COVID-19 Driven Adaptations in the Provision of School Meals in the Baltic Sea Region

The instability, rapid changes, and restrictions generated by the COVID-19 pandemic tested the provision of school meals in the Baltic Sea Region (BSR). School meal services were affected by factors such as full or partial lockdowns, strict hygiene regimes, lay-offs or staff shortages, stressful working environments, supply shortages, and changes to storing, cooking, and serving models. However, the responses to the COVID-19 crisis were highlighted by innovation, new opportunities, and cooperation. This paper reviews several examples of COVID-19 crisis management at school canteens in five BSR countries [Estonia, Finland, Poland, Russia (Saint Petersburg), and Sweden] between March 2020 and March 2021. The paper reveals the significant operational, logistical, and systemic problems that appeared because of the pandemic; the solutions and adaptations that were developed are also identified. The preparatory processes, logistics, and services that were adapted during the COVID-19 pandemic resulted in a new school meal provision model—a takeaway model; that includes similar features and unique characteristics across the different countries. Overall, the provision of school meals was carried out successfully in the BSR during the pandemic. Responsible, competent, and innovative professionals used their organizational skills, flexibility, and responsiveness to feed school pupils in a highly restricted and rapidly changing environment. It is expected that several of the COVID-19-driven innovations will remain in use following the pandemic.

The Eurasian Development Bank as a mechanism of scientific and technological integration within the framework of EAEU: legal aspects

The subject of this research is the legal and cognate framework strategic aspects of the Eurasian Development Bank (EDB) as the key regional financial and investment institution that lend support to integration projects in the industrial sector in the countries of operations on a priority basis. The goal of this research lies in the conceptually systematization of the framework strategic and legal grounds of the  activity of the Eurasian Development Bank as the mechanism for the development of cooperation between EAEU member-states in the sphere of technological modernization of the economy and manufacturing of high-tech and science-driven products based on the cooperation projects with integration component. The author analyzes the instruments that are part of law of the Bank and determine its engagement in the integration processes in the industrial, agricultural and energy spheres, which suggest technological modernization. The conclusion us made that the current project and related analytical work of the EDB is in line with the trends of operation of the multilateral development banks, as well as correlated the requirement for increasing global competitiveness of the EAEU. The novelty of this research consists in comprehensive examination of the system of legal instruments aimed at implementation and strengthening of the potential of the Eurasian Development Bank as one of the mechanisms of industrial and technological integration within the EAEU. The author’s main contribution consists in argumentation of the position that overcoming systemic problems that persist in the activity  of the EDB, with the support of the national governments and national institutions of development, as well as active cooperation with the Eurasian Economic Commission, would most positively affect the intensification of the processes of industrial and technological cooperation and turning the EAEU into one of the most influential integration associations in modern world.

ECONOMIC ASPECTS OF THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE AGRO-INDUSTRIAL COMPLEX OF THE REGION

The article reflects individual successes in the development of agriculture, which has shown its "vitality" in difficult economic conditions, as can be judged by the steadily increasing level of self-sufficiency of the country with the main types of agricultural products, raw materials and food, a significant reduction in their imports and an increase in exports. However, the development of agriculture does not allow solving its systemic problems more actively, carrying out accelerated import substitution on a rational scale, reducing significant regional differentiation in the standard of living of the rural population, adequately paying for the work of an employee. In this regard, in order to solve the key problems of agricultural development, its state support is necessary, regardless of the impact on the industry of various risks, threats and force majeure circumstances. To do this, the State should observe the principle of special priority in relation to the development of agriculture, commensurate with the possibility of achieving its goals and real financing, based on its strategic importance for the country and as a special way of life for almost one quarter of its population. Only under such conditions will the priority of agriculture be neither declared nor onetime, but will become a strategy for its development, mainly of the advanced type, regardless of the presence and appearance of many internal and external risks, threats and challenges.

Comparative evaluation of pain perception with a new needle-free system and dental needle method in children: a randomized clinical trial

Background Pain control during dental procedures is one of the most important topics related to behavior management in children. This study aims to compare the pain perception associated with a needle-free system (Comfort-In™) and the dental needle method during filling and pulpotomy treatments in children. Methods The study included teeth that required treatment (pulpotomy or filling treatment) in 56 patients aged 4 to 11 years with no systemic problems or history of allergy. Patients were randomly divided into the needle-free system group (filling treatment, n = 13; pulpotomy, n = 15) and dental needle method group (filling treatment, n = 14; pulpotomy, n = 14). For pulpotomy and filling treatment performed with 0.3 mL anesthesia, the active ingredient of which is 2% lidocaine and 1/80000 epinephrine. The patients’ behavior before the procedure was evaluated by a pediatric dentist using the Frankl Behavior Scale. The pain intensity was assessed Immediately after injection (induction), during treatment (treatment), and at the end of the treatment (post treatment) by the Wong-Baker Faces Pain Scale. Results The median (IQR-InterQuartile Range) induction pain value was 6[3-8] and 2[0-4] in dental needle method and needle-free system respectively, p < 0.001). In filling and pulpotomy treatment group, no difference between the needle and needle-free group for treatment and post-treatment pain values. Conclusions For pulpotomy and filling treatment, needle-free system performed with 0.3 mL anesthesia was found as effective as infiltrative anesthesia with a dental needle method. Trial registration ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT04653974. Registered 4 December 2020 – Retrospectively registered.

Strategia cyfryzacji gospodarki i społeczeństwa Federacji Rosyjskiej – kierunki, perspektywy i wyzwania

The aim of the article is to analyze the Russian authorities’ approach to the development of the digital economy and the digital society based on accepted digitization strategy, identification of the core policy directions and the conditions for their implementation, together with an initial assessment. The following research hypothesis has been adopted: Regardless of the concepts, program and strategy of the digitalisation of the economy adopted, the Russian authorities have been unable to generate effective mechanisms for their implementation and the deterioration of the economic situation slows down the process. The development of the digital economy and the digital society is a part of a centralized government’s policy and the main beneficiaries of the process are the largest state-owned enterprises linked to elites. The most important barriers to the digitization of the economy and society result from the systemic problems of the Russian Federation and the economic downturn caused by the Covid-19 pandemic. There are no prerequisites that would permit the assumption that, that the strategy and its program for the development of the digital economy in Russia that the strategies will be implemented in accordance with accepted assumptions and time frames.

Transdisciplinary convergent approach - human factor

The article is devoted to the systemic problems of the study of the human factor, which are associated with the cognitive aspects of human-computer interaction. The rapid development of mathematical modeling has created systemic problems of safety, control and forecasting of the functioning of dynamic transport systems in difficult conditions. The accumulation of latent contradictions and interdisciplinary conflict are the main reasons for the systemic complexity of the problems of education and science, which have increased the importance of the human factor. The main goal of the work is to further develop a convergent approach to studying the problems of the safety of the human factor on a transdisciplinary basis. The key reason for systemic security problems and the manifestation of the human factor is self-organized criticality, the manifestation of which in information transmission lines causes nonlinearity and instability of fractal signals of various natures. The work establishes a connection between the transitional functional states of a person with the individuality of his cognitive activity. A toolkit for identifying induced spatial and temporal inhomogeneities of information transmission media, which generate hidden spatio-temporal relationships at different scale levels, is proposed. These interconnections are determined by the individuality of the cognitive graphic images of fractal and multifractal signals of various natures. The creation of a knowledge base of cognitive graphic images of the dynamic structure of fractal and multifractal signals of various nature will allow finding solutions not yet available to the brain and computer separately. The application of the transdisciplinary convergent approach and tools based on it to electrophysiological signals of a human operator demonstrates advantages and new possibilities. In particular, revealing hidden spatio-temporal relationships that determine the manifestation of human factor in difficult conditions. The innovative potential of the convergent approach to training and forecasting activities of operators (pilot, dispatcher, etc.) is being discussed.

Ocular manifestations in children with developmental delay in an eye hospital of northern Bangladesh

Background: The aim of this study was to identify common ocular manifestations in children with developmental delay in an eye hospital of northern part of Bangladesh.Methods: It was a retrospective medical record review of children with developmental delay who attended the pediatric ophthalmology department in an eye hospital from January 2019 to December 2019. Data were collected for their age, gender, past medical history, ophthalmic examination findings and systemic problems. Ophthalmic examination included examination of lid and adnexa, anterior and posterior segment examination and assessment of squint and refraction.Results: Medical records of 102 with developmental delay were identified and studied (59 boys and 43 girls, mean age 1.57 years, 53.9% aged <1 year). Of these children, 44 (43.1%) were referred by the pediatricians. The most common past medical histories were perinatal asphyxia (42.2%), history of convulsion (30.4%), neonatal seizures (9.8%) and history of speech delay (1%). On ophthalmic examination, 30 (29.5%) had poor vision, 20 (19.6%) had refractive error, 23 (22.5%) had Strabismus and 11 (10.8%) had nystagmus. Optic atrophy was also observed among 11 children (10.8%).Conclusions: Ocular manifestations are commonly seen in children with developmental delay which can be cause of severe visual impairment and overall disability in later life. Hence an early ophthalmologic screening and intervention in these children by developing good referral network between ophthalmologist and pediatricians can help to substantially improve the developmental and academic achievement.

PROFESSIONAL TRAINING OF PIANISTS IN CHINA, CONSIDERED IN THE FRAMEWORK OF THE SYSTEMS APPROACH: EXPERIENCE OF THE ANALYSIS OF THE APPROACH AND MODELING OF SYSTEMS

В статье дается характеристика особенности системного подхода в исследовании по искусствоведению и в частности, при описании китайского пианизма как целостной системы, состоящей из элементов с множественными связями. Предлагается модель системы фортепианного искусства Китая, представленная через призму анализа профессиональной подготовки пианистов. Делается вывод о применимости предложенной модели для выявления системных проблем профессионального образования китайских пианистов и нахождения путей их разрешения. The article describes the peculiarities of the systemic approach in the study of art history and, in particular, when describing Chinese pianism as an integral system consisting of elements with multiple connections. A model of the Chinese piano art system is proposed, presented through the prism of analyzing the professional training of pianists. The conclusion is made about the applicability of the proposed model for identifying the systemic problems of professional education of Chinese pianists and finding ways to solve them.

Shared projects and symbiotic collaborations: Shenzhen and London in comparative conversation

This paper presents ‘shared projects’ and the ‘symbiotic’ relations they engender to capture accounts of state and society actors collaborating to turn individual constraints into collective opportunities for pursuing urban experiments which are institutionally-shaped but also institution-shaping. The concepts are developed through a sequential and recursive comparison – that is, a ‘comparative conversation’– between a case of urban village upgrading in Shenzhen and Community Land Trust Development in London. The paper uses a pragmatist approach to capitalist transformation as a starting point for comparison between these supposedly ‘incomparable’ cases. I build both heterogeneous and generalisable accounts of the pathways and progressive potential of collaborations on shared projects by recursively composing analytical proximities across the cases and their contexts of state entrepreneurialism and austerity localism. Theoretically, this paper contributes to scholarship which focuses on the contingency and complexity inherent in urban transformation. State and society actors are seen as potential collaborators working pragmatically to solve systemic problems without necessarily targeting wholesale systemic change. Methodologically, it contributes to ongoing attempts to demonstrate the positive relationship between experimental comparisons and conceptual innovation through staging a ‘comparative conversation’.

The effect of exercise during hemodialysis on serum levels of albumin, calcium, phosphorus and parathyroid hormone: a randomized clinical trial

Introduction: Disorders in the levels of blood electrolytes are often considered as complications of kidney illnesses which are responsible for various systemic problems experienced by patients. Objectives: The aim of this study was to investigate the efficiency of an exercise program during hemodialysis on serum levels of biochemical factors such as albumin, calcium, phosphorus and intact parathyroid hormone (iPTH). Patients and Methods: Sixty patients undergoing hemodialysis were evaluated in the clinical trial. The patients in the intervention group pedaled on a stationary bicycle for one hour in every hemodialysis session for eight weeks. At the beginning of the study and at the end of it, the patients’ blood samples were sent to hospital’s laboratory to measure the levels of biochemical factors in blood. Data were analyzed by SPSS software. Results: The serum levels of electrolytes showed no significant improvement between the study groups before and after the exercise program (P>0.05). A significant improvement was observed after the program in serum phosphorus and iPTH (P=0.04). In contrast, serum albumin (P=0.3) and calcium (P=0.5) did not alter significantly after the exercise program. Conclusion: Exercise improved some biochemical factors of blood in the patients undergoing hemodialysis. Exercise is therefore a complementary procedure for these patients. Trial Registration: The trial protocol was approved in the Iranian Registry of Clinical Trial (#IRCT20150116020675N4; https://en.irct.ir/trial/50492, ethical code# IR.MUI.MED.REC.1399.212).