Spending Time Research Articles

“I Do Not Have the Time of Being sick”: Para-Occupational Exposure and Women’s Health Risk Perception in an Agricultural Community

ABSTRACT Introduction Few studies have explored the relationship between para-occupational exposure and risk perception in farmers’ families. Women are indirectly involved in agricultural activities, even though their roles most of the time are hidden. Women’s para-occupational exposure and risk perceptions are important to describe, since women have a key gender role in the family’s health care and possibly in the impact of acting regarding pesticide safety education. Furthermore, in farmer families, the impact of para-occupational pesticide exposure on women’s health has been neglected. Aim Analyze pesticide para-occupational exposure scenario, knowledge, and health risk perception among women living in a farmer community. Methods A mixed methodology was used. Two groups of women were identified to screen the exposure scenario: Women living in a farming family and women not living in a farming family. Data on para-occupational pesticide exposure and intradomicile practices were collected by questionnaire and semi-structured interviews to identify health risk perception and risk practices. Results We observed a complex pesticide exposure scenario. All women were potentially exposed to pesticides through several pathways. One-third of the participants lived near a farming family or in proximity to neighbors that used pesticides at home, and one of every three women referred to spending time in a farmer’s home. Among the group of women in a farming family (n = 18) stored pesticides inside the home was common; having the “safety practice” of storing pesticides in high places to avoid children being exposed. Women not living in farmimg families (n = 11) felt overexposed due to living in an agricultural community and agricultural drift exposure. Women from this group also mentioned feeling fear of developing cancerous diseases as well as fertility problems. Conclusions Knowledge and risk perception of pesticide exposure are similar between groups; however, women living in farming families were less willing to attend preventive health check-ups or educational programs than women not living in a farming family.

A short simulated nature experience as an effective way to promote restoration from work-related stress.

Spending time in nature, and even watching images or videos of nature, has positive effects on one's mental state. However, cognitively stressful work is often performed indoors, in offices that lack easy access to nature during breaks. In this study, we investigated whether watching a 5-min audiovisual video that describes a first-person perspective walk on a forest path could help to restore one's mental state after cognitive stress. Participants were asked to perform cognitive stressor tasks, after which they were shown either a nature walk video or a control video. Subjective restoration was measured using self-reports before and after the videos, while electrodermal activity (EDA) and electroencephalography (EEG) were measured during the video-watching session. The results showed that experiencing the nature walk video enhanced subjective restoration more than watching the control video. Arousal of the autonomic nervous system, measured using EDA, decreased more during the nature walk video than during the control video. Additionally, activity in the EEG's upper theta band (6-8 Hz) and lower alpha band (8-10 Hz) increased during the nature walk video, suggesting that it induced a relaxed state of mind. Interestingly, the participants' connection with nature moderated the effects of the nature video. The subjective and physiological measures both suggest that watching a short, simulated nature walk may be beneficial in relaxing the mind and restoring one's mental state after cognitive stress.

The Role of the Departure of the Asset of Young Specialists in Reducing the Leakage of Teachers in the School

The article describes the main aspects of the integration and retention of a young teacher in the profession, defines the conditions that ensure this process, and shows effective ways for educational organizations to accompany and support a young teacher. The features of a new generation of teachers who dictate modern realities are studied, due to which new risks of leaving a specialist's position arise, the name of one of them is burnout. The importance of proper integration into the work environment and preparation for the performance of work tasks is largely dictated by responsibility to the future generation. The personnel drain is accompanied by the migration of promising specialists to other countries, this is facilitated by the existing number of factors described in the article. The paper identifies current strategies to prevent professional burnout of young teachers – they will help not only increase the number of specialists in the profession, but also give them the opportunity to develop in a career environment, strive for success. Special attention is paid to gatherings of young professionals as one of the leading ways to prevent burnout in general. The article includes the specifics of spending time outside the work institution, describes the stages of participation in the meeting, as well as its mutually beneficial relationship with the school administration, which needs cooperation with projects of a city or country of this format. The professional success of a teacher largely depends not only on passing through the difficulties of a career path, but also on the ability to take an environmentally friendly approach to spending their internal resources, to find a source of replenishment. Gatherings of young specialists meet these demands and are able to broaden their horizons, social circle, and raise their awareness. Accommodating many positive influences on the teacher, the meetings have become an effective measure to prevent his professional burnout, building the prospect of his success.

Exposure to 1-nitropyrene after weaning induces anxiety-like behavior partially by inhibiting steroid hormone synthesis in prefrontal cortex

1-Nitropyrene (1-NP) is a neurodevelopmental toxicant. This study was to evaluate the impact of exposure to 1-NP after weaning on anxiety-like behavior. Five-week-old mice were administered with 1-NP (0.1 or 1 mg/kg) daily for 4 weeks. Anxiety-like behaviour was measured using elevated-plus maze (EPM) and open field test (OFT). In EPM test, time spending in open arm and times entering open arm were reduced in 1-NP-treated mice. In OFT test, time spent in the center region and times entering the center region were diminished in 1-NP-treated mice. Prefrontal dendritic length and number of dendrite branches were decreased in 1-NP-treated mice. Prefrontal PSD95, an excitatory postsynaptic membrane protein, and gephyrin, an inhibitory postsynaptic membrane protein, were downregulated in 1-NP-treated mice. Further analysis showed that peripheral steroid hormones, including serum testosterone (T) and estradiol (E2), testicular T, and ovarian E2, were decreased in 1-NP-treated mice. Interestingly, T and E2 were diminished in 1-NP-treated prefrontal cortex. Prefrontal T and E2 synthases were diminished in 1-NP-treated mice. Mechanistically, GCN2-eIF2α, a critical pathway that regulates ribosomal protein translation, was activated in 1-NP-treated prefrontal cortex. These results indicate that exposure to 1-NP after weaning induces anxiety-like behaviour partially by inhibiting steroid hormone synthesis in prefrontal cortex.

Self-care among Slovenian social workers: understanding and barriers to self-care

ABSTRACT In this study, we investigated what Slovenian social workers understand by self-care and what barriers to self-care are the most common. Almost all respondents in our sample agreed that self-care is very important for social workers’ well-being and professional practice. However, only 38% fully agreed that they know how to take care of their well-being, and only 23% of social workers surveyed take care of themselves on a daily basis. The most frequently mentioned self-care practices in the personal domain are eating a regular and healthy diet, spending quality time with enjoyable others, and spending time in nature. The least-mentioned practices are time away from the telephone, journal writing, engaging in personal psychotherapy, and meditation. Engaging with co-workers and attending supervision are the most mentioned practices in the organisational self-care domain, while negotiation skills and setting boundaries with users and co-workers are the least mentioned practices. The most common barriers to self-care are work overload and lack of time. As the field of self-care among social workers in Slovenia is still unexplored and unregulated, we have suggested the first possible steps on micro, mezzo, and macro levels.

Nature-based social prescribing programmes: opportunities, challenges, and facilitators for implementation

BackgroundEvidence on the health benefits of spending time in nature has highlighted the importance of provision of blue and green spaces where people live. The potential for health benefits offered by nature exposure, however, extends beyond health promotion to health treatment. Social prescribing links people with health or social care needs to community-based, non-clinical health and social care interventions to improve health and wellbeing. Nature-based social prescribing (NBSP) is a variant that uses the health-promoting benefits of activities carried out in natural environments, such as gardening and walking. Much current NBSP practice has been developed in the UK, and there is increasing global interest in its implementation. This requires interventions to be adapted for different contexts, considering the needs of populations and the structure of healthcare systems. MethodsThis paper presents results from an expert group participatory workshop involving 29 practitioners, researchers, and policymakers from the UK and Germany’s health and environmental sectors. Using the UK and Germany, two countries with different healthcare systems and in different developmental stages of NBSP practice, as case studies, we analysed opportunities, challenges, and facilitators for the development and implementation of NBSP. ResultsWe identified five overarching themes for developing, implementing, and evaluating NBSP: Capacity Building; Accessibility and Acceptability; Networks and Collaborations; Standardised Implementation and Evaluation; and Sustainability. We also discuss key strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats for each overarching theme to understand how they could be developed to support NBSP implementation. ConclusionsNBSP could offer significant public health benefits using available blue and green spaces. We offer guidance on how NBSP implementation, from wider policy support to the design and evaluation of individual programmes, could be adapted to different contexts. This research could help inform the development and evaluation of NBSP programmes to support planetary health from local and global scales.

'A certain magic' - autistic adults' experiences of interacting with other autistic people and its relation to Quality of Life: A systematic review and thematic meta-synthesis.

Research has suggested that autistic people enjoy spending time with other autistic people and find them easier to talk to. We wanted to find out what autistic people say about spending time with other autistic people and whether this makes their life better. We found 52 papers which described this and reviewed what they found. We found that many autistic people had positive experiences of spending time with other autistic people and these experiences had positive impact on their lives in a range of different ways. The papers did not tell us whether this also happens for autistic people with a learning disability. More research is needed to find out more about why spending time with other autistic people helps some autistic people.

Screen time and sleep in children.

I continue to hear concerns from parents in my practice about the frequent use of light-emitting devices by their children. I have also found that many children suffer from sleep disturbances. What are the effects of screen time on sleep, and what are some best practices for sleep hygiene and screen use among children? Screen time is higher now than before the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, and knowledge about the effects of screen time is evolving. Spending time in front of a screen may replace sleep time or sleep-promoting activities such as exercise, and the engaging content and social interactions on screens interfere with falling asleep. Evidence exists on the disruption of the circadian rhythm by light emitted by screens. Advice to families should include sleep hygiene activities as well as elimination of screen use at least 1 hour before sleep.

Kriterien für wirtschaftspolitische Maßnahmen zum Abbau kritischer Importabhängigkeiten

Abstract In this study, an analytical scheme is developed to operationalise the objective of strategic autonomy in a cost-effective way. This is highly relevant as the concept of strategic autonomy is fuzzy and can therefore easily be misinterpreted in a way that would lead to large government subsidies for inefficient purposes in a time of high public debts, low growth and many other public spending needs. The main criteria of the analytical scheme are the degree of critical import dependency on a specific product, the existence of production in the EU and a long-term comparative advantage for this product, as well as the possibility of diversified friend-shoring to secure the supply of this product. Based on a product-specific evaluation of these criteria, it can be determined whether or not government intervention is justified in order to achieve sufficient de-risking of critical import dependencies. This is illustrated using several examples, including raw materials, pharmaceuticals, electric vehicles, batteries for electric vehicles and solar modules. If government intervention is found to be justified, the choice of instrument should be based on the principle that the degree of intervention should be minimised, provided that de-risking objective is sufficiently achieved. Several instruments such as warehousing, incentives for firm-based de-risking, trade barriers and subsidies are discussed. Subsidies in general should be the last resort.

ДЕТСКОЕ ИГРОВОЕ ПРОСТРАНСТВО В СТРУКТУРЕ СОВРЕМЕННОГО МУЗЕЯ

The article identifies new trends in the design of play spaces in the structure of museums of various profiles, created for spending time and ensuring the cognitive process of children: acquaintance with history, regional characteristics and familiarization with culture. The emphasis in the study is on playgrounds aimed at developing children's sensory play activities, tactile sensations and skills. Play objects and areas for children designed in museum spaces and during exhibitions are analyzed. The following museum formats of game scenarios have been identified: archaeological, construction, sound, spatial, plot, adventure, solitary. Each of them differs in the types of activities taking place on the sites and the activity of the gameplay.

The parameter of the Sick Building Syndrome: A systematic literature review

Sick Building Syndrome (SBS) is a collection of symptoms assumed to be related to spending time in a certain building, most typically a workplace, but no specific cause has been identified. The need to measure and assess various types of parameters of SBS is crucial and it is important to explore what parameter has been used in the previous studies of SBS. Therefore, this study aims to systematically review the parameter that has been used to monitor the SBS. This study was conducted using the PRISMA Statement and the search was conducted using two scientific databases which were Scopus and Web of Science. After a thorough and tight process, a total of 55 articles have been finalized and selected for thematic analysis. Two themes have been identified which were a) Indoor Environmental Quality (IEQ) and b) Occupant. This study also found that the spatial distribution pattern revealed that the Sick Building Syndrome research was spread over 26 nations, with the majority of articles originating from the United States and China. In terms of context, the majority of the selected publications employed the survey approach to investigate SBS parameters. Aside from that, the most researched form of building is the business building. This study has found that it would be more impactful for the SBS study if researchers could incorporate both indoor environmental quality and occupant factors into a study, resulting in more holistic conclusions.

The Impact of Urban Allotment Gardens on Physical and Mental Health in Norway.

In Norway, many communities offer low-rent plots of land on which city dwellers can build summer cottages and grow crops. These allotment gardens serve as recreational escapes from urban life. However, little is known about the impact these gardens have on their members. This study attempts to shed light on today's impact of allotment gardens in a public health setting in Norway. The study was based on 17 semi-structured interviews and 2 in-depth interviews with allotment house owners. Informants were mainly recruited by "snowball sampling". Our data show that maintaining an allotment promotes exercise and provides a positive impact on self-perceived well-being and physical health through outdoor activities. Spending time in the garden contributes to new knowledge and experiences. Owning an allotment garden has provided new knowledge, new skills, new hobbies, and thereby an improvement in lifestyle. The allotment garden has a strong impact on perceived health, well-being, and sense of coherence (SOC) for the individuals. It promotes outdoor activities along with social interaction and can prevent feelings of loneliness and isolation.

Rethinking time in preparing for and reflecting on teaching: Pedagogical partnership with student consultants as empowering educational development

How faculty choose—or feel compelled—to spend time on preparing for and reflecting on their teaching is influenced both by capitalist notions of efficiency and productivity and by human, relationship-focused conceptions of growth. The educational development opportunities that faculty are offered at the intersection of these influences can foster self-directed, meaningful, and empowering ways to conceptualize and use time. This article reports on a study that aimed to deepen understanding of how faculty think about, experience, and make choices about time during and after participating in a particular form of educational development: one-on-one pedagogical partnership with liminally positioned student consultants. Anonymous survey responses revealed that, while participating in this form of educational development, faculty experienced pedagogical partnership as a useful/practical way to spend time, as a source of insights into the student perspective on and experience of time, as inspiration to use time to center student learning, and as a worthwhile investment of time to grow as reflective practitioners. Survey responses showed that, after participating in this form of educational development, faculty carried forward new understandings of the importance of spending time outside of class reflecting on teaching, of feeling more confident and capable in planning for teaching, of using time differently in class, and of continuing to invest time in revising their sense of self as a teacher in meaningful learning relationships with students. The article concludes with recommendations for educational developers who wish to support faculty in rethinking time through creating or expanding opportunities to participate in student-faculty pedagogical partnerships.

The Distribution of Satellites in the TNG100 Simulation based on Time Spent in Halo

An important test of the Λ Cold Dark Matter model is the degree to which galaxy dark matter halos follow the predicted, characteristic density profile. In this Note, we explore the use of satellite galaxies as luminous tracers of halo mass density profiles as a function of the time since they joined the halos. We perform this investigation in the TNG100 simulation, where we can obtain precise locations of satellite galaxies and dark matter particles. We find that, by adopting a more accurate definition of joining redshift compared to a previous investigation, the oldest satellites are better, but not perfect tracers of the dark matter distribution.

How forests may support psychological restoration: Modelling forest characteristics based on perceptions of forestry experts and the general public

Abstract Spending time in forests benefits human well‐being, but the importance of forest characteristics on well‐being is unclear. This knowledge could help guide forest management decisions to improve outcomes for both people and nature. The overall aim of this study was to investigate how psychological restoration, defined as psychological recovery processes in nature, may be supported by forest characteristics. We (1) investigated how perceptions of restoration (perceived restorativeness) were linked to specific forest characteristics. More specifically, we selected attributes included in nature protection legislation in Germany (beauty, diversity and uniqueness) as the basis to evaluate how forest characteristics were related to perceived restorativeness. Additionally, we (2) tested differences in the assessments of these attributes between forestry experts and people from the general public. Based on the results of the first two objectives (1, 2), we (3) predicted how forest management that affects forest characteristics may impact psychological restoration today and in the future. We developed a perceived restorativeness model based on attributes stated in the German Nature Conservation Act and specific forest structure variables. Drawing from the literature, we included perceived naturalness as an additional key predictor for restoration. Forestry experts and participants from the general public were then asked to rate computer‐generated forest stand pictures on these attributes and restorativeness. We found that all attributes were positively associated with perceived restorativeness, but perceived beauty was most important. Perceived uniqueness was statistically significant, but the strength of the relationship was weak. Mixed forests were rated as most beautiful, while coniferous forest stands were rated as least beautiful. The general public gave higher ratings than forestry experts on all attributes, but the pattern was similar. Based on participant ratings, forests left without management (Set‐aside), followed by forests with management aiming for resilience to climate change (Adaptation forestry), both supporting biodiversity conservation, showed the highest perceived restorativeness over the course of 100 years. Based on our results, it could be recommendable to increase forest diversity, especially in areas with many visitors. However, more nuanced knowledge involving diverse stakeholders is needed to inform forest management decisions on landscape level. Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog.

Infant Care: Predictors of Outdoor Walking, Infant Carrying and Infant Outdoor Sleeping.

Although spending time outdoors is beneficial for development, little is known about outdoor time during infancy. The aim of this study was to assess frequencies and durations of (1a) outdoor walking and carrying in mother-infant dyads and (1b) infant outdoor sleeping in a stationary cot or pram. We furthermore aimed to identify associations of (2a) outdoor walking and carrying and (2b) infant outdoor sleeping, with infant, maternal and environmental sample characteristics. An online survey was distributed among mothers of 0- to 12-month-old infants. Initially, 1453 mothers were recruited, of which 1275 were included in the analyses. With respect to (1a) the outcomes of interest were: mother-infant dyads' total weekly duration of walking in minutes, frequency of walking on weekdays, as well as weekends, and the frequency of using an infant carrier during walks, as well as the daily duration of carrying in hours (indoors and outdoors together). With respect to (1b) the outcome variables were: placing the infant outdoors to sleep (yes/no), the total weekly duration of outdoor sleeping and the weekly frequency of outdoor sleeping. For aim 2, associations of the outcome variables with infant (i.e., age), maternal (i.e., working status) and environmental (i.e., house type) sample characteristics were assessed. Mother-infant dyads engaged in walks for a total weekly duration of 201 min, for approximately one to three walks over weekdays (Monday through Friday), as well as one to three walks on the weekend. The infant carrier was used by 22% of mothers at least half of the time during outdoor walks, and 18% reported a daily duration of infant carrying of one hour or more. Among other associations, infant and maternal enjoyment of outdoor walking correlated positively with the duration as well as the frequency of walking during weekdays and during the weekend. Furthermore, employed mothers walked for a shorter duration and less frequently on weekdays as compared to mothers on maternity leave or mothers without a paid job. The availability of nearby recreational areas correlated positively with the weekly duration and frequency of walks. The infant carrier was used more frequently during outdoor walks if more than one child lived in the household. Infant carrying during outdoor walks was also related to infant behavior at night. Roughly a third of the mothers (29%) regularly had their infant sleep outdoors for a weekly duration of four hours and a weekly frequency of approximately one to two times. Younger infants, infants of mothers with higher education and infants living in detached houses were more likely to be placed outdoors to sleep. We identified associations of infant, maternal and environmental characteristics with outdoor time spent during infancy. These results lay the foundation for future research on the effects of the outdoors on child development as well as on facilitators and barriers for caregivers.

Impact of Outdoor Recreation Programs on Mental Health in Tanzania

Purpose: The aim of the study was to assess the impact of outdoor recreation programs on mental health in Tanzania. Methodology: This study adopted a desk methodology. A desk study research design is commonly known as secondary data collection. This is basically collecting data from existing resources preferably because of its low cost advantage as compared to a field research. Our current study looked into already published studies and reports as the data was easily accessed through online journals and libraries. Findings: The study show that programs, often designed to immerse individuals in nature through activities like hiking, camping, and outdoor sports, have been shown to reduce symptoms of anxiety, depression, and stress. Engaging with nature fosters a sense of calmness and relaxation while promoting physical activity, which in turn contributes to improved mood and overall well-being. Moreover, participation in outdoor recreation programs encourages social interaction and a sense of belonging, which are crucial factors in combating loneliness and enhancing mental resilience. Studies also indicate that spending time outdoors can lead to increased mindfulness and a greater appreciation. Implications to Theory, Practice and Policy: Biophilia hypothesis, attention restoration theory and stress reduction theory may be used to anchor future studies on assessing impact of outdoor recreation programs on mental health in Tanzania. Designing outdoor recreation programs that are tailored to the specific needs and preferences of target populations can optimize their effectiveness. Implementing policies that prioritize the preservation and accessibility of green spaces in urban and rural areas is crucial for promoting mental health at the population level.

Continuity Between Waking Life and Dreaming: A Research Note and Study in Adolescents

A vast number of empirical findings support the continuity hypothesis of dreaming. Interestingly, research on that topic in adolescents is scarce. In a sample of 100 adolescents (50 female, 50 male) with a mean age 15.30 ± 0.80 years, it was found that for all six topics (watching TV, video gaming, social media use, engage in hobbies, caring for pets, and spending time with the partner), dream percentages of a specific topic was higher if the adolescents spent more time with this activity in waking life. Partner dreams and social media dreams were more frequent compared to adults, stressing the importance these issues have for adolescents. Future research can help to understand the well-being of adolescents by analyzing the emotional quality and content of their dreams.

Mechanical and Geotechnical Behaviour of Improved Sandy Clay Soil for Road Pavements in Offshore Sedimentary Basins

Road projects require a lot of earthworks. Sometimes, the soil in place has an insufficient bearing capacity; hence, the need to look for soil with required specifications. When a material is too far from the construction site, its transportation costful and time spending to the project. In offshore sedimentary basins, materials mostly available are sandy clay soils. This paper focuses on the improvement of the bearing capacity of sandy clay soil for different road pavements. Two solutions were investigated: lithostabilisation of sandy clay soil with volcanic rocks and cement stabilisation at different percentage in various curing conditions. Physical, geotechnical and mechanical properties were assessed on samples. It was found that, at 25% mix with volcanic gravel, sandy clayed soils are useable for the T2-T3 subbase layer and at 35% the mix can be stabilised with cement for the T2-T3 base and T4-T5 subbase layers. 4% cement dosage is the optimum for the three pavement layers. This dosage can be reduced to 2% for the T2-T3 subbase, if the negative impacts from environmental waters are counteracted. With a close look on the respect of prescribed procedures, sandy clayed soils in offshore sedimentary basins are useable for the construction of pavement layers.

Effect of out-of-school visual art activities on academic performance. The mediating role of socioeconomic status.

The application of visual art and other extracurricular activities to children's sustainable development is predominantly discussed in Western countries. Consequently, non-Western society could not cherish the benefit of visual art on their children's cognitive and non-cognitive skill development due to a lack of evidence that would revive the community, educators, and policy-makers' impressions about visual art activities, in addition to its amusement use. Thus, the present study adopted a cross-sectional study comprised of a large-scale survey (N = 1624) taken from the southwest part of China to assess the impact of out-of-school visual art activities on children's academic attainment across economically advantaged and disadvantaged children. Astonishingly, the study's findings shed light on current Chinese parents' dedication to purchasing out-of-school activities regardless of their social class difference; notwithstanding, lower-class parents ought to learn that spending time with their children during their activities is more beneficial. The study's implication calls for curriculum policy reform involving aesthetic education and expanding community youth centers for different extracurricular activities.