2020 was the year a pandemic hit the world. Along with that, media was swamped with information about death numbers, epidemiological facts, and an urge to inform people on the current situation. The information campaigns by the Austrian government were no exception. Highlighted in these campaigns were children, especially when it came to the relationship with grandparents or presenting how to keep distance through the display of a baby elephant. A visual analysis of information campaigns was conducted in order to find out how children were presented in these campaigns and to further identify what messages were conveyed in relation to children. Four themes emerged during the research process that gave answers to the research questions posed. The results show that children were shown in relation to their grandparents or their family. Moreover, they were often used to present innocence and in need of protection, but paradoxically also as socially responsible over the health and well-being of the older generation. Often so, they were used mimicking the voice of the initiators of the campaign “Look after yourself, look after me” and even used in relation to distance keeping where a child in a baby elephant costume “taught” adults how to keep distance. Research on children’s representation in media in relation to a pandemic is rather slim and there is an urgent need to gain more knowledge in this area, since this would broaden the awareness of how children are represented and seen by a society the reside within.

The purpose of this study is to find out which leadership styles are effective during the COVID-19 pandemic in India. In this study, the term “effective leadership styles” is used for defining the efficiency level of a leadership style in COVID-19 pandemic. Efficiency level refers to the constructive results which companies could reach due to a specific leadership style. During the pandemic, the main constructive result is the surviving in the market. It has been heavy heartedly witnessed that how dreadful COVID-19 turned out to be. It has affected the whole world. After the great recession that occurred in COVID-19 turned out to be most fatal for whole world economy. It has been seen that difficult for all the businesses to survive. To do so the whole role was of leadership. It was on the leaders whether if they led their company and their followers in right directions or vice versa. It has been seen many well reputed companies have been shedding their costs by downsizing. The proposed study aims to see the role of leadership during this crucial time of COVID-19. Design/methodology/approach — 120 structured questionnaires consisting of 14 statements were distributed to Indian IT companies through online channels such as LinkedIn and WhatsApp. The analysis was performed on the data collected using SPSS. Theoretical Framework — From reviewing the literature about leadership styles, 7 leadership styles have been highlighted as the theoretical basis for our study. The questionnaire has been developed based on the 7 styles. Results – Our study found out that during the pandemic Instruct-style, Transformational, Autocratic, and Strategic leadership styles have high level of effectiveness, and such styles are helping companies to cope with the crisis created by Covid-19 pandemic. Meanwhile our analysis showed that the Transactional, Laissez-Faire, and Democratic styles are not very effective during the crisis. Thus, our study discovered that during the crisis leaders need to take more autocratic role and give very clear instructions to employees. Study provides useful insights for academicians and marketers to device strategies by understanding the factors that portray how leaders can lead their employees in crucial times like COVID-19.

The corona pandemic has led to many different changes in society, where many companies have had to adapt and readjust to teleworking. This has resulted in different challenges within the working life, for both employers and employees. One of these challenges is how to manage work motivation among the employees. The purpose with this study is therefore to increase awareness of which factors that are important for work motivation among the employees during a forced telework. Furthermore, the aim of this study is to increase awareness of what conditions the employer creates for the work motivation and how the conditions have become valuable for the work motivation among the employees. Previous research about work motivation includes a discussion between intrinsic and extrinsic sources of motivation. Furthermore, it also presents different perspectives of work motivation, both through an individual and organizational. The previous research in the field of teleworking shows that combining teleworking with office work is the most preferable way, since there are several advantages and disadvantages with teleworking. This study is based on qualitative interviews with employees and management within a construction and maintenance company. The result of the study shows that the most important motivational factors for work motivation among employees are related to intrinsic work motivation. These factors are the work itself, responsibility, confirmation and accomplishment. The result also shows that the management of the company has created favorable conditions for the work motivation during the teleworking period. Lastly, the result shows how the conditions that the company has created have become valuable for the work motivation during the readjustment to teleworking. The adjustments that the management have made have created the right conditions for the employees. Because of these adjustments, the employees have been able to perform their working tasks without further issues. Thus the created conditions by the company has contributed to maintaining the work motivation among the employees. / Coronapandemin har tvingat samhället till olika förändringar, däribland att många företag behövt ställa om till distansarbete. Det har resulterat i olika utmaningar inom arbetslivet, både för arbetsgivare och arbetstagare. En av dessa utmaningar är arbetet med de anställdas arbetsmotivation. Syftet med denna studie är därför att ge en ökad förståelse för vilka faktorer som är viktiga för arbetstagares arbetsmotivation vid ett påtvingat distansarbete. Vidare ämnas studien ge en ökad förståelse för vilka förutsättningar arbetsgivaren skapar för arbetsmotivationen, samt hur dessa förutsättningar fått betydelse för de anställdas arbetsmotivation. Tidigare forskning om arbetsmotivation diskuterar kring inre- och yttre motivationskällor samt arbetsmotivation ur ett individuellt och organisationellt perspektiv. Den tidigare forskningen inom ämnet distansarbete visar att kombinationen av distans- och kontorsarbete är att föredra, då det finns både för- och nackdelar med att arbeta hemifrån. Denna studie baseras på kvalitativa intervjuer med anställda och ledning inom ett bygg- och förvaltningsföretag. Studiens resultat visar att de viktigaste motivationsfaktorerna för de anställdas arbetsmotivation är relaterade till en inre motivation. Dessa faktorer är själva arbetet, ansvar, prestation samt bekräftelse. Resultatet visar även att företagets ledning har skapat förutsättningar för medarbetarna som är gynnsamma för arbetsmotivationen under det påtvingade distansarbetet. Slutligen framkommer det att de förutsättningar som företagets ledning har skapat har haft betydelse för medarbetarnas arbetsmotivation under omställningen från kontorsarbete till distansarbete. De anställda har genom dessa åtgärder kunnat utföra sina arbetsuppgifter utan större problem. Således har Företagets skapade förutsättningar bidragit till att bibehålla arbetsmotivationen hos de anställda.

The purpose of the study is to explore in what ways leadership qualities such as delegation in the Fintech sector is different to that of traditional financial sector in times of crisis. The study is conducted during the COVID-19 pandemic crisis. The findings of this study may theoretically add to the discussion topic for further research on leadership and delegation in times of crisis. From a practical perspective the findings can give leaders insight on what a select group of entrepreneurs in the Fintech sector perceive as important leadership qualities and delegation in times of crisis. A qualitative study was conducted featuring semi-structured interviews with nine leaders in the Fintech sector. An abductive research method has been used, moving back and forth between theory and research and from the empirical evidence identify the common themes of the most important in leadership qualities. The analyses of the empirical evidence showed that there are a few points that support both theory and practice in this specific crisis being, leaders in crisis need to be authentic, trusting, and transparent and have the ability to communicate it to the stakeholders. Although the leadership qualities in crisis varied, there were a few common themes; the importance of trust and qualities such as the ability to take decisions, give clear direction and communication are all in line with theory. What specifically stands out in the Fintech sector, making it different from that of more traditional industries, is that the leadership includes an increased willingness and ability to delegate. Delegation in times of crisis is important as it empowers the team which could further add to a positive resolve of the situation. One of the prerequisites to be able to delegate is the team being experts in their specific area, the other was their mindset and attitude. Fintech leaders also have the notion that leadership in crisis should be the same as is in times of non-crisis and it is imperative to continue to be delegating. The difference compared to more traditional industries can be contributed to entrepreneurial mindset of leaders in the Fintech sector being used to uncertainty and day to adversity of business survival, always ready to adapt their business model. An area for further research could be to do a wider scope and how the crisis affects other sectors.

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This comparative study examines how the issue of domestic violence is covered and framed in the media during the Covid-19 pandemic 2020. The study compares the potential differences and similarities in the media coverage between the two neighbouring countries Sweden and Denmark. By combining a quantitative content analysis with a qualitative framing analysis the study critically examines the attributes of how domestic violence is covered and framed in the media articles during the Covid-19 pandemic 2020. In both countries the media was quick to cover this issue and has done so quite thoroughly, but even though both countries have similar political views on domestic violence and gender equality, they differed in how they framed the topic. By using the framing theory and the theory of intersectionality to analyse the material the study shows that both countries tended to frame the issue of domestic violence as a social issue that was part of a bigger structural problem. But the study also shows that some of the danish articles had tendencies to present the issue through the perspective of the ​perpetrator and sympathize with the reasons behind the violence. The swedish articles, on the other hand, did not take this perspective. Furthermore the study shows an exclusion of black and coloured people in their choice of pictures and the authors also tend to be white female journalists. ​This study is important because it highlights the media's role in framing the social issue of domestic violence during the Covid-19 pandemic, and framing in the media plays a big part in shaping society's perception about social issues.

Thesis advisor: Susan . Kelly-Weeder / Thesis advisor: Judith . Shindul-Rothschild / BACKGROUND: The influenza virus is uniquely capable of creating pandemic illness in our population. The unpredictability of pandemics necessitates plans that will allow registered nurses to expand current capacity to care for ill individuals. It has been documented that personnel resources, often nurses, are a limiting factor in the health care system’s ability to care for large influxes of patients. Prior research has shown that an outbreak of an infectious disease, such as influenza, may lead to healthcare workers (HCWs) intentionally staying out of work. The potential increase in patient demand coupled with a decrease in the number of critical care nurses reporting to work will strain the ability of healthcare systems to meet the needs of patients. To date, research has not studied critical care nurses’ intentions to report to work during a pandemic influenza. PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to examine the percent of critical care nurses that intend to report to work during an influenza pandemic. Covariates that may influence CCNs intention to report included personal, professional, and employer characteristics. Additionally, the impact of threat (perceived susceptibility to influenza and perceived severity of an influenza pandemic) and efficacy (perceived self-efficacy and perceived efficacy of the overall response) on intentions were analyzed. METHODS: A cross-sectional and descriptive design was utilized. Participants were recruited through the American Association of Critical Care Nurses. The final sample totaled 245 critical care nurses from across the United States. The participants completed an adapted version of the Johns Hopkins Public Health Infrastructure Response Survey Tool (JH~PHIRST) as well as personal demographics and information on their primary employer. Data were analyzed using bivariate methods and logistic regression. RESULTS: This study found that nearly 87% of CCNs intend to report during a pandemic flu, but this number drops to 78% if severity of the pandemic is factored in and further declines to 63% if the CCNs are asked to work extra. Perceived self-efficacy is a primary factor in explaining CCNs intend to report to work. CCNs with high perceived self-efficacy were6.221 (95% CI: 2.638-14.673) times more likely to report than those with low perceived self-efficacy. Perceived self-efficacy continues to significantly impact intentions to report to work when the severity of the pandemic is considered as well as when CCNs are asked to work extra. CCNs with high perceived self-efficacy are consistently, significantly more likely to intend to report than those with low perceived self-efficacy. CONCLUSION: Perceived self-efficacy is related to CCN intentions to report to work during a pandemic flu emergency. Future research should examine methods for increasing CCN perceived self-efficacy, including professional, educational and employment factors. / Thesis (PhD) — Boston College, 2020. / Submitted to: Boston College. Connell School of Nursing. / Discipline: Nursing.

The HIV/AIDS pandemic has dramatically altered patterns of morbidity and mortality in sub-Saharan Africa during the last two decades. In the absence of HIV vaccine, microbicides may offer viable option for protection against HIV infection. Microbicides are products that are applied topically inside the vagina or rectum that act to impede transmission of HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases. Small human chemokines such as RANTES (regulated upon activation, normal T cell expressed and secreted) are currently been investigated as microbicides candidates. A number of N-terminally modified RANTES analogues such as 5P12 and 6P4 with a much higher antiviral potency have been developed and they have strong potential for use as microbicides. Since plants offer an alternative option for cost effective production of protein therapeutics, we evaluated the feasibility of expressing 5P12 and 6P4 in Nicotiana benthamiana species. 5P12 is considered the most promising candidate for use in the microbicide pipeline because it inhibits HIV infection through cellular receptor antagonism. Hence its feasibility of expression was also evaluated in Lycopersicon esculentum (tomato). The two analogues were transiently expressed in the selected plant species via agrobacterium-mediated transfection. For expression in N. benthamiana, two different vectors (pTRA and MagnICON) were used to deliver the two analogues for transient expression. About 6-8 weeks-old N. benthamiana plants were agroinfiltrated via needle injection and vacuum infiltration methods and targeted to four subcellular compartments viz: apoplast, chloroplast, cytosol and endoplasmic reticulum (ER). The agroinfiltrated leaves were replanted, grown in a tissue culture laboratory and harvested after different periods. For expression in L. esculentum, the MagnICON constructs were used to deliver the 5P12 gene into four different developmental stages of tomato fruits viz: mature green (MG), breaker (B), pink (P) and ripe (R) via needle injection. The agroinjected tomato fruits were incubated in a dark cupboard and harvested after different periods. xiii Proteins were extracted from the harvested material and evaluated for 5P12 and 6P4 expression. ELISA results showed expression of 5P12 and 6P4 in N. benthamiana leaves which was detectable at 3-9 days post infiltration (dpi). Similar results were obtained for 5P12 and 6P4, consequently only results for 5P12 are reported. The vacuum infiltrated leaves of both pTRA and MagnICON constructs led to higher yields than the needle injected leaves. The highest yields were obtained with the MagnICON constructs. The highest 5P12 expression level of 603 μg/kg fresh weight leaf tissues (~0.024% TSP) was obtained in the apoplast at 9 dpi. The pTRA constructs had the highest expression levels of 0.63μg/kg FW in the cytosol at 3 dpi. 5P12 was also detectable at 3-9 dpi in L. esculentum, based on ELISA results. The highest 5P12 expression of 23.56 μg/kg FW and pH 4.75 tissues was obtained at the MG stage in the apoplast at 9 dpi. Western blot analysis confirmed the size of plantmade 5P12. Moreover, the plant extracts had anti-viral activity and were not toxic to TZM-bl cells. Our results show that the RANTES can be made in both N. benthamiana and L. esculentum and that the levels are not different from other systems reported previously. Furthermore, this is the first report that a chemokine has been expressed in plants. The quantities expressed were low making the commercial development of a microbicide from these species impractical. However, production of bulky leaf material may enhance the quantities. / Thesis (PhD)--University of Pretoria, 2013. / gm2013 / Paraclinical Sciences / unrestricted

This study uses data between 2011 and 2020 from the 290 municipalities of Sweden to investigate theeffect that covid-19 has had on income inequality. Excess mortality rate is used as the variablemeasuring the intensity of the pandemic and the Gini coefficient as well as percentile quotas representsincome inequality. Using a Difference in Difference approach, a positive effect on income inequalitywas found using percentile quotas. A unit increase in excess mortality corresponds to an increase inP90P10 with up to 1,1%. It was also found that mainly the low income group of people were the mostaffected.

Elementary and secondary schools saw a major shift in how instruction was delivered during the COVID-19 pandemic. Schools across the United States shut down or participated in online learning. This shift to online learning led many to question how special education services should be delivered to students with disabilities. The purpose of this study was to gauge perceptions of special education services delivered in a remote learning environment during a public health crisis. Teachers, related service providers, and parents of students with disabilities (n = 108) from across the United States were surveyed. Results showed synchronous online learning to be the most prevalent form of providing special education services. However, participants largely viewed online instruction as ineffective at providing quality services for students with disabilities. Implications for improving online services for students with disabilities could include identifying specific reasons for participants' negative views which may lead to more actionable steps in improving online learning moving forward. In addition, examining actions taken by schools that have led to positive impressions of online learning among parents and educators could also be used to improve perceptions of online instruction for students with disabilities. Directions for future research are also discussed.