Tokophobia and Anxiety in Pregnant Women during the SARS-CoV-2 Pandemic in Poland—A Prospective Cross-Sectional Study

SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus emerged in the world at the end of 2019. The introduction of a number of restrictions had a significant effect on numerous aspects of human life with particular influence being exerted on pregnant women and their sense of security. The study aimed to assess the level of anxiety and its main determinants in women in the third trimester of pregnancy during the coronavirus pandemic. The study technique included the present purposely designed questionnaire, Labor Anxiety Questionnaire (KLPII), and the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI). The study was conducted in a group of 315 women in the third trimester of pregnancy. A total of 258 women (81.9%) completed the questionnaire in May 2020, and 57 of them (18.1%) completed it in October 2020. The overall analysis of the Labor Anxiety Questionnaire and the STAI inventory revealed a high level of anxiety, particularly situational anxiety, in pregnant women during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. The age and financial status of the women were the factors which contributed to the intensification of tokophobia. Women interviewed in October 2020 were characterized by higher tokophobia levels compared to the respondents included in May 2020. It seems justified to in-crease the vigilance in the diagnostics of possible mental disorders in the perinatal period during pandemic.

An Empirical Study on the Main Determinants of Recycling Plastic Waste in Tunisia

Over the past fifteen years, numerous policies for recycling and recovering waste have been implemented throughout the world. Tunisia is among the countries considering recycling as a sustainable development path. This empirical study aimed to investigate and examine the influence of financial determinants measured by the price of waste disposal (PDI), institutional determinants measured by the collection of waste (CW) and the number of drop-off recycling centers, and ordinance and demographic determinants measured by the population density and the recycling rate for plastic as a domestic waste based on a panel of 24 Tunisian governorates over the 2001–2020 period. It is concluded from the empirical findings that all exogenous variables except population density have a significant effect on the recycling rate.

Finite Element Modeling of Magnitude and Location of Brain Micromotion Induced Strain for Intracortical Implants

Micromotion-induced stress remains one of the main determinants of life of intracortical implants. This is due to high stress leading to tissue injury, which in turn leads to an immune response coupled with a significant reduction in the nearby neural population and subsequent isolation of the implant. In this work, we develop a finite element model of the intracortical probe-tissue interface to study the effect of implant micromotion, implant thickness, and material properties on the strain levels induced in brain tissue. Our results showed that for stiff implants, the strain magnitude is dependent on the magnitude of the motion, where a micromotion increase from 1 to 10 μm induced an increase in the strain by an order of magnitude. For higher displacement over 10 μm, the change in the strain was relatively smaller. We also showed that displacement magnitude has no impact on the location of maximum strain and addressed the conflicting results in the literature. Further, we explored the effect of different probe materials [i.e., silicon, polyimide (PI), and polyvinyl acetate nanocomposite (PVAc-NC)] on the magnitude, location, and distribution of strain. Finally, we showed that strain distribution across cortical implants was in line with published results on the size of the typical glial response to the neural probe, further reaffirming that strain can be a precursor to the glial response.

The Determinants of Non-Performing Loans in the Polish Banking Sector – the Household Loans Portfolio

The study aims to identify changes in non-performing household loans (NPLs) and their main determinants in the Polish banking sector for the period 2009-2021. Specifically, we look at the main determinants of creditworthiness of households which determine the possibility of repayment of principal installments and interest within the prescribed period. The results of the VECM model confirm the considerable significance of GDP per capita, gross salaries and lending rates to NPL loans of households. The results of the response function show a positive impact of GDP per capita and lending rates on NPLs and a negative impact of real salaries on NPLs. The decomposition of variance in the forecast period confirms an increased level of explanation of NPL by GDP per capita, gross salaries, and the lending rates.

Main Factors That Explain the Use of Fertilisers on Farms in the European Union

A deeper assessment of the main determinants associated with the use of fertilisers, for example, in the European Union farms may bring relevant insights about the respective frameworks and support to find more sustainable solutions. In this context, the main objective of this study is to identify factors that influence the use of fertilisers in the agricultural sector of the European Union regions. To achieve this objective, statistical information, at farm level, from the European Farm Accountancy Data Network was considered. These data were first analysed through exploratory approaches and after assessed with classification and regression tree methodologies. The results obtained provide interesting insights to promote a more sustainable development in the European farms, namely supporting the policymakers to design more adjusted measures and instruments. In addition, the fertilisers costs on the European Union farms are mainly explained by crop output, costs with inputs, current subsidies, utilised agricultural area, and gross investment.

Prioritization of the Destination Attributes

This chapter aims to identify the destination attributes and compare them based on two assumptions that form either a symmetric or an asymmetric relationship between destination attribute performance and tourist satisfaction. For this purpose, data were collected from tourists coming to Fethiye, Turkey. Multivariate regression analysis was performed on the obtained data based on the linear assumption first. The results revealed that the attitudes of staff and the attitudes of the shopkeepers are the main determinants of tourist satisfaction. Then, penalty-reward-contrast analysis was performed based on the nonlinear assumption. According to analysis results, attitudes of the staff are performance factors; and travel agency services, attitudes of the shopkeepers, security/safety, and beach/sea are classified as excitement factors. The elements that take part in the excitement factor are the attributes that contribute to satisfaction the most.

Déterminants de l’Usage du Transfert d’Argent Mobile par les Utilisateurs d’Internet Mobile au Mali

Le présent papier analyse les principaux déterminants de l’utilisation des services de transfert d’argent mobile par les internautes maliens en situation mobile. Les données collectées auprès de 1739 individus utilisateurs d’Internet mobile de l’étude du groupe de recherche en économie solidaire et industrielle (GRESI) ont été utilisées. Après avoir implémenté le modèle Logit qui est un modèle de régression binomiale, les résultats montrent qu’avoir un niveau d’instruction inférieur au niveau secondaire, avoir un âge compris entre 15-35 ans et la cherté du coût de connexion jouent négativement sur la probabilité d’utiliser le mobile money via Internet mobile au Mali. Tandis que le revenu, la zone de résidence urbaine, les compétences en informatiques et les professions : ouvrier, entrepreneur, commerçant et agriculteur influencent positivement l’utilisation des services de transfert d’argent mobile par le truchement d’Internet mobile. This paper analyses the main determinants of the use of mobile money transfer services by Malian Internet users in a mobile situation. Data collected from 1739 individual mobile Internet users of the study by the solidarity and industrial economy research group (GRESI) were used. After having implemented the Logit model which is a binomial regression model, our results show that having an education level below secondary level, having an age between 15-35 years old and the high cost of connection have a negative impact on the probability of using mobile money via mobile Internet in Mali. While income, urban area of residence, computer skills and occupations: worker, entrepreneur, trader and farmer positively influence the use of mobile money transfer services through the mobile internet.

Human Biomonitoring of Selected Hazardous Compounds in Portugal: Part I—Lessons Learned on Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons, Metals, Metalloids, and Pesticides

Human biomonitoring (HBM) data provide information on total exposure regardless of the route and sources of exposure. HBM studies have been applied to quantify human exposure to contaminants and environmental/occupational pollutants by determining the parent compounds, their metabolites or even their reaction products in biological matrices. HBM studies performed among the Portuguese population are disperse and limited. To overcome this knowledge gap, this review gathers, for the first time, the published Portuguese HBM information concerning polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), metals, metalloids, and pesticides concentrations detected in the urine, serum, milk, hair, and nails of different groups of the Portuguese population. This integrative insight of available HBM data allows the analysis of the main determinants and patterns of exposure of the Portuguese population to these selected hazardous compounds, as well as assessment of the potential health risks. Identification of the main difficulties and challenges of HBM through analysis of the enrolled studies was also an aim. Ultimately, this study aimed to support national and European policies promoting human health and summarizes the most important outcomes and lessons learned through the HBM studies carried out in Portugal.

Comparison of Situation in the Slovak and Czech Market of Milk and Dairy Products

The paper is focused on dairy sector with the emphasis on the development of consumption of milk and dairy products, including cheese, curd and other dairy products, in the last 15 years in the Slovak Republic and in the Czech Republic. The aim of the paper is to identify the level of milk and dairy products consumption, as well as to identify the main determinants affecting the consumption. Paper is also aimed at milk production with emphasis on the main problems that may affect future development on the dairy market. The primary data are obtained by consumer survey and survey aimed focused on producers of milk and dairy products. Based on the results we have identified that the milk and dairy products consumption by Slovak consumers is lower compared to the Czech Republic and the quality and price are considered as the main determinants influencing the consumption. We also found out that milk and dairy products producers are adapting their production to demand, but it is important to point out the barriers related in particular to the introduction of new technologies into production, rising input prices or growing consumer disinterest in the consumption of milk and dairy products.