Improving Adolescents’ Driving Behaviors through a Personal Narrative-Based Psychosocial Intervention in Serbia

Objectives: Road traffic crashes continue to be the leading cause of death among adolescents. While males are more vulnerable to crashes than females, driver education interventions are less likely to succeed among males than females. Some studies suggest that stronger optimistic bias and overconfidence bias in males may be the reason for this. Methods: In a quasi-experiment conducted in Serbia, forty schools were stratified by size and randomly assigned to watch a road traffic safety presentation utilizing personal narratives or to a control arm. Surveys were administered before the intervention (N=1,449) and again six months later (N=1,072). Data was analyzed by gender in order to investigate gender differences. Results: Risk perceptions improved for both males and females, and injunctive norms improved for females (t= 1.87, p \u3c .05 for males and t= 2.0, p \u3c .01 for females). Improvements in overconfidence bias and descriptive norms were predictive of improvements in high-risk driving behaviors (β= .21, p \u3c .001 for males and β= .25, p \u3c .001 for females; β= -.15, p \u3c .001 for males and β= -.11, p \u3c .01 for females, respectively). A significant interaction between improvements in injunctive norms and the intervention revealed that males whose injunctive norms improved were significantly more likely to be affected by the intervention, compared to the other groups (β= .13, p \u3c .05). Conclusions: Interventions targeting road traffic safety behaviors in adolescents should utilize a gendered approach. For males in particular, influencing perceptions of injunctive norms is important for intervention efficacy

The Semantics of Morphological Means of Expressing Human Emotions

People face various psychological states, situations, emotions, and conflicts to realise their various desires in life, and they often deliver these situations to others through language means. Hence, there is a need to study various manifestations of the psychological state of a person, the phenomena of internal feelings, not only at the linguistic level, but also at the level of mental consciousness. Therefore, the main purpose of the work is to analyse the semantics of morphological means of expressing human emotions. Consideration of the definitions from various literary texts, explanation through linguistic means of various psychological situations that arose during communication to meet all the needs of humanity, the influence of expressed thoughts from these texts, emotions in various psychological situations, emotional stress, the definition of nature through psychological acceptance, and the interpretation of the expressive semantics in linguistic means contributed to this study. In the work, using the analysis of scientific studies of various scientists, it was determined that emotions play an important role in human communication. Phraseological units that are able to express the concepts of a state were analysed. It has been established that in psychology, the position of word units is used as communicative and significative functions, which makes it possible to outline the position as a means of exchanging opinions

Multiresponsive behavior of functional poly(p-phenylene vinylene)s in water

The multiresponsive behavior of functionalized water-soluble conjugated polymers (CPs) is presented with potential applications for sensors. In this study, we investigated the aqueous solubility behavior of water-soluble CPs with high photoluminescence and with a particular focus on their pH and temperature responsiveness. For this purpose, two poly(phenylene vinylene)s (PPVs)-namely 2,5-substituted PPVs bearing both carboxylic acid and methoxyoligoethylene glycol units-were investigated, with different amount of carboxylic acid units. Changes in the pH and temperature of polymer solutions led to a response in the fluorescence intensity in a pH range from 3 to 10 and for temperatures ranging from 10 to 85 degrees C. Additionally, it is demonstrated that the polymer with the largest number of carboxylic acid groups displays upper critical solution temperature (UCST)-like thermoresponsive behavior in the presence of a divalent ion like Ca2+. The sensing capability of these water-soluble PPVs could be utilized to design smart materials with multiresponsive behavior in biomedicine and soft materials

STUDY OF THE EFFECT OF WASHING MATERIALS OF WORKWEAR

The article developed the requirements for special clothing and methods of solution, due to the need to ensure the protection of workers in the sausage shop from the factors of aggressive environment, injuries and occupational diseases. As a result of the study of the effect of washing on the behavior of textile materials, it was found that the impact of a set of factors, detergents on the degree of removal of contamination of tissue samples has the greatest washing effect composition detergents "soap and powderMif". The study of the mechanical properties of fabric samples used for the manufacture of clothing, revealed the most rational fabric (art.18452), which provides the developed overalls with high performance properties

STUDY OF GENDER DISCRIMINATION IN THE UNIVERSITIES OF KAZAKHSTAN

This research examines the prevalence of gender discrimination in universities of Kazakhstan. By employing Morley's micropolitics framework, this study focuses on the experiences of people and groups in order to understand how gendered power relations operate within universities. Three dependent variables were established through a survey and focus group discussions: gender-based undervaluation, sexual objectification, and sexual harassment. According to the findings, female students are significantly more likely to face all three types of discrimination. Personal accounts of discrimination were shared during the focus group discussions, including biased grading and feedback, sexual remarks, stalking, and sexual assault. Recommendations are provided for university administrations, the Ministry of Education, and the Mazhilis of Parliament to address these issues, such as developing anti-discrimination and harassment policies, offering education and training, and establishing reporting procedures

New view on education modernization

This article presents a model for the modernization of education. The transition to new technologies requires a change in pedagogical thinking and the creation of a new educational culture.В данной статье представлена модель модернизации образования. Переход на новые технологии требует изменения педагогического мышления и создания новой образовательной культуры

Healthcare costs associated with progressive diabetic retinopathy among National Health Insurance enrollees in Taiwan, 2000-2004

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Diabetic retinopathy is one of the most common microvascular complications of diabetes and one of the major causes of adult visual impairment in national surveys in Taiwan. This study aimed to identify the healthcare costs of Taiwan's National Health Insurance program on behalf of diabetic patients with stable or progressive retinopathy.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>A retrospective cohort study was conducted with 4,988 medication-using diabetic retinopathy subjects ≥ 40 years of age under National Health Insurance Program coverage between 2000 and 2004. Study cohort subjects were recorded as having diabetic retinopathy according to ICD-9-CM codes. States of diabetic retinopathy were strategically divided into stable and progressive categories according to subjects' conditions at follow-up in 2004. Expenditures were calculated and compared for the years 2000 and 2004.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>During the 4-year follow-up (2000 through 2004), 4,116 subjects (82.5%) of 4,988 diabetic subjects were in the stable category, and 872 (17.5%) were in the progressive category. Average costs of those in the normal category increased by US $48 from US$1921 in 2000 to US $1969 in 2004 (p = 0.594), whereas costs for those progressing from normal to non-proliferative diabetic retinopathy (NPDR) or proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR) increased by US$1760, from US $1566 in 2000 to US$3326 in 2004 (p < 0.001). The PDR category had the highest average costs at US $3632 in 2000. The NPDR-to-PDR category experienced the greatest increase in costs at US$3482, from US $2723 in 2000 to US$6204 in 2004 (p = 0.042), and the greatest percentage of increase at 2.3% (2.2% when adjusted by comparing to normal category).</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>This large-scale longitudinal study provides evidence that increased healthcare costs are associated with progressive diabetic retinopathy among diabetic NHI enrollees in Taiwan.</p

International cooperation projects and Central Asia: Seeking for a balance of power to preserve independence

Sovyetler Birliği'nin dağılması sonucu elde edilen egemen devlet statüsü, birlik cumhuriyetlerine iç ve dış politikada bağımsız hareket etme hakkını kazandırmanın yanı sıra bu bağımsızlığı devam ettirme sorumluluğunu da beraberinde getirmiştir. Kazakistan, Kırgızistan, Özbekistan, Tacikistan ve Türkmenistan olmak üzere Orta Asya ülkeleri de söz konusu sorumluluğu yerine getirmede, mevcut şartlar ve uluslararası sistemin yapısı gereği, çeşitli devletlerarası işbirliği girişimlerinde bulunmuşlardır. Bu tür girişimlere sebep teşkil eden ekonomik, askeri ve sosyal faktörler de göz ardı edilmemekle birlikte, bölge ülkelerinin yer aldığı işbirliği projelerine sebep olan siyasi beklentiler bu çalışmanın temel araştırma konusunu oluşturmaktadır. Tezin temel amacı, Orta Asya ülkelerinin kendi aralarında ve bölge dışı aktörler ile yaptıkları işbirliği projelerinde, ülke bağımsızlığını koruma ve dış politikada siyasi güç dengesi oluşturma yönündeki girişimlerini analiz etmektir. Çalışmanın temeli, 'birçok bölgesel entegrasyon girişimleri, üye devletlerin, egemenlik haklarından ödün vermelerinin bir neticesi iken, Orta Asya topraklarında meydana gelen entegrasyon hareketlerinde, bölge ülkelerinin egemenliklerini koruma amacının önemli bir sebep teşkil ettiği' tezine dayanmaktadır. Geçmişteki yönetim tarzı ile ona karşı gelen değerlerin harmanlanmasını gerektiren çok yönlü işbirliği, bölgeyi kendi etki alanına katmak isteyen güçler arasında dengeyi sağlayacak sayılı stratejilerden biriydi. Lakin söz konusu strateji yalnızca bölge ülkelerinin ihtiyaçları ile sınırlı olmayıp, işbirliğine taraf olacak dış güçlerin geniş çaplı jeopolitik hedefleri ile de doğrudan bağlantılı olduğu için yapılan işbirliği projelerinde bölge dışı ilişkiler ağırlık kazanmıştır. Ayrıca, ilk yıllarda arka arkaya imzalanan bölge içi işbirliği anlaşmalarına rağmen, devlet inşa süreci boyunca ülkelerin kalkınma fırsatlarında meydana gelen farklılıklar ve bu kalkınmaya engel oluşturacağı endişesi yaratan ortak kaynaklar üzerindeki tartışmalar bölge devletlerini birbirinden uzaklaştırmıştır. İçerde artan bir mesafe söz konusuyken, Rusya'nın bölgeyi yeniden kendi etki alanına alacağı endişesi, bölge ülkelerini Batı dünyası ve Çin ile işbirliğine yöneltmiş, Türkiye, İran, Hindistan ve diğer eksen ülkeler olmak üzere bölgeye ilgi gösteren aktör sayısındaki artış da Orta Asya açısından işbirliği alanını gittikçe genişletmiştir. Çalışmanın kuramsal boyutu, realizmin ulusal çıkar algısına dayanan devlet bekası, bu bekanın güç dağılımının eşit olmadığı anarşik yapılı bir uluslararası sistemde güç dengesi kuramının dengeleme stratejileri aracılığıyla devam ettirildiği varsayımı ve bu hususta varılan devletler arası işbirliği girişimlerinin işlevsel boyutunu ele alan fonksiyonalist paradigmadan oluşmaktadır. Söz konusu kuramsal çerçevenin Orta Asya ülkelerinin taraf olduğu işbirliği projelerine uygulanmasıyla, bölge içi entegrasyonun sağlanamamasının ve bölge dışı aktörler ile olan çok yönlü dengeleme ilişkilerine ağırlık verilmesinin devlet bağımsızlığının pekiştirilmesi amacına dayandığı sonucuna varılmıştır.Obtaining the status of a sovereign state after the collapse of the Soviet Union, the former union republics were entitled with the right to act independently in internal and external politics along with the responsibility for preserving their sovereignty. In order to fulfill this responsibility, Central Asian countries, including Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan, have been involved in various interstate cooperation initiatives depending on the then-current conditions and the structure of the international system. Besides the economic, military and social factors that cause such initiatives not being ignored, the main topic of this study is the political expectations that lead to cooperation projects in which the countries of the region are involved. The fundamental aim of the thesis is to analyze the cooperation projects that Central Asian countries developed among themselves and with extra-regional actors. The main objective of the study is based on the thesis that while many of the regional initiatives are a result of the concession from sovereignty rights of the member states; that the countries of the region aimed to preserve sovereignty in the integration movement which occurred in Central Asia constituted an important cause. That the multifaceted cooperation required blending of the management style of the past with the opposing values against it was one of the strategies to balance the powers desiring to bring the region into their own domain. However, the strategy was not limited solely to the needs of the countries in the region; it was also directly linked to the broad geopolitical objectives of the external powers which were the parties of the cooperation. Therefore extra-regional relations gained more importance in the projects. Despite the intra-regional cooperation agreements signed in succession in the first years, the differences in the development opportunities of countries during the state-building process and the controversies over the common sources concerned as creating an obstacle to development, alienated the states in the region from each other. While there was a growing distance in interstate relations in the region, the concern that Russia would take the region back to its domain of influence, led the countries in the region to cooperate with the Western world and China. Also, the increase in the number of actors interested in the region, including Turkey, Iran, India and other axis countries, has widened the scope of cooperation in Central Asia. State continuity is based on the perception of national interest of realism. In the anarchic international system in which power distribution is not fair, the state continuity is assumed to be maintained through balancing strategies according to the theory of balance of power. The theoretical dimension of the study is based on this assumption and the functionalist paradigm that examines the functional dimension of interstate cooperation initiatives made on this issue. Hence, the conclusion reached by applying this theoretical framework to cooperation projects in which the Central Asian countries are parties is based upon the proposition that the inter-regional integration has not been achieved because of the emphasis which is given on multilateral balancing relations with extra-regional actors with the purpose of reinforcing the state independence