An Exploration of Home Attachment Representations using an Adaptation of Adult Attachment Interview: Preliminary Data on the Home Attachment Interview

Background: In analysing the literature on household as a physical structure strongly linked to cultural and affective aspects, as well as to universal central psychological needs, a universe of meanings was found. The household, conceptualised as home and safe shelter that contains and protects, but also as a favourite place where the most important relationships of each human being unfold, suggests to use attachment theory perspective as a potentially useful framework to conceptualize the construct of home attachment. However, this perspective needs to be further investigated in order to understand its complex nature. Therefore, this pilot study aims to investigate how individuals represent their own homes according to their feelings and emotions related to their household.Methods: A qualitative-quantitative survey has been carried out with 50 adults (50% females) divided into five different age groups (from late adolescence to old age). An adapted version of the Adult Attachment Interview, the Home Attachment Interview, was administered.Results: Analysis identified the relevant aspects that distinguish the "house" as a physical structure, and the "home", that symbolically encloses emotional and affective experiences suggesting a perception of the "house" as "home", being a special place characterised by a strong attachment relationship connoted symbolically and affectively.Conclusions: Attachment theoretical and methodological tools used in the study appear especially useful to investigate and understand the construct of home attachment

Professional educators in the Circumpolar North: A model for the digital competence of future teachers

This article is based on a study that considers future teachers’ digital competencies in the Arctic education context with special attention to the necessary cultural and contextual dimensions of teachers’ work. This study explored the professional competencies teachers require when teaching diverse and multicultural pupils in the Circumpolar North drawing on the multiple affordances offered by the digital world. Previous research draws attention to specific teaching and teacher competencies required for rural schools in the Circumpolar North considering the unique assets and characteristics of rural places in this region. This study presents a model of Digital Competence for Future Teachers (DCFT) that illustrates the competencies required by teachers in rural schools in the Arctic. Within the proposed model, four types of digital knowledge-based competencies necessary for holistic education were identified: techno-cultural, intercultural, self-cultural, and micro-cultural. The model was created through a process of analysis of existing models of teachers’ digital competencies: MAP-, TPACK- and PEAT-models which are then reflected on the findings of an earlier international comparative multiple-case study by the same authors examining the sudden change to remote online teaching during the COVID-19 pandemic, and the Cultural Competence for Equity and Inclusion (CCEI) framework. Although the presented study focused on the Circumpolar North, the findings have implications for teacher education and policy production more widely in national and international educational environments

EuCARE-hospitalised study protocol: a cohort study of patients hospitalised with COVID-19 in the EuCARE project

Background: Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS CoV-2), the virus responsible for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), can lead to hospitalisation, particularly in elderly, immunocompromised, and non-vaccinated or partially vaccinated individuals. Although vaccination provides protection, the duration of this protection wanes over time. Additional doses can restore immunity, but the influence of viral variants, specific sequences, and vaccine-induced immune responses on disease severity remains unclear. Moreover, the efficacy of therapeutic interventions during hospitalisation requires further investigation. The study aims to analyse the clinical course of COVID-19 in hospitalised patients, taking into account SARS-CoV-2 variants, viral sequences, and the impact of different vaccines. The primary outcome is all-cause in-hospital mortality, while secondary outcomes include admission to intensive care unit and length of stay, duration of hospitalisation, and the level of respiratory support required. Methods: This ongoing multicentre study observes hospitalised adult patients with confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection, utilising a combination of retrospective and prospective data collection. It aims to gather clinical and laboratory variables from around 35,000 patients, with potential for a larger sample size. Data analysis will involve biostatistical and machine-learning techniques. Selected patients will provide biological material. The study started on October 14, 2021 and is scheduled to end on October 13, 2026. Discussion: The analysis of a large sample of retrospective and prospective data about the acute phase of SARS CoV-2 infection in hospitalised patients, viral variants and vaccination in several European and non-European countries will help us to better understand risk factors for disease severity and the interplay between SARS CoV-2 variants, immune responses and vaccine efficacy. The main strengths of this study are the large sample size, the long study duration covering different waves of COVID-19 and the collection of biological samples that allows future research. Trial registration: The trial has been registered on ClinicalTrials.gov. The unique identifier assigned to this trial is NCT05463380

Osteopathic manipulative therapy potentiates motor cortical plasticity

Context: Osteopathic manipulative therapy (OMTh; manipulative care provided by foreign-trained osteopaths) is effective in managing pain caused by a variety of clinical conditions. Nevertheless, the physiologic mechanisms at the basis of the clinical improvement are poorly understood. Objective: To investigate the effects of OMTh, muscle stretching, and soft touch interventions on motor cortical excitability through a rapid-rate paired associative stimulation (PAS) protocol. Methods: In this crossover study, participants underwent OMTh, muscle stretching, and soft touch interventions. A rapid-rate PAS transcranial magnetic stimulation protocol was performed immediately after each intervention session, which consisted of 600 pairs of stimuli continuously delivered to the left primary motor cortex and to the right median nerve at a rate of 5 Hz for 2 minutes. The interstimulus intervals between the peripheral stimulus and the transcranial magnetic stimulation was set at 25 milliseconds. Before and after rapid-rate PAS (immediately after and 15 minutes after), changes in the amplitude of the motor evoked potentials were measured in the right abductor pollicis brevis and the right first dorsal interosseous. Results: Of the potential 15 participants initially recruited, 12 fit the inclusion criteria. Two of the 12 participants were excluded from the final analysis because of excessive artifact movements. Rapid-rate PAS induced a more pronounced, longerlasting increase in cortical excitability in the abductor pollicis brevis muscle in patients 15 minutes after the OMTh intervention than after the muscle stretching or sham interventions (P=.016). Conclusion: Results of the current study provide support for the effects of OMTh on cortical plasticity

The effects of aquatic therapy during post-acute neurorehabilitation in patients with severe traumatic brain injury: a preliminary randomized controlled trial

Objective: The primary aim is to verify the effectiveness of an aquatic training (AT) in inpatients with severe Traumatic Brain Injury (sTBI) on balance. The secondary aims are to explore the effects on gait, activities of daily living, and quality of life, comparing to a land-based conventional protocol. Methods: Two-arm, randomized controlled trial. Twenty inpatients with sTBI, Glasgow Coma Scale score ≤8, and Level of Cognitive Functioning ≥7 were recruited and randomly assigned to the aquatic therapy group (ATG) or to the Conventional Training Group (CTG). Patients underwent 12 individual rehabilitation sessions (3 days/week, 4 weeks), in a rehabilitation pool during the post-acute intensive neurorehabilitation. The primary outcome measure was the Berg Balance Scale (BBS). Secondary outcome measures were the Modified Barthel Index (MBI), Disability Rating Scale (DRS), Tinetti Gait Balance Scale (TBG) and Quality of Life After Brain Injury (QOLIBRI). All the evaluations were performed at the baseline and after 4 weeks of training. Results: The within-subjects analysis showed a significant improvement both in ATG and CTG in MBI, BBS, TBG, and QOLIBRI. Conclusion: Our results may support the use of AT during post-acute phase to improve motor functions and quality of life in patients with sTBI

Professional educators in the Circumpolar North:a model for the digital competence of future teachers

Abstract This article is based on a study that considers future teachers’ digital competencies in the Arctic education context with special attention to the necessary cultural and contextual dimensions of teachers’ work. This study explored the professional competencies teachers require when teaching diverse and multicultural pupils in the Circumpolar North drawing on the multiple affordances offered by the digital world. Previous research draws attention to specific teaching and teacher competencies required for rural schools in the Circumpolar North considering the unique assets and characteristics of rural places in this region. This study presents a model of Digital Competence for Future Teachers (DCFT) that illustrates the competencies required by teachers in rural schools in the Arctic. Within the proposed model, four types of digital knowledge-based competencies necessary for holistic education were identified: techno-cultural, intercultural, self-cultural, and micro-cultural. The model was created through a process of analysis of existing models of teachers’ digital competencies: MAP-, TPACK- and PEAT-models which are then reflected on the findings of an earlier international comparative multiple-case study by the same authors examining the sudden change to remote online teaching during the COVID-19 pandemic, and the Cultural Competence for Equity and Inclusion (CCEI) framework. Although the presented study focused on the Circumpolar North, the findings have implications for teacher education and policy production more widely in national and international educational environments

A transnational comparative study of teachers’ experiences of remote teaching and learning during COVID-19 pandemic

Abstract This article presents the findings of an international comparative multiple-case study that examined the sudden change from classroom to remote online teaching during the COVID-19 pandemic. The study specifically explored the experiences of teachers in Northern Finland, England, and Norway to provide new information about the education situation and to guide the description of the areas that should guide the education of future teachers. The data were collected in three different ways in three different contexts: via an online survey of in-service teachers in Lapland, Finland (N = 164), and through different semi-structured interviews with teachers in England (N = 20) and Northern Norway (N = 30). The data analysis was conducted in two phases. The first phase focused on teachers’ experiences in teaching and learning and the second phase on teachers’ challenges. The results voice the teachers’ desire for more education on online pedagogy and practicals, the pedagogical use of technology, and the significance of teacher collaboration. The findings can be used for the development of teacher education to ensure the dynamic digitalization of future teacher education programmes and policies