Public Authorities Research Articles

The role of SAI in the context of war: evidence from Ukraine

PurposeThe purpose of this article is to enrich the knowledge of international practitioners and academics on the role of the Supreme Audit Institution (SAI) under substantial crisis conditions. For this, we analyse the case of the Ukrainian SAI affected by the war.Design/methodology/approachThis is a viewpoint of Ukrainian practitioners and academics that is built on official documentation and reports, as well as experiences of practitioners directly engaged in the activities of the SAI.FindingsThis study shows the role of the Ukrainian SAI before the war and discusses how it has changed during the war and what have been the main challenges. The multi-faceted challenges faced by the Ukrainian SAI (staff shortages, disrupted operations, limited access to documents, and increased focus on defence and humanitarian audits) caused a shift towards risk-based approaches, accelerated adoption of the International Standards of Supreme Audit Institutions (ISSAI) and strengthened international collaboration. We forecast that the role of the SAI will become even more prominent in the future reconstruction phase.Practical implicationsUsing Ukrainian experience as a case, the paper exemplifies actions required to maintain public accountability and governance, even amidst significant disruption and uncertainty.Originality/valueTo our knowledge, this is the first practitioners’ paper written about the experience of SAIs operating under war conditions.

A renewable light unto the nations? Modelling the limits of culturally appealing climate frames: a case study from Israel

ABSTRACT This study examines why some climate frames lose their discursive dominance over time despite successfully appealing to the cultural values and beliefs of the target audience. It argues that while ‘cultural climate frames’ are more effective in garnering public attention than frames emphasizing the science of climate change, they eventually lose strength if the value they promote no longer applies to the material context in which they communicate. The article uses Israel as its case study to examine why it officially abandoned its pro-climate policy in 2015 after enthusiastically promoting it since 2007. Critical discourse analysis of 58 semi-structured interviews with key policy actors, five public opinion surveys, media coverage, and government protocols identifies ten distinct frames that dominate Israeli climate discourse. It points to the ‘climate techno-opportunity’ framing as the most prominent among the ten frames due to its strong cultural appeal to both secular and religious Jewish audiences that commonly view Israel as a ‘start-up nation’ or as a ‘light unto the nations.’ The framing, however, ultimately lacked scientific validity or the resilience to survive the high-profile bankruptcies of several Israeli cleantech companies, and Israel’s 2010 natural gas discoveries that provided a quicker solution to Israel’s energy sector.

Effectiveness of Nirsevimab Immunoprophylaxis Against Respiratory Syncytial Virus-related Outcomes in Hospital Care Settings: A Seasonal Cohort Study of Infants in Catalonia (Spain).

In Catalonia, infants <6 months old were eligible to receive nirsevimab, a novel monoclonal antibody against respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). We aimed to analyze nirsevimab's effectiveness in hospital-related outcomes of the seasonal cohort (born during the RSV epidemic from October to January 2024) and compared them with the catch-up cohort (born from April to September 2023). Retrospective cohort study of all infants born between October 1, 2023, and January 21, 2024, according to their immunization with nirsevimab (immunized and nonimmunized). We followed individuals until the earliest of an outcome-hospital emergency visits, hospital admission or pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) admission due to RSV-associated or all-causes bronchiolitis-death or the end of the study. We used the Kaplan-Meier estimator and fitted Cox regression models using a calendar time scale to estimate hazard ratios (HRs) and their 95% confidence interval (CI). Sensitivity analysis was performed through matching. Among 15,341 infants, a dose of nirsevimab led to an adjusted HR for hospital admission, PICU admission and emergency visits due to RSV bronchiolitis of 0.26 (95% CI: 0.17-0.39), 0.15 (95% CI: 0.07-0.28) and 0.46 (95% CI: 0.23-0.90), respectively. For all-causes bronchiolitis, the former adjusted HRs were 0.45 (95% CI: 0.31-0.63), 0.23 (95% CI: 0.13-0.41) and 0.49 (95% CI: 0.35-0.68), respectively. Nirsevimab was associated with reductions of 74% and 85% hospitalizations and PICU admissions regarding RSV-associated bronchiolitis, respectively. These percentages are slightly lower than those for the catch-up cohort. This information may help the implementation of RSV-immunization campaigns by public health authorities.

Characterizing Household Perceived Evacuation Behaviors in the United States During the COVID-19 Pandemic: 2020-2021.

Evacuation can reduce morbidity and mortality by ensuring households are safely out of the path of, and ensuing impacts from, a disaster. Our goal was to characterize potential evacuation behaviors among a nationally representative sample. We added 10 questions to the existing Porter Novelli's (PN) ConsumerStyles surveys in Fall 2020, Spring 2021, and Fall 2021.We conducted a weighted analysis using SAS 9.4 to examine distributions and estimate associations of potential evacuation behaviors of each survey separately. When asked about barriers to evacuation if public authorities announced a mandatory evacuation because of a large-scale disaster, ~7% reported nothing would prevent them from evacuating. Over half of respondents across the 3 surveys (51.1%-52.4%) had no preparedness plans, and almost two-thirds of respondents (63.7%-66.2%) did not have an emergency supply kit. Knowing potential evacuation behaviors can help frame messages and provide a starting point for interventions to improve disaster preparedness and response. Overall, data show that there is much work to be done regarding evacuation behaviors and overall preparedness in the United States. These data can be used to tailor public messaging and work with partners to increase knowledge about evacuation.

The environmental committee: corruption, accountability and sustainable supply chain transparency

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to investigate whether public governance quality (i.e. control of corruption and voice and accountability) and corporate governance strength (i.e. environmental committee existence) are influential in stimulating supply chain transparency and how these two governance characteristics interact in enhancing supply chain transparency.Design/methodology/approachOur investigation draws on a sample of 25,096 firm-year observations affiliated with the manufacturing industry in 50 countries and executes country-year fixed effects.FindingsWe find that the strength of control of corruption, voice and accountability is positively associated with supply chain transparency, supporting institutional theory. Furthermore, the environmental committee’s existence is positively related to sustainable supply chain transparency, confirming the upper echelons theory. The moderating analysis rejects the complementary effect but supports the substitution effect, confirming the negative moderating role of the environmental committee between the control of corruption and voice and accountability and sustainable supply chain transparency.Originality/valueNo empirical study has drawn on an international sample to (1) explicate the worldwide adoption of sustainable supply chain transparency, (2) link corruption and accountability to green supply chain transparency or (3) investigate how sustainable supply chain transparency is affected by the interplay of institutions and environmental management committees. Thus, we highlight the substitutive or complementary role of internal and external governance mechanisms in inciting firms toward greener supply chain management by developing a novel sustainable supply chain transparency index that draws on five indicators.

Labor Competencies in the Strengthening of Local Government Public Management in Peru: Towards Achieving SDG 16

Objective: The study examines how labor competencies encompass technical knowledge, soft skills, attitudes, and values that are fundamental for the modernization and improvement of local public management. The research aligns with Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 16, emphasizing effective, accountable, and inclusive institutions. Method: The methodology is a systematic literature review using academic databases such as Scopus, Web of Science, SciELO, and JSTOR, with specific inclusion and exclusion criteria for articles published between 2019 and 2024. Results and Discussion: The results reveal a significant gap between the required competencies and those currently possessed by many Peruvian local government officials, identifying challenges such as a shortage of trained technical cadres, clientelistic practices in hiring, lack of investment in continuous training, difficulties in retaining talent, and weaknesses in competency assessment. Conclusion: The study proposes a framework for implementing competency systems tailored to Peru’s local realities, supporting the design of development programs, recruitment systems, and performance evaluations. It highlights the potential of aligning these initiatives with SDG 16 to enhance institutional effectiveness and public trust. Research Implications: The article suggests future lines of research, including comparative studies and analysis of the impact of technology on competency management in local governments.

ФІНАНСОВІ ІНСТРУМЕНТИ ЯК ВАЖЛИВА ДОМІНАНТА ЗАБЕЗПЕЧЕННЯ ІНКЛЮЗИВНОГО РОЗВИТКУ ТЕРИТОРІАЛЬНИХ ГРОМАД

Introduction. In the context of the latest transformational challenges, the problem of ensuring inclusive development of territorial communities is becoming increasingly relevant, and it is advisable to develop innovative approaches to the use of financial instruments in managing socio-economic development at the local level. The purpose of the article is to develop the conceptual framework for the use of financial instruments by public authorities as a means of management to ensure the inclusive development of territorial communities. Methods. The methodology of the study is based on the use of dialectical and process approaches, methods of induction and deduction, analysis and synthesis - when considering the content and specification of the essence of the concept of “inclusive development of territorial communities” and determining the imperative of this type of socio-economic development; structural and functional approach and methods of theoretical generalization, scientific abstraction, systematization, argumentation - to develop a conceptual model of the use of financial instruments as a dominant factor in ensuring inclusive development of territorial communities. Results. Based on the generalization of scientific views and the use of the process approach, the author's own definition of the concept of “inclusive development of territorial communities” is formed. The study of the key aspects of the concepts of inclusive development, barrier-free, integrated and sustainable development, and current global challenges and threats made it possible to outline the imperatives of inclusive development of territorial communities that should be taken into account by public authorities when choosing financial instruments. The use of the structural-functional approach made it possible to consider financial instruments for the inclusive development of territorial communities as a means of managing socio-economic phenomena and processes, which result in the implementation of the principles of financial policy aimed at the inclusive development of territorial communities. The article reveals the dualistic nature of the impact of financial instruments for inclusive development of territorial communities on the object of management from the standpoint of their provisioning, allocative and regulatory effects. Conclusions. Financial instruments are an important dominant of the inclusive development of territorial communities. It is through the dualistic nature of their impact on the object of management, taking into account the imperative of inclusive development, the priorities of the State regional policy and strategies for the development of territorial communities, that the goal of managing socio-economic development at the local level is achieved.

CASE REPORT ON TWO CONSECUTIVE PATIENTS WITH NEUROINVASIVE WEST NILE VIRUS INFECTION IN AN INTENSIVE CARE UNIT

We present the clinical course, and treatment of two consecutive cases of neuroinvasive West Nile virus (WNV) infection in the Clinic of Intensive Care, an Intensive Care Unit (ICU) at the Military Medical Academy - Sofia. Clinical and epidemiological data, microbiological, laboratory, molecular methods, and imaging techniques were used. Both patients resided in Sofia, Bulgaria, and had not travelled in recent months. The first case was a 60-year-old man who have had mental status changes, fever, and progression of existing Parkinson's disease. Antibodies to WNV were present in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). His condition worsened with the development of sepsis and respiratory failure and he ended up lethally. The second case was a 72-year-old man who had fever and lower dyspeptic syndrome for one week, mental status changes, with adynamia to inability to walk independently, and head, hand and tongue tremors. CSF analysis showed mild pleocytosis with proteinorachy. Antibodies to WNV were present in serum, and PCR for WNV in urine was positive. The patient was admitted to ICU due to worsened mental and neurological status, coma and development of acute respiratory failure, necessitating intubation and assisted pulmonary ventilation. The patient ended lethally 13 days later. Neuroinvasive WNV infection can cause substantial morbidity, particularly among older adults, and high mortality, in the presence of comorbidities. Physicians should include West Nile virus infection in the differential diagnosis of aseptic meningitis and encephalitis, should perform appropriate laboratory tests, and report immediately the cases to the public health authorities.

Right to Information in India: A Tool of Decentralised Democracy

The Right to Information (RTI) Act 2005 passed with great fanfare as a path-breaking legislation by the then government completed a journey of 19 years on 12th October, 2024. The Act empowered millions of people and kick-started their journey of an RTI application, evoking the concept of participatory citizenship. Without an iota of doubt, it can be said, ‘RTI has empowered the lay man to communicate directly with the public authority, squashing the practice of delivery of services by the authority, by challenging the practice of allotting the “middleman” the charge of disbursement of entitlements’ hence shifting from a ‘need based-approach to a rights-based approach to development. It has been observed through studies that the RTI has played an active role in checking public authority at the grassroots levels for any misappropriation of people’s money. However, the transformation in work culture, from secretive to openness, changing of minds of the public authorities as well as of the people, will definitely take a long time to bring RTI in practice to its full potential.

The value co-creation mechanism of Public Cultural Services ecosystem in China based on "public value" theory.

The establishment of China's public cultural service system has been explored for nearly two decades, but there is still a significant gap in achieving the goal of equalising and eliminating differences in public value, and it is urgent to systematically explore the public value governance issues contained in it. This paper presents a localised theoretical analysis framework based on the strategic triangle model of public value, with the objective of exploring the endogenous mechanism of China's public cultural services ecosystem (PCSE). Furthermore, it constructs a panel vector autoregression (PVAR) model from a dynamic endogenous perspective, employing the STATA 16.0 software package to conduct empirical tests. The empirical testing of the interactions between government attention (GA), cultural needs (CN) and public cultural services (PCS), as well as the regional heterogeneity, is based on data from 31 provinces and municipalities in mainland China for the period of 2008-2022. The findings are as follows: (1) The unified analysis framework reveals a significant positive mutual promotion relationship between GA and PCS. In contrast, the two-way promotion relationship between CN and PCS is weak, while the relationship between GA and PCS is unstable. (2) The results of the dynamic response analysis demonstrate significant regional disparities in the value co-creation path of public cultural services. The circular transfer of CN and PCS is more pronounced in the eastern region, while the central-western regions rely more on the circular transfer of GA and PCS. This study offers insights for central and local governments to reinforce the value co-creation foundation of a service-oriented government, explore a value co-creation pathway tailored to local conditions, and construct a contemporary public cultural services ecosystem guided by the value of common prosperity in spiritual life.

Legal Policy of Modern Russia in the Sphere of Patriotic Upbringing: Content and Key Prioritie

Introduction. One of the significant features of the mechanism of legal regulation in the 21st century is the inclusion of traditional Russian spiritual and moral values, one of which is patriotism, in the object field of legal regulation. Despite the very convincing grounds for this, the state, and, consequently, legal strategy in the sphere of preserving and strengthening traditional spiritual and moral values and patriotic upbringing, in particular, needs both conceptualization and systematization.Materials and methods. The presented study used both general scientific and specific scientific methods of cognition of the legal life of modern Russian society, among which we can highlight dialectical, structural-functional, systemic, formal-dogmatic, legal modeling, etc.The results of the study. The paper offers the author's vision of the essence and content of legal policy in the sphere of patriotic upbringing, demonstrates its significant potential in creating an effective mechanism for legal regulation of relations related to the formation of love and respect for the Motherland, a sense of loyalty to it, readiness to protect its interests and contribute to the strengthening and prosperity of the state. The key priorities of legal policy in the sphere of patriotic upbringing are formulated taking into account the challenges and threats that are relevant to Russia.Discussion and conclusion. The study substantiates the position that legal policy, being a strategic, systemic, multi-subject and scientifically substantiated activity in the field of law, allows not only to unite the efforts of both public authorities and civil society institutions in the creation and implementation of conditions for patriotic upbringing, but also to integrate into a single, comprehensive legal strategy law-making, law-implementation, law-interpretation, educational and other activities in the field of patriotic upbringing due to the fact that these areas of activity act as forms of implementation of the legal policy itself.

Knowledge is Power: An Explorative Study of Knowledge Work Among European Members of Parliament

The value of knowledge resources is widely recognized in both science and business, and knowledge management measures are increasingly being adopted in public authorities. However, parliaments, as core institutions of democratic systems, have thus far received scant attention in scientific studies. Furthermore, previous approaches fail to take into account the characteristics of the political system, such as elected offices, the relationship between government and opposition, or the lack of minimum qualifications for mandates. As a result, several studies consistently find that knowledge within parliament tends to be disorganized and lacking in transparency. This is unfortunate, as effective knowledge organization is crucial particularly for familiarizing oneself with unfamiliar topics without the necessary training. As part of an exploratory study, an international comparative study of knowledge management of all members of the 28 European national parliaments (including the EU Parliament) was initially carried out. Between May and June 2023, an online survey and several interviews were conducted as part of a mixed methods approach. Due to the very low response rate of only three percent, there is no claim to generalization and conclusions must be formulated with caution. Nevertheless, the results indicate that organizational and cultural barriers hinder effective knowledge work in parliament. The existing technical and human resources are insufficient to enable transparent and universal knowledge provision, while ideologies, career aspirations and electoral success further complicate the situation. A systematic approach to knowledge management has not yet been identified, leading to a shortage of resources and specialized knowledge to adequately process and utilize the vast amounts of information generated daily. Inexperienced MPs and opposition members, who are particularly dependent on reliable sources of information, are especially affected by these deficiencies. Without ignoring its limited power, this paper aims to make a modest contribution to the debate by presenting a first approach to a political knowledge management model. It highlights the need to raise awareness of knowledge management, develop a clear knowledge strategy and involve external expertise more. This research is of the opinion that a systematic approach to knowledge management can be established by integrating external expertise and IT-based solutions. Further research is needed, but knowledge management has the long-term potential to become a useful tool in parliamentary work by facilitating the necessary mentality change and thus contributing to a broader knowledge base.

Media reporting of industrial wastewater issues in Kenya

Scholars have acknowledged the public health risks associated with industrial wastewater. Kenya’s close to 5000 industries discharge large volumes of wastewater, but the authorities have barely enforced the law on industrial wastewater disposal and therefore neighborhoods remain exposed to the effects of poorly managed wastewater from the industries. This is an issue of public interest that public media should seek to highlight. This study investigated how Kenyan media, as a public watchdog, reported the issue of industrial wastewater and therefore whether media has been able to set the agenda. The study was guided by three main objectives: (a) How did the media cover the issue of industrial wastewater in Kenya between January 2010 and December 2014? (b) What are public perceptions of the issue of industrial wastewater and the media’s handling of the issue? (c) What is the link between public perception, government policy and media coverage of the issue of industrial wastewater in Kenya? The study employed a mixed methods approach, using content analysis for newspaper articles and survey study for public perception, and therefore the study generated both qualitative and quantitative data. The study found that Kenyan media reporting on issues of industrial wastewater was very infrequent, less detailed, and the articles were not so prominently displayed. Members of the public said they were unhappy with the media for not paying attention to the issue of industrial wastewater and most respondents said they no longer rely on traditional media for information on industrial wastewater. The public is frustrated with the authorities for failing to enforce the law on industrial wastewater disposal and the inability of the authorities to protect communities from harm. Since the public has opted to seek information elsewhere and not the traditional media, it is fair to argue that the media has failed to build the much-needed trust and confidence among its audience that would have enabled it to set the agenda on the issue of industrial wastewater. To win back the public and become effective on the issue, the media should increase the frequency of coverage, seek to display articles on industrial wastewater more prominently and do more to include the voices of the affected communities in their articles.

Формирование языковой личности сотрудника органов внутренних дел Российской Федерации

The modern image of a policeman in Russia seems to citizens to be fair and hardy, responsible and disciplined, polite and tactful, ready to help in any situation, i.e. a professional with a capital letter, capable of conducting a constructive dialogue and proficient in the norms and rules of the modern Russian literary language. One of the main indicators of the professionalism of police officers is the level of development of professional speech culture. What disciplines are studied at the Academy of Management of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia that contribute to the formation of a "linguistic personality" of an employee in continuing education, as well as necessary for improving professional and speech activities in conditions of obtaining additional qualifications, retraining and training in an adjunct course. The article discusses the issues of training managerial and scientific and pedagogical personnel in the leading educational organization of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation Academy of Management of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation, the basis of which are such disciplines as practical rhetoric, Russian language and speech culture, psychology and pedagogy of higher education, cultural studies. Research methods: content analysis, analysis of work programs studied at the Academy of Management of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia disciplines, generalization of the results. Support of the Russian language and preservation of the culture of speech is one of the priorities of the state policy of the Russian Federation in 2024. In the Russian law enforcement system, the police occupies one of the key places, performing certain tasks and functions to protect the rights and interests of citizens from criminal encroachments and maintaining law and order in constant interaction with the population. The activity of an employee of the internal affairs bodies in the Russian Federation is aimed at obtaining a constructive dialogue with public authorities, organizations and institutions, public associations, with various categories of citizens, as well as with colleagues and subordinates, thus the possession of the word as a means of communication is one of the main criteria for the professional activity of a police officer.

Climate proofing of public procurement: a gap to be filled

There is a lack of operable methods, criteria and tools that enable public authorities to purchase goods, services and works that contribute to both climate change mitigation and adaptation. Based on our experience as coordinators of 8 public procurement procedures within an ongoing Horizon Europe project, we suggest a new approach to climate proofing of public procurement, identify urgent research developments and recommend the amendment of public procurement policies to incorporate new criteria.

Importance of Geographic Information System (GIS) Application to Reduce the Impact of Flood Disasters in Malaysia: A Meta-Analysis

Malaysia can accurately analyse flood patterns and susceptible forecast areas and allocate resources as efficiently as possible by leveraging geographic information systems (GIS). Authorities can execute data-driven plans for robust flood control and quick catastrophe response because of this technology. However, in Malaysia, public authorities adequately apply GIS, researchers often limit the use of GIS applications to study natural disasters, and communities find GIS challenging to learn and adopt. By producing flood risk mapping using GIS applications that make it easy for the communities to understand the situation, the government and communities can implement programs to mitigate the impacts of natural hazards. Reviewing the available literature on the use of GIS applications in assessing natural hazards, this study found that GIS applications effectively provide flood risk mapping and positively impact natural disaster management to ensure that the worst impacts of natural hazards can be avoided. Moreover, this study revealed the importance of GIS applications and technologies in managing natural hazards in communities to make them better prepared for disaster management. Based on the scientific research, 12 articles were identified to analyse flood management activities in Malaysia. Therefore, the government and relevant agencies should take advantage of the appropriate use of GIS in managing natural disasters and educate the population about applying GIS so that present and future generations can gain this knowledge earlier and use it better in mitigating disaster risks.

Definitive basis for the constitutional protection of passive electoral rights in the Russian Federation

Relevance. The study of issues of protection of fundamental rights and freedoms of man and citizen since the birth of Russian constitutionalism and to this day is one of the key areas in legal science. The essence of constitutional protection of passive electoral rights in Russia belongs to the little-studied aspects of domestic constitutional law. In no small measure, a certain impetus for the present study was the tendentious scale of the loss of the status of candidates during the election campaign of 2021 for the election of deputies to the State Duma of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation.The purpose of the study is to update theoretical and practical approaches to the protection of passive electoral rights of Russian citizens, to conceptually clarify the definitive series that collectively affect the effectiveness of constitutional and legal protection of the declared subjective rights.Objectives: to analyze the conceptual foundations and structural components of constitutional protection in general and passive electoral rights in particular, taking into account the provisions of the general theory of law and branch science, legislation, interpretation of constitutional justice bodies.Methodology. Study was based on the dialectical method of cognition, as well as such general scientific and special research methods as: analysis and synthesis, induction and deduction, statistical, formal-logical and comparative-legal methods.The results of the study allowed to form the conceptual basis of the constitutional protection of passive electoral rights in Russia in the paradigm of constitutional and branch science, namely: to present the author's conclusions and generalisations about the interpretation of passive electoral rights of Russian citizens; their constitutional protection; functional orientation of its mechanism.Conclusion. The constitutional protection of passive electoral rights of Russian citizens is a law-supporting mechanism determined by constitutional provisions to prevent violations and eliminate obstacles in the implementation of the constitutional right of citizens to be elected to public authorities.

SOCIO-EPIDEMIOLOGICAL PROFILE AND EFFECTS OF LONG-COVID-19 ON POST-PANDEMIC PATIENTS FROM SOUTHERN BRAZIL

COVID-19 has been the biggest public health problem worldwide. Several people were infected by the SARS-CoV-2 virus, developing or not the related symptoms. Among the COVID-19 symptoms, many subjects had fever, cough, muscle pain, headache, loss of taste, loss of smell, among others, while some individuals presented more complex symptoms, such as severe acute respiratory syndrome. Still today there is no specific treatment against COVID-19. Although many pharmacological protocols were tried, including for example antibiotics and anti-inflammatories. Most of the infected subjects recovered from the disease, however, several patients still have some persistent symptoms, characterizing the so-called long-COVID-19. The objective of this study was to identify socio-epidemiological profile and effects of long-COVID-19 on post-pandemic patients. For this, a questionnaire of self-report was applied for 74 patients who recovered from COVID-19. This instrument of data collection included questions regarding socioeconomic aspects, symptoms during the disease, previous health history, use of medication before, during and after COVID-19, vaccination, use of legal and illegal drugs, physical activities, and sequelae and persistent symptoms. It was found that most of the volunteers were female and were about 31-50 years old. Also, most of the patients did not use the hospitalization services. Several patients self-reported the presence of some comorbidities prior to the infection, such as metabolic diseases. The majority had mild symptoms, such as headache and dysgeusia. Interestingly, 69% of the participants reported presenting persistent symptoms after recovering from COVID-19, mainly memory loss, hair loss and fatigue. About 13% reported symptoms related to cognitive impairments. This study shows the importance of continuing the scientific investigations in the present, especially considering the long-COVID-19 for the public health agencies and governments to be able to plan potential actions for the affected patients.

The Bulgarian Ethnic Model: “Secular” Religion, Denominational Admissibility and Territorial Tolerance

The so-called The Bulgarian ethnic model is a Bulgarian political philosophy that presents itself as a formula that theorizes the ethno-religious balance in the post-communist society. The paradigm was created immediately after the fall of the regime of the communist dictator Todor Zhivkov and became matter of a fierce discussion of often contradictory opinions. The promoter of the mentioned particular matrix was the emerging post-communist and pro-democracy academic Bulgarian community with their professional invention, not the politicians. The latter rather hindered the public dialogue, being dominant supporters of the various tendencies of the remnants of nationalism. It reflects not only a specific stage of the country’s political development, but also the economic, social and folk-psychological momentum of the local society. Three main factors determine the specificity of the ethno-religious tolerance of the Bulgarian society. In the first place, it is the presence of de facto content oxymoron “secular religion” in the society at the expense of practically zero indoctrination of the religious practices. It is about the irreversible erosion of the public authority of the Christian and Muslim clergy. In the second place, we can note the wonderful stitching of the most statesmanlike, secular Christian denomination – Eastern Orthodoxy and the most tolerant Islamic orthodox school – Hanafi Sunnism. It is about a kind of interreligious harmony. Thirdly, the successful sustainability of the Bulgarian ethno-confessional balance is due to the so-called positional tolerance, relating it to the geographical distribution between the different religious groups.

Assessing Heavy Metal Contamination in Selected Farm Vegetables and Soils

Purpose: The research sought to evaluate the heavy metal concentrations in frequently eaten vegetables within the Sunyani Municipality. Design/Methodology/Approach: Carrots, cabbage, lettuce, and garden eggs sourced from various farms have been analysed about the soils in which they are cultivated, utilising the absorption atomic spectrometer (AAS) technology. Findings: The amounts of iron (Fe), nickel (Ni), lead (Pb), arsenic (As), cadmium (Cd), zinc (Zn), and copper (Cu) in cultivation soil and vegetal samples significantly exceeded permitted limits established by WHO/FAO. The accumulation levels of metals recorded in the current study for the soil samples are ranked in descending order as follows: Fe&gt;Mn&gt;Cu&gt;Zn&gt;Pb&gt;As&gt;Cd&gt;Ni. A similar pattern is noted in the diminishing concentrations of metals recorded for the vegetable samples. Research Limitation: The study is limited to selected farms within the Sunyani township, and findings may not reflect the full extent of contamination across other regions in Ghana. Expanding to different climatic or agricultural regions would improve generalisability. Practical Implication: The study may help public health authorities establish regular testing of market produce, ensuring compliance with WHO/FAO permissible limits for heavy metals. Social Implication: The research raises awareness of the long-term consequences of consuming contaminated food, promoting advocacy for food safety and environmental stewardship at the community level. Originality/ Value: The study’s inclusion of soil and vegetable analysis offers a comprehensive understanding of contamination pathways.