Good Practices of the European Union Countries Regarding the Integration of Refugees and Migrants

The countries of the European Union, which are final destinations or transit for refugees and migrants, face many social, humanitarian and financial challenges. They are expected to invest efforts and resources to enable migrant communities and the host society to activate their abilities, qualities and skills to build social cohesion and well-being between them. Local administrations provide many services that directly affect the integration of migrants and there-fore have a greater capacity to support the process of social cohesion, as opposed to governance at national level, which in many cases hinders local government initiatives to address social and economic problems arising from immigration. Integration is an extremely individual process and individual needs must be taken into account by the various institutions involved in this activity. Refugee integration is one of the indicators of democratic society, an indicator of the development and promotion of human rights and freedoms. It is a continuous and dynamic process that requires efforts and readiness on the part of refugees to adapt to their host society without having to give up their cultural identity, and therefore - readiness and understanding on the part of the host community and public institutions to perceive refugees as equal persons of themselves. Integration is a long-term two-way process of mutual adjustment of incoming immigrants and citizens of the host country

Affective-Domain Occurrences Reported by Undergraduate Non-Music-Major Students in a Keyboard-Centered Course Incorporating the Nine National Standards for Music Education and a Methodology Based on Constructivist Principles: Patterns That Might Suggest Hypotheses About Cause-and-Effect Relationships

In this study, data about occurrences in the affective domain of non-music-major subjects taking a keyboard-centered course that incorporates the nine National Standards for music education along with a methodology based on constructivist principles were collected. The problem of this study was to identify any patterns in those data that might suggest hypotheses about cause-and-effect relationships that might be tested later in quantitative studies with experimental design. The instruction consisted of a keyboard-centered music education curriculum that encompassed the U.S. nine National Standards for music education along with a teaching methodology based on constructivist principles. This study was conducted in order to examine the relationship between five beginner piano subjects and the piano, revealed through observations (from their own perspective and the teacher\u27s) on their feelings, thoughts, and emotions during the time of the research study. Data for this research study were collected from a variety of sources: pre- and post-instructional questionnaires, personal journal entries required from the participants, and researcher notes. This was a qualitative study in which questionnaires were administered and in which the subjects and the instructor kept journals that were collected and examined. The lesson plans incorporated objectives representing the U.S. nine National Standards for music education, which are listed at the Web site of the National Association for Music Education (http://musiced.nafme.org/resources/national-standards-for-music-education/): 1. Singing, alone and with others, a varied repertoire of music. 2. Performing on instruments, alone and with others, a varied repertoire of music. 3. Improvising melodies, variations, and accompaniments. 4. Composing and arranging music within specified guidelines. 5. Reading and notating music. 6. Listening to, analyzing, and describing music. 7. Evaluating music and music performances. 8. Understanding relationships between music, the other arts, and disciplines outside the arts. 9. Understanding music in relation to history and culture. The teaching methodology was based on constructivist principles that describe learning as a process in which learners construct their musical knowledge and upgrade their schemata based on their musical experience, while the role of the teacher is to facilitate and guide this process. The implementation of the study and the actual data gathering took place at a medium-sized, private research university in the Rocky Mountain west of the United States during its 2012 spring quarter with subjects who were undergraduate non-music-major students. This thesis is a report and analysis of the data collected

Results from the National Strategy for improvement of iodine nutrition in Bulgaria: a study of children and pregnant women living in an iodine-deficient area

Background: A significant part of Bulgaria is considered an iodine-deficient area. The National Strategy for Prevention and Control of Iodine Deficiency Disorders (IDD) was developed in 1994, and regular surveys undertaken in 2000–2003 indicated a normalization of the iodine supply in the Bulgarian population, including some at-risk population groups (children, schoolchildren, pregnant women). Despite the results achieved, mandating periodic cohort surveys for tracking the elimination of iodine deficiency is necessary. Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the results of the the national strategy for improvement of iodine nutrition in children and pregnant women living in an iodine-deficient area in Bulgaria 15 years after its update. Subjects and methods: Study subjects were 73 children aged 9.21 ± 2.07 years (29 boys and 44 girls) and 16 pregnant women living in the town of Asenovgrad. Urinary iodine concentration was measured and used as an index of iodine intake. Results: The median urinary iodine of the inspected children was between 100–199 μg/l, which is an indicator of optimal iodine nutrition. Almost 1/3 of the children (31.5%) had iodine deficiency. The median urinary iodine concentration of the 16 pregnant women investigated was 127.0 μg/l, which is an indicator of insufficient iodine intake. Conclusion: Despite the normalization of the iodine supply in the past years in the at-risk population groups of children and pregnant women, a considerable portion of them still has iodine deficiency. Recommendations for improving health education and iodine nutrition in at-risk population groups were made

Verification of details of existing structures with the elastic-plastic stress field method

The article descirbes briefly the EPSF method and gives example of solutions obtained with the method as well as a solution with the RPSF method and comparison between the two methods

Quality indicators in the treatment of acute ischemic stroke

Cerebrovascular diseases are a global medical and social issue because of the high morbidity, disability and mortality they cause. WHO announces 15 million new ischemic strokes per year globally, with 5 million associated deaths and 5 million patients left permanently disabled. Thrombolysis (TL) with tissue plasminogen activator (rt-PA) is currently an approved differentiated pharmacotherapeutic treatment of ischemic stroke (IS) in its acute phase. There is irrefutable evidence of better health results and efficient clinical management of ischemic strokes within an integrated therapeutic approach as a key factor for improving the functional outcome in stroke patients. Quality is one of the most widely discussed issues in the theory and practice of disease management. Strict compliance with the standards for ischemic stroke treatment is an indicator of high quality patient management

Antihuman Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1 (HIV-1) Activity of Rare Earth Metal Complexes of 4-Hydroxycoumarins in Cell Culture

The cerium Ce(III), lanthanum La(III), and neodymium Nd(III) complexes with 4-hydroxy-3-(3-oxo-1-phenylbutyl)-2H-1-benzopyran-2-one (warfarin) (W) and 3,3′-benzylidenebis[4-hydroxycoumarin] (1) were synthesized and studied for the first time for cytotoxicity (on MT-2 cells) and as anti-HIV agents under acute and chronic infection. The complexes were characterized by different physicochemical methods: mass spectrometry, (1)H NMR, (13)C NMR, and IR spectroscopy. The spectra of the complexes were interpreted on the basis of comparison with the spectrum of the free ligands. Anti-HIV effect of the complexes/ligands was measured in MT-2 cells by microtiter infection assay. Detection of endogenous reverse transcriptase (RT) activity and RT processivity by PCR indicative for proviral DNA synthesis demonstrated that anti-HIV activity has not been linked to early stages of viral replication. No effect on late steps of viral replication has been found using cells chronically producing HIV-1(LAI) virus. La(W) demonstrated anti-HIV activity (IC50=21.4 μM) close to maximal nontoxic concentration. Nd(W), Ce(1), and Nd(1) demonstrated limited anti-HIV potency, so none of the complexes seems appropriate to be used in clinic. Further targeting of HIV-1 inhibition by La(W) is under progress

Synthesis and Inhibiting Activity of Some 4-Hydroxycoumarin Derivatives on HIV-1 Protease

Six novel 4-hydroxycoumarin derivatives were rationally synthesized, verified, and characterized by molecular docking using crystal HIV-1 protease. Molecular docking studies predicted antiprotease activity of (7) and (10). The most significant functional groups, responsible for the interaction with HIV-1 protease by hydrogen bonds formation are pyran oxygen, atom, lactone carbonyl oxygen and one of the hydroxyl groups. The newly synthesized compounds were biologically tested in MT-4 cells for inhibiting HIV-1 replication, exploring the protection of cells from the cytopathic effect of HIV measured by cell survival in MTT test. One derivative −7 showed 76–78% inhibition of virus infectivity with IC50 = 0.01 nM, much less than the maximal nontoxic concentration (1 mM). Antiprotease activity of 7 in two different concentrations was detected to be 25%. Nevertheless, the results of study of (7) encourage using it as a pharmacophore for further synthesis and evaluation of anti-HIV activity

¿Cuál debería ser el nivel de sencillez ideal para un análisis no lineal de elementos en hormigón estructural?

This paper discusses on the required level of simplicity for suitable modelling of structural concrete. Traditional equilibrium- based approaches (as strut-and-tie models) are too coarse in some cases, as they account for the cracking state of concrete in a sometimes excessively simplified manner. The alternative of complex nonlinear numerical modelling is also not always satisfactory for design as the number of parameters required, their definition and the sensitivity of the structural response to them is complex and requires a high level of experience. Contrary to these approaches, this paper introduces the elastic plastic stress field method. This method is grounded on the theory of plasticity but allows considering deformation compatibility. The results are consistent both in terms of the strength and deformation field of the member. It also has the advantage of requiring only two physical material properties (modulus of elasticity and plastic strength) which can be easily determined by designers.Este artículo discute sobre el nivel de sencillez ideal para un análisis no lineal de elementos de hormigón estructural. Los métodos de cálculo basados únicamente en condiciones de equilibrio (como los modelos de bielas-y-tirantes) no son siempre adecuados ya que el estado de fisuración del hormigón se considera a veces de una manera excesivamente simplificada. Los análisis no lineales complejos tampoco son siempre adecuados, ya que el número de parámetros requeridos, su definición y la sensibilidad de la respuesta del elemento a sus variaciones requieren una gran experiencia. Como alternativa, se presenta el método de los campos de tensiones elasto-plásticos. Este método se basa en la teoría de la plasticidad pero incorporando condiciones de compatibilidad. Los resultados son coherentes en términos de resistencia y de deformaciones. Además, sólo necesita la definición de dos parámetros mecánicos (módulo de elasticidad y resistencia plástica) que pueden ser fácilmente determinados por el proyectista

Endovascular treatment in acute ischemic stroke

 Stroke remains a major health care challenge worldwide and is the third leading cause of death and the leading cause of disability in developed countries. The management of acute ischemic stroke has advanced greatly over the past 20 years. Now the treatment of stroke can be describe with one word- variety.The current review is dedicated to the problems of endovascular treatment in acute ischemic stroke. The different methods of treatment, pros and cons of each of them, discussing the different options for the patients are presented.