Near Real-Time Social Distance Estimation In London

To mitigate the current COVID-19 pandemic, policy makers at the Greater London Authority, the regional governance body of London, UK, are reliant upon prompt, accurate and actionable estimations of lockdown and social distancing policy adherence. Transport for London, the local transportation department, reports they implemented over 700 interventions such as greater signage and expansion of pedestrian zoning at the height of the pandemic's first wave with our platform providing key data for those decisions. Large well-defined heterogeneous compositions of pedestrian footfall and physical proximity are difficult to acquire, yet necessary to monitor city-wide activity (busyness) and consequently discern actionable policy decisions. To meet this challenge, we leverage our existing large-scale data processing urban air quality machine learning infrastructure to process over 900 camera feeds in near real-time to generate new estimates of social distancing adherence, group detection and camera stability. In this work, we describe our development and deployment of a computer vision and machine learning pipeline. It provides near immediate sampling and contextualization of activity and physical distancing on the streets of London via live traffic camera feeds. We introduce a platform for inspecting, calibrating and improving upon existing methods, describe the active deployment on real-time feeds and provide analysis over an 18 month period.

Global Coronavirus Pandemic Crisis and Future Crisis Prevention

This paper undertakes an interdisciplinary analysis of the global coronavirus crisis of 2020-2021, its immediate aftermath and lessons learned, through the use of some core principles of institutional and evolutionary political economy. The principle of historical specificity and evolution (linked to uneven development) examines the background to the emergence of the crisis, plus its evolution and transformation through time. The principle of heterogeneous groups and agents scrutinizes the crisis through the various groups and individuals associated with gender, class, ethnicity, age and species. The principles of circular and cumulative causation (CCC) and contradiction investigate the multiple factors responsible for the crisis and how they interact in determining the depth and recovery from the crisis. The principle of uncertainty illustrates the changing expectations underlying the business climate and consumer confidence affecting socioeconomic performance, as well as current and future policies associated with health, regulation, budgets and money. A conclusion follows.

POS-347 PREVALENCE OF POLYCYSTIC KIDNEY DISEASE IN THE MID WEST OF IRELAND AND CANDIDACY FOR TOLVAPTAN THERAPY

Introduction: Tolvaptan is a vasopressin V2-receptor antagonist that inhibits cyst growth and slows the decline of kidney function in polycystic kidney disease (PCKD). TEMPO 3:4 and REPRISE Trials showed that tolvaptan slows the decline in renal function and increase in kidney size. We aim to study the prevalence of polycystic kidney disease in the Mid-West region of Ireland and their candidacy for tolvaptan therapy. Methods: A cross-sectional study was performed across the Mid-West for year ending 2019 to identify patients with polycystic kidney disease who attend the Renal Clinic by using the Renal Database in University Hospital Limerick. Suitability for tolvaptan therapy was determined using EDTA criteria. Results: 147 patients with PCKD were identified in the Mid West;mean age 55 (17-92), 47.6% male and including 52 patients with end-stage kidney disease;26 (50%) on haemodialysis, 2 (3.8%) on peritoneal dialysis and 24 (46.2%) with kidney transplants. There are 95 patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD), of whom 77 had blood test performed in 2019. Among these 77 patients, 24 (31.2%) have Stage 1, 26 (33.8%) have Stage 2, 11 (14.3%) have Stage 3a, 4 (5.2%) have Stage 3b, 8 (10.4%) have Stage 4 and 4 (5.2%) have Stage 5 CKD. Rapid progressors were defined as a decline in eGFR by ≥ 2.5ml/min/1.73m2yearly over 5 years, or ≥ 5ml/min/1.73m2over one year;43/77 (55.8%) rapid progressors were identified of whom 29 (67.4%) have CKD 2-3b. Of these 29 patients, 19 have Stage 2, 7 have stage 3a and 3 have stage 3b CKD. 23 patients with prior imaging had kidney sizes ≥17cm, 11/23 (47.8%) have CKD Stage 2 (8/11), Stage 3a (3/11). As per EDTA criteria for tolvaptan therapy including age ≤50, CKD Stages 1-3a but that CKD stage must be interpreted in conjunction with age, rapid progression status, and kidneys size >16.5cm;there are 21 patients who are eligible for treatment. Conclusions: Tolvaptan therapy should be considered in 21 of 147 eligible patients identified to slow their rate of progression of CKD. This abstract was also submitted for the Irish Society of Nephrology Meeting Spring 2020 which was cancelled due to Covid-19. No conflict of interest