Effects of the COVID-19 Lockdown on Portuguese Children’s Motor Competence

During long periods without school, children are more susceptible to unhealthy behaviors, such as an increase in sedentary behaviors, which has a negative impact on children’s motor competence (MC). The COVID-19 lockdown offered us a unique opportunity to test, in a quasi-experimental setting, the impact of lockdown movement restrictions on children’s MC. We assessed the motor competence of 114 children aged 6–9 years using the motor competence assessment. All children were tested before and after the COVID-19 lockdown. Chi-square and 2 × 2 ANOVA (sex by moment) were used to further analyze the data. Regardless of sex, motor performances in all tests (except for jumping sideways in boys) were lower when compared with performances before lockdown. There was a marked decreasing trend in children’s levels of MC, shifting from an upper to a lower quartile in different tests. The results after the lockdown were always significantly inferior to the results before lockdown in all motor tests (except jumping sideways), in the three components of MC, and in global MC. Children’s global MC score decreased by an average of 13 points in boys and 16 points in girls. The imposed movement restrictions had a negative effect on children’s motor competence development.

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The Effects of the Economic Adjustment Programmes for Greece: A Quasi-Experimental Approach

Sustainability ◽

10.3390/su13094970 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 13 (9) ◽

pp. 4970

Author(s):

Julio Revuelta

Keyword(s):

Experimental Approach ◽

Control Method ◽

Negative Impact ◽

Synthetic Control ◽

The European Union ◽

Economic Adjustment ◽

Negative Effect ◽

Quasi Experimental ◽

The Impact

Three Economic Adjustment Programmes (EAPs) were implemented in Greece, between 2010 and 2015, without achieving the proposed economic objectives. This article analyses the impact of the EAPs in Greece using the synthetic control method (SCM) and has three main contributions. First, it identifies a long-term negative impact worth 35.3 per cent of the Greek GDP per capita caused by the application of the EAPs. Second, it finds that three-quarters of the estimated negative and unsustainable impact accumulated over the 2010–2012 period. Third, it identifies a regressive effect of the EAPs on income distribution, the Greek population with lower incomes experienced a greater negative effect caused by the adjustment programmes. These results underscore the need to review and correct the conditional financial assistance framework currently in force in the European Union.

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Impact of Dividend Tax Change on the Payout Policy of Indian Companies

Global Business Review ◽

10.1177/0972150919846814 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 20 (5) ◽

pp. 1282-1291

Author(s):

Sanjay Dhamija ◽

Ravinder Kumar Arora

Keyword(s):

Negative Impact ◽

Payout Policy ◽

Tax Law ◽

Dividend Payout ◽

Inside Ownership ◽

Regulatory Changes ◽

Before And After ◽

The Government ◽

The Impact ◽

Dividend Tax

The article examines the impact of regulatory changes in the tax on dividends on the payout policy of Indian companies. The tax law was recently amended to levy tax on dividends received by large shareholders. As the promoters group is the largest shareholder, this is expected to have a negative impact on the payout policy of companies. Furthermore, companies with larger promoter holdings have a higher motivation to reduce their payout. The study covers 370 companies present in the BSE 500 Index and compares the dividend payout of the companies before and after the introduction of tax levy. The study finds that the newly introduced tax indeed caused a shift in the dividend policy of companies, particularly those companies which have high levels of inside ownership. The findings have significant implications for companies, investors and the government.

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Every coin has two sides: the impact of time pressure on employees’ knowledge hiding

Journal of Knowledge Management ◽

10.1108/jkm-02-2021-0149 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽

Author(s):

Xianchun Zhang ◽

Zhu Yao ◽

Wan Qunchao ◽

Fu-Sheng Tsai

Keyword(s):

Time Pressure ◽

Negative Impact ◽

Positive Impact ◽

Job Security ◽

Statistical Technique ◽

Content Type ◽

Individual Knowledge ◽

Negative Effect ◽

Knowledge Hiding ◽

The Impact

Purpose Time pressure is the most common kind of work pressure that employees face in the workplace; the existing research results on the effect of time pressure are highly controversial (positive, negative, inverted U-shaped). Especially in the era of knowledge economy, there remains a research gap in the impact of time pressure on individual knowledge hiding. The purpose of this paper is to explore the impact of different time pressure (challenge and hindrance) on knowledge hiding and to explain why there is controversy about the effect of time pressure in the academics. Design/methodology/approach The authors collected two waves of data and surveyed 341 R&D employees in China. Moreover, they used regression analysis, bootstrapping and Johnson–Neyman statistical technique to verify research hypotheses. Findings The results show that challenge time pressure (CTP) has a significant negative effect on knowledge hiding, whereas hindrance time pressure (HTP) has a significant positive effect on knowledge hiding; job security mediates the relationship between time pressure and knowledge hiding; temporal leadership strengthen the positive impact of CTP on job security; temporal leadership can mitigate the negative impact of HTP on job security. Originality/value The findings not only respond to the academic debate about the effect of time pressure and point out the reasons for the controversy but also enhance the scholars’ attention and understanding of the internal mechanism between time pressure and knowledge hiding.

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Abstract P841: The Impact of a Dedicated Pediatric Stroke Discharge Plan Upon Parent Preparedness for Clinic: Before and After the Start of Covid-19

Stroke ◽

10.1161/str.52.suppl_1.p841 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 52 (Suppl_1) ◽

Author(s):

Cindy Nederveld ◽

Vivian Thompson ◽

Jacqueline Murray ◽

Jennifer L Armstrong ◽

Megan Barry ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Multidisciplinary Care ◽

Clinic Visit ◽

Outpatient Setting ◽

Pediatric Stroke ◽

Chi Square ◽

Discharge Plan ◽

Before And After ◽

Appointment Time ◽

Chi Square Analysis ◽

The Impact

Background: The Colorado Pediatric Stroke Program provides comprehensive, multidisciplinary care for pediatric stroke patients and their families. The team, which includes dedicated inpatient and outpatient nurse coordinators, instituted a plan to support the transition from the inpatient to outpatient setting. Purpose: A survey was used to determine family preparedness for clinic and ease of scheduling their appointment. The data were collected before and after enacting remote scheduling and telehealth visits due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: Our team provided educational materials and an outpatient appointment time to families at time of discharge starting in 2019. In January 2020, the stroke clinic staff surveyed parents and guardians about their preparedness for clinic. Telehealth encounters were initiated due to COVID-19 in March 2020, with staff conducting RedCAP surveys by telephone. The survey measured several components of visit preparedness and satisfaction including: understanding of diagnosis, reason for referral prior to clinic visit, familiarity with the stroke team prior to clinic visit, and ease in appointment scheduling. We compared results before and after March 2020 via two-tailed chi-square analysis or two-tailed Fischer’s test. Results: Prior to telehealth, families favorably reported responses with 92% (47/52) knowing the reason for referral, 86% (42/49) receiving educational material prior to clinic, and 84% (42/50) reporting familiarity with our team. All patients (50/50) reported that scheduling was easy. Only scheduling ease had a significant change during the pandemic, with 11% (2/11) of patients reporting difficulties with scheduling after starting telehealth ( P=0.03 ). Conclusion: Childhood stroke is a disease with significant morbidity and mortality, requiring close follow-up care. Families report robust preparedness for clinic after the implementation of a comprehensive discharge plan. Although small numbers, remote scheduling and telehealth transition may present previously unseen barriers to scheduling during the pandemic. During abrupt changes in clinical operations additional scheduling resources may be needed to ensure continuity of care.

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The Use of Procalcitonin as a Sepsis Marker in a Community Hospital

The Journal of Applied Laboratory Medicine ◽

10.1373/jalm.2018.026955 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 3 (4) ◽

pp. 545-552

Author(s):

Nathalia De Oro ◽

Maria E Gauthreaux ◽

Julie Lamoureux ◽

Joseph Scott

Keyword(s):

Lactic Acid ◽

Length Of Stay ◽

Community Hospital ◽

Unit Length ◽

Hospital Setting ◽

Control Group ◽

Before And After ◽

Quasi Experimental ◽

Current Cutoff ◽

The Impact

Abstract Background Procalcitonin (PCT) is a biomarker that shows good sensitivity and specificity in identifying septic patients. Methods This study investigated the diagnostic accuracy of PCT in a community hospital setting and how it compared to that of lactic acid. It explored the impact on patient care before and after PCT implementation regarding costs and length of stay. Two comparative groups were analyzed using an exploratory descriptive case–control study with data from a 19-month period after PCT implementation and a retrospective quasi-experimental study using a control group of emergency department patients diagnosed with sepsis using data before PCT implementation. Results Post-procalcitonin implementation samples included 165 cases and pre-procalcitonin implementation sample included 69 cases. From the 165 sepsis cases who had positive blood cultures, PCT had a sensitivity of 89.7%. In comparison, lactic acid's sensitivity at the current cutoff of 18.02 mg/dL (2.0 mmol/L) was 64.9%. There was a 32% decrease in median cost before and after PCT implementation, even with the length of stay remaining at 5 days in both time periods. Conclusions There was a significant decrease after the implementation of PCT in cost of hospitalization compared to costs before implementation. This cost is highly correlated with length of stay; neither the hospital nor the intensive care unit length of stay showed a difference with before and after implementation. There was a positive correlation between lactic acid and PCT values. PCT values had a higher predictive usefulness than the lactic acid values.

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Some results of studying the impact of digital technologies upon learning activities

Педагогика и просвещение ◽

10.7256/2454-0676.2020.1.31995 ◽

2020 ◽

pp. 1-14

Author(s):

Elvira Vitaljevna Burtseva ◽

Olga Chepak ◽

Olga Kulikova

Keyword(s):

Higher Education ◽

Social Networks ◽

Negative Impact ◽

Digital Technologies ◽

Educational Process ◽

Learning Activities ◽

Key Factor ◽

Negative Effect ◽

The Subject ◽

The Impact

The subject of this research is the implementation of digital technologies in educational process of a university. The goal consists in studying the impact of digital technologies upon the students’ learning activities. The article presents the results of questionnaire-based survey among students by the three question pools. In the course of research, the author examines such aspects of the problem, as the positive and negative impact of technologies upon learning activities of the students of digital generation. Particular attention is given to consideration of students’ attitude on digitalization of higher education. The opinions of pedagogues on the results of conducted research are presented. The scientific novelty lies in mainstreaming the question on the negative impact of digital technologies upon learning activities of the modern generation of students that deserves special attention. On the background of common passion of the scholars of researchers and pedagogues for the ideas of digitalization of education, when digital technologies are viewed as virtually the key factor for modernization of educational process; second come the problems of growing pathological dependence of youth on digital technologies, undesired to switch to digitalized educational process to the disadvantage of communication in social networks and pleasant pastime online. The problem of the negative effect of digital technologies on learning activities must be recognized in order to find the ways for its solution.

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The Impact of the Capture of Leaders of Criminal Organizations on the Labor Market: Evidence from Mexico

10.36095/banxico/di.2021.19 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Daniel Osuna Gómez ◽

Keyword(s):

Labor Market ◽

Census Data ◽

Negative Impact ◽

Difference Analysis ◽

Criminal Organizations ◽

Before And After ◽

Economic Census ◽

The Difference ◽

Integral Assessment ◽

The Impact

This paper estimates the impact of the capture of leaders of criminal organizations on the labor market in municipalities where these organizations operated between 2004 and 2006. The difference-in-difference analysis compares different employment outcomes in cartel locations and the rest, before and after the capture of cartel leaders. The results show that captures caused a decrease in nominal wages and paid employment in cartel municipalities. Using Economic Census Data, I find that captures also caused a fall in the number of establishments and had a negative impact on other establishment outcomes. This document focuses exclusively on the impact of the capture of leaders of criminal organizations on the labor market until 2011 without studying other possible consequences, and thus does not make an integral assessment of this policy

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The Impact of Orthodontic Treatment on Pre-Existing Gingival Recessions: A Retrospective Study

Applied Sciences ◽

10.3390/app11199036 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (19) ◽

pp. 9036

Author(s):

Guostė Antanavičienė ◽

Eglė Zasčiurinskienė ◽

Dalia Smailienė ◽

Nomeda Basevičienė

Keyword(s):

Retrospective Study ◽

Orthodontic Treatment ◽

Negative Impact ◽

Open Bite ◽

Class Iii ◽

Before And After ◽

Pre Treatment ◽

Mandibular Teeth ◽

The Impact ◽

Plaster Models

(1) Background: This retrospective study aimed to examine the change of gingival recessions (GR) before and after orthodontic treatment (OT). (2) Methods: Patients who had at least one GR on the vestibular surface of maxillary/mandibular teeth mesial to first molars were included. GR was measured on good quality plaster models before and after OT. (3) Results: Significant improvement of mean GR at patient level was found between T0 and T1 (0.45 mm, 95% CI: 0.28, 0.62) (p < 0.001). In 51.4% of patients GRs became better, in 37.8% GRs did not change. and in 10.8% GRs became worse. At tooth level the mean GR improvement was 0.54 mm (CI: 0.42, 0.65; median 0.55 mm Q1; Q3: 0.12, 0.96) (p < 0.001). GR improved in 67 teeth (58.7%), did not change in 41 (36.0%), and worsened in 6 (5.3%). Full healing was observed in 15 teeth. A reduced GR improvement was found in cases with pre-treatment open bite (OR 3.89; CI: 1.35, 11.16; p = 0.008) and dental Class III patients (OR 2.6; CI: 1.11, 6.0; p = 0.026). (4) Conclusion: There was an improvement of GR after OT in more than half of the patients. Class III malocclusion and reduced pre-treatment overbite had a negative impact on GR improvement.

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SP10.1.7 The Important Role of In-Situ Simulation in Preparing Surgeons for the COVID-19 Pandemic

British Journal of Surgery ◽

10.1093/bjs/znab361.180 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 108 (Supplement_7) ◽

Author(s):

Pierre Montauban ◽

Charannya Balakumar ◽

Jaideep Rait ◽

Prizzi Zarsadias ◽

Sara Iqbal ◽

...

Keyword(s):

High Risk ◽

In Situ Simulation ◽

Level Of Confidence ◽

Effective Training ◽

Before And After ◽

Quasi Experimental ◽

Surgical Teams ◽

Imminent Threat ◽

The Impact

Abstract Background Effective training is vital when facing viral outbreaks such as the SARS Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) outbreak of 2019. The objective of this study was to measure the impact of in-situ simulation on the confidence of the surgical teams of two hospitals in assessing and managing acutely unwell surgical patients who are high-risk or confirmed to have COVID-19. Methods This was a quasi-experimental study with a pretest-posttest design. The surgical teams at each hospital participated in multi-disciplinary simulation sessions to explore the assessment and management of a patient requiring emergency surgery who is high risk for COVID-19. The participants were surveyed before and after receiving simulation training to determine their level of confidence on a Visual Analog Scale (VAS) for the premise stated in each of the nine questions in the survey, which represented multiple aspects of the care of these patients. Results 27 participants responded the pre-simulation survey and 24 the one post-simulation. The level of confidence (VAS score) were statistically significantly higher for all nine questions after the simulation. Specific themes were identified for further training and changes in policy. Conclusion In-situ simulation is an effective training method. Its versatility allows it to be set up quickly as rapid-response training in the face of an imminent threat. In this study, it improved the preparedness of two surgical teams for the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic.

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Efficacy of standard- vs reduced-dose insulin for treatment of hyperkalemia: A quasi-experiment

American Journal of Health-System Pharmacy ◽

10.1093/ajhp/zxab382 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Sara Catherine Pearson ◽

Kristin O’Connor ◽

Kimberly Keller ◽

T J Hodge ◽

Ross Nesbit

Keyword(s):

Glucose Level ◽

Standard Dose ◽

Additional Treatment ◽

Treatment Pathway ◽

Reduced Dose ◽

Significant Difference ◽

Before And After ◽

Quasi Experimental ◽

Stage Renal Disease ◽

The Impact

Abstract Disclaimer In an effort to expedite the publication of articles related to the COVID-19 pandemic, AJHP is posting these manuscripts online as soon as possible after acceptance. Accepted manuscripts have been peer-reviewed and copyedited, but are posted online before technical formatting and author proofing. These manuscripts are not the final version of record and will be replaced with the final article (formatted per AJHP style and proofed by the authors) at a later time. Purpose Hyperkalemia more commonly affects patients with a glomerular filtration rate of less than 60 mL/min. Using intravenous (IV) insulin to shift potassium intracellularly may cause hypoglycemia, requiring additional treatment or longer hospitalization. Literature on insulin dosing in this context is limited, with one previous study indicating that 5 units of IV insulin might be as effective and result in less hypoglycemia than the standard dose of 10 units of IV insulin. The hyperkalemia treatment pathway at our institution was revised in May 2018 to include a reduced-dose option (5 units of insulin) for patients with end-stage renal disease. This study aimed to compare the prevalence of hypoglycemia between patients who received standard-dose vs reduced-dose IV insulin. Methods This single-center, retrospective, quasi-experimental study evaluated the impact of revision of the hyperkalemia treatment pathway by assessing rates of hypoglycemia during the 6 months before and after implementation of the revised pathway. The primary endpoint was prevalence of hypoglycemia, defined as a blood glucose level of less than or equal to 70 mg/dL. Results There was no statistically significant difference in the occurrence of hypoglycemia when comparing the pre- and postimplementation groups (36 [17.7%] patients vs 34 [18.7%] patients; P = 0.7924). The postimplementation group had a statistically significant lower reduction in potassium levels after treatment than the preimplementation group (mean [interquartile range], –0.9 [–1.3, –0.5] mEq/L vs –0.6 [–1.2, –0.2] mEq/L; P = 0.0095). Baseline potassium levels were similar between the groups. Conclusion Administration of reduced-dose IV insulin for treatment of hyperkalemia was significantly less effective in lowering serum potassium levels and did not decrease prevalence of hypoglycemia. When accounting for potential confounders, the only variable that was associated with hypoglycemia was pretreatment glucose level.

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