Musculoskeletal symptoms in formal and informal caregivers of elderly people

ABSTRACT Objective: to evaluate musculoskeletal symptoms in formal and informal caregivers of elderly people, and check association with personal and work-related factors. Methods: this is a cross-sectional study. Instruments for assessment were the International Physical Activity Questionnaire, Self-Reporting Questionnaire-20, Borg’s effort perception scale and Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire. Results: informal caregivers had been working for a longer time (60.2% vs. 41%), had more hours of work (37.4% >12h for day), less time off (85.4% vs. 2.5%) and lack of care guidelines (90.2%). The region with the most musculoskeletal symptoms was the spine and the greater dependence of the elderly, the greater the chances of developing musculoskeletal symptoms (OR= 1.3, 95% CI= 1.1-1.6, p <0.05). Conclusion: personal and work-related factors were more prevalent in informal group and the elderly person’s dependence interferes with the increase in musculoskeletal symptoms of caregivers.

Revisiting the circumscription of Chusquea anelythra (Poaceae–Bambusoideae–Bambuseae): lectotypification, redescription, geographic distribution, and conservation status

With 193 described species, Chusquea is the most diverse bamboo genus in the Neotropical region. Brazil, with 48 accepted species and 44 of them endemic, is one of its major centers of diversity. Among the Brazilian species, C. anelythra was only superficially characterized in its original publication almost 200 years ago, without a clear definition of its type-material, description of culm leaves, or comments on its geographic distribution or related species. As the absence of such information has greatly complicated the taxonomic delimitation of C. anelythra, the major aim of this paper is to clarify the identity of this species based on fieldwork and herbarium investigation, providing an emended description, illustrations, and photos of this species. We also designate a lectotype for the name C. anelythra, and provide a morphological comparison with two similar members of the C. meyeriana informal group. Geographic distribution and conservation status are also updated for this species.

Academician Jonas Kubilius: works dedicated to the history of Lithuanian mathematics

The rise of the Lithuanian mathematical school in the second half of the 20th century is associated with the development of probability theory and its application, and the foundations of that school were insightfully laid by the famous Lithuanian mathematician Jonas Kubilius. However, the academician also had a second vocation – the history of mathematics. At the end of the 20th century, he purposefully researched the mathematical legacy of the poet, bishop A. Baranauskas, recognizing him as the first Lithuanian mathematician researcher of the second half of the 19th century. At the beginning of the 21st century, J. Kubilius undertook a detailed implementation of the idea of a work in the history of Lithuanian mathematics. For this purpose, an informal group of specialists was convened, the content of the work was planned, and the research-based book series ``From the History of Lithuanian Mathematics'' was published. The fourth book in this series, Mathematics in Lithuanian Higher Education Institutions in 1921–1944, presents the research of an academic who reveals the situation of mathematics in universities in Kaunas and Vilnius. In addition, the memoirs of mathematics history by J. Kubilius, dedicated to mathematicians Z. Žemaitis, G. Žilinskas and V. Statulevičius, should be mentioned. The article, at the end of which fragments of the author's memories are presented, is dedicated to the centenary of the birth of Academician J. Kubilius.

A new Lepanthes (Pleurothallidinae) from South-western Colombia

A new species of Lepanthes from southwestern Colombia is presented here. Lepanthes farallonensis belongs to the informal group “manabina”, which comprises species with concave and commonly pubescent leaves, flowers resting at the adaxial side of the leaves, and the synsepal with short to long tails. Lepanthes farallonensis is similar to L. smaragdina in the broadly ovate dorsal sepal but differs in the conspicuously twisted upper lobes of the petals, outwardly bent and a depression at the center of the laminae of the lip.

A new species and two new records of symbiotic infaunal alpheid shrimps from the genera Leptalpheus Williams, 1965 and Fenneralpheus Felder & Manning, 1986 (Decapoda: Caridea) from Venezuela

Leptalpheus lirai sp. nov., a new species of symbiotically living, infaunal alpheid shrimp, is described based on a single specimen from the Gulf of Santa Fe, Sucre, Venezuela. The new species belongs to an informal group of nine species within the genus Leptalpheus Williams, 1965, which is characterised by the presence of well-developed adhesive disks on the major chela. In addition, Leptalpheus axianassae Dworschak & Coelho, 1999 and Fenneralpheus chacei Felder & Manning, 1986 are recorded for the first time from Venezuela (Anzoátegui and Sucre, respectively), the latter also representing the first record of the genus Fenneralpheus Felder & Manning, 1986 for the country. These records bring to 11 the number of alpheid genera, and to four the number of species of Leptalpheus, known in Venezuelan marine waters.

VALUE-BASED TEACHING ENGLISH LANGUAGE AND LITERATURE

Aim. "The ultimate aim became the realisation of the political ideas of democracy, equality, and social justice" (Orlenius, 2001; Svingby, 1994,p. 57). The current study aimed to explore the concept of value education at Poornaprajna institutions that have adopted value education in their curriculum. Methods.The study was designed in a qualitative exploratory research approach. The researcher had adopted the interviews for a case study as a microscopic social study through observation and also studied the archival records in Poornaprajna institutions. The informal group interviews were administered as part of a qualitative research approach, and it aimed to collect data from twenty eight English teachers and students of Poornaprajna institutions. Result. The validity and trustworthiness of the study were established by adopting Miles and Hubeman's formula, and it is 0.91. The exploration and findings revealed the need and implication of value education in the present scenario. Furthermore, the data analysis revealed that value education is a process that begins at home and continues in society, and further, it continues in formal educational institutions. Conclusion. The study envisions that the educational institutions must integrate the curriculum with value education so that students’ cultural worlds, meanings they attribute to behaviour, events which essentially lead to the developmental process of the society. The National Education Policy 2019, aims to universalise education in India by 2025, and it also aims at inter- and multidisciplinary approaches in Indian education. The present study juxtaposes an interdisciplinary approach to English and value education.

Multiple voices: Learners reflect on literature

Background: Much of the research in literacy focuses on what learners fail to do, especially in the early grades, but it is equally important to research successful readers. In particular learners’ experiences with literature contribute to our understanding of the possibilities literary texts offer. This article focused on learners’ responses to Advanced Programme (AP) English, which was an optional subject offered at an ex-Model C school, to understand how the learners had taken up these literary texts.Objectives: This study explored how matric learners spoke about the literature they had studied, in their AP English, in an informal group meeting.Methods: A qualitative case study was used to explore learners’ responses to literature. A final focus group meeting at the end of their matric year provides the data for this article. The transcriptions were coded using repeated patterns for themes to explore the stances taken in relation to the literature whether efferent or aesthetic.Results: The data showed how learners had incorporated fragments from the literature into their own utterances so that their language use echoed the literature. In addition to an efferent exam focus, the literature and AP English practices were used in both Art and Home Language English examinations.Conclusions: Learners need opportunities to talk about the multiple voices of literature in their lives. This kind of talk offers a different perspective on how literature can enrich, disrupt and extend learners’ thinking about literature and themselves. This research offers a counterpoint to examination results and contributes to building a nation of readers.

Megarthrus of China. Part 4. The M. hemipterus complex (Coleoptera, Staphylinidae, Proteininae), with description of a new species from Yunnan Province

The members of the Megarthrus hemipterus species complex occurring in China, i.e., M. dentipes Bernhauer, M. flavolimbatus Cameron and M. hemipterus (Illiger), are diagnosed, and a new species attributed to this informal group, M. pandasp. nov., is described from Yunnan Province. All species are diagnosed and illustrated, and their distribution in mainland China is mapped. The limit of the M. hemipterus species complex is refined morphologically.

Modeling hedonic motive–based segments of wine festival visitors using decision tree approach

Purpose This study aims to identify and validate the different clusters of wine festival visitors based on their hedonic motivation. Further, this study also sought how identified clusters were different in terms of perceived value, satisfaction and loyalty to the wine festival. Design/methodology/approach A survey was conducted during the International Beach Wine Festival held in Karnataka, India, to collect primary data from 400 visitors. Data were subjected to a two-step cluster analysis. Further, cluster segmentation based on visitors’ demographics, perceived value, satisfaction and loyalty was conducted. Decision tree analysis based on recursive partitioning algorithm was used to validate the clusters. Findings A two-step cluster analysis identified two distinct segments and named those as elite and informal visitors based on hedonic motivation. The cluster scores show that the elite group had the best ratings on social status, socialization and family harmony. On the other hand, the informal group had top scores for wine tasting, enjoyment, change from routine and the festival atmosphere. Decision tree analysis results indicate that social status enjoyment and taste motives differentiate an informal group from the elite group. Research limitations/implications This study was conducted in a wine festival held in a single location. To assess the strength of the results, case studies in other regions will be of importance. Originality/value This study extended the knowledge of the wine festival by adapting hedonic motivation as a basis for wine festival segmentation. Besides, this study’s empirical findings would greatly benefit wine festival organizers to formulate an appropriate marketing strategy to target each wine festival visitors’ cluster based on the differentiating factors obtained from the decision tree modelling.

“Tolerated” and non-status persons‟ access to mental health support services: a comparison between Toronto, Canada and Aachen, Germany

Using the theoretical framework of Identity Formation, this Major Research Paper (MRP) aims to explore the Post-national rights of “tolerated” or undocumented persons in Toronto and Aachen, and their access to necessary mental health services. The assumption is that the experiences of these groups are both traumatic and unique, often creating emotional, mental and physical stress. These forms of stress require various forms of treatment, from formal mental health evaluations, to informal group counselling or bonding with persons of similar experiences. This work takes three service providers in each city, discusses the perspectives and services available, and offers an analysis as to whether they provide the suitable and necessary care for “tolerated” or non-status persons. I will argue that social exclusion in the form of contestant enmity is utilized to deny full access to support services. Recent legal and policy changes in both countries will be accounted for, and recommendations given as to how the service providers and actors at the municipal level can move forward to provide the necessary services.