Specific Programs Research Articles

“She deserves the best. So how can I feed her the best?” Complementary food introduction practices among young mothers with a history of child maltreatment

PurposeTo explore the practices, experiences, and needs of young mothers with a history of maltreatment who are introducing their children to complementary foods. Design and methodsIn-depth interviews (n = 9) were conducted with young mothers (19–23 yrs) who had childhood histories of abuse and neglect (maltreatment). Interviews were transcribed verbatim and analyzed using a five-step thematic analysis approach. ResultsThematic analysis resulted in three themes: (1) Practices and sources of information, (2) Providing the best, and (3) Feeding challenges. Participants' primary sources of nutrition information were family or foster parents and Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) educators. Participants expressed wanting to give their children healthy food and to change the cycle by not repeating some of their own childhood food experiences. Finally, participants sometimes struggled with food affordability. ConclusionsThe study highlights the need for additional support for young maltreated mothers, including access to healthy foods and education about infant feeding. Practice implicationsYoung maltreated mothers are in need of trauma-informed and strengths-based complementary feeding information and support with basic needs. Universal trauma-informed care has the potential to prevent re-traumatization and improve patient care and nutrition education.

SNAP and/or WIC Participation and Diet Quality in Mother-Child Dyads living in Greater Boston after Pandemic: A Mixed-Method Study.

Since the COVID-19 pandemic, few studies have examined how participation in Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and/or Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) impacts diet quality in families with young children. This study aims to explore the association between SNAP and/or WIC participation and diet quality in mother-child dyads in Greater Boston, MA. A mixed-method approach involving cross-sectional surveys and in-depth interviews were utilized. Participants included 69 mother-child dyads for quantitative and 18 mothers for qualitative data collection. Analysis of covariance using generalized linear models was employed to compare differences in Healthy Eating Index-2015 (HEI-2015) scores based on SNAP and/or WIC participation, and thematic analysis was used for coding themes. Mothers who participated in SNAP and/or WIC were more from lower socioeconomic backgrounds. After adjusting for age, race/ethnicity, and education, no significant differences in diet quality were found for both mothers and their children. However, qualitative results showed that mothers prioritized their children's nutrition, used benefits to buy fruits and vegetables, and experienced stress that impacted their own diet quality. Since the pandemic, SNAP and WIC appeared to support families experiencing socioeconomic disadvantage (e.g., lower income and educational attainment) to improve diet quality, particularly through increased access to fruits and vegetables. However, these programs have not fully eliminated persistent disparities in diet quality, which seems to continue even the pandemic's immediate effects have subsided.

Evaluation and adaptation of a two-way text messaging intervention in the WIC breastfeeding peer counseling program: A qualitative analysis.

Breastfeeding (BF) is vital for maternal and infant health, yet post-hospital discharge support remains a challenge. The Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) provides BF peer counseling prenatally and up to 1-year postpartum among low-income women in the United States. The Lactation Advice Through Texting Can Help (LATCH) intervention is an evidence-based two-way text messaging intervention that provides BF education and support in the WIC peer counseling program. The intervention is implemented by peer counselors (PCs) in the WIC program, with the supervision and support of a lactation consultant. The aim of this qualitative study was to assess the barriers and facilitators to the implementation of LATCH during the feasibility trial and to investigate strategies for adapting and scaling up the intervention. In-depth interviews with LATCH and PC program key informants aimed to evaluate the intervention and explore its adaptation and scale-up. Interviews were analyzed using line by line inductive thematic analysis. Findings were mapped to the Model for Adaptation Design and Impact (MADI) framework to describe the proposed adaptations, and to the Program Impact Pathways (PIP) framework to identify causal pathways and critical quality control points. Results demonstrate that LATCH facilitates continued engagement between PCs and WIC mothers; however, implementation feasibility issues remain. Suggested adaptations to LATCH include the use of an integrated comprehensive platform, ensuring continuity of care through an expanded spectrum of communication options, the need to develop a PC support model for "off hours" (non-business hours), and the need to obtain local WIC office management's buy-in for the communications platform and the off-hours PC model. Critical quality control points were identified when results were mapped to the MADI and PIP frameworks. Implementing these changes has the potential to expand access to BF peer counseling support and improve BF equity among low-income women.

Household WIC benefit redemption varies by participant and household characteristics in Southern California.

The Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) provides benefits redeemable for select healthy foods, aligned with the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, to support healthy diets among pregnant and postpartum women, and their children to age 5 years, living in low-income households. WIC benefits are often not fully redeemed, limiting nutritional benefits of participation. The objective of this study was to assess the associations of WIC participant, caregiver, and household characteristics with WIC food benefit redemption. A prospective longitudinal study using WIC administrative data. WIC participants served by a program in Southern California, November 2019-June 2023 (n=501,527 certification periods; n=271,116 individuals) were included in this study. Average WIC benefit redemption percentage in certification periods in benefit categories (cheese/tofu; eggs; breakfast cereal; legumes; canned fish; fruits and vegetables (FV); infant foods (cereal, FV, meats, contract/therapeutic formula); whole grain bread; yogurt; whole, reduced fat milk; 100% juice) and across all categories, continuous and interval-scaled in 10% increments. Multivariable quantile regression and generalized estimating equation ordinal logistic regression models were used to assess associations between WIC participant, caregiver, and household characteristics with median and interval-scaled redemption percentage, respectively, in each and across all categories. Redemption ranged from very low (infant meats, 5.4%) to very high (infant formula, 96.2%). Median redemption across all categories was 70.6%. Significantly lower redemption was observed for households of Black, White and Other race/ethnicity-language preference individuals (compared to Hispanic, English-speaking); households with caregivers with lower educational attainment; and households with at least one month without food benefits issued, participating in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, income <100% federal poverty level, ≤5 individuals, or only 1 WIC participant. WIC benefits are utilized at different rates by WIC participant, caregiver, and household characteristics. Groups with lower redemption may need additional support in utilizing benefits. Maximizing redemption might help all WIC participants derive the full positive nutritional impact of program participation.

Clinico-Microbiological Profile of Urinary Tract Infections in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes: A Study Based in a Hospital Dedicated to Diabetes Care

Introduction: People with diabetes are prone to urinary tract infections (UTIs). The inappropriate use of antibiotics can lead to the development of multidrug-resistant infections, prolonging patient recovery and significantly increasing healthcare costs. In a hospital focused on diabetes care, it becomes important to ascertain the clinical and microbiological profiles to develop appropriate institutional infection control protocols for managing such patients more effectively on an empirical basis; for this purpose, a pilot study was conducted through a representative sample. Methods: The study included randomly selected 60 patients with UTI: 25 patients were from the wards of the hospital and 20 patients were from the intensive care unit, of whom 10 had complicated UTI with multi-organ dysfunction. The remaining (n = 15) were from the outpatient clinic. Microbiological, and where possible, clinical parameters were studied. Results: The mean age of the subjects was 67.12 ± 9.84 years and the female-to-male ratio was 38: 22; 37 of the 38 women were postmenopausal. The mean duration of diabetes was 15.20 ± 7.93 years. Fifty subjects (83%) had an HbA1C &gt;7%. Thirty-eight (63%) had recurrent UTI episodes. Four (6.7%) were on sodium glucose 2 transport inhibitors and estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) was below 60 mL/min/1.73 m2 in 39 cases (65%). Escherichia coli was the most commonly isolated (59.7%), followed by Klebsiella pneumoniae (25.8%). Amikacin was the most effective antibiotic (86.7%), followed by imipenem, piperacillin–tazobactam, and meropenem. Eleven (18%) required ureteric stenting. Conclusion: In our study, people with diabetes have unique nature of UTI, characterized by predisposition to postmenopausal women, high need for urological procedures and a strong link to low eGFR, older age, long duration diabetes, and high HbA1C. Amikacin could be the choice of antibiotic on empirical basis for inpatient setting, whereas nitrofurantoin could be the preferred oral antibiotic. Taking cognizance of these results, the study emphasizes the need for specialized infection control programs and guidelines for diabetes care settings.

Association between the intensity of statin therapy and physical activity 1 year after acute coronary syndrome: a multicentre prospective cohort study in Switzerland

ObjectivesTo assess the association between the intensity of statin therapy and the level of physical activity in patients 1 year after an acute coronary syndrome (ACS).DesignProspective cohort study from the...

Early warning systems for identifying severe maternal outcomes: findings from the WHO Global Maternal Sepsis Study.

Infections and sepsis are leading causes of morbidity and mortality in women during pregnancy and the post-pregnancy period. Using data from the 2017 WHO Global Maternal Sepsis Study, we explored the use of early warning systems (EWS) in women at risk of sepsis-related severe maternal outcomes. On April 27, 2023, we searched the literature for EWS in clinical use or research in obstetric populations. We calculated the proportion of women for whom each existing EWS identified them as at risk for developing severe maternal outcomes by infection severity (complications and severe maternal outcomes). Sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative likelihood ratios, diagnostic odds ratios, and J statistics were calculated to assess EWS performance. Machine learning was used to test the diagnostic potential of routine maternal sepsis markers. 21 EWS were assessed in 2560 women from 46 countries with suspected or confirmed infections. The NICE Risk Stratification tool, Modified Shock Index, maternity Systemic Inflammatory Response Syndrome, and Early Maternal Infection Prompts scores had high sensitivity (88.1-97.5%) for identifying sepsis-related severe maternal outcomes. The quick Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA) in Pregnancy score and Obstetrically modified SOFA had high specificity (90.4-100%) for identifying women with sepsis-related severe maternal outcomes. Furthermore, combinations of sepsis markers had very low sensitivity and high specificity using machine learning. No score demonstrated enough diagnostic accuracy to be used alone to identify sepsis. However, obstetric-and sepsis-specific EWS performed better for early identification of maternal sepsis than non-obstetric and non-sepsis-specific scoring systems. There are limitations to applying EWS to real-world data, mainly due to the incompleteness of medical data that hinders EWS effectiveness. There is a need to continue developing and testing criteria for early identification of maternal sepsis. UNDP-UNFPA-UNICEF-WHO-World Bank Special Programme of Research, Development and Research Training in Human Reproduction (HRP), WHO, Merck for Mothers, U.S. Agency for International Development, Wellcome Trust, and National Institute for Health and Care Research.

Teachers Competencies for Pedagogical Practice in Special and Inclusive Education Towards the Development of TPACK Framework

Abstract: This study aimed to determine the profiles and competency levels of Special Education Teachers (SpEdT) and Receiving Teachers (ReT) in applying the TPACK framework to facilitate learning in an inclusive setting. It assessed the components of the TPACK framework that required improvement based on the teachers' competencies and examined the significant relationship between the teachers' profiles and their competency in applying the TPACK framework. The findings served as the basis for a teacher development plan for the 2024–2025 school year in selected public schools in the Tri-City area of Metro Cebu that offered Special and Inclusive Education (SIE) programs. The study employed varied research designs, including cross-sectional, correlational, and descriptive correlation approaches. The collected data were analyzed using frequency, weighted mean, and Chi-square tests. The research found that most respondents were female, aged 44 to 53, married, and pursuing a master’s degree, with 13 to 18 years of experience in managing 11 to 20 learners, primarily those with intellectual disabilities, autism spectrum disorders, or orthopedic disabilities, in self-contained classrooms. While all TPACK components were rated as "Competent," only Pedagogical Knowledge (PK) was rated as "Highly Competent," whereas Technological Knowledge (TK), Pedagogical Content Knowledge (PCK), and Technological Content Knowledge (TCK) received lower scores. The study found no significant relationship between most profile factors and TPACK competencies. However, the sex of the teachers was significantly related to their Content Knowledge (CK) competency, while Pedagogical Content Knowledge (PCK) and Technological Pedagogical Knowledge (TPK) were significantly related to civil status. Additionally, the type of class assignment had a significant relationship with CK competency. Overall, SpEdT and ReT teachers were considered competent in applying the TPACK framework for inclusive education. The study recommended implementing a development plan that included professional development, partnerships, and ongoing competency monitoring

Critical Reflections of Pre-Service Teachers Regarding the Impact of a Special Education Practicum on their Professional Identity

This study examines the impact of a special education practicum program on the perceptions of Israeli pre-service teachers (PSTs) regarding their professional identity development. The sample comprised of 30 PSTs, 15 Jewish and 15 Arab, attending a ccollege of education in Israel. The study implemented a methodological approach that consisted of a qualitative analysis of the content of the PSTs’ critical reflections, which were collected at two time points, i.e. the end of the 1st semester and the end of the 2nd semester. The results iindicated that the special education practicum program contributed to the development of professional traits and teaching abilities of the participants, namely, to their ability to plan and teach successful and experiential lessons in an adaptive manner, and to develop an inclusive and beneficial class climate for both students and teachers.

Breastfeeding Trends Following the US Infant Formula Shortage.

Breastfeeding enhances maternal and child health, yet US breastfeeding rates remain below optimal levels and substantial disparities persist. The 2022 infant formula crisis had the potential to influence infant feeding practices due to formula shortages and fears about the safety of formula feeding in the wake of recalls. This report studies the evolution of breastfeeding-initiation trends during the infant formula crisis and compares the effects across subpopulations. This study analyzed 2016-2022 national birth certificate data from 47 states and the District of Columbia based on Bayesian structural time-series analysis to measure average changes in breastfeeding-initiation trends and a linear probability model to test for heterogeneous effects. During the 2022 infant formula crisis, average breastfeeding-initiation rates increased by 1.96 percentage points (pp) (95% credible interval, 1.68 pp to 2.23 pp) and remained elevated above historical levels at the end of the formula crisis. The increase was particularly pronounced among mothers with lower education levels, those receiving Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children assistance, residents of less populated counties, Medicaid recipients, and Black mothers, possibly due to their higher reliance on formula feeding. Populations meeting all of these sociodemographic criteria experienced the largest increase in breastfeeding initiation at 6.06 pp (95% confidence interval, 5.26 pp to 6.87 pp). Preexisting disparities in breastfeeding initiation declined in 2022. The infant formula crisis highlights the potential for addressing breastfeeding disparities and reducing associated child and maternal health risks through targeted interventions to promote breastfeeding.

THE EXPRESSION OF THE ARMENIAN PEOPLE AS THE CARRIER OF THE CHRISTIAN VALUE SYSTEM IN THE "METS MHER" BRANCH OF THE ARMENIAN FOLK EPIC

The Armenian epic embodies the collective consciousness and values of the people, which, transcending space and time, have been distilled to retain only what is true, valuable, and intrinsic to their identity. At the core of these moral principles lies the Christian value system, which has evolved over centuries to form a stable and enduring foundation. This system is prominently reflected throughout the Armenian epic, including its "Mets Mher" branch, illustrating that the Armenian People, as the earliest adopters of Christianity as a state religion, were the primary custodians of these Christian beliefs and values. In the Armenian epic, God is subtly present in all aspects of the Armenian people's lives. Their deep faith is reflected not only in the actions and events involving the heroes and the nation as a whole but also in their speech, behavior, and interpretations of various occurrences. The Armenian epic stands as one of humanity's most brilliant artistic creations, highlighting the essential characteristics of the Armenian people. Their Christian faith is an inseparable part of their worldview and understanding of life. Therefore, to foster national self-awareness in the younger generation, it is important to develop a special program for a deeper and more comprehensive study of the Armenian epic in modern schools.

RESEARCH OF STRESS-STRAIN STATE OF ORE GRINDING MILLS

Over the past decades, computing complexes based on finite element methods, such as "MARS," "Lira," "ASKA," "ADINA," "COSMOS," "ANSYS," etc., have been developed and are now successfully operational. However, alongside the development of powerful universal computing packages for various applications, there is a growing trend towards specialized complexes tailored to solve specific practical problems. This trend is driven by the advancement of automation systems for designing both typical structures and computer codes. In this paper, we address the problem of determining displacements and stresses in ore-grinding mills under asymmetric loading, based on a developed methodology and a specialized program for calculating the shells of revolution. Ore-grinding mills are complex structures resembling stacked branched shells of revolution supported by fins. The methods for calculating such structures, considering meridian edges, in accordance with the theory of constructive-orthotropic shells, are well-developed. While the calculation schemes of general-purpose program packages account for the self-weight of the drum, the weight of the ball loading, and the reaction of the supports, our specialized program additionally considers centrifugal forces of the drum, pulp, and inwall. It also accounts for the branching of the drum meridian and the possibility of the tip resting on one or two bearings, positioned at an angle φ in the tip section. These structures are loaded with their own weight, the weight of the inwall in the form of armored plates, as well as the weight of the ore, which, when mixed with water, is crushed by metal layers or rods located in a cylindrical drum. The crushing of ore occurs due to the rotation of the structure, which is horizontally positioned and supported by sliding bearings. This necessitates accounting for the centrifugal forces of the specified masses, as well as reactions from the bearings. Detailed description of load calculation and their representation by Fourier series is provided, along with a comprehensive consideration of taking rigid shifts into account when calculating the structural strength. The results of the study on the stress-strain state and strength of ore grinding mills are presented comprehensively.

Technologies of psychological rehabilitation of a personality after traumatic events (on the example of the rehabilitation programme for psychologists of the security and defence sector of Ukraine)

Today, psychologists in the security and defence sector of Ukraine work in extremely difficult conditions, providing psychological support to the military, who face various stressful situations. The full-scale war has created a unique situation where people in helping professions (psychologists, psychotherapists, social and medical workers, volunteers, etc.) experience a common trauma with the people they help. Psychologists who work in war and provide assistance to victims of traumatic events experience emotional (professional) burnout, secondary traumatisation and a number of negative mental states that are currently poorly understood. Given the impossibility of reducing the professional burden on people in these professions, the issue of developing and implementing a special multicomponent psychological recovery programme aimed at maintaining psychological health and preventing emotional burnout syndrome and secondary trauma in professionals in helping professions becomes relevant. The article presents a detailed description of the author’s programme of social and psychological rehabilitation of psychologists in the security and defence sector of Ukraine “The Way to Victory”. The main goal of the programme is to update the existing and search for new resources to strengthen stress resistance and restore the strength of participants, mastering new methods of preventing professional burnout of psychologists. The programme lasts a week and includes five consecutive blocks: 1) getting acquainted and getting into a new experience; 2) actualisation of problematic issues, peculiarities of experiencing stressful and traumatic situations; 3) grief and loss; 4) prevention and overcoming professional burnout; 5) acquiring resources. The developed programme will help psychologists in the security and defence sector of Ukraine to improve their own stress resistance, restore psychological health, and accumulate resources to prevent professional burnout.

Application of Customer Value to Increase Perceived Value through Special Business Request Marketing Program

This research was conducted at PT Telkom Indonesia, a company engaged in telecommunications, to evaluate the implementation of the Special Business Request (SBR) marketing program in increasing perceived value by customers. The SBR program is an initiative that offers discounts on large projects to strengthen cooperation with government customers. This research uses a qualitative descriptive method, collecting data from the company through in-depth interviews, observation, documentation, and secondary data. The evaluation was conducted on the effectiveness of the SBR program in increasing customer satisfaction and perceived value, using customer value theory, which emphasizes the difference between the benefits obtained by customers and the costs they incur. The results showed that the SBR program effectively increased customer perceived value, helping PT Telkom Indonesia win significant projects and strengthening long-term relationships with government customers. Recommendations are given to refine the program and introduce more personalized marketing strategies based on individual customer needs to achieve optimal results.

Extracellular Vesicles and Tunnelling Nanotubes as Mediators of Prostate Cancer Intercellular Communication.

Prostate cancer (PCa) pathogenesis relies on intercellular communication, which can involve tunnelling nanotubes (TNTs) and extracellular vesicles (EVs). TNTs and EVs have been reported to transfer critical cargo involved in cellular functions and signalling, prompting us to investigate the extent of organelle and protein transfer in PCa cells and the potential involvement of the androgen receptor. Using live cell imaging microscopy, we observed extensive formation of TNTs and EVs operating between PCa, non-malignant, and immune cells. PCa cells were capable of transferring lysosomes, mitochondria, lipids, and endoplasmic reticulum, as well as syndecan-1, sortilin, Glut1, and Glut4. In mechanistic studies, androgen-sensitive PCa cells exhibited changes in cell morphology when stimulated by R1881 treatment. Overexpression assays of a newly designed androgen receptor (AR) plasmid revealed its novel localization in PCa cellular vesicles, which were also transferred to neighbouring cells. Selected molecular machinery, thought to be involved in intercellular communication, was investigated by knockdown studies and Western blotting/immunofluorescence/scanning electron microscopy (SEM). PCa TNTs and EVs transported proteins and organelles, which may contain specialist signalling, programming, and energy requirements that support cancer growth and progression. This makes these important intercellular communication systems ideal potential targets for therapeutic intervention.

Introduction

The theme of this special issue is “Integration”. The articles presented in this special issue discuss various ways that Hirosaki University’s SALC (“The English Lounge”) has become integrated into the university. This includes integration into the Liberal Arts English courses, as well as a special international exchange program called “Hayabusa College,” a minor program, and a university-wide lecture series. The authors of this special issue jointly oversee the day-to-day management of the English Lounge and have contributed the research articles or summary reports highlighting these different types of integration. As SALCs evolve to the demands of their unique environments, it is paramount to find ways to maintain their relevancy and centrality for language learning and cross-cultural understanding. We hope others who are involved in their own SALCs find this special issue useful and engaging.

Study on Starch-Based Thickeners in Chyme for Dysphagia Use.

A dysphagia diet is a special dietary programme. The development and design of foods for dysphagia should consider both swallowing safety and food nutritional quality. In this study, we investigated the rheological properties (viscosity, thixotropy, and viscoelasticity), textural properties, and swallowing behaviour of commercially available natural, pregelatinised, acetylated, and phosphorylated maize starch and tapioca starch. The results showed that all the samples belonged to food grade 3 in the framework of the International Dysphagia Dietary Standardization Initiative (IDDSI) and exhibited shear-thinning behaviour in favour of dysphagia patients, except for the sample containing pregelatinised starch, which was grade 2. Rheological tests showed that the samples had good structural recovery properties. At the same starch concentration, the elastic modulus of phosphorylated cassava starch FSMP was significantly greater than that of the starch solution, whereas that of acetylated starch was significantly less than that of the starch solution, and the combination of acetylated starch and protein led to a significant viscosity reduction phenomenon, resulting in FSMPs with good stability and fluidity; this may provide an opportunity for the incorporation of more high-energy substructures. The textural results showed that all the samples possessed textural properties of low hardness, low adhesion, and high cohesion, all of which could be used as food for dysphagia patients. This study may provide a theoretical basis for the creation and design of novel nutritional foods for dysphagia.

Justification of Progressive Parameters of The Sides of Copper Ore Quarries

A methodological approach to the justification of steep (progressive) sides of copper ore quarries is presented on the basis of complex geomechanical studies of rocks directly in the instrument arrays using cores obtained from specially drilled engineering-geological wells to determine the size of structural blocks, the quality index of the array and the structural attenuation coefficient and parallel laboratory study of the strength and physical properties of rocks. The assessment of the stability of the sides of the quarry by various calculation methods made it possible to verify their reliability and good convergence. Rather steep (progressive) parameters of the sides of the quarry are recommended, at their height of 300 m, their angles of inclination range from 46° to 52° with a coefficient of stability ranging from 1.19 to 1.37. The implementation of geotechnological studies based on rating classifications allows us to obtain reliable strength characteristics of rocks necessary for numerical modeling of geomechanical processes. The stability of the sides of the quarry was assessed by various calculation methods, which made it possible to verify their reliability and good convergence of numerical- analytical and rating calculation systems, which are carried out using special programs.

School Literacy Movement Through Reading Corner at SLB B Yakut Purwokerto

TThe government initiated the School Literacy Movement (in Indonesian: Gerakan Literasi Sekolah or GLS) program in the Merdeka Curriculum as an effort to foster a culture of student literacy. This program requires schools to have a special program to optimize the School Literacy Movement. Meanwhile, there are obstacles in implementing the literacy movement in schools, namely the lack of literacy training for students with special needs in schools and the lack of availability of books at SLB B Yakut. With this reading corner literacy program based on local wisdom, it is hoped that this can be a solution to the problems above. The importance of literacy culture is to develop basic abilities and skills for a person in acquiring knowledge, skills, as well as forming attitudes for deaf-speech students so that they care about local wisdom culture. The purpose of carrying out this service is 1) to describe the implementation of GLS through reading corners and 2) to explain the impact of using local wisdom-based reading corners in SLB B Yakut. Methods for implementing service include: (1) approach methods taken starting from surveys, licensing, and providing motivation to teachers who will take part in training (2) program implementation methods, including the preliminary stage, socialization and audience stages, implementation stage, and monitoring stage and evaluation. As a result of this activity, students with special needs are expected to have literacy habits through reading corners at school. The strategy in the school literacy movement through reading corners prioritizes the affective social environment as a model of literate communication and conditions the physical environment to be literacy-friendly, such as making teachers role models in implementing the school literacy movement.

A Systematic Review: The Impact of COVID-19 Policy Flexibilities on SNAP and WIC Programmatic Outcomes.

In response to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) public health emergency (PHE), the federal government deployed policy flexibilities in food and nutrition assistance programs including the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) to meet the needs those experiencing economic hardship. Emergent literature evaluates the impact of these flexibilities on program outcomes. The objective of this study was to explore the impact of policy flexibilities deployed during the COVID-19 PHE on access, enrollment/retention, benefit utilization, and perceptions of SNAP and WIC. Keyword searches were performed in November 2023, February 2024, and August 2024. The search included peer-reviewed literature from 2020 to 2024, following Johanna Briggs Institute (JBI) and Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines, resulting in 37 eligible articles. Twelve studies evaluated policy flexibilities in SNAP only, 21 in WIC only, and 4 in both programs. Across these, 12 studies explored program access, 7 enrollment/retention, 13 benefit utilization, and 15 program perceptions. JBI critical appraisal tools were used to assess risk of bias. The reviewed articles show that although SNAP and WIC participants identified challenges to access, there were increases in enrollment/retention due to policy flexibilities enabling remote services and reducing administrative burden in both programs. Benefit increases led to greater purchase of preferred foods in SNAP and greater access to fruit and vegetables in WIC. Overall, participants were satisfied with the flexibilities and reported most were beneficial for their households. Some implementation challenges were identified by participants and staff. A few studies showed potential risks of bias, including selection bias and confounding bias. COVID-19-related policy flexibilities in SNAP and WIC demonstrated significant improvements in selected program outcomes; however, challenges communicating policy flexibilities to authorized vendors and participants created difficulties to benefiting from the flexibilities. Findings from the evaluations of these flexibilities can inform future program enhancements and long-term regulatory changes. This study was registered in PROSPERO (CRD42023493302).