The impact of artificial intelligence on labor markets in developing countries: a new method with an illustration for Lao PDR and urban Viet Nam.

AI is transforming labor markets around the world. Existing research has focused on advanced economies but has neglected developing economies. Different impacts of AI on labor markets in different countries arise not only from heterogeneous occupational structures, but also from the fact that occupations vary across countries in their composition of tasks. We propose a new methodology to translate existing measures of AI impacts that were developed for the US to countries at various levels of economic development. Our method assesses semantic similarities between textual descriptions of work activities in the US and workers' skills elicited in surveys for other countries. We implement the approach using the measure of suitability of work activities for machine learning provided by Brynjolfsson et al. (Am Econ Assoc Pap Proc 108:43-47, 2018) for the US and the World Bank's STEP survey for Lao PDR and Viet Nam. Our approach allows characterizing the extent to which workers and occupations in a given country are subject to destructive digitalization, which puts workers at risk of being displaced, in contrast to transformative digitalization, which tends to benefit workers. We find that workers in urban Viet Nam, in comparison to Lao PDR, are more concentrated in occupations affected by AI, which requires them to adapt or puts them at risk of being partially displaced. Our method based on semantic textual similarities using SBERT is advantageous compared to approaches transferring AI impact scores across countries using crosswalks of occupational codes.

Assessing seasonal spatial segregation by age class of beluga whales (Delphinapterus leucas) in Western Hudson Bay estuaries.

Segregation of adult males from adult females and immature animals is known to occur in some beluga whale populations, but it is unclear if such segregation occurs in Hudson Bay, where the largest summering population in the world is found. Using imagery from a photographic aerial survey conducted in August 2015, we examined spatial distribution by age class with respect to several environmental variables near two of three main estuaries, Churchill and Seal River, used by Western Hudson Bay belugas in the summer season. Belugas photographed during aerial surveys were classified by age manually using an identification decision tree, and GPS coordinates of their locations were plotted in ArcGIS. Distribution by age class was examined in relation to five habitat characteristics: distance to coastal habitat, bathymetry, sea surface temperature, and extent of river plume. Habitat characteristics and the proportion of animals by age classes were similar in both estuaries, indicating no segregation, and suggesting the environmental data assessed were not associated with patterns of distribution and density of age classes at the spatial and temporal scale being investigated. Overall density of calves was almost three times higher at the Seal River; however, suggesting this location may be preferred for calf rearing in the summer season. Results provide a greater understanding of spatial patterns of beluga whale habitat use in western Hudson Bay, and information useful in conservation and management advice.

Communication skills count.

Jeremy Davies, Student Nurse at the University of Salford, reflects on both positive and negative forms of communication and what can be learnt from them.

Management of poisoning with ethylene glycol and methanol in the UK: a prospective study conducted by the National Poisons Information Service (NPIS).

BACKGROUND: Poisoning with methanol and ethylene glycol can cause serious morbidity and mortality. Specific treatment involves the use of antidotes (fomepizole or ethanol) with or without extracorporeal elimination techniques. METHODS: A prospective audit of patients with methanol or ethylene glycol poisoning reported by telephone to the National Poisons Information Service (NPIS) in the UK was conducted during the 2010 calendar year and repeated during the 2012 calendar year. The study was conducted to determine the frequency of clinically significant systemic toxicity and requirement for antidote use and to compare outcomes and rates of adverse reaction and other problems in use between ethanol and fomepizole. RESULTS: The NPIS received 1315 enquiries involving methanol or ethylene glycol, relating to 1070 individual exposures over the 2-year period. Of the 548 enquiries originating from hospitals, 329 involved systemic exposures (enteral or parenteral as opposed to topical exposure), of which 216 (66%) received an antidote (204 for ethylene glycol and 12 for methanol), and 90 (27%) extracorporeal treatment (86 for ethylene glycol and 4 for methanol). Comparing ethanol with fomepizole, adverse reactions (16/131 vs. 2/125, p < 0.001) and administration errors, lack of monitoring, or inappropriate use (45/131 vs. 6/125, p < 0.0001) were reported more commonly, whereas non-availability and inadequate stocks were reported less commonly (6/125 vs. 33/131, p < 0.0001). Eight fatalities and complications or sequelae occurred in 21 patients. Poor outcome (death, complications, or sequelae) was significantly associated with older age, higher poisoning severity scores, and lower pH on admission (p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Systemic poisoning with ethylene glycol or methanol results in hospitalisation at least 2-3 times per week on average in the UK. No difference in outcome was detected between ethanol and fomepizole-treated patients, but ethanol was associated with more frequent adverse reactions.

Why young dads matter...and how to reach them.

Most maternity services address themselves squarely to mothers, but evidence suggests that engaging with fathers can be an important way of achieving better outcomes, both for children and their mothers. This article debunks some of the commonly heard myths about young fathers (for example that they are not 'around' or interested in fatherhood), summarises key aspects of their importance and suggests approaches which maternity professionals might find useful when trying to engage with them.

Incorporating catastrophic risk assessments into setting conservation goals for threatened Pacific salmon.

Catastrophic die-offs can have important consequences for vertebrate population growth and biodiversity, but catastrophic risks are not commonly incorporated into endangered-species recovery planning. Natural (e.g., landslides, floods) and anthropogenic (e.g., toxic leaks and spills) catastrophes pose a challenge for evolutionarily significant units (ESUs) of Pacific salmon listed under the Endangered Species Act and teetering at precariously low population levels. To spread risks among Puget Sound chinook salmon populations, recovery strategies for ESU-wide viability recommend at least two viable populations of historical life-history types in each of five geographic regions. We explored the likelihood of Puget Sound chinook salmon ESU persistence by examining spatial patterns of catastrophic risk and testing ESU viability recommendations for 22 populations of the threatened Puget Sound chinook salmon ESU. We combined geospatial information about catastrophic risks and chinook salmon distribution in Puget Sound watersheds to categorize relative catastrophic risks for each population. We then analyzed similarities in risk scores among regions and compared risk distributions among strategies: (1) population groups selected using the ESU viability recommendations of having populations spread out geographically and including historical life-history diversity, and (2) population groups selected at random. Risks from individual catastrophes varied among populations, but overall risk from catastrophes was similar within geographic regions. Recovery strategies that called for two viable populations in each of five geographic regions had lower risk than random strategies; strategies that included life-history diversity had even lower risks. Geographically distributed populations have varying catastrophic-risks profiles, thus identifying and reinforcing the spatial and life-history diversity critical for populations to respond to environmental change or needed to rescue severely depleted or extirpated populations. Recovery planning can promote viability of Pacific salmon ESUs across the landscape by incorporating catastrophic risk assessments.

Hemostatic function in healthy pregnant and preeclamptic women: an assessment using the platelet function analyzer (PFA-100) and thromboelastograph.

BACKGROUND: The PFA-100 is a point-of-care platelet function analyzer which measures the speed of formation of a platelet plug in vitro, expressed as closure time (CT) in seconds. This device could potentially be used to assess primary hemostasis prior to regional anesthesia. In this prospective, observational study we sought to establish 95% reference intervals for PFA-100 and Thromboelastograph (TEG) values for our normal pregnant population, before comparing the PFA and TEG in measuring platelet function in preeclamptic and healthy pregnant women at term, using confidence interval analysis and analysis of variance. METHODS: Routine hematologic and coagulation tests were performed along with von Willebrand Factor, CT, and TEG measurements. Results are expressed as mean (sd). RESULTS: Increased severity of preeclampsia was associated with increasing prolongation of CT, even in the presence of normal platelet counts. In severe preeclampsia, the PFA-100 CT (mean (sd): 155 (65) s) exceeded the 95% reference interval of the control group (70-139 s). In contrast, TEG maximum amplitude (MA) in severe preeclampsia (mean (sd): 71 (8) mm) remained within the 95% reference interval for MA in normal pregnancy (64-82 mm). CONCLUSION: We conclude that impairment of primary hemostatic function with increasing severity of preeclampsia was recorded by the PFA-100 but not the TEG.

Ambulance services. Digital dawn.

Mersey Regional and Hereford and Worcester ambulance trusts are the only two in the country to have installed digital radio systems. Hereford and Worcester can now locate any of its 42 ambulances in real time, leading to dramatic reductions in response times. The system also allows for the transmission of clinical data while a casualty is in transit, supporting the development of paramedics' medical skills. The national rollout of digital radio has been repeatedly postponed; the current dealine for full intergration in England is 2007.