High Phenolic Extra Virgin Olive Oil Influences the Gut-brain Axis in Individuals Diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is an umbrella term that incorporates a range of neurodevelopmental disorders which affect behaviour, emotion, and communication. In recent years, the effects of dietary habits in individuals with ASD have been mentioned and a distinct correlation has been observed between ASD and gastrointestinal (GI) disorders. We used the Autism Treatment Evaluation Checklist (ATEC) to evaluate whether we can observe differences in behaviour by administering High Phenolic Extra Virgin Olive Oil (HP EVOO) in combination with a special diet to reduce inflammation and consequently improve behaviour. We hypothesise that ASD symptoms will soothe at a proportional rate relative to their severity. Individuals that followed the protocol showed a decrease in severity of their symptoms. Regarding data analysis, we calculated the p-values to evaluate the significance of our results. Our objective is to establish the beneficial influence that HP EVOO has on the gut-brain axis by soothing ASD symptoms

EurOP2E – the European Open Platform for Prescribing Education, a consensus study among clinical pharmacology and therapeutics teachers

Purpose Sharing and developing digital educational resources and open educational resources has been proposed as a way to harmonize and improve clinical pharmacology and therapeutics (CPT) education in European medical schools. Previous research, however, has shown that there are barriers to the adoption and implementation of open educational resources. The aim of this study was to determine perceived opportunities and barriers to the use and creation of open educational resources among European CPT teachers and possible solutions for these barriers. Methods CPT teachers of British and EU medical schools completed an online survey. Opportunities and challenges were identified by thematic analyses and subsequently discussed in an international consensus meeting. Results Data from 99 CPT teachers from 95 medical schools were analysed. Thirty teachers (30.3%) shared or collaboratively produced digital educational resources. All teachers foresaw opportunities in the more active use of open educational resources, including improving the quality of their teaching. The challenges reported were language barriers, local differences, lack of time, technological issues, difficulties with quality management, and copyright restrictions. Practical solutions for these challenges were discussed and include a peer review system, clear indexing, and use of copyright licenses that permit adaptation of resources. Conclusion Key challenges to making greater use of CPT open educational resources are a limited applicability of such resources due to language and local differences and quality concerns. These challenges may be resolved by relatively simple measures, such as allowing adaptation and translation of resources and a peer review system

Key Learning Outcomes for Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics Education in Europe: A Modified Delphi Study.

Harmonizing clinical pharmacology and therapeutics (CPT) education in Europe is necessary to ensure that the prescribing competency of future doctors is of a uniform high standard. As there are currently no uniform requirements, our aim was to achieve consensus on key learning outcomes for undergraduate CPT education in Europe. We used a modified Delphi method consisting of three questionnaire rounds and a panel meeting. A total of 129 experts from 27 European countries were asked to rate 307 learning outcomes. In all, 92 experts (71%) completed all three questionnaire rounds, and 33 experts (26%) attended the meeting. 232 learning outcomes from the original list, 15 newly suggested and 5 rephrased outcomes were included. These 252 learning outcomes should be included in undergraduate CPT curricula to ensure that European graduates are able to prescribe safely and effectively. We provide a blueprint of a European core curriculum describing when and how the learning outcomes might be acquired

Future membership of Albania in the European Union in the context of the role of the farming in sustainable growth

Opracowanie dotyczy analizy możliwości rozwojowych rolnictwa albańskiego w kontekście wzrostu zrównoważonego. Rolnictwo to charakteryzujące się swoistym zacofaniem w stosunku do krajów Unii Europejskiej, jest jednocześnie wysoko ekologiczne, naturalne i dysponujące ogromnym potencjałem. Z tego też względu w opracowaniu podjęto próbę analizy sytuacji sektora rolnego Albanii. W tym celu wykorzystano materiały źródłowe (analizy, raporty), a także przeprowadzono badania własne nt. poziomu konkurencyjności albańskiego sektora rolnego oraz identyfikacji potencjalnych zagrożeń dla rolnictwa w Albanii. Wyniki badań upoważniają do uogólnienia, iż specyficzna słabość rolnictwa Albanii, odpowiednio asekurowanego okresami przejściowymi, może przyczynić się do jej spektakularnego sukcesu, konkurując wysokiej jakości produktami ekologicznymi.The study is regarding the analysis of the development potential of the Albanian farming in the context of the sustainable growth. Farming being characteristic of it with specific backwardness towards countries of the European Union, is simultaneously high ecological, natural and having an enormous potential at its disposal. Therefor in the study was an attempt to analyse the situation of the agriculture sector in Albania. For that purpose documented sources were used (analyses, reports), and own study were also conducted research to the subject of the level of the competitiveness of the Albanian agriculture sector and the identification of potential threats for the farming in Albania. Findings authorise to generalize, that peculiar weakness of Albanian farming, appropriately protected with interlude periods, can contribute to its spectacular success, competing with high quality environmentally friendly products

European agricultural organisations and their influence on socioeconomic transformations of agriculture

Opracowanie ma na celu prezentację najważniejszych i najbardziej prężnie działających organizacji rolniczych w zjednoczonej Europie oraz opis wniosków z analizy ich oddziaływania na procesy przemian społeczno-ekonomicznych w kontekście kształtowania więzi konsumencko-producenckich. W opracowaniu zastosowano metodę analizy: tekstów źródłowych Komisji Europejskiej, dokumentów wspólnotowych i krajowych, a także dostępnej literatury przedmiotu.The study is aimed at a presentation of the most important and most dynamically operating agricultural organisations in united Europe and a description of conclusions from analysis of their influence on processes of socioeconomic transformations in the context of forming the consumer-producer’s bonds. In the study an analysis method of source materials from the European Commission, Community and domestic documents, as well as the available literature on the subject was applied

Green energy as an effective developmental motor of communes. Example from the Lodz province

Celem opracowania jest ocena znaczenia OZE dla rozwoju lokalnego na przykładzie gminy Daszyna, która z punktu widzenia skuteczności implementacji OZE wyróżnia się na tle pozostałych gmin w województwie łódzkim. Gmina pomimo braku odpowiednich uwarunkowań dla zastosowania wyszukanych sposobów pozyskiwania energii ze źródeł odnawialnych, efektywnie wykorzystuje najmniej skomplikowane i najbardziej powszechne OZE, tj. energię solarną, wiatr i biomasę. Postawiono tezę, że OZE należałoby traktować jako nowe, potencjalne źródło rozwoju obszarów wiejskich. Przedstawiono projekty implementujące OZE w gminie i ich potencjalny wpływ na rozwój lokalny badanej gminy oraz wnioski z badań społeczności lokalnej wybranej gminy na temat priorytetów i oczekiwanych rezultatów gospodarczo-społecznych z zastosowania OZE.The aim of the study is to analyze the importance of renewable energy for local development on the example of commune Daszyna that from the point of view of the renewable energy implementation’s effectiveness stands out from the rest of the communes in the Lodz voivodeship. Commune is a good example to follow because in spite of not having the appropriate conditions for the use of sophisticated methods of obtaining energy from renewable sources, efficient use of the least complicated and most common renewable energy sources, ie. energy solar, wind and biomass. In the study authors put the argument that the sources of renewable energy should be treated as a new potential source of rural development.The study contains a presentation of projects implementing renewable energy sources in the commune and their potential impact on the local development of commune and the conclusions of the research of local society selected commune on the priorities and expected results of economic and social benefits from the use of renewable energy source

Local Action Groups towards assisting the countryside entrepreneurship

Opracowanie odnosi się do tematyki istoty i odmienności przedsiębiorczości wiejskiej, a także praktycznych aspektów stymulacji przedsiębiorczości na obszarach wiejskich na przykładach Lokalnych Grup Działania (LGD). Sformułowanie tematu opracowania implikuje potrzebę przeprowadzenia analizy dostępnej literatury i materiałów źródłowych, a następnie ustosunkowanie się do dwóch kwestii. Na początek opisano problematykę, istotę, znaczenie i funkcje przedsiębiorczości wiejskiej, a następnie przeanalizowano zakres działalności Lokalnych Grup Działania, jako elementu determinującego przedsiębiorczość wiejską. Celem opracowania jest przedstawienie LGD, jako czynnika dynamizującego rozwój przedsiębiorczości wiejskiej. W opracowaniu zastosowano metodę analizy tekstów źródłowych instytucji Unii Europejskiej i krajowych oraz dostępnej literatury przedmiotu i informacji na temat działalności LGD w Polsce.The study refers to the subject matter and dissimilarities of the countryside entrepreneurship, as well as practical aspects of the stimulation of entrepreneurships on country areas on the examples of Local Action Groups. Formulating the theme of the study is entailing the need of conducting analysis of available literature and source materials, but next taking a stance to two issues. For the beginning issues, subject, meaning, functions and the dissimilarity of the country entrepreneurship should be described, and then the field of activity of Local Action Groups (LAG) should be analysed, as the element determining this entrepreneurship. The aim of the study is to draw up LAG as the dynamising factor of the countryside entrepreneurship development. In the study, an analysis of source materials was applied of both the EU’s and domestic institutions, as well as available literature on the subject and information about functioning LAG in Poland

Development of an mHealth application for adherence to psychotropic medication

Approximately one out of two patients do not take their medication three months after therapy starts, while in patients with mental disorders this number varies i.e. 35%-45% for bipolar disorder. The WHO published a guide for clinicians, advising them to develop strategies for improving medication adherence. Based on this need, the aim of our project is to develop and evaluate a smartphone application that will help patients adhere to their psychotropic medication and help clinicians to keep track of their patients’ adherence. This project incorporates 4 phases: a) investigating the application’s features, using patients and clinicians focus groups, b) building the application, c) investigating usability using the focus groups and d) evaluating and validating the application with a clustered randomized control trial. We are expecting that the application users will show higher levels of medication adherence, in comparison with patients receiving usual care. Project is in the early stages of development. Implementing such an app will lead to an effective and low cost method for improving psychotropic medication adherence with significant improvement for both patients and clinicians

Barriers, facilitators, and interventions for medication adherence across chronic conditions with the highest non-adherence rates: a scoping review with recommendations for intervention development

Medication non-adherence (MNA) constitutes a complex health problem contributing to increased economic burden and poor health outcomes. The Medication Adherence Model (MAM) supports that numerous processes are involved in medication adherence (MA). Based on the MAM and guidelines of the World Health Organization (WHO), this scoping review aimed to identify the barriers and facilitators associated with MA, and the behavioral health interventions and techniques among chronic conditions presenting with high non-adherence rates (asthma, cancer, diabetes, epilepsy, HIV/AIDS, and hypertension). PubMed, PsycINFO, and Scopus databases were screened, and 243 studies were included. A mixed methods approach was used to collate the evidence and interpret findings. The most commonly reported barriers to MA across conditions were younger age, low education, low income, high medication cost, side effects, patient beliefs/perceptions, comorbidities, and poor patient-provider communication. Additionally, digitally delivered interventions including components such as medication and condition education, motivational interviewing (MI), and reinforcement and motivational messages led to improvements in MA. This review highlights the importance of administrating multicomponent interventions digitally and personalized to the patients' individual needs and characteristics, responding to the adherence barriers faced. This is the first review examining and synthesizing evidence on barriers and facilitators to MA and behavioral health interventions used for improving MA across chronic conditions with the highest non-adherence rates and providing recommendations to researchers and clinicians. Stakeholders are called to explore methods overcoming barriers identified and developing effective multicomponent interventions that can reduce the high rates of MNA