Effects of COVID-19-related Stay-at-Home Order on Neuropsychophysiological Response to Urban Spaces: Beneficial Role of Exposure to Nature?

Author(s):  
Olszewska-Guizzo Agnieszka ◽  
Fogel Anna ◽  
Escoffier Nicolas ◽  
Ho Roger
Keyword(s):  
Author(s):  
Daniela Menichini ◽  
Gianpiero Forte ◽  
Beatrice Orrù ◽  
Giuseppe Gullo ◽  
Vittorio Unfer ◽  
...  

Abstract. Vitamin D is a secosteroid hormone that plays a pivotal role in several metabolic and reproductive pathways in humans. Increasing evidence supports the role of vitamin D deficiency in metabolic disturbances and infertility in women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). Indeed, supplementation with vitamin D seems to have a beneficial role on insulin resistance and endometrial receptivity. On the other hand, exceedingly high levels of vitamin D appear to play a detrimental role on oocytes development and embryo quality. In the current review, we summarize the available evidence about the topic, aiming to suggest the best supplementation strategy in women with PCOS or, more generally, in those with metabolic disturbances and infertility. Based on the retrieved data, vitamin D seems to have a beneficial role on IR, insulin sensitivity and endometrial receptivity, but high levels and incorrect timing of administration seem to have a detrimental role on oocytes development and embryo quality. Therefore, we encourage a low dose supplementation (400–800 IU/day) particularly in vitamin D deficient women that present metabolic disturbances like PCOS. As far as the reproductive health, we advise vitamin D supplementation in selected populations, only during specific moments of the ovarian cycle, to support the luteal phase. However, ambiguities about dosage and timing of the supplementation still emerge from the clinical studies published to date and further studies are required.


Author(s):  
Sunil Bhatia

This chapter documents the ethnographic context in which the interviews and participant observation were conducted for the study presented in this book. It also situates the study within the context of narrative inquiry and develops arguments about the role of self-reflexivity in doing ethnography at “home” and producing qualitative forms of knowledge that are based on personal, experiential, and cultural narratives. It is argued that there is significant interest in the adoption of interpretive methods or qualitative research in psychology. The qualitative approaches in psychology present a provocative and complex vision of how the key concepts related to describing and interpreting cultural codes, social practices, and lived experience of others are suffused with both poetical and political elements of culture. The epistemological and ontological assumptions undergirding qualitative research reflect multiple “practices of inquiry” and methodologies that have different orientations, assumptions, values, ideologies, and criterion of excellence.


Geographies ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 47-62
Author(s):  
Ujjwal Das ◽  
Barkha Chaplot ◽  
Hazi Mohammad Azamathulla

Skilled birth attendance and institutional delivery have been advocated for reducing maternal, neonatal mortality and infant mortality (NMR and IMR). This paper examines the role of place of delivery with respect to neo-natal and infant mortality in India using four rounds of the Indian National Family Health Survey conducted in 2015–2016. The place of birth has been categorized as “at home” or “public and private institution.” The role of place of delivery on neo-natal and infant mortality was examined by using multivariate hazard regression models adjusted for clus-tering and relevant maternal, socio-economic, pregnancy and new-born characteristics. There were 141,028 deliveries recorded in public institutions and 54,338 in private institutions. The esti-mated neonatal mortality rate in public and private institutions during this period was 27 and 26 per 1000 live births respectively. The study shows that when the mother delivers child at home, the chances of neonatal mortality risks are higher than the mortality among children born at the health facility centers. Regression analysis also indicates that a professionally qualified provider′s antenatal treatment and assistance greatly decreases the risks of neonatal mortality. The results of the study illustrate the importance of the provision of institutional facilities and proper pregnancy in the prevention of neonatal and infant deaths. To improve the quality of care during and imme-diately after delivery in health facilities, particularly in public hospitals and in rural areas, accel-erated strengthening is required.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Luigimaria Borruso ◽  
Alice Checcucci ◽  
Valeria Torti ◽  
Federico Correa ◽  
Camillo Sandri ◽  
...  

AbstractHere, we investigated the possible linkages among geophagy, soil characteristics, and gut mycobiome of indri (Indri indri), an endangered lemur species able to survive only in wild conditions. The soil eaten by indri resulted in enriched secondary oxide-hydroxides and clays, together with a high concentration of specific essential micronutrients. This could partially explain the role of the soil in detoxification and as a nutrient supply. Besides, we found that soil subject to geophagy and indris’ faeces shared about 8.9% of the fungal OTUs. Also, several genera (e.g. Fusarium, Aspergillus and Penicillium) commonly associated with soil and plant material were found in both geophagic soil and indri samples. On the contrary, some taxa with pathogenic potentials, such as Cryptococcus, were only found in indri samples. Further, many saprotrophs and plant-associated fungal taxa were detected in the indri faeces. These fungal species may be involved in the digestion processes of leaves and could have a beneficial role in their health. In conclusion, we found an intimate connection between gut mycobiome and soil, highlighting, once again, the potential consequent impacts on the wider habitat.


2021 ◽  
Vol 6 (7) ◽  
pp. 1562-1569
Author(s):  
Yangping Liu ◽  
Xican Li ◽  
Yujie Hua ◽  
Wenhui Zhang ◽  
Xianxi Zhou ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-15
Author(s):  
Helena Ross ◽  
Ryan Dritz ◽  
Barbara Morano ◽  
Sara Lubetsky ◽  
Pamela Saenger ◽  
...  

2021 ◽  
Vol 99 (5) ◽  
pp. 1474-1495
Author(s):  
Ilias Kalafatakis ◽  
Alexandros Patellis ◽  
Ioannis Charalampopoulos ◽  
Achille Gravanis ◽  
Domna Karagogeos

Author(s):  
Bhuma Krishnamachari ◽  
Alexander Morris ◽  
Diane Zastrow ◽  
Andrew Dsida ◽  
Brian Harper ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  

Author(s):  
Teresa Lanzón Serra ◽  
Amelia Díaz Martínez

This work presents the evaluation of the stress symptoms associated to the task of caring for a dependent relative at home. The role played by variables such as type of caregiver (nurse/non-nurse), the relative dependency level, the number of hours per day dedicated to caring and the years the caregiver had been caring for the relative was studied. The sample was made up of 100 caregivers, and the variables associated to stress studied in the present work were intrusion, avoidance and activation. Results showed that non-nurse caregivers caring for a low dependency relative for a period of less than two years were those suffering a higher impact, with more symptoms associated to stress. Hours caring per day worked as a protective variable of stress, in that those caregivers dedicating a lower number of hours to caring had lower risk of suffering stress symptoms. These results clearly show the stressful impact of the first stages of dependency, even at the lowest level of dependency in a relative, on non-professional caregivers and highlight the need to provide strategies, similar to those shown by professional nurses looking after their own relatives, to reduce stress. This kind of intervention would prepare the caregiver for the future stages when the dependency level in the relatives and the effort caring for them would be higher.


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