Michael Ekholuenetale, Joshua Oyeniyi Aransiola, Chinazo Ujuju
et al.
Abstract Background Malaria remains a life-threatening disease predominantly in resource-constrained settings including Nigeria. Despite the availability of interventions to prevent, diagnose and treat malaria, children under five years remain vulnerable. Perennial malaria chemoprevention (PMC) is an effective intervention to prevent malaria in children under 24 months. However, the uptake of PMC may be affected by community acceptability of the intervention. The study explored the acceptability of PMC in Osun State, Nigeria. Methods Focus group discussions and key informant interviews were used to gather caregivers, community leaders, fathers of children less than 24 months of age and health workers’ perspectives on PMC in Osun State, Nigeria. Thematic analysis was conducted using ATLAS.ti 24. Results Participants reported acceptability of PMC delivered through expanded programme on immunization (EPI) platform. Acceptability was influenced by perceived effectiveness, child-friendliness and free health services as well as whether individuals accept conventional medicines and the delivery platform. On the other hand, lack of funds for transportation and the fear of side effects negatively affected PMC acceptability. Caregivers reported the attitudes of health workers towards the intervention influenced their acceptance or negative behaviour towards PMC. Religious leaders also accepted PMC as it did not contradict their faith. Conclusion Several factors affect acceptability of PMC. To maximize acceptance that would lead to increased uptake of PMC, programmes should identify factors within their context that influence acceptability and employ appropriate strategies to maintain high acceptability.
Arctic medicine. Tropical medicine, Infectious and parasitic diseases
Cancer screening is a high priority within the Métis community in Alberta. Despite comparable cancer incidence rates to non-Métis Albertans, Métis people face barriers to accessing cancer screening programs. This study used community-based research approaches informed by Métis ways of knowing to engage 31 individuals across Alberta about their experiences with accessing cancer screening services. Data collection was completed through two in-person Métis gatherings and six telephone interviews. Gatherings included talking circles and cultural activities, with discussions lasting approximately three hours. Topics discussed included experiences with accessing screening services, the quality of care received during appointments, and the supports needed to improve access to screening programs. Discussions were audio-recorded, transcribed, de-identified, and thematically analyzed using NVivo Software. Four prominent themes emerged from this study: (1) the impact of patient-provider communications on cancer experiences, (2) a broken healthcare system and access to care, (3) a need for support and safety, and (4) health promotion behaviours. An overarching theme of discrimination as a social determinant of health emerged throughout the findings. Tangible barriers, including geographical, transportation, and financial, were also identified by study participants. This study provides an increased understanding of Métis experiences related to cancer screening and offers direction for improvements.
Xiahuan Chen,1,* Wenwen Liu,1,* Jiaqi Zhang,1,* Meilin Liu,1 Yi Li,2 Xiaozeng Wang,2 Yaling Han2 1Department of Geriatrics, Peking University First Hospital, Beijing, 100034, People’s Republic of China; 2Department of Cardiology, General Hospital of Northern Theater Command, Shenyang, Liaoning, 110016, People’s Republic of China*These authors contributed equally to this workCorrespondence: Meilin Liu; Yaling Han, Email liumeilin@hotmail.com; hanyaling@263.netBackground: Elderly patients with coronary artery disease (CAD) are at heightened risk for ischemic and bleeding complications. This study evaluates antithrombotic therapy use and its clinical outcomes in Chinese patients aged ≥ 65 years with CAD and elevated ischemic risk.Methods: This prospective cohort study enrolled patients aged ≥ 65 years with diagnosed CAD and ≥ 1 high ischemic risk factor from two centers. We recorded major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE)—death, nonfatal myocardial infarction, nonfatal ischemic stroke—and bleeding events over a 2-year follow-up.Results: Of 1005 patients (mean age 76.3 ± 7.2 years; 25.3% female), 49.0% were aged 65– 75 and 51.0% were > 75. Antithrombotic regimens included no therapy (1.8%), single antiplatelet therapy (SAPT, 23.0%), dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT, 64.3%), and anticoagulation (10.9%), with 60.9% of the latter combining antiplatelet therapy. Older patients (> 75 years) experienced higher MACE rates (11.5% vs 6.3%; RR: 1.825; 95% CI: 1.203– 2.769; p = 0.004) and a trend towards increased bleeding (8.4% vs 6.5%; p = 0.257). Notably, all-cause and cardiovascular mortality were significantly higher in this group. Anticoagulation therapy was linked to a higher, yet non-significant, MACE rate and significantly increased bleeding risk compared to SAPT and DAPT. Multivariate analysis identified age > 75, LVEF < 50%, and eGFR < 50 mL/min/1.73 m2 as predictors of mortality and MACE, with anticoagulation therapy increasing bleeding risk.Conclusion: In elderly CAD patients, those aged > 75 years exhibit higher mortality and MACE rates, with anticoagulation therapy associated with increased bleeding. Age, reduced LVEF, and renal function emerge as critical predictors of adverse outcomes.Keywords: coronary artery disease, antithrombotic therapy, high ischemic risk, elderly patients, clinical outcomes
Venencia Albert, T. Ramamurthy, Samaresh Das
et al.
Background Foodborne and waterborne diseases and outbreaks are a neglected public health issue worldwide. In developing countries, diarrheal disease caused by foodborne and waterborne infections is a major cause of ill health. There is a lack of information on foodborne pathogens, their transmission routes, outbreaks, and related mortalities, due to the absence of a robust disease surveillance system and adequately equipped laboratories. Although hygiene practices are much better in Western countries, the widespread use of preserved and raw food items is a cause of concern. Consequently, the occurrence of foodborne diseases is not rare in these countries either. WHO has recently released the ‘Global Strategy for Food Safety 2022–2030’, addressing the emerging challenges, new technologies, and innovative approaches to strengthen food safety systems and enhance laboratory capacity for foodborne disease surveillance. Foodborne outbreaks are a huge challenge in India. Malnutrition, anemia, hookworm and enteric infections, are the predominant cryptic health conditions among children in rural and tribal areas, leading to severe consequences, including death, and posing a substantial threat to public health. Combating such events with adequate food safety and hygiene practices is achievable. Systematic collection of data can help to develop food safety policies that could reduce the burden of foodborne diseases. Objective This review aims to examine the current situation of foodborne and waterborne diseases, identification of the factors contributing to their occurrence and outbreaks, and defining the gaps in control measures, challenges, and potential solutions in improving the public health system. Methods Strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats (SWOT) analysis was made based on the literature review of foodborne and waterborne infections to assess the current situation and to identify knowledge gaps. Finding SWOT analysis showed the strength and gaps in the different national initiatives analogous to the global programs. Though, Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme (IDSP), Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), the core Government missions, independently generate substantial information, sporadic and outbreak cases of diarrhea still prevail in the country due to the absence of a systematic national surveillance system. Recently, many government initiatives have been made through Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), G20 goals, etc. However, potential threats such as risk of zoonotic disease transmission to humans, emerging infections and antimicrobial resistance (AMR), and unauthorized activities in the food sector pose a big challenge in safeguarding the public health. Conclusion Maintenance of global food safety requires a systematic analysis of present situations, identification of existing shortcomings, and targeted efforts toward prevention of infections. The ongoing G20 mission and the SDGs for 2030 represent significant strides in this direction. To have pathogen-free animals and supply of contamination-free raw foods is impractical, but, mitigating the prevalence of zoonotic diseases can be accomplished by rigorously enforcing hygiene standards throughout the food production chain. A crucial requirement at present is the implementation of integrated laboratory surveillance for foodborne and waterborne infections, as this will provide policymakers and stakeholders all the evidence based scientific information. This system will facilitate efforts in minimizing the risks associated with foodborne and waterborne infections.
Culture is the main value of the existence of not only individual peoples and small ethnic groups but also states. There is such a concept as the cultural unity of the world. That is, it is necessary to realise that the cultural values accumulated by peoples over the centuries do not belong to one particular institution or country, but are common to all mankind. It is for this reason that to establish a multi-vector cultural connection in the world as a whole, it is worth starting with the unification of all people of this culture. Multi-vector cultural communication was forced to rely primarily on previously prepared paradigms. It was conducted all over the world through the “West-East” antinomy. The study examines the world experience of establishing multi-vector cultural ties. The term globalisation is explained and focuses on the views of the nation in the era of globalisation when goods and money are exchanged endlessly in the conditions of globalisation. The qualitative changes that have occurred in the cultural life of the people since the proclamation of independence by the Republic of Kazakhstan are considered. The emergence of a qualitatively new global geopolitical and geo-economic situation forces modern Kazakhstan to reconsider its position in the world. The purpose of the study is to consider the multi-vector cultural connection as a means of integrating the Republic of Kazakhstan into the world community. The paper uses the method of analysis of legal documents and a historical approach. It is concluded that a multi-vector cultural connection is an objective necessity, which has brought a lot of benefits on the path of gradual integration of the Republic of Kazakhstan into the world community since independence. One of its results is that Kazakhstan is a prosperous regional state, an initiator of regional integration processes, and an active participant in global and regional structures. Thus, the spectrum of multi-vector cultural ties is vast, and the area under study is very diverse and plays a special role in the upbringing of generations
ABSTRACT This research addresses the implications of slip on the magnetohydrodynamic transport properties of Newtonian nanofluids. The study employs Buongiorno’s theoretical framework and focuses its attention on a cylindrical object that experiences tensile deformation inside a medium characterized by porosity. In contrast to the often observed boundary conditions that presume a constant temperature and concentration, the current research utilizes hydrodynamic and thermal slip conditions. The recognition of many significant elements, including the Arrhenius activation energy, magnetic field, and viscous dissipation, also has important significance. The phenomena of interest pertaining to fluid flow is first defined and afterward converted into a nondimensional form by including relevant commonalities. In order to do a thorough examination of the current situation, the shooting algorithm and the $bvp4c$bvp4c technique are used. Graphical and tabular representations are used to demonstrate the implications of several emerging features on the velocity, temperature, and dispersion of nanoparticles. The observed data suggests that a rise in chemical reaction parameters leads to a drop in nanoparticle concentration distributions, but the activation energy parameter exhibits an opposite tendency. It is discovered that the boundary layer thickness under slip flow circumstances differs from that seen without slip flow. The Sherwood number rises when the chemical reaction parameter gets higher, whereas the activation energy parameter escalates in the opposite direction. The present research covers a broad variety of applied sciences applications, with a special emphasis on thermal oil recovery, geothermal reservoirs, chemical engineering, and nuclear reactor cooling.
Mohadese Sarvari, Sanaz Shanbehzadeh, Yaghoub Shavehei
et al.
Abstract Objective Altered Postural control could increase the risk of falling in older adults. Factors such as low back pain and fear of falling can be contributing factors to postural control instability. This study aimed to investigate the effect of chronic low back pain (CLBP) and fear of falling (FOF) on postural control of older adults. Method Forty-one older adults were included (27 LBP and 14 control). Among the participants, 22 people had high FOF, and 19 had low FOF based on Falls efficacy scale cut-off of ≥ 26. For postural control evaluation Center of pressure parameters (COP) of Standard deviation (Sd) of velocity, Sd of amplitude, path length and mean velocity in both Medial–lateral (ML) and Anterior–Posterior (AP) directions were measured. Mixed-model anova with two between group factor (Health status; with and without CLBP, and with high and low FES-I groups) and one within factor postural condition (four conditions with and without vision and Achill tendon vibration) was used. Result No significant interaction between groups (health status and FES-I) and group with condition (health status and condition or FES-I and condition) was observed for all COP parameters in both AP and ML direction. There was main effect of FES-I for all COP parameters in ML direction, with greater Sd of velocity, Sd of amplitude, path length and mean velocity in older adults with high FES-I compared to low FES-I in the ML direction. Conclusion High levels of FOF influenced static postural control in the ML direction. Therefore, paying attention to the lateral stability of older adults is of great importance.
Yahya Süleyman Mollaibrahimoğlu, Nurefşan Kaygas, Özlem Feyzioğlu
et al.
The study aims to compare static and dynamic postural stability, navicular drop, dorsiflexion range of motion, and jumping performance of individuals with neutral, prone, and hyperprone foot postures. Forty-eight participants between the ages of 18 and 40, were categorized into neutral (n=16), prone (n=16), and hyperprone (n=16) according to foot posture index (FPI). Static and dynamic postural control evaluations (with the Biodex Balance System SD), navicular drop test (NDT) weight-bearing lunge test, countermovement jump test without arm swing, and drop vertical jump tests have been completed. In the results, the average age of participants in the NG, PG, and HPG are 22.31 ± 2.75, 23.87± 3.72, and 22.37 ± 1.28 years and BMI are 22.6 ± 3, 23.4 ± 3.8, and 21.4 ± 2.24 (kg/m²), respectively. The demographic data of the participants showed a homogeneous distribution. There were no significant differences in none of the outcomes except the NDT. Navicular drop amount is positively correlated by the subtalar joint pronation. An increase in subtalar joint pronation does not have a significant effect on static and dynamic stability, jump performance, or dorsiflexion range of motion in healthy individuals.
Emilia Ambrosini, Chiara Giangregorio, Eugenio Lomurno
et al.
BackgroundThe rise in life expectancy is associated with an increase in long-term and gradual cognitive decline. Treatment effectiveness is enhanced at the early stage of the disease. Therefore, there is a need to find low-cost and ecological solutions for mass screening of community-dwelling older adults.
ObjectiveThis work aims to exploit automatic analysis of free speech to identify signs of cognitive function decline.
MethodsA sample of 266 participants older than 65 years were recruited in Italy and Spain and were divided into 3 groups according to their Mini-Mental Status Examination (MMSE) scores. People were asked to tell a story and describe a picture, and voice recordings were used to extract high-level features on different time scales automatically. Based on these features, machine learning algorithms were trained to solve binary and multiclass classification problems by using both mono- and cross-lingual approaches. The algorithms were enriched using Shapley Additive Explanations for model explainability.
ResultsIn the Italian data set, healthy participants (MMSE score≥27) were automatically discriminated from participants with mildly impaired cognitive function (20≤MMSE score≤26) and from those with moderate to severe impairment of cognitive function (11≤MMSE score≤19) with accuracy of 80% and 86%, respectively. Slightly lower performance was achieved in the Spanish and multilanguage data sets.
ConclusionsThis work proposes a transparent and unobtrusive assessment method, which might be included in a mobile app for large-scale monitoring of cognitive functionality in older adults. Voice is confirmed to be an important biomarker of cognitive decline due to its noninvasive and easily accessible nature.
Introduction Mental, neurological and substance use conditions lead to tremendous suffering, yet globally access to effective care is limited. In line with the 13th General Programme of Work (GPW 13), in 2019 the World Health Organization (WHO) launched the WHO Special Initiative for Mental Health: Universal Health Coverage for Mental Health to advance mental health policies, advocacy, and human rights and to scale up access to quality and affordable care for people living with mental health conditions. Six countries were selected as ‘early-adopter’ countries for the WHO Special Initiative for Mental Health in the initial phase. Our objective was to rapidly and comprehensively assess the strength of mental health systems in each country with the goal of informing national priority-setting at the outset of the Initiative. Methods We used a modified version of the Program for Improving Mental Health Care (PRIME) situational analysis tool. We used a participatory process to document national demographic and population health characteristics; environmental, sociopolitical, and health-related threats; the status of mental health policies and plans; the prevalence of mental disorders and treatment coverage; and the availability of resources for mental health. Results Each country had distinct needs, though several common themes emerged. Most were dealing with crises with serious implications for population mental health. None had sufficient mental health services to meet their needs. All aimed to decentralize and deinstitutionalize mental health services, to integrate mental health care into primary health care, and to devote more financial and human resources to mental health systems. All cited insufficient and inequitably distributed specialist human resources for mental health as a major impediment. Conclusions This rapid assessment facilitated priority-setting for mental health system strengthening by national stakeholders. Next steps include convening design workshops in each country and initiating monitoring and evaluation procedures.
Sarah Hurwitz, Blaine Garman‐McClaine, Kane Carlock
The novel coronavirus (COVID-19) disrupted how educators provided supports and services for students with autism spectrum disorder. School closures and related pivoting between learning modalities were difficult for all students, but especially for students with autism, who rely on routine and often require individualized instruction. There has been limited opportunity for teachers to share their experiences of rapidly changing educational circumstances. The purpose of this mixed-methods study was to investigate how special educators and school-based specialists adapted practices for such students in response to pandemic conditions. One hundred and six educators from 40 school districts completed a written survey inquiring about the modifications they made to Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) and their efforts to implement evidence-based practices. Participants reported adding individualized contingency learning plans to Individualized Education Programs, adjusting service minutes, and sometimes eliminating social goals. A thematic analysis (Braun and Clarke, 2006) of educators’ written reflections identified four themes, highlighting a renewed importance on collaboration with parents, who helped deliver intervention and monitor progress in the home setting. While students with more intense needs struggled, others actually preferred virtual instruction. This raises concerns for what will happen in the future, when social expectations resume. Despite the overwhelming challenges posed by COVID-19, participants demonstrated remarkable resiliency and innovation. Lay abstract The novel coronavirus (COVID-19) disrupted how special educators provided supports and services for students with autism spectrum disorder. School closures and the related pivoting between learning modalities (i.e. virtual, hybrid, and face-to-face) were difficult for all students, but especially for students with autism, who rely on routine and require individualized instruction. In this study, we surveyed 106 special education teachers, behavior specialists, and speech pathologists who work with autistic students to learn about how they adapted instruction to comply with the complex social distancing rules and changing expectations of the pandemic. Participants reported “making the best out of a bad situation” and “constantly using ‘trial & error’ to find the best way for our students to eLearn.” They emphasized the importance of collaboration with parents, who helped deliver intervention and monitor progress across settings. They made alterations to Individualized Education Programs, by adding individualized contingency learning plans, adjusting service minutes, and sometimes eliminating social goals. Participants were surprised that while students with more intense needs struggled, others actually preferred virtual instruction. This raises concerns for what will happen in the future, when social expectations resume. Despite the overwhelming challenges posed by COVID-19, participants demonstrated remarkable resiliency and an innovative ability to adapt instruction.
The purpose of the article is to study the theoretical foundations and practical aspects of the justification of the peculiarities and identification of problems of institutional stability of public administration in the conditions of increasing economic and legal challenges and threats of the financial and economic and socio-political crisis of Ukraine. Based on the results of the conducted research, it can be stated that in the conditions of the strengthening of the financial and economic and socio-political crisis, there is an aggravation of the negative impact of economic and legal challenges and threats that significantly unbalance the institutional stability of public administration. The article analyzes the main scientific approaches to determining the essence of the institutional stability of public administration, identifies the main factors that have the most destructive effect on the public administration system, identifies the most important problems of the institutional stability of public administration, and finds out that they increase their destabilizing influence in the period of aggravation of economic and legal challenges and threats of the financial and economic and social-political crisis. Empirical evaluations of the Integral indicator of public administration in Ukraine for the period of 2018–2021 were carried out according to such subindexes as "implementation of the right to vote in the state and accountability", "government efficiency", "political stability and absence of violence", "quality of legislation", "the rule of law" and "corruption control", as a result of which their critical values were established, which lead to a significant imbalance of the public administration system, to the deepening of social tensions and to the exacerbation of crisis situations. The main measures to increase the institutional stability of public administration are proposed, among the most significant of which are the formation of a special mechanism for forecasting risks, threats and dangers to the system of public administration, taking into account crisis situations and the strengthening of financial and economic and socio-political challenges; improvement of current domestic legislation and its harmonization with the norms of European and international law; development of an effective anti-corruption mechanism and its legislative regulation.
Introduction. The socio-political conditions of the last decade have provided the “digital natives” with greater opportunities to unleash their potential. However, the ongoing changes in today’s BANI world pose challenges to their constructive attitude towards the reality, leading to continual psycho-emotional strain. This tells negatively on their sense of well-being, life satisfaction and activity in significant areas. The lack of harmony between the internal and external world, along with the instability of social systems, can provoke a person’s emotional/personal ill-being. The volatility of external environment associated with the pandemic and the special military operation underlay the article’s purpose of identifying the dynamics of change in assessing the existing situation in the country and the world as affecting the emotional and personal well-being (EPW) of students. Materials and methods. The target audience was represented by 152 full-time students of Tomsk Polytechnic University aged 18-21. The data collection took place in September 2021 – July 2022. The used materials included the authors’ questionnaire “Students’ view of emotional and personal well-being”; the emotional and personal well-being model by L.V. Karapetyan; Spielberger-Khanin anxiety test. Results. The comparative data analysis showed that the content of EPW concept and the factors influencing its level are changeable. There is a registered shift in the emphasis from “inner confidence” to “inner peace”, complemented by the context of “tranquility in the country/the world”. The trigger situations in the external environment are reflected in the respondents’ emotional reaction and have a significant impact on perception and experience of well-being, assessment of life quality and satisfaction. They provoked a 28% increase in situational anxiety. An increase in the share of young people who are at risk in terms of personal anxiety is registered. A highly significant statistically negative relationship was found between the EPW level and the level of situational anxiety (r=-0.224; p≤0.01), along with the statistically significant negative relationship between the EPW level and the level of personality anxiety (r=-0.360; p≤0.05). Conclusion. The comparative analysis of the 2021 and 2022 results showed an increase in situational anxiety. The political situation in the country and in the world proved to be the key factor. The identified correlation between the EPW level and the levels of personal and situational anxiety confirmed the hypothesis that the lower the (personal and situational) level of anxiety, the higher the EPW level of young people.
Abstract Objective This study aimed to explore the mediating and moderating effects of resilience and perseverance on pilots’ self-efficacy and capability of handling special situations. Methods Using cluster sampling, 251 pilots’ self-efficacy, special flight situation handling capability, resilience and perseverance were assessed using standardized scales. Results Pilots with high self-efficacy can improve their resilience to enhance their capability to handle special situations. An analysis was performed that included perseverance in the mediation model, and results showed that the influence of self-efficacy on special situation handling through resilience was moderated by perseverance. Conclusion The relations between self-efficacy and special flight situation handling capability present a moderated mediation model. A pilot’s capability of handling special situations, ensuring flight safety and combat capability may be enhanced by improving their self-efficacy, resilience, and perseverance.
Robert C Manske, Michael Voight, Chris Wolfe
et al.
Quadriceps muscle injury is a common occurrence, especially among athletes. While a careful history and a thorough physical examination are important steps in the assessment of quadriceps muscle pathology, it is still difficult to differentiate the type and severity of the pathology. Because of this difficulty, musculoskeletal ultrasound (MSK-US) is an invaluable tool in the diagnosis of quadriceps muscle or tendon injury. Utilizing this noninvasive imaging technique, medical professionals can easily diagnose and monitor muscle and tendon disorders to quickly determine the correct treatment plan for each individual case. The ability to view these structures in real-time allows identification of any present pathologies. MSK-US has become a useful component in diagnosing quadriceps muscle and tendon injuries due to its ability to clearly display the affected structures without exposing the patient to radiation or utilizing ionized contrast media. MSK-US provides valuable insight into fluid dynamics around joints and can even detect myotendinous tears that might otherwise be overlooked with the clinical examination or symptoms usually reported by patients. MSK-US can provide precise visualization of edema and can easily distinguish between benign and potentially pathological findings which make it an integral part of any holistic evaluation of quadriceps muscle and tendon injury. Additionally, it can be used to track the progress of physical therapy treatments and monitor tissue healing. This information is invaluable in ensuring an optimal outcome for any quadriceps muscle and tendon injury. Therefore, when used in combination with clinical tests, MSK-US can drastically increase the accuracy of the clinical examination. By utilizing this technology, healthcare practitioners have reliable access to more comprehensive diagnostics for musculoskeletal injuries and diseases than ever before. Clinicians are then able to tailor rehabilitation plans more effectively and ensure their patients receive proper treatment. As a result, recovery times may be shortened, and patients are able to return to their normal activities more quickly.
This study investigated the psychological impact of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) among youth by analyzing their emotional/behavioral problems before and during the long-lasting lockdown in Spain. For that purpose, 699 parents with children aged 6–17 and 552 adolescents aged 12–17, who completed the parent and adolescent version of the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire at the beginning of 2019, responded to a survey from 26 May to 15 June 2020 that assessed psychological well-being and life conditions during quarantine (i.e., sociodemographic characteristics, situation before the lockdown, physical environment and accompaniment during the lockdown, COVID-related variables). According to both parent- and self-reports, children and youth experienced a significant worsening in emotional symptoms, conduct problems, hyperactivity/inattention, peer problems, and total difficulties subscales. Findings also suggested that impairment was mainly associated with variables related to the child’s situation prior to home quarantine, the quality and quantity of the child’s social networks during the lockdown, the daily routines the child followed, the concerns the child had about health, and the presence of economic and learning problems caused by the COVID-19. Thus, the present investigation emphasizes the need for carefully monitoring the mental health of younger people, provides guidance for the development of interventions that mitigate some of the psychological difficulties faced in a situation of confinement, and highlights the importance of paying special attention to high-risk groups.
ABSTRACT School closures due to the worldwide COVID-19 pandemic put challenges on teachers, students and their parents. In particular, students with special educational needs or students with low achievement levels who need more support in learning may have more difficulties coping compared to their peers. Using longitudinal data of the German National Educational Panel Study, the circumstances of students in secondary school during the time of school closures are characterised, in particular focusing on students who have been diagnosed with special educational needs or showing low achievement levels at the end of primary school. Overall, parents of students with special educational needs or low achievement levels do not report more challenges with respect to the situation of learning at home. However, differentiated results are found with regard to satisfaction with the support provided by the school, the amount of weekly learning time, and parental support. The situation of students with less favourable conditions in terms of learning at home by themselves needs special attention when face-to-face-instructions cannot be carried out as usual to achieve successful learning.
J. García-Giménez, Concepción Garcés, C. Romá-Mateo
et al.
Epigenetic regulation of gene expression provides a finely tuned response capacity for cells when undergoing environmental changes. However, in the context of human physiology or disease, any cellular imbalance that modulates homeostasis has the potential to trigger molecular changes that result either in physiological adaptation to a new situation or pathological conditions. These effects are partly due to alterations in the functionality of epigenetic regulators, which cause long-term and often heritable changes in cell lineages. As such, free radicals resulting from unbalanced/extended oxidative stress have been proved to act as modulators of epigenetic agents, resulting in alterations of the epigenetic landscape. In the present review we will focus on the particular effect that oxidative stress and free radicals produce in histone post-translational modifications that contribute to altering the histone code and, consequently, gene expression. The pathological consequences of the changes in this epigenetic layer of regulation of gene expression are thoroughly evidenced by data gathered in many physiological adaptive processes and in human diseases that range from age-related neurodegenerative pathologies to cancer, and that include respiratory syndromes, infertility, and systemic inflammatory conditions like sepsis.
Climate, geology, geomorphology, soil, vegetation, geomorphology, hydrology, and human impact affect river–floodplain systems, especially their sediment load and channel morphology. Since the beginning of the Holocene, human activity is present at different scales from the catchment to the channel and has had an increasing influence on fluvial systems. Today, many river–floodplain systems are transformed in course of river restorations to “natural” hydrodynamic and morphodynamic conditions without human impacts. Information is missing for the historical or rather “natural” as well as for the present-day situation. Changes of the “natural” sediment fluxes in the last centuries result in changes of the fluvial morphology. The success of river restorations depends on substantial knowledge about historical as well as present-day fluvial morphodynamics. Therefore, it is necessary to analyze the consequences of historical impacts on fluvial morphodynamics and additionally the future implications of present-day human impacts in course of river restorations. The objective of this review is to summarize catchment impacts and river channel impacts since the beginning of the Holocene in Europe on the fluvial morphodynamics, to critically investigate their consequences on the environment, and to evaluate the possibility to return to a “natural” morphological river state.
The purpose of the article is to study the peculiarities of the functioning of entrepreneurship institutes with fundamentally new tasks in the conditions of European integration of Ukraine and to develop conceptual proposals for supporting and improving the development of entrepreneurship in Ukraine in the conditions of European integration. Methodology. In the process of solving the tasks of scientific research, general scientific and special research methods were applied: descriptive-analytical method, systematic approach, method of analysis and synthesis, method of systematization, graphic method, method of dynamic series and structural analysis, method of cost analysis, method of comparison, method of average points evaluations, the method of scientific generalization. The results. Today, the development of entrepreneurship is one of the most important factors in the socio-economic growth of Ukraine. The effective development of entrepreneurship creates a competitive environment for business entities of various types of economic activity for the development of which there are favorable conditions and a sufficient scale of resource potential, the interest of foreign and domestic investors. At the same time, the successful activity of entrepreneurship solves a number of important tasks, in particular, contributes to the replenishment of the budget, saturation of the consumer market with goods and services, creates new jobs, increases the employment of the population, while reducing the unemployment rate. Practical implications. The process from the beginning of entrepreneurial activity to its termination is related to decision-making. The desire to open one's own business, as a rule, is accompanied by the hope of the future entrepreneur to succeed, while the factors of the external environment play a key role, influencing the future entrepreneur's decision. Over time, the result of the action of these factors, combined with the results of the action of the factors of the internal environment, may lead to the entrepreneur's decision to stop entrepreneurial activity due to the fact that his expectations were not met. In addition, one of the most important problems of managing a small enterprise is the lack of specialists in certain specialties, for example, marketers, financiers, programmers, etc. This is due to the fact that small businesses often cannot afford to keep such specialists. Outsourcing can be a rational way out of this situation. At the same time, the choice of the country's economic development strategy significantly affects the development of enterprises. Based on the global practice of the production sphere, a smart strategy makes it possible to create a "flexible" high-tech industrial production, where business can easily adapt, in addition, this approach will lead to sustainable economic growth, which is able to provide and promptly respond to any challenges of the globalized world economy. Today, European integration opens up great opportunities for domestic enterprises to expand foreign economic activity. When determining one or another vector of foreign policy, domestic enterprises need to assess the prospects of other global competitors. Value/originality. Stimulating the development of entrepreneurship reduces the problems of their functioning and ensures rapid integration into the European Community and highly developed economies of the EU countries. A reduction in the tax burden on small business entities is possible due to the reduction of total payroll charges, the introduction of lower income tax rates, and the exemption of small business entities from paying income tax during the first years of existence. Also, an important element of the state support system for small businesses is information and consulting services, within the framework of which assistance should be provided with problems of the formation and functioning of small enterprises.