Digital skills in teachers of Physical Education Degree

Due to COVID-19, universities faced the challenge of moving to the virtual modality, carrying out processes of adaptation to the digital environment and integrating technological tools in classes. The objective of this study was to evaluate the digital skills of university teachers from two higher education institutions in Colombia. For data collection, the instrument implemented was the questionnaire on the digital competence of Higher Education teachers, which consists of 4 dimensions and 112 items. 105 teachers participated in the study, the study was quantitative, non-experimental and descriptive in scope. SPSS 22 software was used for data analysis and descriptive and correlational statistics were performed. Based on the results, it is highlighted that teachers use TIC in an instrumental way. The conclusions focus on the need to venture into content creation, augmented reality, innovation programs, strengthening research and the use of specific digital tools for each area of knowledge. A call is made to teachers and universities to continue promoting training and support programs to actively implement TIC in classes that require teacher qualification in educa-tional processes.

Modeling SARS-CoV-2 True Infections in Catalonia through a Digital Twin

A dynamic view of the evolution of the infections of SARS-CoV-2 in Catalonia using a Digital Twin approach that forecasts the true infection curve is presented. The forecast model incorporates the vaccination process, the confinement, and the detection rate, and virtually allows to consider any nonpharmaceutical intervention, enabling to understand their effects on the disease's containment while forecasting the trend of the pandemic. A continuous validation process of the model is performed using real data and an optimization model that automatically provides information regarding the effects of the containment actions on the population. To simplify this validation process, a formal graphical language that simplifies the interaction with the different specialists and an easy modification of the model parameters are used. The Digital Twin of the pandemic in Catalonia provides a forecast of the future trend of the SARS-CoV-2 spread and information regarding the true cases and effectiveness of the NPIs to control the SARS-CoV-2 spread over the population. This approach can be applied easily to other regions and can become an excellent tool for decision-making. © 2023 The Authors. Advanced Theory and Simulations published by Wiley-VCH GmbH.

Tourism and covid-19: the tourism consumer's travel intention for the year 2021 and 2022

The article aims to analyse the factors that affect the travel intention of the tourism consumer during the Covid-19 pandemic for the year 2021 and 2022. The research is quantitative, with a conceptual scope built from research of the literature. The data collection instrument was a questionnaire based on the Theory of Planned Behavior. The survey was organised using Google Forms in January 2021. The type of sampling was non-probabilistic, with 174 valid questionnaires. The analysis techniques were: Exploratory Factor Analysis (AFE) and Structural Equation Modeling (SEM). The structural model resulting from the cross-referencing of the data was shown to be adequate for the explanation and adjustment of the sample, since an R2 of 0.75 was obtained. The hypotheses raised were confirmed, giving positive travel intentions for the year 2021 and 2022, and signalling resistant behavior in tourists. © PASOS. Revista de Turismo y Patrimonio Cultural.

MDMA-Assisted Therapy for Treatment-Resistant Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) - One step further toward a patient-centered treatment pathway

Introduction: PTSD is a chronic, debilitating condition with limited treatment efficacy. Accessing traumatic memories often leads to overwhelming distress, impacting treatment process. Current approved pharmacological treatments have exhibited small to moderate effects when compared with placebo. Evidence suggests 3,4,-methylene-dioxymethamphetamine(MDMA)-assisted psychotherapy as a viable option for refractory PTSD. Objective(s): Comprehensive review of early clinical research, proposed mechanisms, safety and emerging therapeutic models. Method(s): Eligible studies will be identified through strategic search of MEDLINE. Result(s): Pre-clinical and imaging studies suggest memory reconsolidation and fear extinction as candidate psychological and neurological mechanisms, involving MDMA's combined effects of increasing serotonergic activity, as well the release of oxytocin and brain-derived neurotrophic factor in key memory and emotional circuits. Resulting reduction in amygdala and insula activation and increasing connectivity between the amygdala and hippocampus may create a tolerance window of neuroplasticity for emotional engagement and reprocessing of traumatic memories during psychotherapy. Early clinical trials report impressive and durable reduction in PTSD symptoms, with a safety profile comparable to that of SSRIs. A recently completed randomized, double-blind, placebocontrolled phase 3 trial reported full remission of PTSD symptoms in 67% of patients at 2 months, with no increase in suicidality, cardiovascular events or abuse behavior. Emerging treatment models underline the importance of unmedicated therapeutic sessions for preparation for the experience and subsequent integration as essential for full benefit and safety of the clinical context. Conclusion(s): The psychological impact associated with the COVID-19 pandemic is an reminder of the emotional and economic burden associated with PTSD. MDMA-assisted therapy may be a breakthrough approach meriting further multidisciplinary investment and clinical research.

In-person school reopening and the spread of SARS-CoV-2 during the second wave in Spain.

We investigate the effects of school reopening on the evolution of COVID-19 infections during the second wave in Spain studying both regional and age-group variation within an interrupted time-series design. Spain's 17 Autonomous Communities reopened schools at different moments in time during September 2020. We find that in-person school reopening correlates with a burst in infections in almost all those regions. Data from Spanish regions gives a further leverage: in some cases, pre-secondary and secondary education started at different dates. The analysis of those cases does not allow to conclude whether reopening one educational stage had an overall stronger impact than the other. To provide a plausible mechanism connecting school reopening with the burst in contagion, we study the Catalan case in more detail, scrutinizing the interrupted time-series patterns of infections among age-groups and the possible connections between them. The stark and sudden increase in contagion among older children (10-19) just after in-person school reopening appears to drag the evolution of other age-groups according to Granger causality. This might be taken as an indirect indication of household transmission from offspring to parents with important societal implications for the aggregate dynamics of infections.

Formal Modeling and Simulation for SARS-CoV-2 Containment Scenarios in Catalonia

We define interrelated models to simulate the spread of SARS-CoV-2 in Catalonia, which can be used to effectively build simulation applications and analyze the effects of nonpharmaceutical interventions. Due to the constant evolution of this pandemic, and the need to take a multidisciplinary approach, we use a formal specification to represent the model and to validate the model assumptions. We discuss the definition of the model using formal languages, and the Specification and Description Language to improve communication between stakeholders. We show formalization details, discuss implications in the validation process, and present how results obtained from the model of the pandemic in Catalonia can be used for decision-making.

Small and large tourist cities in the Northeast: the differences in the resumption of tourism in the pandemic scenario

This study aims to analyze the resumption of tourism in small and large tourist cities in the Northeast during the Covid-19 pandemic, in 2020. As a methodological procedure, mainly the employment data from the New Caged of the Ministry of Economy were explored and tourism demand survey data from the Tourism in Times of Pandemic Research Group. The research reveals that the small tourist cities in the Northeast were desired destinations by tourists in search of less urbanized locations, with a lower incidence of deaths by covid-19, without agglomerations and with biosafety measures, collaborating so that some small cities had a positive balance of jobs in the hotel sector, in 2020, a fact that did not occur in any large tourist city in the Northeast.

Post-traumatic Symptoms and Posttraumatic Growth in Higher Education Students in Chile during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Objective. To evaluate a predictive model of posttraumatic symptomatology (PTS) and posttraumatic growth (PTC), which included psychological, pandemic-related, and online classroom-related variables, in higher education students during the pandemic. Method. A total of 552 students participated, 68.5% of whom were women. Instruments were applied to measure different psychological variables. Results. It was established that a model that included intrusive and deliberate rumination, subjective severity, emotional suppression, cognitive reappraisal, social support, adequate space to connect to online classes, and educational attainment significantly predicted PTS. Deliberate rumination, social support, cognitive reappraisal, and age predicted CPT. The relevance of these findings to the academic support that could be provided to students is discussed.

P.0729 Highlights of psychedelic history and current research on psilocybin application for treatment of depression – a comprehensive literature review

Introduction: Psychedelics have seen various labels: mystical sacrament aids, potential interrogation tools for the Cold War, agents for social change in the Hippie counter movement, a panacea for various mental disorders, and a tool to “hack” of the psyche. This has led to their reputation as both societal threat and a psychopharmacological breakthrough. After the loss of data on over 1000 clinical papers spanning 40000 study subjects in the 60′s, a 40-year hiatus, and a few very determined researchers, new insights of increasingly quality have been emerging from research on the potential benefits of the use of psilocybin in depression. We aim to review available data on psilocybin for treating depression, providing a bird's-eye view on the literature (historical and current), while reporting potential neurobiological, psychological and cognitive mechanisms involved, safety and methodological concerns (as well as recent advancements), emerging modalities of treatment, with a commentary on social and cultural movements occurring in parallel to the scientific endeavor to create regulated and scientifically approved treatments. Methods: Eligible studies will be identified through an electronic search of Medline and clinicaltrials.gov from inception to the date of submission. The search strategy will combine relevant standardized subject terms and text words for psychedelics, psilocybin, and depression, with relevant Boolean operators implemented. Only articles written in the English language will be included. Reference lists from eligible studies will be cross-checked to identify potential additional studies. For data synthesis, results and outcomes will be explored narratively, along reporting and critical analysis of relevant statistical data. Results: Psilocybin emulates serotonin, with special affinity for the 5-HT2A receptor. Neuroimaging studies suggest an attenuation of the default mode network and an overall increase in multiple brain area connectivity [1]. Current treatment models involve previous psychological profiling and preparation, followed by one to two sessions where administration of 25 mg of psilocybin under supervision and support from the researcher, a physician, and a therapist, with post-treatment integration. Since 2011, five clinical studies, evaluated psilocybin treatment efficacy on patients suffering from clinical depression [2,3,4]. Limited by small samples, variability of setting, timeline, and methodology, they combined number of 139 patients. Despite these limitations, 60% of patients reported significant symptom reduction (58-83%) providing promising preliminary evidence for further investment. A recent trial found no significant difference in antidepressant effects between psilocybin and escitalopram in a selected group of patients, further contributing to this trend of research [5]. Over 50 studies addressing effects of psilocybin in depression have been approved on clinicaltrials.gov. One of these [6] is a phase 2 multicentered clinical trial, aiming to further evaluate the safety and efficacy of psilocybin in treatment resistant depression in a variable dose range. Conclusion: Psilocybin might become a promising approach to depression. These therapies have been (re)gaining social and cultural support, with parallel “off label” use in various spiritual and psychotherapeutic settings. There is a need for the upmost rigor in designing future research. Psilocybin might emerge as an important therapeutic tool for current and upcoming global mental health challenges in a post-COVID-19 world. No conflict of interest

THE REPERCUSSIONS OF THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC IN TOURISM IN THE MAIN DESTINATIONS OF RIO GRANDE DO NORTE

The year 2020 experienced a historic crisis, triggered by the Covid-19 pandemic. Tourism is among the economic activities most affected by the crisis and the state of Rio Grande do Norte (RN) being an important Brazilian tourist destination, the present article aims to analyze the repercussions of this crisis in the tourism sector of the main destinations of RN, throughout the year 2020. The research is exploratory and explanatory in nature, with qualitative and quantitative analysis of primary and secondary data. The results show that the year 2020 can be divided into two different moments: the first refers to the 1st semester of 2020, a period of worsening of the crisis, with high unemployment rates in the sector and dependence on self-employed and informal workers in solidarity networks. and social security policies;the second moment refers to the resumption of regional/road tourism as of July 2020 and, later, national/air tourism, which reheated the sector's labor market, even in times of pandemic.

SARS-CoV-2 Spread Forecast Dynamic Model Validation through Digital Twin Approach, Catalonia Case Study

The spread of the SARS-CoV-2 modeling is a challenging problem because of its complex nature and lack of information regarding certain aspects. In this paper, we explore a Digital Twin approach to model the pandemic situation in Catalonia. The Digital Twin is composed of three different dynamic models used to perform the validations by a Model Comparison approach. We detail how we use this approach to obtain knowledge regarding the effects of the nonpharmaceutical interventions and the problems we faced during the modeling process. We use Specification and Description Language (SDL) to represent the compartmental forecasting model for the SARS-CoV-2. Its graphical notation simplifies the different specialists’ understanding of the model hypotheses, which must be validated continuously following a Solution Validation approach. This model allows the successful forecasting of different scenarios for Catalonia. We present some formalization details, discuss the validation process and present some results obtained from the validation model discussion, which becomes a digital twin of the pandemic in Catalonia.

Experience of the telephone counseling service for people with psychological disorders associated with social isolation

Background: In the current conditions of social isolation, imposed by COVID-19, psychological help lines have been implemented via telephone. It is of interest to know if the contribution of this counseling service is effective;and to what extent the population has assumed this as a reliable way of psychological help. Objective: to describe the experience of the telephone counseling service to people with psychological disorders associated with social isolation. Methods: a descriptive study was carried out of the telephone counseling service aimed at the population with psychological disorders, carried out by the Mella District Mental Health Center, Camaguey province, during May 2020. The reasons for the call, clinical manifestations and behavior to follow were the main variables studied. Results: the elderly population contributed the highest number of calls (40.6%), as well as the most frequent reason being the search for psychological support. Depression and anxiety were found as the main clinical manifestations;and psychological support and monitoring of this as the behaviors to follow in most cases. Conclusion: due to the impossibility of going to specialized mental health centers, due to the conditions imposed by the pandemic, telephone counseling allowed a considerable group of people to receive psychological help backed by trained professionals, in correspondence with individual needs.

Inpatient Hospitalizations during the First Wave of COVID-19 in Portugal

The objective of this study was to analyze the impact of the pandemic on inpatient hospital admissions during the first wave in Portugal. Data from hospital admissions in mainland Portugal from 2008 to 2017 were used to forecast inpatient hospital admissions for March to May 2020. The observed number of hospitalizations and their characteristics were compared to forecasted values. Variations were compared by hospital and region. Statistical analysis was used to investigate whether patterns of variations existed according to hospital characteristics. There were 119,315 fewer hospitalizations than expected during March to May 2020 in Portugal, which represented a 57% reduction. Non-COVID-19 hospitalizations had a higher mean length of stay and proportion of inpatient deaths than forecasted values. Differences between observed and forecasted values varied greatly among regions and hospitals. These variations were not associated with COVID-19 hospital admissions, region, forecasted number of hospitalizations, type of hospital, or occupation rate. The impact on inpatient hospital admissions for each hospital was not consistent or proportional to the expected use across Portugal, as indicated by variations between forecasted and observed values. The appropriate planning of future responses may contribute to improving the necessary balance between the level of hospital admissions for usual health needs of the population and the response to COVID-19 patients. © 2021 American Medical Association. All rights reserved.

SEIRD COVID-19 formal characterization and model comparison validation

Based on a SEIRD model (Susceptible, Exposed, Infective, Recovered and Deceased) for COVID-19 infection with a new parametrization using a high infection rate, and a low fatality, we define the model in System Dynamics, Python, and Specification and Description Language (SDL). The different implementations obtained can be improved depending on the capabilities of the approach and, more interestingly, can be used to improve the Validation and Verification processes. In this paper, we are focused on describing how this comparison with other models' validation processes allows us to find the parameters of the system dynamics model, hence the parameters of the pandemic. This is a crucial element, specifically in this case, because the data are not complete or validated for different reasons. We use using existing data from Korea and Spain and showing that the proposed method and the obtained parametrization for the model fit with the empirical evidence. We discuss some implications of the validation process and the model parametrization. We use this approach to implement a Decision support system that shows the current pandemic situation in Catalonia.