Background: Ventilation management may differ between COVID–19 ARDS (COVID–ARDS) patients and patients with pre–COVID ARDS (CLASSIC–ARDS); it is uncertain whether associations of ventilation management with outcomes for CLASSIC–ARDS also exist in COVID–ARDS. Methods: Individual patient data analysis of COVID–ARDS and CLASSIC–ARDS patients in six observational studies of ventilation, four in the COVID–19 pandemic and two pre–pandemic. Descriptive statistics were used to compare epidemiology and ventilation characteristics. The primary endpoint were key ventilation parameters; other outcomes included mortality and ventilator–free days and alive (VFD–60) at day 60. Results: This analysis included 6702 COVID–ARDS patients and 1415 CLASSIC–ARDS patients. COVID–ARDS patients received lower median VT (6.6 [6.0 to 7.4] vs 7.3 [6.4 to 8.5] ml/kg PBW; p < 0.001) and higher median PEEP (12.0 [10.0 to 14.0] vs 8.0 [6.0 to 10.0] cm H2O; p < 0.001), at lower median ΔP (13.0 [10.0 to 15.0] vs 16.0 [IQR 12.0 to 20.0] cm H2O; p < 0.001) and higher median Crs (33.5 [26.6 to 42.1] vs 28.1 [21.6 to 38.4] mL/cm H2O; p < 0.001). Following multivariable adjustment, higher ΔP had an independent association with higher 60–day mortality and less VFD–60 in both groups. Higher PEEP had an association with less VFD–60, but only in COVID–ARDS patients. Conclusions: Our findings show important differences in key ventilation parameters and associations thereof with outcomes between COVID–ARDS and CLASSIC–ARDS. Trial registration: Clinicaltrials.gov (identifier NCT05650957), December 14, 2022.
Questions of ethics lie at the heart of government responses to Covid-19, professional reactions and citizens’ behaviour. Such questions include: Do we value health or the economy? Who gets the protective equipment, ventilators or food vouchers? Is combatting loneliness worth the risk of spreading or contracting the virus? During May 2020, a group of academics in partnership with the International Federation of Social Workers (IFSW) launched a qualitative survey, asking for details of the ethical challenges faced by social workers during Covid-19. We identified six main themes: Creating and maintaining trusting, honest and empathic relationships via phone or internet with due regard to privacy and confidentiality, or in person with protective equipment. Prioritising service user needs and demands, which are greater and different due to the pandemic, when resources are stretched/unavailable and full assessments often impossible. Balancing service user rights, needs and risks against personal risk to social workers and others, in order to provide services as well as possible. Deciding whether to follow national and organisational policies, procedures or guidance (existing or new) or to use professional discretion in circumstances where the policies seem inappropriate, confused or lacking. Acknowledging and handling emotions, fatigue and the need for self-care, when working in unsafe and stressful circumstances. Using the lessons learned from working during the pandemic to rethink social work in the future.
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The outbreak of the COVID-19 virus in December 2019 and the restrictive measures that were implemented to slow down the spread of the virus have had a significant impact on our way of life. The sudden shift from offline to online activities and work may have resulted in new cybersecurity risks. The present study therefore examined changes in the prevalence, nature and impact of cybercrime among Dutch citizens and SME owners, during the pandemic. Qualitative interviews with ten experts working at various public and private organizations in the Netherlands that have insights into cybercrime victimization and data from victim surveys administrated in 2019 and 2021 were analyzed. The results show that there was only a small, non-statistically significant increase in the prevalence of cybercrime during the pandemic among citizens and SME owners. Nevertheless, the COVID-19 pandemic did have an impact on the modus operandi of cybercriminals: victims indicated that a considerable proportion of the offenses was related to the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly in the case of online fraud. Moreover, the use of new applications and programs for work was associated with an increased risk of cybercrime victimization during the COVID-19 crisis. These results suggest that increases in rates of registered cybercrime that were found in previous studies might be the consequence of a reporting effect and that cybercriminals adapt their modus operandi to current societal developments.
ADAS Kennisbank Advanced Driver Assistent Systems (ADAS) bepalen als een van de vier disruptieve automotive trends1 de komende jaren de automotive-branche. In de breedte van de branche –mkb-autobedrijven en -werkplaatsen, rijschoolhouders, verzekeraars, overheden, belangenorganisaties - bestaat het bewustzijn van de potentie en de impact van deze trend. Door de snelheid, waarmee deze ontwikkeling gepaard gaat, groeit de behoefte aan state of the art ADAS-kennis bij MKB-bedrijven in de automotive sector. Tevens vraagt de aard van deze disruptieve trend om interdisciplinaire samenwerkingen om de state of the art kennis te blijven ontwikkelen en om deze toegankelijk te presenteren. Met een consortium- bestaande uit MKB-ers en branche- belangenorganisaties- dat de breedte van de automotive-branche vertegenwoordigt, wil HAN-AR de behoefte aan ADAS kennis concretiseren en een kennisbank creëren waar onafhankelijke state of the Art ADAS kennis voor een breed netwerk toegankelijk wordt gepresenteerd. Doormiddel van dit onderzoek worden de ADAS kennishiaten in kaart gebracht en worden op basis daarvan nieuwe netwerken gevormd waarmee relevante en ontbrekende state of the art kennis wordt onderzocht. Het onderzoek moet leiden tot het uitbreiden van het ADAS netwerk dat zowel voor onderzoek als ook voor het automotive onderwijs komende jaren een prominente rol zal gaan spelen.
A continuation and update of the first ALT-ER project, which produced an app for early-years students that allowed them to express their feelings and tell stories related to pro-social and important developmental themes. This follow-up project will expand the software and themes, particularly in light of the COVID-19 pandemic, to reflect a wider range of experiences for young people.
Due to the existing pressure for a more rational use of the water, many public managers and industries have to re-think/adapt their processes towards a more circular approach. Such pressure is even more critical in the Rio Doce region, Minas Gerais, due to the large environmental accident occurred in 2015. Cenibra (pulp mill) is an example of such industries due to the fact that it is situated in the river basin and that it has a water demanding process. The current proposal is meant as an academic and engineering study to propose possible solutions to decrease the total water consumption of the mill and, thus, decrease the total stress on the Rio Doce basin. The work will be divided in three working packages, namely: (i) evaluation (modelling) of the mill process and water balance (ii) application and operation of a pilot scale wastewater treatment plant (iii) analysis of the impacts caused by the improvement of the process. The second work package will also be conducted (in parallel) with a lab scale setup in The Netherlands to allow fast adjustments and broaden evaluation of the setup/process performance. The actions will focus on reducing the mill total water consumption in 20%.
