scholarly journals Reviewing the Insights of Confinement and Social Distancing as Measures Involved in the Prevention of the COVID-19 Pandemic

2020 ◽  
Vol 1 (3) ◽  
pp. 10-23
Author(s):  
Georges Pius Kamsu Moyo⃰ ◽  
Dany Hermann Ngwanou ◽  
Daniel Armand Tague Kago ◽  
Nelly Kamgaing ◽  
Ginette Claude Mireille Kalla ◽  
...  

Confinement and social distancing have been widely used in the prevention of the COVID-19 pandemic, as interventions consisting in reducing physical contact between individuals to prevent the spread of the disease. In order to demonstrate the pattern of these measures, we did a review of pertinent articles on the subject available online. We found that though confinement and social distancing significantly contributed to the mitigation of the COVID-19 infection in a number of countries worldwide, there however exist a dilemma in choosing between the expected benefits and adverse effects, especially when applied on a large scale. Thus considerations with regards to socio-anthropological and politico-economic impacts should be considered in order to protect citizens, especially the vulnerable. Besides, population information, education and communication helps to increase adherence and observation of recommendations. However, further improvements need to be implemented in other to render these measures more bearable and less restrictive while ameliorating their efficacy.

e-Finanse ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 14 (4) ◽  
pp. 67-76
Author(s):  
Piotr Bartkiewicz

AbstractThe article presents the results of the review of the empirical literature regarding the impact of quantitative easing (QE) on emerging markets (EMs). The subject is of interest to policymakers and researchers due to the increasingly larger role of EMs in the world economy and the large-scale capital flows occurring after 2009. The review is conducted in a systematic manner and takes into consideration different methodological choices, samples and measurement issues. The paper puts the summarized results in the context of transmission channels identified in the literature. There are few distinct methodological approaches present in the literature. While there is a consensus regarding the direction of the impact of QE on EMs, its size and durability have not yet been assessed with sufficient precision. In addition, there are clear gaps in the empirical findings, not least related to relative underrepresentation of the CEE region (in particular, Poland).


2020 ◽  
Vol 93 (4) ◽  
pp. 133-145
Author(s):  
T. M. Barbysheva ◽  

Public-private partnership (PPP) in the conditions of the set strategic tasks by the President of the Russian Federation until 2030 can become one of the sources of attracting financial resources for implementation of the large-scale projects. In this regard, it is relevant to systematize the forms of PPPs and the scope of their application. Based on a study of different views on the essence of PPP, as well as taking into account the development of public administration in Russia, the author proposed the use of public-public-private partnership as a form of development of cooperation between the state, private business and society. The polyformism of PPPs is reflected in the presented classification. Based on the analysis of PPP development in the regional context, hypothesis on the correlation between the level of PPP and the socio-economic development of the subject of the Russian Federation was confirmed.


Author(s):  
Andrew Reid ◽  
Julie Ballantyne

In an ideal world, assessment should be synonymous with effective learning and reflect the intricacies of the subject area. It should also be aligned with the ideals of education: to provide equitable opportunities for all students to achieve and to allow both appropriate differentiation for varied contexts and students and comparability across various contexts and students. This challenge is made more difficult in circumstances in which the contexts are highly heterogeneous, for example in the state of Queensland, Australia. Assessment in music challenges schooling systems in unique ways because teaching and learning in music are often naturally differentiated and diverse, yet assessment often calls for standardization. While each student and teacher has individual, evolving musical pathways in life, the syllabus and the system require consistency and uniformity. The challenge, then, is to provide diverse, equitable, and quality opportunities for all children to learn and achieve to the best of their abilities. This chapter discusses the designing and implementation of large-scale curriculum as experienced in secondary schools in Queensland, Australia. The experiences detailed explore the possibilities offered through externally moderated school-based assessment. Also discussed is the centrality of system-level clarity of purpose, principles and processes, and the provision of supportive networks and mechanisms to foster autonomy for a diverse range of music educators and contexts. Implications for education systems that desire diversity, equity, and quality are discussed, and the conclusion provokes further conceptualization and action on behalf of students, teachers, and the subject area of music.


2021 ◽  
Vol 7 ◽  
pp. 237802312110201
Author(s):  
Thomas A. DiPrete ◽  
Brittany N. Fox-Williams

Social inequality is a central topic of research in the social sciences. Decades of research have deepened our understanding of the characteristics and causes of social inequality. At the same time, social inequality has markedly increased during the past 40 years, and progress on reducing poverty and improving the life chances of Americans in the bottom half of the distribution has been frustratingly slow. How useful has sociological research been to the task of reducing inequality? The authors analyze the stance taken by sociological research on the subject of reducing inequality. They identify an imbalance in the literature between the discipline’s continual efforts to motivate the plausibility of large-scale change and its lesser efforts to identify feasible strategies of change either through social policy or by enhancing individual and local agency with the potential to cumulate into meaningful progress on inequality reduction.


Author(s):  
Jane J. Aggrey ◽  
Mirjam A. F. Ros-Tonen ◽  
Kwabena O. Asubonteng

AbstractArtisanal and small-scale mining (ASM) in sub-Saharan Africa creates considerable dynamics in rural landscapes. Many studies addressed the adverse effects of mining, but few studies use participatory spatial tools to assess the effects on land use. Hence, this paper takes an actor perspective to analyze how communities in a mixed farming-mining area in Ghana’s Eastern Region perceive the spatial dynamics of ASM and its effects on land for farming and food production from past (1986) to present (2018) and toward the future (2035). Participatory maps show how participants visualize the transformation of food-crop areas into small- and large-scale mining, tree crops, and settlement in all the communities between 1986 and 2018 and foresee these trends to continue in the future (2035). Participants also observe how a mosaic landscape shifts toward a segregated landscape, with simultaneous fragmentation of their farming land due to ASM. Further segregation is expected in the future, with attribution to the expansion of settlements being an unexpected outcome. Although participants expect adverse effects on the future availability of food-crop land, no firm conclusions can be drawn about the anticipated effect on food availability. The paper argues that, if responsibly applied and used to reveal community perspectives and concerns about landscape dynamics, participatory mapping can help raise awareness of the need for collective action and contribute to more inclusive landscape governance. These findings contribute to debates on the operationalization of integrated and inclusive landscape approaches and governance, particularly in areas with pervasive impacts of ASM.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marco Bertoni ◽  
Stephen Gibbons ◽  
Olmo Silva

Abstract We study how demand responds to the rebranding of existing state schools as autonomous ‘academies’ in the context of a radical and large-scale reform to the English education system. The academy programme encouraged schools to opt out of local state control and funding, but provided parents and students with limited information on the expected benefits. We use administrative data on school applications for three cohorts of students to estimate whether this rebranding changes schools’ relative popularity. We find that families – particularly higher-income, White British – are more likely to rank converted schools above non-converted schools on their applications. We also find that it is mainly schools that are high-performing, popular and proximate to families’ homes that attract extra demand after conversion. Overall, the patterns we document suggest that families read academy conversion as a signal of future quality gains – although this signal is in part misleading as we find limited evidence that conversion causes improved performance.


1965 ◽  
Vol 59 (3) ◽  
pp. 505-522 ◽  
Author(s):  
Richard Young

The possible presence of very large petroleum and natural gas reserves in the area beneath the North Sea is currently the subject of intense investigation. If confirmed, as seems likely in at least some localities, this occurrence will raise legal problems of considerable interest and complexity. For the North Sea is not merely an oilfield covered by water: for centuries it has been one of the world's major fishery regions and the avenue to and from the world's busiest seaports. Thus all three of the present principal uses of the sea—fishing, navigation, and the exploitation of submarine resources—promise to meet for the first time on a large scale in an area where all are of major importance. The process of reconciling the various interests at stake will provide the first thoroughgoing test of the adequacy and acceptability of the general principles laid down in the 1958 Geneva Convention on the Continental Shelf and should add greatly to the practice and precedents available in this developing branch of the law. In the present article an attempt is made to review some of the geographical and economic considerations involved in the North Sea situation, to note some of the technical and legal developments that have already taken place, and to consider these elements in the light of the various interests and legal principles concerned.


2011 ◽  
Vol 7 (S282) ◽  
pp. 33-40
Author(s):  
L. Eyer ◽  
P. Dubath ◽  
N. Mowlavi ◽  
P. North ◽  
A. Triaud ◽  
...  

AbstractTwo upcoming large scale surveys, the ESA Gaia and LSST projects, will bring a new era in astronomy. The number of binary systems that will be observed and detected by these projects is enormous, estimations range from millions for Gaia to several tens of millions for LSST. We review some tools that should be developed and also what can be gained from these missions on the subject of binaries and exoplanets from the astrometry, photometry, radial velocity and their alert systems.


Molecules ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 26 (11) ◽  
pp. 3228
Author(s):  
Xiaotong Li ◽  
Minghong Jian ◽  
Yanhong Sun ◽  
Qunyan Zhu ◽  
Zhenxin Wang

In order to improve their bioapplications, inorganic nanoparticles (NPs) are usually functionalized with specific biomolecules. Peptides with short amino acid sequences have attracted great attention in the NP functionalization since they are easy to be synthesized on a large scale by the automatic synthesizer and can integrate various functionalities including specific biorecognition and therapeutic function into one sequence. Conjugation of peptides with NPs can generate novel theranostic/drug delivery nanosystems with active tumor targeting ability and efficient nanosensing platforms for sensitive detection of various analytes, such as heavy metallic ions and biomarkers. Massive studies demonstrate that applications of the peptide–NP bioconjugates can help to achieve the precise diagnosis and therapy of diseases. In particular, the peptide–NP bioconjugates show tremendous potential for development of effective anti-tumor nanomedicines. This review provides an overview of the effects of properties of peptide functionalized NPs on precise diagnostics and therapy of cancers through summarizing the recent publications on the applications of peptide–NP bioconjugates for biomarkers (antigens and enzymes) and carcinogens (e.g., heavy metallic ions) detection, drug delivery, and imaging-guided therapy. The current challenges and future prospects of the subject are also discussed.


2021 ◽  
pp. 002076402199238
Author(s):  
Or Burstein ◽  
Alon Shamir ◽  
Nurit Abramovitz ◽  
Ravid Doron

Background: As many patients view conventional antidepressants and anxiolytics negatively, it is not surprising that the willingness to apply these treatments is far from ideal, thus posing a critical barrier in promoting an effective and durable treatment. Aim: The present study aimed to explore patients’ attitudes toward conventional and herbal treatments for depression and anxiety, while considering cultural and demographic factors, to further elucidate the antecedes that putatively determine the treatment’s outcome. Methods: During June 2017, a cross-sectional survey was conducted using stratified sampling from a large-scale Israeli volunteer online panel. The final sample included 591 Jewish Israeli adults that reported they were suffering from depression or anxiety. Results: A heterogeneous range of attitudes toward treatment was found: for example, a large group of patients did not utilize prescription medications (39%), a professional consultation (12.9%), or any form of treatment (17.4%). Interestingly, these patients were significantly more likely to support naturally-derived treatments and were less concerned with scientific proof. Further, adverse effects were demonstrated as a prominent factor in the choice of treatment. A higher incidence of adverse effects was associated with an increased willingness to consider an alternative herbal treatment. Noteworthy attitudes were found in orthodox-Jewish individuals, who showed similar consultation rates, but utilized more psychological, rather than pharmacological treatments. Conclusions: It is proposed that patients’ perspectives and cultural backgrounds are needed to be taken into consideration during the clinical assessment and choice of treatment. The findings imply that a particular emphasis should be placed on patients that discard conventional pharmacological options and on distinct cultural aspects. Several recommendations for revising the current policy are advocated to promote more culturally-informed and patient-oriented care.


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