Climate change and seasonal floods: potential long-term nutritional consequences for children in Kerala, India

none2siIn the aftermath of the worst flooding Kerala has experienced in nearly a century, we highlight the urgency of considering the long-term health consequences of floods, especially on young children. Based on the recent Demographic and Health Survey data for India in 2015–2016, we provided evidence showing that abnormally wet conditions increased the likelihood of undernutrition for children aged under 5 as measured by stunting and wasting. Experiencing floods during infancy, being a girs with illiterate mothers making a child particularly vulnerable to being stunted while living in the rural area increases the risk of being wasted due to floods. We put forward that nutritional and water and sanitation interventions at the critical period of flood exposure can reverse the course of undernutrition which in turn can reduce the cost of poor human development in the long run.openMuttarak R; Dimitrova AMuttarak R; Dimitrova

Alcohol consumption and cognitive aging: can it be beneficial?

We present a literature review which summarizes the data supporting one of the alternative perspectives on the effect of alcohol consumption on cognitive aging – the possible positive effect of low to moderate drinking. Some of the main theories about aging, the mechanisms of brain aging, and the pathogenesis of cognitive decline and dementia are briefly described. In this context, the putative mechanisms of the protective action of non-alcoholic components in alcoholic beverages or low doses of ethanol against oxidative stress, inflammation, mitochondrial dysfunction, brain insulin resistance, and production of amyloid-β peptides are presented. The review article does not favor the data selected and highlighted, but it aims at inspiring more interest and further research on the topic

First results from the application of ISAS and ABASI/ABUSI in a study of non-suicidal self-injury in high school students from Varna

Non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) is a growing phenomenon observed in the Western world, as well as in Bulgaria. The proper understanding and characterization of the behavior requires the use of highly informative and reliable instruments. However, at the time of the study, there are no nationally accepted standards and no available comprehensive instrument in Bulgarian for the assessment of NSSI. The current pilot study attempts to approbate the informativeness of the Bulgarian versions of two instruments new to Bulgaria, which are commonly used in other countries - Inventory of Statements About Self-injury (ISAS) and Alexian Brothers’ Assessment of Self-Injury/Alexian Brothers’ Urge to Self-Injure (ABASI/ABUSI). We studied a non-clinical population of high school students in Varna, aged between 14 and 18 years. A total of 142 correctly answered scales were analyzed. Preliminary assessment suggests that the scales provide valid information to characterize the main method of self-injury, reason for self-injury, behavior immediately prior to self-injury and risk factors. Cutting was suggested to be the predominant method of self-injury, while the most common reasons for self-injury were self-punishment and affect regulation. A correlation between experienced emotional and verbal abuse and enduring and long-lasting thoughts about self-injury was also noted

Imprinting: nature and manifestations in humans

Imprinting (filial and sexual) is a process of learning a key stimulus or complex stimuli during early critical periods of development, further determining the implementation of innate forms of behavior. The present literature review summarizes earlier and current data regarding the neurophysiology and neurochemistry of imprinting, and its potential benefits. Although, according to the classic views, imprinting is inherent in birds and some mammals, there are reasons to assume that imprinting or similar forms of learning also exist in humans. In the context of this assumption, the mechanisms of newborn-mother bonding and of assortative mate choice in humans are discussed

After the floods: Differential impacts of rainfall anomalies on child stunting in India

none2si• Excessive rainfall increases the risk of child stunting in India. • Children from socially disadvantaged households display higher vulnerability to such shocks. • Investment in women’s education can significantly reduce the risk of child stunting.openDimitrova A.; Muttarak R.Dimitrova A.; Muttarak R

Designing a collaborative self-archiving system for vulnerable groups via co-design means

This thesis project explores the research question of “How can vulnerable groups be encouraged to contribute with genuine personal content to a shared entity (the archive) in a scalable way?”. The project applies co-design practices in order to identify qualities that a system for collaborative self-archiving should incorporate in order to engage vulnerable groups to contribute to the archive, more specifically exploring what would motivate the refugees in Sweden to contribute to the Swedish archive. Several workshops have been run together with the target group, preceded by sensitizing exercises and interviews and supported by additional field research of the other stakeholders for the subject explored - the professional archivists and the Swedish citizens

Making it personal in critical games to affect reflection and have a two-way dialogue

This thesis project explores the capacity of digital critical games when it comes to conveying socially relevant messages and making the player reflect on the real life outside of the game, with a specific interest in self-reflection. Starting with critical analyses of the vast field of existing online socially critical games, this research exploration continues with an empirical evaluation of selected few samples of such games by recruiting people to playtest them, followed by interviews. Identifying design qualities and openings based on the findings, a prototype is then implemented and iterated based on playtesting with more participants, again followed by interviews. The sought out novel aspects of online critical games, that are explored via the prototype, are: 1. Making the critical game experience personal by incorporating real life information from the player’s own life. Seeking in this way to ensure the flow outside of the magic circle and into the real life, this also aimed at supporting a stronger impact of the message conveyed by communicating it on the player’s “own ground”, i.e. in the terms of their own real life and personal feelings.2. Allowing a space for the player to express disagreeing with the message coming from the game and giving them the possibility to enrich it collectively by sharing through the game what their own view on the matter is. This was an attempt for exploration in the direction of supporting a two-way dialogue between the game designer and the player in the sense of giving the player a voice and a stronger agency both in the game and in the message conveyed.So these two: 1. self reflection via making it personal and 2. self expression via allowing space for a two-way dialogue, were the two main topics incorporated in the artifact that came out of this research. Consequently the contribution of this thesis are the reflections from trying to incorporate such critical game’s qualities and the analyses of it, along with all the other factors that came out from the earlier investigation and evaluation of similar games concerning what exactly makes people reflect on real life and think outside of the magic circle while playing a critical game

Assessment of Non-Suicidal Self-Injurious Behaviour in a Non-Clinical Population of Adolescents Aged 14 – 19 in Varna // Изследване на несуицидно самонараняващо поведение в неклинична популация от юноши на възраст 14 –19 години в област Варна

We present a study of non-suicidal self-injury in a non-clinical population of adolescents. An epidemiological approach using a hybrid questionnaire was used to assess the prevalence, main methods, functions, and antecedents of self-harm. The results show that approximately 20% of young people confirm acts of self-injury, with the main method being cutting. The main function of non-suicidal self-injury in this population is to eliminate negative emotions and thoughts, while acts of self-injury were most common after experiences of failure or abandonment. The DSM-5 criteria for a diagnosis of “Non-suicidal self-injury disorder” were also assessed to identify a group of adolescents with a clinically significant course of self-injury. A group of adolescents meeting all the diagnostic criteria was identified, characterized by more severe functional disturbances and a more severe course of the disorder. The tendencies for progression of non-suicidal self-injury over time were studied, with results showing that nearly a third of the participants report worsening of the condition and increasing the frequency of self-injury. The hybrid questionnaire assesses the presence of addictive traits relevant to the maintenance of self-injurious behaviour over time. The performed analyses indicate that a minority of individuals meet the conditions for dependent behaviour, presenting with more severe symptoms, regardless of the presence of diagnosis.Дисертационният труд е посветен на изучаването на несуицидно самонараняване в неклинична популация от юноши в град Варна. В епидемиологично проучване е използван нов за страната хибриден въпросник за оценка на разпространението, честотата на самонараняване, основни методи, функции и предразполагащи състояния. Резултатите сочат, че приблизително 20% от младежите извършват самонараняващи действия, като основен метод на самонараняване е порязването. Действията служат за премахване на негативни емоции и мисли, но това не са единствените функции. Самонараняване се наблюдава най-често след преживявания на провал или изоставяне. Успоредно с това бе заложено да се приложат критериите за диагноза „Разстройство с несуицидно самонараняване“ и да се открие група от юноши с клинично значимо протичане на самонараняването. Установена е група от юноши, покриваща всички критерии за диагноза, отличаваща се с повече функционални нарушения и по-тежко протичане. Проучени бяха тенденциите за прогрес и протичане на несуицидното самонараняване във времето, като между ½ и 1/5 от участниците съобщават за задълбочаване и зачестяване на самонараняването. Въпросите оценяват наличието на пристрастяващи черти, които имат отношение към поддържането на самонараняването във времето. Извършените анализи посочват, че съществува група от индивиди, които отговарят на всички условия за зависимо поведение. Те се отличават с по-тежко протичане, независимо от наличието на диагноза