The COVID-19 pandemic and the characteristic comparison of English achievement tests

Aim. The objectives of this research were to characterize and contrast the features of English language proficiency tests conducted before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methodology and research methods. Before coronavirus pandemic, there were 287 students;during pandemic, there were 288 pupils;there were also an English teacher and a forum for English teachers. Through documentation and interviews, the information was gathered from eighth-graders at SMP Negeri 2 Semarang in Central Java, Indonesia. Results. Some aspects of English accomplishment tests made before COVID-19 can be seen. First, the percentages of items in the Easy, Moderate, and Difficult categories are 55%, 37.5%, and 7.5%, respectively. The item discrimination percentages for the Poor, Fair, Good, and Very Good categories are 10%, 30%, 25%, and 35%, respectively. Third, the distractor's effectiveness as a percentage is 53.30% and 46.70%. (effective: ineffective). Finally, the test reliability value is 0.990. The English proficiency test created during COVID-19 exhibits some of the same traits. First, the percentages for Easy, Moderate, and Difficulty categories for item difficulty: 10%, 84%, and 6%. The item discrimination percentages for the Poor, Fair, Good, and Very Good categories are 2%, 4%, 14%, and 80%, respectively. Third, the distractor's percentage efficacy is 99.30%: 0.70% (effective: ineffective). Finally, the test reliability value is 0.960. The foundation of classical test theory (CTT) was the effectiveness of the distractor, item difficulty, and item discrimination. The exams administered during coronavirus pandemic were more normally distributed than the tests administered prior to pandemic based on item difficulty. The tests given during coronavirus pandemic fell more into the very good category than the tests given before pandemic, according to item discrimination. In comparison to tests conducted before to coronavirus pandemic, more tests during pandemic were classified as effective based on the distractor's effectiveness. Both tests were compared based on the data of the collected features. The English achievement exam created during the epidemic was determined to be superior to the test created prior to the outbreak based on CTT. However, the English performance exam created before the epidemic is superior than that created during the pandemic, according to Item Response Theory (IRT). IRT was based on item fit and dependability. Testing for dependability before COVID-19 is more accurate than during pandemic. Before COVID-19, item fit tests were more favorable than during pandemic. Conclusions. The English proficiency test that was created during the epidemic is superior to the test that was created prior to the pandemic based on CTT. But according to IRT, the English proficiency exam created before the pandemic is superior to that created during the pandemic. © 2023 LLC Ecological Help. All rights reserved.

LearnIT2teach: Teacher training and online learning for newcomers in times of crises

How teachers creatively adopted and adapted to the effects of the COVID-19 outbreak is at the heart of the findings presented in this chapter. With the support of the Avenue-LearnIT2teach project, English Second Language (ESL) teachers in Canada enabled the rapid response of many Language Instruction for Newcomers to Canada (LINC) programs to site closures, resulting in an unprecedented uptake of online learning (OL) in a matter of weeks. The project rapidly changed course to support LINC teachers to adopt blended learning (BL) courseware and adapt teaching practices to the new OL reality. This chapter discusses the impact of the project's efforts to meet the surge in demand in teacher training and learner courseware for these online immigrant settlement and language learning programs. The project's rapid response to onsite LINC program closures during the COVID-19 crisis is reviewed. As a result of the disruptions to in-person program delivery, the focus of the project has shifted from blended learning (BL) to online learning (OL) by adapting its formal and informal professional development (PD) offerings. Findings with respect to the surge in demand for teacher training, course development, and mentoring are presented. Feedback from teachers on the "front lines" further illustrates teachers' OL uptake. The chapter also addresses the impact of formal and informal PD provided by a committed team of mentors as well as the importance of teacher presence in online program delivery. Implications and recommendations with respect to rapid responses in situations of crises conclude the chapter. © Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2021. All rights reserved.

A Documentary History of the Immunity (or Vaccine) Passport: Health Certificates of Public Health, Personal Identity and Power from the Plague to the Coronavirus Pandemic

The immunity (or vaccine) passport of the coronavirus pandemic, as a concept and object, is not unprecedented. This health and identity document features a history spanning over half-a-millennium and appearing across diverse geopolitical and sociocultural contexts. This article presents a documentary history of the immunity passport and its heterogeneous material instantiations, uses and effects across divergent historical settings. It illuminates how the immunity passport has helped shaped identities and public health, as well as impacted individual and institutional agency, during health crises. Four historical cases are explored, including the plagues ravaging the Renaissance Mediterranean region, the 1665 Great Plague of London, the yellow fever outbreaks in the antebellum slave-era southern USA and the chronic cholera conditions confronting colonial-era British India. Although disparate, these historical cases share the immunity passport as a non-pharmaceutical intervention into their respective health crises that played important roles in people's lives during these troubled times.

THE PRINCIPLE OF IMMEDIACY IN PORTUGUESE CIVIL PROCEDURE IN TIMES OF PANDEMIC: THE USE OF VIDEOCONFERENCING HEARINGS IN JUDICIAL PROCEEDINGS

The article aims to investigate how the use of videoconferencing hearings in Portuguese judicial proceedings, established by Law 1-A/2020 of March 19th, affected the principle of immediacy. To achieve it goals, this paper will analyze the meaning and definition of the mentioned principle. In addition to that, it will be highlighted the conduction of the hearings during the pandemic scenario. Last but not least, it will be evaluated whether or not there has been an effective violation of the principle. © 2022, Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro. All rights reserved.

Impact of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) Pandemic on the Care of Pediatric Acute Appendicitis.

BACKGROUND: Appendicitis is the most common abdominal surgical emergency in children. With the rise of the Coronavirus-19 pandemic, quarantine measures have been enforced to limit the viral transmission of this disease. The purpose of this study was to identify differences in the clinical presentation and outcomes of pediatric acute appendicitis during the Coronavirus-19 pandemic. METHODS: A single-institution retrospective assessment of all pediatric patients (<18 years old) with acute appendicitis from December 2019 to June 2020 was performed at a tertiary care children's hospital. Patients were divided into two groups: (1) the Pre-COVID group presented on or before March 15, 2020, and (2) the COVID group presented after March 15, 2020. Demographic, preoperative, and clinical outcomes data were analyzed. RESULTS: 45 patients were included with a median age of 13 years [IQR 9.9 - 16.2] and 35 males (78%). 28 patients were in the Pre-COVID group (62%) and 17 in the COVID group (38%). There were no differences in demographics or use of diagnostic imaging. The COVID group did have a significantly delayed presentation from symptom onset (36 vs 24 hours, P < .05), higher Pediatric Appendicitis Scores (8 vs 6, P = .003), and longer hospital stays (2.2 vs 1.3 days, P = .04). There were no significant differences for rates of re-admission, re-operation, surgical site infection, perforation, or abscess formation. CONCLUSION: During the Coronavirus-19 pandemic, the incidence of pediatric acute appendicitis was approximately 40% lower. These children presented in a delayed fashion with longer hospital stays. No differences were noted for postoperative complications.

Locked in and locked out: sequelae of a pandemic for distressed and vulnerable teenagers in Ireland : Post-COVID rise in psychiatry assessments of teenagers presenting to the emergency department out-of-hours at an adult Irish tertiary hospital.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study is to investigate the impact of the coronavirus pandemic on teenage psychiatry referrals following crisis presentation to the adult emergency department (ED) of an Irish tertiary hospital. In doing so, this study will specifically examine the effect of COVID-19 on self-injurious behaviour, suicidality and substance use among older adolescents (age 16/17 years). METHODS: This is a retrospective descriptive analysis of acute adolescent psychiatry referrals assessed out-of-hours via the adult ED psychiatry service across three consecutive time points (during the months of March, April and May) from pre-pandemic, 2019 (T1); initial pandemic, 2020 (T2); and peak pandemic, 2021 (T3). Data were obtained via the hospital's ED-specific electronic database, review of original assessment notes and cross-referenced by manually extracting data logged in the on-call register. RESULTS: Crisis psychiatry assessments of teenagers during on-call hours trebled during the period of this study (p < 0.001). Although ED/crisis referrals initially decreased overall at the start of the pandemic, the rate of teenage referrals remained constant, before increasing as restrictions tightened in lockdown. The negative impact of COVID-19 on teenagers' ability to cope was found to be statistically significant (p = 0.001). Changes in rates of self-harming and/or suicidal behaviours were not statistically significant between 2019, 2020 and 2021 (p = 0.082). Alcohol misuse occurred in up to one-third of cases across each timeframe and remained virtually constant throughout the pandemic. Drug misuse decreased from onset of COVID-19 (p = 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: To our knowledge, this is the first study to specifically examine the impact of COVID-19 on suicidality, self-harming behaviours, substance misuse and on-call ED presentations of teenagers in Ireland. This study demonstrates that coronavirus-related stress is associated with negative mental health sequelae for vulnerable at-risk older adolescents, as evidenced by a rise in ED presentations and on-call referrals since the onset of the pandemic. Presentation of increased numbers of under-18's for psychiatry assessment at the adult ED/general hospital indicates a deepening chasm between available and aspirational emergency (adolescent-specific) psychiatric care in the community. Mobilising resilience factors and maximising coping skills for at-risk youth will inform tailored intervention and support strategies along with adequate resourcing of services for vulnerable adolescents in the community.

Changes in Acute ED Visits by Race/Ethnicity During the Early COVID-19 Pandemic.

Emergency department (ED) visits for conditions unrelated to the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic decreased during the early pandemic, raising concerns about critically ill patients forgoing care and increasing their risk of adverse outcomes. It is unclear if Hispanic and Black adults, who have a high prevalence of chronic conditions, sought medical assistance for acute emergencies during this time. This study used 2018-2020 ED visit data from the largest safety net hospital in Los Angeles County to estimate ED visit differences for cardiac emergencies, diabetic complications, and strokes, during the first societal lockdown among Black and Hispanic patients using time series analyses. Emergency department visits were lower than the expected levels during the first societal lockdown. However, after the lockdown ended, Black patients experienced a rebound in ED visits while visits for Hispanics remained depressed. Future research could identify barriers Hispanics experienced that contributed to prolonged ED avoidance.

Protection of Patients' Rights during a Pandemic

The coronavirus has brought the world unprecedented quarantine measures, border closures, air traffic closures, and restrictions on certain human rights as a result of which patient safety has become a major global health issue. Pursuant to international standards, there are inherent human rights that cannot be restricted under any circumstances. In the research, special attention is paid to the basic principles that must be adhered to when introducing temporary measures to restrict constitutional rights of human rights: the rule of law and the principle of proportionality The paper uses the following scientific methods of cognition: general dialectical method of cognition, systematization, problem-oriented, comparative-legal, special-legal, historical-legal, formal-legal analytical and scientific knowledge. On the basis of these, it can be deduced that as a result of scrutinizing this hitch, the article developed proposals in the field of protecting the rights of patients during a pandemic, as well as proposals for enriching the theoretical apparatus.

Optimizing the pediatric patient centered care medical home through a trauma informed care lens

The need for mental health services in primary care settings to address trauma remains a pressing issue for pediatrics. The existing literature supports the compatibility of Trauma-Informed Care Principles in Patient-Centered settings to address trauma, yet despite professional guidelines highlighting these models, a specific example within a primary care setting remains unrealized. This paper will conceptualize a Trauma Informed Medical Home model with Integrated Behavioral Health utilizing some aligning concepts such as safety, accessibility and collaboration found within the Trauma Informed Care and a Medical Home guideline. The resulting conceptualized model will represent a strengthened primary care setting where the delivery of mental health services using a trauma-informed lens can optimize patient-centered primary care medical home services.

Determinants of customer loyalty to online food service delivery: evidence from Indonesia, Taiwan, and New Zealand

This study is dedicated to m-commerce and examines the key factors determining loyalty to online food delivery (OFD) services in Indonesia, Taiwan, and New Zealand, as these countries have faced varying degrees of pandemic severity. The data analysis using Partial Least Square Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) shows that the quality of both food and e-service, satisfaction, perceived value, and trust are significant predictors of loyalty in all countries. Food quality drives consumer loyalty, contentment, and perceived value in Indonesia and Taiwan, but e-service quality is the main determinant in New Zealand. These differences can be attributed to the status quo of the OFD service market in the three countries pre-Covid, cultural factors, the pandemic severity, and consumer access to other distribution channels. Best practice recommendations for marketing managers associated with OFD are presented.

Network Public Opinion Detection During the Coronavirus Pandemic: A Short-Text Relational Topic Model

Online social media provides rich and varied information reflecting the significant concerns of the public during the coronavirus pandemic. Analyzing what the public is concerned with from social media information can support policy-makers to maintain the stability of the social economy and life of the society. In this article, we focus on the detection of the network public opinions during the coronavirus pandemic. We propose a novel Relational Topic Model for Short texts (RTMS) to draw opinion topics from social media data. RTMS exploits the feature of texts in online social media and the opinion propagation patterns among individuals. Moreover, a dynamic version of RTMS (DRTMS) is proposed to capture the evolution of public opinions. Our experiment is conducted on a real-world dataset which includes 67,592 comments from 14,992 users. The results demonstrate that, compared with the benchmark methods, the proposed RTMS and DRTMS models can detect meaningful public opinions by leveraging the feature of social media data. It can also effectively capture the evolution of public concerns during different phases of the coronavirus pandemic. © 2021 Association for Computing Machinery.

Disasters in times of sheltering in place: Social work and the COVID-19 pandemic

The coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic was first identified in Wuhan, China, in December 2019. The virus is primarily spread between people during close contact via small virulent droplets produced by coughing, sneezing, and talking, with less common infection spread by touching a contaminated surface and then touching one's face. The coronavirus pandemic has also disrupted the provision of social work services ranging from child welfare and school social work to clinical and psychiatric social work. During the COVID-19 emergency, states and localities issued emergency stay-at-home orders requiring the temporary closure of nonessential businesses, including some private social work practices. As the world recovers from the COVID-19 pandemic, social work practice will adjust to the needs of the client groups. The most vulnerable and marginalized populations will experience greater impacts on their health;welfare;economic stability;and access to medical care, education, and technology. Social work will have a valuable role to play in the amelioration of negative impacts that are devastating the United States and the world. The infusion of telemedicine and teletherapy in social work practice seems inevitable, and it is hoped that these will provide an efficient and effective new social work practice modality. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved)

Subjunctive Geographies: The Contribution of Institutionalised Geography in the German-Speaking Countries to COVID-19 Research

In the wake of the coronavirus pandemic a wide range of problems had to be solved in an appropriate way because far-reaching political decisions, such as the opening or closing of schools, shops or tourist facilities were based on the desired solutions. The problems addressed included on the one hand medical issues concerning the optimal treatment of infected persons and on the other hand questions related to the spatiotemporal diffusion of infection processes. Although the latter suggested that geographers were predestined to provide excellent solutions, the development that could be observed in the German-speaking countries was disillusioning. Apart from virologists and epidemiologists, scientists from a variety of fields, such as, transportation science, economics or mathematics developed trend-setting recommendations for authorities and politicians, but no geographers at all. A closer look at the temporal development reveals that this situation was the same during the entire period, from the first occurrence of the coronavirus disease up to now - researchers from different sciences were doingrelevant research, whereas geographers were exhausted in thinking about what kind of research should be done. A description of the status quo is followed by the attempt to identify reasons for the irrelevance of institutionalised geographic research in the German-speaking countries, which has become apparent in the course of the coronavirus pandemic. © The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2022.

Axiosphere of Social Advertising Poster about Coronavirus in Russia and China

The axiogenic situation of the pandemic is considered based on the material of social advertising of two countries - Russia and China. The thesis is advanced that the corona virus pandemic can be considered as a referent that allows a value-marked interpretation. The purpose of the work is to identify a set of universal values objectified in social advertising;characterize verbal and visual codes as means of expressing valuable meanings;determine national specifics of advertising. 400 Russian and Chinese advertising texts served as the material for the observations. As a result of the analysis, it was revealed that the axiological space of advertising of both countries is constructed by a set of valuable meanings, united by the absolute value of being - the concept of LIFE. It is noted that the structure of advertising discourse is based on the dichotomy of biological and social. The key value, along with life and its protection, was the strength of unity and cohesion of the nation in the face of a mortal threat. The value of the heroic is objectified in the image of medical workers. It was revealed that Chinese advertising is characterized by a language game associated with homonymy and the transformation of phraseological units, and the absence of weakly creolized texts with a strong cultural and historical component of the visual series. It is concluded that Russian advertising revives the style of the Soviet poster when promoting sanitary and hygienic rules.

Clostridium difficile Infection Rates During the Pandemic in New York Capital Area: A Single-Center Study.

Introduction Clostridioides difficile (C. difficile) colonizes the large intestine, rendering healthy individuals asymptomatic carriers of the disease. In certain instances, C. difficile infection (CDI) occurs. Antibiotic use remains the leading risk factor for CDI. During the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, multiple risk and protective factors for and against CDI were identified, and as such multiple studies tried to analyze the pandemic's overall effect on CDI incidence rates, with contradictory results. Our study's aim is to further characterize the CDI incidence rates trends, but for a longer period of 22 months in the pandemic. Methods We included only adult (>18 years) patients, diagnosed with CDI during their hospitalization for the following period: January 1, 2018, to December 31, 2021. Incidence was calculated as cases per 10,000 patient days. The period identified as the COVID-19 pandemic period was the following: March 1, 2020, to December 31, 2021. All analyses were performed by an expert statistician using Minitab software (Minitab Inc., State College, Pennsylvania, United States). Results The mean CDI incidence rate per 10,000 patient-days was 6.86 +/-2.1. The 95% confidence interval for the CDI incidence rate prior to the pandemic was found at 5.67 +/-0.35 while the interval during the pandemic was calculated at 8.06 +/- 0.41 per 10,000 patient days. Those results reveal a statistically significant increase in CDI incidence rates during the COVID-19 era. Conclusion Multiple risk and protective factors for and against hospital-acquired infections (including CDI) have been identified during the unprecedented COVID-19 healthcare crisis. In the literature, there is high controversy regarding the trends of CDI incidence during the pandemic. The current study analyzed an almost two-year period into the pandemic, identifying an increase in CDI rates when compared to the pre-pandemic era.

Deaths by COVID-19 in a hospital from a city from Legal Amazon region: what lessons could be learned?

Objective: Describe the epidemiology of COVID-19 deaths within a hospital in the Amazon region in a period of 64 days, which corresponds to the growth curve of the COVID-19 first-wave pandemic in 2020. Method(s): The data were obtained from medical records of 152 deaths registered for adults and elderly hospitalized. The data were also compared with the number of deaths in previous years during the same period studied to assess the impact of the pandemic on this hospital. The study also assesses the impact of intra-hospital transfers, accounting for the number of times patients who died performed transfers between sectors of the hospital. Result(s): During the period analyzed, there was an increase in deaths compared to the previous years. The majority of dead patients were male, aged between 34 and 96 years. The deaths were associated comorbidities such as arterial hypertension, diabetes mellitus, and kidney disease. The SARS-CoV-2 infection was confirmed in 91 cases. Among them, 15 individuals were admitted without conditions related to SARS-CoV-2 infection;they had a three-fold higher number of hospital transfers than those admitted with SARS-CoV-2 infection symptoms. Sixteen patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection developed respiratory symptoms just after hospitalization. The diagnostic exam for SARS-CoV-2 infection was performed on average 4 (+/- 6) days after the onset of symptoms and 6 (+/- 6) days after admission, and the average time from the onset of respiratory symptoms to death was 4 (+/- 6) days. Conclusion(s): These data suggest the high presence of hospital infection by SARS-CoV-2 in the Brazilian Amazon region, which may be related to the number of sectorial transfers, delay in confirming the diagnosis, and lack of management. We report a serious public health problem, as it demonstrates the fragility of healthcare institutions in the hospital environment.Copyright © 2023 Faculdade de Medicina de Ribeirao Preto - U.S.P.. All rights reserved.

The effects of contactless Dohsa-hou on outpatients with schizophrenia during the Coronavirus Pandemic

Dohsa-hou therapists assist clients through physical contact, however, this is not advisable during the coronavirus pandemic;instead, contactless Dohsa-hou is safer and more secure. In this study, we examined the possibilities of applying contactless Dohsa-hou for outpatients with schizophrenia as a self-care method and its effects on them. We administered the program 7 times for 8 outpatients with schizophrenia in a psychiatric rehabilitation center. Thereafter, they underwent a voluntary implementation period for two to three weeks at home. The results suggest ed that the contactless Dohsa-hou improved self-existence of mind and body (d = 0.83) notably, and slightly improved sense of independence (d = 0.49), balance of mind and body (d = 0.21), irritability and anger (d = 0.23), well-being (d = 0.39), and third-party evaluation (d = 0.29). Therefore, the study showed that contactless Doh sa-hou can stabilize the physical and mental state, even when conducted under the self-restraint period during the pandemic. This study may provide helpful information in implementing contactless Dohsa-hou for outpatients with schizophrenia amid the coronavirus pandemic. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved)

Impact of COVID-19 on the mental health of Japanese university students (years II-IV).

This study aimed to investigate the differences in mental health during COVID-19, specifically among second-, third-, and fourth-year Japanese university students (n = 2,157; n = 2,000; and n = 2,284; respectively). A one-way MANOVA was conducted to assess the association between year of enrollment (academic years 2020, 2021, and 2022) and each of the eight subscales of the counseling Center Assessment Psychological Symptoms-Japanese. For second-year students, depression and generalized anxiety mean scores were higher in 2021 than those in 2020 and 2022. Alcohol use mean scores got smaller each year. For third-year students, depression, generalized anxiety, social anxiety, hostility, and alcohol use were significantly higher in 2021 than those in 2020 and 2022. Among fourth-year students, means for all eight subscale categories were significantly higher in 2021 than those in 2020 and 2022. The findings found worsened mental health profiles during 2021, which recovered to approximate pre-pandemic levels in 2022. This study demonstrates that university students' mental health has been negatively impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, an effect which is more salient among fourth-year students. Further, it offers insights into mental health trends among Japanese university students and a possible foundation for learning about changes among university students worldwide.

Assessing the Impact of the Coronavirus Pandemic on the Condition of Regional Budgets: The Far Eastern Aspect

The purpose of the work is to determine major features and consequences of mitigating the adverse effects of a noneconomic shock caused by the 2020-2021 coronavirus pandemic in the process of implementing the regional budget policy of RF constituent entities within a large macroregion, the Far East of Russia. We analyze the impact of the pandemic on the budget revenues of Far Eastern regions, estimate changes in the dependence of regional budgets on federal transfers. We show changes in the level of transparency in intergovernmental fiscal relations in the macroregion and the extent of autonomy of the authorities of Far Eastern constituent entities of the Russian Federation in decision-making during the crisis period in terms of the formation of regional budgets. To identify statistical patterns, we use general scientific methods based on official data from the RF Federal Treasury, the RF Ministry of Finance, and regional authorities of Russia's Far Eastern constituent entities. We show that in the Far East, the first and second waves of the epidemic had the most significant impact on regional budgets, and the pace of overcoming the coronavirus crisis was different in various regions. Regions specializing in the manufacturing industry are recovering faster;the process is slower in mining regions. The main condition for overcoming the budget crisis was a large-scale increase in federal aid, which allowed most regions to compensate for the loss of their own budget revenues. The impact of the third and fourth waves of the coronavirus crisis on the economy of the Far East and the regional budget sphere as a whole is assessed as weak. Mining industries continued to stagnate;as a result, in the analyzed period of 2020-2021, problems related to forming the tax base were noted in the majority of mining regions. Thus, we may predict that the state of regional budgets will depend more on the transfer support from the federal center. We reveal the absence of clear criteria in the provision of transfer support to the regions. Transparency of the aid provided to RF constituent entities has deteriorated during the pandemic crisis, which may lead to the emergence of adverse factors in regional development due to the desire of regional governments to lobby for special financial preferences from the federal center. The novelty of the research is due to the fact that we consider the aforementioned range of issues while comparing federal trends and the situation in the Far East under the increasing pressure of external noneconomic shocks caused by the lingering coronavirus pandemic. The materials of the article can be used in the educational sphere and in the work of state authorities at the federal and regional levels to improve budget policy.