Dependent Ones Research Articles

Medical Crowdfunding Via Social Media for Paediatric Patients – Where Do We Draw the Line?

Medical crowdfunding may provide means to fund treatments or interventions; however, it raises individual and societal ethical dilemma due to its complex understanding and interpretation. Crowdfunding can be viewed as a phenomenon at the intersection between the disciplines of finance, entrepreneurship, marketing, e-commerce, social networking and medicine. Most of these campaigns get initiated on behalf of the patients, especially the very sick and dependent ones, to garner financial support. The success of these efforts will depend on campaigners’ digital skills, ability to penetrate wider social networks and strong emotional connectedness to the issue raised. This article will explore the role of medical crowdfunding in pediatric healthcare settings, examining its benefits, challenges, and ethical implications. There is however a paucity of literature on medical crowdfunding among paediatric population despite numerous anecdotal campaigns in the social media platform.

MATHEMATICAL LITERACY ABILITY OF STUDENTS FROM A COGNITIVE STYLE PERSPECTIVE ON RATIONAL NUMBERS

This study aims to describe mathematical literacy skills reviewed from cognitive styles of studdents. This study is a descriptive research with a qualitative approach. The subjects of this study consist of 4 students in grade VII A SMP Negeri 1 Ganeas in the odd semester for the 2023/2024. The instruments used in this study were a mathematical literacy ability test, the Group Embedded Figure Test (GEFT) test to find out the type of student cognitive style, and interview guidelines. The results of this study show that students with a field independent cognitive style have better mathematical literacy abilities than field dependent ones. Field independent students met almost all levels of mathematical literacy indicators, while field dependent students only met 3 levels of mathematical literacy abilities

New ideas about the maternal gut microbiome as a source of fetal programming

New genetic technologies that have emerged and been introduced into practice over the past 20 years, including 16s rRNA sequencing, have significantly expanded our understanding of the microbial composition of the human body. The gut is one of the most densely populated microbial niches in the human body. Numerous studies have shown the relationship of the gut microbiome with various non-communicable diseases, including diabetes mellitus, obesity, allergies and even mental disorders. The perinatal period, as one of the most hormonally dependent ones in human ontogenesis, has a direct impact on the composition of the intestinal microbiota, just as the microbiota itself can be a precursor and etiological cause of pregnancy complications. In this regard, the aim of this review article was to systematize data on the gut microbiota of the maternal body in normal and pathological pregnancy, as well as to analyze data on the interaction of the maternal gut microbiome with the fetal immune system. The review presents data on changes in the maternal intestinal microbiome in normal pregnancy, during infertility, as well as in pregnancy complicated with obesity, gestational diabetes mellitus and preeclampsia. The review also shows how the maternal microbiome is able to “educate” the fetal immune system in utero, thereby preparing the child, who develops in a sterile womb, for extrauterine life surrounded by a large number of various microorganisms. These mechanisms include the direct effect of not only the microorganisms themselves, but also, even largely, their metabolites — primarily short-chain fatty acids. All these presented data allow for concluding that the maternal microbiome is essentially a separate regulatory homeostatic system, along with the immune, endocrine and cardiovascular systems, which may determine the development of certain complications of pregnancy and shape the health of the unborn child. Interventions in the composition of the maternal gut microbiota may be a way to modulate the course of pregnancy and prevent major obstetric syndromes.

Identification of compound drought and heatwave events on a daily scale and across four seasons

Abstract. Compound drought and heatwave (CDHW) events can result in intensified damage to ecosystems, economies, and societies, especially on a warming planet. Although it has been reported that CDHW events in the winter season can also affect insects, birds, and the occurrence of wildfires, the literature generally focuses exclusively on the summer season. Moreover, the coarse temporal resolution of droughts as determined on a monthly scale may hamper the precise identification of the start and/or end dates of CDHW events. Therefore, we propose a method to identify CDHW events on a daily scale that is applicable across the four seasons. More specifically, we use standardized indices calculated on a daily scale to identify four types of compound events in a systematic way. Based on the hypothesis that droughts or heatwaves should be statistically extreme and independent, we remove minor dry or warm spells and merge mutually dependent ones. To demonstrate our method, we make use of 120 years of daily precipitation and temperature information observed at Uccle, Brussels-Capital Region, Belgium. Our method yields more precise start and end dates for droughts and heatwaves than those that can be obtained with a classical approach acting on a monthly scale, thereby allowing for a better identification of CDHW events. Consistent with existing literature, we find an increase in the number of days in CDHW events at Uccle, mainly due to the increasing frequency of heatwaves. Our results also reveal a seasonality in CDHW events, as droughts and heatwaves are negatively dependent on one another in the winter season at Uccle, whereas they are positively dependent on one another in the other seasons. Overall, the method proposed in this study is shown to be robust and displays potential for exploring how year-round CDHW events influence ecosystems.

Association and predictor role of MASC scores in pharmacological or psychological treatment indication in a sample of children and adolescent in Spain

IntroductionAnxiety is one of the most common Mental Health diagnosis in underage population. We decided to study if there was any variable that would lead us to a specific treatment indication using the MASC (Multidimensional Anxiety Scale for Children).ObjectivesPrevalence of psychiatric disorders and comorbidities in an underage population.Possible association between MASC questionnaire scores and the indication for pharmacological and/or psychological treatment.MethodsThis is a descriptive, observational, retrospective, quantitative study with data from patients between June 2016 and 2023. Inclusion criteria: 3-18 year-old-spanish-speakers who met criteria for a ICD-11 disorder. Exclusion criteria: absence of legal representatives, intellectual disability. Variables: Age, sex, psychiatric family history, ICD-11 diagnosis, treatment indication and MASC’s subscales (physical symptoms, harm avoidance, social anxiety and separation anxiety). Statistical analyzes were performed with STATA-15 program, using as independent variables MASC questionnaire, and dependent ones the indication treatment and diagnosis.ResultsThe sample contains 1024 patients, with a mean age of 12 (SD 4.028). Table 1 shows that the most frequent diagnosis is ADHD, with combined presentation with a prevalence of 22.27%, followed by Anxiety Disorders, without differentiating by subtypes (17.93%). It also shows that Defiant and Oppositional Disorder is the most prevalent comorbidity (9.66%) followed by Anxiety Disorder not specified (4.99%). Table 2 stands that there are significantly higher scores in all MASC subscales in those patients who do have prior psychiatry family history. We founf in Table 3 statistically significant differences were found between the score on the Physical Symptoms subscale based on whether the patient was undergoing previous treatment, both pharmacological (8.45 vs. 7.59) and psychological treatment (9.01 vs. 7.95) compared to those who were not (pharmacological 7.36 vs. 7.06), psychological (7.21 vs. 6.92). All these data have been adjusted.Image:Image 2:Image 3:ConclusionsAnxiety disorders are the most common form of Mental Disorder in young people, with a global prevalence of 6.5% (Rapee et al.2023). However, in our sample the most common one is ADHD as our center is specialized in it. We found that the most prevalent one was Oppositional Defiant Disorder, as it is the most frequent comorbidity of ADHD (Vallejo-Valdivielso et al,2019; Faraone et al,2021). The increase of one point in the Physical Anxiety subscale increases the probability of indicating pharmacological treatment, which could be explained because of how functional limitation these symptoms cause. The increase in all the subscales of the MASC implies an increase in the probability of an indication for psychological treatment as it is the gold-standard treatment for anxiety in children.Disclosure of InterestNone Declared

Power Balances in the Eastern Mediterranean: From Yesterday to Today

The international relations are usually examined by the concept of power, where geography is one of the major factors determining it. Geographical maps are not merely a paper reflecting the image of the world: looking at the map we should not observe only the geographical denominations, but to consider the position and role of a certain state or actor, projecting its national interests within certain space, time and conditions. Geographical features and characteristics have a direct impact on the economic development, national power, security and role of the state actor on the regional and global arena. Thus, the analysis of Eastern Mediterranean political and strategic importance within the region cannot be evaluated properly without taking a look on the geography of it. In order to have a proper analysis of Eastern Mediterranean there is a need to take into consideration the geopolitical theoretical approaches, its place within the region as such, and its position in accordance to the global and regional power centers. Independent and dependent variables should be taken into consideration: here, geographic position and integrity, borders and land structure will be considered as independent variables, while political, military, security, socio-economic, and cultural features and factors as dependent ones.

Comparative Analysis of Jet Detection Methods on the Basis of Satellite Altimetry Data by Example of the Antarctic Circumpolar Current Sector to the South of Africa

For the period of satellite altimetry observation 1993–2018, a comparison was made of estimates of the linear meridional shifts of the jet structure and variations in current intensity in the sector of the Antarctic Circumpolar Current (ACC) south of Africa (10° E–25° W), obtained on the basis of the parameters derived from the module of the absolute dynamic topography (ADT) gradient \\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \\usepackage{amsmath} \\usepackage{wasysym} \\usepackage{amsfonts} \\usepackage{amssymb} \\usepackage{amsbsy} \\usepackage{mathrsfs} \\usepackage{upgreek} \\setlength{\\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \\begin{document}$$\\left| {\ abla \\zeta } \\right|$$\\end{document}: directly \\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \\usepackage{amsmath} \\usepackage{wasysym} \\usepackage{amsfonts} \\usepackage{amssymb} \\usepackage{amsbsy} \\usepackage{mathrsfs} \\usepackage{upgreek} \\setlength{\\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \\begin{document}$$\\left| {\ abla \\zeta } \\right|$$\\end{document}, module of the velocity of geostrophic current |u| on the ocean surface, half of square of the ADT gradient \\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \\usepackage{amsmath} \\usepackage{wasysym} \\usepackage{amsfonts} \\usepackage{amssymb} \\usepackage{amsbsy} \\usepackage{mathrsfs} \\usepackage{upgreek} \\setlength{\\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \\begin{document}$$\\frac{1}{2}{{\\left| {\ abla \\zeta } \\right|}^{2}}$$\\end{document}, and specific kinetic energy \\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \\usepackage{amsmath} \\usepackage{wasysym} \\usepackage{amsfonts} \\usepackage{amssymb} \\usepackage{amsbsy} \\usepackage{mathrsfs} \\usepackage{upgreek} \\setlength{\\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \\begin{document}$$\\frac{1}{2}{{u}^{2}}$$\\end{document}. The analysis was carried out by a method developed earlier and refined in this paper using linear regression analysis. It is shown that qualitatively the characters of the meridional shifts (displacement of the curves of these parameters averaged over latitude and for each year) in latitude and the corresponding current intensity variations (i.e., variations in the parameters themselves) over 26-year observations, when calculated through each of the four parameters, turned out to be similar. The same similarity was obtained from the calculations with respect to the ADT scale. Meanwhile, the quantitative differences between calculations for different pairs of parameters can be significant even in the \\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \\usepackage{amsmath} \\usepackage{wasysym} \\usepackage{amsfonts} \\usepackage{amssymb} \\usepackage{amsbsy} \\usepackage{mathrsfs} \\usepackage{upgreek} \\setlength{\\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \\begin{document}$$\\left| u \\right|$$\\end{document} and \\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \\usepackage{amsmath} \\usepackage{wasysym} \\usepackage{amsfonts} \\usepackage{amssymb} \\usepackage{amsbsy} \\usepackage{mathrsfs} \\usepackage{upgreek} \\setlength{\\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \\begin{document}$$\\left| {\ abla \\zeta } \\right|$$\\end{document} pair. In quantitative terms, the absolute values of shifts of the jet structure and variations in the intensity of currents in the ACC band in the studied sector of the Southern Ocean generally increase from those linearly dependent on the ADT gradient module to quadratically dependent ones.

Evaluation of antithrombotic treatment in institutionalized geriatric patients with nonvalvular atrial fibrillation

ObjectiveThe goals of this study were to analyze the type of antithrombotic treatment administered to institutionalized patients with nonvalvular atrial fibrillation (and any ensuing complications) and to evaluate the degree of anticoagulation control achieved with vitamin K antagonists. MethodThis was a prospective observational follow-up study carried out in seven elderly care facilities during 2016. Patients with nonvalvular atrial fibrillation were evaluated for their antithrombotic therapy and any embolic or hemorrhagic events, as well as for mortality. Subjects on anticoagulation treatment with VKAs were evaluated for anticoagulation control, with control considered poor if the mean time in therapeutic range was < 65% when measured with Rosendaal's method or < 60% when determined by the direct method. ResultsOf the 699 residents evaluated, 20.6% had a diagnosis of NVAF. Average age was 85.83 years. Both the cardioembolic (mean CHA2DS2-VASc score: 4.79), and the hemorrhagic (mean HAS-BLED score: 3.04) risk were high. Fifty percent received anticoagulation treatment, mainly with vitamin K antagonists, of whom at least 56% were not within the therapeutic range. Sixteen percent of the residents, the oldest and most functionally and cognitively dependent ones, had not been prescribed any antithrombotic therapy. A higher frequency of hospital admissions induced by cardiovascular and bleeding events was found in these residents, although differences were not statistically significant. ConclusionsHalf of institutionalized geriatric patients with nonvalvular atrial fibrillation are anticoagulated, a third on antiplatelet therapy, and some without any antithrombotic treatment. This study showed that as functionality decreases, treatment strategies are increasingly aimed at therapeutic deintensification. Given that the degree of anticoagulation control with vitamin K antagonists is inadequate in 56% of cases, it is essential to monitor the time in therapeutic range to optimize treatment as needed.

Tax Collection Strategies and Compliance of Residential Rental Income Earners in Kasarani Sub-County, Kenya

Financial freedom is one of the goals economies dream to achieve in both developed and developing nations through taxation. However, non-compliance according to previous literature hindered tax authorities from achieving the set tax collection targets. Drop in National Residential rental income tax collection was reported in the year 2020 by Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development in Kenya. Similarly, the Country’s tax authority data revealed reduction in tax collection for Kasarani Sub County in the year 2020/2021. The key objective of this research was to investigate influence that tax collection strategies have on the compliance of residential rental income earners in Kasarani sub-county in Kenya. The specific objectives aimed at determining the influence of taxpayers trust building, Knowledge &amp; tax awareness, modern technology adoption and effective tax law enforcement strategies on the compliance of residential property owners. The research was anchored on the social exchange, reasoned action, technology acceptance and economic deterrence theories. Descriptive research design was applied to evaluate the influence of independent variables on the dependent ones. A population of 871 property owners was considered with 274 respondents obtained from population target in aid of stratified sample model whereas questionnaires were applied in collecting primary data. Analysis of data was run on multiple regression model supported with descriptive techniques. Validity test together with reliability analysis was done using Analysis of Variance and Cronbach Alpha models. Multicollinearity, normality, heteroscedasticity, and linearity tests were undertaken for diagnostic purpose. Study findings indicated that tax payer’s trust building (t=3.399, p&lt;0.05), knowledge &amp; awareness campaign (t=5.732, p&lt;0.05), modern technology (t=2.897, p&lt;0.05) and effective tax law enforcement strategy (t=4.795, p&lt;0.05) had positive and significant effect on the compliance of Residential Rental Income earners in Kasarani Sub County. The study concluded that mutual trust building aided mobilization of public support for tax collection agenda prompting the initially skeptic residential rental income taxpayers to embrace tax compliance, that tax knowledge &amp; awareness strategy positively affected tax compliance, tax collection and reporting through the modern technology based systems proved to significantly support tax compliance and that the tax law enforcement measure is very strategic in influencing tax income collection. Study recommended use of competitive communication skills as a trust building window in formal and informal interactions between the taxpayer and agency on matters tax compliance. The study recommended the training of taxpayers on use of technology and expansion of its tax labs centers networks close at the Sub County level for easy access.

Robust dynamic and algebraic state estimation for microgrids: A generalized approach

AbstractNetwork control, optimization, and security analysis are facilitated by accurate microgrid state estimation. By utilizing phasor measurement units (PMUs), a combined robust centralized dynamic algebraic approach is proposed in this paper for estimating algebraic states (voltage phasors) as well as dynamic states (associated with synchronous generators and wind turbines). Assuming that a load is placed on each bus, an innovative PMU placement method is also presented to provide measurements for all dynamic and algebraic state variables. As a robust link between algebraic state estimation and dynamic state estimation, the output results of the least absolute value (LAV) estimator, which is robust against bad data, are fed to dynamic state estimators as pseudo measurements. Next, to address the nonlinearity of synchronous generator and wind turbine models, an unscented Kalman filter (UKF) is applied to estimate dynamic states precisely. The numerical tests on a microgrid test system show that the suggested approach is suitable for both algebraic and dynamic state estimation. Synchronous generators and wind turbines are modeled using nonlinear models of the 9th and third orders, respectively, and static loads are modeled as voltage‐frequency dependent ones.

A periodic review inventory model facing different disruption profiles

We study a periodic review inventory system with alternations of periods with supply availability and unavailability. The system is controlled by a periodic review base stock policy (S,T). While periodic review inventory models have been studied assuming supply disruption, they mainly invoke the limiting disruption probabilities overlooking that these probabilities may correspond to different disruption profiles (ranging from rare-long disruptions to frequent-short ones). In this context, we use a continuous-time Markov chain (CTMC), in order to formulate a periodic review inventory model that can distinguish the different disruption profiles. Through theoretical results, we determine the policy variables (order-up-to level and review interval) that minimize the long-run average cost. We show that when the disruption profile is considered, the optimal order-up-to level, although Newsvendor-styled form, is not always linear in the review interval. We present analytical properties demonstrating the impact of the different disruption profiles (under the same limiting disruption probability) and the impact of the limiting probability on the optimal policy. Furthermore, we propose an approximation to obtain a closed-form (near-)optimal solution for the review interval. Finally, numerical comparisons highlight the impact on system's cost performance of deploying approaches that either use the above mentioned closed-form solution for the review interval or the limiting disruption probabilities instead of the time dependent ones in the cost formulation.

Influencing Factors on the Quality of Financial Statements in Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises: Accounting Understanding and Work Experience

This study aims to determine the effect of accounting understanding and work experience on the quality of financial statements, focusing on a case study of Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) in the Medan Deli Region registered at the Cooperative Service. The research, conducted in the Medan Deli District, employed quantitative methods. It specifically targeted MSMEs registered at the Cooperative Office in 2022, comprising a population of 1825 MSMEs in Medan City, with a sample size of 70 respondents. Data collection techniques involved a comprehensive literature review and the distribution of questionnaires. The analysis methods included statistical analysis techniques and multiple linear regression analysis, employed to test the effect at the 5% significance level. The t-test was applied to determine the partial effect of accounting knowledge and work experience on the quality of financial statements, while the f-test assessed the simultaneous effect of independent variables on dependent ones. The study's results indicate that accounting knowledge and work experience positively and significantly influence the quality of financial statements. The findings confirm that accounting knowledge and work experience concurrently impact the quality of financial statements.

Types of autonomous V-final clauses

Abstract In German (and Dutch), main clauses and dependent clauses differ clearly with respect to form. Main clauses are always V2 and autonomous (with speech act status) while dependent ones are verb-final/VL (V-last) and nonautonomous (without speech act status). This paper is about autonomous clauses with the form of dependent clauses (i.e. VL-form, also captured in the literature under the term insubordinate subordination, coined by Evans, Nicholas. 2007. Insubordination and its uses. In Irina Nikolaeva (ed.), Finiteness: Theoretical and empirical foundations, 366–431. Oxford: Oxford University Press). In the recent literature, it has been argued that in order to explain the occurrence of autonomous dependent clauses in the historical development of German, the introducing main clause fell elliptically leaving behind a dependent form with autonomous status. The present paper argues that this account is false. Dependent forms can exist independently. Since speech act autonomy of dependent forms exists with certain (albeit not all) complementizers, a special account is provided. It is argued that this development typical of modern German, matches with the tendency toward an illocutionary semantics in its own right. Parallels for the latter path of grammaticalization are drawn from several languages other than German. The importance of the concerns for modern generative grammar is a twofold one: first, it provides insights into how independent (autonomous), but formally dependent sentences divide into several kinds of modality that are expressed in the left sentential periphery; and, second, it shows in which ways speaker-perspective is grammaticalized.

Psychological, physical and sexual violence against brazilian women: a cross-section study

The objective was to characterize the notifications of urban violence against women, according to psychological, physical and sexual typologies. This is a cross-sectional, documentary, descriptive and analytical research, based on the notification forms of the Brazilian Notifiable Diseases Information System between the years 2014 and 2017, referring to a city in the Northeast. The independent variables were divided according to the most prevalent types of violence, while the dependent ones followed the characteristics suggested by the notification forms. The data were analyzed using the Chi-square and Fisher's Exact tests, with a significance level of 5%, in addition to calculating the Chance Ratio. RStudio was used as statistical software.447 notification forms were included, with the following prevalences being observed: psychological (80.1%), physical (39.2%), and sexual (21%), with a predominance of women with low educational level (&lt;8 years of study), non-white race, without companions and heterosexuals. Most of the notifications pointed to the repetition of violence, occurring mainly at night, in homes and public roads, in the form of threats, and the use of body strength. Women are exposed to psychological, physical, and sexual violence, especially to the psychological form, possibly because they have a pattern intrinsically associated with other types.

"It'll never end, I'll never go": Representation of Caregiving in Samuel Beckett's Endgame and Footfalls.

Research on the unrepresentability of death in Samuel Beckett's oeuvre abound in Beckett scholarship, but little attention has been given to the artist's representation of caregiving to the dying in his plays. With reference to Martin Heidegger's concept of care and Albert Camus's idea of the absurd, this article analyzes Endgame (1957) and Footfalls (1976) by attending to Beckett's dramatic representation of caregiving as undergirded by a sense of its absurdity. The almost 20-year gap between the writing of both plays highlights the development of an understanding that this sense of absurdity is never about the caregiver's questioning of one's obligation to the dependent but about how one chooses to respond to caregiving as an absurd predicament. The pertinence of such a representation of caregiving by Beckett lies in its poignant articulation of a complex experience that is often left unexpressed by caregivers who prioritize their dependent loved ones over themselves.

Recovery of Bound Phenolic Compounds from Rice Hulls via Microwave-Assisted Alkaline Hydrolysis

The present study aimed to optimize the recovery of bound phenolic antioxidants from rice hulls via microwave-assisted alkaline hydrolysis using response surface methodology. The microwave treatment duration, temperature, and solvent:solid ratio were the independent variables selected; whereas total phenol content, antioxidant activity (DPPH●, ABTS●+, CUPRAC assays), and the p-coumaric and ferulic acids concentration were the dependent ones. The optimum conditions were found to be 3.6 min, 155 °C, and 50:1 v/w which were then applied to hulls from different rice varieties cultivated in Greece [Gladio, Krezo, Scirocco, Karolina (two samples), Europa, Bravo, Bella (parboiled), and Fino (long-grain rice)]. The results were compared to those obtained using an optimized ultrasound-assisted alkaline hydrolysis protocol (120 min, 80 °C, 50:1 v/w) proposed in the literature. The values obtained with microwaves were much higher compared to those obtained by ultrasounds (i.e., p-coumaric acid levels were 1.2 to 2.2-fold higher, and those of ferulic acid were 2.1 to 6.0-fold higher) using almost 2-fold higher temperature but reducing the hydrolysis duration by ~33-fold. Thus, the optimized approach may assist the valorization of rice hulls as a sustainable source of natural phenolic antioxidants for novel food applications.

The Effectiveness of a Training Program Based on Self-Management Skills in Developing Independent Behavior and Safety and Security Skills of Children with Intellectual Disability

Background: Children with intellectual disabilities suffer from many deficiencies that negatively affect their adaptation and transition from one stage to another.&#x0D; Objective: The current study aimed at developing independent behavior, safety, and security skills of children with an intellectual disability through a program based on self-management skills.&#x0D; Methods: The study sample consisted of (20) children with mild intellectual disabilities enrolled in classes from the fourth to the sixth primary. The sample was divided into two groups; the experimental group to which the training program has been applied, consisting of (10) children, and the control group (10) children. The study relied on the quasi-experimental method. As such, the training program is perceived to be the independent variable, while the independent behavior, safety, and security skills are considered the dependent ones. The study is based on a number of tools that are prepared by the researcher, the scale of independent behavior of children with intellectual disabilities, the scale of safety and security skills of children with intellectual disabilities, and the training program based on self-management skills.&#x0D; Results: The study's results disclosed the effectiveness of the training program used in developing independent behavior and safety and security skills of children with intellectual disabilities.&#x0D; Conclusions: The effectiveness of self-management strategies such as self-monitoring, self-reinforcement, self-instruction, and problem-solving in developing the independent behavior and security and safety skills of children with intellectual disabilities has been proven.

Dynamic effect of exchange rate depreciation on carbon emission in the Mediterranean basin: fresh insights from linear and non-linear ARDL approaches

The key objective of this study is to explore the relationship between economic growth, renewable and non-renewable energy consumption, exchange rate variation, and environmental pollution by carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions in 19 coastline Mediterranean countries over the period 1995-2020. We suggest the application of two different approaches, namely, the symmetric autoregressive-distributed lag (ARDL) and the non-linear ARDL (NARDL) model. These methods distinguished from traditional ones by the fact that they assess both the long and short run dynamics among variables. More importantly, the NARDL method is the only technique enabling us to test the asymmetric effects of a shock in independent variables on dependent ones. Our results indicate that the long-term pollution is positively correlated with exchange rate for developed countries and negatively correlated for developing ones. Since environmental degradation in developing countries is more vulnerable to any fluctuation in exchange rate, we suggest that policymakers in Mediterranean developing countries must pay more attention to exchange rate variation as well as boosting renewable energy consumption in order to decrease CO2 emissions.

The Effectiveness of Augmented Reality in Physical Sustainable Education on Learning Behaviour and Motivation

This research explores the integration of information technology into physical education and uses augmented reality (AR) as an auxiliary tool to explore the impact of this teaching mode on the learning motivation, knowledge, and learning behaviour of beginner runners. A pre- and post-test control group design is adopted in this study. The study participants were 56 students implemented into a 16-session football teaching course. Before the teaching was implemented, the Learning Motivation Scale, independent variables were different learning modes, while the dependent ones were the participants’ learning performances, including their learning outcomes and motives, as well as their skill learning behaviours. The findings of this research are as follows: first, the experimental group (using AR) achieves better learning outcomes for motor skills than the control group. The experimental group also experiences stronger learning motives and better motor skill performances than the control one. Finally, the experimental group has a more positive attitude towards using the teaching materials, and the materials are more acceptable to them in comparison to the control one. This research contribution uses the advantages of AR to adopt an innovative teaching model, which can be highly appealing and motivating for learner behaviour. In practice, it also solves the deficiencies in the integration of information technology into physical education at this stage.

Usability Evaluation of Connected Health Devices in Home Monitoring: Toward Devices Adapted to the Characteristics of Informal Caregivers.

While an increasing number of Informal CareGivers (ICGs) are assisting their dependent loved ones with the daily living tasks and medical care, they are rarely considered in the medical devices design process. The objective of this study is to identify the characteristics of ICGs impacting the use of the iHealth® Sense BP7 medical device, namely a connected wrist blood pressure monitor. For this purpose, user tests were conducted with 29 potential or actual ICGs. First, the participants filled out a socio-demographic questionnaire and then handled the blood pressure monitor. Finally, they completed the System Usability Scale questionnaire. The results revealed an impact of technophilia and age on usability dimensions. To conclude, the consideration of the ICG population in the design process of connected medical devices is discussed, particularly the age and level of technophilia.