated tonic/clonic seizure activity, where phenytoin and lorazepam were initiated. The anti‐seizure medications partially reduced seizure activity. Once the cloxacillin was discontinued, the seizures stopped. Two weeks later, all anti‐seizure medications were stopped with no further seizure activity. Cloxacillin elimination in hemodialysis patients is similar to patients with normal kidney function. Although cloxacillin does not significantly cross the blood–brain barrier, the correlation between the start of seizures and cloxacillin initiation was confirmed by the negative CT and blood chemistry laboratory results. Moreover, seizure activity was terminated upon discontinuation of cloxacillin. Although further investigation for the cause of such seizures is warranted, clinicians should use caution when giving high doses of cloxacillin in hemodialysis patients.     

Cooperation patterns in science within Europe: the standpoint of small countries

This article is concerned with the cooperation patterns of science among European countries from the viewpoint of small countries. This is an issue, which empirical literature so far has overlooked, but which is still relevant for understanding the implications of integration processes in EU. We have replicated and expanded in sample, indicator and time dimensions the empirical analysis suggested by Frenken (Economic Systems Research 14(4):345–361, 2002) for assessing the homogeneity of cooperation patterns among European countries. We find that small states are less homogenously collaborating with all countries in the European research system and their intra-national research cooperation is also more fragmented. Our analysis reveals the outcomes of cooperation processes, and also highlights the factors such as research funding and research specialisation that can impact the results of the connectivity measurement. We also show that the results are sensitive to the size and measurement of the science system.     

Towards the experiential meaning of milieu for neighbourhood regeneration: discussions on the institutional designation of milieu-valued areas in Tallinn, Estonia

This article analyses the constructive and strategic character of the milieu discourse in the planning of urban neighbourhoods in Tallinn, Estonia, that has an influence on neighbourhood regeneration. In the institutional designation of milieu areas, the concept of milieu area means the coherent historical housing environment as assessed by planning experts. The article argues that this milieu discourse has strategic aims in terms of preserving architectural housing heritage and acknowledging the traditional understanding of the heritage value. This has influenced, in the collective knowledge, the specific perception of the term ‘milieu’ that will in turn influence the change of a neighbourhood’s social structure and of its placemaking. For example, the concept of milieu area is used by real estate agents for selling and renting apartments in deprived neighbourhoods that are institutionally acknowledged as the neighbourhoods with the milieu value. The study concludes that the expert-based milieu discourse does not consider the socio-spatial neighbourhoods’ everyday life, which is significant in terms of viable neighbourhood regeneration. The reconstruction of the milieu term towards an experiential milieu approach is suggested, as the involvement of residents in neighbourhood regeneration is especially essential in the neighbourhoods of the dispossessed.     

A perspective from furniture and cabinet manufacturers in Turkey

This study evaluated current furniture and cabinet industry in Turkey. A survey was used to cover 680 of 2250 companies in the country. Some of the problems of small- and mid-sized furniture and cabinet manufacturers such as procurement of raw material, inventory capacity, reasons of insufficient raw material inventory, production types, marketing problems and their reasons were analyzed based on the response to the survey. Possible suggestions to solve the above problems of the manufacturers were made to understand the mechanics and improve overall quality of the industry.     

Treatment of wastewater containing dyes used in the Syrian textile industry

Three types of wastewater, from commercial dyeings containing reactive, disperse and direct dyes were treated using an organic coagulant at pH 5.5 as a first step, with stirring for 5 min. The second step was oxidation by Fenton's reagent (hydrogen peroxide and iron(II) sulfate) at pH 2.5–3 for 30 min. The pH of the solution was then raised to 7.5–8 where coagulation by iron hydroxide took place over 20 min. Finally, sand filtration was performed. The percentage of color removal from treated wastewater was more than 99.00% and the percentage decrease in COD was more than 96.00%. © 2002 Society of Chemical Industry     

Tomatidine and Patchouli Alcohol as Inhibitors of SARS-CoV-2 Enzymes (3CLpro,PLpro and NSP15) by Molecular Docking and Molecular Dynamics Simulations

Considering the current dramatic and fatal situation due to the high spreading of SARS-CoV-2 infection, there is an urgent unmet medical need to identify novel and effective approaches for prevention and treatment of Coronavirus disease (COVID 19) by re-evaluating and repurposing of known drugs. For this, tomatidine and patchouli alcohol have been selected as potential drugs for combating the virus. The hit compounds were subsequently docked into the active site and molecular docking analyses revealed that both drugs can bind the active site of SARS-CoV-2 3CLpro, PLpro, NSP15, COX-2 and PLA2 targets with a number of important binding interactions. To further validate the interactions of promising compound tomatidine, Molecular dynamics study of 100 ns was carried out towards 3CLpro, NSP15 and COX-2. This indicated that the protein-ligand complex was stable throughout the simulation period, and minimal backbone fluctuations have ensued in the system. Post dynamic MM-GBSA analysis of molecular dynamics data showed promising mean binding free energy 47.4633 ± 9.28, 51.8064 ± 8.91 and 54.8918 ± 7.55 kcal/mol, respectively. Likewise, in silico ADMET studies of the selected ligands showed excellent pharmacokinetic properties with good absorption, bioavailability and devoid of toxicity. Therefore, patchouli alcohol and especially, tomatidine may provide prospect treatment options against SARS-CoV-2 infection by potentially inhibiting virus duplication though more research is guaranteed and secured.