THE DETERMINANTS OF POSITIVE CREATIVE ADAPTATION OF YOUTH IN THE POLISH-CZECH BORDERLAND

The article is aimed at diagnosing the determinants of youth’s positive adaptation to changing demands of life. It is focused on the relationships between creativity and resilience. The analysis comprised youth’s adaptive competences and the resources and risks of social environment. In two measurement periods, quantitative-qualitative studies were conducted among youth in the Polish-Czech borderland. The research design enabled complex diagonal and longitudinal comparisons, which addressed: the identification and analysis of change trends, recognition of their lack, likelihood assessment of these trends in both compared cohorts. The concept of resilience was used to analyse and interpret research results. The identification was conducted of (outer and inner) risk and protective factors determining positive adaptation in the Polish-Czech borderland. The borderland effect was indicated – the impact of borderland on its inhabitants’ socialization, conditioned by spatial-social-cultural-economic properties. Attention was drawn to the forming of youth’s flexibility, ability to handle everyday situations and their resistful behaviour patterns. Borderland is a source and stimulant for acquiring the disposition of resilience. The presented analyses show tendencies and universal mechanisms of human behaviour, not only in borderlands. The article indicates the need for educational activities developing and forming resilience, for elaborating intervention programmes based on better use (in adaptation) of resources and protective factors in the environment.

Tobacco Related Attitudes and Behaviours in Relation to Exposure to the Tackling Indigenous Smoking Program: Evidence from the Mayi Kuwayu Study

Smoking is the leading contributor to the burden of disease and mortality for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, with an estimated 37% of all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander deaths attributed to smoking. The Tackling Indigenous Smoking (TIS) program was implemented to support people to quit smoking, prevent initiation, and reduce exposure to second-hand smoke. Analysis of baseline (2018–2020) data from a large-scale cohort study was conducted to quantify smoking-related attitudes and behaviours among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander adults, overall and in relation to exposure to the TIS program. Most results were similar for TIS and non-TIS, but there was a significantly lower prevalence of smoking inside households (PR0.95; 95% CI: 0.74, 0.97), smoking ≥21 cigarettes per day (PR0.79; 95% CI: 0.62, <1.00), and smoking a first cigarette within 5 min of waking (PR0.87; 95% CI: 0.76, <1.00) in TIS-funded compared to non-TIS-funded areas. Findings from the analysis highlight encouraging anti-smoking attitudes and behaviours across TIS-funded and non-TIS-funded areas, and serve as a basis for future analysis of change in outcomes over time associated with exposure to a large multi-mode population health program (TIS).

Structural Decomposition in FSM Design: Roots, Evolution, Current State—A Review

The review is devoted to methods of structural decomposition that are used for optimizing characteristics of circuits of finite state machines (FSMs). These methods are connected with the increasing the number of logic levels in resulting FSM circuits. They can be viewed as an alternative to methods of functional decompositions. The roots of these methods are analysed. It is shown that the first methods of structural decomposition have appeared in 1950s together with microprogram control units. The basic methods of structural decomposition are analysed. They are such methods as the replacement of FSM inputs, encoding collections of FSM outputs, and encoding of terms. It is shown that these methods can be used for any element basis. Additionally, the joint application of different methods is shown. The analysis of change in these methods related to the evolution of the logic elements is performed. The application of these methods for optimizing FPGA- based FSMs is shown. Such new methods as twofold state assignment and mixed encoding of outputs are analysed. Some methods are illustrated with examples of FSM synthesis. Additionally, some experimental results are represented. These results prove that the methods of structural decomposition really improve the characteristics of FSM circuits.