Socioemotional functioning as a moderator of the predictive ability of the DIAL-4 on academic achievement

Student performance on kindergarten screening measures and level of kindergarten-entry skills have been shown to be predictive of subsequent academic achievement, thus making kindergarten screening measures a useful tool that guides the monitoring of student progress over time. Though a commonly used tool to assist in kindergarten placement considerations by educators nationwide, the literature is lacking in studies that demonstrate the predictive ability of the Developmental Indicators for the Assessment of Learning - Fourth Edition (DIAL-4) on later academic achievement. Related, behavioral and emotional functioning has been demonstrated to significantly impact student achievement. While the literature supports the predictive ability of kindergarten screening measures on academic performance, research is limited on how behavioral functioning moderates this predictive relationship. The present study aimed to examine the predictive ability of the DIAL-4 on later academic achievement and identify whether behavioral and emotional functioning impacts upon, and to what degree, the relationship between academic achievement and the DIAL-4. Additionally, this study examined the impact of the pause of in-person learning, as caused by the COVID-19 pandemic on student achievement and behavioral and emotional functioning through within-samples comparisons of student functioning in 2019 and 2021 to identify change amongst individual students. The results support the predictive ability of the DIAL-4 on subsequent academic achievement with significant correlations between DIAL-4 scores obtained before kindergarten with subsequent measures of academic achievement. The was no evidence found for a moderation effect of behavioral and emotional functioning on the prediction of academic achievement. Lastly, when controlling for scores on the DIAL-4, the data suggest a decrease in rate of student academic achievement and an increase in emotional and behavioral dysregulation following the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic demonstrated by statistically significant differences in BERI scores as well as significant decreases in rates of growth in reading ability within some cohorts. These findings provide educators with empirical evidence for the utility of the DIAL-4 in predicting academic achievement as well as insight into how the COVID-19 pandemic impacted students' functioning. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved)

Opportunities for Applying Online Tools to Improve the Efficiency of University Distance Learning

During the COVID-19 pandemic, distance learning has become one of the leading trends in education. This technology imple-ments the principle of lifelong learning and is capable of mee-ting the ever-growing demand for knowledge in the information society. The purpose of this study is to determine the potential of online tools in the provision of distance learning. Given the de-velopment of distance education, modern methodological sup-port should be developed based on a combination of promising methods, approaches, and appropriate digital tools so that hig-her education institutions could successfully achieve their goals in terms of fostering a certain level of student professionalism, even under quarantine restrictions. For this reason, the need for the predominance of modern learning tools over traditional ones and their complete dominance during distance learning is espe-cially emphasized. Based on the results of surveys, the paper defines and characterizes contemporary online tools for holding lectures and seminars, testing and controlling knowledge, and holding online classes in real time through videoconferencing, as well as the potential of these instruments in distance learning. The article provides a list of the most popular and promising on-line services in the conditions of distance learning.

Bestsellers: Popular fiction since 1900

This book charts the publishing industry and bestselling fiction from 1900, featuring a comprehensive list of all bestselling fiction titles in the UK. This third edition includes a new introduction which features additional information on current trends in reading including the rise of Black, Asian and LGBTQIA+ publishing;the continuing importance of certain genres and up to date trends in publishing, bookselling, library borrowing and literacy. There are sections on writing for children, on the importance of audiobooks and book clubs, self- published bestsellers as well as many new entries to the present day including bestselling authors such as David Walliams, Peter James, George R R Martin and far less well known authors whose books s sell in their thousands. This is the essential guide to best-selling books, authors, genres, publishing and bookselling since 1900, providing a unique insight into more than a century of entertainment, and opening a window into the reading habits and social life of the British from the death of Queen Victoria to the Coronavirus Pandemic. © Clive Bloom 2002, 2008, 2021. All rights reserved.

Epidemiology and Disease Burden of Alcohol Associated Liver Disease.

Consumption of alcohol in excess leads to substantial medical, economic, and societal burdens. Approximately 5.3% of all global deaths may be attributed to alcohol consumption. Moreover, the burden of alcohol associated liver disease (ALD) accounts for 5.1% of all disease and injury worldwide. Alcohol use disorder (AUD) affects men more than women globally with significant years of life loss to disability in low, middle and well-developed countries. Precise data on global estimates of alcohol related steatosis, alcohol related hepatitis, and alcohol related cirrhosis have been challenging to obtain. In the United States (US), alcohol related steatosis has been estimated at 4.3% based on NHANES data which has remained stable over 14 years. However, alcohol-related fibrotic liver disease has increased over the same period. In those with AUD, the prevalence of alcohol related hepatitis has been estimated at 10-35%. Globally, the prevalence of alcohol-associated cirrhosis has been estimated at 23.6 million individuals for compensated cirrhosis and 2.46 million for those with decompensated cirrhosis. The contribution of ALD to global mortality and disease burden of liver related deaths is substantial. In 2016 liver disease related to AUD contributed to 50% of the estimated liver disease deaths for age groups 15 years and above. Data from the US report high cost burdens associated with those admitted with alcohol-related liver complications. Finally, the recent COVID-19 pandemic has been associated with marked increase in alcohol consumption worldwide and will likely increase the burden of ALD.

Lung cancer

Lung cancer is the second most common cancer and the leading cause of cancer death in the world. In our country, in Greece, we mourn about 6000 losses per year from lung cancer, almost an entire municipality. Studies show that lung cancer is responsible for more deaths than breast cancer, prostate cancer, colon cancer and leukemia in men over 40 and women over 60. However, in recent years, with the introduction of systematic population control in accordance with the guidelines and the reduction of tobacco use, the mortality rate seems to be decreasing in both men and women. In this review we present the new knowledge about screening, histological types, clinical presentation, and diagnosis, staging and treatment of lung cancer.

COVID-19 Prevention Systems within Hardware and Software Design Computer Science Courses

This paper proposes pandemic support system design exercises from both hardware and software perspective as constituent part of higher education computer science courses. Two case studies in context of computer science and automation study programmes at University of Niš, Faculty of Electronic Engineering in Serbia ae covered: Intelligent Information Systems and Microcontroller Programming. In case of the first one, the topics cover information system implementation relying on Java Enterprise Edition (JEE) technology with presence of machine learning elements provided by Weka API, so smart vaccination process support information system is presented as example. On the other side, the focus on the second course is on PIC16 family microcontrollers and RTOS-based system implementation using CCS C compiler and presented example represents control unit for indoor coronavirus safety control. © 2022 IEEE.

Differences in college students' occupational dysfunction and mental health considering trait and state anxiety during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Background: Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, university education has shifted from face-to-face classes to online and distance learning. Effects of exposure may manifest in terms of psychological, cognitive, or musculoskeletal impairments that affect an individual's daily functioning and quality of life. There is a dearth of studies exploring anxiety states, occupational dysfunction, and mental health associated with the new standard of increased telecommunication. Accordingly, the present study aimed to identify the differences in occupational dysfunction, health literacy, positive and negative emotions, and stress response considering the anxiety states of college students during the COVID-19 pandemic. Another purpose is to identify relationships among the parameters such as occupational dysfunction and mental health. Methods: This cross-sectional study included 358 students (average age: 18.5 years, age range: 18-29 years). Five tools were used: the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI), Classification and Assessment of Occupational Dysfunction (CAOD), European Health Literacy Survey Questionnaire (HLS-EU-Q47), Profile of Mood States 2nd Edition (POMS-2), and Stress Response Scale-18 (SRS-18). Based on the cutoff value of state and trait anxiety of the STAI, the participants were classified into four groups and compared using one-way analysis of variance and multiple comparison tests. The relationship between all parameters was analyzed using Pearson's correlation coefficient. Results: The group with high trait anxiety and high state anxiety had the highest CAOD total score, Total Mood Disturbance score on the POMS-2, SRS-18 score, and scores on many sub-items of the three parameters. The prevalence of occupational dysfunction was 47% for university students, and there was a variation of from 19 to 61% in each group. The correlation coefficients of the state and trait anxiety scores of the STAI, Total Mood Disturbance score, and SRS-18 ranged from .64 to .75. Additionally, the correlation coefficient between the CAOD total score and these parameters ranged from .44 to .48. Conclusion: The prevalence of occupational dysfunction was highest in the group with high trait anxiety and high state anxiety, and occupational dysfunction, negative emotions, and stress responses were strongest in this group. Our findings point to potential areas for targeted support and interventions.

Implementation of the Hanyu Shuiping Kaoshi and its Home Edition During the Covid-19 Pandemic: A Survey of European Test Centres

The Hanyu Shuiping Kaoshi (HSK) test is a standardized Chinese language proficiency test targeting non-native speakers. Compared with other Chinese proficiency tests, the HSK has the largest test population in the world and has attracted the most academic research. This article examines how the HSK was carried out during the Covid-19 pandemic and the issues facing home-based HSK test, the so-called HSK Home Edition. The results of a primary survey showed that the majority of test centres in Europe opted to implement the traditional paper-based format of the HSK during the Covid-19 pandemic, despite the availability of the HSK Home Edition. Concerns related to technical and security issues were among the major factors that hindered successful implementation of the Home Edition. Of the test centres that utilised the Home Edition, they rated their overall experience as satisfactory. This finding suggests that concerns relating to technical and security issues associated with the adoption of the Home Edition may be less daunting than anticipated. Additional training for test centre staff could improve the implementation of the Home Edition. © The Author(s) 2022.

A comparison between healthcare workers and non-healthcare workers' anxiety, depression and PTSD during the initial COVID -19 lockdown.

Objective: Several studies have found that Healthcare workers are vulnerable to mental health problems during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, few studies have made comparisons of healthcare workers (HCWs) and non-HCWs. The current study aimed to compare mental health problems among HCWs with non-HCWs during the initial lockdown of COVID 19. Study design: A population-based cross-sectional survey. Methods: The survey was conducted by means of an open web link between April and May 2020. Data were collected by self-report. The PTSD Checklist for DSM-5 (PCL-5) was used to assess posttraumatic stress. Results: A total of 4527 citizens answered the questionnaire and 32.1% were HCWs. The majority were female, under 60 years of age, and lived in urban areas. Among the HCWs, the majority were registered nurses working in hospitals. The prevalence were 12.8% vs 19.1% for anxiety, 8.5% vs 14.5% for depression and 13.6% vs 20.9% for PTSD among HCWs and non-HCWs respectively. The highest prevalence's for anxiety and PTSD among HCWs were found for those under 40 years of age and having low education level (<12 years). Conclusion: Mental health problems was significantly lower among HCWs compared to non-HCWs. However, the COVID-19 poses a challenge for HCWs, especially young HCWs and those with low level of education. Providing support, appropriate education, training, and authoritative information to the different members of the HCWs could be effective ways to minimize the psychological effect.

Efficacy and Acceptability of Remote Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Patients With Major Depressive Disorder in Japanese Clinical Settings: A Case Series.

Remote cognitive and behavioral therapy (CBT) via videoconference has been garnering attention as a means of improving access to CBT for depression, in particular during the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic. However, there is a lack of evidence supporting its implementation in Japanese clinical settings. This case series aimed to establish preliminary evidence of whether remote CBT can be an effective therapy for major depression in Japanese clinical settings. Five patients who met the diagnostic criteria for major depressive disorder were enrolled and underwent remote CBT via videoconference and face-to-face assessment interviews. The results showed that remote CBT via videoconference improved depressive symptoms, enabling a relatively high level of patient satisfaction and working alliance. Moreover, detailed feedback from our patients showed that continuous monitoring was preferable for increasing treatment engagement. Further research is warranted to test the efficacy and acceptability of remote CBT via videoconference for treating major depression.

Impact of COVID-19 mitigation strategies on asthma hospitalizations in Brazil.

Background: In 2020, a unique social experience was provided by the pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2. Interventions to tackle the pandemic may affect the burden of other respiratory diseases. Objective: This study aims to assess the impact of the COVID-19 mitigation strategies on hospitalizations for asthma in children aged between 1 and 14 years, adults aged between 20 and 59 years, and elderly older than 60 years. Methods: Data from hospital admissions for asthma were obtained from the Department of Informatics of Brazilian Public Health System database in the period between January 2016 and December 2020 and analyzed by age groups. To evaluate the effect of containment measures on the incidence of asthma and respiratory system diseases (total), the absolute reduction and relative reduction were calculated by analyzing the subsets from 2016 to 2019 versus 2020. Results: There was a significant reduction in the average incidence of hospitalizations in 2020, with numbers ranging from -59% (incidence rate ratio, 0.41 [0.37-0.45]) for age 1 to 14 years (prepandemic 1,393.2/100,000 vs pandemic 574.9/100.000), -37% (incidence rate ratio, 0.63 [0.49-0.80]) for age 20 to 59 years (prepandemic 160.2/100,000 vs pandemic 101.1/100,000), and -60% (incidence rate ratio, 0.40 [0.33-0.47]) for older than 60 years (prepandemic 460.6/100,000 vs pandemic 185.3/100,000). Conclusions: Ashtma hospitalizations decreased in 2020, especially in the pediatric group and the older group during the COVID-19 pandemic, which may be associated with the reduction in the incidence of many respiratory viral infections.

A new age of telehealth: Pediatric speech-language pathology services during the covid-19 pandemic and beyond

The COVID-19 pandemic potentially changed the landscape of how speech-language pathologists provide services. Prior to March 2020, pediatric speech-language therapy provided via telehealth was limited;however, the COVID-19 pandemic caused a worldwide conversion from in-person care to a remote service delivery model. This conversion brought to the fore possible benefits and utility of telehealth use. Yet, clinicians potentially experienced barriers to its use, including the lack of validity and reliability evidence for remote administration of several pediatric assessments. For the viability of remotely delivered speech-language services to continue and evolve in a post-pandemic world, further research is needed to identify changes to telehealth barriers and benefits. This manuscript includes investigations into how telehealth delivery of pediatric speech-language pathology services changed as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, and also examined the extent to which clinicians' reservations about the reliability and validity of telehealth speech sound assessments were justified.Study 1 sought to capture changes in speech-language pathology clinicians' telehealth experiences before and during the COVID-19 pandemic and predictions about post-pandemic telehealth services. The Telehealth Services: Pediatric Provider Survey (Part 1) was created to gather self-reported responses from speech-language clinicians in a variety of employment settings who were serving primarily pediatric (i.e., children from birth through age 21) clients. Survey results documented how pediatric speech-language clinicians' (n=293) use of telehealth dramatically increased from before March 2020 to October 2020. This shift from in-person care to synchronous videoconferencing effectively created a new generation of telepractitioners. Even though most clinicians initially used telehealth due to employer mandates to lower infection risk for both client and clinician, over time pediatric speech-language pathology clinicians increased their telehealth proficiency and recognized the benefits of telehealth. This new generation's adoption of telehealth and the rapid improvement in proficiency was a testament to the resiliency of providers and potentially had long-term effects on the future of telehealth use.Study 2 examined the resulting evolution in the technology, connectivity, and the extent of implementation of evaluation and treatment services before and during the COVID-19 pandemic and predictions about post-pandemic telehealth services. The Telehealth Services: Pediatric Provider Survey (Part 2) was created to identify telehealth barriers that were eliminated and those that persisted during the pandemic. Additionally, the survey sampled pediatric speech-language clinicians' perceptions about advantages and disadvantages of remote delivery of evaluation and treatment services. Elimination of regulatory and insurance hurdles allowed children from varying socioeconomic backgrounds living in rural, suburban, and urban areas access to telehealth. Telehealth technology shifted from computers with external hardware and specialized software to commercially available equipment, such as handheld portable devices with built-in audio-visual components and publicly available videoconferencing platforms. Connectivity of these devices continued to be problematic, however, and lack of technology prevented some children from accessing care. Judgments about the appropriateness and effectiveness of evaluations and treatments varied based on the age and communication disorder of a child. Although some participants expressed uncertainty about the effectiveness of telehealth compared to in-person care, telehealth was widely recognized as a viable delivery method. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved)

Inclusion of Essential Universal Health Coverage Services in Essential Packages of Health Services: A Review of 45 Low- and Lower- Middle Income Countries.

Expanding service coverage and achieving universal health coverage (UHC) is a priority for many low- and middle-income countries. Though UHC is a long-term goal, its importance and relevance have only increased since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. The first step on the road to UHC is to define and develop essential packages of health services (EPHSs), a list of clinical and public health services that a government has deemed a priority and is to provide. However, the nature of these lists of services in low- and lower-middle-income countries is largely unknown. This study examines the contents of 45 countries' EPHSs to determine the inclusion of essential UHC (EUHC) services as defined by the Disease Control Priorities, which comprises 21 specific essential packages of interventions. EPHSs were collected from publicly available sources and their contents were analyzed in two stages, firstly, to determine the level of specificity and detail of the content of EPHSs and, secondly, to determine which essential UHC services were included. Findings show that there are large variations in the level of specificity among EPHSs and that though EUHC services are included to a large extent, variations exist regarding which services are included between countries. The results provide an overview of how countries are designing EPHSs as a policy tool and are progressing toward providing a full range of EUHC services. Additionally, the study introduces new tools and methods for UHC policy analysts and researchers to study the contents of EPHSs in future investigations.

Internet-based cognitive behavioral therapy for psychological distress in older adults without cognitive impairment living in nursing homes during the COVID-19 pandemic: A feasibility study.

BACKGROUND: The COVID-19 pandemic has had a detrimental effect on the mental health of older adults living in nursing homes. Very few studies have examined the effects of Internet-based Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (ICBT) on older adults living in nursing homes during the pandemic. We conducted a feasibility study using a single-group design, to explore the effectiveness of ICBT on psychological distress in 137 older adults (without cognitive impairment) from 8 nursing homes in 4 southeast cities in China, between January and March 2020. METHODS: Symptoms of depression, anxiety, general psychological distress, and functional disability were measured at baseline, post-treatment (5 weeks) and at a 1-month follow-up. Mixed-effects model was used to assess the effects of ICBT. RESULTS: Statistically significant changes with large effect sizes were observed from pre- to post-treatment on the PHQ-9 (p < .001, Cohen's d = 1.74), GAD-7 (p < .001, d = 1.71), GDS (p < .001, d = 1.30), K-10 (p < .001, d = 1.93), and SDS (p < .001, d = 2.03). Furthermore, improvements in treatment outcomes were sustained at 1-month follow-up, and high levels of adherence and satisfaction were indicated. CONCLUSION: ICBT was effective in reducing psychological distress in older adults without cognitive impairments living in nursing homes during the COVID-19 pandemic. Thus, it could be applied in improving the mental health of this vulnerable group during the pandemic.

Google Glass-Supported Cooperative Training for Health Professionals: A Case Study Based on Using Remote Desktop Virtual Support.

PURPOSE: Observation of medical trainees' care performance by experts can be extremely helpful for ensuring safety and providing quality care. The advanced technology of smart glasses enables health professionals to video stream their operations to remote supporters for collaboration and cooperation. This study monitored the clinical situation by using smart glasses for remote cooperative training via video streaming and clinical decision-making through simulation based on a scenario of emergency nursing care for patients with arrhythmia. PARTICIPANTS AND METHODS: The clinical operations of bedside trainees, who is Google Glass Enterprise Edition 2(Glass EE2) wearers, were live streamed via their Google Glasses, which were viewed at a remote site by remote supporters via a desktop computer. Data were obtained from 31 nursing students using eight essay questions regarding their experience as desktop-side remote supporters. RESULTS: Most of the participants reported feeling uneasy about identifying clinical situations (84%), patients' condition (72%), and trainees' performance (69%). The current system demonstrated sufficient performance with a satisfactory level of image quality and auditory communication, while network and connectivity are areas that require further improvement. The reported barriers to identifying situations on the remote desktop were predominantly a narrow field of view and motion blur in videos captured by Glass EE2s, and using the customized mirror mode. CONCLUSION: The current commercial Glass EE2 can facilitate enriched communication between remotely located supporters and trainees by sharing live videos and audio during clinical operations. Further improvement of hardware and software user interfaces will ensure better applicability of smart glasses and video streaming functions to clinical practice settings.

Psychological impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on patients with allergic diseases.

BACKGROUND: On March 2020, World Health Organization (WHO) declared COVID-19 to be a pandemic disease. Interactions between allergy-related inflammatory and psychiatric disorders including depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) have been documented. Therefore, those who have pre-existing allergic conditions may have an increased psychiatric reaction to the stresses of the COVID-19 pandemic. OBJECTIVE: Identify the psychological impact of COVID-19 in patients with allergic diseases and determine if these individuals have a greater risk of presenting with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). METHODS: It is a cross-sectional, survey-based study designed to assess the degree of symptoms of depression and the risk of PTSD using the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) and the Impact of Event Scale-Revised (IES-R), respectively, in allergic patients. RESULTS: A total of 4106 surveys were evaluated; 1656 (40.3%) were patients with allergic disease, and 2450 (59.7%) were non-allergic (control) individuals. Of those with allergies, 76.6% had respiratory allergic disease including asthma and allergic rhinitis. Individuals with allergic disease reported higher scores regarding symptoms of PTSD on the IES-R scale (p = 0.052, OR 1.24 CI 0.99-1.55) as well as a higher depression risk score in the PHQ-9 questionnaire (mean 6.82 vs. 5.28) p = 0.000 z = -8.76.The allergy group presented a higher score in the IES-R questionnaire (mean 25.42 vs. 20.59), being more susceptible to presenting PTSD (p = 0.000, z = -7.774).The individuals with allergic conditions were further divided into subgroups of those with respiratory allergies such as allergic rhinitis and asthma vs those with non-respiratory allergies such as drug and food allergy, urticaria and atopic dermatitis. This subgroup analysis compares respiratory versus non-respiratory allergic patients, with similar results on the IES-R (mean 25.87 vs 23.9) p = 0.0124, z = -1.539. There was no significant difference on intrusion (p = 0.061, z = -1.873) and avoidance (p = 0.767, z = -0.297), but in the hyperarousal subscale, patients with respiratory allergy had higher scores (mean 1.15 vs. 0.99) p = 0.013 z = -2.486. CONCLUSIONS: Psychological consequences such as depression and reported PTSD are present during the COVID-19 pandemic causing an impact particularly in individuals with allergic diseases. If we acknowledge the impact and how it is affecting our patients, we are able to implement interventions, follow up, and contribute to their overall well-being.

Chinese medicine diagnosis and treatment for COVID-2019: Is China ready for implementing a national guideline?

OBJECTIVES: COVID-19 sparked a pandemic in December 2019 and is currently posing a huge impact globally. Chinese herbal medicine is incorporated into the Chinese national guideline for COVID-19 management, emphasising the individualisation of herbal treatment guided by pattern differentiation, which is an ICD-11-endorsed approach. However, this was not widely implemented with many provincial governments and hospitals developing their own guideline, suggesting the use of standardised herbal formulae and herbal active ingredients without pattern differentiation. METHODS: Through the case study of COVID-19 guideline implementation, we compared the three approaches of developing Chinese herbal medicine, namely pattern differentiation-guided prescription, standardised herbal formulae, and herbal active ingredients, in terms of their strengths, limitations, and determinants of adoption. RESULTS: Pattern differentiation-guided prescription is the practice style taught in the national syllabus among universities of Traditional Chinese Medicine in China, yet the lack of relevant diagnostic research reduces its reliability and hinders its implementation. Application of standardised herbal formulae is straightforward since the majority of clinical evidence on Chinese herbal medicine is generated using this approach. Nevertheless, it is downplayed by regulatory bodies in certain jurisdictions where the use of pattern differentiation is required in routine practice. Although herbal active ingredients may have clear in vitro therapeutic mechanisms, this may not be translated into real world clinical effectiveness. CONCLUSIONS: Multiple COVID-19 clinical trials evaluating the effectiveness and safety of Chinese herbal medicine prescribed using one of the three approaches described above are progressing. These results will demonstrate the comparative effectiveness among these approaches. Forthcoming clinical evidence from these trials should inform the updating process of the national guideline, such that its recognition and compliance may be strengthened. For longer-term development Chinese herbal medicine, serious investment for establishing high-quality clinical research infrastructure is urgently needed.