Trajectories for South African employment after COVID-19

The COVID-19 health response shut down the South African economy for a period, and then continued to constrain face-to-face services such as tourism, hospitality and personal services. These industries create the majority of jobs in all middle- and high-income economies. The COVID-19 interventions further aggravated pre-existing and rising unemployment and poverty levels. By 2021, only 42% of the workingage population in South Africa was employed, as compared to the National Development Plan’s target of 60% by 2030. South Africa has had high unemployment since at least 1978, with an historical policy path that appears to direct the economy towards slow growth and low employment. This article outlines the results of employment scenarios modelling: the purpose is to envisage the future of employment in South Africa in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, with a view to 2050. Two ‘plausible’ scenarios are modelled. The upper and lower trajectories are aligned to historical growth paths between 1970 and 2019, with three decades experiencing an average 1.5% GDP growth and two decades an average 3.6% growth. An average economic growth rate rising from 2% to 3.5% between 2022 to 2050 would result in the achievement of the National Development Plan’s employment targets. The modelling also shows what the employment trajectory might have been in the absence of the COVID pandemic.Significance:• This article evaluates the potential pathway for South African employment after COVID-19.• After a rapid and significant fall caused by policies to manage COVID-19, employment might only recover to peak 2018 levels by 2024–2026.• The COVID-19 pandemic may have long-term implications for employment. In the absence of the pandemic, there could have been between 500 000 and 1.6 million more people working by 2050

Brief Operational Psychotherapy with aged patients

The objective of this article was to verify the efficacy of the Brief Operational Psychology in the treatment of an elderly person. The diagnostic instrument was the Operational Diagnostic Scale. The Brief Psychotherapy technique was used in three interviews and twelve sessions. The patient was a married woman, 92 years-old, with adult, independent, and attentive children. Her complaint was that she could not adapt to her current situation, due to a paralysis that prevents her from executing important movements. She was suffering because she could no longer be autonomous. The results obtained after the intervention were considered positive. She was presented to new occupational alternatives, diminishing her hostility to the fact that she depended on her family. The experience favored the understanding that Brief Occupational Psychotherapy can be useful to the elderly, helping them to better deal with their conflicts.El objetivo de este artículo fue verificar la eficacia de la Psicoterapia Breve Operacionalizada con un adulto mayor. Se empleó la EDAO (Escala Diagnóstica Operacionalizada) como instrumento de diagnóstico. Se usó la técnica de la Psicoterapia Breve en un total de tres entrevistas y doce sesiones. La paciente es casada, tiene 92 años, hijos adultos e independientes que la ayudan mucho. Se quejaba de que no conseguía adaptarse a la situación actual debido a una parálisis que terminó imposibilitándola de ejecutar movimientos importantes. Sufría mucho al sentirse impedida de ejercer su autonomía, como para cocinar y limpiar la casa. Los resultados conseguidos después de la intervención se consideraron positivos al poder entrar en contacto con nuevas alternativas ocupacionales, disminuyendo su hostilidad por el hecho de depender de los familiares. Nuestra experiencia favorece la comprensión de que la PBO puede ser útil para personas de esta faja etárea, contribuyendo para que encuentren maneras más adecuadas de lidiar con sus conflictos.L’objectif de cet article a été de vérifier l’efficacité de la Psychologie Brève Opérationnelle sur une personne âgée. On a utilisé comme instrument l’Échelle de Diagnostic Opérationnel (?) et la technique de Psychologie Brève au total de 3 entrevues et douze sessions. La patiente est mariée, elle a 92 ans, des fils adultes et indépendants, qui l’aident beaucoup. Elle se plaint de ne pouvoir s’adapter à la situation actuelle, due à une paralysie qui a culminé par l’impossibilité d’exécuter des mouvements importants. Elle souffrait beaucoup, car cela l’empêchait d’être autonome pour cuisiner et faire le ménage. Les résultats obtenus après l’intervention ont été considérés positifs, comme entrer en contact avec de nouvelles alternatives d’occupation, en diminuant son hostilité envers sa dépendance à l’entourage. Notre expérience favorise la compréhension que la PBO puisse être utile aux personnes de cette tranche d’âge, en contribuant à ce qu’elles trouvent des formes plus adéquates pour gérer leurs conflits.O objetivo desse artigo foi verificar a eficácia da Psicoterapia Breve Operacionalizada com uma pessoa idosa. Utilizamos como instrumento para diagnóstico a EDAO, Escala Diagnóstica Operacionalizada. Usamos a técnica da Psicoterapia Breve num total de três entrevistas e doze sessões. A paciente é casada, 92 anos, filhos adultos e independentes que a ajudam muito. Sua queixa é que não conseguia adaptar-se à situação atual, em função de uma paralisia que culminou na impossibilidade de executar movimentos importantes. Sofria muito, pois a impedia de exercer sua autonomia, como cozinhar e limpar a casa. Os resultados obtidos após a intervenção foram considerados positivos, pode entrar em contato com novas alternativas ocupacionais, diminuindo sua hostilidade com relação ao fato de depender dos familiares. Nossa experiência favorece a compreensão de que a PBO pode ser útil para pessoas dessa faixa etária, contribuindo para que elas encontrem formas mais adequadas de lidar com seus conflitos

An Initial Exploration of Engineering Student Perceptions of COVID’s Impact on Connectedness, Learning, and STEM Identity

This paper studied the development of STEM identity for freshman students in Engineering. An Urban Research University received a 5-year S-STEM award in fall 2018. So far, two cohorts of scholars have received the scholarship as well as academic support, mentoring support, and customized advising from faculty and upper level peers. The objective of this project is to help underrepresented and talented students in engineering to pursue an undergraduate degree. A Multi-Layered Mentoring(MLM) Program was established, and several interviews were conducted with scholarship recipients. The qualitative and qualitative analysis of the student success shows an improvement in GPA of students in the program as compared to the rest of the school. The students not only received financial help through the program based on their unmet needs, they are were placed in an engineering learning community (ELC). The participants in ELC and MLM programs agreed to participate in research studies to assess their success. This NSF funded program also helped freshman students be involved in a hands-on Design Innovations class where they learned design process and human centered design. The students were surveyed on a regular basis to identify their needs and were approached by faculty advisor as well as their mentors to trouble shoot their concerns and help them with both social and academic aspects of their concerns. The first cohort joined the program in AY 2019-2020, as freshmen. This cohort had experienced a full semester of in-person engagement before the COVID-19 hit in the middle of the second semester of their freshman year. We have researched the impact of the pandemic on their academic progress, sense of belonging, and STEM identity. The second cohort joined the program in AY 2020-2021. They have not had the chance to experience the campus life and their perspective of college life is very different than the first cohort. The STEM identity was one of the success indicators for freshman students who entered the university in one of the most difficult and un-usual circumstances under the COVID-19 pandemic

STrengthening the REporting of Genetic Association Studies (STREGA)— An Extension of the STROBE Statement

Julian Little and colleagues present the STREGA recommendations, which are aimed at improving the reporting of genetic association studies

Global maps of soil temperature

Research in global change ecology relies heavily on global climatic grids derived from estimates of air temperature in open areas at around 2 m above the ground. These climatic grids do not reflect conditions below vegetation canopies and near the ground surface, where critical ecosystem functions occur and most terrestrial species reside. Here, we provide global maps of soil temperature and bioclimatic variables at a 1-km2 resolution for 0–5 and 5–15 cm soil depth. These maps were created by calculating the difference (i.e. offset) between in situ soil temperature measurements, based on time series from over 1200 1-km2 pixels (summarized from 8519 unique temperature sensors) across all the world\u27s major terrestrial biomes, and coarse-grained air temperature estimates from ERA5-Land (an atmospheric reanalysis by the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts). We show that mean annual soil temperature differs markedly from the corresponding gridded air temperature, by up to 10°C (mean = 3.0 ± 2.1°C), with substantial variation across biomes and seasons. Over the year, soils in cold and/or dry biomes are substantially warmer (+3.6 ± 2.3°C) than gridded air temperature, whereas soils in warm and humid environments are on average slightly cooler (−0.7 ± 2.3°C). The observed substantial and biome-specific offsets emphasize that the projected impacts of climate and climate change on near-surface biodiversity and ecosystem functioning are inaccurately assessed when air rather than soil temperature is used, especially in cold environments. The global soil-related bioclimatic variables provided here are an important step forward for any application in ecology and related disciplines. Nevertheless, we highlight the need to fill remaining geographic gaps by collecting more in situ measurements of microclimate conditions to further enhance the spatiotemporal resolution of global soil temperature products for ecological applications

Global maps of soil temperature

Research in global change ecology relies heavily on global climatic grids derived from estimates of air temperature in open areas at around 2 m above the ground. These climatic grids do not reflect conditions below vegetation canopies and near the ground surface, where critical ecosystem functions occur and most terrestrial species reside. Here, we provide global maps of soil temperature and bioclimatic variables at a 1-km² resolution for 0–5 and 5–15 cm soil depth. These maps were created by calculating the difference (i.e., offset) between in-situ soil temperature measurements, based on time series from over 1200 1-km² pixels (summarized from 8500 unique temperature sensors) across all the world’s major terrestrial biomes, and coarse-grained air temperature estimates from ERA5-Land (an atmospheric reanalysis by the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts). We show that mean annual soil temperature differs markedly from the corresponding gridded air temperature, by up to 10°C (mean = 3.0 ± 2.1°C), with substantial variation across biomes and seasons. Over the year, soils in cold and/or dry biomes are substantially warmer (+3.6 ± 2.3°C) than gridded air temperature, whereas soils in warm and humid environments are on average slightly cooler (-0.7 ± 2.3°C). The observed substantial and biome-specific offsets emphasize that the projected impacts of climate and climate change on near-surface biodiversity and ecosystem functioning are inaccurately assessed when air rather than soil temperature is used, especially in cold environments. The global soil-related bioclimatic variables provided here are an important step forward for any application in ecology and related disciplines. Nevertheless, we highlight the need to fill remaining geographic gaps by collecting more in-situ measurements of microclimate conditions to further enhance the spatiotemporal resolution of global soil temperature products for ecological applications

Safety and efficacy of fluoxetine on functional outcome after acute stroke (AFFINITY): a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial

Background Trials of fluoxetine for recovery after stroke report conflicting results. The Assessment oF FluoxetINe In sTroke recoverY (AFFINITY) trial aimed to show if daily oral fluoxetine for 6 months after stroke improves functional outcome in an ethnically diverse population. Methods AFFINITY was a randomised, parallel-group, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial done in 43 hospital stroke units in Australia (n=29), New Zealand (four), and Vietnam (ten). Eligible patients were adults (aged ≥18 years) with a clinical diagnosis of acute stroke in the previous 2–15 days, brain imaging consistent with ischaemic or haemorrhagic stroke, and a persisting neurological deficit that produced a modified Rankin Scale (mRS) score of 1 or more. Patients were randomly assigned 1:1 via a web-based system using a minimisation algorithm to once daily, oral fluoxetine 20 mg capsules or matching placebo for 6 months. Patients, carers, investigators, and outcome assessors were masked to the treatment allocation. The primary outcome was functional status, measured by the mRS, at 6 months. The primary analysis was an ordinal logistic regression of the mRS at 6 months, adjusted for minimisation variables. Primary and safety analyses were done according to the patient's treatment allocation. The trial is registered with the Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry, ACTRN12611000774921. Findings Between Jan 11, 2013, and June 30, 2019, 1280 patients were recruited in Australia (n=532), New Zealand (n=42), and Vietnam (n=706), of whom 642 were randomly assigned to fluoxetine and 638 were randomly assigned to placebo. Mean duration of trial treatment was 167 days (SD 48·1). At 6 months, mRS data were available in 624 (97%) patients in the fluoxetine group and 632 (99%) in the placebo group. The distribution of mRS categories was similar in the fluoxetine and placebo groups (adjusted common odds ratio 0·94, 95% CI 0·76–1·15; p=0·53). Compared with patients in the placebo group, patients in the fluoxetine group had more falls (20 [3%] vs seven [1%]; p=0·018), bone fractures (19 [3%] vs six [1%]; p=0·014), and epileptic seizures (ten [2%] vs two [<1%]; p=0·038) at 6 months. Interpretation Oral fluoxetine 20 mg daily for 6 months after acute stroke did not improve functional outcome and increased the risk of falls, bone fractures, and epileptic seizures. These results do not support the use of fluoxetine to improve functional outcome after stroke