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Converging or diverging trajectories of mortality under one year of age in the Baltic States: a comparison with the European Union /
No full textBackground Information about trends in perinatal and child health inequalities is scarce, especially in the Eastern Europe. We analyzed how mortality under 1 year of age has been changing in the Baltic States and the European Union (EU) over 25 years, and what associations occurred between changes in macroeconomic factors and mortality. Methods Data on fetal, neonatal, infant mortality, and macroeconomic factors were extracted from WHO database. Joinpoint regression analysis was performed to analyze time trajectories of mortality over 1990–2014. We also investigated how the changes in health expenditures and Gross Domestic Product (GDP) contributed to the changes in mortality. Results The reduction of fetal, neonatal and infant mortality in the Baltic countries led to convergence with the EU. In Estonia this process was the fastest, and then the rates tended to diverge. The strongest effect in reduction of neonatal mortality was related to the annual increase in health expenditure and GDP which had occurred in the same year, and a decrease in fetal mortality associated with an increase in health expenditure and GDP in the 4th and 5th year, respectively, following the initial change. Conclusions These findings outlined convergences and divergences in mortality under 1 year of age in the Baltic States compared with the patterns of the EU. Our data highlighted a need to define health policy directions aimed at the implementation of effective intervention modalities addressing reduction of risks in prenatal and early life
Spatial and temporal diversity of cyanometabolites in the Eutrophic Curonian Lagoon (SE Baltic Sea) /
No full textThis work aims to determine the profiles of cyanopeptides and anatoxin synthetized by cyanobacteria in the Lithuanian part of the Curonian Lagoon (SE Baltic Sea) and to characterize their spatial and temporal patterns in this ecosystem. Cyanometabolites were analysed by a LC-MS/MS system and were coupled to a hybrid triple quadrupole/linear ion trap mass spectrometer. During the investigation period (2013–2017), 10 microcystins, nodularin, anatoxin-a, 16 anabaenopeptins, including 1 oscillamide, 12 aeruginosins, 1 aeruginosamide, 3 cyanopeptolins and 4 microginins were detected. The most frequently detected metabolites were found at all investigated sites. Demethylated microcystin variants and anabaenopeptins had the strongest relationship with Planktothrix agardhii, while non-demethylated microcystin variants and anatoxin had the strongest relationship with Microcystis spp. Low concentrations of some microcystins: [Asp3]MC-RR, MC-RR, MC-LR, as well as a few other cyanopeptides: AP-A and AEG-A were found during the cold period (December–March). Over the study period, Aphanizomenon, Planktothrix and Microcystis were the main dominant cyanobacteria species, while Planktothrix, Microcystis, and Dolichospermum were potentially producers of cyanopeptides and anatoxin detected in samples from the Curonian Lagoon
Modelling of underwater noise emissions by ships in Klaipėda Strait, Lithuania /
No full textOne of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals regarding “conservation and sustainable use of the oceans, seas, and marine resources” emphasizes the urgency of eliminating harmful effects on the sea and its biota, where the role of anthropogenic activities is crucial. The global trend of merchant shipping is increasing, thus enlarging underwater noise levels. As a result, greater noise can harm aquatic animals in their habitats. In the Baltic Sea, the underwater sound pressure levels are now being evaluated utilizing noise measurement, modelling, and mapping. In areas such as narrow ship passages, namely lagoons, channels, or straits, the ambient underwater noise modelling becomes very complex, even though these EU inland waters are regarded by legislation as part of the marine basin. For instance, the Klaipėda Channel (Klaipėda Strait), connecting the Baltic Sea and the Curonian Lagoon, is regarded by the national Lithuanian legislation as part of marine waters, where the environmental status should be evaluated according to the EU Maritime Strategy Framework Directive. In this narrow channel, an alternative to the modelling of ambient sound pressure levels can be applied to understand the long-term trends of vessel-sourced noise emissions. In this paper, an example of application of ship noise emission modelling for a narrow Klaipėda Harbour area is presented, along with the results obtained throughout 2015–2017. The modelled noise levels in the harbour area reached the median levels of 112.5 dB in 2015 and 102.6 dB re 1 μPa2 in 2017. The maximum emitted instantaneous sound pressure levels by ships reached 173.7 dB in 2015 and 179.4 dB re 1 μPa2 in 2017 in the area of interest
Evaluation of patient motivation in colorectal cancer prevention program.
No full textThe incidence of colorectal cancer in Lithuania is gradually increasing. More than 1,600 cases of colorectal cancer are diagnosed each year. In Lithuania, colon cancer is the third most common oncological disease and the second most common in terms of mortality. The highest incidence of colorectal cancer is recorded in individuals over 50 years of age (National Cancer Institute, 2019)
The meaning of ethical values for the prosperity of a welfare society: the case of children with mental disabilities.
No full textMental health and care approach in XXI century widely diversed : struggle against stigma, public education, various preventions, interventions or help for children with mental disabilities including their parents/custodians. Nowadays persons having mental condition interpreted not only by medical perspective, but holistic as well – that is actuation of physical, spiritual and social prosperity. The aim of this major thesis is to reveal meaning of ethical values for the prosperity of a welfare society, by illustrating attitude on children with mental disabilities, study analysis. Hence, objectives of this thesesis: to analyze how, in different historical periods, fluctuated attitude towards tollerance of mental illness in a society; investigate EU and Republic of Lithuania documents, recommendations, how harmoniously integrate people with mental disabilities, particualary children, into welfare society, ensuring mutual welfare and prosperity; determine peculiarities of social workers practice in Klaipeda psychiatric hospital providing social services for kids having mental health issues and reveal meaning of these activities for welfare society functioning. Scientific questions raised in this academic thesis: if attitude change possible without shift in values? What is the importance of ethical values for a long term project of public prosperity in behalf of children with mental disabilities? To achieve this objective chosen qualitative research method – semi structured interview. Data for research was collected from 15th September 2019 to 31th December 2019 in Klaipeda psychiatric hospital, children psychiatry department. Interview attended 7 specialists of the department and 15 parents/custodians, which were selected randomly. Datas were analized in accordance with recommended Žydžiūnaitės V. ir Sabaliausko S. (2017) cryteria for research data analysis. Research showed that mentally challanged children and their parents/custodians are still invisible in a society. Although stories and mental illness cases are different (from minor case to severe), their parents/custodians encounter with many issues not only integrating their kid into society, but also deepening their social distance and not fulfiling their own needs. There is also huge lack of help for parents and custodiands from the side of mental health care specialists, but effort given to provide help by using exsiting resources. Analysis revealed, that employees, working with mentaly disabled children, face many ethical issues: psychological, physical violence cases against employees, critical attitude by society, complex work with parents/custodians, who lack of parenting skills, subjective outlook by parents/custodians and specialists, lack of financing. But wihtout all emerging ethical issues, parents/custodians and specialists, who are working in researched establishment, actively work with children with mental disabilities and apply varied methods of children welfare integration
Evidence‐based exercise recommendations to improve mental wellbeing in women with breast cancer during active treatment: a systematic review and meta‐analysis /
No full textBreast cancer was the most common cancer in women worldwide. The aims of the current systematic review and meta‐analysis are: (i) to systematically examine the effects of exercise interventions on mental wellbeing; (ii) to examine the specific effect of the type of supervised exercise and its intensity, volume and frequency on mental wellbeing; and (iii) to explore which interventions are most effective in mental wellbeing among women with breast cancer during active treatment. An electronic literature search was performed using MEDLINE (via PubMed), Embase (Ovid), and Web of Science, we identified 175 full‐text articles. The 57 publications included data from 6988 participants, age ranging from 18 to 78 years (weighted mean: 50.85 years). Compared with the control conditions, exercise training programs were associated with significant reductions in anxiety (d = −0.22, I2 = 53.0%), depression (d = −0.24, I2 = 66.6%), and fatigue (d = −0.47, I2 = 69.8%), as well as increases in body image (d = 0.27, I2 = 69.2%) and quality of life (overall, d = 0.46, I2 = 71.6%; emotional function, d = 0.33, I2 = 65.7%; and FACT‐B, d = 0.60, I2 = 76.2%). There were a variety of frequencies, intensities, and durations of supervised exercise programs reported in the included meta‐analytic approach. In addition, we found that concomitant concurrent training, at moderate-to‐vigorous intensity, and with a volume ≥50 min/week had benefits on a number of health outcomes, such as fatigue, depression, and quality of life measure by the FACT‐B instrument. These findings have important implications for healthcare providers and multidisciplinary teams involved in mental health management in cancer patients during active treatment
Components for measuring the efficiency of the intervention measures to support business, initiated and implemented by the government of Lithuania during the first lockdown /
No full textA lockdown is a set of restrictive actions, in the implementation of which countries face a case of chain reaction: In order to protect human lives and health, the states, due to imbalances in fiscal and monetary policies caused by uncollected planned revenues and unplanned excessive budget expenditures, experience a socio-economic recession. The current paper focuses on the first lockdown implemented in Lithuania to control the spread of COVID-19, which took place from 16 March, 2020 until 16 June, 2020. The main object of the paper is the components that defined the efficiency of the government intervention measures intended to support businesses affected by the first lockdown regime. By generating the mentioned components, we followed the principle of the philosophy of sustainable development: the interdependence of economic, social, environmental, and institutional elements; coherence; and sustainable development. Efficiency is the art of choice, where it is necessary to anticipate the final aim, resulting in maximum benefit from the arrangement of the available limited resources. However, in order to measure the effectiveness of government interventions, we were faced with differences in interpretations of the measurement of the effectiveness of policy decisions. In the course of the research, after analysing secondary data, we identified and, by means of modelling techniques, visualised the main components to estimate the efficiency of the government intervention measures. The theoretical model demonstrated that economic instruments—volume, price, time, transparency, and results—defined the efficiency of their implementation
Regulation of CO2 fluxes along gradients of water saturation in irrigation canal sediments /
No full textHydrological intermittency affects sediment biogeochemistry, organic carbon (OC) metabolism and carbon dioxide (CO2) emission but the study of the effects of drying is generally confined to natural ecosystems. Agricultural canals are artificial, widespread elements in irrigated floodplains, and regularly subjected to water level fluctuations. The aim of this study was to quantify the CO2 emissions along water saturation gradients in artificial canals to understand the environmental factors regulating these fluxes. CO2 measurements were performed in five replicated canals within the Po River basin (Northern Italy). In each canal we analysed three sites: (i) a spot with exposed, dry sediments; (ii) a spot with inundated, saturated sediments and (iii) a spot with an intermediate level of saturation. Besides dark CO2 flux measurements, net potential nitrification and denitrification rates were measured as proxies of sediment redox potential and due to their CO2 sink and source role, respectively. We hypothesized a site-specific regulation of CO2 emission, depending on the interplay among water saturation, sediment oxidation and organic matter content. Our results suggest that desiccation stimulates mineralization processes and CO2 fluxes, that were mainly dependant on water and organic matter content and correlated with microbial N transformations. CO2 emissions tended to increase along the considered water saturation gradients, almost tripling rates from inundated, saturated (158.2 ± 24.1 mmol CO2 m−2 days−1) to dry, exposed sediments (416.5 ± 78.9 mmol CO2 m−2 days−1). Results also suggest that net potential nitrification and denitrification allow tracing the effects of drying on N microbial communities involved in CO2 fluxes. Net potential nitrification rates produce little effects on CO2 fluxes, but is a good proxy of oxygen (O2) availability, whereas potential denitrification may be responsible for variable fractions (up to 100%) of CO2 production, in wetter sediments
Optimization of VFD operations for transporting equipment of packages /
No full textThis study is focused on the efficiency of automated transferring system of packages equipped by variable-frequency drive (VFD) and servo drive motor. It was found that rotation frequency of induction motors and linear speed of servo drive decisively affected the unit efficiency that operates in the periodic mode. The system duty cycle was divided in two separate parts taking into account time spans needed to complete the specific tasks by each separate equipment of the system. In order to reduce the power usage of the system, the duration of each part of cycle was extended. Lowered electricity consumption leads to the extension of each cycle’s stage operating times. Frequencies of motors and linear speed of servo drive motors were optimized depending on cycle stages duration. Optimized frequency and linear speed values were calculated and loaded into motors controllers, and the efficiency of each separate equipment was measured, as well as total efficiency of the system. Experimental system debugging using optimized parameters proved that system efficiency increases up to 60 %, and that is closely matched with calculated values