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This study aimed to explore how metaphors were used to interpret the pandemic and to address its challenges in primary and secondary schools in Reggio Emilia, Italy. A questionnaire was administered to educators and teachers to understand how languages, images, and metaphors were used by themselves and their students to talk about the pandemic and their experiences of living with it. The goal of the questionnaire was to guide critical reflection and encourage more informed language choices. While the existing literature points out the alleged overuse of war metaphors and military frames in public discourse, our findings show that war metaphors are relatively frequent, with other metaphorical frames widely used by teachers and educators to foster resilient attitudes in students. Moreover, in their professional contexts, teachers and educators mostly use metaphorical frames involving resilient attitudes. Our interpretation of the results supports the hypothesis that the purposeful use and deliberate production of metaphors support the choice of metaphors with positive, constructive implications. Finally, some implications of these findings on the theory of metaphor and the methodology of the research are discussed.
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We use unique data on the travel history of confirmed patients at a daily frequency across 31 provinces in China to study how spatial interactions influence the geographic spread of pandemic COVID-19. We develop and simultaneously estimate a structural model of dynamic disease transmission network formation and spatial interaction. This allows us to understand what externalities the disease risk associated with a single place may create for the entire country. We find a positive and significant spatial interaction effect that strongly influences the duration and severity of pandemic COVID-19. And there exists heterogeneity in this interaction effect: the spatial spillover effect from the source province is significantly higher than from other provinces. Further counterfactual policy analysis shows that targeting the key province can improve the effectiveness of policy interventions for containing the geographic spread of pandemic COVID-19, and the effect of such targeted policy decreases with an increase in the time of delay.
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BACKGROUND: Hepatopancreatobiliary (HPB) cancer incidence and mortality are increasing worldwide. An initial diagnostic predictor is needed for recommending further diagnostic modalities, referral, and curative or palliative decisions. There were no studies conducted in area with limited accessibility setting of the COVID-19 pandemic, coupled with limited human resources and facilities. AIM: We aimed to investigate the advantages of total bilirubin for predicting malignant obstructive jaundice, a combination of the pandemic era and limited resources settings. METHOD(S): Data from all cholestasis jaundice patients at M. Djamil Hospital in Pandemic COVID-19 period from July 2020 to May 2022 were retrospectively collected. The data included demographics, bilirubin fraction results, and final diagnosis. Bivariate analysis for obtain demographic risk factor, and Receiver Operating Characteristics (ROC) analysis for getting bilirubin value. RESULT(S): Of a total 132 patients included, 35.6% were malignant obstructive jaundice, and Pancreatic adeno ca was the most malignant etiology (34.4%). Bivariate analysis showed a significant correlation between age and malignant etiology (p = 0,024). Direct and total Bilirubin reach the same level of Area Under Curve (AUC). Total bilirubin at the cutoff point level of 10.7 mg/dl had the most optimal results on all elements of ROC output, AUC 0.88, sensitivity 76.6%, specificity 90.1%, +LR 8.14, and-LR 0.26. CONCLUSION(S): The bilirubin fraction is a good initial indicator for differentiating benign and malignant etiology (AUC 0.8-0.9) in pandemic era and resource-limited areas to improve diagnostic effectiveness and reduce referral duration.Copyright © 2023 Avit Suchitra, M. Iqbal Rivai, Juni Mitra, Irwan Abdul Rachman, Rini Suswita, Rizqy Tansa.
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The innovations that characterize this digital age significantly affect the situation in the labor market. Digital development also has a fundamental impact on the future of transport and postal services. The aim of this contribution is to approximate the impact of innovations on human resources management in the transport, logistics and postal services sector. Secondary research was focused on the analysis of the current state of human resources, and factors influencing the situation in the labor market in this sector. The forecast for the development of the sector is based on the Strategy of Human Resources Management in the Transport, Logistics and Postal Services Sector until 2030. Innovative trends are identified through a comprehensive investigation, and their impact on individual jobs in the transport, logistics and postal services sector is determined. New methods and work procedures are expected, which require an educated workforce with new professional knowledge. The COVID-19 pandemic had a fundamental impact on the development of innovations, which accelerated the digitalization process in many areas. The pandemic has also fundamentally changed the working life of employees working in this sector, whether it concerns working remotely or developing their digital skills. © 2023 Mariana Strenitzerova, published by Sciendo.
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The research subject of this paper is the analysis of the attitudes of employees in pharmaceutical companies towards the business aspects of the pharmaceutical industry during and after the end of the pandemic in the Republic of Serbia. The aim is to examine the differences in the attitudes of employees, as well as to determine which variables predict the situations of endangering the professional reputation of pharmaceutical companies during the COVID-19 pandemic. The research was conducted by means of a survey during 2021 on a sample of 27 innovative and generic pharmaceutical companies. We used the SPSS program for descriptive statistics analysis, chi square test and binary logistic regression models. The findings show that there is a statistically significant difference in the expressed attitudes of employees in innovative and generic pharmaceutical companies in terms of coming to the office during the pandemic;the lack of medicines and medical devices used in the treatment of COVID-19 infections;the patient access to a chosen doctor;the expectations of the employees to continue working from home after the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. The findings of the binary regression models show the slowdown in the supply chain, the access to doctors and working from the home office have not been perceived as creating situations of endangering professional reputations, that is, they contribute to the sustainable economic success. On the other hand, the introduction of digital technologies decreases the occurrence of conditions in which their professional reputation has been threatened.
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The global COVID-19 pandemic had a complex impact on the supply chain system. Manufacturing companies always strive to be able to face corporate competition and become superior with one of them through selecting the right supplier. Suppliers have the highest risk in a company, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic era, but with the correct selection of suppliers, the company can provide strength in global competition. The purpose of this research is to be able to solve the problem of sustainable supplier selection in a garment industry in Indonesia during the COVID-19 pandemic through the integration method between AHP and MOORA. AHP as a method that has been proven in many studies, in this study is used to determine the weight of each criterion. Furthermore, MOORA as a method that has good selectivity in choosing the best alternative will be used in the selection process. 12 criteria with 5 alternatives are used to determine the best supplier. The contribution of this research is the integration of the AHP and MOORA methods and the determination of important criteria in the era of the COVID-19 Pandemic. The results show that the criteria for the area with the level impact of COVID-19 (C12) have the greatest weight and supplier 3 becomes the first ranked supplier or the best supplier. The integration method between AHP and MOORA is easy to use and can choose the right sustainable supplier during the COVID-19 pandemic. © 2023 American Institute of Physics Inc.. All rights reserved.
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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.
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Introduction. The work of medical personnel in the extreme conditions of the COVID-19 pandemic is related to the impact of nervous and emotional labor tension, high visual loads, which contributes to the formation of fatigue and overwork and requires the attention of labor physiologists. The study aims to substantiate the methodology of physiological assessment of functional fatigue of medical workers during work in a covid hospital to determine the duration of periods of work in a pandemic. Materials and methods. Comprehensive physiological and hygienic studies of the medical staff of the covid hospital during 6 months of work were aimed at a physiological study of the state of the cardiovascular system with the study of the characteristics of the response to stress loads (ECG registration on a 12-channel electrocardiograph and continuously using Holter monitoring, determination of the vegetative Kerdo index and Kvass endurance coefficient), the study of psychological conditions, hygienic assessment of the intensity of the labor process. The researchers have studied the physiological state of the central nervous system and the visual analyzer according to generally accepted methods. The authors have studied the features of neurohumoral regulation (the main mediator of the stress-implementing system — cortisol) in medical workers. We have carried out a total of 1728 measurements of psychophysiological indicators. The scientists carried out statistical data processing of the received data using statistical programs Statistika 10, Microsoft Excel 2010. Results. The researchers found that indicators of the functional state of the cardiovascular system, reflecting the degree of adaptation of the body of medical workers to industrial activity, can be used to determine physiologically justified work periods in a pandemic, further accumulation of scientific data and risk assessment of medical workers. After four months of work in medical organizations with COVID-19, the formation of an unfavorable functional state in medical personnel is reflected in changes in ECG and systemic blood pressure, increased detrenability of the cardiovascular system, the predominance of sympathetic influences. Limitations. There are quantitative restrictions due to the number of medical staff of the hospital with COVID-19. Conclusion. Pronounced loads on the visual analyzer when watching video terminal screens against the background of nervous and emotional labor tension are the leading professional factors and determine the formation of the functional state of overwork (third degree) in the medical staff of the hospital with COVID-19. Ethics. The study was approved by the Local Ethics Committee of the Izmerov Research Institute of Occupational Health (Protocol No. 4 of 04/14/2021). © 2023, Izmerov Research Institute of Occupational Medicine. All rights reserved.
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This paper aimed to show how much Self-efficacy and Achievement Motivation contribute to the formation of SPIRIT character for the students in the post-covid-19 pandemic era when the education process is still ongoing with a combined method of online and offline learning. This research used quantitative methods and literature studies. The results of this research showed that self-efficacy and achievement motivation had not significance contribution to the SPIRIT characters building for the students. The other variables that are not discussed even have a much larger contribution. So it is interested to investigate this result. Even so, it does not mean that students do not need to pay attention to self-efficacy and achievement motivation, because even though they are small, they still need to be owned, so that the SPIRIT characters can be further developed in the post-covid-19 pandemic era. © 2022 ACM.
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Introduction: The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and associated lockdowns is likely to have caused adverse changes in lifestyle-related/cardiovascular risk factors and other such modifiable risk factors of dementia. We aimed to examine the pandemic's impact on some modifiable risk factors of dementia among rural Indians belonging to a large, prospective aging cohort-Srinivaspura Aging, NeuoSenescence, and COGnition (SANSCOG). Methods: This was a cross-sectional study among adults aged ≥ 45 years (n = 3,148; 1,492 males and 1,656 females) residing in the villages of Srinivaspura in Karnataka state, India. SANSCOG study data (clinical and biochemical assessments) of these participants were obtained from three distinct periods: (i) the "pre-COVID period"-before India's nationwide lockdown on 24 March 2020, (ii) the "COVID period"-during the first and second waves of the pandemic, wherein the social restrictions were prominent (25 March 2020 to 30 September 2021), and (iii) the "post-COVID period"-after easing of restrictions (from 1 October 2021 onward). Proportions of participants with diabetes, hypertension, obesity, dyslipidemia (diagnosed using standard criteria), and depression (diagnosed using the Geriatric Depression Scale) were compared between the above three periods. Results: The odds of having obesity, abnormal triglycerides, and depression among individuals in the COVID period were 1.42 times, 1.38 times, and 2.65 times more than the odds in the pre-COVID period, respectively. The odds of having hypertension, obesity, abnormal total cholesterol, abnormal triglycerides, abnormal LDL, and depression among individuals in the post-COVID period were 1.27 times, 1.32 times, 1.58 times, 1.95, 1.23, and 3.05 times more than the odds in the pre-COVID period, respectively. The odds of diabetes did not differ between any of the three periods. Discussion: We found significantly higher odds of some of the studied risk factors in the COVID and post-COVID periods compared to the pre-COVID period, suggesting that the pandemic adversely impacted the physical and psychological health of this marginalized, rural Indian population. We call for urgent public health measures, such as multimodal, lifestyle-based, and psychosocial interventions, to mitigate this negative impact and reduce the future risk of dementia.
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Introduction: Child attention skills are critical for supporting self-regulation abilities, especially during the first years of life. On the other hand, inattention symptoms in preschoolers have been associated with poor school readiness, literacy skills and academic achievement. Previous research has linked excessive screen time with increased inattention symptoms in early childhood. However, most research has only focused on TV exposure and did not investigate this association during the COVID-19 pandemic. This atypical context has increased screen time in children worldwide, including preschoolers. We hypothesize that higher levels of child screen media and parenting stress at age 3.5 will be associated with higher child inattention symptoms at age 4.5. Method: This study draws on participants followed longitudinally over the span of 2-years for an investigation of Canadian preschoolers' screen media use during the pandemic (N = 315, 2020). A follow-up with this sample was completed in 2021 (N = 264). Results: Analyses using multiple linear regression, revealed a positive association between child screen time at age 3.5 and inattention symptoms at 4.5 years. Parental stress was also positively associated with child inattention symptoms. Associations were observed above individual (child age, inhibitory control, and sex) and family (parent education and family income) characteristics. Discussion: These results confirmed our hypothesis and highlight that preschooler screen use and parenting stress may undermine attentional skills. Since attention is a crucial component for children development, behavior and academic outcomes, our study reinforces the importance for parents of adopting healthy media habits.
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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.
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Despite the difficulties faced during Emergency Remote Teaching (ERT) because of the COVID-19 pandemic, it is also true that such a situation has left a series of learnings that educational institutions around the world should capitalize on. Under this scenario, interest arose in studying three delivery modalities (face-to-face, hybrid, and remote) at the university level, aiming to compare the students' learning level and their perceptions of each delivery modality. The present study was developed in a private university in Mexico, following a quantitative methodological approach involving 360 students and 14 professors from various schools and geographical locations. Data were collected through pre- and post-tests and a perception questionnaire for students. Findings suggest that the students' learning level in every modality varies by school and that students positively perceive the three delivery modalities, albeit identifying factors that foster and hinder their learning process in each one. The results of this study contribute to strengthening the research field on teaching during ERT, allowing educational institutions to make better decisions regarding the quality of the educational offer.
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During the COVID-19 pandemic it was clear that not all schools were equally prepared to adapt to the challenges of online learning. While many traditional public schools struggled to transition to remote teaching, cyber charter schools-which already had experience with full-time online learning-appeared to demonstrate superior academic performance and less learning loss. This success may be due in part to the greater experience of these schools with online teaching, as well as that the type of student enrolling in cyber charters changed. Further research and external peer review is necessary to confirm the validity of these findings, but in the face of uncertainty and change, it is essential that we approach education with an open mind and a willingness to consider all perspectives in order to find solutions that truly benefit our students.
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This work had the general objective of analyzing how the Brazilian Federal Government, through tax incentive laws, has enhanced the economic activity of companies, highlighting the current socioeconomic scenario caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. The research was classified as qualitative, documental, bibliographic, basic and descriptive. The federal rules on tax incentives that exist in Brazil until March 2020 were analyzed, totaling eleven rules. Then, it was verified if there were any changes in the period from March 2020 to December 2021, and if there were publications of new federal rules on tax incentives. The conclusions are that of the federal norms already instituted, in March 2020, six have undergone changes: Rouanet Law;Informatics Law;Audiovisual Law;Sports Incentive Law;Payroll Exemption Law;and Drawback Law. Regarding the federal regulations instituted in the period, there was no institution of tax incentives, which the companies needed to be able to maintain their cash flow, enhance their socio-economic activities and mitigate the impacts caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, which highlighted a certain slowness in the approval procedures of the Law projects. Possibly, the benefits already granted would need to be extended or adjusted.
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The article highlights social factors of mental health and well-being of older Russians based on the results of wave sociological studies of the perceived quality of life for 2002-2019 and the author's representative survey of older Russians in 2022. Age, gender and employment are the most significant determinants not only of social activity, but also of mental health and emotional well-being. At the same time, the study shows that the pandemic had a multidirectional impact on perceived quality of life among older Russians. Compared to the pre-pandemic situation, after the relaxation of restrictive measures, the parameter of social activity increased significantly, the parameter of mental health remained virtually unchanged, but the emotional problems of elderly Russians became more acute. Due to the severe restrictions for older people, the long period of isolation, and for working pensioners - also due to the need to restructure their work remotely - stress, anxiety and worry have affected everyday life.
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The main aim of this study is to examine dynamic dependence and proof of contagion during the Covid-2019 pandemic. The empirical data are daily prices from six European indexes. The FTSE, DAX and CAC indexes represent the largest and most developed stock markets in Europe, while the Austrian ATX index represents small developed markets. The WIG and BUX indexes represent emerging European markets. This empirical study, based on the Dynamic Conditional Correlation model, which is applied to different pairs of indexes, aims to convince the reader of the increase in the correlation between the time of the pandemic (after 30 December 2019) and the period before the beginning of the pandemic. For all pairs, the mean value of the conditional correlations in the pre-Covid period was statistically below the values in the Covid period. The results indicate contagion in Europe after the outbreak of the Covid-2019 pandemic.
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On September 2-4, 2021, the Eastern Economic Forum "New Opportunities of the Far East in a changing World" was held in Vladivostok. Within the framework of the forum, on September 2, 2021, a session "Partnership against a pandemic: anti-crisis strategies in medicine" was held. In the presented material, the problems and tasks of healthcare in the Russian Federation in the context of a pandemic of a new coronavirus infection are discussed.Copyright © 2021 Moscow State University of Psychology and Education. All right reserved.
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The outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic contributed to a very large increase in the proportion of time spent working remotely to total working time. To date, this form has been used primarily by enterprises with branches dispersed across one or multiple countries. This form of performing duties by employees brought a number of benefits in the form of acceleration of decision-making processes, and reduction of time and costs. In the past, teleworking time was regulated according to needs and supported by a significantly reduced number of face-to-face employee meetings. With the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, remote work has become the main or only form of contact with colleagues and superiors in many situations related to the ban on movement, re-gardless of the place of business. At that time, employers were concerned that it would not result in a decrease in employee engagement and job satisfaction.The article was intended to identify and assess the relationship and cause-and-effect relationship between commitment and job satisfaction in the context of remote work. The results of the study helped to expand knowledge about relationships. It has been confirmed that there is a positive relationship between employee engagement and job satisfaction;In addition, employees distinguish between commitment to work and organization, and the impact of types of commitment on job satisfaction varies. It has also been shown that both remote work and employee involvement affect their job satisfaction.