Average of 41,900 patients are diagnosed annually with staphylococcus bacterial infection in California, 24,089 patients have Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus Aureus (MRSA) and 17,810 patients have Methicillin-Sensitive Staphylococcus (MSSA). This paper demonstrates that there is a difference in mortality rate due to staphylococcus infection between males and females (P-value<0.05, CI 95%). Male patient diagnosed with S. aureus has 1.3 chance of mortality incidence than female patient. In addition, MRSA infection rate is 1.4 times MSSA infection (P-value<0.05, CI 95%), but the gap of infection is decreasing; however, mortality of both infections combined are more than threefold greater compared to three decades ago.

Background: Corona virus disease was first reported in Wuhan City, Hubei province, China. Soon the corona virus disease has spread to many countries. World health organization has described the situation as Pandemic. By 12 March 2020, corona virus disease has affected 125 countries around the world. Corona virus was first confirmed in Iran on 19 February 2020. Objective: The aim of writing this small article is to determine the mortality rate of corona virus disease in different cities of Iran. This article will give readers an idea of different ways to control spread of corona virus disease in Iran. Methods: Author has collected the data of daily confirmed cases from different diagnostic centers and hospitals across the country from 19 February 2020 to 1 April 2020. Results: Mortality rate of corona virus disease is roughly 4%. Conclusions: Mortality rate could rise if COVID 19 infection is not controlled.

The last 20 years have seen a surge in scientific activity and promising results in the study of aging and longevity. Many researchers have focused on telomeres, which are composed of a series of TTAGGG repeat nucleotide sequences at the ends of each chromosome. Measurements of the length of these telomere strands show that they decrease in length with increasing age, leading many authors to propose that when the length of these telomere strands decreases sufficiently, the cells enter into a state of replicative senescence, eventually leading to disease and death. These ideas are supported by evidence that short telomere length is correlated with increased mortality. In this paper, we extend this idea to make an actual calculation of the predicted mortality rate caused by short telomere length induced senescence (STLIS). We derive a simple equation for the mathematical relationship between telomere length and mortality rate. Using only 3 parameters based on telomere length measurement data of Canadians, we have calculated both the magnitude and the age dependence of the mortality rate, for both men and women. We show that these calculated data are in good quantitative agreement with the actual number of Canadians that die. This agreement provides strong evidence (but not proof) that the mechanism of STLIS plays an important role in the major diseases of aging (e.g., cardiovascular disease, many cancers, and diabetes mellitus) which dominate human mortality. This result represents significant progress in our understanding the factors behind the cause of aging.

(1) Background: The COVID-19 pandemic significantly affected worldwide, with varying responses implemented to control its spread. This study aimed to compare the epidemic data compiled by the World Health (2) Methods: Organization to understand the impact of the measures adopted by each country on the mortality rate. The increase or decrease in the number of confirmed cases was understood in logarithmic terms, for which logarithmic growth rates “K” were used. The mortality rate was calculated as the percentage of deaths from the confirmed cases, which was also used for logarithmic comparison. (3) Results: Countries that effectively detected and isolated patients had a mortality rate 10 times lower than those that did not. Although strict lockdowns were once effective, they could not be implemented on an ongoing basis. In fact, after their cancelation, large outbreaks occurred because of medical breakdowns. The virus variants mutated with increased infectivity, which impeded the measures that were once effective, including vaccinations. Although the designs of mRNA vaccines were renewed, they could not keep up with the virus mutation rate. The only effective defence was steadily identifying and isolating patients. (4) Conclusions: These findings have crucial implications for the complete containment of the pandemic and future pandemic preparedness.

Stochastic mortality models seek to forecast future mortality rates; thus, apparently the objective variable should be the mortality rate expressed in the original scale. However, the performance of stochastic mortality models - in terms, that is, of their goodness-of-fit and prediction accuracy - is often based on the logarithmic scale of the mortality rate. In this article, we examine whether the same forecast outcomes are obtained when the performance of mortality models is assessed based on the original and log scales of the mortality rate. We compare four different stochastic mortality models: the original Lee-Carter model, the Lee-Carter model with (log-)normal distribution, the Lee-Carter model with Poisson distribution and the median Lee-Carter model. We show that the preferred model will depend on the scale of the objective variable, the selection criteria measure and the range of ages analysed.

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), also known globally as COVID-19, originated in December 2019 in Wuhan, Hubei province in China and has rapidly spread across the globe ever since. The first recorded case in sub-Saharan Africa was in Nigeria, on the 25th February, 2020. The virus continues to spread, and new variants of the disease have emerged, the number of deaths and new infections in the countries of sub-Saharan Africa has been relatively low compared to predictive models. This could be due to several factors, such as slower transmission dynamics of the virus, a lower-case fatality rate, or a lack of testing or reliable data. Whilst this may also, in part, be due to the robustness of the nations' public health responses, there is scarce reporting on the specifics of this. However, emerging research has demonstrated that various environmental factors could influence virus transmission. The study adopted collected meteorological data that was critically analysed and discussed. The impact of three factors in the context of sub-Saharan African nations: temperature, ultraviolet (UV) exposure and pre-existing infection with Plasmodium (malaria) were discussed. These factors were discussed critically in light of the reduced rates of transmission and mortality observed.

High maternal mortality in the developing countries, particularly in Nigeria, poses serious challenge to achieving the maternal mortality target of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in the countries. Hence, there is need for multifaceted approach to curtailing the scourge. Women being the victims of maternal mortality, this study finds the effect of their household decision making power in reducing maternal mortality. The study used data from the 2013 Nigeria Health and Demographic Survey (NDHS) and logistic regression model to explore the relationship between women household decision making power and maternal mortality in Nigeria. The finding shows that women who decide and participate in household decision on own health, major purchases and visit to family and relatives were 35% (OR = 0.65, 95% CI: 0.52, 0.83), 27% (OR = 0.73, 95% CI: 0.57, 0.92), and 37% (OR = 0.63, 95% CI: 0.50, 0.80) less likely to experience maternal mortality, respectively, compared to those whose husbands alone decide. Women household decision making power is therefore instrumental to reducing maternal mortality. It is thus important for policy makers, particularly in Nigeria, to pay more attention to social and cultural factors that surround women household decision making ability for speedy reduction in maternal deaths.

Covid-19 has given a halt to all the activities in the world. Europe was most affected, followed by the United States of America. It has taken more than 350000 lives until now. In this study, we have assessed the severity of Covid-19 by analyzing the mortality rate of Covid-19 and other chronic diseases. The Covid-19 data and “death rate” data caused by other diseases were downloaded from the world health organization (WHO) website. A normalized method was used to see the mortality rate of Covid-19 in comparison to other diseases. The deaths caused by Covid-19 in April 2020 have overtaken the average number of deaths caused by Cancer, Cardiovascular diseases, and other diseases in Belgium, the United Kingdom (UK), Spain, France, and Ireland. Covid-19 was found to be strongly correlated with non-communicable respiratory diseases and Cancer with correlation coefficients 0.73 and 0.67 respectively. The severity of Covid-19 in the United States of America (USA) was moderate. The severity of Covid-19 in Asian countries was found to be low. Europe showed the highest diversity in the mortality rate of Covid-19. On average, except for a few European countries, Cardiovascular diseases, cancer, and non-communicable respiratory diseases were still more lethal and caused more deaths than Covid-19.

Background: Disparity in adult mortality (AM) with reference to social dynamics and health care has not been sufficiently examined. This study aimed to identify the gap in the understanding of AM in relation to religion, political stability, economic level, and universal health coverage (UHC). Methods: A cross-national study was performed with different sources of data, using the administrative record linkage theory. We created a new data set using data from the 2013 World Bank data catalogue by region, The Economist (Political instability index 2013), Stuckler David et al. (Universal health coverage, 2010), and religious categories of all UN country members. Descriptive statistics, a t-test, an ANOVA followed by a post hoc test, and a linear regression were used where applicable. Result: The average AM rate for males and females was 0.20 ± 0.10 and 0.14 ± 0.10, respectively. AM was significantly higher in economically weak countries, countries with political instability, countries with traditional religion, without achievement of UHC, and Sub-Saharan Africa (p<0.01). There was high disparity of AM between countries with and without UHC (F = male: 61.89, female: 51.85, p<0.001) and between groups with low and high income (F = male: 36.33, female: 42.39, p<0.001). UHC and political stability would significantly reduce AMR by > 0.41 in both sexes and high economic status would reduce male AMR by 0.44, and female AMR by 0.70, in relation to countries without UHC, with political instability, and low economic status. Conclusions: Disparities in AM can be reduced after the achievement of UHC and economically productive activities for those adults affected by conflict and political unrest.

The aim of this study was to describe the trend of traffic accident mortality and social inequalities in Ecuador for the period 2011-2020, distributed by year, gender, age group, geographic location, and type of accident, alongside social disparities. An ecological approach was used to evaluate traffic accident mortality data. The average traffic accident mortality rate in the country during this period was 19.1 per 100,000 inhabitants, with rates being significantly higher in males (31.3) than in females (7.2). The highest mortality rate was recorded in 2011, predominantly impacting the 60 and older age group, the Santo Domingo de los Tsáchilas province, and the Amazon region. The study also noted a declining trend in these rates over the years, with an Annual Percentage Variation of -1.2%. A notable finding was the decrease in traffic accident mortality inequality based on per capita income in 2019, compared to 2011, which rose by 247.7%, whereas the inequality based on illiteracy rates decreased by 18.9% from 2014 to 2019. These findings highlight the significant decrease in traffic accident mortality rates across Ecuador, though marked disparities remain evident across different genders, age groups, and provinces.

Background: United Nations Sustainable Development Goals state that by 2030, the Global maternal mortality rate (MMR) should be lower than 70 per 100,000 live births. MMR is still one of Africa's leading causes of death among women. This research aims to study regional trends in maternal mortality in Africa. Methods: We extracted data for Maternal mortality rates per 100,000 births from the UNICE data bank from 2000 to 2017, being 2017 the last date available. Joinpoint regression was used to study the trends and estimate the annual percent change (APC). Results: Maternal mortality has decreased in Africa over the study period by an average APC of -3.0% (95% CI -2.9;-3,2%). All regions showed significant downward trends, with the sharpest decreases in the South. Only the North African region is close to the United Nations' sustainable development goals for Maternal mortality. The remaining sub-Saharan African regions are still far from achieving the goals. Conclusions: maternal mortality has decreased in Africa, especially in the South Africa region. The only region closed to the United Nations target is North Africa. The remaining sub-Saharan African regions are still far from achieving the goals. These results could be used for the development of Regional Policies.

(1) Background: Extremely low alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels are be-ing recognized as a risk factor of increasing mortality in the elderly in relation to frailty. In the elderly, both frailty and ischemic stroke are not only common, but also associated with mortality. This study aimed to investigate whether extremely low ALT levels increase the all-cause mortality rate in the elderly after ischemic stroke. (2) Methods: A retrospective review was performed on 901 patients with ischemic stroke admitted to a university-affiliated hospital between February 2014 and April 2019. The multivariate Cox proportional hazard analysis was performed to determine whether extremely low ALT lev-els are an independent risk factor of mortality in elderly patients after ischem-ic stroke. (3) Results: This study enrolled 323 older adults (age ≥65 years) who were first diagnosed with ischemic stroke. The mean age of the participants was 76.5 ± 6.6 years, mean survival time was 37.1 ± 20.4 months, and the num-ber of deaths was 96 (29.7%). The multivariate Cox proportional hazard analy-sis revealed that the risk factors for all-cause mortality in the elderly after is-chemic stroke were age, initial National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale score, serum creatinine, and extremely low ALT level (<10 U/L) at the time of diag-nosis (adjusted hazard ratio: 3.243, 95% confidence interval: 1.945–5.408; P < 0.001) (4) Conclusions: Extremely low ALT level at the time of diagnosis (<10 U/L) is an independent risk factor that increases the mortality rate in the el-derly after ischemic stroke.

Throughout the Covid19 period, families were forced to stay indoors, adapting to online school-ing, remote work, and virtual social engagements, inevitably altering the dynamics within households. There is a notable increase in mental health challenges in terms of anxiety and de-pression in children and adolescents. This study intends to explore the psychosocial effects of the Covid-19 pandemic in Italian families adopting self- and proxy-report questionnaires on anxiety, anger, and health-related quality of life. The results showed that approximately 20% obtained a clinical anxiety score and only 10% obtained a clinical anger score. There was found a difference in the perception of the quality of life reported by the child and that perceived by the parent. The stepwise regression model showed that total anxiety scores were predicted by sex, quality of life scores from the parents' self-report version and total anger score. Another stepwise regression model identified physiological and social anxiety as the best predictors that impact the quality of life. Parental well-being actively influences the well-being of children, so it is fundamental to implement preventive programmes and promote child well-being providing parents the most adequate support possible.

Studies showed that introversion is the strongest personality trait related to perceived social isolation (loneliness), which can predict various complications beyond objective isolation such as living alone. Lonely individuals are more likely resort to social media for instantaneous comfort, but it is not a perpetual solution. Largely negative implications including poorer interpersonal relationship and depression were reported due to excessive social media usage. Conversational task is an established intervention to improve verbal communication, cognitive and behavioral adaptation among lonely individuals. Despite that behavioral benefits have been reported, it is unclear if they are accompanied by objective benefits underlying physiological changes. Here, we investigate the physiological signals from 28 healthy individuals during a conversational task. Participants were ranked by trait extraversion, where greater introversion is associated with increased susceptibility to perceived social isolation as compared to participants with greater extraversion as controls. We found that introverts had a greater tendency to be neurotic, and these participants also exhibited significant differences in task-related electrodermal activity (EDA), heart rate (HR) and HR variability (HRV) as compared to controls. Notably, resting state HRV among individuals susceptible to perceived loneliness was below the healthy thresholds established in literature. Conversational task with a stranger significantly increased HRV among individuals susceptible to isolation up to levels as seen in controls. Since HRV is also elevated by physical exercise and administration of oxytocin hormone (one form of therapy for behavioral isolation), conversational therapy among introverts could potentially confer physiological benefits to ameliorate social isolation and loneliness. Our findings also suggest that although the recent pandemic have changed how people are interacting typically, we should maintain a healthy dose of social interaction innovatively.

Many anti-tumor effects of group-specific component-derived macrophage-activating factors (GcMAFs) have been reported; however, the specific mechanisms remain unclear. Controlling tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) in the tumor microenvironment is essential for cancer treatment. This study assessed the role of GcMAF in macrophage activation, elucidated the mechanisms by which it exerts its anti-tumor effects, and determined its effects on TAMs in the tumor microenvironment. GcMAF-stimulated RAW264.7 macrophages and EMT6 breast tumor cells were co-cultured in a 0.4-µm pore cell culture insert, and gene and protein expression and cell viability were evaluated. DNA microarray analysis of GcMAF-stimulated RAW264.7 cells was conducted. The induction of M2 RAW264.7 cells by interleukin (IL)-4 and IL-13 was analyzed. GcMAF stimulation increased the tumor necrosis factor-α and inducible nitric oxide synthase mRNA and protein levels in RAW264.7 cells but decreased the viability of co-cultured EMT6 cells. These results were confirmed in the M2 RAW264M2.7 cells, suggesting that GcMAF exerts anti-tumor effects by inducing the differentiation of macrophages into the M1 type and reprogramming M2 macrophages to the M1 type. The anti-tumor activity of GcMAF via M2-to-M1 macrophage reprogramming could aid in developing novel cancer immunotherapies.

Objective: Racial/ethnic disparities in infant mortality (IM) continue to persist in the United States, with Black/African Americans (AA) being disproportionally affected with threefold increase in mortality compared to Whites. Epidemiologic data have identified maternal characteristics as risk IM such as eclampsia, maternal education, smoking, maternal weight, maternal SES, and family structure. Understanding the cause of causes including the method of labor and delivery and the racial heterogeneity may facilitate intervention mapping in narrowing the Black White IM risk differences. We aimed to assess the temporal/racial trends and the methods of delivery, mainly vaginal versus cesarean section (C-section) as exposure function of IM. Methods: The United States linked Birth/Infant Death records (2007-2016) were used with a cross-sectional ecologic design. The analysis involved chi squared statistic, incidence rate estimation, and period percent change. Results: Of the 40,445,070 births between 2007 and 2016, cumulative mortality incidence was 249,135 (1.16 per 1000). The IM rate was highest among Black/AA (11.41 per 1000), intermediate among Whites (5.19 per 1000), and lowest among Asian /Pacific Islanders (4.24 per 1000). The cumulative incidence rate difference, comparing vaginal to cesarean procedure was 1.73 per 1000 infants, implying excess IM with C-section. Compared to C-section, there was a 31% decreased risk of IM among mothers with vaginal delivery, rate ratio (RR) = 0.69, 95% CI 0.64-0.74. Racial disparities was observed in the method of delivery associated with IM. Black/AA mothers with vaginal delivery had a 6% decreased risk of IM compared to C-section, RR = 0.94, 95%CI 0.92-0.95, while Whites with vaginal delivery had a 38% decrease risk of IM relative to C-section, RR= 0.68, 95%CI 0.67-0.69, p<0.001. Conclusion: Infant mortality varied by race, with Black/AA disproportionally affected which is explained in part by labor and delivery procedures, suggesting reliable and equitable intrapartum assessment of Black/AA mothers during labor.

Infant electrocardiograms (ECG) and heart rates (HR) are very useful biosignals for psychological research and clinical work, but can be hard to analyze properly, particularly long form (≥5 minutes) recordings taken in naturalistic environments. Infant HRs are typically much faster than adult HRs, and so some of the underlying frequency assumptions made about adult ECGs may not hold for infants. However, the bulk of publicly available ECG approaches focus on adult data. Here, existing open-source ECG approaches are tested on infant datasets. The best performing open-source method is then modified to maximize its performance on infant data (e.g., including a 15Hz high pass filter, adding local peak correction). The HR signal is then subsequently analyzed, developing an approach for cleaning data with separate sets of parameters for the analysis of cleaner and noisier HR. A Signal Quality Index (SQI) for HR is also developed, providing insight into where a signal is recoverable and where it is not, allowing for more confidence in analysis performed on naturalistic recordings. The tools developed and reported in this paper provide a base for future analysis of infant ECG and related biophysical characteristics. Of particular importance, the proposed solutions outlined here can be efficiently applied to real-world large datasets.

This study aims to explain individual engagement in sustainable waste management behaviors (SWMBs) based on the application of protection motivation theory (PMT). SWMBs include waste avoidance, green purchasing behavior, reuse and recycle, and waste disposal behaviors. This study applies PMT to explore how individuals’ SWMBs are influenced by their perceived threats caused by environmental contamination from waste disposal and their perceived coping capability. The Bangkok metropolitan area was selected as a case study because it has faced serious waste management problems caused by massively increasing amounts of solid waste during the last ten years. Questionnaire surveys were conducted with 193 public and private officers residing in the city of Bangkok. The one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) was performed to justify the effect of individual threat appraisal and coping appraisal on the engagement in SWMBs. The results demonstrated that respondents’ self-efficacy highly influenced all types of SWMBs. The perceived probability of being impacted from pollutants influenced all of the SWMBs except green purchasing behaviors. Response efficacy did not influence all SWMBs; however, the perceived severity of adverse consequences caused by pollutants highly influenced reuse and recycle behaviors. It could be suggested that PMT is well suited for investigating low-cost and simple SWMBs. It could also be suggested that different communication campaigns should be established to enhance citizens’ engagement in each type of SWMB.

This study investigates the effect of perceived discrimination on the mental health of Afghan refugees, and secondly, tests the distress moderating effects of pre-migration traumatic experiences and post-resettlement adjustment factors. In a cross-sectional design, 259 Afghans completed surveys assessing perceived discrimination and a number of other factors using scales developed through inductive techniques. Multivariate analyses consisted of a series of hierarchical regressions testing the effect of perceived discrimination on distress, followed by a sequential analysis of moderator variables. Perceived discrimination was significantly associated with higher distress, and this relationship was stronger among those with a strong intra-ethnic identity, high civic engagement, and high pre-resettlement traumatic experiences. Discrimination is a significant source of stress for Afghan refugees, which may exacerbate stresses associated with other post-migration stressors. Future research is needed to tailor interventions that can help mitigate the stress associated with discrimination among this highly vulnerable group.

We have developed deep learning models for automatic identification of the maternal heart rate (MHR) and, more generally, false signals (FSs) on fetal heart rate (FHR) recordings. The models can be used to preprocess FHR data prior to automated analysis or as a clinical alert system to assist the practitioner. Three models were developed and used to detect (i) FSs on the MHR channel (the FSMHR model), (ii) the MHR and FSs on the Doppler FHR sensor (the FSDop model), and (iii) FSs on the scalp ECG channel (the FSScalp model). The FSDop model was the most useful because FSs are far more frequent on the Doppler FHR channel. All three models were based on a multilayer, symmetric, GRU and were trained on data recorded during the first and second stages of delivery. The FSMHR and FSDop models were also trained on antepartum recordings. The training dataset contained 1030 expert-annotated periods (mean duration: 36 min) from 635 recordings. In an initial evaluation of routine clinical practice, 30 fully annotated recordings for each sensor type (mean duration: 5 h for MHR and Doppler sensors, and 3 h for the scalp ECG sensor) were analyzed. The sensitivity, positive predictive value (PPV) and accuracy were respectively 62.20%, 87.1% and 99.90% for the FSMHR model, 93.1%, 95.6% and 99.68% for the FSDop model, and 44.6%, 87.2% and 99.93% for the FSScalp model. We built a second test dataset with a more solid ground truth by selecting 45 periods (lasting 20 min, on average) on which the Doppler FHR and scalp ECG signals were recorded simultaneously. Using scalp ECG data, the experts estimated the true FHR value more reliably and thus annotated the Doppler FHR channel more precisely. The models achieved a sensitivity of 53.3%, a PPV of 62.4%, and an accuracy of 97.29%. In comparison, two experts (blinded to the scalp ECG data) respectively achieved a sensitivity of 15.7%, a PPV of 74.3%, and an accuracy of 96.91% and a sensitivity of 60.7%, a PPV of 83.5% and an accuracy of 98.24%. Hence, the models performed at expert level (better than one expert and worse than the other), although a well-trained expert with good knowledge of FSs could probably do better in some cases. The models and datasets have been included in the Fetal Heart Rate Morphological Analysis open-source MATLAB toolbox and can be used freely for research purposes.

This systematic review explores the cross-cultural validation of neuropsychological assessments and their clinical applications in cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), focusing on culturally adapted CBT (CA-CBT) across diverse populations and settings. Methods: Following the PRISMA guidelines, a comprehensive search was conducted in multiple academic databases, including PubMed, PsycINFO, Scopus, and Web of Science. Keywords related to cognitive-behavioral therapy, cultural adaptation, and specific populations were used. Inclusion criteria encompassed randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and pilot studies that assessed CA-CBT for various mental health conditions. Results: The review included studies involving Chinese Americans, Latino caregivers, Syrian refugees, Jordanian children, Malaysian Muslims, Afghan refugees, Iraqi women, Japanese children and adolescents, and Tanzanian and Kenyan children. CA-CBT demonstrated significant effectiveness in reducing symptoms of depression, anxiety, PTSD, and psychosis. For instance, Research has shown that CA-CBT is more effective than standard CBT in reducing depressive symptoms among Chinese Americans and significantly lowering PTSD symptoms in Syrian refugee women. The method has been well-received and feasible in diverse populations, such as Jordanian children and Afghan refugees. Long-term benefits are promising, with sustained improvements reported in various studies. Additionally, digital and remote delivery methods have demonstrated potential for expanding the accessibility of CA-CBT. Conclusions: CA-CBT is a valuable and effective intervention for diverse cultural populations, significantly improving mental health outcomes. However, future research must address limitations such as small sample sizes, short follow-up periods, and variability in assessment tools. Studies should include larger and more diverse sample sizes, longer follow-up periods, rigorous control groups, and comprehensive outcome measures to further validate and enhance the application of CA-CBT across different cultural contexts.

Introduction: In the year 2022, 4.9 million children died worldwide before five years of age. United Nations General Assembly has set the target of bringing down under-five child mortality to 25 deaths per 1000 live births by 2030. However, the United Nations Inter-Agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation highlights, that without rapid action many low and Lower Middle-Income Countries (LMICs) will not be able to achieve this target and 35 million under-five children will die before 2030. In such a scenario understanding the determinants that bring down preventable deaths in children is important. Design: Anonymized, publicly available data from the India National Family Health Survey (NFHS-5) is collected. The sample consisted of 724,115 women in the age group of 15-49 years has been sub-grouped as urban and rural women. Data on the number of Anganwadi centers per state has been collected from the Ministry of Women and Child Development. For better analysis of data, the country is divided into regions. Union territories are grouped in these regions as per their geographical locations. Descriptive statistical analysis, correlation coefficient analysis, and linear regression analysis were done. Results: Results of the Pearson correlation indicated that there is a significantly large positive relationship between operational AWCs (%) and U5MR (r = 0.542, p < .001) whereas there is a significantly large negative relationship between women with Internet access (%) and U5MR, (r = -0.738, p < .001). For our data, the multiple regression equation for y is U5MR (per 1000 live births) = 0.77266. AWCs (%) - 0.58788. women with Internet access (%) + 53.68073. Conclusion: Compared to NFHS-4 (2015-16) U5MR has reduced in almost all states of the country. The study shows more urban women have access to the Internet as compared to rural women. Child mortality is higher in rural areas in every state as compared to urban areas. Urban women have more access to health information because of internet access which may be the reason for lesser child mortality in urban areas compared to rural areas. Internet access for women (individual level) is far more effective in bringing down U5MR if compared to the community-level approach of Daycare centers.

Population-based data on hematologic malignancies (HM) are rare in Greece regarding adults (≥18 years old). The aim of this study was the assessment of the burden of these malignant neoplasms (MN) for adults in Crete. The study assessed temporal trends of incidence and mortality, depicted their spatial distribution and extracted net-survival curves of patients. Population-data on these MN were obtained from the database of the Cancer Registry of Crete, for a 22 year time period (1/1/1992-31/12/2013). All HM were classified into four main groups of diseases: (1) Hodgkin’s lymphoma (HL); (2) Non-Hodgkin’s lymphomas (NHLs); (3) Multiple myeloma (MM); and (4) All chronic and acute leukemias. Annual, gender-specific, age standardized incidence and mortality rates were estimated (ASIR/100.000/year; ASMR/100.000/year). A total of 3,380 newly diagnosed cases were included in the final analyses; All ASIRs/100,000 increased significantly throughout the study period presenting differences in their geographical distribution of rates among municipalities of Crete. ASIRs for NHLs, HL, MM, leukemias and for all 4 MN were 13.1, 2.6, 4.7, 11.7 and 32.1, respectively, in 2013. Five-year net-survival for patients diagnosed with NHLs, HL, MM and leukemias were: 82%, 85%, 52% and 56%, respectively. This first research article studying a long period of time for adults in Greece generates hypotheses on the existence of risk factors that may partly explain this variation of rates.

Undernutrition and micronutrient deficiencies such as anemia are considered significant public health challenges in Bangladesh, which enhancing fish consumption is a well-established food-based intervention to address these. This paper documents the establishment of community-based fish chutney production and reports the impact of its consumption on mid-upper arm circumference (MUAC) and hemoglobin (Hb) levels among targeted 150 pregnant and lactating women (PLW) in rural Bangladesh. A fish chutney was developed using locally available ingredients followed by a series of laboratory tests, including nutrient composition, shelf-life and food safety. A community-based fish chutney production process was designed to: 1) supply locally available ingredients for processing; 2) establish two fish drying sites; 3) initiate a community-based production site, and 4) distribute fish chutney to PLW by six women nutrition field facilitators for one year. Then a pre- and post-intervention study was designed for a selected 150 PLW to receive 30g of fish chutney daily for 12 months. Differences in mean mid-upper arm circumference (MUAC) and hemoglobin (Hb) levels pre- and post-consumption were analyzed using one-way analysis of variance. Consumption of 30g of fish-chutney resulted in significant increases of the mean values of Hb levels and MUAC among the targeted PLW.

Background: United Nations Sustainable Development Goals state that by 2030, the Global maternal mortality rate (MMR) should be lower than 70 per 100,000 live births. MMR is still one of Africa's leading causes of death among women. This research aims to study regional trends in maternal mortality in Africa. Methods: We extracted data for Maternal mortality rates per 100,000 births from the World Bank database from 1990-2015. Joinpoint regression was used to study the trends and estimate the annual percent change (APC). Results: Maternal mortality has decreased in Africa over the study period by an average APC of -2.6%. All regions showed significant downward trends, with the sharpest decreases in East Africa. Only the North African region is close to the United Nations' sustainable development goals for Maternal mortality. The remaining sub-Saharan African regions are still far from achieving the goals. Conclusions: maternal mortality has decreased in Africa, especially in East Africa. The only region closed to the United Nations target is North Africa. The remaining sub-Saharan African regions are still far from achieving the goals. These results could be used for the development of Regional Policies.

This research examines the impact of social equity on energy consumption. We constructed a digital twin for residential energy consumption by enriching the synthetic population with real-world surveys and feeding them with other environmental and appliance data to the energy modeling framework. We analyzed household hourly energy consumption data from Albemarle County and Charlottesville City in Virginia, USA, for the year 2019. We used clustering analysis to identify patterns in social equity and energy consumption. The results demonstrated the impact of different residential attributes on energy poverty. Statistical analyses, including ANOVA and Chi-Squared tests, were conducted to test for significant differences between racial groups in quantitative and categorical variables. The study found that race is significant in determining the location and quality of housing. People of color often live in areas with higher pollution and less access to green spaces. Additionally, income levels and the age of the house are influential factors in determining energy efficiency. Future work should focus on collecting and analyzing data at the country level and using qualitative data collection methods to gain a more comprehensive understanding of social equity issues concerning energy consumption. Overall, this study provides valuable insights into the relationship between different residential attributes and energy consumption, which can inform policy development to promote more equitable and sustainable communities.

Background: Current management of COPD is predominantly focused on respiratory aspects. A multidimensional assessment including nutritional assessment, quality of life and disability provides a more reliable perspective of the true complexity of COPD patients. Methods: Prospective observational study of 120 elderly COPD patients at high risk of acute exacerbations. The Mini-Nutritional Assessment (MNA) was administered in addition to the usual respiratory assessment. The primary outcome was a composite of moderate or severe acute exacerbations during 52 weeks of follow-up. Results: The median MNA Short Form (SF) score was 11 (8-12), 39 participants (32.50%) had normal nutritional status, 57 (47.5%) were at risk of malnutrition and 24 (20%) were malnourished. Our multivariate linear logistic models showed that the MNA score was associated with dyspnea and respiratory symptoms severity assessed by the Modified British Medical Research Council (mMRC) and the COPD Assessment Test (CAT) score, with spirometric variables, in particular with the severity of airflow limitation based on the value of FEV1 and with poorer QoL as assessed by the EQ-5D-3 questionnaire. Cox regression analysis according to nutritional status based on the MNA score showed that COPD participants "at risk of malnutrition" and "malnourished" had a higher risk of moderate to severe acute exacerbations with a hazard ratio (HR) of 3.54 (p=0.002) and 8.20 (p=0.0001), respectively. Conclusion: Our study confirms the importance of assessing nutritional status in elderly COPD patients and its prognostic value.

Children on farms face high risks of work and non-work-related fatalities, with tractors being a significant contributor. This study examines children's involvement in fatal tractor-related accidents within agriculture in Iceland in 1950-2024, explores adult reflections on childhood tractor-driving experiences, and analyses Members of Parliament´s arguments against setting a minimum age for off-road tractor driving. Data rests on fatal tractor-related accidents using newspaper archives and supplementary sources, narrative interviews with former summer children who stayed at farms in childhood, and parliamentary debates on tractor-related legislation. Over half of the 81 registered accidents involved children, primarily boys, with 75% occurring between 1958 and 1988 when no minimum age for off-road tractor driving existed. Children's fatality incidence rate was more than four times higher than adults. Arguments against minimum age requirements for off-road driving included the need for child labour, children's superior driving skills, and a denial that children were more often victims than adults. Since 1988, no child has died when driving a tractor. A human-centred approach focusing on working conditions, driver capacity, and adherence to safety procedures and legal frameworks is needed to prevent future accidents.

Background: The goal of this study was to evaluate the effect of Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenator (ECMO) on mortality in patients with cardiogenic shock excluding Impella and IABP use. Method: The large Nationwide Inpatient Sample (NIS) database was utilized to study any association between the use of ECMO in adults over age of 18 on mortality and complications with a diagnosis of cardiogenic shocks. Results: ICD-10 codes for ECMO, and cardiogenic shock for available years 2016-2020 were utilized. A total of 796,585 (age 66.5±14.4) patients had a diagnosis of cardiogenic shock excluding Impella. 13,160 (age 53.7±15.4) were treated with ECMO without IABP. Total inpatient mortality without any device was 32.7%. It was 47.9% with ECMO. Using multivariate analysis adjusting for 47 variables such as age, gender, race, lactic acidosis, three-vessel intervention, left main myocardial infarction, cardiomyopathy, systolic heart failure, acute ST-elevation myocardial infarction, peripheral vascular disease, chronic renal disease, etc., ECMO utilization remained highly associated with mortality (OR: 1.78, CI: 1.6-1.9, p<0.001). Evaluating teaching hospitals only revealed similar findings. Major complications were also high in ECMO cohort. Conclusion: In patients with cardiogenic shock, the use of ECMO was associated with the high in hospital mortality regardless of comorbid condition, high-risk futures, or type of hospital.

The nematode Caenorhabditis elegans, with its highly sensitive olfactory system, has emerged as a promising tool for testing chemotaxis. In the field of cancer diagnostics, there is a growing interest in the development of non-invasive screening methods for the detection of volatile organic compounds in a patient's urine. The objective of this study was to contribute to the existing body of knowledge by evaluating the ability of a Caenorhabditis elegans-based chemotaxis assay to discriminate between urine samples from healthy individuals and patients diagnosed with breast or colon cancer. Following synchronization of the developmental stages of C. elegans, nematodes were exposed to the urine of cancer patients and healthy individuals. Subsequently, chemotactic indices were calculated for each urine sample. Our results demonstrated a statistically significant difference in the chemotactic response of C. elegans to urine samples from cancer patients compared to healthy volunteers (p < 0.001). Moreover, the test exhibited promising diagnostic utility, with a sensitivity of 98%, a specificity of 62%, and a detection rate of 78%. Our findings expand on previous observations, confirming the remarkable sensitivity of C. elegans hermaphrodites to discriminating cancer-related volatile organic compounds in urine samples.

Background: Maternal mortality (MM) is a matter of serious concern in low income developing countries (LDCs). Perspective: A great reduction has been observed regarding the maternal deaths globally after huge efforts since 1990 todate. However, the situation continues to be either stagnant or worsening in developing countries, suggesting that the efforts to cope with this issue are either insufficient or not properly implemented. We need to first diagnose the problem areas that are a great hurdle in the road to success towards the reduction of MM. Postpartum haemorrhage and preeclampsia are one of the most common causes of MM. Malnutrition, neurological dysfunction and cancer are among the non-obstetric causes. Trained medical and paramedical staff can be of great help in this regard by increasing awareness among masses at grass root level. Target set by Millennium Development goal has minimized the MM by 44%. But it has not met the target set by Millenium Development Goals 5 and a lot of measures need to be taken in this regard. Conclusions: Majority of the MDs are preventable and can be avoided by adopting appropriate frameworks, linked data sets, surveillance, birth attendants training, preparation for births, etc. Delay in decision to get healthcare, access to healthcare center and receiving these facilities are the main factors in MM.

The integration of generative AI (GAI) into the financial sector has brought about significant advancements, offering new solutions for various financial tasks. This review paper provides a comprehensive examination of recent trends and developments at the intersection of GAI and finance. By utilizing an advanced topic modeling method, BERTopic, we systematically categorize and analyze existing research to uncover predominant themes and emerging areas of interest. Our findings reveal the transformative impact of finance-specific large language models (LLMs), the innovative use of generative adversarial networks (GANs) in synthetic financial data generation, and the pressing necessity of a new regulatory framework to govern the use of GAI in the finance sector. This paper aims to provide researchers and practitioners with a structured overview of the current landscape of GAI in finance, offering insights into both the opportunities and challenges presented by these advanced technologies.

Background: The receptor activator of the nuclear factor-kB (RANK)/RANK ligand (RANKL)/osteoprotegerin (OPG) pathway is a determining pathway in the balance between bone formation and resorption; disruptions in this complex can affect bone metabolism. Methods: This study analyzed the changes in RANKL, OPG and 25(OH)D levels, the RANKL/OPG ratio, and other bone turnover markers (BTM) from diagnosis to complete remission in children with acute lym-phoblastic leukemia (ALL). This is a prospective observational cohort study. This study was carried out in the Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social in Mexico City. Thirty-three patients (4-17 years) with newly diagnosed B-cell ALL were included. The patients were treated with the HP09 chemotherapy protocol. Children who had previously been treated with corticosteroids were excluded. A pe-ripheral blood sample at diagnosis and remission was collected to determine the 25(OH)D and BTM concentrations. Results: Increased RANKL (p=0.001) and osteocalcin (p

Previous studies separately addressed the impact of urban expansion on vegetation cover and thermal conditions, as well as its effect on moisture and drought indicators, using geospatial techniques. Some studies, such as those by Malah et al. (2021) and Niu and Li (2020), focused on assessing urban environmental quality using an environmental quality index without considering urban expansion. Meanwhile, other studies, like those conducted by Indrawati et al. (2020), primarily focused on evaluating urban environ-ments using an integrated environmental index consisting of four indicators (greenness, moisture, drought, and cumulative clustering). The study by Zhu et al. (2019) applied the same integrated environmental index (IEI) and, by comparing it with temperature, re-vealed a negative correlation illustrating the effects of the environmental index on land surface temperature (LST). These two studies could be utilized to construct an index assessing the environmental condition in Riyadh. This is the case in the present study, where the addition of a temperature indicator due to the hot desert nature of the study area created the Urban Environmental Thermal Index to evaluate the urban en-vironment and provide results suitable to this region. It is expected that the present study will align with the findings of previous relevant studies, showing a negative im-pact of urban expansion on urban environmental components.

The concept of economic self-reliance, widely known by Thai people as the philosophy of sufficiency economy, has been widely promoted in rural Thai societies. By practicing this philosophy, it is expected that the citizens’ quality of life and local environments could be sustainably improved. This study aims to explore the contribution of the community practices of the sufficiency economy philosophy to rural villagers’ quality of life improvement, and to investigate potential factors that determine the trust of villagers in the philosophy. With the purpose to propose strategies which could enhance trust and promote villagers’ practices of the philosophy, the study investigated influences of three relevant factors on trust towards the philosophy. Those factors included factors related to cognitive-based trust, factors related to emotional-based trust, and factors related to demographic characteristics. Questionnaire surveys and in-depth interviews with community leaders and local villagers were conducted in the Ban Jamrung community, in Thailand’s Rayong province. The results of the statistical analysis revealed that the residents who applied the sufficiency economy philosophy in their daily lives experienced a relatively better quality of life. Additionally, it was found that trust in the philosophy could be predicted more by rational factors than by emotional factors. These findings could be utilized to develop strategies to maintain and enhance the trust of the people in the philosophy of sufficiency economy.

Grand challenges represent wicked problems that affect many people globally. To overcome grand challenges and sustain our existence as human beings, issues have become increasingly central, and in recent years have led to an increase in research and literature on grand challenges affecting both international business areas and multinational enterprises. The aim of this study is to assess the status of literature in all areas connected to multinational corporations and grand challenges, which are global issues with significant implications. From 2013 to 2023, the WoS database was used to investigate eight search terms from literature, and bibliometric and thematic analyses were carried out based on the principles of systematic literature analysis. The most focused areas of the research are performance, multinational enterprises, foreign direct investment, management, firms’ innovation, knowledge, international business, and impact. Asian, African, European, and other countries may emerge together in different clusters depending on whether the major challenges they are struggling with are similar or identical. the terms of grand challenges and innovation (open and social), technology transfer, R&amp;D internalization, digital transformation or technology and artificial intelligence in the literature of multinational enterprises indicates that these themes are used as a tool to solve grand challenges.

To examine the effect of synchronous dance movements on social bonding and perceived closeness between generations, 168 young (20-45 years) and older (65-90 years) participants were randomly assigned to six dyad conditions. These included dancing synchronously or asynchronously with an in-age-group or an out-age-group unfamiliar partner for 11 minutes. Participants completed social bonding and groups’ closeness questionnaires. To assess variation across individuals’ and dyads’ measurements, a generalized estimating equations modeling analysis was conducted. In line with the first two hypotheses, synchronized dance increased social bonding, and young adults showed enhanced perception of closeness between generations. Hypothesis 3 that synchronous dance with out-age-group members would foster greater perceived closeness compared to in-age-group members was not confirmed. Surprisingly, results indicated that asynchronous movements with the in-age-group led to a higher degree of closeness between generations than asynchronous movements with the out-age-group. The study offers new directions for practitioners in welfare, nursing, and therapy fields, particularly for engaging young adults in intergenerational dance interventions.

Data4HumanRights training materials have been developed as open-source and tailored to limited resource settings where community data collectors often live and work. An overview of how the training material was developed together with community data collectors in Nigeria and Kenya is provided. The paper gives insights into the fundamental principles (i.e., inclusiveness, adaptive, limited resources, gender- and incentive-sensitive) and the structure of the open-access training materials. This resulted in 28 modules designed to be delivered in a face-to-face format in less than one day by a local trainer. To maximize adaptivity, the training modules can be mixed and matched (e.g., as individual modules or a learning path of several modules around a specific training need). The individual modules cover a range of methods and tools that are useful to human rights work, for example, documenting evictions, performing rapid needs assessments after acute crises, community profiling, and monitoring community development indicators. The training materials contain instructions for the facilitator(s) of the training and all necessary training materials to conduct the training. To maximize inclusivity, the training covers basic to advanced topics. Most training modules address basic training topics that can be optimally followed with a mobile phone (to avoid using a computer and printing handouts). The training was developed and implemented with local community groups in Nigeria and Kenya. The material is free to use, adapt, and translate into different contexts and languages.

Views of aging include peoples’ assessment of their own aging process and their subjective age. Positive aging views relate to good psychological well-being which predicts better physical and mental health. While these were substantially studied, the moderating roles of self-aging attitudes and psychological well-being in the subjective age-age discrimination connection have been much less explored. The current study used a convenience sample of 568 participants (mean = 66.21y, SD = 11.95, age range 50-95), 55.8% women, 67.1% employed. In line with the hypotheses, young subjective age and psychological well-being were connected to less age discrimination in the workplace and higher psychological well-being mitigated the subjective age-age discrimination at work connection. When the perception of old age as a period of loss was added to the model, adults who perceived old age as a period of loss and reported lower levels of psychological well-being, demonstrated the strongest relationship between an increase in subjective age and an increase in age-related discrimination at work. The findings emphasize the importance of the psychological well-being of older employees as a resource for improving their attitudes to their last years at work.

Van Wyk Grumbach syndrome refers to the development of peripheral precocious puberty, long-standing hypothyroidism, and gonadal masses; when not diagnosed, an unnecessary gonadectomy may be done; Here we present a case of a 10-year-old girl with Down syndrome, short stature, and vitiligo presented with vaginal bleeding, and a pelvic mass, in whom bilateral gonadectomy was performed. Most cases of Van Wyk Grumbach syndrome present in women, and classic hypothyroidism symptoms always precede the diagnosis; 11% of patients have Down Syndrome, sometimes tumor markers get elevated, and some develop severe symptoms (myopathy, short stature, mental delay, ascites, pericardial effusion, Cullen sign, pituitary hyperplasia, and severe anemia), that respond to levothyroxine treatment; Conclusions: Children with peripheral precocious puberty and gonadal masses, must be studied for hypothyroidism before any radical decision is made. Keywords: Puberty, Precocious; Ovarian Cysts, gonadectomy, Van Wyk Grumbach Syndrome

In this paper it is examined how, if at all, logical laws can be normative for human reasoning, wherein the notion of normativity is analysed with respect to approaches to logic given in works of Aristotle, Descartes, Kant, Frege and Wittgenstein. During the ancient and medieval period, logic was being considered in terms of discourse and dialogical practice, but since Descartes and especially Kant it has been treated as a system of laws with which the process of individual human reasoning has been compared. Therefore, normativity can be investigated in private sphere (for thinking and reasoning) and in public sphere (for dialogic practices in a community). Wittgenstein discussed both aspects of normativity: in Tractatus, a focus is on laws of logic that are primarily normative for the state of affairs in the world, while in Philosophical Investigations an emphasis is on a social aspect of normativity (which is closer to Aristotle’s view), which is derived from adopted rules that have been applied in a certain community. Taken that way, logic is certainly normative in the public sphere, but the more difficult issue is whether logic is normative for thinking, regarding to the difference between the logical laws and those of thought.

In this paper, the ratio of gross agricultural production (GAP) and agricultural carbon emission is defined as agricultural carbon emission efficiency (ACEE). Considering rural labor transfer (RLT) increases the agricultural machinery intensity (AMI), the two are substitutes for each other and may interact with agricultural carbon emission efficiency (ACEE), we constructed a Simultaneous Equations Model (SEM) of ACEE, RLT and AMI, and analyzed the interaction mechanism of these three variables by using the Three-Stage Least Squares (3SLS) method to solve the endogeneity of the model. The following conclusions are drawn. First, RLT and AMI significantly promote the improvement of ACEE, while the improvement of ACEE and AMI further promotes RLT. Secondly, the causal relationship and influence mechanism of ACEE, RLT and AMI are interactive and multi-directional. An increase in AMI promotes ACEE, but an increase in ACEE inhibits an increase in AMI, suggesting that the marginal rate of substitution of machinery for labor is decreasing. Finally, China has significant regional heterogeneity. Labor transfer and machinery are only direct factors in increasing ACEE, while factors such as economic base, technology level and farmers' attitudes provide environmental support for the effective improvement of ACEE.

The main objective of this paper was description of seasonal and interannual trends in secondary production and mortality rates of the three most important Copepoda taxa in the Gulf of Gdańsk (southern Baltic Sea). Samples were collected monthly from 6 stations located in the western part of the Gulf of Gdańsk during three research periods: 1998-2000, 2006-2007 and 2010-2012. Production was computed basing on copepod biomass and mortality rates estimated according to vertical life table approach. Redundancy analysis was used to investigate relationship between secondary production and environmental conditions. Considering the entire research period there was significant interannual and seasonal variability of secondary production, mortality rate as well as abundance and biomass anomalies. Conducted analysis revealed correlation between increasing temperature and production of Acartia spp. and T.longicornis developmental stages, while older copepodites of P.acuspes showed almost negative correlation with temperature. The mortality rate estimations obtained for Acartia spp. Were highest in summer, while for T.longicornis peak was usually noted in spring-summer period. Lowest mortality rate estimations were noted in autumn and winter for almost all stages of investigated taxa.

Early childhood may be a stressful period for families with a significant impact on parents’ mental health and the child’s healthy development. The goal of the SKKIPPI cohort study was to assess the occurrence and determinants of psychosocial stress and mental health disorders in parents as well as in their offspring in early childhood in three German regions. Based on random samples from three residents' registration offices, parents with infants up to 12 months of age at the time of sampling, were invited to participate in the study. A screening online questionnaire was newly developed, available in four languages, to assess common psy-chosocial stressors and mental health problems of parents with small children. The study enrolled 4,984 mothers and 962 fathers. The most common potential psychosocial stressors at baseline were professional problems (mothers 22%, fathers 33%), lack of social sup-port (20%, 14%), and severe, negative experiences in childhood (22%, 16%). Obses-sive-compulsive thoughts (21%, 16%), depressive (9%, 9%) and anxiety symptoms (11%, 7%) were the most frequently reported mental health problems by both parents. Regulatory prob-lems of the child were reported by between 1.5% and 5.1% of parents. The SKKIPPI study showed that a substantial proportion of parents are burdened by psychoso-cial problems and suffer from mental health problems in the first years after birth. Early pre-ventive and low-threshold support measures should be available in the health and social care system. The newly developed questionnaire can be used to screen in the relevant populations in order to avoid disturbances in the mother-child attachment.

Taking due account of users' perspectives is crucial for improving the quality of healthcare services. This study aimed to analyse the representations and evaluation criteria that users of a public health agency express towards care and treatment services and to explore whether and how the content and meaning of their communications varied according to pre-pandemic, pandemic or post-pandemic periods. 501 communications (73.4% complaints, 16% appreciations, 10.6% enquiries) sent to the public relations office of an Italian health agency were collected. An automatic content analysis procedure (ACASM) was applied to the textual corpus. Four main thematic cores were identified concerning the request for care and respect, the value of the doctor-patient relationship and the difficulties in contacting services and accessing care. Two main latent dimensions of meaning were identified, which capture the dialectic between the demand for relationships and the demand for access to care, and between attention to the relational competence of health workers and attention to the needs and rights of users. Communications collected during the pre-pandemic and post-pandemic periods mainly concern the difficulty of access to care; those collected during the pandemic period mainly concern the doctor-patient relationship. Interpersonal aspects and timely access to care appear to be crucial in users' assessment of the quality of care.

Insecurity, corruption, and rising unemployment have resulted in a mass exodus of young adult Afghans seeking asylum in western nations. This has depleted Afghanistan of generations of young people which are critical to rebuild the country. This study aimed to examine the characteristics of young adult Afghans with no immediate intentions of seeking international asylum; that is, individuals who intend to stay in Afghanistan. In a cross-sectional study conducted in Kabul, we surveyed 232 young adults between 18 and 35 years of age. Surveys included measures assessing standard socio-demographic and -economic factors, as well as health and psychological factors. Univariate logistic regression analyses suggest that participants with an intent to stay in Afghanistan are more likely to be financially stable, possess higher health-related quality of life, lower psychological distress, and higher levels of hope and optimism, as well as higher resilience. When controlling for all other variables in the model, only hope, optimism, and higher resilience remained as significant correlates of intending to stay. Our findings suggest that young people who intend to stay in their country look forward to a better future, which provides strong evidence for the need to strengthen the social contract by fostering resilience, hope and optimism in war-affected communities, in order to prevent a generation of talented young people from seeking asylum in western nations.

The main contribution of this paper is to develop a graphical tool to evaluate the suitability of a candidate parametric model to fit a data set. The practical motivation is to check the adequacy of the so called SAINT model proposed in Jarner and Kryger (2011). This model has been implemented in practice by an important European pension fund concerned with setting annuity reserves for all current or former employees of Denmark. So, one particular relevant question is whether this mortality model is actually fitting old-age. Our graphical test can be described as follows. First we transform the data by means of the parametric model which is being evaluated. Should the model be correct, the transformed data will be in accordance with an Exponential distribution with rate 1. Then we construct a family of local linear hazard estimates based on the data on the transformed scale. Finally we use the statistical tool SiZer to assess the goodness-of-fit of the Exponential distribution to the data on the transformed scale. If the model is correct the SiZer map should not reveal any significant feature in the family of kernel estimates. Our method allow us to establish a diagnostic regarding the validity of the SAINT model when describing mortality patterns in four different countries.

1) Background: Several studies have shown the benefit of drawing when learning anatomy. Virtual Reality (VR) also appears to be useful to increase the understanding of the location of anatomical structures. This study aims to describe how students in an Operating Room Nursing (OR nursing) master study program perceive the benefit of active learning methods, including drawing and the use of VR. 2) Methods: We combined these two methods in a class of 29 students. 38 half-finished drawings of anatomical structures were made. The students were to complete these during lectures with guidance from the teacher. The students also attended a two-hour VR session where they were to find various anatomical structures. A paper questionnaire was applied to evaluate the teaching program. Data were analyzed statistically. 3) Results: The students highly appreciated these learning methods. They reported that drawing made them work more actively during lectures and increased their learning outcome. They also perceived that the use of VR technology increased their understanding of the location of anatomical structures. 4) Conclusion: The combination of drawing and VR technology may be of benefit to OR Nursing students when learning anatomy by both increasing student activity and learning outcomes.

. Background/Objectives: Crohn's disease is a chronic and debilitating intestinal disorder that alternates between remission and active flare-ups, often leading to hospitalization. Social support is known to enhance adaptation to the disease and modulate stress perception in patients, while stress may exacerbate symptoms. The aim of this study was to examine the roles of perceived stress and social support in Crohn's disease and their impact on the frequency of flare-ups. Methods: A cross-sectional observational study was conducted, assessing stress and social support in a cohort of 91 patients with Crohn's disease during flare-up and remission phases. The Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-14) and a Social Support Questionnaire were utilized for evaluation. We examined the relationship between stress and social support in Crohn's disease. The interaction between the variables studied was also studied, considering the stage of the disease. Finally, we realized analysis of the influence of these two variables on the development of flares in Crohn's disease. Results: The study revealed that patients experience higher stress levels during flare-ups and that these levels are amplified by a lack of social support. A significant relationship was identified between the levels of social support and the occurrence of flare-ups, indicating that better social support is associated with fewer flare-ups.. Conclusions: Patients with Crohn's disease in the flare-up phase are subject to considerable stress. Deficit in social support is linked to an increase in stress levels. The interplay of social support and stress plays a critical role in the development of flare-ups.

The philosophy of testing statistical hypothesis is a natural consequence and functional extension of mathematical analysis of Probability. Along with the concept of recurrence when applied to random sequences and functions, it leads to the analysis of a priori and posterior which implies testing statistical hypothesis. Testing statistical hypothesis also involves algebraic, functional and dimensional considerations, which are found in the works of Laplace. Aspects of mathematical analysis such as universality of solutions, Laws of Large Numbers, Entropy, Information, and various functional dependencies are the main factors explained in the five properties that lead to implication of testing statistical hypothesis. Various interesting examples with modern scientific significance from genetics, astrophysics, and other areas give methodological access to answers of different problems and phenomena which are involved in the logic of testing statistical hypothesis.

Dengue fever remains a persistent threat in Mexico, with cyclical outbreaks driven by the circulation of multiple dengue virus serotypes. The sudden emergence of DENV-3 in 2023 raised questions about its epidemiological significance and potential implications for disease severity. This study aimed to characterize dengue virus serotypes by age and their association with disease severity, considering sex, time, and the origin of clinical samples. A retrospective analysis was conducted on dengue laboratory results obtained from the epidemiological surveillance system in Mexico during 2023. Descriptive statistics summarized the prevalence of dengue virus serotypes, while bivariate analysis utilized an adjusted Chi-squared test to assess associations with demographic variables. Multivariate analysis using unconditional logistic regression evaluated the relationship between dengue virus serotypes and disease severity, adjusting for potential confounders. Additionally, co-infections were identified and analyzed. Results revealed DENV-3 as the most prevalent serotype (63.9%), with co-infection involving two serotypes detected in 0.75% of cases. DENV-2 exhibited a higher median age compared to other serotypes. Pregnant women in their last trimester faced elevated risks of hospitalization and mortality. Multivariate analysis indicated a stronger association between DENV-2 and hospitalization. However, co-infection did not significantly influence disease severity. The unexpected predominance of DENV-3 underscores the dynamic nature of dengue virus circulation in Mexico. Despite its prevalence, DENV-2 demonstrated a stronger association with hospitalization, highlighting the importance of serotype-specific surveillance and management strategies.

The concept of a Social License to Operate (SLO) has become increasingly important in the sustainability literature in recent years. Having its origins in the business discourse of the mining industry with respect to limiting opposition to mining projects, the notion of a social contract above and beyond legal requirements has since become applied across a number of different industries. Despite the concepts adoption confusion exists over the practices and outcomes of SLO, and particularly the nature of engagement. Given this situation it is surprising that not more attention to the role of marketing, and social marketing in particular, in operationalizing the concept. The paper discusses the potential of social marketing to contribute to SLO. Economic, political and social relations are complex in SLO and exchange is intricate in such relational environments. A community-based social marketing orientation is proposed as a means to improve exchange relations and enhance engagement. Seven models of SLO related social marketing models are discussed with community-based social marketing and adaptive co-marketing models being regarded as the most positive for the achievement of an SLO. Potential barriers to adoption of these approaches are noted.

All vaccines exhibit both specific and non-specific effects. The specific effects are measured by the efficacy against the target pathogen, while the non-specific effects can be detected by the change in all-cause mortality . All-cause mortality data (gender, age band, vaccination history, month of death) between January 2021 and May 2022 was compiled by the Office for National Statistics. COVID–19 vaccination gave good protection on many occasions but less so for younger ages. Each gender and age group shows its own unique vaccination benefit/disbenefit time profile. Individuals are free to make vaccination decisions. For example, women aged 18-39 show a cohort who do not progress beyond the first or second dose. The all-cause mortality outcomes for the Omicron variant showed a very poor response to vaccination with 70% of sex/age/vaccination stage/month combinations increasing all-cause mortality, probably due to unfavorable antigenic distance between the first-generation vaccines and this variant, and additional non-specific effects. The all-cause mortality outcomes of COVID–19 vaccination is far more nuanced than have been widely appreciated, and virus vector appear better than the mRNA vaccines in this specific respect. The latter are seemingly more likely to increase all-cause mortality especially in younger age groups. An extensive discussion/literature review is included to provide potential explanations for the observed unexpected vaccine effects.

Background: Surgical complications are devastating both for patients and treating surgeons. When these complications occur after bariatric procedures, due to specific characteristics of this population, management, although multidisciplinary should always be led by a surgical team. Methods: We present major complications treated at our general surgery service over a seven -year period. Case series: we present 5 cases that were treated at our service after a bariatric procedure was performed. Two patients were operated at another country and one of them at another service. Three of patients showed perforation and leak related complications. One patient died due to refeeding syndrome complications after revisional surgery. Conclusions: Optimal preoperative evaluations and surgical planning are mandatory for any type of surgery including bariatric procedures, attempting to adequate and well-established surgical techniques extensively described in medical literature is associated with better outcomes. Also is our understanding that easy channels of communication between patients and treating surgeons could avoid delay in detecting and treating life-threatening conditions.

Background: Heat waves are correlated with increased mortality in the aged population. Social isolation is known as a vulnerability factor. This study aims at evaluating the correlation between an intervention to reduce social isolation and the increase in mortality in the population over 80 during heat waves. Methods: The study adopts a retrospective ecologic design. We compared the excess mortality rate (EMR) in the over 80 population during heat waves in urban areas of Rome (Italy), where a program to reduce social isolation was implemented compared to others where it was not implemented. We measured mortality of the summer periods from 2015 to 2019 compared with 2014 (a year without heat waves). Winter mortality, cadastral income and proportion of over 90 were included in the multivariate Poisson regression. Results: The EMR in the intervention and controls was 2.70% and 3.81%, respectively. Rate ratio 0.70 (c.i. 0.54 - 0.92, p-value 0.01). The Incidence Rate Ratio (IRR) of the interventions with respect to the controls is 0.76 (c.i. 0.59 - 0.98). After adjusting for other variables, the IRR was 0.44 (c.i. 0.32 - 0.60). Conclusions: Reducing social isolation could limit the impact of heat waves on the mortality of the elderly population.

Developing sustainability competences is an important endeavor for education, as competence development can be complex and requires appropriate approaches. In the case of preparing future educators, this becomes even more important, because of their multiplier role. The current study presents how a project, based on living-lab methodology, helped preservice preschool teachers, attending a course on sustainability issues, develop sustainability-specific professional action competence. Students collaborated with an organization and a school and were trained to deliver to 6-year-old pupils, activities concerning the protection of sea turtles. The process included reflection, based on a given template. After the intervention, the preservice preschool teachers reflected upon their role and professional performance and discussed how they, benefited from this project. They further analyzed through a group interview, how the Living Lab methodology raised their professional confidence and self-efficacy, and helped them develop content knowledge, pedagogical content knowledge, and a sense of purpose and motivation for teaching about sustainability. Outcomes indicate that participants felt confident and efficacious to teach about sustainability, and developed their content knowledge, pedagogy content knowledge, motivation, and volition due to a strong sense of purpose and responsibility. The overall process facilitated the development of critical thinking, systemic thinking, reflection, and collaboration..

(1) Background: There is insufficient empirical evidence on the correlates of health care utilization of irregular migrants currently living in Turkey. The aim of this study was to identify individual level determinants associated with health service and medication use. (2) Methods: 155 Afghans completed surveys assessing service utilization including encounters with primary care physicians and outpatient specialists in addition to the use of prescription and nonprescription medicines. Multivariate logistic regression analyses were employed to examine associations between service use and a range of predisposing, enabling, and perceived need factors. (3) Results: Health services utilization was lowest for outpatient specialists (20%) and highest for nonprescription medications (37%). Female gender and higher income predicted encounters with primary care physicians. Income, and other enabling factors such as family presence in Turkey predicted encounters with outpatient specialists. Perceived illness-related need factors had little to no influence on use of services; however, asylum difficulties increased the likelihood for encounters with primary care physicians, outpatient services, and the use of prescription medications. 4) Conclusion: This study suggests that health services use among Afghan migrants in Turkey is low considering the extent of their perceived illness-related needs, which may be further exacerbated by the precarious conditions in which they live.

Frailty is a common condition in older adults that negatively impacts health and quality of life. This study evaluated a comprehensive, personalized, and coordinated intervention under the Value-Based Care approach to address frailty's multidimensional nature in older people. It em-ployed a pre-post randomized controlled design, involving frail individuals over 65 years in Valencia, Spain. Assessments were conducted at baseline, 12 months (immediately post-intervention), and 18 months. The intervention included a personalized care plan supported by technology, with monthly motivational follow-ups and plan updates by health professionals and participants. Outcomes were measured using an assessment questionnaire that included the International Consortium for Health Outcomes Measurement dataset for the older population: physical health, physical functioning, general mental health, satisfaction with social activities and relationships, ability to carry out usual social roles and activities, pain, general quality of life, loneliness, physical frailty, psychological frailty and social frailty. The study found signifi-cant improvements in physical frailty, quality of life, reduced health resource use and hospitali-zations, and lower levels of pain and depression/anxiety compared to baseline. The findings suggest further research into value-based care approaches, emphasizing the development and activation of personalized, comprehensive programs for older individuals with frailty.

This study aligns with the 2030 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals- 3 which aim to “ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages”. It contributes to the nascent literature stream on energy-health dynamics by introducing a holistic theoretical model to empirically examine the mediation effect of carbon emissions on the relationship between nonrenewable energy and infant mortality rates. Using an unbalanced panel data on 42 Asia and the Pacific countries from 2005 to 2015 and deploying the structural equation modeling approach, the empirical results are surmised as follows: (i) in regard to the full sample of countries, nonrenewable energy indirectly increases infant mortality rates through increasing carbon emissions. In other words, carbon emissions play a partial mediation role between nonrenewable energy and infant mortality rates; and (ii) for the different income groups, carbon emissions show varying mediation effects. For example, the mediation effects of carbon emissions in lower-middle and upper-middle income countries are found to be similar to those of the full sample of countries. Therefore, based on these findings, we conclude that nonrenewable energy is an essential determinant of infant mortality rates. Policy recommendations are put forward.

Possible alterations of maternal immune function due to psychological stress may reflect immunoactive factor levels in breast milk. This study aimed to assess the association between maternal distress and breast milk levels of secretory IgA (SIgA), IgM, IgG, and lactoferrin (LF). We hypothesized this association is moderated by maternal social support achieved from others during lactation. The study group included 103 lactating mothers and their healthy 5-months-old infants. Maternal distress was determined based on the State Anxiety Inventory and the level of salivary cortisol. Social support was assessed using Berlin Social Support Scales. Breast milk samples were collected to test for SIgA, IgM, IgG, and LF using the ELISA method. Milk immunoactive factors were regressed against maternal anxiety, social support, salivary cortisol, and infant gestational age using the general regression model. Maternal anxiety was negatively associated with milk levels of LF (β=-0.22, p<0.05) and SIgA (β=-0.29, p<0.01), while social support was positively associated with milk IgG (β=0.25, p<0.05). Neither anxiety nor social support was related to milk IgM. No association was found between the level of maternal salivary cortisol and immunoactive factors in milk. Our results suggest that maternal psychological well-being and social support may affect milk immune properties.

(1) Background: With the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) (2015-2030) fo-cusing on reducing maternal mortality, monitoring and forecasting Maternal Mortality Rates (MMR) in regions like Africa become crucial for health strategy planning by policymakers, in-ternational organizations, and NGOs. (2) Methods: We collected maternal mortality rates per 100,000 births from the World Bank database between 1990 and 2015. Join Point regression was applied to assess trends, and the autoregressive integrated moving average (ARIMA) model was used on 1990-2015 data to forecast the MMR for the next 15 years. (3) Results: The study found a decline in MMR in Africa with an average annual percentage change (APC) of -2.6% (95% CI -2.7; -2.5). North Africa reported the lowest MMR, while East Africa experienced the sharpest decline. The region-specific ARIMA models predict that the maternal mortality rate (MMR) in 2030 will vary across regions, ranging from 65 deaths per 100,000 births in North Africa to 249 deaths per 100,000 births in Central Africa., averaging 197 per 100,000 births for the continent. (4) Conclusions: Despite the observed decreasing trend in maternal mortality rate (MMR), the MMR in Africa remains relatively high. The results indicate that MMR in Africa will continue to decrease by 2030. However, only North and South Africa will likely reach the SDG target.

In 2013, the CMA at the İstanbul Stock Exchange increased the weight assigned to the Board of Directors component of its Corporate Governance Index to 35% from the previous 25%. Interpreting this as a recognition of the increasing vital role of the board, this study seeks to enhance the work of Abdıoğlu and Kılıç (2015) by putting more focus on the role of women in the boards and the effect of the busy chairman as well as the presence of outside directors on the effectivity of the Board. (The general business structure is associated with family owned groups and holdings which results into a network of intertwined board membership and cases of multiple directorship where, one board chairman can hold the same position or any directorship in as many as ten firmshence the busy chairman). I employ a different method of evaluating performance (EVA) together with the accounting measures of ROE and ROA (as opposed to the overused Tobin’s Q), which I regress against the Board Index to be created. The focus is on firms on the BIST 100 index (excluding financial) between 2009 and 2013. The results reveal that the BINDEX has a significant and positive relationship with firm performance as measured by EVA. A second model reveals no relationship between the BINDEX and firm ROA, similar to the results of Kiliç and Abdioğlu (2015). ROA however has a positive relationship with the proportion of female directors in the board, as earlier reported by LückerathRovers (2013). Another model using ROE as the proxy for performance registers a significant negative relationship with the index. The contradiction obtained in the results from these three models underscore the importance choosing the right methods when estimating the performance of a firm.

Background and Objectives: Since the beginning of COVID-19 pandemic, the infection primarily affected patients with following chronic conditions: cardiovascular disease, hypertension, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, diabetes mellitus, obesity and cancer. The aim of this study was to explore clinical and epidemiological characteristics associated with COVID-19 outcomes in patients at the primary health care centre from March 2020 to September 2022. Materials and Methods: The study included 40,692 citizens of Banja Luka County, Bosnia and Herzegovina, who were confirmed and registered as RT-PCR positive on COVID-19. Differences regarding the distributions of patients between groups were analysed using Pearson chi square test and Mantel-Haenszel chi square test for trends, while differences in mean values were compared using independent samples t test. Relationship between mortality and independent variables were examined using logistic regression. Results: Out of 40,692 COVID-19 positive patients, 7.76% were hospitalized. The average age of hospitalized patients was significantly higher than the age of non-hospitalized patients (64.2±16.1 vs. 45.4±18.7; p&lt;0.001). The average age of patients with lethal outcome was nearly twice higher compared to patients with non-lethal outcome (74.6±11.5 vs. 45.7±18.6; p&lt;0.001). Male patients had higher hospitalization and mortality rate, compared to females (9.8% vs. 5.9%, p&lt;0.001; 4.8% vs. 3%, p&lt;0.001, respectively). The highest hospitalization rate was in patients with chronic renal failure, diabetes and cardiovascular diseases, while the death rate was the highest among patients with CRF and hearth comorbidities. Fever, cough, fatigue, nausea and vomiting, chest pain, shortness of breath and appetite loss favoured hospitalization. Patients with fatigue and appetite loss had higher percentage of lethal outcome. Vaccinated patients had significantly lower rate of lethal outcome. Conclusions: Clinical symptoms, signs and outcomes, are posing as predictive parameters for further management of COVID-19. Vaccination has an important role in clinical outcomes of COVID-19.

Psychomotor developmental delay in infants includes failure to acquire abilities such as sitting, walking, grasping objects and communication at the ages when most infants have acquired these abilities. Known risk factors include a large number of aspects of family environment, socioeconomic position, problems in pregnancy and birth, and maternal health. It is clinically useful to be able to screen for developmental delay so that healthcare interventions can be considered. The present research used machine learning (random forest) to create an algorithm predicting psychomotor delay in 9-month-old infants using information ascertainable at birth and in early infancy. The dataset was the UK longitudinal Millennium Cohort study. Fifty-two predictors measuring socioeconomic indicators, paternal, family and social support for the mother, beliefs about good parenting, maternal health, pregnancy and birth were included in the initial algorithm. Feature reduction showed that of the 52 variables, birthweight, family income and parents’ ages had the highest feature importance scores and could alone correctly predict developmental delay with over 99% sensitivity and 100% specificity. The relationships between delay and some of the predictors, particularly income, were nonlinear and complex. The results suggest that the risk of psychomotor developmental delay can be identified in early infancy using machine learning, and that the best predictors are factors present prior to birth. Surprisingly, the most important factors included in the present study did not include illnesses during pregnancy such as eclampsia and infections.

The first years of an infant’s life represent a sensitive period for neurodevelopment and see the emergence of nascent forms of executive function (EF), which are required to support complex cognition. Few tests exist for measuring EF during infancy, and the available tests require painstaking manual coding of infant behaviour. In modern clinical and research practice, human coders collect data on EF performance by manually labelling video recordings of infant behaviour during toy or social interaction. Besides being extremely time-consuming, video annotation is known to be rater-dependent and subjective. To address these issues, starting from existing cognitive flexibility research protocols, we developed instrumented toys as a new task instrumentation and data collection tool suitable for infant use. A commercially available device comprising a Barometer and Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU) embedded in a 3D-printed lattice structure was used to detect when and how the infant interacts with the toy. The data collected using the instrumented toys provides a rich dataset describing the sequence of toy interaction and individual toy interaction patterns, from which EF-relevant aspects of infant cognition may be inferred. Such a tool potentially provides an objective, reliable, and scalable method of collecting early developmental data in socially interactive contexts.

This article seeks to provide an improved and more comprehensive understanding of the concept and theories on wasteland. It achieves this by focusing on the Indian context allowing us to unpack the importance of including multiple perspectives of wasteland narratives; this means including more positive narratives of the potential of wasteland to inform and improve prospects for land policies in the global south. Wasteland is commonly recognized as an underutilized category of land that may transform into a valuable resource base with proper management measures. The term waste has multiple angles that carry different notions ranging from fallow to agroforestry land in the global south and Brownfield to green space in the global north. We conduct a narra-tive review approach to qualitatively analyze the concept wastelands studied in pre-existing lit-erature from 1970 to present. The unsystematic literature review approach incorporates multiple elements of wasteland discourse, like understanding the meaning of the term on a global scale, setting out the meaning of the term waste into multiple perspectives explicitly in the Indian con-text, along with different classes and management approaches of wasteland from a national per-spective. The multiple perspectives of wasteland not only generate misconception on land resource but spawn difficulties in land use policy particularly for Indian scenario. For sustainable land use policy, reclaiming wasteland would be the best possible way for India and other countries in Global South, which requires a comprehensive methodological overview on wasteland narrative.

The arrest of Pavel Durov, the CEO of Telegram, represents a critical moment in the ongoing discourse surrounding free speech and content moderation. This event exemplifies the tension between upholding individual liberties and addressing the potential societal harms caused by unregulated digital communication. This paper explores the implications of Durov’s arrest and Telegram’s stance on free speech through the lens of John Stuart Mill’s Harm Principle. The Harm Principle, as articulated in Mill’s seminal work On Liberty (1859), provides a valuable theoretical framework for examining the balance between individual freedom and societal protection. This paper argues that the application of the Harm Principle can offer a nuanced perspective on the ethical responsibilities of digital platforms like Telegram in the age of global communication.

This review focuses on the emerging evidence for the association between estimated cardiorespiratory fitness (eCRF) and metabolic risk factors. Given the challenges associated with directly measuring cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) in large populations, eCRF presents a practical alternative for predicting metabolic health risks. A literature search identified six relevant cohort studies from 2021 to 2024 that investigated the association of eCRF with hypertension, hyperglycemia, dyslipidemia, and obesity. The review findings highlight a consistent inverse relationship between higher eCRF and lower incidence of metabolic risks in line with CRF cohort studies. This review highlights the importance of low eCRF as a primordial indicator for metabolic risks and underscores the need for broader application. Future research directions should include exploring eCRF's predictive accuracy across diverse populations and health outcomes and testing its real-world applicability in healthcare and public health settings.

This study focused on the stories of women planters in the implementation of Taranuman Project in the Third District of Albay. Particularly, this explores and documents the experiences, challenges, and successes of women planters involved. By understanding their stories, this undertaking shed light on the motivations and aspirations of women planters, the barriers they have experienced, and their strategies to achieve success. The researchers used descriptive-qualitative research and made use of in-depth interviews and focus group discussions (FGDs). From the collection of the respondents’ narratives, three (3) recurring themes emerged on the motivation and aspirations of women planters in Taranuman Project; Taranuman para sa Pagkasararo (Social cohesion, belonging and unity), Taranuman para sa Pangkabuhayan (Economic empowerment), and Taranuman para sa Karapatang Pampulitika (Political rights, engagement and participation). This study also revealed major challenges in its implementation including infertility of the soil, the distant location of the lands to be cultivated for the project, and the insufficiency in the supply of tools and equipment. However, despite the emerging problems, strategies to counter the difficulties were also formulated. Even so, the researchers strongly recommend that implementers should expand the Taranuman Project in all of the district’s municipalities, enhance women planters' financial and communication skills through training, maintain close partnerships with agencies for project support, encourage beneficiary communication, and develop comprehensive strategies to overcome ongoing challenges and ease beneficiaries’ burdens.

Despite the importance of influenza vaccination for healthcare workers (HCWs), their uptake remains challenging. This study aimed to measure influenza vaccine hesitancy among HCWs in Nakhon Phanom province, Thailand. A representative cross-sectional survey was conducted at six hospitals during August – September 2020 using a self-administered questionnaire. HCWs delaying getting influenza vaccines, accepting but unsure, or refusing with doubts were categorized as hesitant. Those accepting without any doubts were classified as non-hesitant. Vaccine hesitancy determinants were identified by multivariable logistic regression analysis. A total of 338 participants (97%) completed the questionnaires; most were female nurses working at district hospitals without pre-existing chronic medical conditions. Nearly 60% of participants (197/338) exhibited influenza vaccine hesitancy, and significant factors included age above 50 years adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 3.2, 95% CI 1.3-8.5), fair knowledge of influenza/vaccination (aOR 0.4, 95% CI 0.2-0.8), and negative influence of other HCW (High level– aOR 2.3, 95% CI 1.1-4.8; Moderate level- aOR 2.1, 95% CI 1.1-4.4). Imparting updated information to the HCW combined with positive guidance from influential peers may help reduce this hesitancy.

Healthcare professionals constantly face situations that reflect ecosystems’ degradation. These can negatively affect their mental health. Research suggests that hope and resilience can play an important role in this scenario, since they are related to/predict mental health in highly heterogeneous samples (considering geography, age, profession, health, etc.). In this context, the aims of the present study are: to characterize and explore the relationship between hope, resilient coping and mental health of Portuguese healthcare professionals. Using Google Forms, 276 healthcare professionals answered to the GHQ-28, the (adult) Trait Hope Scale, and the Brief Resilient Coping Scale (cross-sectional study). The minimum and maximum possible scores were reached, with the exception of the maximum score of GHQ-28-Total. Regarding Hope, 19.6% scored below the midpoint (M=43.46, SD=11.97); 29.3% revealed low resilience (M=14.93, SD=4.05); and the average of 4 of the 5 Mental Health scores (exception: Severe Depression) indicates the probability of a psychiatric case. Hope correlated with Social Dysfunction and GHQ-28-Total; resilient coping proved to be a (weak) predictor of 4 of the 5 GHQ-28 indicators (exception: Severe depression). The results support the need to promote the sample's mental health, hope and resilient coping. They also suggest that stimulating resilient coping may contribute to improving healthcare professionals’ mental health.

Background: Annual influenza epidemics are a serious public health problem, causing particularly severe morbidity and mortality in high-risk groups. The study aimed to understand Poles' attitudes and beliefs towards influenza vaccinations in the flu season of 2022–2023, analyze preferences and unmet needs regarding influenza vaccinations, and examine the perception and acceptance of the influenza vaccine among individuals at risk of flu complications. Methods: A cross-sectional survey-based study was carried out on a sample of 1446 respondents. The Google Forms questionnaire was created and disseminated electronically using social media and e-mail. The pre-test was performed at the beginning of the project. Results: The majority of respondents (71%) could identify "high-risk groups" recommended for influenza vaccination. Furthermore, it was observed that individuals aged 21 to 59 demonstrated a higher level of knowledge in this regard compared to those below 20 and above 65 years old, and individuals with higher and medium education levels were much better at identifying risk groups for influenza virus infection. The majority of respondents (52.01%) reported receiving influenza vaccination at some point in the past, with 32.12% receiving it in the 2022–2023 flu season and 41.09% in the 2021–2022 season. The majority of respondents declaring acceptance of the vaccine for the 2022-2023 season were in the high-risk group. Only 17.28% of respondents declared receiving both influenza and SARS-CoV-2 vaccines in the 2022-2023 season, with the vast majority being respondents from the "high-risk group" (p

Wastewater genomic surveillance is an efficient and economic approach to track infectious diseases and can help detect unusual epidemiological events. The current study uses this approach for the first time in Morocco to monitor the epidemiology of SARS-CoV-2 and Influenza A, B and RSV virus infections during the third wave of COVID-19 caused by the Omicron variant. The virome was concentrated from wastewater collected from two sewer sheds of two cities, Agadir and Inezgane, using the PEG/NaCl method. The viral copy number was determined using qRT-PCR. All 26 samples in both cities were tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 at various viral loads. For Influenza A virus, two samples were tested positive in Inezgane. The estimated SARS-CoV-2 viral RNA copy numbers observed were then used to estimate the number of infected individuals using the SEIR model. The number of viral copies of SARS-CoV-2 for Agadir and Inezgane varied from 82932 ± 15479 to 507865 ± 58759 copies/L and 61244 ± 8552 to 497506 ± 18061 copies/L, respectively. The estimated number of cases correlates positively with the number of reported cases. Next Generation Sequencing showed that samples contain the following two variants: BA.1 and BA.2 that have been detected in clinical samples. This study demonstrates the effectiveness and feasibility of wastewater genomic surveillance in monitoring pathogens such as SARS-CoV-2 in Morocco.

The authors argue that despite significant numbers of foreign workers present in the Russian labor market Russia remains unattractive for highly skilled foreign workers. The economic crisis the country has faced since 2014 has resulted in a further outflow of foreign nationals from OECD countries. So Russia has to look for employees among newcomers from the former Soviet states, the majority of whom come from Central Asia. Russian politics with regard to immigration is characterized by the collision between “geopolitical” and domestic policy rationales. On one hand, seeking to maximize its influence in the post-Soviet space Russia provides preferential conditions of employment for citizens of partner countries in the framework of the Eurasian Economic Union. On the other hand, the Kremlin is afraid to liberalize its approach to immigration and the integration of immigrants through fear of losing popularity among the electorate. The second substantial feature of Russian immigration politics is an extreme level of securitization of migration issues. The government considers these issues primarily through a policing lens. One cannot claim that the Russian state does not take any steps to liberalize “migratory regulation”; however, the effect of these measures is being vastly reduced by new restrictions. In addition, liberally designed laws do not bring the expected results due to the corrupt practices that pervade the whole of migration regulation.

Postpartum hemorrhage is a complication during the puerperium that requires serious management, because it risks on threatening the mother's death. Currently, postpartum hemorrhage is still the main cause of maternal morbidity and mortality in the world. There is a need for a fast, precise and comprehensive handling effort involving all elements, such as the entire health team including doctors-nurses and families. The form of nursing intervention in postpartum hemorrhage patients can be in the form of nursing treatment or collaboration. The purpose of this review literature is to identify nursing treatment and nursing collaboration in postpartum hemorrhage patients as an effort to prevent maternal death. The writing method uses literature reviews by summarizing 10 articles publicated in 2019, 2020 and 2021 in 4 search data bases including Sciencedirect, Scopus, Proquest and Thompson. The review guidelines used are based on Prisma and the Joanna Briggs Institutute. The level of eligibility is identified through the title, abstract, research methodology and full text. The results of the reviews found are presented in a narrative form. The results of the review study found that there were 10 articles on postpartum hemorrhage management measures both in the effort of snoring treatment and collaboration including: optimizing the competence of service providers based on E_Learning , foot reflexology since the 4th stage of labor, 800 mcg sublingual Misoprostol, the use of the Digital Postpartum Hemorrhage Management Device ( DPHMD), bilateral-contralateral cervical clamps, suction tube uterine tampons, bilateral hypogastric artery (BHAL), evaluation of Shock Index, Carbetocin drugs and administration of Tranexamic acid 1 gram IV within 10 minutes of vaginal delivery. The conclusion of this review literature is that nursing treatment and nursing collaboration are proven to have a positive impact as an effort to prevent death in postpartum hemorrhage patients.

Humans are evolutionary-driven to adult mating and conceive social expectations on the quality of their affiliations. The genetic susceptibility to adverse environments in critical periods can alter close relationships. The current research investigates how the promoter region of the Serotonin Transporter Gene (5-HTTLPR) and perceived caregiving behavior in childhood could influence the social expectations on close adult relationships. For this purpose, 5-HTTLPR data was collected from the buccal mucosa of 65 Italian individuals (33 males). The participants filled a) the Parental Bonding Instrument (PBI) to provide the levels of care and overprotection from mother and father, and b) the Experience in Close Relationships-Revised (ECR-R) to report the social expectations on the intimate relationship assessed in terms of anxiety and avoidance from the partner. An interaction effect between 5-HTTLPR and PBI dimensions on the ECR-R scores was hypothesized. Results confirmed that the interplay between the genetic groups and history of maternal overprotection predicted avoidance experienced in romantic relationships in adulthood. Moreover, both adult anxiety and avoidance felt in an intimate relationship were found to covary as a function of maternal overprotection. The present work proposes further evidence of the genetic and parental mechanisms regulating social expectations involved in close relationships.

Cellular senescence is the irreversible growth arrest subsequent to oncogenic mutations, DNA damage or metabolic insult. Senescence is associated with aging and chronic age associated diseases such as cardiovascular disease and diabetes. The involvement of cellular senescence in Acute Kidney Injury (AKI) and Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) is not fully understood however, recent studies suggest that such patients have a higher-than-normal level of cellular senescence and accelerated aging. This study aimed to discover key biomarkers of senescence in AKI and CKD patients compared to other chronic ageing diseases as controls. We show that senescence proteins CKAP4 and PTX3 are upregulated in AKI and CKD patients compared with controls with chronic diseases suggesting they may play in a role in overall kidney disease development. Additionally, CKAP4 was found to be differentially expressed in both AKI and CKD when compared to unhealthy controls hence this biomarker could be prognostic senescence biomarker of both AKI and CKD.

Parental labour migration, either one or both parents, has been associated with various challenges among left-behind children (LBC). However, there is a limited understanding of the LBC’s own views and experiences of social and mental wellbeing and how the new daily life circumstances they encounter following their parents’ migration impact them. This study aimed to understand the influence of parental migration and its aftermath on the social and mental wellbeing of children and adolescents (referred to as LBC) in two rural districts in Indonesia. Employing a qualitative design, data were collected through individual in-depth interviews with LBC (n=24) aged 14 to 18 years, recruited using the snowball sampling technique. Data were thematically analysed, guided by a qualitative data analysis framework. The findings showed that parental migration negatively impacted the social wellbeing of LBC. This impact was reflected in negative labelling from friends and changes in familial roles which influenced their social interactions and activities with peers. Parental migration also caused challenges to the mental wellbeing of LBC. These manifested in the LBC experiencing fractured emotional bonds, leading to negative emotions, including stress, anxiety, sadness, depression, frustration, loss of motivation, and self-imposed isolation, which were associated with their parents’ migration and abrupt disruptions in parent-child communication. The transition to new life situations with caregivers after parental migration and the dynamics within the caregivers’ households were additional factors that detrimentally affected their mental well-being. Unmet basic needs and educational needs due to financial hardships faced by mothers and caregivers, further exacerbated mental health challenges for the children. The findings indicate the importance and improvement of policies and interventions in Indonesia (e.g., counselling services, non-cash food assistance, family hope program, direct cash assistance) that cover and address the diverse needs of mothers or caregivers and the LBC.

Introduction and Background: Bangladesh as a country could prove its development potential over the past several years with its thriving economic growth and also with a significant level of positive changes made possible in its significantly important health and social indicators including MMR, IMR, Child nutrition, fertility regulation, child survival and Infectious disease prevalence. ^1,2,3 The country could make a commendable contribution in achieving Global development goal (MDG) at a significant level and also aiming to continue its effort to sustain that status quo and also making progressive changes consistently to be contributory to SDG goals and indicators towards positive development.^2,3 Purpose: This lyrical critic is an attempt to uphold the facts and evidences embedded in social development reality where the implementations are in constant challenge with urgency, need and continuity. Methodology: A quick and intensive desk review and web search made to capture the insights from secondary data facts, stories, evidences, news features and the findings blended with personal insights and experiences. Finally, compilation of insights and views through a laid over narrative analytics and described in a descriptive lyrical format. Purposefully ignored the figure and quantity data reflection in the write up as this write up is considered more as a social development lyric rather than a scientific write up. Conclusion: Our diversified marginalized community people are of vital importance from a social inclusion and exclusion point of view, to look into this more deeply whether they are socially, epidemiologically, statistically, economic indicator wise fall into the embracing practice of our democracy and inclusion culture of addressing the marginalized. This posed our country in a very challenging situation, a dilemma in between morality vs reality, emotion vs equity, social response vs political standpoint and so on. With a long end history of community responsive and socially sensitive works within /among our generalized poor, poverty stricken and marginalized people group, where the sustainable and ethically driven, gender sensitive social empowerment is still a far cry! The diversity in nature always claims to add on beauty, tranquility and completeness towards the sense of Equity management, but it’s very true that this diversity word has a very opposite and different connotation while it is relevant to diversity in marginalization and appears in a more critical and complex dynamics to seek solution. Therefore, the ultimate empowerment of community specially the marginalized people remain entrapped into the social development process of enduring response in embracing urgency in community care where the right response may not get right weightage into the community development priority response and also the development actors priority agenda.

Background: The infant mortality rate (IMR) is an important reflection of the well-being of infants and the overall health of the population. This study aims to examine the macroeconomic (ME), sociodemographic (SD), and health status and resources (HSR) effects on IMR, as well as how they may interact with each other. Methods: A retrospective time-series study using yearly data for Oman from 1980 to 2022. Partial Least Squares-Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM) was utilized to develop the exploratory model of the determinants of IMR. Results: The model indicates that HSR determinants directly but negatively affect IMR (= -0.617, p&lt;0.001). SD directly and positively affects IMR (= 0.447, p&lt;0.001). ME only indirectly affects IMR (=-0.854, p&lt;0.001). ME determinants also exert some direct influences on both HSR (= 0.722, p&lt;0.001) and SD (= -0.916, p&lt;0.001) determinants. Conclusions: These findings indicate that an integrated policy that addresses socioeconomic and health-related factors and the overall ME environment is necessary for the health and well-being of the children and the population overall in Oman.

Background—In 2011, Miller and Goldman published a study in Human and Experimental Toxicology that found a counterintuitive, positive correlation, r = 0.70 (r² = 0.49, p < .0001), demonstrating that as nations require more vaccine doses for their infants, infant mortality rates (IMRs) tend to increase (worsen). The dataset (n = 30) included the United States, a nation that required the most vaccines for their infants, and all nations with better IMRs than the United States. Dr. E. Bailey, a professor at BYU, and her students, recently read the Miller-Goldman study and found it "troublesome that this manuscript is in the top 5% of all research outputs" and falsely claimed that its findings were due to "inappropriate data exclusion," i.e., failure to analyze the "full dataset" of all 185 nations. The "Bailey reanalysis," titled Infant vaccination does not predict increased infant mortality rate: correcting past misinformation, was posted to the medRxiv preprint server on September 10, 2021 (version 1) and October 5, 2021 (version 3) and Europe PMC preprint server on September 10, 2021. Objective—This present study examines the various claims postulated by the Bailey reanalysis and assesses the robustness of their methodology, analyses, and reported results and conclusions. Methods—Data discussed in this paper are based on the previously mentioned study by Miller and Goldman and the Bailey reanalysis. Results—Linear regression analysis of IMR and the number of vaccine doses for each country yield a statistically significant positive correlation of r = 0.70 (p < .0001) for the top nations (n = 30) chosen by Miller-Goldman and r = 0.16 (p < .04) for the "entire dataset" chosen by Bailey et al (n = 185). Bailey also conducted linear regression analyses (for the year 2019) of IMRs as a function of vaccination rates for each of eight different vaccines and reported statistically significant inverse correlations for 7 of 8 vaccines over the entire range of vaccination rates. However, Miller and Goldman reanalyzed the Bailey analyses for nations with vaccination rates below 60% and found no statistically significant correlation for six vaccines (DPT, Hib, hepatitis B, polio, rotavirus, and measles) and statistically significant positive correlations for tuberculosis (r = 0.8, p < .005) and pneumococcal (r = 0.6 p < .023) vaccines. Conclusions—Bailey’s reanalysis corroborates a statistically significant positive correlation originally reported by Miller and Goldman. However, Bailey’s reported correlation (r = +0.16, p < .04) is small, likely due to poor methodology (failing to account for covariates, i.e., disparities among numerous socioeconomic factors that add uncertainty to their conclusion). The r-value reported by the Bailey reanalysis demonstrates an effect size that is about one-fourth (0.16/0.70) that reported by Miller-Goldman—underscoring how critically important it is for Bailey's reanalysis to eliminate confounding variables. Moreover, Bailey’s linear regression analyses of IMR as a function of vaccination rates for each of eight different vaccines demonstrate that some countries with low vaccination rates have low IMRs, while other countries with high vaccination rates have high IMRs. Rather than supporting a strong inverse correlation, the Bailey reanalysis demonstrates high vaccination rates are neither necessary nor sufficient to cause low IMR.

This paper addresses the conceptual exploration of various issues that form an integral part of the ethical dimensions surrounding the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in the field of marketing. We critically review some of the main ethical challenges AI poses to humanity: privacy, data security, bias, transparency, and accountability. Therefore, we will discuss the delicate balance between exploiting the transformation potential of AI for personally designed marketing strategies and ethical imperatives to safeguard the rights of consumers to retain trust. Then, the present regulatory landscape responding to these ethical challenges will be assessed by building on effective regulation, like the GDPR, existing proposed legislative frameworks, and industry guidelines. To underscore the role of an ongoing dialogue between marketers, technologists, ethicists, and regulators for developing a responsible AI ecosystem in marketing. Further, strategic recommendations for implementing company-based ethical AI marketing practices. The further strong guidelines provide enhancement transparency to consumers and investment in research to remove biases from algorithms. It also underscores principal scopes of further research and development, focusing on the need for new-age solutions to guide the ethical quagmires that AI-led marketing throws up. We suggest that integration should be done proactively and collaboratively. Thus, if attention is paid more to ethics and multidisciplinary dialogue, only such hyperbolic promises can be realized by AI-driven marketing. There are such promises through which AI-driven marketing will meet business goals and be huge at societies' values.

Media is obtaining a leading role in contemporary strategic communication, the development especially visible in the context of social-political and geopolitical conflicts. This study introduces an interdisciplinary theory of Social Laser and applies it in the analysis of social mobilization around the current militarized situation in Eastern Europe. We analyze quantitatively the content of three Swedish newspapers and qualitatively the related Facebook discussions. As demonstrated, social lasing has been employed as an instrument in information warfare. An “information tsunami” was generated by the Swedish national mass media at the outbreak of military events in March-May 2022. It shaped social dynamics on the related social media platform. The intensity of dissident actions increased when the information pressure subsided.

Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a highly prevalent and a critical complication of cardiac surgery (CS). Serum lactate levels (sLac) have consistently shown an association with morbimortality after CS. We performed a cross-sectional study including 264 adult patients that had a cardiac surgery between January and December 2020. Logistic regression analysis was performed to determine factors associated with AKI development. We measured the postoperative levels of sLac to all participants immediately after CS (T0) and after 4 hours (T4) of the surgical intervention. Linear regression model was carried out to identify the factors influencing both levels of sLac. We identified four risk predictors of AKI; one was preoperative (atrial fibrillation), one intraoperative (cardiopulmonary bypass time), and two were postoperative (length of hospital stay and postoperative sLac). T0 and T4 sLac levels were higher among CS-AKI patients than in Non-CS-AKI. Postoperative sLac levels were significant independent predictors of CSA-AKI and the sLac levels are influenced by length of hospital stay, the number of packed red blood cells transfused and the use of furosemide in CS-AKI patients. These findings may facilitate the earlier identification of patients susceptible to AKI after CS.

This study examines the exchange rate rebound effects of the Central Bank intervention in the selected ECOWAS economies. An empirical understanding of these effects is very important to trade adjustment as well as the macroeconomic stability in these countries. Using the panel data modelling framework, the study finds that the impact of the Central Bank intervention on exchange rate is insignificant and it does not lead to the exchange rate rebound. In addition, money supply as well as monetary policy rate implemented by the monetary authorities significantly influences the level of exchange rate in a positive direction.

.Maize cultivation in Thailand faces challenges owing to climate change and soil organic carbon (SOC) loss. This highlights the importance of comparing maize soil with paddy soil in terms of the role of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) and nutrient availability, as they influence SOC content. Soil samples from Chiang Mai province, primarily Fluvisol, were collected for the cultivation of paddy rice and maize, analysed for carbon fractions and chemical properties, and categorised into layers. Comparative analysis revealed that maize soils had lower levels of labile carbon components and organic carbon than paddy soils (P

This scholarly article introduces the "Change Through Play: Rethinking Masculinity" program, a potential intervention designed to address gun violence in the United States by targeting its societal roots, particularly through the lens of gender socialization. The program focuses on transforming children’s, particularly young boys', perceptions of masculinity away from gun violence by influencing the types of toys they play with. By promoting non-violent play, the initiative aims to foster a future generation less inclined to engage in gun violence. This community-interactive and educational approach emphasizes the importance of evidence-based interventions that respect community values and cultural dynamics. The program employs a mixed-methods approach, combining qualitative and quantitative research to evaluate its effectiveness. The program highlights the necessity of sustained, collective action to transform the entrenched practices and beliefs that perpetuate violence, ultimately striving for a society that prioritizes peace, justice, and safety.

Background: Delis-Kaplan Executive Function System (D-KEFS) is a neuropsychological tool used in clinical practice to measure executive function in clinical and non-clinical populations, in individuals aged 8-89 years, and consists of nine subtests that can be administered either as a single system or separately. Aims: In the present study, were established norms for the Verbal Fluency Test as well as the Design Fluency Test of the D-KEFS in a Greek population aged 20 to 49 years, since there is no previous study conducted in Greece for these age clusters. Methods: The study sample consisted of 100 healthy adults (44.4% male and 55.6% female), aged 20 to 49 years (M=32.81 SD=11.04) with education from 12 to 18 years (M=14.73, SD= .91). First, Spearman and Pearson tests explored the associations of gender, age and education with D-KEFS subtests’ performance. Afterwards, we calculated normative data using raw scores and transformed to percentile scores. Results: The present study is the first attempt to calculate norms for the two fluency subtests of the D-KEFS in Greek adult population stratified by age and educational level. Conclusion: Future research will promote the use of D-KEFS, in order to introduce a widely used tool which measures all basic executive functions subtypes for Greek adult population. Given that the majority of neuropsychological tools are adapted for older adult population, the current study aims at filling the gap in neuropsychological assessment of young adults as well as those who have co existing neurological or psychiatric disorders.

A dataset collected from Central-South Finland is used to investigate the mortality of boreal trees. The mortality rate is found to be the order of three times that predicted by earlier Nordic mortality models, being in the upper range of international literature observations. Small subpopulations of any tree species tend to die out. Mortality of downy birch increases with stand basal area, as well as with stand age. Mortality of Norway spruce and silver birch increases after 100 years, while that of Scots pine is invariant to age. As the relative loss rate of basal area is insensitive to stand basal area, the mortality of trees does not strongly regulate thinning practices.

Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic challenged people with spinal cord injury (SCI) regarding a variety of mental and physical issues. New challenges may arise as the effects of the pandemic continue. The objective of the present study was to explore the social participation of Canadians with SCI during the second wave of COVID-19. Methods: Participants with SCI from two Canadian provinces (Quebec and British Columbia) were interviewed. Results: Eighteen participants completed interviews. Facilitators of social participation remain similar since the first wave of COVID-19, such as the use of technology, help received by relatives and the use of delivery services to obtain groceries and other essentials. Obstacles to mobility due to winter conditions and lack of considerations related to COVID-19 public health measures specific to wheelchair users were also discussed by participants. Conclusions: People with SCI perceived participation restrictions, little changes in life habits, and uncertainty about the future during the second wave of COVID-19. The unique living conditions of people with SCI, ability to adapt life habits, and the lived experiences of people with SCI may have contributed to an overall resilience during the pandemic. Adaptive families, social contacts and technology made a difference during the pandemic.

Substance use is a growing problem among young people in sub-Saharan Africa; tobacco use is the dominant one among these practices. The aim was to analyse prevalence rates and determinants for cigarette smoking of school-attending adolescents in the capital, Bissau, Guinea-Bissau. In June 2017, a survey questionnaire was implemented in 16 schools among adolescents aged 14–19 (52% girls). The Chi-square (p&lt;0.05) and odds ratios (OR) were calculated with 95% confidence intervals (CI). Potential explanatory variables for the dependent variables were introduced into a multinomial logistic regression model, and p-values were transformed to LogWorth values. The prevalence of lifetime smoking experience among 1,845 participants was 14.8%; 6.5% were current users, and 2.2% were daily smokers. The most significant determinants for cigarette smoking included having friends who smoke, being a boy, attending a private school, smoking initiation at a young age, other substance use and violent behaviour. It is imperative to initiate preventive actions against smoking and other use of tobacco in Guinea-Bissau. Considering the significant impact of the peer group, policymakers need to engage young people in developing primary prevention strategies to curb the use of tobacco and other substances.

Since the turn of the millennium, many individuals and groups, including Diane Moore (2007), Stephen Prothero (2007), the American Academy of Religion (2010), and The National Council for the Social Studies (2014, 2017, 2021), have advocated for better religious literacy education (RLE) in K-12 curriculum and public schools. Despite these calls, RLE has yet to make significant inroads in K-12 curriculum and public schools. This paper aims to define religious literacy and RLE, provide current rationales for its inclusion in K-12 curriculum and public schools, identify barriers to RLE, and explore the potential of global competence in promoting RLE.

Background: This study was designed to adapt the Delis-Kaplan Executive System (D-KEFS) version of the Color-Word Interference (CWIT) and Trail making Tests (TMT) in Greek adult population from 20 to 49 years old, since it is of research as well as clinical importance to detect executive functions’ impairment in young adults with neurological or/and psychiatric conditions. Aims: Norms for the Greek adult population have been calculated to be available for neuropsychologists and health professionals who work in relevant settings. Methods: The study sample consisted of 101 healthy adults (41% male and 60% female), aged 20 to 49 years (M=32.16, SD=11.57) with education from 12 to 19 years of schooling (M=14.51, SD= .89). Pearson correlation test as well as chi square test were conducted to examine potential associations between gender, age, education, and participants’ performance. Afterwards, we calculated normative data using raw scores and transformed them to percentile scores. Finally, Greek norms were compared to the original raw scores, which were transformed in scaled scores by Delis et al. (2001). Results: The findings showed that age was the only variable which affected CWIT, whereas level of education as well as age were predictive factors for most TMT conditions, except for the visual scanning test (Condition 1). Gender did not affect both tests. Finally, D-KEFS norms for CWIT and TMT are available for Greek adult population to help clinicians detect executive functions’ deficits and therefore adjust tailored therapeutic strategies. Additionally, it is of great importance to use these tests for research purposes. Conclusion: Given that executive functions are assumed as high- level skills, which are highly related to everyday functionality, adapted tests contribute not only to assess the progression of any existing neurological as well as psychiatric disorders, but they can also be used to evaluate patients’ ability to live independently, as well as their access to work.

A dynamic impact test was performed on as-rolled AZ31 alloy with gradient microstructure under various strains. The microstructural evolution and mechanical properties were systematically investigated. As the strain rate gradually increases, an increasing number of twins are formed, facilitating dynamic recrystallization (DRX), and the mechanical properties are also gradually improved as well. The microstructure becomes heterogeneous at higher strain rates, but the peak stress decreases. The impact process results in significantly higher performance due to microstructural refinement, work hardening by dislocations and precipitates. In addition, both the adiabatic shear band and the adjacent crack experience a temperature rise that exceeds the recrystallization temperature of the alloy. This observation also explains the presence of ultrafine recrystallized grains within the adiabatic shear band and the appearance of molten metal around the crack.

In today's intricate media landscape, the resilience and relevance of public service media (PSM) depend on their capacity to align with the diverse and evolving expectations of the public. However, the audience perspective is often overlooked, resulting in a limited understanding of public expectations. This study employs a bottom-up approach that allows for a re-evaluation of the expectations from the audience's viewpoint. It investigates the public's expectations for PSM, drawing on data from 10 focus group discussions (with 60 participants) conducted in the Czech Republic. The findings indicate that expectations can be categorized into four primary dimensions: (1) the expected roles and functions of PSM; (2) the general characteristics of the PSM content (defining the desired nature of PSM content); (3) the principles governing the functioning of PSM (outlining how PSM should operate); and (4) specific requirements concerning PSM news and non-news content. In the latter dimension, objectivity emerged as one of the most critical expectations and a major source of dissatisfaction. While participants collectively value objectivity, they disagree on its definition. A deeper examination revealed that certain public expectations may be unattainable due to the simplistic view of objectivity held by some.

Background: Maternal mortality remains dire in Nigeria, claiming 40,000 lives yearly due to pregnancy complications. Factors like limited healthcare access, poverty, and early marriage worsen the crisis. Despite efforts to improve skilled birth attendance, Nigeria struggles to meet MDG targets, underscoring the urgent need for more effective interventions. Objectives: The objective of the study is to assess and understand the knowledge of community members regarding the risk factors influencing maternal mortality in the Ede South Local Government Area of Osun State, Nigeria. Methodology: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted. The study methodology involves employing the Leslie Kish formula to select 185 participants from the Ede South Local Government Area in Osun State, Nigeria. The selection process involved the use of a systematic sampling technique to ensure a representative sample based on population demographics and characteristics, ensuring a balanced and accurate selection process. Quantitative data was collected through a self-administered questionnaire and analysed using SPSS version 21. Results: The study encompassed 185 participants. 64.9% females with a mean age of 27.3 + 8.3 years. Among them, 60.5% were single, 46.6% being students, 55.7% held a BSc degree, 64.9% were Yoruba and 61.1% identified as Christian. 91.4% were aware about maternal mortality, 74.6% recognized maternal deaths in reproductive-aged women. Participants identified that maternal deaths mostly occur during labour (91.4%). Direct causes, such as bleeding (88.1%), unsafe abortion (88.6%), infection (49.2%), and hypertension (64.9%), were recognized. Results indicated substantial awareness concerning specific risk factors: lack of education (98.9%), poverty (91.6%), poor health care services in facilities (94.0%), alcohol consumption (87.6%) and poor transportation (78.4%). Conclusion: Findings revealed good awareness of maternal deaths and critical factors such as ANC impact and direct causes of maternal mortality like bleeding and unsafe abortion. However, gaps persisted in SDG awareness, suggesting the need for targeted interventions to enhance overall understanding and address identified knowledge gaps.

This paper investigates whether currency risk is priced differently in the different sectors (industrial, financial, and basic materials) of equity markets in a sample of developed United States of America (USA) and developing economies (Brazil, India, Poland, and South Africa). The paper makes use of the following techniques: (i) Univariate Autoregressive Fractionally Integrated Moving Average and Exponential General Autoregressive Conditional Heteroskedastic (ARFIMA-EGARCH), (ii) the Markov-Switching method (MS), and (iii) the Canonical Vine Copulas (C-Vine) techniques. Using a sample of daily data made of the foreign exchange rate against the domestic currency and equity market sectors; our findings show that there is an asymmetry effect between equities markets and the foreign exchange rate: there is a heterogeneous, strong, and positive dependence between the two. Higher equities prices are associated with depreciation of local currencies, according to US dollar (USD) exchange rates. In addition, we find that the selected emerging economies are pricing a positive and considerable currency risk. The pricing of currency risk has a varied effect in both regimes representing the states of the economy. In fact, when currency risk pricing has a beneficial impact on certain sectors of the economy, investors predict better returns.

Ambulatory heart rate (HR) monitors that acquire electrocardiogram (ECG) or/and photoplethysmographm (PPG) signals from the torso, wrists, or ears are notably less accurate in tasks associated with high levels of movement compared to clinical measurements. However, reliable estimation of HR can be obtained through data fusion from different sensors. These methods are especially suitable for multimodal hearable devices, where heart rate can be tracked from different modalities, including electrical ECG, optical PPG, and sounds (heart tones). Combined information from different modalities can compensate for single source limitations. In this paper, we evaluate the possible application of data fusion methods in hearables. We assess data fusion for heart rate estimation from simultaneous in-ear ECG and in-ear PPG, recorded on eight subjects while performing 5-minute sitting and walking tasks. Our findings show that data fusion methods provide a similar level of mean absolute error as the best single-source heart rate estimation but with much lower intra-subject variability, especially during walking activities. We conclude that data fusion methods provide more robust HR estimation than a single cardiovascular signal. These methods can enhance the performance of wearable devices, especially multimodal hearables, in heart rate tracking during physical activity.

(1) Background: The interplay between coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and laryngeal cancer represents a substantial challenge for both patients and healthcare. To garner information on recent mortality data for laryngeal cancer, including during the COVID-19 pandemic, we analyzed real-world data from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). (2) Methods: We searched the CDC WONDER on-line database 2018-2022 using with the ICD-10 code for laryngeal cancer (C32; malignant neoplasm of larynx). We also performed a sub-analysis between genders, and across ten-year age groups. Data were analyzed with one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) and Tukey post-hoc test. (3) Results: The trend of age-adjusted mortality ×100,000 did not change significantly between 2018-2022 (p=0.553). Males had higher age-adjusted mortality rates (M/F ratios between 4.6 and 5.0), but no significant variation was found in both genders (males: p=0.676; females: p=0.596). Although the mortality rate remained unchanged in people aged 35-84 years, the variation reached statistical significance in those aged 85 or older (p=0.004), displaying significant increase in 2021 compared to 2018 (p=0.006) and 2019 (p=0.039). (4) Conclusions: The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on mortality for laryngeal cancer seemed to be relatively modest in the general US population. Nevertheless, closer attention must be paid to older people, in whom the unfavorable consequences of misdiagnosis or mistreating can be exacerbated.

(1)Background:The purpose of the study was conducted to investigate the recovery of heart rate according to the performance level and rest interval conditions during 65%1RM bench press exercise;(2)Methods:The subjects of this study were eight healthy male college studentsin their 20 (years) attending University C. 1RM was measured before theexperiment, and the exercise sequence of six rest intervals (30sec, 1, 2, 3, 4,5min) was randomly selected and cross-distribution experiment. The experimental measurement was conducted a total of six times according to the rest interval condition (six conditions) once every 3 days to minimize the learning effect. The data was verified with repeated measures Two-way ANOVA and Contrast's repeated method was applied for post-comparison;(3)Results: First, the amount of exercise and the number of repetitions statistically substantially dropped (p&lt;.001) as the number of sets rose, and a greater decline was shown when the rest periods got shorter. Second, the heart rate after exercise was increased significantly (p&lt;.01) as the set progressed in the long rest interval conditions (4, 5min), and the heart rate after rest was increased statistically significantly (p&lt;,05) as the set progressed in the short rest interval conditions (30sec, 1min). Third, the heart rate recovery rate (%) was able to perform more repetitions than in the short rest interval condition due to the relatively high physiological recovery of the neuromuscular and circulatory system under the long rest interval condition;(4)Conclusions: Therefore, according to the rest conditionduring the 65%1RM bench press exercise conducted in this study, the restinterval condition of 2~3min may be effective in improving muscular endurance,and the rest interval condition of 4~5min may be effective in improving muscular hypertrophy. As a result of this study, there was a significant difference in exercise performance (repetition) and physiological recovery depending on the rest interval condition according to the set progress during the same intensity resistance exercise. Through this, it is judged that it is possible to adjust the amount of exercise appropriate for the purpose of training by adjusting not only the intensity during resistance exercise but also the rest interval between sets.