Association of Maternal Antenatal Education with Quality of Life after Childbirth in the Slovenian Population before and during the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Pregnancy and childbirth have a crucial impact on a woman's quality of life. In Slovenia, antenatal classes are the main educational tool used to prepare expectant mothers for their new role. The aim of our study was to assess the relationship between the duration of antenatal classes and the mothers' quality of life after childbirth. A self-administered, previously validated and tested questionnaire regarding the quality of life after childbirth was completed by Slovenian women. Based on an online survey, data were collected for two groups of mothers. The first group (n = 1091) gave birth before the COVID-19 pandemic, and the second group (n = 1163) gave birth during the pandemic. Group differences were analyzed using the Mann-Whitney U test. Linear regression and correlation coefficients were calculated for the association between quality of life and the duration of antenatal classes. Our study showed a significant decrease in the duration of antenatal classes and a decrease in quality of life after birth during the COVID-19 pandemic. We also showed that more antenatal education was associated with a higher quality of life. Despite the influence of multiple factors during the COVID-19 pandemic, we defined the correlation between the duration of antenatal classes and postpartum quality of life in a sample of Slovenian mothers. The duration of the antenatal classes is an important factor influencing the quality of life after childbirth.

Decarbonisation of eastern European economies: monitoring, economic, social and security concerns.

Background: Decarbonisation of the European economy is one of the main strategic goals of energy transition in the European Union (EU), which aims to become a leader in this process by 2050 and to include other European countries making thus the European continent the first carbon neutral region in the world. Although decarbonisation is an important goal of the EU, the models for monitoring the progress of this process have not yet been clearly defined, and views on the social, economic, and security implications in terms of prioritising decarbonisation are conflicting. The main objective of this paper is to determine the methodological correctness of the existing method of decarbonisation monitoring, to develop a new monitoring model indicating the differences in the EU and European countries that are non-EU and to point out the underlying social, economic and security implications that must certainly find their place in the decision-making process in this field. Results: The main results showed that there is no clearly defined model for monitoring the success of decarbonisation, while the indicators that are commonly used for this purpose make a model that, as the analysis shows-is methodologically incorrect. In the case of EU countries, the following indicators proved to be the most reliable: consumption-based CO 2 and share in global CO 2 . For non-EU countries, the best monitoring indicators are CO 2 per unit of GDP, consumption-based CO 2 , and renewable energy consumption. These indicators can explain 99% of the variance in decarbonisation success. Conclusions: The basic conclusion of the paper is that even before the implementation, the decarbonisation monitoring model should be defined and methodologically tested, and the use of a single model for all EU countries or for all countries is not recommended. It is proposed to simplify the monitoring model, with an emphasis on monitoring of consumption-based CO 2 , which proved to be the most efficient in all sampled countries. The current method of monitoring is based exclusively on environmentally related indicators while ignoring the fact that decarbonisation is associated with almost all aspects of development. The additional social, economic and security aspects need to be developed and included in the further monitoring process.

Factors influencing plagiarism in higher education: A comparison of German and Slovene students.

Over the past decades, plagiarism has been classified as a multi-layer phenomenon of dishonesty that occurs in higher education. A number of research papers have identified a host of factors such as gender, socialisation, efficiency gain, motivation for study, methodological uncertainties or easy access to electronic information via the Internet and new technologies, as reasons driving plagiarism. The paper at hand examines whether such factors are still effective and if there are any differences between German and Slovene students' factors influencing plagiarism. A quantitative paper-and-pencil survey was carried out in Germany and Slovenia in 2017/2018 academic year, with a sample of 485 students from higher education institutions. The major findings of this research reveal that easy access to information-communication technologies and the Web is the main reason driving plagiarism. In that regard, there are no significant differences between German and Slovene students in terms of personal factors such as gender, motivation for study, and socialisation. In this sense, digitalisation and the Web outrank national borders.

Kinematic study of back movement in clinically sound malinois dogs with consideration of the effect of radiographic changes in the lumbosacral junction.

OBJECTIVE: To determine thoracolumbar spinal movement in dogs and the influence of subclinical radiographic changes involving the lumbosacral junction. STUDY DESIGN: Experimental study. ANIMALS: Clinically sound Malinois dogs (n=22). METHODS: Kinematic analysis of markers on the spinal processes of C7, T6, T13, L3, L7, and S3 was performed while dogs were walking on a treadmill. Range of motion (ROM) in the transverse and vertical direction and the time of occurrence (TOO) of the maximal marker position were calculated. ROM and TOO of angulations formed by the corresponding markers were calculated. Initial kinematic analysis was performed without knowledge of the radiographic changes, and then data were reanalyzed to determine whether vertebral changes influenced back motion. Based on the results of radiographic analysis of the lumbosacral junction, dogs were divided into 3 groups: 1=no radiographic changes; 2=shortened L7 vertebra; and 3=transitional vertebrae, spondylosis, subluxations, and spondylarthrosis of the lumbosacral junction. ROM and TOO were compared using ANOVA for repeated measures and a Bonferroni's post hoc test; P<.05 was considered significant. RESULTS: The highest transverse ROM was achieved by markers T6, T13, and L3, and in the vertical direction by S3; however, there were no significant differences in ROM in horizontal angulations. In the sagittal plane, T13-L3-L7 had a lower angulation than L3-L7-S3. In Group 3, transverse ROM for C7 was significantly higher than in Group 1; the horizontal angular maximum of T13-L3-L7 occurred significantly earlier. CONCLUSIONS: Significant kinematic changes were detected between clinically sound dogs with radiographic lumbosacral changes and dogs with no radiographic abnormalities. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Kinematic data from clinically sound dogs can be used for comparison with data from dogs with gait disturbances associated with orthopedic or neurologic disease or changes associated with therapy.

Influence of borderline hip dysplasia on joint kinematics of clinically sound Belgian Shepherd dogs.

OBJECTIVE: To detect changes in joint kinematics of clinically sound dogs with or without radiographically detectable borderline hip dysplasia (HD). ANIMALS: 20 Belgian Shepherd Dogs (Malinois; mean +/- SD age, 2.75 +/- 1.32 years) with no clinical signs of HD. PROCEDURES: Kinematic gait analysis was performed in Malinois walking on a treadmill. On the basis of results of radiographic examination for HD and in accordance with guidelines established by the Fédération Cynologique Internationale, dogs were assigned to group 1 (no radiographic signs of HD; 8 dogs) or group 2 (borderline HD; 12 dogs). Ground reaction forces and weight distribution among limbs and differences between groups were evaluated. Maximal sagittal angle during the stance and swing phases, the time at which they were detected, and angle velocities were calculated for joints of the hind limbs. RESULTS: Ground reaction forces revealed no differences between groups. Dogs in group 1 had significant changes (earlier time for maximal flexion of the hip joint and less flexion and less range of motion of the stifle joint), compared with results for dogs in group 2. Maximal angle velocity of the stifle and tarsal joints was significantly lower during the swing phase in group 1 than in group 2. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: This study revealed that dogs with borderline HD had altered joint kinematics. Our data provide basic kinematic values for clinically sound and affected dogs and can be used to investigate the long-term effects for subclinical radiographic changes of the hip joints of dogs.