Objectives COVID-19 has been arguably the most important public health concern worldwide in 2020, and efforts are now escalating to suppress or eliminate its spread. In this study we undertook a meta-analysis to estimate the global and regional seroprevalence rates in humans of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), and to assess whether seroprevalence is associated with geographical, climatic and/or sociodemographic factors. Methods We systematically reviewed PubMed, Scopus, Embase, medRxiv and bioRxiv databases for preprints or peer-reviewed articles (up to 14 August 2020). Study eligibility criteria were population-based studies describing the prevalence of anti-SARS-CoV-2 (IgG and/or IgM) serum antibodies. Participants were people from different socioeconomic and ethnic backgrounds (from the general population), whose prior COVID-19 status was unknown and who were tested for the presence of anti-SARS-CoV-2 serum antibodies. We used a random-effects model to estimate pooled seroprevalence, and then extrapolated the findings to the global population (for 2020). Subgroup and meta-regression analyses explored potential sources of heterogeneity in the data, and relationships between seroprevalence and sociodemographic, geographical and/or climatic factors. Results In total, 47 studies involving 399 265 people from 23 countries met the inclusion criteria. Heterogeneity (I2 = 99.4%, p < 0.001) was seen among studies; SARS-CoV-2 seroprevalence in the general population varied from 0.37% to 22.1%, with a pooled estimate of 3.38% (95%CI 3.05–3.72%; 15 879/399 265). On a regional level, seroprevalence varied from 1.45% (0.95–1.94%, South America) to 5.27% (3.97–6.57%, Northern Europe), although some variation appeared to relate to the serological assay used. The findings suggested an association of seroprevalence with income levels, human development indices, geographic latitudes and/or climate. Extrapolating to the 2020 world population, we estimated that 263.5 million individuals had been exposed or infected at the time of this study. Conclusions This study showed that SARS-CoV-2 seroprevalence varied markedly among geographic regions, as might be expected early in a pandemic. Longitudinal surveys to continually monitor seroprevalence around the globe will be critical to support prevention and control efforts, and might indicate levels of endemic stability or instability in particular countries and regions.
Antonio Sinelio Santos Cunha, Vitória Karoline Batista da Silva, Antonio Cícero Frizzi Junior
et al.
Este estudo analisou nove fatores associados ao burnout em atletas de futebol Sub-20: idade, índice de massa corporal (IMC), tempo de prática esportiva, frequência semanal de treinos, duração dos treinos, distância da residência familiar, número de visitas à família por ano, moradia com a família e dependência financeira do salário do atleta. A amostra incluiu 251 atletas masculinos de cinco equipes das divisões principais do campeonato. Dados dos participantes foram coletados por ficha estruturada, e o burnout do atleta foi avaliado pelo Questionário de Burnout para Atletas (QBA), que mensura exaustão física e emocional (EFE), reduzido senso de realização esportiva (RSR) e desvalorização esportiva (DES). A idade apresentou associação negativa com a EFE (β = -0,919; p = 0,001), o que indica menores níveis de exaustão em atletas mais velhos. O IMC teve relação positiva com a EFE (β = 1,025; p = 0,023), o que sugere maior exaustão em atletas com maior IMC. Morar com a família foi associado positivamente à DES (β = 1,161; p = 0,005) e ao burnout total (β = 1,068; p = 0,025), o que indica que atletas fora do ambiente familiar tendem a perceber o esporte de forma mais negativa e apresentam maior risco de burnout. Portanto, o suporte familiar e psicológico, aliado ao controle nutricional, é indispensável para o equilíbrio emocional e físico dos atletas, pois previne percepções associadas à síndrome de burnout, fortalece a gestão emocional e contribui para a promoção de um melhor desempenho esportivo e longevidade na carreira.
In the context of current decolonial geographical debates calling for action-oriented approaches to changing geographical knowledge construction, we propose cuerpo-territorio as a way to achieve this goal in Anglophone feminist geography. In Anglophone geography, emotions and embodiment have been studied through a range of ethnographic methods. There are intrinsic limitations of verbal and written data, however, because sensitive emotions might be triggered by an interviewer’s questions and participants might be reluctant to share those. Cuerpo-territorio is a distinct geographical, decolonial feminist method grounded in the ontological unity between bodies and territories. We show how this visual, hands-on, and participatory method can overcome these limits and bring about coproduced validated knowledge. By having participants draw the territory on the body, knowledge is cocreated with the voices and experiences of participants having primacy in the research process. This coconstructed knowledge is produced in an accessible format for participants and the general public, facilitating a process of advocacy by participants themselves. We make the case that research in Anglophone feminist geography concerning embodiment can benefit from employing cuerpo-territorio. This article responds to the need for more practical and methodological action toward decolonizing geography and strengthens existing literature in Anglophone feminist, decolonial, and indigenous geographies that make the connection between embodiment and land through the use of the cuerpo-territorio method from Latin America.
Abstract Against the background of inclusion, teachers' self-efficacy beliefs about inclusive education are particularly relevant to the implementation of inclusive teaching. The present study focuses on how general and subject-specific (in this case geography-specific) constructs influence the self-efficacy beliefs of prospective geography teachers about inclusive geography teaching. A survey of prospective geography teachers measured self-efficacy beliefs about inclusive geography teaching (SEB-IGT), beliefs about inclusive geography teaching (B-IGT), general self-efficacy beliefs about teaching (SEB-T), and general attitudes towards inclusive education (A-IE). Assumptions regarding the relationships between the SEB-IGT and the other constructs under consideration were conceptualized theoretically and empirically. Structural equation modelling was utilized to assess the hypothesized impacts on the SEB-IGT. The findings revealed that the geography-specific B-IGT exerts the strongest positive effect on the SEB-IGT. It follows that the subject-specific constructs under consideration exert a more important influence on the geography- and inclusion-related SEB-IGT than the more general constructs.
El objetivo del presente trabajo es poner de relieve una de las preocupaciones centrales del pensamiento de Theodor W. Adorno: la imbricación entre las relaciones sociales atravesadas por la lógica de acumulación capitalista y el modo en que estas constituyen la subjetividad de los individuos vivos insertos en dicha sociedad hasta en sus fibras más íntimas. Se tratará de acometer esta tarea exponiendo su diagnóstico de la aniquilación del individuo en el capitalismo posliberal, procurando señalar a lo largo de la exposición la importante herencia marxiana del mismo. El trabajo se desarrollará de la siguiente manera: en primer lugar, expondremos de forma sucinta los elementos del pensamiento de Marx que a nuestro entender están a la base de las reflexiones de Adorno, intentando trazar para ello algunos puntos de conexión entre el Marx de los Manuscritos y el de la Crítica de la Economía Política. A continuación, presentaremos la cuestión de la aniquilación o disolución del individuo, situando brevemente esta aportación en su contexto histórico para indicar el sentido preciso en el que, según Adorno, la categoría del individuo se ha vaciado de contenido en las sociedades del capitalismo posliberal. Seguidamente, señalaremos cómo para Adorno esta descomposición del tradicional papel social del individuo no está en modo alguno reñida con la producción social de atomización e individualismo, sino que estos rasgos proliferan y se recrudecen amparados por una apariencia de individualidad que, borrando su génesis histórica y social, sigue operando plenamente aunque no tenga un correlato en el estado real de los sujetos vivos, cada vez más dañados e impotentes. A modo de conclusión, apuntaremos algunas breves notas sobre la vigencia de ciertas reflexiones de Adorno, así como de la necesaria distancia que nos separa de ellas en el presente.
History (General), Ethnology. Social and cultural anthropology
Bobâlna Hill is the highest part of the Cluj and Dej Hills, an integrated part of the Someșan Plateau, with an altitude of 693 m. From a geomorphological point of view, it falls within the erosive-structural level formed on the horizon of the Dej tuff, of Lower Pannonian age. At the foot of the hill, a series of subsequent valleys developed, such as Olpret Valley to the north, northeast and east, Măr Valley and Lujerdiu Valley to the south, and Luna Valley to the west and southwest respectively. From a geological point of view, Bobâlna Hill is composed by the Dacitic tuff of Dej, interspersed with marls, clays, sandstones with coals and marly shales. Due to its altitude and the rocks it is made of, Bobâlna Hill determined the meaning of the evolution of the other natural components of the environment, flora, fauna, soils, as well as the hydrography. The development of human communities in the adjacent communes was deeply influenced by the presence of Bobâlna Hill. The hill is located about 30 km west of Dej City. Its area of polarization is more visible on the territories of Bobâlna, Aluniș, Cornești, Recea-Cristur and Panticeu communes. Bobâlna Hill has been the source of building materials for houses and other buildings for a long time. There are still buildings made of “Băbdiu stone” today. In addition to resistance over time, tuff has a beautiful appearance and was accessible to people. In June 1437, an army of peasants gathered on Bobâlna Hill, armed with pitchforks and scythes, ready to fight to regain their rights and freedom. The uprising in Bobâlna took place as a result of burdensome feudal obligations towards the state, the feudal lord and the Catholic church, but also because of numerous abuses. On June 8, 1937, the leaders of the villages in the Olpret area formed an initiative committee to build a monument in honour of the peasants who revolted in 1437, on Bobâlna Hill, at an altitude of 693 meters. The initiative was successful and a limestone monument was built, unveiled on December 21, 1957. Starting from 1968 and up to 1989, popular celebrations were organized, most of them just above, on the Bobâlna plateau. The heroes of the 1437 uprising were commemorated and it was an occasion of joy, reunion and party for the inhabitants of the area. Between the years 1989-1999, the celebrations stopped, but they were resumed in 1999, 2001 and 2002. The last celebration was in 2015, in the school yard in Bobâlna commune, but it had a smaller scale. In the years 2021 and 2022, the first two editions of the Revolution Race event took place, on Bobâlna Hill. Revolution Race is a sporting event that highlights nature, history and rural traditions. The “Înflorești” Sports Club Association participated to the organization of the two events in partnership with the Go4Fun Association and the administration of the municipalities of Bobâlna and Cornești. Over 300 runners from Romania and abroad participated in each edition. Starting from the advantages offered by the natural setting, the presence of Bobâlna Hill, and the significance of the historical event of 1437, Bobâlna municipality is currently designing a long-term development strategy based on ecological rural tourism.
Climate change is the most important environmental problem facing humanity in this century. And it has become the great axis of public policies and private actions in developed societies. The effects of altering the planetary energy balance due to anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions are already becoming evident in some regions of the planet. Among them, the evidence is already significant in the areas with a Mediterranean climate. This paper collects, as a review paper, the evidence and trends that are being recorded in two areas with a Mediterranean climate (the Spanish Mediterranean coast and the central sector of Chile) to assess the effect of the global warming process. The impact that the current climate change is having on the main elements of the climate and on specific environmental processes in both of these geographical spaces has been analysed. The study seeks to update, through an evaluative summary, the state of the issue of climate change in Mediterranean areas, indicating its future impact on elements of the natural environment and on the functioning of the societies that exist in these regions.
Joice Cristini Kuritza, Mariane Kempka, Mauricio Dai Pra
et al.
Neste trabalho, um procedimento metodológico foi desenvolvido para uma tipologia genérica de sistema de bombeamento. Foram avaliadas 96 possibilidades geométricas para esse sistema a partir da combinação de diferentes alturas geométricas, comprimentos e diâmetros. Foram estudados 3 perfis de curva de consumo, com 4 volumes de consumo diário distintos para início e horizonte de projeto. O algoritmo Shuffled Complex Evolution foi empregado para obter a regra de operação otimizada, e a função-objetivo foi formulada para representar os custos de operação somados aos custos de instalação do sistema de bombeamento. Os resultados demonstraram que nem sempre é vantajoso o desligamento do sistema durante o período de ponta, especialmente nos casos de sistemas com elevada perda de carga. São propostos critérios de dimensionamento otimizados para o diâmetro da adutora e a capacidade do reservatório, contribuindo com a promoção da eficiência energética ainda na fase de projeto.
Digital soil mapping (DSM) is the most widely used method for producing spatial information of soil organic matter (SOM). Accuracy of the information is generally determined by modelling methods and sample sizes used for DSM. However, different studies present different importance of modelling method and sample size on accuracy of DSM, while they do not explore various combinations of modelling method and sample size. Based on the studies, it is supposed that there exists an optimal combination of modelling method and sample size for producing information of SOM accurately and economically. With SOM data of 1861 soil samples collected in Guangdong, China, the present study first assessed importance of modelling method and sample size and then examined if an optimal combination of modelling method and sample size existed for the area. Six modelling methods were explored, while 12 sample sizes were used, ranging from 100 to 1200 with an interval of 100. For each size, 10 repeated samples were randomly taken from a data of 1311 samples which were randomly selected from all the 1861 soil samples based on the probability distribution of the SOM data. The results showed that, for small sample sizes, the modelling methods have a greater impact on accuracy of DSM. However, for large sample sizes, e.g., more than 1000, the sample sizes have a much greater impact. Due to the varying importance of modelling method and sample size, there exists an optimal combination of modelling method and sample size for spatial prediction of SOM in the area, i.e., the combination of regression kriging and a sample size of 800. Thus, for economically producing detailed and accurate information on spatial distribution of SOM, it is recommended that a series of modelling methods and sample sizes are tried to identify an optimal combination of modelling method and sample size.
Petr Kubíček, Milan Konečný, Zdeněk Stachoň
et al.
Population distribution modelling can benefit many different domains, for example, transportation, urban planning, ecology or emergency management. Information about the location and number of people in an affected area is crucial for decision-makers during emergencies and crises. Mobile phone data represents relatively reliable and time accurate information on real-time population distribution, movement and behaviour. In this study, we evaluate the spatio-temporal distribution of population derived from phone data of the selected pilot area (City of Brno, Czech Republic). Analysis is based on the dataset describing the estimated human presence (EHP) with two values – visitors and transiting persons. The temporal change of data is first analysed and further processed using two methodological approaches. First, the dasymetric method is used where the building geometry and technical attributes served as a target layer. Second, the results of building level analysis are transformed into a regular grid zone of both visitors and the general EHP. Resulting spatio-temporal patterns are compared to the census data. Results demonstrate how the proposed building level dasymetric approach can improve the spatial granularity of EHP. Potential use of proposed methodology within selected emergency situations is further discussed.
The differences in welfare amongst European countries are especially evident in border regions, and this affects cross-border cooperation and relationships. Due to the historical development of Central and Eastern European countries over the last century, the affected countries are unique “laboratories” for geographical research. This study assesses disparities in socio-economic indicators representing socio-economic phenomena in the Czech-Polish border region, through the analysis of cross-border (spatial) continuity, using quantitative methods (multivariate statistics and socio-economic profiling), GIS analysis and cartographic visualisation. It is demonstrated how such a combination of methods is useful for the comparison and evaluation of the complex socio-economic situations in neighbouring countries. This research project identifies the most suitable common indicators for a proper evaluation of cross-border (spatial) continuity, and it reveals the spatial patterns as reflected by a cluster analysis. The greatest cross-border (spatial) continuity is apparent in the easternmost part of the borderlands, while significant differences on both sides of the border are evident in the very central part of the areas under study. The paper also describes methodological aspects of the research in order to provide a quantitative approach to borderland studies.
Krystian Ślusarz, Krzysztof Wierzbicki, Monika Adamczyk-Sowa
Syringomyelia is typically a progressive chronic condition caused by a disruption of normal cerebrospinal fluid flow. Earlier diagnosis is associated with better outcomes, because although the progression of neurological deficits usually stabilizes after intervention, many patients still remain at least partially symptomatic.
In this paper, we describe the case of a 33-year-old female patient with syringomyelia. The patient reported to the Department of Neurology due to sensory disorders and shoulder pain for several months. On admission, neurological examination revealed right hand muscular deficit, abolition of sensation of temperature and asymmetry of tendon reflexes. A few weeks earlier, outpatient magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the cervical spine showed the features of Arnold-Chiari malformation, syringomyelia and C5/C6 and C6/C7 discopathy. During hospitalization, MRI of the thoracic spine was performed, and the syringomyelic cavity C2–Th6 was revealed. The patient in stable condition was discharged home and referred to the neurosurgery department. The patient underwent a medial sub-occipital craniectomy and, a month later, was admitted to the neurological rehabilitation department due to paresis and sensory disturbances of right upper limb. As a result of the physiotherapy, the right arm's motor function and general physical condition improved.