During the past years, I have had the opportunity to review and edit a good number of manuscripts, all of which reported excellent researches. However, I found much confusion concerning the organization of a manuscript, the sequence of the sections, and what each should report. Therefore, in the present blog post, I will start by explaining the difference between a reference and a citation, which are indeed related concepts often used in academic and scholarly writings, but they serve slightly different purposes. A citation is a specific mention of a source within the text of a document or paper. It typically includes information such as the author’s name(s), publication year, and sometimes page numbers (for direct quotations). Citations are reported to acknowledge the sources of information, ideas, data, or quotes in the paper. They provide a way for readers to locate the exact source of referencing. Citations are usually included within the body of the text, typically in parentheses or as footnotes, depending on the citation style (e.g., APA, MLA, Chicago). Writing a citation depends on the citation style required to use, as different academic disciplines and publications may have specific formatting guidelines. However, I can provide a general overview of how to write a citation using the two most common citation styles: APA (American Psychological Association) and MLA (Modern Language Association). APA Style Citation: In APA style, citations typically include the author’s last name, the publication year, and sometimes page numbers (for direct quotations). The format for an APA citation is as follows: In-text Citation: For a paraphrased idea or information: (Author’s Last Name, Year) Example: (Smith, 2020) For a direct quotation: (Author’s Last Name, Year, Page Number) Example: (Smith, 2020, p. 45) Reference List Entry: For a book: Author(s) Last Name, First Initial(s). (Year of Publication). Title of book. Publisher. Example: Smith, J. (2020). The Art of Writing. Academic Press. Reference List Entry for an Article in a Journal: Author(s) Last Name, First Initial(s). (Year of Publication). Title of the Article. Title of Journal, Volume(Issue), Page Range. Example: Johnson, A. (2019). The Impact of Climate Change. Environmental Science Review, 12(3), 234-256. MLA Style Citation: In MLA style, citations typically include the author’s last name and page numbers (for direct quotations) within the text. The format for an MLA citation is as follows: In-text Citation: For a paraphrased idea or information: (Author’s Last Name Page Number) Example: (Smith 45) For a direct quotation: (Author’s Last Name Page Number) Example: (Smith 45) Works Cited Entry: For a book: Author(s) Last Name, First Name. Title of book. Publisher, Year. Example: Smith, John. The Art of Writing. Academic Press, 2020. Works Cited Entry for an Article in a Journal: Author(s) Last Name, First Name. “Title of Article”. Title of Journal, Volume(Issue), Year, Page Range. Example: Johnson, Alice. “The Impact of Climate Change”. Environmental Science Review, vol. 12, no. 3, 2019, pp. 234-256.   Remember to check the specific citation style required for the publication, as there are other citation styles (e.g., Chicago, Harvard, IEEE) with their own formatting rules. Always provide as much information as necessary to allow readers to locate the source that is being cited accurately. A reference, on the other hand, is a more comprehensive entry in a list or bibliography at the end of a document. This list is often referred to as the “References”, “Works Cited”, or “Bibliography” section, depending on the citation style. References provide detailed information about the sources cited in the paper. This information typically includes the author(s), title of the work, publication date, publisher, and other relevant details. References are organized alphabetically and serve as a comprehensive list of all the sources consulted and cited in a paper or document. Readers can use the reference list to locate the full publication information of the sources. The format for creating a reference entry can vary depending on the type of source (e.g., book, journal article, website, etc.) and the specific citation style (e.g., APA, MLA, Chicago, Harvard). Here is a general overview of how to write a reference entry for different types of sources using the APA and MLA styles: APA Style Reference Entry: In APA style, the reference entry for different types of sources follows a specific format. Here are examples for common types of sources: Book: Author(s) Last Name, First Initial(s). (Year of Publication). Title of book. Example: Smith, J. (2020). The Art of Writing. Academic Press. Journal Article: Author(s) Last Name, First Initial(s). (Year of Publication). Title of the Article. Title of Journal, Volume(Issue), Page Range. Example: Johnson, A. (2019). The Impact of Climate Change. Environmental Science Review, 12(3), 234-256. Website: Author(s) (if available). (Year, Month Day of Publication or Update). Title of the Web Page. Website Name. URL Example: National Aeronautics and Space Administration. (2021, June 15). Mars Exploration Program. https://mars.nasa.gov/ MLA Style Works Cited Entry: In MLA style, the works cited entry format is slightly different from APA. Here are examples for common types of sources: Book: Author(s) Last Name, First Name. Title of book. Publisher, Year. Example: Smith, John. The Art of Writing. Academic Press, 2020. Journal Article: Author(s) Last Name, First Name. “Title of Article”. Title of Journal, Volume(Issue), Year, Page Range. Example: Johnson, Alice. “The Impact of Climate Change”. Environmental Science Review, vol. 12, no. 3, 2019, pp. 234-256. Website: Author(s) (if available). “Title of the Web Page”. Website Name, Publication Date (if available), URL. Example: National Aeronautics and Space Administration. “Mars Exploration Program”. NASA, 15 June 2021, https://mars.nasa.gov/   These examples should help create reference entries for various types of sources in both APA and MLA styles. In addition, many digital tools for preparing the list of references are present online, such as Google Scholar (Cite option) for instance, but also, EndNote, Mendeley, Zotero, etc., which provide citations in the format preferred. Be sure to consult the specific guidelines for the citation style required to use, as there may be variations in formatting for different source types and additional details to include depending on

Getting back to work after a vacation can be challenging, but with some planning and a positive mindset, you can transition smoothly. Most of us have to manage a number of duties together with organizing the new academic year. Here are some tips to help you get back to work effectively. First, notify your colleagues and manager about your vacation dates well in advance. Delegate tasks and responsibilities to team members, if possible. Set up an out-of-office email or message with information about your absence and an alternative contact person in case of emergencies. Second, if your schedule allows, consider returning a day early to give yourself time to unpack, catch up on personal tasks, and adjust to your home environment before heading back to work. Then, on your first day back, focus on essential tasks and avoid scheduling meetings or appointments that can wait. This will give you time to catch up on emails and urgent work. Before you start working, tidy up your workspace. A clean and organized desk can help create a positive work environment. Use tools like calendars, to-do lists, and project management software to stay organized and keep track of your tasks and deadlines. Then, take some time to review your to-do list or tasks from before your vacation. Identify any urgent matters or pending assignments that require immediate attention. Start by going through your emails and messages methodically. Sort them by priority and tackle the most critical ones first. Avoid the temptation to check everything at once, as this can be overwhelming. It is important that you give yourself short breaks throughout the day to prevent burnout. Use these breaks to stretch, grab a healthy snack, or take a short walk. Understand that it may take a little time to fully adjust to work mode after a vacation. Be patient with yourself and stay positive. Then, having something to look forward to, like planning your next vacation or time off, can help ease the post-vacation blues. Finally, as you ease back into work, make an effort to maintain a healthy work-life balance. Don’t overcommit or overextend yourself right away, because everyone’s experience returning from vacation is different, and it’s okay to take some time to readjust. By following these tips and giving yourself some grace, you can make the transition back to work smoother and more manageable. Starting a new year with new students as a professor is an exciting opportunity to create a positive and productive classroom environment. So, first of all, ensure that your classroom is clean, organized, and welcoming. Arrange desks or seating in a way that promotes interaction and engagement. Decorate the classroom with a warm and inviting atmosphere that reflects your teaching style and personality. On the first day, establish clear rules and expectations for behavior, participation, and work ethic. Be consistent and fair in enforcing these rules throughout the year. Plan icebreaker activities to help students get to know each other and build a sense of community in the classroom. This can help create a positive and inclusive environment from the start. Make an effort to learn and remember each student’s name as quickly as possible. This demonstrates that you value them as individuals and creates a more personal connection. Take time to learn about your students’ interests, strengths, and weaknesses. This will help you tailor your teaching to their needs and make learning more relevant and engaging. Take time to build positive relationships with your students. Show genuine care and interest in their well-being and academic progress. A strong teacher-student relationship can enhance learning and classroom dynamics. Provide an overview of the course syllabus, highlighting key topics, grading criteria, and your expectations. Answer any questions students may have about the course. Discuss with your students what they hope to achieve during the school year. Encourage them to set personal and academic goals. Share your own goals and teaching philosophy to create a sense of purpose. Share your preferred method of communication with students and parents, whether it’s email, a class website, or a communication app. Ensure students know how and when to contact you. Foster a positive and respectful classroom culture where students feel safe to express their ideas, ask questions, and make mistakes. Encourage open dialogue and active participation. Be enthusiastic, approachable, and passionate about your subject. Recognize and celebrate both individual and class achievements, no matter how small. Positive reinforcement can motivate students and foster a sense of accomplishment. Your attitude sets the tone for the entire class, so model the behavior and attitude you want to see in your students. Understand that each student is unique, and not every teaching approach will work for everyone. Be open to adapting your teaching methods to accommodate different learning styles and needs. Continually assess your teaching methods and classroom management strategies. Be willing to adapt and improve based on feedback from students and your own observations. Remember that the first few weeks of the school year are crucial for setting the tone and expectations.     References Amato, N. (2017). The business reasons to take a vacation. Journal of Accountancy, 223(6), 20. Quick, T. L. (1990). Healthy work: Stress, productivity, and the reconstruction of working life. National Productivity Review, 9(4), 475-479. Sousa, C., & Gonçalves, G. (2021). Back to work bang! Difficulties, emotions and adjustment strategies when returning to work after a vacation. The International Journal of Human Resource Management, 32(10), 2242-2263.

People perceive heat through the sense of touch and temperature receptors located in the skin. The perception of heat is a result of how these receptors respond to the thermal energy of objects or the surrounding environment. The skin contains specialized nerve endings called temperature receptors or thermoreceptors, which are sensitive to changes in temperature. There are two primary types of thermoreceptors: cold receptors – also known as cold fibers, and warm receptors – also known as warm fibers. When an object or the environment is at a different temperature than our skin, it transfers thermal energy to our skin upon contact or exposure. The amount of thermal energy transferred depends on the temperature difference between the object and the skin. When thermal energy reaches the thermoreceptors, it triggers nerve signals to be sent to the brain through the nervous system. The brain receives these nerve signals and processes the information. Depending on the type of thermoreceptor activated (cold or warm), the brain interprets the signals as sensations of coldness or warmth. The perception of heat occurs when warm receptors are stimulated, indicating that the temperature is higher than the baseline temperature of the skin. In contrast, the perception of cold occurs when cold receptors are stimulated, indicating a lower temperature than the baseline of the skin. Human skin has a range of sensitivity to temperature, and it can detect temperature differences as small as 0.1°C (0.18°F). Temperatures outside the body comfort zone can be perceived as either hot or cold, depending on the direction of the temperature change. Heat perception can be subjective, and individual factors like age, gender, and past experiences can influence how someone perceives heat. Additionally, prolonged exposure to extreme temperatures can desensitize the thermoreceptors, leading to altered perceptions of heat and cold over time. Heat perception is essential for several reasons and is a sort of survival mechanism that helps avoid potentially harmful situations and maintain equilibrium of the body. The human body needs to maintain a relatively stable internal temperature for optimal physiological functioning and this is called thermoregulation. When exposed to high temperatures, the body needs to recognize this increase in external heat and respond accordingly. Perception of heat prompts physiological responses, such as sweating and vasodilation (expansion of blood vessels) in the skin, which aid in cooling the body and preventing overheating. Heat perception serves as a warning system, helping individuals avoid contact with excessively hot objects or surfaces that could cause burns or injuries. This sense of heat prevents accidental harm by signaling that a surface, liquid, or environment is potentially dangerous due to its elevated temperature. The ability to perceive heat influences human behavior and allows people to adapt to their environment. For example, when it is hot outside, people are more likely to seek shade, wear lighter clothing, or consume cool drinks to maintain comfort and avoid heat-related illnesses. Heat perception enables individuals to assess their surroundings and make appropriate decisions. For instance, recognizing extreme heat can prompt people to take precautions during heatwaves or avoid venturing into areas with high temperatures, thus protecting their health and well-being. Heat perception also contributes to our ability to discern temperature differences. It helps us identify when something is warmer than our body temperature or when there are fluctuations in temperature, allowing us to adapt our behavior and clothing choices accordingly. Overall, the perception of heat is a vital aspect of human survival, helping us maintain homeostasis, avoid harm, and make informed decisions about our environment and activities in response to temperature changes. Keeping cool during hot weather is essential to avoid heat-related illnesses and maintain comfort. Here are some effective ways to stay cool. Drink plenty of water throughout the day, even if you do not feel thirsty. Hydration helps regulate body temperature and prevents dehydration, which can worsen heat stress. Consume light and refreshing meals that do not require cooking, as using the stove or oven can add heat to your living space. Opt for lightweight, loose-fitting, and light-colored clothing. Light colors reflect sunlight, while loose-fitting clothes promote better airflow and allow sweat to evaporate more easily. If available, use fans or air conditioning to cool indoor spaces. Fans can help circulate air, and air conditioning provides significant relief from high temperatures. Taking cool showers or baths can help lower body temperature and provide immediate relief from the heat. Apply wet towels or damp clothing to your skin to create a cooling effect through evaporation. This is particularly effective when combined with a fan or sitting in a breezy area. Stay in shaded areas when outdoors, especially during the hottest parts of the day (usually midday). Shade provides relief from direct sunlight and can significantly reduce heat exposure. Minimize outdoor activities during the hottest parts of the day. If you need to be outside, try to schedule activities for the early morning or late afternoon when it is cooler. If possible, take advantage of swimming pools, lakes, or beaches to cool off. Water activities can be both fun and cooling during hot weather. If you are not used to hot weather, try to acclimate yourself gradually by spending short periods of time outdoors in the heat and gradually increasing the duration over several days. Keep an eye on weather forecasts and heat advisories. This will help you plan your activities and take necessary precautions during extreme heat events. Extreme heat can be dangerous, especially for vulnerable persons like the elderly, children, and individuals with certain medical conditions. If you or someone else shows signs of heat-related illness, such as heat exhaustion or heatstroke (e.g., dizziness, nausea, rapid heartbeat, confusion), seek immediate medical attention. References Hensel H. 1974. Thermoreceptors. Annu Rev Physiol. 36:233-49. doi: 10.1146/annurev.ph.36.030174.001313. Miller VS, Bates GP. 2010. Hydration, hydration, hydration. Ann Occup Hyg. 54(2):134-6. doi: 10.1093/annhyg/mep091. Mrowka R, Reuter S. 2016. Thermoregulation. Acta Physiol (Oxf). 217(1):3-5. doi: 10.1111/apha.12664. Tansey EA, Johnson CD. 2015. Recent advances in thermoregulation. Adv Physiol Educ. 39(3):139-48. doi: 10.1152/advan.00126.2014.

The news coverage of the COVID-19 pandemic in early 2020 populated Western media with images of stockpiling. Images of empty shopping isles circulated on social media as frenzied shoppers disregarded their fellow citizens. In many ways, COVID-19 did mark a departure, shaking up a dormant Western society that had grown up accustomed to a high consumer lifestyle giving a false sense of security for far too long. The anthropologist Arthur Kleinman (2006), in his book, ‘What Really Matters: Living a Moral Life amidst Uncertainty and Danger’, explores the premise of an uncertain and dangerous life, and the very human struggles we face to hold onto the things that matter most to us; a reality that surged during the pandemic. Despite endless entertainment at our fingertips, feelings of isolation gripped many people in many parts of the world, primarily driven by mandatory quarantine. The Office of National Statistics (ONS) reported that 5.0% of the people in Great Britain described feeling lonely before the lockdown due to Covid-19, and feeling lonely ‘often’ or ‘always’ between April and May 2020. Some people (30.9% – 7.4 million) reported their wellbeing had been affected by feelings of loneliness after seven days of lockdown. The relation among people, education and health has gone largely unnoticed before the pandemic. The rise of mental health issues amongst youth in the United Kingdom during the pandemic provides legitimacy in reassessing our current mainstream education and whether a curriculum facilitating empowerment that enables students to manage uncertainty is necessary. From this premise, this blog argues that there is a disconnection between health institutions and education. The mainstream education system in the UK has favoured an academic intensive curriculum that seems to benefit the marketplace irrespective of the stress and anxiety experienced by students (Illich, 1973). The global education institution suffered greatly during the pandemic as teachers grappled with online platforms, student engagement dropped, and educational inequities emerged as many students were left a drift due to school closures (Milam, 2021; Pandya, 2020).   Despite the comforts and technological advancements in Britain, statistics show that there is a struggle with internal processes of joy and empowerment. The question that emerges from the COVID-19 experience within a British context is why are people struggling to manage their external world with joy? Data from the UK Government observed an 81% rise in number of referrals to child and adolescent mental health services from April to September 2021 (Hall, 2022). In order to address this question, one must examine the broken link between mainstream education and health. The individualistic and reductionist worldview normalised by a pedagogy of competition are pillars that govern the Education system in Britain (Giroux, 2001). Moving forward, what are the opportunities that can be explored with a transformative educational approach principled on child wellbeing? Illich (1973, p.19) argued: ‘’The commodity called “education” and the institution called “school” make each other necessary. The circle can be broken only by a widely shared insight that the institution has come to define the purpose. Values abstractly stated are reduced to mechanical processes that enslave men. This serfdom can be broken only by the joyful self-recognition of the fool who assumes personal responsibility for his folly.’’ Being healthy and managing the external world are fundamental teachings found in ancient wisdom, like the African philosophy of Ubuntu – I am because we are (Ngomane, 2019); Hinduism, Buddhism, Ancient Mayanism, and Daoism are some examples. Thus, there is much scope for Western societies to adopt and introduce Southern epistemologies on concepts like, balance, oneness, internal processes of empowerment and joy. Many rural, marginalised, and indigenous people who remain uncolonised in their way of thinking and approaches practice such concepts and are part of their traditional knowledge systems. If the void between education and health continues to be ignored generations of people will continue to struggle with life’s dangers. The lessons from the pandemic are opportunities to reassess how we define development, health, wealth, and happiness. The endless pursuit of knowledge will continue to erode the health and wellbeing of society members if left unaddressed. This blog invites you to reimagine an education system that promotes wellbeing of students through a pedagogy of empowerment. References: Giroux, H. A. (2001). Theory and Resistance in Education : Towards a Pedagogy for the Opposition. Bergin & Garvey. Hall, R. (2022). Pandemic still affecting UK students’ mental health, says helpline. The Guardian. Online. Available at: https://www.theguardian.com/education/2022/nov/14/pandemic-still-affecting-uk-students-mental-health-says-helpline-covid Illich, I. (1973). Tools for conviviality. London: Boyars Kariyawasam, T. (2014). The Buddha’s teaching methodology. [Online]. Available at: https://www.dailymirror.lk/opinion/172-opinion/52101-the-buddhas-teaching-methodology.html Kleinman, A. (2006). What really matters : living a moral life amidst uncertainty and danger. Oxford ; New York: Oxford University Press. Milam, G. (2021). COVID-19: Parents who lost teenagers to suicide in lockdown issue warning – ‘there’s going to be a lot of PTSD’. [Online]. Available at: https://news.sky.com/story/covid-19-parents-who-lost-teenagers-to-suicide-in-lockdown-issue-warning-theres-going-to-be-a-lot-of-ptsd-12221072. Ngomane, M. (2019). Everyday Ubuntu. London: Transworld Publishers. Pandya, P. (2020). Effect on mental health issues during the COVID-19 pandemic. British journal of general practice, 70 (697), p.382. [Online]. Available at: doi:10.3399/bjgp20X711857. Vivekananda, S. (1989). The complete works of Swami Vivekananda. Calcutta: Advaita Ashrama. [Online]. Available at: https://holybooks.com/complete-works-of-swami-vivekananda/.

One of the concepts that will indissolubly remain linked to this long, exhausting fight against COVID-19 is “social distancing”. This is the idea that, being at a good distance from each other (1 meter? 3 meters? 8 meters?), we are protected against possible virus contamination. The aim of this sort of distancing is also to reduce the likelihood of contact among people who have an infection, to minimize disease transmission and, in some cases, death. The theme of social distancing has been a topic that sociologists of the early ‘900 investigated very rigorously, suggesting a set of meanings are different from the those that today seem to characterize the choices on how to contain the pandemic. Significantly, among other things, improper use of the concept of social distancing explicitly clashes with the strong conviction, also in mass media during those difficult days, that “united we would make it”. Social distancing as a common force to combat the pandemic, in short, appears more and more as an oxymoron, because in reality, the call to give a hand to those who cannot make it, to be united, to form a group, in a few words to “make a community” is exactly the opposite of social distancing. Community means working closely, caring for oneself and others, social solidarity, networking and group (Forastiere et al., 2020). In the tradition of sociological studies, one of the first references to the concept of social distance is found in Simmel, who introduces the concept of Soziale Distanz, where the theme of distance takes shape in the framework of handling space and spatial systems of society. Simmel considers space as a logical and perceptive “opener”. In this sense, space is not something to be experienced, but a psychic content in which the soul experiences itself. Space is located at a time where the passage into it from the outside and the interaction of individuals with it is completed by revealing psychosocial content. In short, in a non-physical sense, the nature of space is social. Its forms and meanings are therefore the result of social, material and symbolic practices. According to Simmel, the process of distancing is at the basis of the construction of social groups and the establishment of relationships, which are influenced by prejudices and attitudes that create different levels of social distance among people (Simmel 1890). Social distance, defined as relational closure and the unavailability of a person to other persons who are perceived and recognized as different from themselves based on specific social categories, is the result of a set of factors placed on three dimensions: physical, symbolic and geometric. The first dimension concerns the placement of people in space (residential neighbourhoods, places of work and leisure); the second concerns the cultural categories used by people to know and explore social reality; and the third concerns the relationship between the organization of physical space and categorical production (Cesareo, 2007). Furthermore, there are three basic aspects of social distancing: 1) perceiving, 2) shaking, and 3) suffering. The first refers to people’s perception of a contact with others based on distance. The second concerns the relationships, in everyday life, that people have with each other, and that they would like to shake off. The third concerns a person’s relationship with people who do not seem to want to have anything to do with him or her (Bichi, 2008). Robert Park, in the early 1920s, defined space as “an attempt to reduce the quality and degrees of understanding and intimacy that characterize personal and social relationships in general to something measurable in purely physical terms” (Maturo, 2007). Instead, space is the degree of closeness or intimacy that an individual or group feel towards another individual or group in a social network, the level of trust the people in a group have for each other, and the degree of perceived similarity of beliefs.   References Salute pubblica, libertà individuale e controllo sociale. Le vaccinazioni obbligatorie in Italia in «Salute e Società» 2020. Digital Health and the Gamification of Life: How Apps Can Promote a Positive Medicalization. Emerald Publishing, 2018. Sociologia della salute. Prevenzione sociale e sanitaria delle malattie. Rubbettino, 2016. Forastiere F, Micheli A, Salmaso S, Vineis P. Epidemiologica e Covid-19 in Italia. Epidemiologia & Prevenzione (Editoriale), 24 (2), 2020. OECD Indicators, OECD Publishing, Paris DOI https://doi.org/10.1787/health_glance_eur-2018-en Maciocco G. Emergenza Coronavirus: tempi di precarietà. Epidemie e globalizzazione. welforum.it, 31.03.2020. Maturo A., Sociologia della malattia. Un’introduzione, FrancoAngeli, Mi, 2007. Bichi R. La distanza sociale. Vecchie e nuove scale di misurazione, FrancoAngeli, Milano, 2008. Cesareo, V. La distanza sociale. Una ricerca nelle aree urbane italiane, FrancoAngeli, Milano, 2007.