Modelling Alternative Economic Incentive Schemes for Semi-Natural Grassland Conservation in Estonia.

Semi-natural grasslands (SNGLs) in Estonia are threatened by abandonment. This threat is leading to concerns about the degradation of biodiversity within grassland communities. Despite the high relevance of economic incentives in this context, how such incentives influence land managers' decision-making regarding the agricultural use of SNGLs has not been investigated.

Study of endocrine disruptor effects in AVP and OT mediated behavioral and reproductive processes in female rat models.

Environmental exposures may have endocrine disruptor (ED) effects, e.g., a role for halogenated hydrocarbon chlorobenzenes in increasing vasopressin (AVP), oxytocin (OT) secretion and, in association, anxiety and aggression in male rats has been shown.

From UAV to PlanetScope: Upscaling fractional cover of an invasive species Rosa rugosa.

Invasive plant species pose a direct threat to biodiversity and ecosystem services. Among these, Rosa rugosa has had a severe impact on Baltic coastal ecosystems in recent decades. Accurate mapping and monitoring tools are essential to quantify the location and spatial extent of invasive plant species to support eradication programs.

Experimental climate change impacts on Baltic coastal wetland plant communities.

Coastal wetlands provide a range of important ecosystem services, yet they are under threat from a range of stressors including climate change. This is predominantly as a result of alterations to the hydroregime and associated edaphic factors. We used a three-year mesocosm experiment to assess changes in coastal plant community composition for three plant communities in response to altered water level and salinity scenarios.

The principles of person-centredness in quality patient care-Evaluation of the Community Pharmacy Services Quality Guidelines in Estonia.

Introduction: Person-centredness is considered a key component of quality healthcare and the core competence of all healthcare professionals. However, person-centred care (PCC) is not often considered a priority for improving the quality of healthcare. This study aimed to evaluate to what extent the PCC principles are included in the Community Pharmacy Services Quality Guidelines (CPSQG) in Estonia.

E-solutions in Estonian community pharmacies: A literature review.

Objective: Estonian innovative electronic solutions have long been leading the way in the healthcare sector. This article aims to give an overview of all e-solutions and their usability in community pharmacies in Estonia and how they compare and operate with the wider e-health system.

Methods: A comprehensive literature review was conducted on publicly accessible information regarding Estonian e-health and electronic community pharmacy solutions.

Power of combined modern technology: Multitouch-multiuser tabletops and virtual reality platforms () in social communication skills training for children with neurological disorders: A pilot study.

New technologies such as multitouch-multiuser tabletops (MMT) and virtual reality (VR) provide modern neurorehabilitation options. The aim was to describe the structure of acquired social communication deficits in children with neurological disorders (ND) and implement a new PowerVR method- combined MMT/VR interfaces, into social neurorehabilitation. The study was designed based on the Structured Social Rehabilitation Model.

Experiences and Expectations of Ethnic Minorities and Majorities towards Community Pharmacy Medicines-Related Services in Estonia.

The unique professional competence of pharmacists can support the safe and effective use of medicines by patients. Additionally, it is important to acknowledge and incorporate the needs of patients with various cultural and social backgrounds. The objective of this study was to assess and compare the experiences and expectations of Russian- and Estonian-speaking pharmacy customers about medicines-related services in Estonian community pharmacies.

A qualitative study of the challenges in rearranging community pharmacy service provision during the COVID-19 public health emergency: The prism of social practice theory.

Objectives: While healthcare systems struggle to manage the COVID-19 pandemic, community pharmacies have changed the way in which they serve society by ensuring the availability of primary-level medical care. This study aims to examine the rearrangement of service provision at community pharmacies through the prism of social practice theory.

Study Design: Qualitative in-depth semi-structured interviews.

Peripheral and Autonomic Neuropathy Status of Young Patients With Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus at the Time of Transition From Pediatric Care to Adult-Oriented Diabetes Care.

Introduction: The prevalence of neuropathic lesions in young patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) at the time of transition from pediatric care to adult-oriented diabetes care is poorly studied. A comparative study with healthy volunteers to assess the possible neuropathic condition of this special population and to identify the potential early screening needs has not been performed yet. The results may provide important feedback to pediatric diabetes care and a remarkable baseline reference point for further follow up in adult diabetes care.

Use of Face-to-Face Assessment Methods in E-Learning-An Example of an Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE) Test.

The spread of COVID-19 and social-distancing rules have increased the need for alternative learning environments with a focus on e-learning platforms. The objective of this study was to assess whether and to what extent the transition from traditional learning and assessment environment to the e-setting impacts the knowledge and skills acquired by students and their satisfaction with new e-solutions of taking the OSCE test. The study compared the results of three face-to-face (2018-2019) and one electronically conducted (2021) OSCE tests, as well as students' feedback on the content and organization of the tests.

Profession Driven Improvement of the Quality of Pharmacy Practice-Implementation of Community Pharmacy Services Quality Guidelines in Estonia.

Constant improvement of the quality of community pharmacy services is important in the development of contemporary patient care. A national and voluntary Community Pharmacy Services Quality Guidelines (CPSQG) was developed to formulate the principles of contemporary pharmacy services, including quality criteria for service provision. The purpose of this study was to identify the implementation of the CPSQG as a profession-driven initiative towards improving and harmonizing community pharmacy services in Estonia.

Primary health care policy and vision for community pharmacy and pharmacists in Estonia.

Estonia, with a population of 1.3 million, is the smallest country in the three Baltic States. As a post-soviet country, Estonia over the past 30 years has built up a new health care system, including the pharmaceutical sector.

Students' Feedback on the Development of a Competency-Based Pharmacy Education (CBPE) at the University of Tartu, Estonia.

Increasing need in society to provide collaborative and patient-centered pharmaceutical care has to be addressed in curriculum development. Principles of competency-based pharmacy education (CBPE) could be seen as one solution to the new professional challenges of pharmacists. At the University of Tartu (UT), the Pharmacy curriculum was updated in 2019 to introduce principles of CBPE.

Recent advances in the use of stimulated Raman scattering in histopathology.

Stimulated Raman histopathology (SRH) utilises the intrinsic vibrational properties of lipids, proteins and nucleic acids to generate contrast providing rapid image acquisition that allows visualisation of histopathological features. It is currently being trialled in the intraoperative setting, where the ability to image unprocessed samples rapidly and with high resolution offers several potential advantages over the use of conventional haematoxylin and eosin stained images. Here we review recent advances in the field including new updates in instrumentation and computer aided diagnosis.

How involvement of community pharmacies improves accessibility to and awareness about flu vaccination? - An example from Estonia.

Background: In Estonia, seasonal influenza vaccination coverage is poor, being in recent years the lowest in the older age groups. In 2018 the flu vaccination was first provided at community pharmacies in Estonia. The aims of this study were to evaluate the experience of flu vaccination at community pharmacies by pharmacy customers and to learn about the perception of community pharmacists regarding the immunization service.

Utilizing Stimulated Raman Scattering Microscopy To Study Intracellular Distribution of Label-Free Ponatinib in Live Cells.

Stimulated Raman scattering (SRS) microscopy represents a powerful method for imaging label-free drug distribution with high resolution. SRS was applied to image label-free ponatinib with high sensitivity and specificity in live human chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) cell lines. This was achieved at biologically relevant, nanomolar concentrations, allowing determination of ponatinib uptake and sequestration into lysosomes during the development of acquired drug resistance and an improved understanding of target engagement.

Attention profile in children with epilepsy compared to healthy children using computer-based ForamenRehab program.

Attention is a key component in cognitive functioning. Attention impairment is often present in children with epilepsy, which is one of the most common neurological disorders in children and adolescents. Evaluating the attention profiles is important for describing the patients' cognitive weaknesses and planning individual-based cognitive neurorehabilitation.

Positive outcome of visuospatial deficit rehabilitation in children with epilepsy using computer-based FORAMENRehab program.

Children with epilepsy often show deficits in attention and visuospatial functions. Still, very few systematically controlled evidence-based pediatric neurorehabilitation methods exist. The aim was to assess the effectiveness of a computer-based rehabilitation program for visuospatial deficit remediation in children with epilepsy.

Pharmacy Practice and Education in Estonia.

The Pharmacy Education in Europe (PHARMINE) project studied pharmacy practice and education in the European Union (EU) member states. The work was carried out using an electronic survey forwarded to selected pharmacy representatives at community and hospital pharmacies, in the pharmacy industry and at drug authorities. The surveys of the individual member states are now being published as reference documents for students and staff interested in research on pharmacy education in the EU, and in mobility.

Study of the Potential Endocrine-Disrupting Effects of Phenylurea Compounds on Neurohypophysis Cells .

Homeostatic disruptor agents, and endocrine disruptor compounds (EDC) specifically, can originate from agricultural and industrial chemicals. If they modify the adaptation of living organisms as direct (e.g.

Country-scale mapping of ecosystem services provided by semi-natural grasslands.

Semi-natural grasslands harbour high biodiversity and play a key role in the supply of ecosystem services (ES). However, abandonment, changes in traditional management practices and agricultural intensification constitute a major threat to these grasslands worldwide and these practices have led to declines in species diversity. In this paper the multi-functionality of semi natural-grasslands is assessed from the ES perspective, within a range of common semi-natural grassland types throughout Estonia.

Structured Model of Neurorehab: A Pilot Study of Modern Multitouch Technology and Virtual Reality Platforms for Training Sociocognitive Deficit in Children with Acquired Brain Injury.

Social competence is often impaired in children with acquired brain injury (ABI), but evidence-based rehabilitation has remained undeveloped. This pilot-study aimed to create a structured model for sociocognitive rehabilitation for children with ABI. A total of 32 children aged 8-13 years participated: 22 with ABI -epilepsy, traumatic brain injury, or tic disorder and 10 healthy controls.

The Role of Uron and Chlorobenzene Derivatives, as Potential Endocrine Disrupting Compounds, in the Secretion of ACTH and PRL.

Uron herbicides polluting the environment represent a serious concern for environmental health and may be regarded as endocrine-disrupting compounds (EDCs), which influence the regulation of human homeostasis. We aimed to investigate the effect of EDC urons (phenuron: PU, monuron: MU, and diuron: DU) and chlorobenzenes on the basal release of the adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH), which is a part of the adenohypophysis-adrenocortical axis. Hormone secretion in the presence of EDC was studied in two cell types: normal adenohypophysis cells (AdH) and cells of prolactinomas (PRLOMA).

Mono-Substituted Hydrocarbon Diastereomer Combinations Reveal Stapled Peptides with High Structural Fidelity.

Modified peptides, such as stapled peptides, which replicate the structure of α-helical protein segments, represent a potential therapeutic advance. However, the 3D solution structure of these stapled peptides is rarely explored beyond the acquisition of circular dichroism (CD) data to quantify bulk peptide helicity; the detailed backbone structure, which underlies this, is typically undefined. Diastereomeric stapled peptides based on helical sections of three proteins (αSyn, Cks1 and CK1α) were generated; their overall helicity was quantified by CD; and the most helical peptide from each series was selected for structural analysis.