Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on patients with osteogenesis imperfecta

OBJECTIVES: On March 11, 2020, the WHO classified COVID-19 as a global pandemic. Measures to quell the pandemic included limiting non-essential activities including clinic visits and procedures. It is unclear if individuals with OI had disruptions in their access to healthcare or medications, and if such disruptions affected patients' symptoms. METHOD(S): A REDCap survey was distributed through the OI Foundation on August 31. Surveys completed through September 11 by individuals with OI or their caregiver are included in this analysis. Participants were asked to compare their symptoms and access to healthcare during the first 4 months of the pandemic to the 4 months before the pandemic. RESULT(S): 85 surveys were completed, and 6 were partially completed. The median age of participants was 40 years;35% were children. 32% of participants self-identified as having severe OI. Although most reported no changes in bone pain or fractures, 46% reported they were less likely to seek emergency medical care to treat a fracture, while 33% reported they were more likely to treat fractures at home (Fig 1A). There were delays in accessing all services, with greatest delays accessing dentistry (74%) and aquatic therapy (84%) (Fig 1B). 36% of participants receiving bisphosphonate infusions had delayed infusions because of the pandemic (Fig 1C). Of note, 50% of planned surgeries were delayed. CONCLUSION(S): Although many individuals with OI and their caregivers reported delays in accessing bone-related services/clinics during this 4-month period, there was not a concomitant increase in reported symptoms. This may have related to shelter-in-place restrictions and decreased activity. Limitations of this study include small sample size and potential selection bias because responses were obtained only from OIF members. To address these limitations, we are distributing the survey through healthcare providers of individuals with OI across major regions of the US from a variety of practice types including endocrine, orthopedics and multidisciplinary clinics. Furthermore, as the COVID-19 pandemic continues, we hope that this survey will provide information to address what aspects of healthcare may be in greatest need, as well as the modality through which services may be met. (Figure Presented).

The Relationship between Marine Sports Tourist Destinations, Social Responsibility, and Environmentally Responsible Behavior

This study investigated the structural relationship between tourist destination identification and environmental responsibility practices based on the social responsibility activities for visitors of marine sports tourist destinations where domestic travel has been active since COVID-19. Furthermore, we aimed to provide academic and practical implications by investigating the relationship between DSR, a major variable in sustainable marine sports tourism, and ERB. Data from a survey of tourists who participated in marine sports (n = 392) were analyzed using structural equation modeling and Hayes PROCESS macro with bootstrapping procedures. According to the analysis results, it was found that marine sports tourist DSR positively affected destination identification and ERB, and that tourist destination identification positively influenced ERB. Second, it was shown that the effect of the social responsibility of a marine sports tourist destination on ERB is mediated via the influence of tourist destination identification.

The impact of COVID-19 on women and children in the UK who were victims of domestic abuse: a practitioner perspective

PurposeThis study aims to explore the impact of COVID-19 on women and children in the UK who were victims of domestic abuse.Design/methodology/approachThe authors draw from their experiences of working in the domestic abuse sector to reflect on the impact of lockdown restrictions on women and children, focussing on the impact of government restrictions that created an environment in which abusers could control the movement of victims.FindingsThe impact of the pandemic was significant as victims were locked into the abuse, unable to escape for fear of breaching lockdown rules. The lockdown affected victims of different forms of violence against women and girls in the UK including forced marriage and female genital mutilation, which highlighted the ramifications of intersectional inequalities for abuse victims.Originality/valueThis paper articulates the devastating impact of the pandemic on vulnerable women, and their fair and just access to the family courts. This paper concludes that women were failed by the government and that there was not nearly enough support from support agencies, which has left many at risk and suffering significant harm.

IoT Based Fish Food Dispenser

Internet of things and Automation are two eyes that change the view of industries perspective. Automation happens in every part of the stage in day to day life. The problem statement chosen in this paper was identified during COVID pandemic situation. The problem statement was to feed the fish food into fish aquarium at work place during COVID pandemic. In order to maintain the fish tank properly it should be monitored and maintained at regular interval is necessary. During pandemic situation felt difficult in proper maintenance and feeding the fish. To overcome the difficulties, we have proposed a model to feed the food for fish. In this paper we have solved the problem by using Internet of Things, servo motor, Arduino and interfaced through Massachusetts institute of Technology (MIT) App inventor to control the device at any part of the world. © 2023 IEEE.

Analysis of the COVID-19 Lockdown Impact on Biological Parameters and Physical Performance in Football Players

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused significant changes in global sustainability, but specifically, this study analyses the impact of lockdown on health and behavior in the game of football. The 2020/2021 Italian football competitive season (indicated as "post-COVID”), taking place following an obliged lockdown and longer than the normal summery season break, was characterized by very short recovery times and was compared to the 2018–2019 "pre-COVID” season, which had a regular course. The comparisons were about anthropometric and hormonal responses, muscle damage, and the physical performance of players in the major league (Serie A), and were made considering two extreme points of the competitive seasons: before the preparatory period (T0) and at the end of the season (T1). Turning to the results, it is significant to note the following: (1) body fat percentage was lower at the start (T0) of the post-COVID season than at the start of the pre-COVID season. During both seasons, serum CK and LDH increased in T1 and were significantly higher in both T0 and T1 of the post-COVID season. (2) Cortisol and testosterone concentrations increased in both seasons from T0 to T1;however, in the post-COVID season, concentrations of both were higher than in the previous season. The testosterone to cortisol ratio increased at the end of the pre-COVID season, whilst strongly decreasing at T1 of the post-COVID season. (3) Blood lactate concentrations significantly decreased during the pre-COVID season but remained unchanged during the post-COVID season. We may conclude that the enforced suspension period and the consequent rapid resumption of all activities influenced the physical and physiological state of professional footballers.

‘We discovered places we never used before'. Home and parenting geographies during the 2020 lockdowns in Italy and Greece

The paper presents and discusses data from a qualitative study carried out in April and May 2020 with families under lockdown in Italy (N = 319) and Greece (N = 297). The research examined how confinement and restrictions on movement had impacted families' everyday geographies (with a particular focus on ‘liminal' places located between homes and public spaces, such as balconies, hallways, courtyards, backyards), as well as parents' most valued public spaces and propensity (and modes) to use them. Data were analysed following a top-down thematic approach. The results suggest that restricted access to public spaces (as enforced during the Greek and Italian lockdowns) may influence the signification of domestic places, prompt remodulation of the dialectic between public and private spheres, and bring to light the social value of families' (parents and children's) experiences in public spaces.

Changes in the characteristic of dietary and lifestyle during Covid-19 lockdown in different countries: A systematic review

Due to the covid-19 pandemic, governments were forced to adopt lockdown policies to effectively control the pandemic. These restrictions increased anxiety, depression, and lifestyle changes. This systematic review aims to analyze changes in dietary patterns in the worldwide population during the COVID-19 lockdown. 11 studies were selected from the 1412 founds after searching in three databases. Searching keywords were: "Change dietary”, "COVID-19 dietary” "Confinement dietary”. Inclusion criteria were: studies that collected people's dietary patterns during the COVID-19 lockdown and recorded the consumption of food groups and the variations in lifestyle habits. This research found that people increased their consumption of food. People increased their sedentary hours, slept more but exercised less, leading to gain weight during the lockdown, as well as a poorer sleeping quality and higher anxiety levels.Alternate : Debido a la pandemia de COVID-19, los gobiernos se vieron obligados a tomar medidas de confinamiento para controlar eficazmente el contagio. Sin embargo, después de un tiempo de control al poblado, estas restricciones hicieron la gente tener más ansiedad y depresión, incluso cambiar el estilo de vida.

Place production, urban tourism geographies and experiences of Muße

Urban tourism, as a social, cultural, and economic field, has been strongly affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. As a reverse effect of this crisis, however, there is a recent shift away from the dominant logics of performance and efficiency towards mindfulness, serenity, and similar concepts that shape the everyday life of an increasing number of people. All these terms are related to the semantic field of Muße, a word derived from the German language, which is defined as the experience of moments of freedom, indulgence, placidity, and recreation. Following the idea that social phenomena are reflected and reproduced in tourism, the objective is to explore how and where tourists experience Muße in urban tourism. A focus on Muße first enables a better understanding of tourists' travel behaviour, expectations, and needs. In the same vein, it is possible to examine tourism place-making since the need for Muße produces and transforms individual tourists' worlds of experiences. Although place-making practices and experiences have been widely studied, their relationship to Muße remains to be explored in urban and tourism research. With the aim to study practices and places of Muße in urban tourism, the presented qualitative content analysis draws upon 84 interviews conducted with tourists in Barcelona, Florence, and Paris in 2019. Findings show that the practice of sitting is relevant for experiences of Muße with a particular impact on place-making. Six categories are suggested to illustrate how Muße can be effective while tourists are sitting. This includes a detailed discussion of the spatial dimensions of Muße. In conclusion, places of Muße are highly individual, intangible, and complex. Insights into the characteristics of Muße and engagement with this new concept in international tourism research can be used as resources to study tourist place-making and support the planning for sustainable tourism development. [ FROM AUTHOR] Copyright of Tourism Geographies is the property of Routledge and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full . (Copyright applies to all s.)

Unbalanced emission reductions of different species and sectors in China during COVID-19 lockdown derived by multi-species surface observation assimilation

The unprecedented lockdown of human activities during the COVID-19 pandemic has significantly influenced social life in China. However, understanding the impact of this unique event on the emissions of different species is still insufficient, prohibiting the proper assessment of the environmental impacts of COVID-19 restrictions. Here we developed a multi-air-pollutant inversion system to simultaneously estimate the emissions of NOx, SO2, CO, PM2.5 and PM10 in China during COVID-19 restrictions with high temporal (daily) and horizontal (15 km) resolutions. Subsequently, contributions of emission changes versus meteorological variations during the COVID-19 lockdown were separated and quantified. The results demonstrated that the inversion system effectively reproduced the actual emission variations in multi-air pollutants in China during different periods of COVID-19 lockdown, which indicate that the lockdown is largely a nationwide road traffic control measure with NOx emissions decreasing substantially by ∼40 %. However, emissions of other air pollutants were found to only decrease by∼10% because power generation and heavy industrial processes were not halted during lockdown, and residential activities may actually have increased due to the stay-at-home orders. Consequently, although obvious reductions of PM2.5 concentrations occurred over the North China Plain (NCP) during the lockdown period, the emission change only accounted for 8.6 % of PM2.5 reductions and even led to substantial increases in O3. The meteorological variation instead dominated the changes in PM2.5 concentrations over the NCP, which contributed 90 % of the PM2.5 reductions over most parts of the NCP region. Meanwhile, our results suggest that the local stagnant meteorological conditions, together with inefficient reductions of PM2.5 emissions, were the main drivers of the unexpected PM2.5 pollution in Beijing during the lockdown period. These results highlighted that traffic control as a separate pollution control measure has limited effects on the coordinated control of O3 and PM2.5 concentrations under current complex air pollution conditions in China. More comprehensive and balanced regulations for multiple precursors from different sectors are required to address O3 and PM2.5 pollution in China.

Structural Relationship between Ecotourism Motivation, Satisfaction, Place Attachment, and Environmentally Responsible Behavior Intention in Nature-Based Camping

This study aims to make an investigation on the relationship between ecotourism motivation (EM), satisfaction (SA), place attachment (PA), and environmentally responsible behavior intention (ER) based on the analysis of camping tourism andstudy the mediating roles of SA and PA in the relationship between EM and ER. A questionnaire-based survey was conducted on 400 camping tourists who visited the Yunnan Province of China within the last year. The distribution of survey questionnaires range from 12 February 2023–24 February 2023. The results reveal that EM positively influences SA, PA, and ER, whereas, although SA positively impacts PA, it does not significantly affect ER. In contrast, PA positively affects ER. Furthermore, PA has a positive mediating impact on the relationship between EM and ER, whereas, SA does not significantly mediate this relationship. Finally, SA and PA act as chain mediators between EM and ER. The findings contribute to the tourism literature by shedding light on the complex relationships between EM, SA, PA, and ER in the context of camping tourism, thereby, enhancing tourist satisfaction and promoting environmentally responsible behavior, thus, contributing to the growth of a sustainable camping industry.

(Re)designing the continuum of care for older adults: The future of long-term care settings

This book broadens the visioning on new care environments that are designed to be inclusive, progressive, and convergent with the needs of an aging population. The contents cover a range of long-term care (LTC) settings in a single collection to address the needs of a wide audience. Due to the recent COVID-19 pandemic, rethinking the spatial design of care facilities in order to prepare for future respiratory and contagious pathogens is one of the prime concerns across the globe, along with social connectedness and autonomy in care settings. This book contributes to the next generation of knowledge and understanding of the growing field of the design of technology, programs, and environments for LTC that are more effective in infection prevention and control as well as social connectedness. To address these issues, the chapters are organized in four sections: Part I: Home- and community-based care;Part II: Facility-based care;Part III: Memory care and end-of-life care;and Part IV: Evidence-based applied projects and next steps. (Re)designing the Continuum of Care for Older Adults is an essential resource for researchers, practitioners, educators, policymakers, and students associated with LTC home and healthcare settings. With diverse topics in theory, substantive issues, and methods, the contributions from notable researchers and scholars cover a range of innovative programming, environments, and technologies which can impact the changing needs and support for older adults and their families across the continuum of care. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved)

The Pandemic and Free Movement of Workers: Two Challenges in Austrian Practice

Covid-19 has brought unprecedented restrictions on the free movement of workers. This paper takes a critical look at entry restrictions related to testing, vaccination and recovery. In addition, Covid-19, in combination with the entry restrictions, has led to an increase in cross-border working from home, which may result in changes to the applicable labour law. © 2023 Kluwer Law International BV, The Netherland

Criteria for Location-Planning-Design of Bazaar Places and a Preliminary Assessment for the Post-COVID-19 Period

With the advent of agricultural revolution, sedentary lifestyle called for people to exchange their surplus goods in return for the others they need. In settlements, emerged by this tradition, bazaars became the first commercial places where the sell-ers and buyers meet. Being one of the most important public places in the culture and daily-life of a particular locality from past to present, it is essential for bazaars to be located, planned, and designed in line with the requirements of the time so that they sustain their existence properly. COVID-19, initial cases of which-ironically-were seen among the staff of a live-animal and seafood wholesale wet market in Wuhan, China in December 2019, shortly transformed into a global pandemic, changed our daily routines by directly affecting the use of especially open pub-lic spaces and commercial places. Thus, these spaces and land -uses need to be reconsidered in terms of the "new normals" and "physical distance rules" during and after the coronavirus pandemic. This study, which also includes evaluations for the post-COVID-19 period, aimed at a set of holistic criteria for the location-planning-design of bazaar places that are important for social life in Turkiye regarding their public-commercial use. Accordingly, after examining the before and ongoing COVID-19 literature, world bazaars, and legislation;locational, planning, and design scale properties of bazaars that would effectively serve a local population are put forward by introducing the Bazaar Places Planning Table (BPPT). Subsequently, a simple version of BPPT is tested for bazaar places of a medium-scale city.

Dominant Modes of Agricultural Production Helped Structure Initial COVID-19 Spread in the US Midwest

The spread of COVID-19 is geographically uneven in agricultural regions. Explanations proposed include differences in occupational risks, access to healthcare, racial inequalities, and approaches to public health. Here, we additionally explore the impacts of coexisting modes of agricultural production across counties from twelve midwestern U.S. states. In modeling COVID-19 spread before vaccine authorization, we employed and extended spatial statistical methods that make different assumptions about the natures and scales of underlying sociospatial processes. In the process, we also develop a novel approach to visualizing the results of geographically weighted regressions that allows us to identify distinctive regional regimes of epidemiological processes. Our approaches allowed for models using spatial weights (e.g., inverse-squared distances) to be meaningfully improved by also integrating process-specific relations (e.g., the geographical relations of the food system or of commuting). We thus contribute in several ways to methods in health geography and epidemiology for identifying contextually sensitive public engagements in socio-eco-epidemiological issues. Our results further show that agricultural modes of production are associated with the spread of COVID-19, with counties more engaged in modes of regenerative agricultural production having lower COVID-19 rates than those dominated by modes of conventional agricultural production, even when accounting for other factors.

LEISURE INVOLVEMENT AND PLACE ATTACHMENT ON SHOPPING MALL REVISIT INTENTION: THE MEDIATING ROLE OF QUALITY OF LIFE

This study investigates the impact of leisure involvement, and place attachment on revisit intention with the mediating role of quality of life. This survey was composed of 300 individuals in a shopping mall in Lahore, Pakistan. The data was analyzed through Partial Least Square – Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM). The findings indicated that leisure involvement and quality of life predict the place attachment and customers revisit intention. The results show the positive and significant relationship between leisure involvement (LI) and quality of life (QOL);leisure involvement (LI) with place attachment (PA);revisit intention (RI) and QOL with place attachment and revisit intention. The study advances in theory explaining the mediating role of quality of life in consumption in Shopping Malls and presents managerial recommendations that can be applied during and after Covid-19.

Toward user-centered assistive technologies for aging in place with cognitive impairment: a survey.

PURPOSE: To reduce the burden of Alzheimer's disease, the use of assistive technologies for patients and their informal caregivers is considered essential. However, these technologies are made as "one size fits all" instead of being tailored to accommodate people with varying degrees of cognitive impairment and those with diverse races/ethnicities. Thus, the aim of this survey was to determine whether the types of assistance needed most, and the technology used by those with cognitive impairment differed by race (White/non-Hispanics, Black or African Americans, and Hispanic/Latinos or Puerto Ricans) and severity of dementia (mild, moderate, severe). RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: One hundred and eighty informal caregivers of people with different levels of severity of cognitive impairment and several different races/ethnicities filled out an online survey regarding assistance needed and technologies used. RESULTS: The results show that racial minorities considered the needs for assistance with Basic Activities of Daily Living as more important compared to White/non-Hispanics with mild dementia. Furthermore, Hispanic/Latinos or Puerto Ricans and White/non-Hispanics with severe dementia were shown to use technology that is designed to help with Instrumental Activities of Daily Living more than those with moderate dementia. Lastly, during COVID-19, devices to assist with walking, preparing meals and personal hygiene have been used significantly more by White/non-Hispanics with severe dementia compared to Hispanic/Latinos or Puerto Ricans. CONCLUSION: The results point to the need to design for those with severe dementia, regardless of race, and should focus on addressing needs related to both Instrumental and Basic Activities of Daily Living.

Developers of assistive technology should consider designing technology that can accommodate all severity levels of cognitive impairment.More research is needed to determine the usability of assistive technology that is designed for those with cognitive impairments.

Good Architecture Matters: The Architect's Perspective on Design for Ageing and Energy Efficiency

Custom-built solutions for ageing, urban regeneration, energy efficiency, thermal performance, and well-being are contemporary challenges that have prompted considerable research over the past decades. In the construction field, subjects such as energy efficiency and thermal performance are often addressed within the scope of mandatory regulations, the suitability of construction solutions and the incorporation of technical equipment. Considering four residential structures for older adults under construction in Portugal, this paper aims to highlight the importance of a comprehensive approach to these issues, including architectural quality as the main target. In pursuit of this, a cohesive set of intervention principles guided the analysis: the adaptive reuse of raw materials;taking advantage of the site's conditions;vegetation (type and location);construction options and durability;solar exposure and shading;the pedagogy of building use;and the comfort and thermal perception. Several reflections emerge from the analysis: good architectural design must consider dynamic models incorporating each context and the site's conditions;the culture of use and maintenance and the notion of "adaptive comfort" are primary factors to enhance thermal performance and energy efficiency;and each building is a unique result of a complex negotiation process. Bridging research through practice, and multidisciplinary scientific integration enable engagement with reality and raise awareness of the constraints and challenges to innovation in LTC design.

Place Branding for Immigrant and Refugee Integration and Receptivity Amid the COVID-19 Pandemic: Responses of U.S. Cities in the "Welcoming America” Network

Despite vacillating national discourses on immigration policy and complications of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, a growing number of cities continue affiliating with the international "welcoming movement.” The welcoming movement consists of a transnational network of municipalities in partnership with nonprofit and nongovernmental organizations, the private sector, and other sectors of society that are implementing receptivity plans, policies, practices, and branding initiatives. Within this context, how are welcoming cities responding to the COVID-19 pandemic as one example of their place branding practices? Through a qualitative scan of municipalities' primary documents, policies, plans, websites, and municipal leaders' public pronouncements, this study contributes to understanding of immigrant receptivity processes and intersections with municipal place branding practices amid a pandemic by assessing their pandemic responses within a nationwide network of Welcoming Cities in the United States. Although there are burgeoning welcoming cities networks in other immigrant-receiving societies, this network was selected because they are the first, most established and comprehensive national network of cities with over 100 municipal affiliates. The findings offer scholarly and applied insights regarding place branding practices for immigrant and refugee integration and receptivity. © The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2022.

Guest editorial: the relationship between nutrition and COVID-19

[...]the journal Nutrition and Food Science has published this special issue exploring the intersection of nutrition and COVID-19 [1], [2], [3], [4], [5], [6], [7], [8]. [...]a study explored the factors related to sedentary lifestyle in a Brazilian sample during the COVID-19 initial quarantine [8]. [...]the papers published in the special issue "The relationship between nutrition and COVID-19” underlined the importance of nutrition in mitigating the mental and health-related impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.