bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Multi-channel wide range athermal operation of slotted surface grating lasers for athermal DWDM
Authors: Mickus Dovydas , McKenna Robert , Murphy Caolan , Donegan John
Published: January 2022

Semiconductor lasers can be athermalised, which allows them to maintain their lasing wavelength with varying ambient temperature. Athermalisation can be achieved with careful control of injection currents into the laser diode. This allows the removal of a thermoelectric cooler and hence enables athermal wavelength division multiplexing. In this study, a high-order surface grating laser is operated athermally on eight, 100 GHz spaced channels from the ITU dense wavelength division multiplexing (DWDM) grid, achieving a wavelength stability of ±0.003nm/±0.4 GHz from 20 to 72–108°C depending on the channel. High side mode suppression ratios(>40 dB) and output powers(>+10 dBm) are also observed for a majority of the tuning ranges. Additionally, operation on six, 12.5 GHz spaced channels is also demonstrated with similar performance.
Multi-pass cells for post-compression of ultrashort laser pulses
Authors: Viotti Anne-Lise , Seidel Marcus , Escoto Esmerando , Rajhans Supriya , Leemans Wim P. , Hartl Ingmar , Heyl Christoph M.
Published: January 2022

Ultrafast lasers reaching extremely high powers within short fractions
of time enable a plethora of applications. They grant advanced
material processing capabilities, are effective drivers for secondary
photon and particle sources, and reveal extreme light-matter
interactions. They also supply platforms for compact accelerator
technologies, with great application prospects for tumor therapy or
medical diagnostics. Many of these scientific cases benefit from
sources with higher average and peak powers. Following mode-locked dye
and titanium-doped sapphire lasers, broadband optical parametric
amplifiers have emerged as high peak- and average power ultrashort
pulse lasers. A much more power-efficient alternative is provided by
direct post-compression of high-power diode-pumped ytterbium lasers—a
route that advanced to another level with the invention of a novel
spectral broadening approach, the multi-pass cell technique. The
method has enabled benchmark results yielding sub-50-fs pules at
average powers exceeding 1 kW, has facilitated femtosecond
post-compression at pulse energies above 100 mJ with large compression
ratios, and supports picosecond to few-cycle pulses with compact
setups. The striking progress of the technique in the past five years
puts light sources with tens to hundreds of TW peak and multiple kW of
average power in sight—an entirely new parameter regime for ultrafast
lasers. In this review, we introduce the underlying concepts and give
brief guidelines for multi-pass cell design and implementation. We
then present an overview of the achieved performances with both bulk
and gas-filled multi-pass cells. Moreover, we discuss prospective
advances enabled by this method, in particular including opportunities
for applications demanding ultrahigh peak-power, high repetition rate
lasers such as plasma accelerators and laser-driven extreme
ultraviolet sources.
Isolation of the side population from neurogenic niches enriches for endothelial cells
Authors: Kalinina Alena , Gnyra Catherine , Tang Vera , Xue Yingben , Lagace Diane C.
Published: January 2022

In stem cell research, DNA-binding dyes offer the ability to purify live stem cells using flow cytometry as they form a low-fluorescence side population due to the activity of ABC transporters. Adult neural stem cells exist within the lateral ventricle and dentate gyrus of the adult brain yet the ability of DNA-binding dyes to identify these adult stem cells as side populations remains untested. The following experiments utilize the efflux of a DNA-binding dye, Vyrbant DyeCycle Violet (DCV), to isolatebona fideside populations in the mouse dentate gyrus and subventricular zone (SVZ), and test their sensitivity to ABC transporter inhibitors. A distinct side population was found in both the adult lateral ventricle and dentate gyrus using DCV fluorescence and forward scatter instead of the conventional dual fluorescence approach. These side populations responded strongly to inhibition with the ABC transporter antagonists, verapamil and fumitremorgin C. The majority of the cells residing in the side populations of dentate gyrus and SVZ were characterized by their expression of CD31. Additionally, at least 90% of all CD31+ cells found in the dentate gyrus and SVZ were negative for the hematopoietic marker CD45, leading to the hypothesis that the CD31+ cells in the side population were endothelial cells. These findings, therefore, suggest that the side population analysis provides an efficient method to purify CD31-expressing endothelial cells, but not adult neural stem cells.
Large-scale decrease in the social salience of climate change during the COVID-19 pandemic
Authors: Spisak Brian R. , State Bogdan , van de Leemput Ingrid , Scheffer Marten , Liu Yuwei
Published: January 2022

There are concerns that climate change attention is waning as competing global threats intensify. To investigate this possibility, we analyzed all link shares and reshares on Meta’s Facebook platform (e.g., shares and reshares of news articles) in the United States from August 2019 to December 2020 (containing billions of aggregated and de-identified shares and reshares). We then identified all link shares and reshares on “climate change” and “global warming” from this repository to develop a social media salience index–the Climate SMSI score–and found an 80% decrease in climate change content sharing and resharing as COVID-19 spread during the spring of 2020. Climate change salience then briefly rebounded in the autumn of 2020 during a period of record-setting wildfires and droughts in the United States before returning to low content sharing and resharing levels. This fluctuating pattern suggests new climate communication strategies–focused on “systemic sustainability”–are necessary in an age of competing global crises.
Differences in gut microbiome by insulin sensitivity status in Black and White women of the National Growth and Health Study (NGHS): A pilot study
Authors: Price Candice A. , Jospin Guillaume , Brownell Kristy , Eisen Jonathan A. , Laraia Barbara , Epel Elissa S.
Published: January 2022

The prevalence of overweight and obesity is greatest amongst Black women in the U.S., contributing to disproportionately higher type 2 diabetes prevalence compared to White women. Insulin resistance, independent of body mass index, tends to be greater in Black compared to White women, yet the mechanisms to explain these differences are not completely understood. The gut microbiome is implicated in the pathophysiology of obesity, insulin resistance and cardiometabolic disease. Only two studies have examined race differences in Black and White women, however none characterizing the gut microbiome based on insulin sensitivity by race and sex. Our objective was to determine if gut microbiome profiles differ between Black and White women and if so, determine if these race differences persisted when accounting for insulin sensitivity status. In a pilot cross-sectional analysis, we measured the relative abundance of bacteria in fecal samples collected from a subset of 168 Black (n = 94) and White (n = 74) women of the National Growth and Health Study (NGHS). We conducted analyses by self-identified race and by race plus insulin sensitivity status (e.g. insulin sensitive versus insulin resistant as determined by HOMA-IR). A greater proportion of Black women were classified as IR (50%) compared to White women (30%). Alpha diversity did not differ by race nor by race and insulin sensitivity status. Beta diversity at the family level was significantly different by race (p = 0.033) and by the combination of race plus insulin sensitivity (p = 0.038). Black women, regardless of insulin sensitivity, had a greater relative abundance of the phylum Actinobacteria (p = 0.003), compared to White women. There was an interaction between race and insulin sensitivity for Verrucomicrobia (p = 0.008), where among those with insulin resistance, Black women had four fold higher abundance than White women. At the family level, we observed significant interactions between race and insulin sensitivity for Lachnospiraceae (p = 0.007) and Clostridiales Family XIII (p = 0.01). Our findings suggest that the gut microbiome, particularly lower beta diversity and greater Actinobacteria, one of the most abundant species, may play an important role in driving cardiometabolic health disparities of Black women, indicating an influence of social and environmental factors on the gut microbiome.
Hospitalization and ambulatory costs related to breast cancer due to physical inactivity in the Brazilian state capitals
Authors: Silva Diego Augusto Santos
Published: January 2022

The aim of this study was to estimate the hospitalization and ambulatory costs related to breast cancer due to physical inactivity in the female population from Brazilian capitals over a three-year period (2015 to 2017). This study was carried out with data from the Brazilian health system and had as metrics incidence of breast cancer, total and standardized rate hospitalizations by breast cancer, hospitalization and ambulatory costs by breast cancer and prevalence of physical inactivity. The Population Attributable Fraction (PAF) calculation was used. The total hospitalization cost by breast cancer in women aged ≥ 20 years in Brazil from 2015 to 2017 was US$ 33,484,920.54. Of this total, US$ 182,736.76 was due to physical inactivity. Outpatient expenses related to breast cancer in the Brazilian female population from 2015 to 2017 was US$ 207,993,744.39. Of this total, US$ 1,178,841.86 was due to physical inactivity. Outpatient and hospitalization expenses were higher in the states of Southeastern, Southern and Northeastern regions. Physical inactivity has contributed to the high number of hospitalizations for breast cancer in Brazil, which resulted in economic burden for health services (inpatient and outpatient) of more than US$ 1,300,000.00 from 2015 to 2017.
Association of historic redlining and present-day health in Baltimore
Authors: Huang Shuo Jim , Sehgal Neil Jay
Published: January 2022

Background

In the 1930s, the Home Owners’ Loan Corporation categorized neighborhoods by investment grade along racially discriminatory lines, a process known as redlining. Although other authors have found associations between Home Owners’ Loan Corporation categories and current impacts on racial segregation, analysis of current health impacts rarely use these maps.

Objective

To study whether historical redlining in Baltimore is associated with health impacts today.

Approach

Fifty-four present-day planning board-defined community statistical areas are assigned historical Home Owners’ Loan Corporation categories by area predominance. Categories are red (“hazardous”), yellow (”definitely declining”) with blue/green (“still desirable”/”best”) as the reference category. Community statistical area life expectancy is regressed against Home Owners’ Loan Corporation category, controlling for median household income and proportion of African American residents.

Conclusion

Red categorization is associated with 4.01 year reduction (95% CI: 1.47, 6.55) and yellow categorization is associated with 5.36 year reduction (95% CI: 3.02, 7.69) in community statistical area life expectancy at baseline. When controlling for median household income and proportion of African American residents, red is associated with 5.23 year reduction (95% CI: 3.49, 6.98) and yellow with 4.93 year reduction (95% CI: 3.22, 6.23). Results add support that historical redlining is associated with health today.
Assessing the reliability and degradation of 10–35 years field-aged PV modules
Authors: Noman Muhammad , Tu Shanshan , Ahmad Shahab , Zafar Fahad Ullah , Khan Haseeb Ahmad , Rehman Sadaqat Ur , Waqas Muhammad , Khan Adnan Daud , Rehman Obaid ur
Published: January 2022

The objective of this study was to conduct a reliability analysis on photovoltaic (PV) modules from the oldest PV installation site in Pakistan. Four sets of modules; Type A & B (30 years old), Type C (10 years old), and Type D (35 years old) were identified for this analysis. It has been observed that modules have shown degradation after working for a good number of years in the field. Comparing with nameplate data (available for Type B & C only), a drop of 28.68% and 2.99 percentage points (pp) was observed in the output power (Pmax) and efficiency (Eff.) respectively for Type B, while a drop of 22.21% and 4.05 pp was observed in Pmax and Eff. respectively for Type C. A greater drop in ISC and Pmax was observed in Type B, which is attributed to severe browning of EVA in them. While the greater drop in Pmax, in case of Type C, is attributed to the poor quality of materials used. Amongst the different defects observed, the junction box defects which include cracking and embrittlement, etc., and backsheet defects which include discoloration, delamination and cracking, etc. were found in all four types of modules. Other defects include browning of EVA, observed in Type B and D, and corrosion of frame and electrical wires, found in Type A, B, and D. This first-ever study will provide valuable information in understanding the degradation mechanism and henceforth, improving the long term reliability of PV modules in the humid-subtropical conditions of Pakistan.
Molecular phylogeny of Asian Ardisia (Myrsinoideae, Primulaceae) and their leaf-nodulated endosymbionts, Burkholderia s.l. (Burkholderiaceae)
Authors: Yang Chen-Jui , Hu Jer-Ming
Published: January 2022

The genus Ardisia (Myrsinoideae, Primulaceae) has 16 subgenera and over 700 accepted names, mainly distributed in tropical Asia and America. The circumscription of Ardisia is not well-defined and sometimes confounded with the separation of some small genera. A taxonomic revision focusing on Ardisia and allies is necessary. In the Ardisia subgenus Crispardisia, symbiotic association with leaf-nodule bacteria is a unique character within the genus. The endosymbionts are vertically transmitted, highly specific and highly dependent on the hosts, suggesting strict cospeciation may have occurred in the evolutionary history. In the present study, we aimed to establish a phylogenetic framework for further taxonomic revision. We also aimed to test the cospeciation hypothesis of the leaf-nodulate Ardisia and their endosymbiotic bacteria. Nuclear ITS and two chloroplast intergenic spaces were used to reconstruct the phylogeny of Asian Ardisia and relatives in Myrsinoideae, Primulaceae. The 16S-23S rRNA were used to reconstruct the bacterial symbionts’ phylogeny. To understand the evolutionary association of the Ardisia and symbionts, topology tests and cophylogenetic analyses were conducted. The molecular phylogeny suggested Ardisia is not monophyletic, unless Sardiria, Hymenandra, Badula and Oncostemum are included. The results suggest the generic limit within Myrsinoideae (Primulaceae) needs to be further revised. The subgenera Crispardisia, Pimelandra, and Stylardisia were supported as monophyly, while the subgenus Bladhia was separated into two distant clades. We proposed to divide the subgenus Bladhia into subgenus Bladhia s.str. and subgenus Odontophylla. Both of the cophylogenetic analyses and topology tests rejected strict cospeciation hypothesis between Ardisia hosts and symbiotic Burkholderia. Cophylogenetic analyses showed general phylogenetic concordance of Ardisia and Burkholderia, and cospeciation events, host-switching events and loss events were all inferred.
Educational level and alcohol use in adolescence and early adulthood—The role of social causation and health-related selection—The TRAILS Study
Authors: Schmengler Heiko , Peeters Margot , Kunst Anton E. , Oldehinkel Albertine J. , Vollebergh Wilma A. M.
Published: January 2022

Both social causation and health-related selection may influence educational gradients in alcohol use in adolescence and young adulthood. The social causation theory implies that the social environment (e.g. at school) influences adolescents’ drinking behaviour. Conversely, the health-related selection hypothesis posits that alcohol use (along other health-related characteristics) predicts lower educational attainment. From past studies it is unclear which of these mechanisms predominates, as drinking may be both a cause and consequence of low educational attainment. Furthermore, educational gradients in alcohol use may reflect the impact of ‘third variables’ already present in childhood, such as parental socioeconomic status (SES), effortful control, and IQ. We investigated social causation and health-related selection in the development of educational gradients in alcohol use from adolescence to young adulthood in a selective educational system. We used data from a Dutch population-based cohort (TRAILS Study; n = 2,229), including measurements of educational level and drinking at ages around 14, 16, 19, 22, and 26 years (waves 2 to 6). First, we evaluated the directionality in longitudinal associations between education and drinking with cross-lagged panel models, with and without adjusting for pre-existing individual differences using fixed effects. Second, we assessed the role of childhood characteristics around age 11 (wave 1), i.e. IQ, effortful control, and parental SES, both as confounders in these associations, and as predictors of educational level and drinking around age 14 (wave 2). In fixed effects models, lower education around age 14 predicted increases in drinking around 16. From age 19 onward, we found a tendency towards opposite associations, with higher education predicting increases in alcohol use. Alcohol use was not associated with subsequent changes in education. Childhood characteristics strongly predicted education around age 14 and, to a lesser extent, early drinking. We mainly found evidence for the social causation theory in early adolescence, when lower education predicted increases in subsequent alcohol use. We found no evidence in support of the health-related selection hypothesis with respect to alcohol use. By determining initial educational level, childhood characteristics also predict subsequent trajectories in alcohol use.
Antioxidant activities of some monofloral honey types produced across Minas Gerais (Brazil)
Authors: Pena Júnior Deosvaldo S. , Almeida Clarice A. , Santos Maria Clara F. , Fonseca Pedro Henrique V. , Menezes Elytania V. , de Melo Junior Afranio F. , Brandão Murilo M. , de Oliveira Dario A. , Souza Luciano F. de , Silva Junio C. , Royo Vanessa de A.
Published: January 2022

This study was carried out with the objective of determining the antioxidant properties and quantification of total phenolics and flavonoids in relation to quercetin and rutin in some of the monofloral honeys produced in Minas Gerais (Brazil). In this study, 15 monofloral honey samples were obtained from different geographic regions of Minas Gerias, Brazil. The honeys were obtained from Cooperative of Beekeepers and Family Farmers of Northern Minas. To determine the antioxidant properties of honey samples, the test methods of total phenolic content, flavonoids (rutin and quercetin) and DPPH were used. As a result of the analysis of phenolic and flavonoid contents, the samples with the best results were A1-Aroeira and A4-Assa peixe. In antioxidant activity, the honey with the best EC50results was A6-Aroeira. Differences between the antioxidant activities of the honey samples were found significantly (p< 0.01).
Effects of a 12% carbohydrate beverage on tackling technique and running performance during rugby league activity: A randomised, placebo-controlled trial
Authors: Dobbin Nick , Richardson Daniel , Myler Liam , Esen Ozcan
Published: January 2022

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of a 12% carbohydrate (CHO) beverage on tackling technique and running performance during rugby league activity. Using a double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomised, crossover design, 15 academy rugby league players ingested a 250 ml bolus of a 12% CHO solution (30 g maltodextrin and 30 g sucrose in 500 ml) 15 minutes before two bouts of rugby activity. The rugby league match simulation for interchange players was used to standardise the movement patterns of activity and provide reliable outcome measures, whilst also reflecting the duration of a typical field-based conditioning session. Measures of tackling technique, external responses (e.g., fatigue index from sprint data) and rating of perceived exertion (RPE) were recorded throughout. Gut discomfort was measured before each bout. The interaction effect was largely compatible with the hypothesis for relative distance (P<0.001,η2= 0.217) and fairly compatible for tackling technique (P= 0.068,η2= 0.0640). The time effect for tackling technique, relative and high-intensity distance, sprint, and sprint to contact velocity, time at high metabolic power, PlayerLoad™, and RPE (allP<0.05;η2= 0.131–0.701) was compatible with the hypothesis. Data for tackling technique, relative and high-intensity distance, sprint, and sprint to contact velocity, sprint, and sprint to contact fatigue index (allP<0.05;η2= 0.189–0.612) was compatible with a supplement effect overall despite few differences in the pattern of change (interaction). Minimal gut discomfort was reported for the CHO (bout 1 = 27 ± 17; bout 2 = 23 ± 17 AU) and placebo (bout 1 = 23 ± 18 AU; bout 2 = 24 ± 13) trials. This study shows that a 12% CHO beverage before two bouts of standardised rugby activity is a practical and effective strategy for retaining tackling technique, increasing external responses, and reducing RPE without compromising gut comfort.
Genomic surveillance of SARS-CoV-2 in the state of Delaware reveals tremendous genomic diversity
Authors: Franke Karl R. , Isett Robert , Robbins Alan , Paquette-Straub Carrie , Shapiro Craig A. , Lee Mary M. , Crowgey Erin L.
Published: January 2022

The use of next generation sequencing is critical for the surveillance of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2, SARS-CoV-2, transmission, as single base mutations have been identified with differences in infectivity. A total of 1,459 high quality samples were collected, sequenced, and analyzed in the state of Delaware, a location that offers a unique perspective on transmission given its proximity to large international airports on the east coast. Pangolin and Nextclade were used to classify these sequences into 16 unique clades and 88 lineages. A total of 411 samples belonging to the Alpha 20I/501Y.V1 (B.1.1.7) strain of concern were identified, as well as one sample belonging to Beta 20H/501.V2 (B.1.351), thirteen belonging to Epsilon 20C/S:452R (B.1.427/B.1.429), two belonging to Delta 20A/S:478K (B.1.617.2), and 15 belonging to Gamma 20J/501Y.V3 (p.1). A total of 2217 unique coding mutations were observed with an average of 17.7 coding mutations per genome. These data paired with continued sample collection and sequencing will give a deeper understanding of the spread of SARS-CoV-2 strains within Delaware and its surrounding areas.
Prevalence and predictors of glucose metabolism disorders among People Living with HIV on combination antiretroviral therapy
Authors: Tadesse Wondmagegn Tamiru , Adankie Birhanemeskel T. , Shibeshi Workineh , Amogne Wondwossen , Aklillu Eleni , Engidawork Ephrem
Published: January 2022

Objective

We investigated prevalence and predictors of glucose metabolism disorders (GMDs) among People Living with HIV (PLWH) on efavirenz- and atazanavir/ritonavir-based combination antiretroviral therapy (cART).

Methods

This cross-sectional study involved adult PLWH on efavirenz- (n = 240) and atazanavir/ritonavir-based (n = 111) cART. The prevalence of GMDs was determined by fasting serum glucose, insulin, and homeostasis model assessment. A logistic regression model was used to determine predictors.

Results

The overall prevalence of GMDs for all regimens was 27.6% (97/351) [95% CI 23.0–32.6%] s, with 31.1% (75/240) [95% CI 25.4–37.5%] for efavirenz-based and 19.8% (22/111) [95% CI 12.9–28.5%)] for atazanavir/ritonavir-based cART group. The prevalence of impaired fasting glycemia was significantly higher (p = 0.026) in the efavirenz- [(15.4%) (37/240); 95%CI (11.1–20.6%)] than atazanavir/ritonavir-based [(7.2%) (8/111), (95%CI (3.2–13.7%)] cART. However, no significant difference was observed in the prevalence of diabetes mellitus and insulin resistance between the two regimens. Age ≥46 years old and specific type of ARV contained in cART, such as TDF, were independent predictors of GMD in both groups. Whereas the male gender and BMI category were predictors of GMDs among EFV-based cART group, AZT- and ABC- containing regimens and triglyceride levels were predictors in the ATV/r-based group.

Conclusions

GMDs were highly prevalent among adults on EFV- than ATV/r-based cARTs. Age ≥46 years and TDF-containing cARTs are common predictors in both regimens. Close monitoring for impaired fasting glucose during long-term EFV-based cART is recommended for early diagnosis of type-2 diabetes and management.
The incidence rate and influence factors of hemolysis, lipemia, icterus in fasting serum biochemistry specimens
Authors: Tian Gang , Wu Yu , Jin Xinrui , Zeng Zhangrui , Gu Xiujuan , Li Tao , Chen Xiu , Li Guangrong , Liu Jinbo
Published: January 2022

Objective

Hemolysis, icterus, and lipemia (HIL) of blood samples have been a concern in hospitals because they reflect pre-analytical processes’ quality control. However, very few studies investigate the influence of patients’ gender, age, and department, as well as sample-related turnaround time, on the incidence rate of HIL in fasting serum biochemistry specimens.

Methods

A retrospective, descriptive study was conducted to investigate the incidence rate of HIL based on the HIL index in 501,612 fasting serum biochemistry specimens from January 2017 to May 2018 in a tertiary university hospital with 4,200 beds in Sichuan, southwest China. A subgroup analysis was conducted to evaluate the differences in the HIL incidence rate by gender, age and department of patients, and turnaround time of specimens.

Results

The incidence rate of hemolysis, lipemia and icterus was 384, 53, and 612 per 10,000 specimens. The male patients had a significantly elevated incidence of hemolysis (4.13% vs. 3.54%), lipemia (0.67% vs. 0.38%), and icterus (6.95% vs. 5.43%) than female patients. Hemolysis, lipemia, and icterus incidence rate were significantly associated with the male sex with an odds ratio (OR) of 1.174 [95% confidence interval (CI), 1.140–1.208], 1.757 (95%CI: 1.623–1.903), and 1.303 (95%CI: 1.273–1.333), respectively, (P<0.05). The hospitalized patients had a higher incidence of hemolysis (4.03% vs. 3.54%), lipemia (0.63% vs. 0.36%), and icterus (7.10% vs. 4.75%) than outpatients (P<0.001). Specimens with relatively longer transfer time and/or detection time had a higher HIL incidence (P<0.001). The Pediatrics had the highest incidence of hemolysis (16.2%) with an adjusted OR (AOR) of 4.93 (95%CI, 4.59–5.29, P<0.001). The Neonatology department had the highest icterus incidence (30.1%) with an AOR of 4.93 (95%CI: 4.59–5.29, P<0.001). The Neonatology department (2.32%) and Gastrointestinal Surgery (2.05%) had the highest lipemia incidence, with an AOR of 1.17 (95%CI: 0.91–1.51) and 4.76 (95%CI: 4.70–5.53), both P-value <0.001. There was an increasing tendency of hemolysis and icterus incidence for children under one year or adults aged more than 40.

Conclusion

Evaluation of HIL incidence rate and HIL-related influence factors in fasting serum biochemistry specimens are impartment to interpret the results more accurately and provide better clinical services to patients.
Factors influencing nurses’ intention to care for patients with COVID-19: Focusing on positive psychological capital and nursing professionalism
Authors: Jeong Sun-a , Kim Jinhee
Published: January 2022

Purpose

It is necessary to identify factors that influence nurses’ intention to care for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients to improve the quality of care during the pandemic. This study identifies factors that influence nurses’ intention to care for COVID-19 patients, focusing on positive psychological capital and nursing professionalism.

Methods

This study adopted a descriptive correlational design. Data were collected between August 16 and August 30, 2020, through self-administered questionnaires from 148 bedside nurses caring for COVID-19 patients, from four hospitals designated for COVID-19 treatment. Modified versions of the Nursing Intention Questionnaire for SARS Patient Care, Psychological Capital Questionnaire, and Hall’s Professional Inventory were used. The collected data were analyzed using stepwise multiple regression.

Results

In total, 165 questionnaires were distributed, and 148 questionnaires (89.7%) were included in the final analysis. Factors influencing nurses’ intention to care were: age (30<: β = .18, p = .026; ≥50: β = .23, p = .005), department (ICU: β = -.26, p = .001), sufficient clinical experience and skills to care for COVID-19 patients (sufficient: β = .18, p = .019), and positive psychological capital (β = .22, p = .044). The model’s explanatory power (R2) was 48%.

Conclusions

Strategies to increase nurses’ positive psychological capital are necessary to improve nursing care quality by increasing intention to care when facing novel infectious diseases such as COVID-19. Furthermore, adequate education and training on managing novel infectious diseases should be implemented to provide nurses with relevant experience and skills regarding caring for patients infected with these diseases. Through various studies, strategies for improving nurses’ positive psychological capital need to be suggested to improve the quality of care by increasing the nurses’ intention to care during the emergence of a novel infectious disease, such as COVID-19. Additionally, adequate education and training on managing the novel infectious diseases, sufficient for the nurses to believe they have the experience and skills for caring for the infected patients, will be needed.
Prophylactic versus therapeutic dose anticoagulation effects on survival among critically ill patients with COVID-19
Authors: Hoogenboom Wouter S. , Lu Joyce Q. , Musheyev Benjamin , Borg Lara , Janowicz Rebeca , Pamlayne Stacey , Hou Wei , Duong Tim Q.
Published: January 2022

Introduction

Although patients with severe COVID-19 are known to be at high risk of developing thrombotic events, the effects of anticoagulation (AC) dose and duration on in-hospital mortality in critically ill patients remain poorly understood and controversial. The goal of this study was to investigate survival of critically ill COVID-19 patients who received prophylactic or therapeutic dose AC and analyze the mortality rate with respect to detailed demographic and clinical characteristics.

Materials and methods

We conducted a retrospective, observational study of critically ill COVID-19 patients admitted to the ICU at Stony Brook University Hospital in New York who received either prophylactic (n = 158) or therapeutic dose AC (n = 153). Primary outcome was in-hospital death assessed by survival analysis and covariate-adjusted Cox proportional hazard model.

Results

For the first 3 weeks of ICU stay, we observed similar survival curves for prophylactic and therapeutic AC groups. However, after 3 or more weeks of ICU stay, the therapeutic AC group, characterized by high incidence of acute kidney injury (AKI), had markedly higher death incidence rates with 8.6 deaths (95% CI = 6.2–11.9 deaths) per 1,000 person-days and about 5 times higher risk of death (adj. HR = 4.89, 95% CI = 1.71–14.0, p = 0.003) than the prophylactic group (2.4 deaths [95% CI = 0.9–6.3 deaths] per 1,000 person-days). Among therapeutic AC users with prolonged ICU admission, non-survivors were characterized by older males with depressed lymphocyte counts and cardiovascular disease.

Conclusions

Our findings raise the possibility that prolonged use of high dose AC, independent of thrombotic events or clinical background, might be associated with higher risk of in-hospital mortality. Moreover, AKI, age, lymphocyte count, and cardiovascular disease may represent important risk factors that could help identify at-risk patients who require long-term hospitalization with therapeutic dose AC treatment.
Antennal transcriptome analysis of chemosensory genes in the cowpea beetle, Callosobruchus maculatus (F.)
Authors: Tanaka Keisuke , Shimomura Kenji , Hosoi Akito , Sato Yui , Oikawa Yukari , Seino Yuma , Kuribara Takuto , Yajima Shunsuke , Tomizawa Motohiro
Published: January 2022

Olfaction, one of the most important sensory systems governing insect behavior, is a possible target for pest management. Therefore, in this study, we analyzed the antennal transcriptome of the cowpea beetle, Callosobruchus maculatus (F.) (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae: Bruchinae), which is a major pest of stored pulses and legumes. The de novo antennal RNA-seq assembly results identified 17 odorant, 2 gustatory, and 10 ionotropic receptors, 1 sensory neuron membrane protein, and 12 odorant-binding and 7 chemosensory proteins. Moreover, differential gene expression analysis of virgin male and female antennal samples followed by qRT-PCR revealed 1 upregulated and 4 downregulated odorant receptors in males. We also performed homology searches using the coding sequences built from previously proposed amino acid sequences derived from genomic data and identified additional chemosensory-related genes.
Intermediary roles in the transposition of the Audiovisual Media Services Directive into domestic legislation: Evidence from Spain
Authors: Mutu Adriana
Published: January 2022

This article discusses the role played by regulatory intermediaries including non-state actors, professional associations and transnational networked agencies during the transposition of the Audiovisual Media Services Directive into Spanish national legislation. It aims to fill in the gap in prior research by extending the application of the Regulator–Intermediary–Target (RIT) theoretical framework to the field of audiovisual media regulation. The analysis focuses on the transposition stages of the Directive after the date of entering into force on 19 December 2018, up to 19 September 2020. Data are taken from publicly available national sources and European databases. Results show that the RIT framework helps to single out the main initiatives undertaken by relevant Spanish authorities and institutional players, their methods and responses to policy challenges. Mapping out regulatory intermediaries and network of relationships established among multiple actors facilitates our understanding on the complex forms of audiovisual governance and implementation of European law.
The user, the platform and the regulator: Empowering users in the implementation of new rules for video-sharing platforms
Authors: Kukliš Ľuboš
Published: January 2022

The European Union is amidst the process of creating entirely new rules for content regulation on digital platforms in the form of the Digital Services Act (DSA). The DSA proposal, an update on the current e-Commerce Directive, started a process that will produce legislation with potentially far-reaching consequences not only for the EU’s digital environment but also likely far beyond its borders. The outcome is, of course, not yet known. However, judging from the proposal, DSA will make platforms’ content distribution and moderation practices more transparent, give users more power and protection, and create a regulatory framework to oversee it all. However, earth-shaking as it sounds, at least in the context of seemingly never-ending platform regulation debates, it is not entirely new. For one segment of content (audiovisual), something like this has been already legislated for. At this very moment, we are witnessing its introduction into practice via the implementation of the provisions on video-sharing platforms (VSPs) in the Audiovisual Media Services Directive (AVMSD). In this commentary, I will explain why the inclusion of VSPs into the AVMSD presents a substantial shift in the approach to content regulation and how a purposeful implementation of the relevant provisions can meaningfully empower users in the digital environment.
The regulation of video-sharing platforms and harmful content in Ireland and Europe
Authors: Murphy Kenneth
Published: January 2022

The current commentary will provide an overview of Ireland’s proposed legislation for regulating video-sharing platform’s (VSPs) user-generated content and the proposed Irish national regulatory framework that will oversee it. Many of the largest VSPs, such as YouTube, Facebook and Twitter, designated for regulation under the revised Audiovisual Media Services Directive (EU) 2018/1808 (AVMSD), base their European operations in the Republic of Ireland. Thus, based on the country of origin (CoO) principle, the Irish National Regulatory Authority (NRA) will regulate the harmful user-generated content, and commercial content of the largest VSPs and platforms with in which shared video is a significant feature. The commentary will also address the concerns raised by Ireland’s political-economic model and the inferred light-touch regulation interpreted as an aspect of how the State competes for Foreign Direct Investment (FDI). A low corporate tax regime, well-educated English-speaking population and access to the European Union has made Ireland a favoured location for primarily US-based technology companies. Alongside these attractions is a recent history of market-conforming governance that has left Ireland open to criticism of trading light-touch regulation for FDI. Ireland’s initial light-touch approach to Europe-wide data privacy regulation has been a case in point.
The Palgrave Handbook of Methods for Media Policy Research, Hilde Van Den Bulck, Manuel Puppis, Karen Donders and Leo Van Audenhove (Eds) (2019)
Authors: Price Monroe E. , Verhulst Stefaan G.
Published: January 2022

Review of: The Palgrave Handbook of Methods for Media Policy Research, Hilde Van Den Bulck, Manuel Puppis, Karen Donders and Leo Van Audenhove (Eds) (2019)

Cham: Springer International Publishing, 681 pp.,

ISBN 978-3-03016-065-4, e-book, €149.79
Once upon a time in Latin America: An interview with Lorenzo Codelli
Authors: Marrone Gaetana
Published: January 2022

In this interview, which was conducted during the COVID-19 pandemic in early March 2021, Lorenzo Codelli reflects on Latin American cinema and its underlying aesthetics, as well as on the global influence of Italian cinema, in particular neorealism, on filmmakers such as Ruy Guerra, Fernando Solanas and Alfonso Cuarón, among others. In recent years, the Latin American film industry has produced commercially successful films, such as Cuarón’s Roma (2018), but few movies receive international distribution in particular if directed by women. For example, Melina Léon’s Cancion sin nombre (Song Without a Name) (2019), which premiered at Cannes’ Directors’ Fornight and has won many awards, is a case in point. Of special interest is Codelli’s point of view on the status of contemporary national cinemas and the impact of popular television series on its very survival.
The Italian mission: Stories of a generation of Italian film and theatre directors in Brazil (1946–69)
Authors: Vannucci Alessandra
Published: January 2022

The journey to Brazil undertaken by a generation of young Italian directors initiated a phase of artistic renewal in São Paulo during the 1950s. This article reveals the connections between the projects and theatre, television and cinema productions of some of the protagonists of that extraordinary adventure by tracing the power plays that marked the period. As they understood, it was a time when one would believe in the possibility of implementing a modern theatre supported by the state and an art cinema, expected to be adored by a public and which still had to be formed. These goals united a generation and motivated its migration to the other side of the Atlantic. It was a ‘mission’ based on the belief that the arts, especially the performing arts, should be tools for the democratic emancipation of the public and not just occasions for its entertainment. Their tasks, illusions, disappointments and legacies are inscribed in plays and films, which I illustrate in this article.
From the Apennines to the Andes: ‘Global neorealism’ in the intercontinental dialogue between Zavattini and García Márquez
Authors: Lepratto Livio
Published: January 2022

This article investigates the fruitful cultural and artistic partnership between Cesare Zavattini and Gabriel García Márquez, starting from the course in directing taught in the 1950s at the Centro Sperimentale di Cinematografia (Experimental School of Cinema) in Rome by the Italian master and attended by the Colombian writer. In this article, I analyse García Márquez’s literary-cinematographic works that best testify to the Zavattinian influence: from the ‘Márquezian’ masterpiece Cien años de soledad (One Hundred Years of Solitude) () to the screenplay of Milagro en Roma (Miracle in Rome) (), both indebted to Zavattini’s neorealism of the screenplay of Miracolo a Milano (Miracle in Milan) (), and to the short story ‘La santa’ (‘The saint’) (), in which one of the characters is Zavattini himself. This article also includes the analysis of unpublished materials, such as private letters between the two authors, which reconstruct Zavattini’s crucial role in promoting Italian neorealism in Latin America, as well as the Zavattinian authorship in the birth and development of magic realism. The result of Zavattini’s and García Márquez’s effort and collaboration is represented by the founding of the Escuela Internacional de Cine y Televisión in in Cuba, an institution that best represents ‘global neorealism’.
Laying the bases for neo-liberalism in the late 1980s: An analysis of press representations in Argentina and Italy
Authors: Coscia Vanesa
Published: January 2022

In the 1990s, Argentina and Italy – two countries with common cultural, social and political traditions – experienced the privatization of state-owned companies as well as debates over the solvency of public pension systems and laws to flexibilize the labour market: the beginnings of a ruthless model that would soon expand around the world. My interest in this study, however, lies in the years immediately before the rise of neo-liberalism, specifically from 1988 to 1989, when the model was presented as the most auspicious path to take. This article explores how information constructed by two leading newspapers, La Nación (Argentina) and Il Corriere della Sera (Italy), paved the way for neo-liberalism. The aim is to analyse which stereotypes, visions and sources were favoured through a qualitative analysis focused on the social meanings and representations put into circulation by the mass media within a specific historical context.
Anna and her sisters: Anna Magnani as an icon in Italy, France and Argentina
Authors: Gheller Enrico
Published: January 2022

This article aims to examine some of the peculiarities of Anna Magnani as an icon and to situate it in a trans-national dimension, mainly focusing on its reception in France and Argentina. In particular, I will highlight the traits connecting the figure of Magnani with those of Édith Piaf and Tita Merello, who in the post-war period display traits similar to those of the Italian actress. Through the comparative analysis of film frames, songs, articles and photographs taken from the press, I will identify some features common to these three icons who dominated the star system immediately after the war. I will show how these figures invented a new form of female diva and an anti-spectacular stardom which moved within an autonomous and eccentric environment when compared to contemporary film production.
The Cinema of Francesco Rosi, Gaetana Marrone (2020)
Authors: Lauri-Lucente Gloria
Published: January 2022

Review of: The Cinema of Francesco Rosi, Gaetana Marrone (2020)

New York: Oxford University Press, 343 pp.,

ISBN 978-0-19088-564-9, p/bk, $39.95
Effect of gold nanoparticles shape and dose on immunological, hematological, inflammatory, and antioxidants parameters in male rabbit
Authors: Mehanna Eman T. , Kamel Basma S. A. , Abo-Elmatty Dina M. , Elnabtity Sameh M. , Mahmoud Manal B. , Abdelhafeez Mostafa M. , Abdoon Ahmed Sabry S.
Published: January 2022

Background and Aim: Gold nanorods (AuNRs) have gained much attention in recent years due to their promising optical and chemical properties and are hence used in applied research and industrial nanotechnology. This study was designed to investigate the effect of gold nanoparticle shape (Gold nanorods vs. gold nanosphere) on immune response in rabbit.

Materials and Methods: Thirty New Zealand white rabbits were divided into six groups (n=5 rabbits). The first group is the control negative received an intravenous (IV) injection of normal saline 0.9%; the second group (vaccinated) is the control positive, and the other four groups were vaccinated and received a single-dose or repeated five consecutive IV doses of 300 μg/kg body weight 50 nm AuNRs or 50 nm gold nanosphere (50 nm AuNSs) dissolved in ultrapure water. Blood and serum were collected for the hematological and biochemical analysis.

Results: White blood cells (WBCs) count, lymphocytes, monocytes, eosinophils, and basophils showed significantly (p<0.05) higher values with the repeated-dose AuNRs. γ-globulin levels showed a significant difference after 15 days in the single-dose AuNSs. Single-dose AuNSs significantly (p<0.05) increased the immunoglobulin G (IgG) and significantly (p<0.05) decreased the tumor necrosis factor-alpha. In addition, it elicited a significant (p<0.05) decrease in the malondialdehyde levels and a significant (p<0.05) increase of the superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase, and catalase levels. Moreover, evoked red blood cells count, mean corpuscular volume, and mean corpuscular hemoglobin were significantly (p<0.05) lower than the control group. The platelet count, lysozymes, and nitric oxide were significantly (p<0.05) higher in repeated-dose AuNRs.

Conclusion: The effect of AuNPs is shape and dose-dependent. The repeated 5 days IV 50 nm AuNRs doses over 15 days showed a significant antioxidant effect, with no considerable toxicity or vascular reactions.