Driving economic inclusion: Analyzing the participation of individuals with disabilities

The population with disabilities constitutes the largest minority group in the labour market, facing social and organizational barriers. The ambiguous nature of employment support provisions and the lack of unified vocational activation systems hinder their economic participation. This study reviews existing literature and examines the effectiveness of support programmes, and discusses the employment challenges faced by disabled individuals. The research emphasizes the need for coordinated national guidelines and highlights disparities across Central and Eastern European countries. The objective of this study was to analyze the economic activity of individuals with disabilities in micro, small, medium, and large enterprises in Poland. The study was conducted using the CAWI method (computer assisted web interview). The questionnaires were sent and completed online. The study found that individuals with severe disabilities may face greater challenges in accessing resources to support their own sole proprietorship (8.33%) in the labour market, compared to entrepreneurs with moderate (66.67%) and light (25%) disabilities. Furthermore, only 2.56% of individuals with physical disabilities are employed in micro-enterprises, with 32.08% being professionally inactive. This study identifies significant factors that contribute to the active participation of disabled individuals in the workforce, particularly in the Wielkopolska region, which was chosen as a case study. The results of the survey indicate a preference for enterprises without a high proportion of disabled employees. The factors influencing disabled individuals’ participation in the workforce include age, education, and professional activity. The improvement of the system should take into account company size, disability level, job assessment tools, and the use of job coaches. Incentives should not be based on disability status. The findings from this study have the capacity to inform about changes in SME job creation and enhance professional activity for people with disabilities

Variants of determining the construction production carbon footprint

Cilj ovog rada jest odrediti ugljični otisak gradnje po kubnom metru izgrađenog volumena zgrade. Za određivanje ugljičnog otiska odabrano je pet tipskih samostojećih kuća. One imaju ista materijalna svojstva, no razlikuju se po volumenu i izgrađenoj površini. Za određivanje ugljičnog otiska tijekom gradnje samostojećih kuća primijenjen je računalni program LCA (engl. Life Cyle Assesment - LCA). Na temelju tih izračuna određen je indikator proračuna po kubnom metru izgrađenog volumena građevine.The aim of the paper is to quantify the construction production carbon footprint per m3 of the built-up volume of the building. In order to determine the carbon footprint, 5 typical detached houses were selected. The individual buildings have the same material-construction characteristics; however, they differ in the size of the built-up volume, i.e. also in the built-up area. The LCA software was used to quantify the carbon footprint during the production phase of the model houses project. A budget indicator per m3 of the built-up volume was determined based on these calculations

Restless Legs Syndrome Prevalence and Clinical Correlates Among Psychiatric Inpatients: A Multicenter Study.

Background There are only limited reports on the prevalence of restless legs syndrome (RLS) in patients with psychiatric disorders. The present study aimed to evaluate the prevalence and clinical correlates in psychiatric inpatients in Germany and Switzerland. Methods This is a multicenter cross-sectional study of psychiatric inpatients with an age above 18 years that were diagnosed and evaluated face-to-face using the International RLS Study Group criteria (IRLSSG) and the International RLS severity scale (IRLS). In addition to sociodemographic and biometric data, sleep quality and mood were assessed using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), the Insomnia Severity Index (ISI), the Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS), and the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9). In addition to univariate statistics used to describe and statistically analyze differences in variables of interest between patients with and without RLS, a logistic model was employed to identify predictors for the occurrence of RLS. Results The prevalence of RLS in a sample of 317 psychiatric inpatients was 16.4%, and 76.9% of these were diagnosed with RLS for the first time. RLS severity was moderate to severe (IRLS ± SD: 20.3 ± 8.4). The prevalences in women (p = 0.0036) and in first-degree relatives with RLS (p = 0.0108) as well as the body mass index (BMI, p = 0.0161) were significantly higher among patients with RLS, while alcohol consumption was significantly lower in the RLS group. With the exception of atypical antipsychotics, treatment with psychotropic drugs was not associated with RLS symptoms. Regarding subjective sleep quality and mood, scores of the PSQI (p = 0.0007), ISI (p = 0.0003), and ESS (p = 0.0005) were higher in patients with RLS, while PHQ-9 scores were not different. A logistic regression analysis identified gender (OR 2.67; 95% CI [1.25; 5.72]), first-degree relatives with RLS (OR 3.29; 95% CI [1.11; 9.73], ESS score (OR 1.09; 95% CI [1.01; 1.17]), and rare alcohol consumption (OR 0.45; 95% CI [0.22; 0.94] as predictors for RLS. Conclusions Clinically significant RLS had a high prevalence in psychiatric patients. RLS was associated with higher BMI, impaired sleep quality, and lower alcohol consumption. A systematic assessment of restless legs symptoms might contribute to improve the treatment of psychiatric patients

CAVER Analyst 1.0: graphic tool for interactive visualization and analysis of tunnels and channels in protein structures

ABSTRACT Summary: The transport of ligands, ions or solvent molecules into proteins with buried binding sites or through the membrane is enabled by protein tunnels and channels. CAVER Analyst is a software tool for calculation, analysis and real-time visualization of access tunnels and channels in static and dynamic protein structures. It provides an intuitive graphic user interface for setting up the calculation and interactive exploration of identified tunnels/channels and their characteristics. Availability and Implementation: CAVER Analyst is a multi-platform software written in JAVA. Binaries and documentation are freely available for non-commercial use at http://www.caver.cz

Aneuploidy in pluripotent stem cells and implications for cancerous transformation

Owing to a unique set of attributes, human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs) have emerged as a promising cell source for regenerative medicine, disease modeling and drug discovery. Assurance of genetic stability over long term maintenance of hPSCs is pivotal in this endeavor, but hPSCs can adapt to life in culture by acquiring non-random genetic changes that render them more robust and easier to grow. In separate studies between 12.5% and 34% of hPSC lines were found to acquire chromosome abnormalities over time, with the incidence increasing with passage number. The predominant genetic changes found in hPSC lines involve changes in chromosome number and structure (particularly of chromosomes 1, 12, 17 and 20), reminiscent of the changes observed in cancer cells. In this review, we summarize current knowledge on the causes and consequences of aneuploidy in hPSCs and highlight the potential links with genetic changes observed in human cancers and early embryos. We point to the need for comprehensive characterization of mechanisms underpinning both the acquisition of chromosomal abnormalities and selection pressures, which allow mutations to persist in hPSC cultures. Elucidation of these mechanisms will help to design culture conditions that minimize the appearance of aneuploid hPSCs. Moreover, aneuploidy in hPSCs may provide a unique platform to analyse the driving forces behind the genome evolution that may eventually lead to cancerous transformation

The Generation and Exploitation of Protein Mutability Landscapes for Enzyme Engineering

The increasing number of enzyme applications in chemical synthesis calls for new engineering methods to develop the biocatalysts of the future. An interesting concept in enzyme engineering is the generation of large-scale mutational data in order to chart protein mutability landscapes. These landscapes allow the important discrimination between beneficial mutations and those that are neutral or detrimental, thus providing detailed insight into sequence-function relationships. As such, mutability landscapes are a powerful tool with which to identify functional hotspots at any place in the amino acid sequence of an enzyme. These hotspots can be used as targets for combinatorial mutagenesis to yield superior enzymes with improved catalytic properties, stability, or even new enzymatic activities. The generation of mutability landscapes for multiple properties of one enzyme provides the exciting opportunity to select mutations that are beneficial either for one or for several of these properties. This review presents an overview of the recent advances in the construction of mutability landscapes and discusses their importance for enzyme engineering

Multiple duties for spindle assembly checkpoint kinases in meiosis

Cell division in mitosis and meiosis is governed by evolutionary highly conserved protein kinases and phosphatases, controlling the timely execution of key events such as nuclear envelope breakdown, spindle assembly, chromosome attachment to the spindle and chromosome segregation, and cell cycle exit. In mitosis, the spindle assembly checkpoint (SAC) controls the proper attachment to and alignment of chromosomes on the spindle. The SAC detects errors and induces a cell cycle arrest in metaphase, preventing chromatid separation. Once all chromosomes are properly attached, the SAC-dependent arrest is relieved and chromatids separate evenly into daughter cells. The signaling cascade leading to checkpoint arrest depends on several protein kinases that are conserved from yeast to man. In meiosis, haploid cells containing new genetic combinations are generated from a diploid cell through two specialized cell divisions. Though apparently less robust, SAC control also exists in meiosis. Recently, it has emerged that SAC kinases have additional roles in executing accurate chromosome segregation during the meiotic divisions. Here, we summarize the main differences between mitotic and meiotic cell divisions, and explain why meiotic divisions pose special challenges for correct chromosome segregation. The less-known meiotic roles of the SAC kinases are described, with a focus on two model systems: yeast and mouse oocytes. The meiotic roles of the canonical checkpoint kinases Bub1, Mps1, the pseudokinase BubR1 (Mad3), and Aurora B and C (Ipl1) will be discussed. Insights into the molecular signaling pathways that bring about the special chromosome segregation pattern during meiosis will help us understand why human oocytes are so frequently aneuploid

Seasonal and inter-seasonal RSV activity in the European Region during the COVID-19 pandemic from autumn 2020 to summer 2022

© 2023 The Authors. Influenza and Other Respiratory Viruses published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.Background: The emergence of the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) in early 2020 and subsequent implementation of public health and social measures (PHSM) disrupted the epidemiology of respiratory viruses. This work describes the epidemiology of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) observed during two winter seasons (weeks 40–20) and inter-seasonal periods (weeks 21–39) during the pandemic between October 2020 and September 2022. Methods: Using data submitted to The European Surveillance System (TESSy) by countries or territories in the World Health Organization (WHO) European Region between weeks 40/2020 and 39/2022, we aggregated country-specific weekly RSV counts of sentinel, non-sentinel and Severe Acute Respiratory Infection (SARI) surveillance specimens and calculated percentage positivity. Results for both 2020/21 and 2021/22 seasons and inter-seasons were compared with pre-pandemic 2016/17 to 2019/20 seasons and inter-seasons. Results: Although more specimens were tested than in pre-COVID-19 pandemic seasons, very few RSV detections were reported during the 2020/21 season in all surveillance systems. During the 2021 inter-season, a gradual increase in detections was observed in all systems. In 2021/22, all systems saw early peaks of RSV infection, and during the 2022 inter-seasonal period, patterns of detections were closer to those seen before the COVID-19 pandemic. Conclusion: RSV surveillance continued throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, with an initial reduction in transmission, followed by very high and out-of-season RSV circulation (summer 2021) and then an early start of the 2021/22 season. As of the 2022/23 season, RSV circulation had not yet normalised.Peer reviewe

Entrepreneurial dynamics - can it be effective?

The dynamics of a company, where all the planned activities run through this organization, must be coordinated on every level. The tendency towards static decision making and exiting from the market, due to a critical environment or situation - is why it is important to study this entrepreneurial behaviour in a practical way. Few people actually think about the relationship between strategy, goals and decision-making inside an organization or the relationship between managers and owners, who actually attend to the routine work and duties. Recent literature and research studies focus significantly on measuring turbulence in the industry based on the start up and exit rate of emerging companies and the relationship between GDP growth and company ownership. If an organization is quite small and the owner is not a good manager or coordinator, then the possibility of risk and exit from the market will be increased. It should be mentioned that survival problems are showing up mostly in companies that have been tra ding for 2-3 years but studies about the influence of the strategic skills of owners in dealing with business resources in a changing or turbulent environment cannot be found. This paper contributes to this understanding by examining how Health Care businesses can achieve dynamic skills in a crisis environment