PAHs, PCBs, PBDEs and Pesticides in Cold-Pressed Vegetable Oils

The aim of this study was to investigate levels of polychlorinated biphenyls (marker and dioxin-like congeners), polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (EPA 15 + 1), polybrominated diphenyl ethers (14 predominant congeners) and pesticides (74 compounds) in various cold-pressed vegetable oils. Poppy seed oil, rapeseed oil, sesame seed oil, pumpkinseed oil, hempseed oil, linaire oil, borage oil and evening star oil were investigated. Results of this study revealed that concentrations of PCBs, PBDEs and PAHs were low in majority of the investigated samples. However, high concentrations of organophosphorus insecticides were found. Chlorpyrifos methyl and pirimiphos methyl were the pesticide residues most commonly found in the studied oils. Concentration of 15 + 1 EPA PAHs was within the 17.85–37.16 μg kg−1 range, concentration of (marker) PCBs varied from 127 to 24,882 pg g−1, dioxin-like TEQ values were below 0.1 pg TEQ g−1. Concentration of PBDEs was below LOQ in most cases

Arms Racing, Military Build-Ups and Dispute Intensity: Evidence from the Greek-Turkish Rivalry, 1985-2020

Arms races are linked in the public conscience to potential violence. Following gas discoveries in eastern Mediterranean, Greece and Turkey nearly came to blows in August 2020 and both states have enacted military expansion plans, further risking escalation. We present a novel approach to study the effect of military build-ups on dispute intensity, using monthly data on Turkish incursions into Greek-claimed airspace. Because airspace claims feature strongly in the dispute, these contestations represent an appropriate measure of the intensity with which Turkey pursues the conflict. Theoretically, we suggest that bilateral factors drive this intensity. We argue that increased Greek military capabilities deter incursions whereas increased Turkish military capabilities fuel them. Results from time-series models support the second expectation. Consequently, the study provides a novel methodological approach to studying interstate conflict intensity and shines new light on escalation dynamics in the Greek-Turkish dispute

A multicentre, randomised controlled trial to compare the clinical and cost-effectiveness of Lee Silverman Voice Treatment versus standard NHS Speech and Language Therapy versus control in Parkinson’s disease: a study protocol for a randomised controlled trial

Abstract: Background: Parkinson’s disease (PD) affects approximately 145,519 people in the UK. Speech impairments are common with a reported prevalence of 68%, which increase physical and mental demands during conversation, reliance on family and/or carers, and the likelihood of social withdrawal reducing quality of life. In the UK, two approaches to Speech and Language Therapy (SLT) intervention are commonly available: National Health Service (NHS) SLT or Lee Silverman Voice Treatment (LSVT LOUD®). NHS SLT is tailored to the individuals’ needs per local practice typically consisting of six to eight weekly sessions; LSVT LOUD® comprises 16 sessions of individual treatment with home-based practice over 4 weeks. The evidence-base for their effectiveness is inconclusive. Methods/design: PD COMM is a phase III, multicentre, three-arm, unblinded, randomised controlled trial. Five hundred and forty-six people with idiopathic PD, reporting speech or voice problems will be enrolled. We will exclude those with a diagnosis of dementia, laryngeal pathology or those who have received SLT for speech problems in the previous 2 years. Following informed consent and completion of baseline assessments, participants will be randomised in a 1:1:1 ratio to no-intervention control, NHS SLT or LSVT LOUD® via a central computer-generated programme, using a minimisation procedure with a random element, to ensure allocation concealment. Participants randomised to the intervention groups will start treatment within 4 (NHS SLT) or 7 (LSVT LOUD®) weeks of randomisation. Primary outcome: Voice Handicap Index (VHI) total score at 3 months. Secondary outcomes include: VHI subscales, Parkinson’s Disease Questionnaire-39; Questionnaire on Acquired Speech Disorders; EuroQol-5D-5 L; ICECAP-O; resource utilisation; adverse events and carer quality of life. Mixed-methods process and health economic evaluations will take place alongside the trial. Assessments will be completed before randomisation and at 3, 6 and 12 months after randomisation. The trial started in December 2015 and will run for 77 months. Recruitment will take place in approximately 42 sites around the UK. Discussion: The trial will test the hypothesis that SLT is effective for the treatment of speech or voice problems in people with PD compared to no SLT. It will further test whether NHS SLT or LSVT LOUD® provide greater benefit and determine the cost-effectiveness of both interventions. Trial registration: International Standard Randomised Controlled Trials Number (ISRCTN) Registry, ID: 12421382. Registered on 18 April 2016

A multicentre, randomised controlled trial to compare the clinical and cost-effectiveness of Lee Silverman Voice Treatment versus standard NHS Speech and Language Therapy versus control in Parkinson’s disease: a study protocol for a randomised controlled trial

Abstract: Background: Parkinson’s disease (PD) affects approximately 145,519 people in the UK. Speech impairments are common with a reported prevalence of 68%, which increase physical and mental demands during conversation, reliance on family and/or carers, and the likelihood of social withdrawal reducing quality of life. In the UK, two approaches to Speech and Language Therapy (SLT) intervention are commonly available: National Health Service (NHS) SLT or Lee Silverman Voice Treatment (LSVT LOUD®). NHS SLT is tailored to the individuals’ needs per local practice typically consisting of six to eight weekly sessions; LSVT LOUD® comprises 16 sessions of individual treatment with home-based practice over 4 weeks. The evidence-base for their effectiveness is inconclusive. Methods/design: PD COMM is a phase III, multicentre, three-arm, unblinded, randomised controlled trial. Five hundred and forty-six people with idiopathic PD, reporting speech or voice problems will be enrolled. We will exclude those with a diagnosis of dementia, laryngeal pathology or those who have received SLT for speech problems in the previous 2 years. Following informed consent and completion of baseline assessments, participants will be randomised in a 1:1:1 ratio to no-intervention control, NHS SLT or LSVT LOUD® via a central computer-generated programme, using a minimisation procedure with a random element, to ensure allocation concealment. Participants randomised to the intervention groups will start treatment within 4 (NHS SLT) or 7 (LSVT LOUD®) weeks of randomisation. Primary outcome: Voice Handicap Index (VHI) total score at 3 months. Secondary outcomes include: VHI subscales, Parkinson’s Disease Questionnaire-39; Questionnaire on Acquired Speech Disorders; EuroQol-5D-5 L; ICECAP-O; resource utilisation; adverse events and carer quality of life. Mixed-methods process and health economic evaluations will take place alongside the trial. Assessments will be completed before randomisation and at 3, 6 and 12 months after randomisation. The trial started in December 2015 and will run for 77 months. Recruitment will take place in approximately 42 sites around the UK. Discussion: The trial will test the hypothesis that SLT is effective for the treatment of speech or voice problems in people with PD compared to no SLT. It will further test whether NHS SLT or LSVT LOUD® provide greater benefit and determine the cost-effectiveness of both interventions. Trial registration: International Standard Randomised Controlled Trials Number (ISRCTN) Registry, ID: 12421382. Registered on 18 April 2016

Risk of addiction to Facebook among Medical University students in Białystok, Poland

Introduction: Facebook is the most popular socialnetworking website in the world. It is estimated that it currently has more than 350 million users worldwide. Purpose; To assess the risk of addiction to Facebook the risk of addiction to Facebook among students of the Faculty of Health Sciences at the Medical University of Białystok in Poland. Materials and methods: This study included 440 student Facebook users. The original survey, the Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS) as well as a Self-Assessment Test were used (FAT). Results: Twenty-seven percent of the sample have had Facebook accounts for one to two years. Fortyfive percent of the respondents had 91 to 300 Facebook friends. Ninety-four percent of the respondents reported that they do not think about Facebook when they are disconnected from it. A similar number of students reported that it is possible for people to become addicted to Facebook. Forty-seven percent of the respondents were convinced that they would be able to recognize a Facebook addict. The average number of points scored on the FAT test was 16.2 ± 21.1 points; the average on the self-assessment was 44.7 ± 20.1 points; the average on SWLS scale was 15.3 ±5.24 points. Five percent of students demonstrated features of Facebook addiction as well as low selfesteem and life satisfaction. Conclusions: Problematic use of Facebook affected a small percentage of respondents who had low self-esteem and self were dissatisfied with their lives

Drug use, smoking, alcohol abuse and assertiveness of medical students from Poland and Belarus

Introduction: Human health is largely determined by factors such as human behavior and style of life. Purpose: To evaluate selected patterns of behavior of medical students, such as smoking, alcohol abuse, drug use, and their assertiveness. Materials and methods: The study included 338 students from Bialystok, Poland, and 339 from Grodno, Belarus. The original questionnaire, Fasterström's Nicotine Addiction Test, Michigan Alcoholism Screening Test, Drug Use Problem Test, and Assertiveness Test according to Grębski were all used. Results: In both groups, the level of cigarette dependence was low, with 10% of the students from Poland and 15% from Belarus being habitual cigarette smokers. No significant differences were found in the frequency of alcohol consumption between Polish (57%) and Belarusian (52%) students. Of the respondents, 3.3% from Poland and 1.5% from Belarus met the criteria of alcohol dependence according to the MAST test. There were no statistically significant differences in the frequency of drug use between the Polish (1.5%) and Belarusian (1.8%) students. The average level of assertiveness was 16.2 for Polish students and 15.4 for Belarusian students, which was a significant difference. Conclusions: These results indicate similar percentages of Polish and Belarusian students smoke cigarettes, drink alcohol, and use drugs. In addition, Polish students were more assertive than Belarusian students

Effect of short-lasting undernutrition of gilts during peri-conceptional period on biochemical and haematological parameters in blood plasma during peri-implantation period

In gilts, the period of early pregnancy occurring from the time of fertilization to the beginning of implantation is sensitive to any environmental disruptions, including an unbalanced diet of a future mother. Previously, we found that due to the undernutrition in gilts during this period, the endocrine intrauterine microenvironment and DNA methylation in the uterus have been changed. These distortions may diminish the success of pregnancy. In this study we focused on the influence of a restricted diet used in gilts during the first days of pregnancy on their biochemical and haematological parameters in peripheral blood. The applied restrictive diet vs. normal diet covered only 70% of the nutritional demands of early pregnant gilts. Normal (n = 4 gilts) or restrictive (n = 5 gilts) diets were used from the day of the first signs of the estrus until day 9 of pregnancy and biochemical and haematological parameters in blood plasma were determined during peri-implantation period, e.g. on days 15 to16 of pregnancy. In restrictive vs. normal fed gilts significantly lower plasma phosphorus, calcium and total cholesterol as well as the tendency to increasing concentrations of triglicerydes and asparate aminotranserase were found. Haematological parameters did not differ between the studied gilts. Thus, it seems that the availability of nutritional factors became suboptimal in restrictively fed early pregnant gilts. Even short-lasting undernutrition of females during the peri-conceptional period may cause a disruption of biochemical homeostasis during the peri-implantation period and probably affect the success of pregnancy

Managing informal learning in higher education contexts: the learners’ perspective

Informal Learning is present in everyone's life but its awareness only recently has been reported. The need to keep track of the knowledge acquired this way is increasing as its sources diversity also increases. This work presents the pilots trials on the use of a tool developed to help keeping track of the learners’ informal learning, within a number of European higher education schools. This tool developed through the European Commission founded project TRAILER, is still under development, which will allow integrating the set of improving suggestions obtained from users during the piloting phase. The overall idea of managing one’s informal learning was well accepted and welcomed, which validated the emerging need for a tool with this purpose. In higher education schools, this tool also allows students to have a better insight on their academic curricula and the key competences they need to develop further.Peer ReviewedPostprint (published version