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The removal of methomyl, one of the most frequent pesticides, from aqueous solutions has been studied by adsorption using the reactivated carbon microspheres separated from worn filtering protective suits. This study is significant in two aspects - the first is the in-situ adsorption of pesticides from aqueous solutions, and the second is recycling protective equipment as an effective material for water decontamination. Carbamate pesticide, methomyl is aimed to control foliage and soil-borne insect pests on various agricultural product. Also, due its toxicity, it has a great potential for usage in terroristic acts and tactical purposes during military operations. The reactivated carbon (RAC) microspheres were characterized by Scanning Electron Microscopes (SEM). The changes in relative concentration of methomyl during the adsorption onto the surface of the RAC microspheres was determinated using the UV-Visible spectrophotometer. The adsorption process is described by Langmuir, Freundlich, Temkin, and Dubinin-Radushkevich adsorption isotherm models. The adsorption kinetics follows the second-order kinetics model, and the thermodynamics study confirms that the adsorption is exothermic and spontaneous. At optimal conditions, the adsorption capacity was qe = 8.631 mol g-1 × 10-8 and the adsorption rate was k = 0.749 g mmol-1 min-1. The Langmuir, Freundlich, Temkin, and Dubinin-Radushkevich adsorption isotherm models were used to describe the adsorption process. The thermodynamic study of adsorption proves the process is spontaneous with exothermic nature.

Adsorption of carbamate pesticide Methomyl by Co-Beta Zeolite particles prepared by wet ion-exchange method from aqueous solutions was studied. The effect of zeolite and pesticide concentrations, pH value, and sintering temperature on pesticide removal from an aqueous solution was studied. The change of methomyl concentration during the adsorption was followed using the UV-Visible spectrophotometer. Scanning Electron Microscopy-Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy (SEM-EDS) revealed the modified zeolite morphology and elemental structure. The change of the adsorbent surface before and after dye removal was observed using the Fourier Transformation-infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR). The adsorption kinetics follows the pseudo-second-order kinetics model, and at optimal condition adsorption rate is k1 = 0.0166 g mg-1 min-1. The Langmuir, Freundlich, Temkin and Dubinin-Radushkovich adsorption isotherm models were used to describe the adsorption process. Thermodynamic parameters were also determined using experimental data. The thermodynamic study indicates that during pesticide adsorption is, chemisorption and physisorption are present at the same.

Introduction/Objective. COVID-19 pandemic caused many disruptions in the daily routines of children and adolescents, which may have influenced their mental health. This study aimed to examine the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on self-harming behaviors, including non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) and suicide attempts in children and youth seeking psychiatric help. Methods. Retrospective, cross-sectional study was conducted, analyzing data from medical documentation of 1129 outpatients, aged between 10 and 18, who had their first psychiatric examination at the Institute of Mental Health in Belgrade, Serbia between March 1, 2019 and August 31, 2021. The frequency of NSSI and suicide attempt during the pandemic was compared to a one-year period before the pandemic. Results. Proportions of patients with NSSI were higher in both years during the pandemic (18.1%; 27.7%) compared to the year before (12.6%), especially in the second year of the pandemic, with a marked increase in March 2021. NSSI was more frequent in girls, older adolescents, those living in incomplete families and those with a history of abuse. No significant change in the frequency of suicide attempts related to the COVID-19 pandemic was found. Conclusion. Significant increase in the frequency of NSSI, markedly during the second year of the pandemic, especially in children and youth with additional factors of vulnerability, calls for further attention from both professionals and policymakers, as well as preventive measures for this vulnerable group during stressful times.

Adsorption of anthraquinone dye Acid Blue 111 by alumina-iron oxide doped particles prepared by sol-gel method from aqueous solutions was studied. The adsorbent morphology was revealed by FESEM and the crystallographic phase is analyzed by the XRD technique. The effect of adsorbate and adsorbent concentrations, pH value, type of adsorbent and thermodynamic parameters on dye removal by adsorption was studied. The change of dye concentration during the adsorbtion was followed using the UV-Visible spectrophotometer. The change of the adsorbent surface before and after dye removal was observed using the Fourier Transformation-infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR). The adsorption kinetics is in accordance with the pseudo-second-order kinetics model. The Langmuir and Freundlich adsorption isotherm models were used to describe the adsorption process. The thermodynamic study of dye adsorption proves the process is spontaneous with exothermic nature.

Appropriate healthcare and psychological support for children and adolescents is essential for the successful development and good mental health. Unfortunately, this is often a neglected element in the healthcare systems around the world. It is known that approximately half of all adult psychiatric disorders start under the age of 14 and that the prevalence of child and adolescent-onset psychiatric conditions is increasing. The real reason for this increase remains unclear, but it demands our attention as does the care of affected children, adolescents, and their families. Transitions between different age groups need to be made easily navigable for the patients and their families. Many challenges in child and adolescent psychiatry are present, especially in developing countries such as Serbia. A possible solution for overcoming these challenges is uniting the child and adolescent professional societies from all over the world. These societies should work together to develop unified strategies for diagnosis, treatment and support of children affected by psychiatric conditions. By working closely with pediatricians, family physicians, psychologists, nurses, and other professionals, child and adolescent psychiatry can use knowledge and skills to support practice while teaching other professionals how to optimize the utilization of child and adolescent psychiatry services.

In recent decades an increase usage of chemicals in many ways of modern life is evident. So, the possibility of its intake into organisms, human and animals poisoning and health damage, is nowadays on a high level, especially when it comes to disaster situations caused by using toxic chemicals in terrorist attacks or for military purposes. If we look ahead, the risk of pesticide contamination of the water and soil, as one of the most important resources for surviving, is always present. The wide spectra of pesticide negative effects on the environment initiate the increasing number of investigations of efficient pesticide removal methods, especially from water. The aim of this study was to investigate the efficiency of direct electrochemical oxidation as a method for in-situ degradation of pesticides in the aquatic environment, depending on the concentration of pesticides, present electrolytes, applied current and the pH value of the medium. As a model molecule, the neonicotinoid pesticide thiamethoxam was used. Kinetics of thiamethoxam degradation in aqueous solution was followed by UV/Vis spectrometry.

The flow of air and aerosol particles through the filtering half masks material depends on the structure porosity. It is very difficult to determine the behaviour of the filtering material during the process of extraction and retention of aerosols. The samples of five filtering half mask models were used in this investigation. Dynamics of the aerosol filtration through the filtering materials was tested using a method for testing the leakage of aerosol particles through the filtering material and a method for testing the inhalation resistance of filtering material, both specified in the SRPS EN 149:2013. Recording of the structural changes in the samples of the tested materials was carried out by the technique of scanning electron microscopy. The experiments showed a deviation of the results in relation to the theory of filtration the finely dispersed submicron sized particles. It was concluded that the aerosol leakage through the filtering half masks and their resistance to aerosol flow change depend on the aerosol flow rates and the on filtration process duration, as a direct consequence of the newly-made changes in the structure of the filtering material and due to reversibility effect between the filtration process and the changes in the filtering material. [Project of the Serbian Ministry of Education, Science and Technological Development, Grant no. TR34034 and Grant no. III45019]

Experimental acquisition and verification of structural properties of an actual helicopter main rotor blade segment have been done with an aim to validate the capability of bonded joints of these structural elements to sustain the most dominant dynamic loads in forward flight, for the assigned blade's life time. It was also one of the qualitative tests of the newly applied rotor blade hybrid structure production technology, consisting of a metal spar and 21 plastic composite segments, bonded to it after the polymerization process. Because of the structural similarity of the segments, only the most highly loaded 21st segment and adjacent spar section were investigated, as representative in this particular sense. This has enabled remarkable reduction both in time and funds required for the design and construction of the test facility. This paper is focused on the demonstration of usage of fairly low-cost experimental infrastructure for that purpose, and also provides the designers and engineers with some examples and guidelines of how it is possible to conduct experimental verifications of the properties of similar, both aeronautical and non-aeronautical hybrid structures and joints, exposed to the long-lasting dynamic loads. Tests presented in this paper were only a part of a very wide test campaign, mostly undertaken on the entire new hybrid blade structures, both on the ground and in flight, before they have been put to operational service. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a practical example of the measurement and analysis of vibrations in the first two stages of the axial-flow compressor with intention to estimate a connection between inlet air flow distortions and appearance of stalling of the compressor blades. The inlet air flow distortions were tested during different regimes of the aircraft flight with a maximum thrust, with an assumption that the asymmetry of air flow through the twin-inlets existed and had effect on vibrations of the compressor. The paper shows the measurement of vibrations on the Galeb G-2 aircraft powered by the Rolls Royce Viper Mk22-6 engine with the aim to recognize and define the minimum necessary data for detection of the potential distorted air flow through the compressor, as consequences of an unequal air flow distribution in the inlets. The detection capability of this methodology of measurement is presented using the fast Fourier transform (FFT). The proposed methodology of measurement and analysis can be implemented in different types of aircraft in order to research the occurrence of stall and surge.

Sizing and location of the piezoelectric actuators and sensors for vibration control of flexible structures is usually based on maximum control effectiveness and achieving the maximum output for the vibration in the modes of interests. Integration of piezoelectric patches affects the mass and the original dynamic properties of the parent structure. This is the first part of the two-paper research which presents the theoretical development of the multi-objective fuzzy optimization technique of sizing and location of the collocated piezoelectric actuators and sensors on the thin-walled composite beam. The optimization criteria for the optimal size and location of piezoelectric A/Ss are based on the degree of controllability (DC) for controlled modes. The optimization procedure implies the constraining of the original dynamic properties change and the limitation of the mass increase. A pseudogoal function, derived based on the fuzzy set theory, gives an expression for global objective functions eliminating the use of weighting coefficients and penalty functions. the particle swarm optimization technique is used to find the optimal configuration..

This is the second part of a two-paper research of the multi-objective fuzzy optimization of sizing and location of the collocated piezoelectric actuators and sensors on the thin-walled composite beam. The first paper is focussed on the theoretical model of a optimization techique for optimal sizing and location of piezoelectric actuators and sensors on a smart structure for active vibration control. In this part, the numerical analysis of the presented optimization technique will be presented for the cantilever composite beam with and without limitations in degrees of controllability (DCs) for residual modes.

Piezoelectric actuators are widely used in structural systems for active vibration control with the aim to enhance the performance of systems. The developed system of active vibration control consists of active structure, controller and high voltage amplifier. In this paper, the composite beam is host structure for sensor platform (strain gages) and actuator platform (dual layer PZT piezoelectric actuator). In order to improve the dynamic characteristics of active system, the coefficients of PID controller are changed. The effectiveness of active vibration control system at mode of interest can be improved with change of PID coefficients, but the stability of system can be reduced. The instability of the active structure is often perturbed by spillover effect. In this paper the importance of considering spillover effects in closed loop of piezoelectric active structures is demonstrated and shown the importance of change the PID coefficients in stability of active vibration control system. Experimental results which correspond to the developed active vibration control system are presented and affirmed stability on proposed active structure.

Increasing velocity combined with reduced mass of modern high speed trains poses the question of influence of strong cross winds on its aerodynamics. Strong cross winds may affect the running stability of high speed trains via the amplified aerodynamic forces and moments. In this study, simulations of turbulent cross wind flows over the leading and end car of ICE-2 high speed train have been performed at different yaw angles The train aerodynamic problems are closely associated with the flows occurring around train. The flow around the train has been considered as incompressible and was obtained by solving the incompressible form of the unsteady Reynolds-Averaged Navier-Stokes (RANS) equations combined with the realizable k-epsilon turbulence model. Important aerodynamic coefficients such as the side force and rolling moment coefficients have been calculated for yaw angles ranging from -30° to 60° and compared to results obtained from wind tunnel tests. The dependence of the flow structure on yaw angle has also been presented.

Background: In contrast to the rational (IQ) and emotional intelligence (EQ), spiritual intelligence (SQ) is often underestimated and insufficiently investigated. This type of intelligence refers to our approach to the issue of the meaning and value of life, in terms that our actions are placed in a wider context. Objectives: The aim of this paper is to investigate in which extent spiritual intelligence determines the decision making process. In this context, the success of business decision is assigned as its functionality as one of the most prominent feature of successful decision. Methods: The inductive method of building an expert system, i.e. a knowledge based system (Doctus Knowledge-Based Expert System Shell) and casebased concluding on the degree of informativeness (with a key impact on functionality of decision) of individual components (Case Based Reasoning) are used in testing this relationship. Results: The study demonstrates the fact that most of respondents (managers) have not been even familiar with attributes of SI as well as their relationship with decision making process. Conclusions: Identification of the most significant components of SI that affect effectiveness of decisions would allow managers to focus on those which mostly contribute to the functionality of their decisions.

The majority of wind turbine research is focused on accurately efficiency prediction. This work highlights the progress made in the development of aerodynamic models for studying Vertical-Axis Wind Turbines (VAWTs) with particular emphasis on stream tube approach. Numerical and analytical investigation is conducted on straight blade fixed pitch VAWT using NACA0012 airfoil as a blade profile to assess its performance. Numerical simulation is done for two-dimensional unsteady flow around the same VAWT model using ANSYS FLUENT by solving Reynolds- averaged Navier-Stokes equations. Finally, comparison of the analytical results using double multiple stream tube (DMST) model with computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulation has been done. Both the CFD and DMST results have shown minimum and/or negative torque and performance at lower tip speed ratios for the modeled turbine, which implies the inability of NACA0012 to self start.

This paper presents the multi-objective fuzzy optimization of sizing and location of piezoelectric actuators and sensors on the thin-walled composite beam for active vibration control, using the degree of controllability (DC) for controlled modes as optimization criteria. The optimization process is performed constraining the original dynamics properties change including the limitation of increase of the mass, using or neglecting the limitation in degrees of controllability for residual modes for reduction spillover effect. Pseudogoal functions derived on the fuzzy set theory gives a unique expression for global objective functions eliminating the use of penalty functions. The problem is formulated using the finite element method based on the third-order shear deformation theory. The particle swarm optimization technique is used to find optimal configuration. Several numerical examples are presented for the cantilever beam.

Phloretin is a key secondary metabolite produced by apple trees. Known for its strong antioxidant properties, this dihydrochalcone has been extensively studied in animals but less so in plants. Recently, we identified phloretin as a phytotoxic allelochemical that inhibits growth in the model plant Arabidopsis by disrupting auxin metabolism and distribution in the roots. In this study, we found that phloretin significantly hinders the growth of Arabidopsis seedlings' aerial parts after a short-term treatment (10 days) and causes their decay after long-term exposure (28 days). These effects result from ultrastructural damage in the mesophyll cells of the leaves, including chloroplast displacement and swelling, lesions, and alterations in thylakoid and cell wall organization. Interestingly, phloretin-treated plants showed a decrease in malondialdehyde levels and antioxidant enzyme activities, while hydrogen peroxide and proline levels remained unchanged. This suggests that phloretin-induced chlorosis and seedling decay are not due to oxidative stress but rather to severe chloroplast structural damage, leading to inefficient photosynthesis, starch degradation, starvation, and activation of micro- and macroautophagic processes for self-preservation. Ultimately, these processes result in programmed cell death. These new insights into the phytotoxic effects of phloretin on Arabidopsis shoots could pave the way for future research into phloretin as a potential multitarget bioherbicide and enhance our understanding of autoallelopathy in apple trees., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.)

The possibility of producing and designing bio-epoxides based on the natural polyphenol lignin/epoxidized lignin and tannic acids for application as wood adhesives is presented in this work. Lignin and tannic acids contain numerous reactive hydroxyl phenolic moieties capable of being efficiently involved in the reaction with commercial epoxy resins as a substitute for commercial, non-environmentally friendly, toxic amine-based hardeners. Furthermore, lignin was epoxidized in order to obtain an epoxy lignin that can be a replacement for diglycidyl ether bisphenol A (DGEBA). Cross-linking of bio-epoxy epoxides was investigated via FTIR spectroscopy and their prospects for wood adhesive application were evaluated. This study determined that the curing reaction of epoxy resin can be conducted using lignin/epoxy lignin or tannic acid. Tensile shear strength testing results showed that lignin and tannic acid can effectively replace amine hardeners in epoxy resins. Examination of the failure of the samples showed that all samples had a 100% fracture through the wood. All samples of bio-epoxy adhesives displayed significant tensile shear strength in the range of 5.84-10.87 MPa. This study presents an innovative approach to creating novel cross-linked networks of eco-friendly and high-performance wood bio-adhesives.

β-cyclodextrin (β-CD) is a good host for the encapsulation of fennel and basil essential oils (FEO and BEO, respectively) and the formation of inclusion complexes (ICs) using the co-precipitation method. According to the results of the GC/MS analysis conducted in this study, monoterpenes and monoterpenoids were the dominant chemical groups in total FEO, while in BEO, these two groups occurred along with sesquiterpenes and sesquiterpenoids. The presence of dominant compounds from both EOs was validated using the FT-IR spectra of ICs, which indicated successful complexation. Analyses conducted using SPME/GC-MS showed the continuous emission of volatiles over 24 h from both ICs. Under SEM, particles of both ICs appeared to have a rectangular or rhomboid morphology and few aggregates. The insecticidal properties of EOs and ICs with β-CD were tested on the Colorado potato beetle (CPB) as a model pest. The inclusion complex of β-CD with FEO altered the developmental dynamic and body mass of the CPB. The initial increase in the proteolytic activity of CPB larvae fed with potato plants sprayed with ICs was not maintained for long, and the proteolytic efficacy of treated larvae remained in line with that of the control larvae. Future investigations will focus on manipulating the volume of EOs used and the treatment duration for optimal efficacy and potential application.

Background: Intervention programs for children with developmental disabilities increasingly target caregiver training to implement effective strategies for child development. Research conducted in different countries shows that the Caregiver Skills Training Program (CST) developed by the World Health Organization and Autism Speaks could also be a recommended intervention., Methods: The pre-pilot phase included seven, and the pilot phase included 29 families of children with developmental disabilities trained to implement the intervention program. The caregivers were asked to complete the Autism Treatment Evaluation Checklist at the beginning and at the end of the program., Results: In the pre-pilot phase, the Wilcoxon signed-rank test determined a statistically significant improvement in Speech, Language and Communication ( z = -2.99, p < 0.05) and Health/Physical/Behavior ( z = -2.375, p < 0.05) after caregiver participation in the training program. In the pilot phase, the paired t -test also determined a statistically significant improvement in Speech, Language and Communication between the first (M = 24.52, SD = 5.57) and the second testing (M = 25.66, SD = 6.11), t (28) = -2.29, p < 0.05, as well as a significant improvement between the first (M = 36.62; SD = 7.15) and the second testing (M = 35.38; SD = 5.91), t (28) = 2.11, p < 0.05 in Health/Physical/Behavior. Eta squared values (0.16 and 0.14) indicate that the intervention effect was significant. No differences were determined in Sociability and Sensory/Cognitive Awareness between the first and the second testing., Conclusion: The initial results of the Caregiver Skills Training Program are encouraging. For this program to be recommended as an evidence-based intervention, further research should be conducted on larger samples, controlling possible intervening variables., 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 © 2022 Glumbic, Grujicic, Stupar, Petrovic and Pejovic-Milovancevic.)

French marigold is an aromatic plant rich in polyphenolic secondary metabolites, which pesticidal potential was examined in this study. Ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography (UHPLC) connected with OrbiTrap mass spectrometer (MS) identified 113 phenolics and revealed the most detailed phytochemistry of French marigold published so far. Depending on plant material (flowers or leaves) and solvents used for extraction (water, methanol, dichloromethane), the phenolic composition varied. Methanol extract of flowers, with 89 identified phenolics and high antioxidant activity statistically comparable with positive control Trolox, was chosen for testing of antifeedant potential against the 3rd and 4th instars of Colorado potato beetle (CPB). A significant reduction in final body mass of 4th larval stage fed with potato leaves coated with methanol extract of flowers in the concentration of 10 mg/mL was observed (157.67 mg vs. 182.26 mg of controls fed with non-treated leaves). This caused delayed molting since treated larvae reached the maximal mass a day after controls and this delay persisted during the entire larval development. Continuous feeding caused a 25% decline in digestive proteolytic activity of the 4th instar in comparison to controls. The results suggest that French marigold methanol extract of flowers could be proposed as a promising antifeedant for CPB management, with an impact on the reduction in the environmental footprint associated with synthetic pesticide application.

Flower strips of French Marigold are commonly used pest repellents in potato fields. However, the effect of French Marigold volatiles on potato metabolism, physiology and induced defense is unknown. Thus, a microarray transcriptome analysis was performed to study the effects of French Marigold essential oil (EO) on laboratory-grown potato. After 8 h of exposure to EO, with gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS)-detected terpinolene and limonene as dominant compounds, 2796 transcripts were differentially expressed with fold change >2 compared to expression in controls. A slightly higher number of transcripts had suppressed expression (1493 down- vs. 1303 up-regulated). Since transcripts, annotated to different photosynthesis-related processes, were mostly down-regulated, we selected a set of 10 genes involved in the leaf starch metabolism pathway, and validated microarray patterns using quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR). Except for decreased synthesis and induced decomposition of starch granule in leaves, 8 h long EO exposure slightly elevated the accumulation of sucrose compared to glucose and fructose in subjected potato plants. An in vitro feeding bioassay with Colorado potato beetle showed that EO-induced alternations on transcriptional level and in the sugars' metabolism caused the enhancement of feeding behavior and overall development of the tested larvae. Results of comprehensive analysis of transcriptional responses in potato exposed to French Marigold EO provide a basis for further elucidation of molecular mechanisms underlying eco-physiological interactions in companion planting cropping systems.

Food demands of increasing human population dictate intensification of livestock production, however, environmental stresses could jeopardize producers' efforts. Forage legumes suffer from yield losses and poor nutritional status due to salinity increase of agricultural soils. As tools aimed to reduce negative impacts of biotic or abiotic stresses, proteinase inhibitors (PIs) have been promoted for biotechnological improvements. In order to increase tolerance of Lotus corniculatus L. to salt stress, serine PI, BvSTI, was introduced into this legume using Agrobacterium rhizogenes, with final transformation efficiency of 4.57%. PCR, DNA gel-blot, RT-PCR and in-gel protein activity assays confirmed the presence and activity of BvSTI products in transformed lines. Plants from three selected transgenic lines (21, 73 and 109) showed significant alterations in overall phenotypic appearance, corresponding to differences in BvSTI accumulation. Lines 73 and 109 showed up to 7.3-fold higher number of tillers and massive, up to 5.8-fold heavier roots than in nontransformed controls (NTC). Line 21 was phenotypically similar to NTC, accumulated less BvSTI transcripts and did not exhibit an additional band of recombinant trypsin inhibitor as seen in lines 73 and 109. Exposure of the transgenic lines to NaCl revealed different levels of salt stress susceptibility. The NaCl sensitivity index, based on morphological appearance and chlorophyll concentrations showed that lines 73 and 109 were significantly less affected by salinity than NTC or line 21. High level of BvSTI altered morphology and delayed salt stress related senescence, implicating BvSTI gene as a promising tool for salinity tolerance improvement trials in L. corniculatus., (Copyright © 2019 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.)

Purpose: The current study aimed to investigate proof-of-concept efficacy of an individualized, robot-mediated training regime for people with MS (pwMS) and stroke patients., Method: Thirteen pwMS and 14 chronic stroke patients performed 36 (stroke) or 40 (pwMS) training sessions with the I-TRAVLE system. Evaluation of upper limb function was performed at baseline, after training and at 3 months follow-up. Clinical outcome measures consisted of active range of motion (ROM), Motricity Index, Jamar handgrip strength, perceived fatigue and strength, Wolf Motor Function Test (WFMT) and ABILHAND. Robot-generated outcome measures consisted of movement velocity, ROM and actual covered distance compared to straight-line distance., Results: In pwMS, significant improvements were found after training in active shoulder ROM, handgrip strength, perceived strength and WMFT activities. No significant change in clinical outcome was found in stroke patients, except for perceived strength. Significant improvement in speed and movement duration was found after training in both groups. At follow-up, clinical outcome deteriorated in pwMS and was maintained in stroke patients., Conclusions: Robot-mediated training resulted in improved movement coordination in both groups, as well as clinical improvement in pwMS. Absence of functional improvements in stroke patients may relate to severe upper limb dysfunction at baseline. Implications for Rehabilitation Robot-mediated training improved strength, active range of motion and upper limb capacity in pwMS. Robot-mediated therapy allows for adapted training difficulty.

Objectives: The aim of this study is to analyze the availability and coverage by health insurance reimbursement of pediatric formulations labeled for children up to the age of 12 in Serbia. To provide good insight in general availability of pediatric medicines, results were compared with the World Health Organization's (WHO) "Model List of Essential Medicines for Children" and with published evidence., Materials and Methods: Sources of information about medicines are the Summary of Product Characteristics, National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF) Drug Lists, WHO Model Lists of Essential Medicines for Children, and Serbia's official drug registry (2013)., Results: Out of total number of medicines in Serbia, only 49% (496) were available for children. Of all available drugs for children, 66% were with license and majority were parenteral formulation (57%), followed by drugs for local use (28%) and formulations for oral use (23%). The lowest availability of medicines was for children 0-27 days. From the total number of licensed medicines for children up to 12 years old, NHIF covers 64% of drugs. The availability of the WHO essential medicines for children in Serbia was 51%, from which 92% were licensed for pediatric use., Conclusions: Our results demonstrated the alarming lack of pediatric suitable formulations in Serbia. Significant differences in the availability of drugs suitable for children exist worldwide. From global health point of view, the differences in the access to children formulations should, therefore, be of the highest priority., Competing Interests: There are no conflicts of interest.

We were interested in interethnic differences and similarities in how emotion regulation strategies (reappraisal, suppression and social sharing) can be predicted by emotion valence and intensity. The sample consisted of 389 Dutch majority members and members of five immigrant groups: 136 Turkish and Moroccan, 105 Antillean and Surinamese, 102 Indonesian, 313 Western and 150 other non-Western immigrants. In a path model with latent variables we confirmed that emotion regulation strategies were significantly and similarly related to emotion valence and intensity across the groups. Negative emotions were more reappraised and suppressed than positive emotions. Intensity was positively related to social sharing and negatively related to reappraisal and suppression. The Dutch majority group scored higher on emotion valence than Turkish and Moroccan immigrants. Also, the Dutch majority group scored lower on reappraisal than all non-Western groups, and lower on suppression than Turkish and Moroccan immigrants. We conclude that group differences reside more in mean scores on some components than in how antecedents are linked to regulation strategies., (© 2014 International Union of Psychological Science.)

Objective: To compare patient-reported outcomes (PROs) of surgical correction of Peyronie's disease (PD) with the Nesbit procedure, plaque incision and grafting, and the insertion of a malleable penile implant after surgical correction of penile curvature., Patients and Methods: We performed a retrospective review of men who underwent surgical correction of PD between January 2010 and December 2012 at six international centres. Treatment-related PROs and satisfaction were evaluated with a non-validated questionnaire., Results: The response rate to the questionnaire was 70.9%, resulting in a study cohort of 206 patients. The Nesbit procedure, plaque incision with grafting, or implantation of a malleable penile prosthesis was performed in 50, 48, and 108 patients, respectively. Overall, 79.1% reported a subjective loss of penile length due to PD preoperatively (range 2.1-3.2 cm). Those patients treated with a malleable penile implant reported the greatest subjective penile length loss, due to PD. A subjective loss of penile length of >2.5 cm resulted in reduced preoperative sex ability. Postoperatively, 78.0%, 29.2% and 24.1% patients in the Nesbit, grafting, and implant groups reported a postoperative, subjective loss of penile length (range 0.4-1.2 cm), with 86.3%, 78.6%, and 82.1% of the patients in each group, respectively, being bothered by the loss of length., Conclusions: Penile length loss due to PD affects most patients. Further penile length loss due to the surgical correction leads to bother among the affected patients, irrespective of the magnitude of the loss. The Nesbit procedure was associated with the highest losses in penile length. In patients with PD and severe erectile dysfunction, a concomitant lengthening procedure may be offered to patients to help overcome the psychological burden caused by the loss of penile length., (© 2014 The Authors. BJU International © 2014 BJU International.)

We were interested in interethnic differences in emotional suppression. We propose a model in which suppression of specific emotional experiences (suppressive behaviours during interactions with others) mediates the relationship between emotional suppression tendency (intention to suppress emotions) and well-being, operationalised as mood disturbance, life dissatisfaction and depressive and physical symptoms. The sample consisted of 427 majority group members and 344 non-Western and 465 Western immigrants in the Netherlands. Non-Western immigrants scored higher on emotional suppression tendency and lower on well-being than the other groups. We did not find interethnic differences in suppression of specific emotional experiences. The full mediation model was supported in all groups. Interethnic differences in well-being could not be accounted for by differences in emotional suppression., (© 2014 International Union of Psychological Science.)