September November Research Articles

POSA267 How Does Stakeholder Consultation Inform the Development of NICE Clinical Guidelines? The Example of Atrial Fibrillation: Diagnosis and Management

Stakeholder consultation is an integral part of the NICE clinical guideline development process. Comments received are a vital part of the robust quality-assurance and peer-review processes. The NICE guideline for Atrial Fibrillation underwent consultation (September–November 2020) giving stakeholders such as clinical and patient experts the opportunity to comment on a draft recommendation for the direct-acting oral anticoagulants (DOACs) for the management of patients with atrial fibrillation (AF).

ЖЕНСКАЯ ДИПЛОМАТИЯ: КАК НАВЫКИ SOFT SKILLS ПОМОГЛИ Л.А. ШАНЯВСКОЙ ОТКРЫТЬ НАРОДНЫЙ УНИВЕРСИТЕТ

The article reveals the role of Lidia Alekseevna Shanyavskaya as the inspirer and organizer of the Moscow People’s University (1908). The author, relying on archival materials, recreates the higher educational institution process of institutionalization, which can be divided into 3 stages. The first stage (September–November 1905) relates to the activities of Alfons Leonovich Shanyavsky, who determined the democratic grounds for its opening (no restrictions on gender, nationality and religion), bequeathed funds for its maintenance and limited its opening deadline – November 3, 1908. At that stage, Lidia Alekseevna was officially tasked to represent her husband in organizing the work for opening the People’s University. The second stage (December 1905 – December 1907) is associated with the work of a specially created Commission consisting of the best representatives of the intelligentsia: M.M. Kovalevsky, S.A. Muromtsev, A.N. Reformatsky, V.K. Rot, M.V. Sabashnikov, N.V. Speransky, K.A. Timiryazev, A.N. Sheremetievskaya, V.E. Yakushkin. The Commission had to overcome the resistance of the Ministry of Public Education, which tried to take control over the appointment of the rector and teachers, as well as the discipline content, and the Interior Ministry, which was afraid of lifting all restrictions and turning the university into a forge of unreliable citizens. At that stage, Lydia Alekseevna’s role was to restrain attempts to open a university covertly bypassing the authoryties obstruction in violation of Shanyavsky’s will for an educational institution where systematic lectures would be given according to the sanctioned curricula. The third stage (January–November 1908) belongs exclusively to L.A. Shanyavskaya. Thanks to the skill of women’s diplomacy, she managed to build a dialogue with the Minister of Education A.N. Schwartz and the Chairman of the Council of Ministers P.A. Stolypin and open the People’s University

Youth Community as Initiator, Motivator and Executor in the Climate Village Program Implementation in Malangan Sukoharjo Indonesia

Climate change impacts ecosystem, public health, food security, and economic development. The community-based adaptation and mitigation capacities of climate change should be strengthened through implementing Climate Village Program. This research aims to explore youth community as initiator, motivator and executor of Climate Village Program in Malangan Sukoharjo. Data collection was conducted using observation, in-depth interview and documentation in September–November 2021, data analysis using an interactive model, and data validity test using data source triangulation. Fifteen informants of research were Chairperson of Environmental Office of Sukoharjo, staffs of Malangan Village, advisor, head, Living Environment Division of Climate Village Program and Malangan villagers particularly youth community of Malangan Village. Result indicates Malangan villagers developing potential medicinal plants, ornamental plants, and livestock enthusiastically. Youth community actively initiates and motivates people through socializing Covid-19 prevention and management, applying healthy and clean life behaviour, including processing and utilizing rubbish actively through Reuse Reduce Recycle system and reforestation, constructing recharge areas to prevent flood, and planting big trees to improve family food resilience, energy resilience, and people welfare and to reduce emission. Inadequate knowledge on fish cultivation and plastic bottle rubbish processing constrains the implementation as the execution of Climate Village program.

High-Resolution Radar Sensing Sea Surface States During AMK-82 Cruise

Every year situation when theArctic seas are free of ice is becoming more frequent. It allows scientists to study hard-to-reach areas using well-equipped research vessels instead of icebreakers. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the successful expedition of the research vessel “Academician Mstislav Keldysh” with more than 60 scientists from 15 countries across the four Arctic seas (Barents, Kara, Laptev, and East Siberian) on September–November 2020 seems like a real wonder. One of the expedition tasks was remote sensing of different hydrophysical processes by their manifestation on the sea surface using marine radar. This article proposes the method of generating high spatial resolution radar maps of the sea surface and algorithms of hydrophysical processes identification. This article also presents examples of registered processes, such as wind waves, ice fields with different types of ice (grease ice, pancake ice, nilas, and young ice), manifestations of internal waves observed in the Kara Gate and Vilkitsky Strait, as well as manifestations of intense methane seeps on the sea surface. This article contains quantitative estimations of the physical parameters of the observed processes underlying the effectiveness of Doppler marine radars in harsh conditions of the Arctic seas.

Perioperative Care in Colorectal Cancer Surgery before a Structured Implementation Program of the ERAS Protocol in a Regional Network. The Piemonte EASY-NET Project.

Background: In 2019, the Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) protocol for colorectal cancer surgery was adopted by a minority of hospitals in Piemonte (4.3 million inhabitants, north-west Italy). The present analysis aims to compare the level of application of the ERAS protocol between hospitals already adopting it (ERAS, N = 3) with the rest of the regional hospitals (non-ERAS, N = 28) and to identify possible obstacles to its application. Methods: All patients surgically treated for a newly diagnosed colorectal cancer during September–November 2019, representing the baseline period of a randomized controlled trial with a cluster stepped-wedge design, were included. Indicators of compliance to the ERAS items were calculated overall and for groups of items (preoperative, intraoperative and postoperative) and analyzed with a multilevel linear model adjusting for patients’ characteristics, considering centers as random effects. Results: Overall, the average level of compliance to the ERAS protocol was 56% among non-ERAS centers (N = 364 patients) and 80% among ERAS ones (N = 79), with a difference of 24% (95% CI: −41.4; −7.3, p = 0.0053). For both groups of centers, the lowest level of compliance was recorded for postoperative items (42% and 66%). Sex, age, presence of comorbidities and American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) score were not associated with a different probability of compliance to the ERAS protocol. Conclusions: Several items of the ERAS protocol were poorly adopted in colorectal surgery units in the Piemonte region in the baseline period of the ERAS Colon-Rectum Piemonte study and in the ERAS group. No relevant obstacles to the ERAS protocol implementation were identified at patient level.

Changes in obesity and lifestyle behaviours during the COVID-19 pandemic in Chinese adolescents: A longitudinal analysis from 2019 to 2020.

SummaryBackgroundSince December 2019, the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) has become a global pandemic. Currently, the COVID‐19 pandemic is still ongoing. What changes have taken place in the obesity and obesity‐related lifestyle behaviours of adolescents during the first year of the COVID‐19 pandemic?ObjectiveThis study aims at analysing the changes in obesity and lifestyle behaviours of Chinese adolescents before and 1 year after the outbreak of the COVID‐19 pandemic, providing evidence for the global strategies to respond to the impact of the COVID‐19 pandemic on adolescent obesity.MethodsPhysical examinations and student health and influencing factors questionnaires were conducted among 6047 adolescents aged 11–16 years by health professionals in Shanghai, China, before the COVID‐19 pandemic (September–November of 2019) and 1 year after the outbreak of the COVID‐19 pandemic (September–November of 2020). Paired χ2 tests, paired t‐tests or Wilcoxon signed‐rank test was used to evaluate the changes in the obesity prevalence, BMI and lifestyle behaviours from 2019 to 2020.Results1 year after the outbreak of the COVID‐19 pandemic, the obesity prevalence of Chinese adolescents rose from 14.2% to 15.4% (p < 0.01), mainly because of the increase in boys. And the average BMI increased from 20.3 to 21.2 kg/m2 (p < 0.01). Their lifestyle behaviours have also significantly changed. The mobile screen time increased from 0.25–1.50 h/day to 0.33–2.00 h/day (p < 0.01). The proportion of adolescents who participated in MVPA for ≥60 min/day on all 7 days during the past week dropped from 14.4% to 11.7% (p < 0.01). The generalized estimation equation analysis indicated that adolescents who participated in MVPA for ≥60 min/day on all 7 days had a lower likelihood of having obesity. Boys with computer time ≥2 h/day and girls with mobile screen time ≥2 h/day or TV time ≥2 h/day had a higher likelihood of having obesity.ConclusionThis study found that 1 year after the outbreak of the COVID‐19 pandemic, the BMI and obesity prevalence of Chinese adolescents increased and obesity‐related lifestyle behaviours have also changed.

Influence of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Parenting Stress Across Asian Countries: A Cross-National Study.

Background: In a previous study, we demonstrated that the accumulation of parenting stress during prolonged school closures and restrictions on daily activities due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Japan indicates the need for mental health intervention for parents at higher risk of parenting stress. However, few studies have focused on parenting stress in other Asian countries, although they have experienced higher numbers of infections. The aim of the present study was to investigate whether parenting stress among caregivers increased across Asia due to school closures and restrictions on activities during the COVID-19 pandemic and to examine whether there were any country-specific, cross-country, or cross-regional risk factors for increased parenting stress.Methods: We conducted an online survey immediately after the number of new cases in India significantly increased (September–November 2020). We measured parenting stress, anxiety, and fear associated with the COVID-19 crisis, as evaluated by the Parenting Stress Index, Short-Form (PSI-SF), and the Coronavirus Anxiety Scale (CAS), across three Asian countries—India (n = 142), Malaysia (n = 69), and Japan (n = 182)—in addition to the United States (n = 203). We also investigated whether respondents had adverse childhood experiences (ACE) as a risk factor for parenting stress.Results: For all countries, we found significant increases in participants’ current parenting stress levels, compared to what they recalled regarding their lives before COVID-19-related restrictions and school closures were enacted. Textual analysis qualitatively identified common terms related to parenting stress across all countries. We also found a statistical model that indicated ACE in parents was a critical risk factor for higher parenting stress via increasing anxiety and fear related to the pandemic.Conclusion: These results indicate the need to improve the mental health of caregivers who are at risk for higher levels of parenting stress during the COVID-19 pandemic in Asian countries as well as Western countries. These results indicate that there is a need to improve the mental health of caregivers who are at risk for higher levels of parenting stress during the COVID-19 pandemic globally.

Characterization of colored dissolved organic matter along the western continental shelf of India during the seasonal hypoxia

In recent years the number of hypoxic zones in the world is rising, which has been attributed to the increase in nutrients and organic matter due to anthropogenic activities. Here we present results on the variations in absorption and fluorescent characteristics of colored dissolved organic matter (CDOM) along the western continental shelf of India (WCSI) during the southwest monsoon (SWM). WCSI hosts the world's largest, natural, seasonal hypoxic zone covering 180,000 km2. Water samples were collected along 4 transects off Kochi, Mangalore, Karwar, and Goa during SWM (June–July 2018) for CDOM and other hydrographic parameters. Also, the Goa transect was sampled during late SWM (September–November 2016 and September 2018) when the bottom waters experienced low oxygen conditions. The onset of upwelling was observed in the hydrographical parameters with low temperature and dissolved oxygen (DO) in the sub-surface waters along the Kochi transect. DO decreased with depth and was hypoxic to suboxic in the bottom waters at most of the stations. The Highest CDOM absorption was observed at the nearshore stations of the Goa transect during July 2018. The waters along the Goa transect were highly stratified during the late SWM (September 2018) with low saline waters at the surface (due to heavy rainfall), with the development of hypoxia in the bottom waters. High CDOM absorption (ag412 m-1) was observed in the bottom waters, which coincided with hypoxic/suboxic conditions. Spectral slope S250-600 also showed a significant difference between the oxygen rich and low oxygenated waters. Three fluorescent DOM components were identified from PARAFAC analysis. Component 1 (C1) and 2 (C2) were humic-like with emissions in the longer wavelength, while component 3 (C3) was protein-like with excitation and emission in the UV region. CDOM absorption (ag412) and humic-like fluorescent component (C1) showed a positive correlation with apparent oxygen utilization (AOU), indicating the role of microbial respiration for CDOM production. Laboratory experiments also shed light on the CDOM production in low oxygenated waters when sufficient organic matter is available. This study gives insight into understanding dissolved organic matter's cycling under varying oxygen conditions prevailing in these waters.

Library Technology and Its Perceptions at Small Institutions of Higher Education: The COVID-19 Factor

This study examines the perceived impact of COVID-19 as it pertains to library technology during the dates of September–November 2020 at academic libraries of six small institutions of higher education. It explores the adoption of technology at academic libraries and the perceptions of the community (students, faculty, staff, and administrators) with COVID-19 identified as a key component for staff when completing a library technology audit. Interviews were conducted with 17 respondents at these 6 institutions to understand their knowledge and their perceptions, finding more information about library technology pertaining to COVID-19. The main finding was that COVID-19 has made the community at small higher education institutions more aware of the academic library and its inherent technologies. The study was rooted with the adaptive leadership theory to connect a framework as an approach for guiding the small academic library concerning technology and the effects of COVID-19.

The relationship between equine pastern dermatitis, meteorological factors, and the skin microbiota.

BackgroundEquine pastern dermatitis (EPD) is a multifactorial syndrome, with prolonged exposure to moisture assumed to be a predisposing or primary factor.Hypothesis/ObjectivesTo examine the course of EPD lesion severity, changes in bacterial skin microbiota, and the influence of meteorological factors.AnimalsProspective, longitudinal cohort study over a one‐year period, with six Franches‐Montagnes stallions, four affected by EPD and two unaffected, that were kept under the same conditions.Methods and materialsPasterns were scored for lesion severity and sampled once a month for 12 consecutive months. Lesion severity, the skin microbiota and meteorological factors were examined for associations.ResultsEPD lesions tended to worsen in autumn and at the beginning of spring. The relationship between lesion severity and the meteorological factor precipitation was not clearly evident; high scores were preceded by both low or high rates of precipitation. Microbiota in affected pasterns appeared to have experienced a reduction in alpha diversity. Beta diversity analyses demonstrated that bacterial community structures were altered in affected versus unaffected pasterns, and that alterations were more pronounced with higher EPD scores (P = 0.005). Meteorological factors also had considerable influences on the bacterial composition, whereby these influences appeared to be more marked in the affected pasterns (P = 0.001, F = 3.19) than in unaffected ones (P = 0.005, F = 1.83).Conclusions and clinical relevanceOur study provides preliminary observations of the relationships between lesion severity, meteorological factors and cutaneous bacteria. The population was too small to draw firm conclusions, and further studies on environmental factors and the involvement of bacteria in this multifactorial disease are needed.

Temporal/Spatial Variation of Terrestrial Water Storage and Groundwater Storage in Typical Inland River Basins of Central Asia

In this study, the Amu Darya river basin, Syr Darya river basin and Balkhash lake basin in Central Asia were selected as typical study areas. Temporal/spatial changes from 2002 to 2016 in the terrestrial water storage (TWS) and the groundwater storage (GWS) were analyzed, based on RL06 Mascon data from the Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) satellite, and the sum of soil water content, snow water equivalent and canopy water data that were obtained from Global Land Data Assimilation System (GLDAS). Combing meteorological data and land use and cover change (LUCC) data, the joint impact of both human activities and climate change on the terrestrial water storage change (TWSC) and the groundwater storage change (GWSC) was evaluated by statistical analysis. The results revealed three findings: (1) The TWS retrieved by CSR (Center for Space Research) and the JPL (Jet Propulsion Laboratory) showed a decreasing trend in the three basins, and the variation of TWS showed a maximum surplus in spring (March–May) and a maximum deficit in autumn (September–November). (2) The decreasing rates of groundwater storage that were extracted, based on JPL and CSR Mascon data sets, were −2.17 mm/year and −3.90 mm/year, −3.72 mm/year and −4.96 mm/year, −1.74 mm/year and −3.36 mm/year in the Amu Darya river basin, Syr Darya river basin and Balkhash lake basin, respectively. (3) In the Amu Darya river basin, annual precipitation showed a decreasing trend, while the evapotranspiration rate showed an increasing trend due to an increasing temperature, and the TWS decreased from 2002 to 2016 in most areas of the basin. However, in the middle reaches of the Amu Darya river basin, the TWS increased due to the increase in cultivated land area, water income from flooded irrigation, and reservoir impoundment. In the upper reaches of the Syr Darya river basin, the increase in precipitation in alpine areas leads to an increase in glacier and snow meltwater, which is the reason for the increase in the TWS. In the middle and lower reaches of the Syr Darya river basin, the amount of evapotranspiration dissipation exceeds the amount of water replenished by agricultural irrigation, which leads to a decrease in TWS and GWS. The increase in precipitation in the northwest of the Balkhash lake basin, the increase in farmland irrigation water, and the topography (higher in the southeast and lower in the northwest) led to an increase in TWS and GWS in the northwest of the Balkhash lake basin. This study can provide useful information for water resources management in the inland river basins of Central Asia.

Awareness and perceptions of nutrition support in upper gastrointestinal cancer surgery: A national survey of multidisciplinary clinicians.

Patients undergoing surgery for upper gastrointestinal (UGI) cancer are at high risk of malnutrition, and a multidisciplinary approach to management is recommended. This study aimed to determine practices, awareness and perceptions of multi-disciplinary clinicians with regards to malnutrition screening and provision of nutrition support. A national survey of dietitians, surgeons, oncologists and nurses was conducted using a 30-item online REDCap survey, including questions regarding self-reported malnutrition screening/nutrition support practices, awareness and perceptions, and barriers and enablers. The survey was distributed via professional organisations/networks between 1st September and 30th November 2020. Results are presented as counts and percentages. There were 130 participants (56% dietitians, 25% surgeons, 11% nurses, 8% oncologists). The majority reported that dietitians and nurses performed malnutrition screening, and dietitians and surgeons prescribed nutrition support. Most participants reported that their health service had dietetics support available overall (98%), however only 41% reported having an outpatient service. Participants (>90%) demonstrated very high awareness of the significance of malnutrition and the importance of early nutrition support. Participants mostly perceived dietitians, nurses and surgeons to be responsible for malnutrition screening, whilst responsibility of prescription of nutrition support was mostly dietitians and surgeons. There were a higher number of barriers for the outpatient setting (48%) than the inpatient setting (38%). Participants identified a high awareness of the importance of identification and treatment of malnutrition in UGI cancer surgery. However reported practices varied and appear to be lacking in the outpatient setting, with significant barriers identified to providing optimal nutrition care.

Cross-talk between cold and bispyribac-sodium on rice seedlings

The shifting of rice planting date to early spring improved weed control, which is important to achieve high yield. However, early planting date exposes rice seedlings to cold stress, slowing crop establishment and affecting herbicide selectivity. The objective of this study was determine the effects of cold stress and bispyribac-sodium application on rice seedlings’ gene expression and physiological patterns. The experiment was performed in greenhouse in a factorial arrangement, and treatments included: factor A – two planting dates: late September and early November; factor B consisted in bispyribac-sodium application at rate of 50 g ai ha−1 and untreated check. Bispiribac-sodium caused greatest injury to rice seedlings at the early planting date. Lipid peroxidation and total phenol accumulation was stimulated by low temperature but, was not affected by bispyribac-sodium application. Gene expression of OsSOD, OsCAT, OsAPX, OsDREB1A, OsCDPK13, OsCYP72A2, OsGSTL2 and OsGSTU10 were responsive to low temperature and presented upregulation when exposed to the herbicide, providing evidence of an interaction between temperature and herbicide applications. Cold stress likely affects herbicide metabolism and effect rice seedling e oxidation mechanism response to herbicide.

Surface pCO2 variability in two contrasting basins of North Indian Ocean using satellite data

The spatial and temporal variability of the partial pressure of carbon dioxide (pCO2) over the northern tropical Indian Ocean was estimated based on satellite-derived sea surface temperature (SST), sea surface salinity (SSS), and chlorophyll concentration (Chl-a). The distribution of sea surface pCO2 is controlled by various physical processes, such as mixing, entrainment, upwelling, and advection, and by associated biological processes, such as phytoplankton blooms. The results showed lower surface water pCO2 over the Bay of Bengal (BoB) (< 300 μatm) as compared to the Arabian Sea (AS), which could be attributed to low salinity during the northeast monsoon season (December–January) in the BoB. High pCO2 values (> 500 μatm) were found near the Somali coast during the southwest monsoon season (June–August) caused by intense coastal upwelling. The pCO2 over BoB (400–450 μatm) was more than that of the AS in the fall inter-monsoon season (September–November) as a response to the relatively warmer SST over the BoB. The highest spatiotemporal variability of surface pCO2 was observed in the western AS near to the coast and over the northern BoB as a response to the higher variability in biological productivity and salinity, respectively, over these regions. The effect of tropical cyclones on pCO2 variability over the BoB was also assessed in this study. The sea surface pCO2 values were found to be much smaller along the cyclone track after the passage of cyclones because of the strong SST drop and the sudden phytoplankton blooms caused by the entrainment and vertical mixing of subsurface cold and nutrient-rich water with surface water. The cyclone-induced surface cooling and the associated decrease in surface water pCO2 were found to be higher after the passage of the Madi cyclone compared to the Hudhud cyclone.

Are there Sexual Differences in the Autumn Food Habits of Raccoon Dogs (Nyctereutes procyonoides) in Suburban Area?

We studied the autumn (September–November) food habits of the raccoon dog (Nyctereutes procyonoides) by sampling the stomach contents of 64 individuals (male, n = 31; female, n = 33) killed on national roads in Ibaraki Prefecture. Our aim was to examine sex differences in the autumn food habits of raccoon dogs in suburban area where human related disturbances can occur on the raccoon dogs. The frequency of occurrence (FO) and the percent volume (PV) of fruits and insects were high for both males and females and FO and PV of garbage were low for both males and females. There were no significant differences between the sexes for food items. FO and PV were not significantly different between sexes for adults and yearlings. This is likely because males and females may use the same area even in suburban area, and they likely both forage on the most abundant food resources that are easily accessible within their habitats.

Seasonal Variations in the Daily Mortality Associated with Exposure to Particles, Nitrogen Dioxide, and Ozone in Stockholm, Sweden, from 2000 to 2016

Urban air pollutant emissions and concentrations vary throughout the year due to various factors, e.g., meteorological conditions and human activities. In this study, seasonal variations in daily mortality associated with increases in the concentrations of PM10 (particulate matter), PM2.5–10 (coarse particles), BC (black carbon), NO2 (nitrogen dioxide), and O3 (ozone) were calculated for Stockholm during the period from 2000 to 2016. The excess risks in daily mortality are presented in single and multi-pollutant models during the whole year and divided into four different seasons, i.e., winter (December–February), spring (March–May), summer (June–August), and autumn (September–November). The excess risks in the single-pollutant models associated with an interquartile range (IQR) increase for a lag 02 during the whole year were 0.8% (95% CI: 0.1–1.4) for PM10, 1.1% (95% CI: 0.4–1.8) for PM2.5–10, 0.5% (95% CI: −0.5–1.5) for BC, −1.5% (95% CI: −0.5–−2.5) for NO2, and 1.9% (95% CI: 1.0–2.9) for O3. When divided into different seasons, the excess risks for PM10 and PM2.5–10 showed a clear pattern, with the strongest associations during spring and autumn, but with weaker associations during summer and winter, indicating increased risks associated with road dust particles during these seasons. For BC, which represents combustion-generated particles, the pattern was not very clear, but the strongest positive excess risks were found during autumn. The excess risks for NO2 were negative during all seasons, and in several cases even statistically significantly negative, indicating that NO2 in itself was not harmful at the concentrations prevailing during the measurement period (mean values &lt; 20 µg m−3). For O3, the excess risks were statistically significantly positive during “all year” in both the single and the multi-pollutant models. The excess risks for O3 in the single-pollutant models were also statistically significantly positive during all seasons.

What support do caregivers of people with visual impairment receive and require? An exploratory study of UK healthcare and charity professionals’ perspectives

BackgroundPrevious research has established that some informal caregivers (relatives/friends) of people with visual impairment (PVI) may require support themselves. However, there is limited understanding of how healthcare services and sight charities in the UK currently support caregivers. This study was therefore conducted to explore what support, information, and advice healthcare and charity professionals (HCCPs) currently provide for caregivers, and which additional support HCCPs would recommend in order to benefit caregivers.MethodsHCCPs filled out an online survey, distributed among UK-based professional bodies and charity partners. Of 104 individuals who consented to participate, 68 (65%) HCCPs completed the survey in September–November 2019. Participants responded to Likert-type questions about how they interact with and support caregivers of PVI. Thirty-eight (56%) participants provided responses to open-ended questions about improving support for caregivers; qualitative analysis was conducted using the Framework Method.ResultsThe survey showed that caregiver support activities most commonly undertaken related to onward signposting (90% (95% CI: 82–97%) of participants), or providing information about low vision aids and adaptations (85% (95% CI: 77–94%)), compared to activities focused on broader caregiver wellbeing. In open-ended responses, HCCPs highlighted the difficulties caregivers face in navigating an under-resourced and complex system. They recommended improving coordination and accessibility of information, as well as provision of emotional support and tangible assistance such as respite care and financial support.ConclusionsThe study suggests that HCCPs perceive significant unmet needs among caregivers of PVI, and would welcome further resources, information, and training to support caregivers.

Dynamics of the Radiation Environment in the Near-Earth Space in September–November 2020 according to the Meteor-M and Electro-L Satellite Data

Dynamics of the Radiation Environment in the Near-Earth Space in September–November 2020 according to the Meteor-M and Electro-L Satellite Data

Investigating false start of the main growing season: A case of Uganda in East Africa

False start of the growing season (Fsos) is a component of the onset variability related to agronomic drought that adversely impact on agricultural production and productivity. In the sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) where agriculture heavily depends on rainfall, the Fsos tends to create confusion among farmers on when to start planting crops thereby affecting seed germination and normal growth after emergence. In this paper, we focus on the Fsos and the occurrence of dry spell especially before the Start of growing Season (SoS). We take advantage of the existing rainfall estimates (CHIRPS) and remotely sensed data for vegetation performance (NDVI) over the period 1999–2017 in combination with local knowledge derived from farmers to map out areas at risk of (i) dry spell at the SoS, and (ii) false timing of SoS or high probability of occurrence of the Fsos. We found that the North Eastern part of Uganda (8.8% of arable area) were at risk of dry spell throughout each year. However, the greater North (58.1% of arable area) was prone to dry spell during the onset of the March–May season. Areas in the South Western (3.7%) region were at risk during the onset of the September–November season. The probability that a location in Uganda experiences an Fsos falls between 0-53%. The findings in this study are vital for planning of predictive adaptation to the impacts of climate variability on agriculture amid struggle aimed at tackling food insecurity challenge in the SSA.

Public perceptions of non-adherence to pandemic protection measures by self and others: A study of COVID-19 in the United Kingdom.

Novel viral pandemics present significant challenges to global public health. Non-pharmaceutical interventions (e.g. social distancing) are an important means through which to control the transmission of such viruses. One of the key factors determining the effectiveness of such measures is the level of public adherence to them. Research to date has focused on quantitative exploration of adherence and non-adherence, with a relative lack of qualitative exploration of the reasons for non-adherence. To explore participants' perceptions of non-adherence to COVID-19 policy measures by self and others in the UK, focusing on perceived reasons for non-adherence. Qualitative study comprising 12 focus groups conducted via video-conferencing between 25th September and 13th November 2020. Participants were 51 UK residents aged 18 and above, reflecting a range of ages, genders and race/ethnicities. Data were analysed using a thematic approach. Participants reported seeing an increase in non-adherence in others over the course of the pandemic. Reports of non-adherence in self were lower than reports of non-adherence in others. Analysis revealed six main themes related to participants' reported reasons for non-adherence in self and others: (1) 'Alert fatigue' (where people find it difficult to follow, or switch off from, information about frequently changing rules or advice) (2) Inconsistent rules (3) Lack of trust in government (4) Learned Helplessness (5) Resistance and rebelliousness (6)The impact of vaccines on risk perception. Participants perceived a number of systemic failures (e.g. unclear policy, untrustworthy policymakers) to strongly contribute to two forms non-adherence-violations and errors. Findings suggest that latent and systemic failures-in the form of policy decisions that are commonly experienced as too changeable, inconsistent and confusing, and policy makers that are commonly perceived as untrustworthy-may play a significant role in creating the conditions that enable or encourage non-adherence.