‘We have been in lockdown since he was born’: a mixed methods exploration of the experiences of families caring for children with intellectual disability during the COVID-19 pandemic in the UK

ObjectivesThis study aimed to explore the experiences of parents caring for children with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) during the UK national lockdown in spring 2020, resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic.DesignParticipants were identified using opportunity sampling from the IMAGINE-ID national (UK) cohort and completed an online survey followed by a semistructured interview. Interviews were analysed using thematic analysis.SettingInterviews were conducted over the telephone in July 2020 as the first UK lockdown was ending.Participants23 mothers of children with intellectual and developmental disabilities aged 5–15 years were recruited.ResultsThemes reported by parents included: managing pre-existing challenges during a time of extreme change, having mixed emotions about the benefits and difficulties that arose during the lockdown and the need for appropriate, individualised support.ConclusionsOur findings confirm observations previously found in UK parents of children with IDD and provide new insights on the use of technology during the pandemic for schooling and healthcare, as well as the need for regular check-ins.

The Impact of Unplanned School Closures on Adolescent Behavioral Health During the Covid-19 Pandemic in Malaysia

School closures were implemented as a public health intervention to reduce the risk of infection from COVID-19. However, prolonged school closure is likely to impact adolescents' behavioral health due to the extreme change in routine. The current study aimed to explore adolescents' behavioral health experiences during the beginning of the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. This study was done using qualitative methods to interview 15 adolescent participants (n =15) from low-income households in Malaysia. The study lasted for 2 months amidst the outbreak and data were collected via online based on focus group discussions. The results revealed that adolescents faced four main themes of experience during the COVID-19 pandemic: Alteration of sleep patterns, stress-related fatigue, dysfunctional eating patterns and lack of physical activity. This first-hand experience shows that knowledge and skills of adolescents' behavioral practices during outbreak deserves attention. This research stresses the role of family, schools, and media in addressing the health communication gap among adolescents to help them adapt in these new norms.

Experimental Investigation Of Potentiality Of Nano fluids In Enhancing The Performance Of Hybrid Pvt System

The power from sun caught by earth is nearby 1.8 × 1011MW which is obtained by utilizing sun’s energy by photovoltaic cells appears to be a good substitute then the conventional fuels. The efficiency of the system declines due to the heat confined in photovoltaic cells throughout the operation [1]. Enhancing the efficiency of Sun power generation by engaging nanofluids in PV/T systems is achieved by recent improvement in the nanotechnology field. In our work Nano fluids are employed as coolants to lower the PV panel temperatures and thus the system efficiency increases. This study comprehensively analyses the effectiveness of Zinc nanoparticles in different base fluids i.e. water, water (75%) & ethylene glycol (25%) and water (75%) & propylene glycol (25%) to enhance the electrical and thermal efficiency of the PV/T system. Other parameters like flow rate, concentration of nanoparticles by volume and sonication time are kept constant throughout the experiment. The experiments were performed on an indoor setup and to replicate the solar irradiance a solar simulator was engaged as per previous year’s metrological data. It is perceived that the extreme change in electrical efficiency is 2.6% and maximum change in thermal efficiency observed is 31% as compared to conventional system.

“We’ve been in lockdown since he was born”: Experiences of families caring for children with intellectual disability during the Covid-19 pandemic

Objectives: This study aimed to explore the experiences of parents caring for children with intellectual and developmental disability during the UK national lockdown in spring 2020, resulting from the Covid-19 pandemic. Design: Participants were identified using opportunity sampling from the IMAGINE-ID national (UK) cohort, and completed an online survey followed by a semi-structured interview. Interviews were analysed using thematic analysis. Setting: Interviews were conducted over the telephone in July 2020 as the first UK lockdown was ending. Participants: 23 mothers of children with intellectual and developmental disabilities aged 5 to 15 were recruited. Results: Themes reported by parents included: managing pre-existing challenges during a time of extreme change, having mixed emotions about the benefits and difficulties that arose during the lockdown, and the need for appropriate, individualised support. Conclusions: Observations raised by parents suggested recommendations for policy in the event of future pandemic restrictions, namely: empowering parents as experts, providing tailored digital intervention, and supporting parents’ mental health to support children.

Extreme emissions from shallow water methane seepages Zelenka (Northern Bulgarian Black Sea region) before earthquake Md 4.7 August 5, 2009

Aim of this work is to show evidences for pre-earthquake processes and to set up earthquake forecasting experiments, based on two hypotheses: 1) extreme change of the activity of underwater methane seeps appears days before earthquakes; 2) effects from increase of shallow water seeps emissions are visible on satellite images.

Does the taste of the plain packaged cigarettes in Saudi Arabia really changed and differ from the branded cigarettes or it is a natural sensory change? Pilot Experimental Study (Preprint)

BACKGROUND Saudi Arabia implemented tobacco plain packaging in August 2019. After few weeks of implementation huge number of smokers complained in various media channels especially social media (Twitter) claiming extreme change of how the cigarette taste, increase the frequency of coughing, and for some hospitalization caused by shortness of breath. OBJECTIVE The main objective is to answer the question: Does the taste of the plain packaged cigarettes recently implemented in Saudi Arabia really changed and differ from the branded cigarettes or it is a natural sensory change? The secondary objective is to observation of frequency of immediate cough or shortness of breath. METHODS This study is a pilot prospective, one-group posttest-only design, which recruited smokers 18 years old and above, who are currently smoking cigarettes and cleared upon physical assessment before the experiment. Participants received 6 sequences of different random exposures (3 puffs) to 3 plain packaged cigarettes (2 from the favorite brand and 1 other brand “control”) and 3 branded cigarettes (2 from the favorite brand and 1 other brand “control”). Participants wore Virtual Reality Goggles (VR) accompany with a special software to alter the visual reality and wore gloves to alter the touch sensation. RESULTS Participants were not able to identify the correct type of cigarettes (plain or branded (Estimate of fixed effect -0.01 p=0.79). Moreover, there were no differences in the ability of the participants to identify their favorite brand t(-0.63) mean=0.47 p = 0.53. In terms of immediate coughing out of the 108 experiments 1 episode of short coughing was observed and it was attributed to the branded cigarette not the plain packaged. CONCLUSIONS After controlling the visual and touch sensation participants were not able to difference between branded and plain packaged cigarettes in terms of taste or inducing immediate shortness of breath or cough. Interestingly, participants were not able to identify their favorite brand.

THERMODYNAMICS OF QUERCETIN SOLVATION IN WATER-DIMETHYLSULFOXIDE SOLVENT

The distribution coefficients of quercetin (QCT) in water-dimethylsulfoxide solvents with a content of dimethylsulfoxide from 0.0 to 0.5 mol. fr. were determined by the method of interfacial distribution of the substance between two immiscible phases: aqueous or water-dimethylsulfoxide solution and n-hexane at 298.2 K. The distribution coefficients are less than one, which indicates a better solvation of quercetin in water and a water-dimethylsulfoxide solvent than in hexane. Changes in the distribution coefficients of quercetin are not correlated with a gradual increase in the content of dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO) in the solvent. Using the obtained values of the distribution coefficients, we calculated the changes in the Gibbs energy of re-solvation of quercetin in water-dimethylsulfoxide solvents. The dependence of the Gibbs energy of QCT re-solvation on the solvent composition has an extreme form with a minimum in the range of DMSO concentrations corresponding to 0.3 mol. fr. A comparative analysis of the effect of a water-dimethylsulfoxide solvent on the change in Gibbs energy of re-solvation of quercetin, nicotinamide and nicotinic acid was carried out. In the case of both nicotinamide and nicotinic acid, an extreme change is observed in the Gibbs energy of re-solvation of particles with a maximum in the region with a low content of non-aqueous component XDMSO ≈ 0.1 mol. fr. The main contribution to the weakening of the solvation of nicotinamide and nicotinic acid is due to the enthalpy component, and with increasing concentration of dimethylsulfoxide there is an increase in the contribution of entropy to the change in the Gibbs energy transfer. An extreme change in the Gibbs energy transfer of quercetin suggests that the minimum on the dependence ∆trGº(QCT) = F(χDMSO) is also a consequence of a change in the prevailing thermodynamic factor in the solvate state of quercetin.

Bond-breaking induced Lifshitz transition in robust Dirac semimetal VAI3

Topological electrons in semimetals are usually vulnerable to chemical doping and environment change, which restricts their potential application in future electronic devices. In this paper, we report that the type-II Dirac semimetalVAl3hosts exceptional, robust topological electrons which can tolerate extreme change of chemical composition. The Dirac electrons remain intact, even after a substantial part of V atoms have been replaced in theV1−xTixAl3solid solutions. This Dirac semimetal state ends atx=0.35, where a Lifshitz transition to p-type trivial metal occurs. The V–Al bond is completely broken in this transition as long as the bonding orbitals are fully depopulated by the holes donated from Ti substitution. In other words, the Dirac electrons inVAl3are protected by the V–Al bond, whose molecular orbital is their bonding gravity center. Our understanding on the interrelations among electron count, chemical bond, and electronic properties in topological semimetals suggests a rational approach to search robust, chemical-bond-protected topological materials.

Shear Thickening of Concentrated Suspensions: Recent Developments and Relation to Other Phenomena

Shear thickening is the increase of the apparent viscosity as shear rate or shear stress increases. This phenomenon is pronounced in concentrated (dense) suspensions of both colloidal-scale and larger particles, with an abrupt form, known as discontinuous shear thickening, observed as the maximum flowable solid fraction is approached. An overview of observed shear thickening behavior is presented, with a discussion of present understanding of the relationship of suspension shear thickening to granular jamming. Mechanistic arguments for the extreme change in rheological properties are outlined, and recent evidence from experiment and simulation for the role of contact forces is presented. Interactions of particles by fluid mechanical lubrication, contact, and steric and electrostatic forces, together with extreme stresses that may lead to solid deformation, require consideration of surface interactions and their tribological consequences in describing shear thickening.

A Study on Impact of GST on Indian Digital Marketing System

At the point when Prime Minister Modi’s government presented the one tax system the advanced marketing area was hit by it like each other industry. The target of this post is to take a gander at the different ways GST has gotten a change the web based marketing industry. The Goods and Service Tax was brought to the market in India from first July 2017 and are an endeavor from the occupant government to bring the country under one tax system. Business analysts accept this extreme change has long-standing consequences for the fund and economy of the nation. The GST will be represented by the Goods and Services tax Council alongside the Finance Ministry of India and is required to redo the system of taxation continued in the nation totally. So here’s a gander at how these GST changes impact the computerized marketing area. In the past tax system, taxation had a falling impact on ensuing stages which toward the end went about as a weight for the end shopper. In Goods and Services Tax, the tax will be imposed on every one of these stages and the risk with respect to the shopper will be diminished as purchasers in numerous phases of the cycle can profit the info credit from the cycle. Dissimilar to the past tax system, the falling impact will no more be required on each stage, so the expense of making an advertisement will unquestionably diminish. Because of information credit, the cost will descend. This advantage would be presently moved to the marketing financial plan of organizations. As per driving money related foundations, input credit system will inevitably prompt organizations spending more on their Advertisement. In the past tax system publicizing cost was considered as a manufacturing cost, exposed to VAT and deals tax and no information credit was accessible to advertisers. Presently in the Goods and Services Tax time, costs acquired under publicizing will be accessible for input credit of 18% on taxes paid on advertisements. As indicated by experts, GST would build the promotion spend oforganizations because of the ease of making an advertisement and therefore the publicizing spend would increment by 10% of about INR 5,000 crore for 2017-18. Hence, the present study made an attempt to point out the major impact of GST on Indian digital marketing system.