Benefits For People Research Articles

Ethics and Values Matter: The Role of Higher Education

Human existence is a process of learning and development aimed at achieving wisdom, and education has been regarded as the ultimate value system since the birth of culture and way of life for this reason. Education is more than only the acquisition of skills or the gathering of knowledge or news about a topic of interest from others or from other parts of the world. It is not limited to the abilities of obtaining information received and preserved via knowing, or just the exploration of existential problems and familiarization with previously acquired knowledge or data, or with a system of knowledge - but also with the goal of comprehending this cognition. Knowledge is involved with the comprehension of a collection of propositions or concepts. Knowledge can be theoretical and practical, fundamental and abstract, and it may exist in any time period: past, present, and future. However, cognition is always done in the present. Past memories and future prophecies are also remembered in the present, as the ideas flash or surface in the mind. These flashes act as an impetus for our quick determination, allowing us to decide whether or not to undertake anything. However, for the purpose of brevity, I'll lump the two, knowledge and cognition, together under the heading of knowledge. Education fosters the development of talents from all three faculties, as well as wisdom in their right application for the benefit of people and society for creating value and ethics. The goal of NEP 2020 is also having important role in higher education teaching to encourage systematic and focused discoveries and practices that benefit society. Society views higher education institutions as catalysts for the transformation of knowledge into wisdom. The quality, morals, and ethics of higher education institutions are increasingly important in integrating young people into society. A country like India has a large young population, and they are the frontiers of the Indian government's Made in India Initiative. It has been well mentioned that the actual philosophy of education is in the combination of ethics, virtues, values, and the validity of human life, thus it is vital to improve ethical values, philosophical thinking, study, research, and moral growth in the Indian education system.

Research on the reasons and ways that successful entrepreneurs benefit society

Successful entrepreneurs such as Warren Buffett and Jack Ma have built thriving businesses and donated a portion of their earnings to charitable organizations that promote education, health care, and the environment. This paper first theoretically explores how successful business people benefit society by making and spending money. Then, this paper takes Chinese listed companies that have generated positive accounting profits in the past three years as samples to explore the relationship between environmental investment and intangible assets of listed companies and empirically verifies whether CEOs increase CSR investment out of strategic motives. Regression results show that when environmental investment increases by 1%, intangible assets of listed companies increase by 0.053%, indicating that CEOs may benefit others strategically to maximize the wealth of stakeholders and increase profits. Therefore, this paper finally draws the conclusion that successful business people not only make a positive contribution to society but also benefit the whole society. They fulfill their social responsibility by supporting global health, development, and sustainability programs, and the modern economy is critical to incentivizing this philanthropy.

The Digitized Memory Clinic.

Several major challenges, including an ageing population and declining workforce and the implementation of recent breakthrough therapies for Alzheimer disease, are prompting a necessary rethink of how people with neurodegenerative dementias are diagnosed and medically managed. Digital health technologies could play a pivotal part in this transformation, with new advances enabling the collection of millions of data points from a single individual. Possible applications include unobtrusive monitoring that aids early detection of disease and artificial intelligence-based health advice. To translate these advances to meaningful benefits for people living with a disease, technologies must be implemented within a system that retains the physician expert as a central figure in decision-making. This Perspective presents a new framework, termed the Digitized Memory Clinic, for the diagnostic pathway of neurodegenerative dementias that incorporates digital health technologies with currently available assessment tools, such as fluid and imaging biomarkers, in an interplay with the physician. The Digitized Memory Clinic will manage people across the entire disease spectrum, from the detection of risk factors for cognitive decline and the earliest symptoms to dementia, and will replace the present paradigm of a pure 'brick-and-mortar' memory clinic. Important ethical, legal and societal barriers associated with the implementation of digital health technologies in memory clinics need to be addressed. The envisioned Digitized Memory Clinic aims to improve diagnostics and enable precise disease-tracking prognostication for individuals with memory disorders and to open new possibilities, such as precision medicine for prevention and treatment.

Understanding Christian translation and its missiological relevance

Christian translation is integral to Christian missions that benefit the ingenious people and the gospel. Among early missionary activities, translations of the Bible to vernacular language have tremendous implications for the gospel propagation. Its roots are well spelt out in the early church, which endorsed Christianity as a universal faith. The researchers observe the historical and missiological perspective of Bible translation. They used library materials and internet sources to explain the meaning of translation, such as explaining a text language in the context of the recipients. This article contains a biblical basis for Bible translations, as it was from the early scriptures, and it concludes by explaining the relevance of Christian translation in terms of literacy, preservation of culture and freedom from slavery, among others. Christian translation has helped to create different versions of the Bible; the New Testament alone is available in 1551 languages out of over 7100 languages worldwide. Christian translation shows that Christian missionaries are not another form of a colonising agency because their activities resulted in actions that led to the end of colonisation in many parts of Africa. The author used a descriptive research method for this article.Contribution: From the analysis, Christian translation is a vital part of Christian missions that has many benefits for the ingenious people by preserving their cultural practices and language, among others. It also made Christianity not to be perceived as a foreign religion that has no link with the African Belief system. Christians are to seek to translate more materials, especially the Bible, into other peoples’ languages to have a lasting impact on the indigenous people.

An ethnobotanical study of medicinal and wild food plants in Kırşehir (Türkiye)

This study compiles information regarding the use of certain plants found in Kırşehir and its surrounding regions in the Central Anatolia Region in folk medicine and other ethnobotanical characteristics. A total of 180 people participated in this study. Face-to-face interviews were conducted with the participants. As a result of the study, demographic characteristics of the participants, types of medicinal plant used by the people of the region, preparation techniques, usage patterns and frequency were determined. Local people benefit from 80 plants belonging to 28 families. The most commonly encountered medicinal plant family was Asteraceae (22 taxa). Twenty-two disease categories were identified in which traditional medicinal plants were used. Local people frequently use medicinal plants for the treatment of various diseases. These include dermatologic ailments (ICF 0.87), hematology issues (ICF 0.98), high cholesterol (ICF 0.98), gastrointestinal problems (ICF 0.88). Medicinal plants are also employed for treating cancer (ICF 0.95), hand tremors (ICF 1.00), cataracts (ICF 1.00), and gonorrhea (ICF 1.00), and kidney stones (ICF 1.00). The highest UV was found for Mentha arvensis and M. pulegium. This research is important in terms of transferring traditional knowledge to future generations. Moreover, the findings obtained should be investigated in fields such as pharmacology and phytotherapy.

Advancing Global Climate and Biodiversity Goals Through Regenerative Tourism

Tourism has a particular responsibility to contribute to climate and biodiversity goals because of its intense use of long-range transport and its strong dependence on natural capital as an asset. Tourism is a major contributor to the global economy, but also to greenhouse gas emissions. The severe impacts of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic on the tourism sector triggered a search for enhanced resilience, replacing the past paradigm of “boosterism”, and the dominant paradigm of “sustainable tourism”. Sustainable tourism is no longer sufficient, and a shift towards a new paradigm of regenerative tourism is needed to address the environmental and societal challenges faced by the tourism industry. Here, the evidence pointing at the rise of regenerative tourism as a new paradigm is reviewed, the differential goals of regenerative, relative to sustainable tourism, are defined and actions along five domains of action are identified that can help tourism destinations embrace the transition toward the regenerative tourism paradigm. Regenerative tourism seeks to enhance the natural, cultural and social capital of destinations while creating net positive benefits for people and the planet. It emphasizes collaboration with local communities and an ambitious and holistic approach to sustainability, going beyond reducing negative impacts to creating positive ones. Regenerative tourism aligns the industry, the Paris Agreement, and the Convention on Biological Diversity, while advancing the delivery of the Sustainable Development Goals. The transition to regenerative tourism requires investments in technology and innovation, transparent collaboration, and a holistic focus on well-being for both people and the planet.

Falling behind again? Characterizing and assessing older adults' algorithm literacy in interactions with video recommendations

AbstractAlgorithms play a significant role in shaping our experiences of interacting with intelligent information systems but also inherit and amplify data biases, potentially leading to unfair decisions or discriminatory outcomes. This motivates us to investigate users' algorithm literacy, which covers the awareness and knowledge of algorithms and the skills to intervene in the operations of personalization algorithms when interacting with recommendation systems. Since vulnerable groups are more likely to suffer from the negative consequences of algorithmic decision‐making, investigating algorithm literacy among such groups is critical. This study aims to examine older adults' algorithm literacy, who are often considered a vulnerable group and labeled as digital laggards in contemporary information society. The empirical evidence collected from 21 participants in in‐depth interviews and cognitive mapping studies demonstrated that almost all participants are algorithm‐aware to some extent and identified (1) three types of information and sources collected by algorithms in user understanding, (2) two paradigms of how respondents understand personalized recommendations, and (3) two sets of strategies they develop to employ algorithms for improving user experience. The findings shed light on designing human‐centered intelligent information systems for unbiased personalization and developing a more inclusive AI‐assisted society that equally benefits people of all ages.

Using nature-based solutions to improve coastal resilience

As Nature-Based Solutions (NBS) are implemented more widely, it is essential to be clear in our definition of NBS and understand the performance of the various approaches. In this paper we focus on Coastal NBS which involve using natural features to offer or improve coastal protection while producing additional economic, environmental, and social benefits. We illustrate that there are a broad range of solutions spanning the creation of large expanses of habitats, hybrids of habitats and harder engineered structures, and ecological enhancements of existing infrastructure. The performance of these different approaches varies widely, and not all NBS are low-cost or self-maintaining. In many instances, the capacity for sedimentary habitats to self-maintain will depend on sediment availability, a factor that needs to be considered in the whole life costs of these approaches. The incorporation of habitat components can, however, bring multiple benefits for both nature and people. Implemented correctly, Coastal NBS therefore have the potential to be ‘no regret’ solutions in many locations.

Social Functioning of People with HIV/ AIDS (PLWHA) Receiving Antiretroviral Therapy in the City of Bengkulu

The problem in the research is the low number of people with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) who take antiretroviral drug therapy in Bengkulu City. This occurs because of shame and fear of being stigmatized and discriminated against if other people find out about their status, causing their social functioning to be disrupted (Social Dyscpunction). The purpose of the study was to determine the benefits of antiretroviral drug therapy for people with HIV/AIDS (ODHA) in Bengkulu City on their social functioning. The research uses applied research methods, this research approach uses qualitative research. The research informants were 8 people with HIV/AIDS (ODHA), determined by the snowball sampling technique because the group or person as an informant could not be identified. Data collection techniques include observation, in-depth interviews, and documentation. The results of the research show that there are many benefits for people with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) who take antiretroviral drug therapy in terms of their social functioning. The physical condition is healthier because antiretroviral drug therapy makes the immune system of PLWHA stable so that the development of viruses can be prevented. Psychologically, people with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) become better because the therapy process provides a lot of knowledge about HIV/AIDS, thus eliminating fear and worry about the disease they suffer from, ultimately making PLWHA more confident and able to socialize and be able to carry out their social roles or functions. Based on the results of the research, researchers recommend that PLWHA with new status should immediately undergo antiretroviral drug therapy. It is also necessary to carry out interventions to empower families to always provide support to PLWHA, and make efforts to prevent and treat depression problems so that PLWHA remains empowered.

Re-envisioning par for the course: an assessment of desert golf sustainability from a landscape perspective

ABSTRACT Despite providing valuable ecosystem services (benefits people derive from nature), desert golf courses consume enormous amounts of water and can exacerbate water scarcity in drylands. Yet, few studies have assessed the sustainability of desert golf from a landscape sustainability perspective, which centers on the linkages among landscape pattern, ecosystem services, and human well-being. Focusing on the Phoenix Metropolitan Area (PMA) of USA, a global golf epicenter, this study investigated the relationships among golf course spatial pattern, water use, ecosystem services, and environmental justice. Our analysis revealed that there are 210 golf courses in the PMA, together making up roughly 3.5% of total regional water demand. Furthermore, we found that people from high-income brackets have greater access to the benefits provided by golf courses than those in low-income brackets. To improve desert golf sustainability, we need to design courses that use less water and provide a wider range of ecosystem services beyond the game of golf, including climate regulating services and cultural services. Golf courses should be considered explicitly in sustainable landscape design, with particular emphasis on the diversity and accessibility of ecosystem services they provide in a regional context.

Neural effects of multisensory dance training in Parkinson's disease: evidence from a longitudinal neuroimaging single case study.

Dance is associated with beneficial outcomes in motor and non-motor domains in Parkinson's disease (PD) and regular participation may help delay symptom progression in mild PD. However, little is known about the neurobiological mechanisms of dance interventions for PD. The present case study explored potential neuroplastic changes in a 69-year-old male with mild PD participating in regular dance classes over 29 weeks. Functional MRI was performed at four timepoints (pre-training, 11 weeks, 18 weeks, 29 weeks), where the individual imagined a dance choreography while listening to the corresponding music. Neural activity was compared between dance-imagery and fixation blocks at each timepoint. Analysis of functionally defined regions revealed significant blood-oxygen-level-dependent (BOLD) signal activation in the supplementary motor area, right and left superior temporal gyri and left and right insula, with modulation of these regions observed over the training period except for the left insula. The results suggest the potential for dance to induce neuroplastic changes in people with PD in regions associated with motor planning and learning, auditory processing, rhythm, emotion, and multisensory integration. The findings are consistent with dance being a multimodal therapeutic activity that could provide long-term benefits for people with PD.

Inflammatory Trajectory of Type 2 Diabetes: Novel Opportunities for Early and Late Treatment.

Low-grade inflammation (LGI) represents a key driver of type 2 diabetes (T2D) and its associated cardiovascular diseases (CVDs). Indeed, inflammatory markers such as hs-CRP and IL-6 predict the development of T2D and its complications, suggesting that LGI already increases before T2D diagnosis and remains elevated even after treatment. Overnutrition, unhealthy diets, physical inactivity, obesity, and aging are all recognized triggers of LGI, promoting insulin resistance and sustaining the pathogenesis of T2D. Once developed, and even before frank appearance, people with T2D undergo a pathological metabolic remodeling, with an alteration of multiple CVD risk factors, i.e., glycemia, lipids, blood pressure, and renal function. In turn, such variables foster a range of inflammatory pathways and mechanisms, e.g., immune cell stimulation, the accrual of senescent cells, long-lasting epigenetic changes, and trained immunity, which are held to chronically fuel LGI at the systemic and tissue levels. Targeting of CVD risk factors partially ameliorates LGI. However, some long-lasting inflammatory pathways are unaffected by common therapies, and LGI burden is still increased in many T2D patients, a phenomenon possibly underlying the residual inflammatory risk (i.e., having hs-CRP > 2 mg/dL despite optimal LDL cholesterol control). On the other hand, selected disease-modifying drugs, e.g., GLP-1RA, seem to also act on the pathogenesis of T2D, curbing the inflammatory trajectory of the disease and possibly preventing it if introduced early. In addition, selected trials demonstrated the potential of canonical anti-inflammatory therapies in reducing the rate of CVDs in patients with this condition or at high risk for it, many of whom had T2D. Since colchicine, an inhibitor of immune cell activation, is now approved for the prevention of CVDs, it might be worth exploring a possible therapeutic paradigm to identify subjects with T2D and an increased LGI burden to treat them with this drug. Upcoming studies will reveal whether disease-modifying drugs reverse early T2D by suppressing sources of LGI and whether colchicine has a broad benefit in people with this condition.

Political Participation Among Scheduled Castes: A Study on West Godavari District, Andhra Pradesh

Political Participation Among Scheduled Castes: A Study on West Godavari District, Andhra Pradesh “One of the penalties for refusing to participate in politics is that you end up being governed by your inferiors”. ―Plato “Plato had no perception of the uniqueness of every individual, of his incommensurability with others, of each individual as forming a class of his own. He had no recognition of the infinite diversity of active tendencies, and the combination of tendencies of which an individual is capable.” ― Dr. B. R. Ambedkar, Annihilation of Caste KONDAPALLI SRINIVASU, M.A. Research Scholar Department of Political Science and Public Administration Andhra University, Visakhapatnam PETETI PREMANANDAM M.A., B.L., B.Lisc., PGDSM., Ph.D. Professor and Head of the Department Department of Political Science and Public Administration Andhra University, Visakhapatnam ABSTRACT India's democracy is the largest among countries in the world. The National Election Commission Report of India listed 900 million eligible voters, 468 million male and 432 million female. These Indian voters were spread over 29 states. A notable element of the 2019, 17th Lok Sabha Election was the participation of 15 million first-time voters aged 18–19. Only 14.39 percent of the 2019 Parliament was female, with 78 MPs. In comparison, 85.61 percent of the group was male (464). General Elections 2019, the National Election Planner, reports 3,66,61,315 Andhra Pradesh voters. According to NEP data, AP has 18,123,437 men, 18,474,714 women, and 3,745 others as voters. The Electoral Roll 2019 contains 56,908 services and 2,511 abroad Indian electors. Female voters grew by 3,51,277, or 1.93 percent. Andhra Pradesh has 539,804 18–19-year-old voters. Political engagement and understanding are essential to any political system. These tools make voters efficient and link them to politics. The International Encyclopaedia of Social Sciences defines political involvement as the main way a democracy grants or revokes consent and holds power accountable to the people. It includes voting, acquiring information, discussing and persuading, attending meetings, donating, and communicating with representatives. Democracy and political participation are linked. Participation lets citizens express their interests. It fosters national stability and organization. It maximizes benefits for most people. Scholars define political participation differently depending on how they understand the different sorts of political activity. Growth generally requires involvement. The UNDP's "Human Development Report 1993" lists four interconnected forms of involvement: family, economic, socio-cultural, and political.

The Impact of Local and Foreign Investments on the Domestic Development on an International Scale on Social Equality and Environmental Support (Green Governance) of the Indonesian People

This study examines the impact of foreign and local investors’ interference in the national development as a form of President Joko Widodo’s government program on social equality and environmental support for Indonesia’s lower-level communities. Joko Widodo as the Indonesian President since the beginning of his term initiated infrastructure development throughout Indonesia, inviting foreign and local investors. These investors can rapidly raise the value of the Indonesian economy. The high value of the Indonesian economy also hurts various communities, especially on the social level of Indonesian society. Social equality in Indonesia has not achieved a balanced value among its people, which leads to social inequality in all aspects of social welfare of the Indonesian people.. Environmental support for people who experience social inequality is not achieved, this can be viewed in terms of shelter, food, clean water intake, and several other aspects that do not support the lives of people with social inequality. This research aims to realize how influential investors and the development of the Indonesian nation are on their communities, especially among the lower level who are not reached by the Indonesian government as a form of support for environmental welfare. The study recommends investors make breakthroughs that provide benefits for people with low social levels so that they do not experience further deterioration in life, the government must also play an effective role in realizing decent environmental support (green environment) to achieve social equality. Keywords: green environment, social equality, interference of foreign investors, interference of local investors

7519 Withdrawal of DCCR (Diazoxide Choline) Extended-Release Tablets Worsens Hyperphagia and Increases Weight and BMI in a 16-week Double-blind, Placebo-controlled, Randomized Withdrawal Period in Patients with Prader Willi Syndrome

Abstract Disclosure: E.F. Gevers: Advisory Board Member; Self; Pfizer, Inc., Soleno. Research Investigator; Self; Soleno Therapeutics, Inc.. Speaker; Self; Pfizer, Inc., Novo Nordisk, Soleno Therapeutics, Inc. J.L. Miller: Research Investigator; Self; Soleno Therapeutics, Inc. N.A. Bridges: Research Investigator; Self; Soleno Therapeutics, Inc. E.I. Felner: Research Investigator; Self; Soleno Therapeutics, Inc. P. Salehi: Research Investigator; Self; Soleno Therapeutics, Inc. D. Stevenson: Research Investigator; Self; Soleno Therapeutics, Inc. J. Yanovski: Research Investigator; Self; Soleno Therapeutics, Inc. L. Bird: Research Investigator; Self; Soleno Therapeutics, Inc. V. Kimonis: Research Investigator; Self; Soleno Therapeutics, Inc. A.H. Shoemaker: Research Investigator; Self; Soleno Therapeutics, Inc. K.S. Obrynba: Research Investigator; Self; Soleno Therapeutics, Inc. M. Lah: Research Investigator; Self; Soleno Therapeutics, Inc. E. Littlejohn: Research Investigator; Self; Soleno Therapeutics, Inc. N. Cowen: Employee; Self; Soleno Therapeutics, Inc.. Stock Owner; Self; Soleno Therapeutics, Inc. N. Cowen: Employee; Self; Soleno Therapeutics, Inc.. Stock Owner; Self; Soleno Therapeutics, Inc. K. Yen: Employee; Self; Soleno Therapeutics, Inc.. Stock Owner; Self; Soleno Therapeutics, Inc. S. Ballal: Employee; Self; Soleno Therapeutics, Inc.. Stock Owner; Self; Soleno Therapeutics, Inc. P. Hirano: Employee; Self; Soleno Therapeutics, Inc.. Stock Owner; Self; Soleno Therapeutics, Inc. M. Huang: Employee; Self; Soleno Therapeutics, Inc.. Stock Owner; Self; Soleno Therapeutics, Inc. A. Bhatnagar: Employee; Self; Soleno Therapeutics, Inc.. Stock Owner; Self; Soleno Therapeutics, Inc.. Background: Prader-Willi syndrome (PWS) is a rare genetic neurobehavioral-metabolic disease characterized by hyperphagia, endocrinopathies, weight gain, hypotonia, behavioral problems, and an increased risk of mortality and reduced life expectancy. There are currently no approved treatments for hyperphagia in PWS. Diazoxide choline extended-release (DCCR) is a novel, once daily oral therapy being developed for the treatment of PWS. Herein, we present results of the Randomized Withdrawal Period (RWP) of Clinical Study C602, a long-term treatment study of DCCR in people with PWS. Objectives and Methods: This was a 16-week multi-center, double-blind, placebo-controlled RWP that enrolled participants ≥4 years of age who were actively enrolled in the open label period of Clinical Study C602 and had received 2-4 years of DCCR treatment (target dose: ≥3.3 mg/kg; optimal range: 4.2-5.8 mg/kg) at the time of RWP entry. RWP-eligible participants were randomized 1:1 to continue DCCR or withdraw from DCCR and receive Placebo. The primary objective was to evaluate the effect of continued DCCR administration versus Placebo on hyperphagia based on the change in Hyperphagia Questionnaire for Clinical Trials (HQ-CT) Total Score from Baseline to Week 16. Additional endpoints included: the Clinical Global Impression of Severity (CGI-S) and Clinical Global Impression of Improvement (CGI-I) at Week 16; changes in body composition (weight, BMI, and BMI z-scores) at Week 16; and the safety profile of DCCR. Results: DCCR (n=38) and Placebo (n=39) groups were generally balanced for demographic and baseline characteristics. At Week 16, a statistically significant difference in change from baseline in HQ-CT Total Score was observed between DCCR and Placebo groups with HQ-CT Total Scores increasing markedly (indicating worsening hyperphagia) in the Placebo group compared to the DCCR group (LSMean difference [SE] -5.0 [1.57], p=0.002). CGI-S and CGI-I showed trends towards worsening in the Placebo group versus the DCCR group (p=0.079 and 0.092, respectively). The Placebo group also experienced significantly greater increases in weight, BMI, and BMI z-scores (p=0.035, 0.034, and 0.023, respectively) than the DCCR group. DCCR was well-tolerated, with no new or unexpected safety signals, and no serious adverse events or discontinuations due to adverse events in the DCCR group. Conclusions: In this 16-week RWP, the Placebo group experienced significant worsening in hyperphagia and increases in body weight, BMI, and BMI z-scores, along with worsening trends for the CGI-S and CGI-I, compared to the DCCR group. DCCR was well tolerated, with a safety profile that was consistent with prior experience. These data suggest treatment with DCCR may lead to clinical benefits in people with PWS by reducing hyperphagia and improving body composition. Presentation: 6/2/2024

Could mandatory open access to sound insulation performance in housing promote "visibility" of acoustic quality?

Danish Health and Morbidity Surveys representing the population show that ~36% of people in multi-storey housing are annoyed by neighbour noise. National building regulations have existed since 1961 and included sound insulation limits, but complaints to housing organizations and builders appear for both old and new housing. A detailed analysis of national survey results shows that for occupants in multi-storey housing, a strong association exists between self-reported neighbour noise annoyance and various health issues. Building constructions have changed over time and consequently acoustic performance. The Danish standard DS 490 has six acoustic quality classes A-F representing housing built from before year 1900 until now, class C being minimum for new housing. Acoustic quality is invisible. However, the purpose of classification is enabling "visibility", but such information is typically unavailable. With mandatory acoustic classification for new and renovated dwellings, negative "surprises", when moving into new/renovated apartments could be foreseen. While prospective buyers and tenant organizations support acoustic labelling, strong resistance appears from e.g. real estate agents, and contractors. The paper presents advantages of acoustic quality transparency as well as resistance and also provides suggested steps towards implementation to the benefit of people moving to new places or understanding their current situation.

The Growth of Food Aid in Sweden – How Demand and Supply are Transforming Charitable Organisations

Abstract The purpose of this article is to describe and analyse the growth in food aid in Sweden, and how it affects the non-profit organisations providing it. The particular type of food aid in focus is large-scale collaborations between charitable non-profit organisations and the food industry, through which food surplus is turned into food aid for people in food insecurity. The first examples of such food aid emerged less than 10 years ago in Sweden, but it has since experienced a dramatic growth. The development in Sweden follows a pattern known from many other European countries, with the exception that it is going faster, as if Sweden is catching up. This makes food aid in Sweden an interesting case for an empirical study. The article is based on an interview study performed in 2022. Staff and managers at two large, national organisations were interviewed about how the rapid growth in food aid has affected their work and the institutional logics of their organisations. They also provided their thoughts on the role of food aid in Swedish society. One of the main findings is that the growth in food aid bring both the benefit of more people in need receiving help, and the challenge of strain as well as concerns regarding ethics and mission drift in the organisations. Another finding is that the growth is driven by both a growth in demand for food aid, but also by a growth in supply of food from the charities and their corporate partnerships.

Glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists and kidney outcomes.

Glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1RAs) have gained increasing attention for their potential benefits in people with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) with chronic kidney disease (CKD). Most supportive evidence of a kidney-protective effect of the GLP-1RA class of medications has been derived from kidney-related outcomes reported from cardiovascular outcome trials (CVOTs). GLP-1RAs have been shown to reduce albuminuria, mitigate cardiovascular risk, and possibly attenuate estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) decline. The kidney-protective effects of GLP-1RAs are thought to be attributed to their anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and vasodilatory properties. Despite these promising findings, the use of GLP-RAs has yet to be definitively shown to slow progression to chronic kidney failure in people with T2DM. The Research Study to See How Semaglutide Works Compared to Placebo in People With Type 2 Diabetes and Chronic Kidney Disease (FLOW trial) is the first major trial assessing the potential of a GLP-1RA to slow progression of kidney disease in people with established CKD to clinically important kidney end points. On March 5, 2024, the top line result from FLOW was announced with semaglutide 1.0 mg being reported to reduce the primary end point of the trial by a significant 24% compared with placebo. Here, we summarize the kidney outcomes reported from CVOTs for the GLP-1RA class of medication and briefly describe kidney outcomes from other major GLP-1RAs trials. We also discuss a potential role of the dual GLP-1/glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP) receptor agonist, tirzepatide, as a kidney-protective agent.

Income or Leisure? On the Hidden Benefits of (Un)Employment

Do unemployed people benefit from more free time, while consumption is the sole motive for employed people to accept a life with less available time? Does this apply equally to men and women? To inform ongoing policy debates on how to address the problem of unemployment, we provide a comprehensive discussion of the traditionally assumed trade-off between income and leisure in labor supply decisions, which has been contested for a variety of reasons. Using rich German panel data, we compare non-employed individuals after plant closures with employed individuals regarding their subjective well-being obtained from time use and income. We find that increased non-working time through unemployment translates into higher free-time satisfaction, while also improving satisfaction with family life, as a possible hidden benefit of being unemployed when having more time for home production. Meanwhile, there is a strong decline in satisfaction with household income, especially among unemployed men, which cannot be explained solely by a lower level of income. We inspect the role of social norms in this context and argue that individuals obtain identity utility through having a job that ensures being self-sufficient, as a hidden benefit of employment. Based on studying unemployed workers transitions into retirement and a separately conducted survey experiment, we provide strong evidence on the importance of the social norm of earning a living from work. Our experiment also shows that home production is a way of mitigating the pressure to comply with this norm, which is true for men and women alike.

Physical therapy in patients with Parkinson's disease treated with Deep Brain Stimulation: a Delphi panel study.

Although deep brain stimulation of the subthalamic nucleus (STN-DBS) induces motor benefits in people with Parkinson's disease (PwPD), the size and duration of the effects of STN-DBS on motor axial (e.g., postural instability, trunk posture alterations) and gait impairments (e.g., freezing of gait - FOG) are still ambiguous. Physical therapy (PT) effectively complements pharmacological treatment to improve postural stability, gait performance, and other dopamine-resistant symptoms (e.g. festination, hesitation, axial motor dysfunctions, and FOG) in PwPD who are non-surgically treated. Despite the potential for positive adjuvant effects of PT following STN-DBS surgery, there is a paucity of science available on the topic. In such a scenario, gathering the opinion and expertise of leading investigators worldwide was pursued to study motor rehabilitation in PwPD following STN-DBS. After summarizing the few available findings through a systematic review, we identified clinical and academically experienced DBS clinicians (n=21) to discuss the challenges related to PT following STN-DBS. A 5-point Likert scale questionnaire was used and based on the results of the systematic review along with a Delphi method. Thirty-nine questions were submitted to the panel - half related to general considerations on PT following STN-DBS, half related to PT treatments. Despite the low-to-moderate quality, the few available rehabilitative studies suggested that PT could improve dynamic and static balance, gait performance and posture. Similarly, panellists strongly agreed that PT might help in improving motor symptoms and quality of life, and it may be possibly prescribed to maximize the effects of the stimulation. The experts agreed that physical therapists could be part of the multidisciplinary team taking care of the patients. Also, they agreed on prescribing of conventional PT, but not massage or manual therapy. Our results will inform the rehabilitation and the DBS community to engage, publish and deepen this area of research. Such efforts may spark guidelines for PT following STN-DBS.