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In September and October 2020, the Real Estate Finance & Investment Symposium, sponsored and organized by the University of Cambridge, the University of Florida, the University of Geneva, and the National University of Singapore, was held online, given the COVID-19 pandemic. Ten papers on various research topics were presented in five two-hour sessions spread over five days. Each presentation was followed by remarks from a discussant as well as general discussion from the audience. This editorial discusses the five papers from the symposium that are included in this special issue. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This report provides an overview of the organization and content of the International Conference on Music Education Technology 2023 (ICMdT2023), a hybrid event hosted towards the end of the global lockdown in early 2023. Under the theme 'Unfold the Future of Music Education through Technology', the Conference attracted 640 academics, researchers, practitioners and professionals from different regions, all of whom participated online or in person to exchange and share their experiences and research projects on various aspects of music education through the use of technology. It included 36 workshops and paper presentations, with topics ranging from digital pedagogies for teaching and learning music online to the application of artificial intelligence (AI) and interdisciplinary approaches for music education. Challenges faced by the organizing committee are outlined, coupled with some recommendations for those wishing to host similar events that can improve knowledge exchange and encourage delegates' networking experiences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Different metrics have been used to monitor the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, including the officially registered COVID-19 deaths. However, this metric has important limitations that can be partly addressed by considering total excess deaths. In this study, we compared trends in COVID-19 deaths in Italy with those observed globally and estimated the total number of excess deaths. Material and methods: We retrieved the number of COVID-19 deaths from the John Hopkins University and the daily number of deaths from any causes from the Italian National Institute of Statistics archives. We fitted an over-dispersed Poisson regression model on historical data to estimate the expected deaths. The models included terms for age, calendar year, a smooth function of the day of the year and an offset term for the population size to account for demographic changes, temporal trends in mortality and seasonality. The excess deaths were obtained by subtracting the number of observed deaths from the number of expected deaths. Results: As of March 2023, over 6.2 million COVID-19 deaths were registered globally (around 190,000 in Italy). In 2020, we estimated 99,341 excess deaths in Italy, 60,351 in 2021, and 66,303 in 2022. For the first 4 months of 2023, the number of observed deaths was slightly less than the number of expected deaths. The total excess from the beginning of the pandemic in Italy to the end of 2020 amount to approximately 226,000 deaths, a figure that exceeded COVID-19 deaths by 36,000. Conclusions: Excess total mortality is a key metric to quantify the overall impact of the pandemic. However, the limited availability of data in some densely populated countries introduces significant uncertainty into any global estimates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During the Covid-19 pandemic, several international physical face-to-face conferences have been cancelled, and often substituted by online events. This situation may have led to different experiences among teacher educators and influenced their considerations on whether to travel to future conferences. The purpose of this study is to understand what factors are affecting teacher educators' willingness to attend in-person or online conferences in the future. This study reports findings from an online questionnaire given to a strategic selection of respondents. All are teacher educators at universities and university colleges in Nordic countries, researching, publishing in international journals, and attending teacher education-related Nordic and international seminars and conferences. The qualitative data from the questionnaire are analyzed using a content analysis approach. The analysis revealed the university teacher educators' goals for attending and how missing conferences during the pandemic influenced their professional situation. Considerations about attending in-person or online conferences in the future are presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose This study was conducted as part of an online course for older adults in which participants created a stop motion film, from conception through production to the finished film. Stop motion film is understood as a language that allows the student to express their thoughts, feelings, vision of the world, and materialize them through concrete materials in order to tell a story and involve the spectator. Thus, Rodrigues (2018) characterizes the creation of stop motion films as a pedagogical tool capable of evoking creativity, developing students' autonomy and critical thinking capacity. The aim of the course was to develop digital skills and digital authorship through the production of the film. The paper analyzes the participants' perception of this process. Method This research is qualitative and applied, concepted as an exploratory case study. It therefore provides the opportunity to empower the subjects to share their experiences and stories (CRESWELL, 2014). According to Yin (2016), this type of investigation can show the views and perspectives of the participants and the data elucidates evidence, meanings, and/or real facts. Hence, this approach delves deeper into the target audience's technological experiences. Two types of instruments were used for data collection: online questionnaires and participant observation. There were 32 research subjects who were older adults between the ages of 60 and 78 who already had basic computer competencies and participated in the CineSênior course in 2021. The course was intended to provide tools for the group 60+ to build a stop motion film focused on the subject of quality of life during the pandemic. There was a total of 36 classes, comprising 108 hours overall in the distance learning modality due to COVID-19. Results and Discussion The data show that 94% (n=30) liked being a digital author and 6% (n=2) did not like it. Therefore, 85.3% (n=29) of the older person indicated that it was a good experience and Figure 1 illustrates that their greatest motivation for producing the film was to express their personal experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic, 35.3% (n=12). Furthermore, they indicated four main benefits of production for their quality of life: creativity 38.2% (n=13); memory 11.8% (n=4); manual activities 5.9% (n=2); and satisfaction 5.9% (n=2). However, three main challenges were highlighted: mastering the technique 28.57% (n=9), learning something new 17.14% (n=7), and creating a story 14.29% (n=5). Thus, it is possible to see the relevance of the digital authorship competence for the older persons lifelong learning, as it can provide opportunities for them to not only be digitally included, but also for them to become autonomous and accomplished authors through the creative process of audiovisual production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During the early years of the COVID-19 pandemic, preclinical and clinical research were sped up and scaled up in both the public and private sectors and in partnerships between them. This resulted in some extraordinary advances, but it also raised a range of issues regarding the ethics, rigour, and integrity of scientific research, academic publication, and public communication. Many of the failures of scientific rigour and integrity that occurred during the pandemic were exacerbated by the rush to generate, disseminate, and implement research findings, which not only created opportunities for unscrupulous actors but also compromised the methodological, peer review, and advisory processes that would usually identify sub-standard research and prevent compromised clinical or policy-level decisions. While it would be tempting to attribute these failures of science and its translation solely to the "unprecedented" circumstances of the COVID-19 pandemic, the reality is that they preceded the pandemic and will continue to arise once it is over. Existing strategies for promoting scientific rigour and integrity need to be made more rigorous, better integrated into research training and institutional cultures, and made more sophisticated. They might also need to be modified or supplemented with other strategies that are fit for purpose not only in public health emergencies but in any research that is sped-up and scaled up to address urgent unmet medical needs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Within a context where New Public Management [NPM] has become increasingly influential in shaping everyday working practices, social workers often handle risks in their everyday work using formalised bureaucratic procedures, among other strategies. As the COVID-19 pandemic progressed, rapid changes occurred in Swedish elder care that social workers were required to address in their everyday work. Intra-professional case conferences amongst social workers provide one opportunity to discuss individual viewpoints and obtain suggestions from colleagues on how to proceed with a case. These discussions have so far received little scholarly attention. In this study we used a data set consisting of 39 audio-recorded case conferences to analyse social workers' intra-professional discussions about risks during the COVID-19 pandemic. In the case conferences, social workers discussed the risks that were accentuated by the pandemic, such as the risk of spreading COVID-19 to clients, the risk of unmet care needs amongst clients, risks related to accountability, and the risks pertaining to blurred boundaries between different organisations. The collegial discussions in case conferences included opportunities for social workers to use their collective professional experience and competency to establish creative solutions 'on the go' and to discuss various ways of handling and balancing different risks while continuing to carry out their work in the changing and unknown situation. Our findings highlight the importance of collegial support in social work in dealing with accentuated risks during the pandemic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Treating neuro and psychiatric issues is one of the key challenges of our time. Since the outbreak of the novel coronavirus pneumonia (COVID-19), two research orientations, neurological manifestations and psychiatric status of patients with COVID-19 and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic have become emerging research hot spots in recent years. To overcome the enormous burden caused by neurological and psychiatric disorders worldwide, this collection of meeting abstracts intends to bring all enthusiastic contributors of this domain to investigate the best neurological practices and the very recent psychiatry study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this plain language podcast, highlights from the European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) Congress 2021 are discussed from the perspective of both a patient and a healthcare professional. The patient advocacy track at the congress was co-developed with patients, and was integrated into the overall programme. It included four sessions on the financial impact of cancer, treatments that use the body's immune system to fight cancer, technology, and rare cancers. This comes at a time when there is an increasing focus on the value of real-world data (data from a real-life setting, rather than in a clinical trial) and a more active role for patients and patient organisations as partners in research. Challenges and opportunities arising during the COVID-19 pandemic were also discussed, including logistical complexities in healthcare and consequent uncertainty for patients in accessing care, and opportunities including increased use of telemedicine and broader participation offered by virtual/on-site hybrid congress formats, as used in ESMO 2021. Data discussed on combination treatments for patients with bladder cancer suggest an improved chance of remission for patients intolerant or resistant to existing treatment. Some of the data from studies in kidney cancer also suggest that treatment breaks or longer periods between treatment can improve quality of life and reduce treatment costs, without reducing treatment effectiveness. Although data on bladder and kidney cancer studies were seen to be promising, the authors recognise the time it takes for such findings to reach clinical practice, and the importance of managing expectations in the patient community. The authors conclude their discussion by reflecting on key challenges and opportunities moving forward, including restoring and improving care and efficiency of cancer services, and working together with patient advocates and advocacy organisations as essential partners in achieving this. Er-ortu1YQmrre2dQLiQse ESMO Podcast video [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The COVID-19 pandemic caused many scientific conferences to move online, posing a great challenge for scientific communication. This change offers potential advantages and disadvantages for inclusion, diversity, and scientific advancement. Here, we analyse participants' experiences of the Why Study Mammographic Density? Conference to explore some of these issues and identify key points of contention between different stakeholders. We found that while increasing participant diversity is facilitated by online conferencing, if the participants cannot interact informally with each other, there is value which is lost. In returning to in-person conferences, it will be important not to "shut the door" on those whose participation was enabled by the online format. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Notwithstanding the fact that the 12th international congress of autoimmunity (AUTO12) was held virtual this year, the number of the abstracts submitted and those presented crossed the thousand marks. Leading investigators and researchers from all over the world presented the latest developments of their research in the domain of autoimmunity and its correlation with various diseases. In terms of mechanisms of autoimmunity, an update on the mechanisms behind the association of autoimmunity with systemic diseases focusing on hyperstimulation was presented during AUTO12. In addition, a new mechanism of ASIA syndrome caused by an intrauterine contraceptive device was revealed demonstrating a complete resolution of symptoms following device removal. In regard to the correlation between autoimmunity and neurogenerative diseases, the loss of structural protein integrity as the trigger of immunological response was shown. Schizophrenia as well, and its correlation to pro-inflammatory cytokines was also addressed. Furthermore, and as it was said AUTO12 virtual due to COVID-19 pandemic, various works were dedicated to SARS-CoV-2 infection and COVID-19 in terms of autoimmune mechanisms involved in the pathogenesis, treatment and complications of COVID-19. For instance, the correlation between autoimmunity and the severity of COVID-19 was viewed. Moreover, the presence and association of autoantibodies in COVID-19 was also demonstrated, as well as the clinical outcomes of COVID-19 in patients with rheumatic diseases. Finally, immune-mediated reactions and processes secondary to SARS-CoV-2 vaccination was displayed. Due to the immense importance of all of the topics addressed and while several hundreds of works were presented which cannot be summed up in one paper, we aimed hereby to highlight some of the outstanding abstracts and presentations during AUTO12. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The virtual conference format has become an essential tool for professional development of researchers around the world since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. This study aims to identify empirical evidence of the benefits and challenges of virtual conferences by investigating participants' experiences with them. Methods: The study participants were delegates to the 40th annual meeting of the Korean Society of Nephrology, which was held virtually in September, 2020. A questionnaire was developed and implemented among the conference attendees. The 44-item questionnaire included five sub-scales related to participant perceptions of the virtual conference, which were (a) convenience and accessibility, (b) planning and organization, (c) technology use, (d) social exchanges, and (e) overall satisfaction, their preferences of conference formats, and their views of future projections for a virtual conference. Results: A total of 279 delegates completed and returned the questionnaires (18.8% response rate). Participants varied in gender, age, profession, work location, and prior experience with conferences. On a four-point Likert scale (1 = "strongly disagree" and 4 = "strongly agree"), participants showed positive perceptions of the virtual conference in general, where the total mean (M) was 3.03 and less positive perceptions on social exchanges (M = 2.72). Participant perceptions of the virtual conference differed across age groups, professions, and prior experience with conferences (p <.05). Approximately half of the participants (n = 139) preferred the virtual format, and 33% (n = 92) preferred the conventional format. Participant preferences for the virtual format were somewhat evenly distributed between asynchronous (32.9%) and synchronous (29.1%) modes. Participants predicted a virtual conference would continue to be a popular delivery format after the end of the COVID-19. Conclusions: Although participants had positive perceptions of the virtual conference, more support needs to be offered to those who may be less comfortable with using technology or with online interactions, and there is a need for improvement in supporting social exchange among attendees. Also, it is suggested that a blend of asynchronous and synchronous delivery methods should be considered to meet the varied needs of attendees. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: During COVID-19 pandemic, health-care workers (HCW) have been exposed to multiple psychosocial stressors. Although the problem of burnout, which overlaps with the symptoms of depression, remains urgent, few studies have addressed it comprehensively. The objective of this study was to determine the prevalence and the factors associated with burnout among HCW. Methodes: We conducted a cross-sectional study on March-April 2021 using a self-administered questionnaire distributed to HCW who were involved in COVID-19 management patients. The 22-item Maslach burnout inventory was performed to measure the prevalence of burnout defined as follows: high score of emotional exhaustion (≥27) plus high score of depersonalization (≥13) or low score of personal accomplishment (≤31). Results: Overall, 250 HCW were included in this study. The sex ratio was 0.17. Their median age was 34 years (interqurtile range (IQR)=[30-40 years]). The average number of work experience was 11.1≤3.4 years. There were 46 cases (18.4%) with a chronic disease. Among the study population, 131 HCW (51.4%) were infected with covid-19. The overall burnout prevalence was 45.6%. Female gender (Odds ratio (OR)=4.3; p<0.001) and unmarried status (OR=3.3; p<0.001) were statistically associated with burnout. Participants in the burnout group had statistically higher number of working hours per day (≤6hours) (OR=3.2; p=0.003), of night shifts per week (4±1 vs 3±1; p=0.04), but lower number of working experience years (7≥0.6 vs 12≤1; p=0.017). History of chronic diseases (OR=1.8;p=0.021), witnessing a COVID-19 death while working (OR=3.1; p<0.001) and suffering from sleep deprivation (OR=1.9; p=0.034) were statistically more frequent in the burnout group of HCW. Conclusions: The findings of this study indicated that the burnout syndrome was highly prevalent among HCW. More psychological support should be provided for this population in order to provide a high-quality of care for patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]