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The main goals of this study included the assessment of the level of key competences and training needs of the prevention workforce in European countries, and the examination of participants' characteristic differences in assessing the key competences necessary for prevention work. METHOD: Altogether, 154 respondents from 26 countries completed the online questionnaire. Survey participants were identified via the PubMed database and via the snowball technique. Invitations to complete the survey were transmitted to the participants electronically or by phone. Descriptive analyses and non-parametric tests (Wilcoxon signedrank test and Kruskal-Wallis test) were used to analyze the survey data. RESULTS: The results indicated that basic knowledge of theoretical background and research findings showed the highest levels among the competences the prevention workforce currently possessed, while advocacy of quality prevention was the skill with the lowest perceived level among ten key competences. Comparison between the current levels of key competences and their desired levels suggested a significant gap between the knowledge/skills gained and those needed in all areas of prevention work, especially in advocacy and funding. The results also indicated that job characteristics, especially job seniority, have some effects on the survey results. CONCLUSIONS: The results of the SPAN survey support the need to invest in prevention education/training. Priority in investment should be given to training prevention workers in advocacy of quality prevention and funding. The results imply that there is a need for the modernization of education in the field of prevention science in Europe. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study deals with a three-storey log house located in the suburbs of Ljubljana, Slovenia (temperate climate). Firstly, the calibrated thermal model of the log house was defined. The calibrated model had an hourly NMBE between −2.12 % and 1.84 % and a CV(RMSE) between 3.16 % and 3.57 %. Then, the adaptive thermal comfort during the warmer part of the year was assessed according to EN 16798-1 and future climate (SRES A2 scenario). Additionally, various building-related and organisational measures for overheating prevention were evaluated. It was found that the most effective measures to prevent overheating are the organisational measures of shading activation and night ventilation. It was demonstrated that the efficiency of night ventilation would even improve over time. Thus, at the end of the 21st century, discomfort hours could be reduced by 67 % compared to the baseline. In contrast, building-related measures have a significant effect only when combined with organisational measures. Overall, in 2071–2100 adaptive thermal comfort was improved most when the measure of increased thermal insulation was coupled with shading and night ventilation, resulting in 1053 discomfort hours less than the baseline case.

The study aimed to assess the overheating vulnerability of an existing multi-apartment building built in 1971 in Podgorica, Montenegro. The building consists of 80 apartments and is mostly still in its original state. Firstly, the building was modelled in EneryPlus, and a parametric study was performed with jEPlus. The energy need for heating and cooling was simulated using parameters such as thermal insulation level, window properties, external surface solar absorptivity, shading activation set-point, and natural ventilation cooling intensity. Moreover, the energy need was determined for four different climate periods, namely for the current and three future periods up to the end of the 21st century under the RCP8.5 climate change scenario. The total number of building models equalled 648 for each of the four climate scenarios, resulting in 2,592 simulated cases. After that, the overheating vulnerability score was determined using the minimax regret method and cooling energy need as a performance indicator. The best retrofit action was determined by identifying the most favourable combination of the overheating vulnerability and total energy need. The results deliver the appropriate energy retrofit actions to limit the increase in overheating risk and provide for climate change adaptation of the multi-apartment building stock in Montenegro.

According to the existing literature, a heterogeneous sequence type (ST) or clones of community-associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (CA-MRSA) circulate in Europe. In Europe, the European clone that belongs to sequence type ST80 is predominant.

Abstract Background Reducing harm in drinking environments is a growing priority for European alcohol policy yet few studies have explored nightlife drinking behaviours. This study examines alcohol consumption and blood alcohol concentration (BAC) in drinking environments in four European cities. Methods A short questionnaire was implemented among 838 drinkers aged 16-35 in drinking environments in four European cities, in the Netherlands, Slovenia, Spain and the UK. Questions included self-reported alcohol use before interview and expected consumption over the remainder of the night. Breathalyser tests were used to measured breath alcohol concentration (converted to BAC) at interview. Results Most participants in the Dutch (56.2%), Spanish (59.6%) and British (61.4%) samples had preloaded (cf Slovenia 34.8%). In those drinking < 3 h at interview, there were no differences in BAC by gender or nationality. In UK participants, BAC increased significantly in those who had been drinking longer, reaching 0.13% (median) in females and 0.17% in males drinking > 5 h. In other nationalities, BAC increases were less pronounced or absent. High BAC (> 0.08%) was associated with being male, aged > 19, British and having consumed spirits. In all cities most participants intended to drink enough alcohol to constitute binge drinking. Conclusions Different models of drinking behaviour are seen in different nightlife settings. Here, the UK sample was typified by continued increases in inebriation compared with steady, more moderate intoxication elsewhere. With the former being associated with higher health risks, European alcohol policy must work to deter this form of nightlife.

Background: Near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) provides regional tissue oxygenation (rSO 2 ) even in pulseless states, such as out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA). Brain rSO 2 seems to be important predictor of return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC) during cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). Aim of our study was to explore feasibility for monitoring and detecting changes of skeletal muscle rSO 2 during resuscitation., Methods: Skeletal muscle and brain rSO 2 were measured by NIRS (SenSmart Model X-100, Nonin, USA) during CPR in adult patient with OHCA. Start (basal) rSO 2 , maximal during CPR (maximal) and difference between maximal-minimal rSO 2 (delta-rSO 2 ), were recorded. Patients were divided into ROSC and NO-ROSC group., Results: 20 patients [age: 66.0ys (60.5-79.5), 65% male] with OHCA [50% witnessed, 70% BLS, time to ALS 13.5 min (11.0-19.0)] were finally analyzed. ROSC was confirmed in 5 (25%) patients. Basal and maximal skeletal muscle rSO 2 were higher in ROSC compared to NO-ROSC group [49.0% (39.7-53.7) vs. 15.0% (12.0-25.2), P =  0.006; 76.0% (52.7-80.5) vs. 34.0% (18.0-49.5), P =  0.005, respectively]. There was non-linear cubic relationship between time of collapse and basal skeletal muscle rSO 2 in witnessed OHCA and without BLS (F-ratio = 9.7713, P =  0.0261). There was correlation between maximal skeletal muscle and brain rSO 2 (n = 18, rho: 0.578, P =   0.0121)., Conclusions: Recording of skeletal muscle rSO 2 during CPR in patients with OHCA is feasible. Basal and maximal skeletal muscle rSO 2 were higher in ROSC compared to NO-ROSC group. Clinical trial registration number ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT04058925, registered on: 16th August 2019. URL of trial registry record: https://www., Clinicaltrials: gov/ct2/show/NCT04058925?titles=Tissue+Oxygenation+During+Cardiopulmonary+Resuscitation+as+a+Predictor+of+Return+of+Spontaneous+Circulation&draw=2&rank=1 ., (© 2023. BioMed Central Ltd., part of Springer Nature.)

Cardiac troponin I (cTnI) is a standard biomarker for the diagnosis of acute myocardial infarction (AMI). While older, ultra-sensitive cTnI (us-cTnI) assays use the 99th percentile as the reference threshold, newer high-sensitive cTnI (hs-cTnI) assays use the limit of detection or functional sensitivity instead. However, little has been done to systematically compare these two methods. The present study also served as a validation of hs-cTnI in our laboratory. Here, we compared the results obtained from the blood serum obtained from 8810 patients using the us-cTnI and the hs-cTnI assays run in tandem on the ADVIA Centaur XP analyser. We found that in 2279 samples the concentration of cTnI measured with the ultra-sensitive method was below the detection limit, while with the high-sensitive method, only 540 were below the detection limit. We also compared results from these assays with the ultimate diagnosis of a subset of individuals. The analysis of the results below cut-off with the ultra-sensitive method showed that this method would not detect 96 cases related to heart disorder. Overall, the main finding of our research is that hs-cTnI is the preferable option and is able to be deployed effectively in the laboratory setting., Competing Interests: The authors have not applied for any patents relating to the content of the manuscript, and did not receive reimbursements, fees, funding, or salary from an organization that holds or has applied for a patent relating to the content of the manuscript. The authors declare that they have no conflict of financial and nonfinancial interest relating to this work., (© 2022 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

In recent years, the school curricula in many European countries have introduced social and emotional learning (SEL). This calls for the teachers to have SEL competencies. The present study evaluates teachers' and their students' readiness for SEL during an intervention in five European countries. The participants were teachers ( n = 402) in five European countries; Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Slovenia, and Spain. The pre- and post-measuring points for both the intervention and the comparison group were at approximately the same time before and after the intervention. Comparison data consisted of 159 teachers in the same countries. The training for the intervention group lasted 16 h for the teachers and a maximum of 16 h for the principles and headmasters. An additional 9 h of further monitoring took place. There were two student groups participating in the study: the age group of 8-11 years (pre puberty) and the age group of 12-15-years (adolescents). Students, whose teachers had participated in the intervention, formed the intervention group ( n = 2,552). Those students, whose teachers did not participate in the intervention, formed the comparison group ( n = 1,730). The questionnaire data were collected at the beginning and at the end of the school year for both age groups. The results indicated that there was a favorable development in the intervention group in some of the measured skills among students, but the effects were different for the two age groups. This study adds to both theoretical and practical development of continuing teacher training about SEL and its possible role in reducing problem behavior among the students., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2021 Berg, Talvio, Hietajärvi, Benítez, Cavioni, Conte, Cuadrado, Ferreira, Košir, Martinsone, Ornaghi, Raudiene, Šukyte, Talić and Lonka.)

Objectives: This paper aims to investigate the association of parental, friends, and personal factors with the risk of alcohol use in a sample of Slovenian adolescents, and whether these associations differ by socio-economic status of the school area (SES)., Methods: The survey involved 2946 students of 44 Slovenian primary schools in the school year 2010/2011. The association between sociodemographic characteristics, parental alcohol use and permissiveness to drink, parental monitoring, perception of friends' alcohol use, beliefs towards alcohol, self-esteem and refusal skills, and the probability of recent alcohol use was evaluated through multiple multilevel logistic regression analysis., Results: Parental alcohol use, parental permissiveness to drink alcohol, low parental monitoring, perception of friends' alcohol use, positive beliefs towards alcohol use, and low refusal skills were significantly associated with the risk of alcohol use. Parental drinking and permissive attitudes were stronger correlates of alcohol use among adolescents of middle and low SES schools, while friends' alcohol use and personal factors among adolescents of high SES schools., Conclusions: Alcohol prevention programs should be tailored to school socio-economic environment taking into account friends and personal determinants among high SES, and parental factors among low SES school students.

In/ZnO bulk compounds have been synthesized using a simple solid-state process. In this study, both the structural features and thermoelectric properties of the Zn 1-x In x O series with ultralow indium content (0 ≤ x ≤ 0.02) have been studied. High-angle annular dark-field scanning transmission electron microscopy analyses highlight that indium has the ability to create multiple basal plane and pyramidal defects that produce ZnO domains with inverted polarity starting from dopant concentrations as low as 0.25 atom %. Interestingly, the formation of parallel inversion boundaries consisting of InO 6 octahedra in the ZnO 4 tetrahedra matrix is responsible for phonon scattering while increasing electrical conductivity, thereby enhancing the thermoelectric properties. This effect of multiple extended two-dimensional defects on the thermoelectric properties of ZnO is reported for the first time with such low indium doping. On the chemistry side, the present results point toward a lack of In solubility in the ZnO structure. Moreover, this study is a step forward to the synthesis of other thermoelectric compounds where dopant-induced planar defects in bulk transition metal compounds have the potential to enhance both phonon scattering and electronic conductivity.

Hydrogen sulfide (H 2 S) is a third known gasotransmitter. Most of the time it was knows as a poisonous gas. In last 30 years, we are seeing change in its perception. Scientists have discovered its major role in different organ systems. It is endogenously produced in various tissues and its production is influenced by many factors. In normal, physiological conditions only 20% of H 2 S is in its free form. The role of H 2 S is very wide. It acts as a signaling molecule, has influence on vascular tone, inflammatory response, scavenges reactive oxygen species, can be cytoprotective and can even reduce the extent of myocardial ischemia. Different studies have shown H 2 S has considerable influence in pathology of sepsis and its outcome. High free plasma levels of H 2 S are predictor of unfavorable outcome. Findings show that moderate free plasma levels of H 2 S have protective effect. Paradoxical very low free plasma levels of H 2 S, seen in patients with chronic heart failure, are also predictor of severity of disease and poor outcome. We presume that relationship between morbidity/mortality and concentration of H 2 S has a wide U-shape curve dependence. New researches with discovery of H 2 S agonists and antagonists could open new ways in understanding different pathologies and ability to treat them. Recent advances in the identification of H 2 S agonists and antagonists may help in forwarding our understanding of pathomechanisms and hence their treatment.

We investigated the high-temperature thermoelectric properties of Ga:ZnO bulk compounds, synthesized using a simple and scalable solid-state process. The effects of a low gallium content (x ≤ 0.04 in Zn 1-x Ga x O 1+x/2 ) on the structural features and electrical/thermal properties are reviewed. Transmission electron microscopy analyses showed that 2D, nonperiodic defects had formed from a doping content as low as x = 0.01 Ga. The structural description of these nanoscale interfaces is, for the first time, carefully investigated in such low-Ga-content samples by HAADF-STEM analyses combined with structural modeling. It was found that the formation of head-to-head inversion twin (h-IT) boundaries and tail-to tail inversion boundaries (t-IB) in the bulk compounds is responsible for strong phonon scattering, while maintaining relatively good electrical conductivity and thereby enhancing the thermoelectric properties. The absolute value of the Seebeck coefficient decreases abruptly from 475 μV/K for x = 0 down to 60 μV/K for x = 0.005 at 350 K. At the same time, the electrical resistivity drops from 1 ohm cm for x = 0 to 1.7 × 10 -3 ohm cm for x = 0.005. For higher Ga additions (x > 0.01), the increase in electrical resistivity is likely linked to the formation of interface defects at a larger extent in the wurtzite structure. The thermal conductivity also drops sharply with the increase in the Ga content from ∼33 W/m K for x = 0 to ∼8 for x = 0.04 at 350 K. This study is progress toward the synthesis of other thermoelectric materials where nanoscale interfaces in bulk compounds provide tremendous opportunities for further enhancing both the phonon scattering and the overall figure of merit.

Background: Currently available minimally invasive devices cannot provide continuous determination of stroke volume (SV) or cardiac output (CO) in patients supported with an intra-aortic balloon pump (IABP). Our aim was to evaluate the accuracy of Dat-con™ monitor for continuous SV and CO determination in such patients., Methods: SV (SVdat-con) and CO (COdat-con) were determined by Dat-con™ monitor in 35 patients supported by IABP, at baseline and after 103 therapeutic interventions. Echocardiography was used to measure SV (SVecho) and CO (COecho) from velocity time integral and cross-sectional area of left ventricular outflow tract. Monitored and echocardiographic values were compared using Bland-Altman's statistics., Results: Bias in baseline SVdat-con compared to SVecho was 0.2 mL, with 1.96 limits of agreement (SD) of ±4.8 mL and with percentage error of 11%. Bias of baseline COdat-con compared to COecho was 0.03 l/min, with 1.96 SD of ±0.435 l/min with percentage error of 10.9%. After therapeutic interventions, bias of SVdat-con compared to SVecho was -0.3 mL, with 1.96 SD of ±4.8 mL and with percentage error of 10.5%. Agreement for SV changes was >95% (exclusion zone: changes <10%). Bias of COdat-con compared to COecho after therapeutic interventions was -0.03 L/min, with 1.96 SD of ±0.45 L/min., Conclusion: The accuracy and trending of continuous determination of SV and CO with Dat-con™ monitor in patients supported by IABP is equivalent to echocardiography.