Search

BACKGROUND: Multiple sclerosis (MS) and allergies are both considered to be related to imbalanced Th1 and Th2 immune responses. Previous studies evaluating the relationship between MS and allergies provide conflicting results. OBJECTIVE: To assess allergies and asthma as risk factors for MS and as predictors of MS relapses in a pediatric cohort. METHODS: The environment and genetic risk factors for pediatric MS study is a national case-control project with 16 participating US sites. An environmental questionnaire is used that includes history of allergies in the first five years of life. Case-control data are entered in the pediatric MS Network database and cases at 12 of the 16 sites enter relapse data prospectively. Annualized relapse rate was calculated for patients with follow-up and adjusted for age at disease onset, gender, race, ethnicity, and use of disease-modifying therapy (DMT). RESULTS: We included 271 cases (mean age at disease onset of 15.7years and 62% female) and 418 controls. Relapse data were available for 193 cases. There was no difference in prevalence of allergies or asthma between cases and controls. Patients with food allergies had fewer relapses compared to patients without food allergies (0.14 vs 0.48, p=0.01). CONCLUSIONS: While allergies and asthma are not associated with pediatric MS, cases with food allergies have fewer relapses compared to those without food allergies.

In old subjects, the effect on visual performance of the interaction between the spectral power distribution of street lamps and the different types of intraocular lenses (IOLs) is unknown. Contrast threshold (CT) and reaction time (RT) were analysed in off-axis vision at mesopic illumination conditions provided by high-pressure sodium and metal-halide lamps, using a Maxwellian view optical system. Four groups of subjects participated: 10 young subjects, 20 elderly subjects with cataracts and the same subjects after cataract surgery were divided into two groups, 10 subjects implanted with a blue light-filtering and 10 subjects with a non-blue light-filtering IOL (NBIOL). Age-related cataract impairs detection and reaction capabilities; tasks that are nevertheless improved after surgery. The type of lamp does not affect both tasks in the case of the blue light-filtering IOL group, but it does in the NBIOL group. When comparing the two lenses, no detrimental effect of the blue light filter is observed in both tasks. In conclusion, at representative night-driving conditions, the spectral power distribution of the street lamp does not have a clinically relevant effect on visual tasks such as CT and visual RT in pseudophakic subjects, regardless of the type of IOL implanted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Immune-based diagnostic tests for tuberculosis (TB) have suboptimal sensitivity in children and cannot differentiate between latent infection (LTBI) and active disease. This study evaluated the diagnostic potential of a broad range of biomarkers of tissue damage and inflammation in unstimulated plasma in children. Methods: We analyzed 17 biomarkers in 15 non–M. tuberculosis (MTB)-infected controls and 33 children with TB infection (LTBI, n = 8; probable TB, n = 19; confirmed TB, n = 6). Biomarker concentrations were measured using a Luminex magnetic bead–based platform and multiplex sandwich immunoassays. Concentrations, correlations and diagnostic accuracy assessments were conducted among patient groups. Results: Confirmed TB cases had significantly higher concentrations of IFN-γ and IL-2 and higher IFN-γ/MCP-1 and IL-2/MCP-1 ratios compared to LTBI and non–MTB-infected children. Among children with confirmed TB, there was a strong correlation between IFN-γ and IL-10 (r = 0.95; p

Abstract Atmospheric new particle formation (NPF) is a naturally occurring phenomenon, during which high concentrations of sub-10 nm particles are created through gas to particle conversion. The NPF is observed in multiple environments around the world. Although it has observable influence onto annual total and ultrafine particle number concentrations (PNC and UFP, respectively), only limited epidemiological studies have investigated whether these particles are associated with adverse health effects. One plausible reason for this limitation may be related to the absence of NPF identifiers available in UFP and PNC data sets. Until recently, the regional NPF events were usually identified manually from particle number size distribution contour plots. Identification of NPF across multi-annual and multiple station data sets remained a tedious task. In this work, we introduce a regional NPF identifier, created using an automated, machine learning based algorithm. The regional NPF event tag was created for 65 measurement sites globally, covering the period from 1996 to 2023. The discussed data set can be used in future studies related to regional NPF.

Abstract Adolescents’ extensive use of digital devices raises significant concerns about their visual health. This study aimed to adapt and validate the computer vision syndrome questionnaire (CVS-Q©) for adolescents aged 12–17 years. A mixed-method sequential design was used. First, a qualitative study was involved two nominal groups to assess the instrument’s acceptability. A subsequent cross-sectional quantitative study with 277 randomly selected adolescents assessed reliability and validity. Participants completed the adapted CVS-Q©, an ad hoc questionnaire, and the ocular surface disease index (OSDI) questionnaire. Repeatability was tested in 54 adolescents after 7–14 days. The Rasch-Andrich rating scale model was used. Instructions and symptoms were modified to obtain the 14-item CVS-Q teen©. It showed unidimensionality, no local dependence between items, and respected monotonicity. Adequate internal consistency (person reliability = 0.69, item reliability = 0.98) and intraobserver reliability (intraclass correlation coefficient = 0.77, Cohen's Kappa = 0.49) were observed. A significant correlation (0.782, p

Abstract Traditional measurements of gait are typically performed in clinical or laboratory settings where functional assessments are used to collect episodic data, which may not reflect naturalistic gait and activity patterns. The emergence of digital health technologies has enabled reliable and continuous representation of gait and activity in free-living environments. To provide further evidence for naturalistic gait characterization, we designed a master protocol to validate and evaluate the performance of a method for measuring gait derived from a single lumbar-worn accelerometer with respect to reference methods. This evaluation included distinguishing between participants’ self-perceived different gait speed levels, and effects of different floor surfaces such as carpet and tile on walking performance, and performance under different bouts, speed, and duration of walking during a wide range of simulated daily activities. Using data from 20 healthy adult participants, we found different self-paced walking speeds and floor surface effects can be accurately characterized. Furthermore, we showed accurate representation of gait and activity during simulated daily living activities and longer bouts of outside walking. Participants in general found that the devices were comfortable. These results extend our previous validation of the method to more naturalistic setting and increases confidence of implementation at-home.

Abstract The production of Paleolithic art represents one of the most intricate technical and cognitive endeavors of Homo sapiens, marked by its profound antiquity and vast temporal and spatial framework. Despite its significance, there have been no prior studies aimed at understanding the cognitive and motor skills linked to the creation of realistic images characteristic of this artistic cycle. This research integrates archaeology and experimental psychology, premised on the assumption that the neurological basis of Anatomically Modern Humans has not changed substantially since the Upper Paleolithic. This work employs an innovative interdisciplinary approach, utilizing psychometric tests and drawing and engraving tasks monitored by motion-sensing gloves, to compare the performance of experts and non-experts in visual arts when faced with challenges akin to those of Upper Paleolithic artistic production. The results revealed that expertise in visual arts is linked to enhanced spatial abilities and specific patterns in drawing from memory. Additionally, both experts and non-experts displayed similar motor skills when engraving using Paleolithic techniques, suggesting that these techniques required specialized training in the contemporary experts. In conclusion, this research deepens our understanding of the processes involved in Upper Paleolithic artistic production.

Abstract Over the course of the preceding half-century, specific advancements in robotic technologies have been assimilated into the continuum of human life in a seamless manner, demonstrating the profound impact of robotics on society. Nevertheless, the actual consumer response to service robots remains a subject of ongoing research, with scant attention paid to it thus far. This study focuses on the potential factors influencing the acceptance of robots in the realm of health services. Specifically, a model has been developed to explain individuals’ willingness to use a robot as a surgeon to correct visual impairment in one eye. The Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLSc-SEM) technique is deployed to validate the proposed hypotheses. The model proposed exhibits a robust explanatory power concerning the intention to utilize the robot surgeon, as evidenced by a high R-squared value of 0.817. The findings show the influence of effort expectancy, performance expectancy, social influence, and perceived risk on the intention to adopt robot services. However, the emotional dimensions, specifically pleasure and arousal, were not observed to exert any significant impact on the intention to employ the proposed robot surgeon. The proposed and tested model serves as a roadmap for future research and holds significant practical implications for the industry, paving the way for a more robot-friendly future in health services.

Resumen: Los dispositivos intravasculares son esenciales para el abordaje diagnóstico y terapéutico de múltiples enfermedades en pediatría, siendo especialmente importantes los catéteres venosos centrales (CVC). Una de las complicaciones más frecuentes es la infección de estos dispositivos, lo cual conlleva una elevada morbimortalidad. Estas infecciones presentan una gran complejidad, precisando de un elevado consumo de recursos, tanto para su diagnóstico como para su tratamiento, afectando de manera más frecuente a pacientes pediátricos vulnerables ingresados en unidades de alta complejidad. La evidencia para su abordaje en pediatría es menor que en adultos, y no hay documentos de consenso realizados en nuestro medio. El objetivo de este documento, realizado entre la Sociedad Española de Enfermedades Infecciosas Pediátricas (SEIP) y la Sociedad Española de Cuidados Intensivos Pediátricos (SECIP), es dar recomendaciones de consenso basadas en la mayor evidencia disponible para optimizar el diagnóstico y tratamiento de las bacteriemias y fungemias relacionadas con el catéter. Este documento se centrará en pacientes pediátricos no neonatales, sin entrar en discusión sobre la prevención de estas infecciones. Abstract: Intravascular devices are essential for the diagnostic and therapeutic approach to multiple diseases in paediatrics, and central venous catheters (CVCs) are especially important. One of the most frequent complications of these devices is the infection, which is associated with a high morbidity and mortality. These infections are highly complex, requiring the use of substantial resources, both for their diagnosis and treatment, and affect vulnerable paediatric patients admitted to high-complexity units more frequently vulnerable. There is less evidence on their management in paediatric patients compared to adults, and no consensus documents on the subject have been published in Spain. The objective of this document, developed jointly by the Spanish Society of Paediatric Infectious Diseases (SEIP) and the Spanish Society of Paediatric Intensive Care (SECIP), is to provide consensus recommendations based on the greatest degree of evidence available to optimize the diagnosis and treatment of catheter-related bloodstream infections (CRBSIs). This document focuses on non-neonatal paediatric patients with CRBSIs and does not address the prevention of these infections.

The increasing replacement of traditional lamps by LED technology opens the door to research into visual performance under their multiple possible spectral power distributions. The correlated color temperature and S/P-ratio are considered parameters characterizing the spectrum of a light source. The lack of firm conclusions motivates the analysis in this work of the influence of LED spectrum, which is defined by the correlated color temperature and S/P-ratio, on a representative night-driving task, visual reaction time. A two-channel and four primaries photostimulator was used as set-up for measuring reaction time in off-axis vision, at mesopic illumination conditions and for a range of stimulus contrasts. The experimental conditions included a wide range of correlated color temperatures, ranging from 1870 to 6350 K, and different S/P-ratios for the same temperature. A total of 16 young subjects participated in the experiments. The results show significant shorter reaction times for those conditions in which the spectrum has greater short-wavelength content. This is corroborated by the greater stimulation of rods and S-cones obtained in the calculation of their excitation level. However, the definition of the spectrum using the correlated color temperature and S/P-ratio does not equally define the results obtained. For the same temperature, a higher S/P-ratio provides lower reaction time values, but for the same S/P ratio reaction time is independent of the temperature. LED light sources with high short-wavelength content provide faster response on the basis of a greater excitation of rods and S-cones. The S/P-ratio is the best parameter to justify the effect of spectrum on reaction time, as considers the spectral sensitivity of the visual system in its calculation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Diante das históricas lutas dos povos negros no Brasil, ampliam-se as políticas afirmativas e as discussões sobre a urgência de uma sociedade/educação antirracista. Esse movimento encontra barreiras sistemáticas provenientes da branquitude e do racismo e, nas universidades, especificamente, elas impactam negativamente na formação de professores e profissionais da educação. Insurgindo a essa lógica, estudantes universitários do curso de Pedagogia da Universidade Estadual do Ceará (UECE) aquilombaram-se em 2021, fundando o “Coletivo Mapinduzi”: um grupo de leitura de intelectuais negras, um lugar de afetos, diálogos e resistência. Assim, esse artigo tem como objetivo geral refletir sobre a construção de lugares de promoção da intelectualidade negra a partir da experiência no Coletivo Mapinduzi/ UECE. Trata-se de uma pesquisa qualitativa, um relato dessa experiência de aquilombamento estudantil que se fortalece na perspectiva interseccional para discutir a formação docente. Os principais achados confirmam a ausência de estudos de intelectuais negras durante a formação em Pedagogia que denunciam um currículo institucionalmente embranquecido. Destaca-se, ainda, a autonomia, ousadia, poder e experiência de vanguarda escrevivida pelo Coletivo Mapinduzi, ao criar e abrir espaço permanente para apresentar, discutir e construir o pensamento negro dentro da Universidade, acolhendo estudantes, em sua maioria, negras/os/es, desejosas/os/es por conhecer e ser intelectualidades negras.

This study aims to investigate the differences in intra-urban catchments with different characteristics through real-time wastewater monitoring. Monitoring stations were installed in three neighbourhoods of Barcelona to measure flow, total chemical oxygen demand (COD), pH, conductivity, temperature, and bisulfide (HS-) for 1 year. Typical wastewater profiles were obtained for weekdays, weekends, and holidays in the summer and winter seasons. The results reveal differences in waking up times and evening routines, commuting behaviour during weekends and holidays, and water consumption. The pollutant profiles contribute to a better understanding of pollution generation in households and catchment activities. Flows and COD correlate well at all stations, but there are differences in conductivity and HS- at the station level. The article concludes by discussing the operational experience of the monitoring stations. HIGHLIGHTS Wastewater monitoring stations were deployed in residential catchments.; Flow, chemical oxygen demand, pH, conductivity, temperature, and bisulfide (HS-) were monitored.; Wastewater flow patterns are linked to socioeconomic status.; Catchment characteristics and activities influence loads and concentrations.;

Abstract Deprived urban areas, commonly referred to as ‘slums,’ are the consequence of unprecedented urbanisation. Previous studies have highlighted the potential of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Earth Observation (EO) in capturing physical aspects of urban deprivation. However, little research has explored AI’s ability to predict how locals perceive deprivation. This research aims to develop a method to predict citizens’ perception of deprivation using satellite imagery, citizen science, and AI. A deprivation perception score was computed from slum-citizens’ votes. Then, AI was used to model this score, and results indicate that it can effectively predict perception, with deep learning outperforming conventional machine learning. By leveraging AI and EO, policymakers can comprehend the underlying patterns of urban deprivation, enabling targeted interventions based on citizens’ needs. As over a quarter of the global urban population resides in slums, this tool can help prioritise citizens’ requirements, providing evidence for implementing urban upgrading policies aligned with SDG-11.

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) survivors often suffer from agitated behaviors and will most likely receive pharmacological treatments. Choosing an optimal and safe treatment that will not interfere with neurological recovery remains controversial. By interfering with dopaminergic circuits, antipsychotics may impede processes important to cognitive recovery. Despite their frequent use, there have been no large randomized controlled studies of antipsychotics for the management of agitated behaviors during the acute TBI recovery period. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of pre-clinical studies evaluating the effects of antipsychotics post-TBI on both cognitive and motor recovery. MEDLINE and Embase databases were searched up to August 2, 2023. Pre-clinical studies evaluating the effects of antipsychotics on cognitive and motor functions post-TBI were considered. Risk of bias was evaluated with the Systematic Review Centre for Laboratory Animal Experimentation (SYRCLE) tool. We identified 15 studies including a total of 1188 rodents, mostly conducted in male Sprague-Dawley rats using cortical impact injury. The analysis revealed no consistent effect of haloperidol on motor functions, but risperidone was associated with a significant impairment in motor function on day 5 post-injury (7.05?sec; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.47, 12.62; I2?=?92%). Other atypical antipsychotics did not result in impaired motor function. When evaluating cognitive function, haloperidol- (23.00?sec; 95% CI: 17.42?28.59; I2?=?7%) and risperidone-treated rats (24.27?sec; 95% CI: 16.18?32.36; I2?=?0%) were consistently impaired when compared to controls. In studies evaluating atypical antipsychotics, no impairments were observed. Clinicians should avoid the regular use of haloperidol and risperidone, and future human studies should be conducted with atypical antipsychotics.

BackgroundSeveral studies have shown that tranexamic acid (TXA), an antifibrinolytic, reduces postoperative infection rates. Recent in vitro research showed that TXA alone and in combination with vancomycin and gentamicin had a synergistic effect against some staphylococcal strains. In the present study, this synergistic effect was validated in samples from patients with staphylococcal periprosthetic infection (PPI) and in an in vivo model.MethodsWe tested 19 clinical strains (5 Staphylococcus aureus and 14 coagulase-negative staphylococci [CoNS]) against 10 mg/ml TXA alone and in combination with serial dilutions of vancomycin and gentamicin. The standardized microtiter plate method was used. The minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) were calculated using standard visualization of well turbidity. We also used an S. aureus (ATCC29213) murine subcranial PPI model to compare the synergistic effect of TXA and gentamicin with that of TXA or gentamicin alone after 4 days of monitoring. The mice were euthanized, and disks were removed for analysis of cfu/ml counts and cell viability rate. Biofilm structure of both in vitro and in vivo samples was also analyzed using scanning electron microscopy (SEM).ResultsWhen TXA was combined with vancomycin or gentamicin, the MIC decreased in 30% of the strains studied. According to species, the MIC50 for vancomycin and gentamicin alone and in combination with TXA against S. aureus strains was the same. This was also the case for CoNS with vancomycin and its corresponding combination, whereas with gentamicin and TXA, a reduction in MIC50 was observed (2 dilutions). In addition, in the in vivo model, the mean (SD) log cfu/ml and cell viability rate obtained from the implant was lower in the group of mice treated with TXA and gentamicin than in those treated only with TXA or gentamicin. SEM images also corroborated our findings in strains in which the MIC was reduced, as well as the in the mice implants, with the area occupied by biofilm being greater in samples treated only with gentamicin or TXA than in those treated with TXA+gentamicin.ConclusionWe confirm that combining TXA with vancomycin or gentamicin exerts a synergistic effect. However, this only occurs in selected strains.

Tras la pandemia de COVID-19, el teletrabajo se encuentra en proceso de consolidación como modalidad de trabajo en remoto que afecta a una amplia diversidad de empresas y actividades productivas. Sin embargo, su grado de penetración es sensiblemente inferior entre las empresas de menor dimensión. Poca atención ha merecido hasta el momento el estudio de las actitudes y motivaciones de los propietarios y equipos directivos de las pequeñas empresas en relación con el impulso a las nuevas formas de organización del trabajo que surgen del proceso de transformación digital de las empresas. Esta investigación pretende mitigar esta carencia mediante un análisis empírico basado en una encuesta realizada a una muestra de directivos de PYME europeas. Los resultados obtenidos aportan luz sobre cuál es la influencia de la cultura organizativa, de la competencia adquirida en la gestión de equipos mediante el uso de tecnologías digitales y de las percepciones subjetivas de utilidad en la decisión de implementar el teletrabajo en las pequeñas empresas. Permite conocer también cuáles son los elementos más determinantes del proceso de transformación en la organización del trabajo en el seno de las PYME europeas. Los resultados obtenidos, considerando la existencia de un marco regulatorio incipiente de las formas de trabajo flexibles, tienen implicaciones prácticas para las estratégicas de formación en la empresa y las políticas para el fomento del teletrabajo en las empresas de menor dimensión. Since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, a significant share of workers has been involved in some form of telework. Remote work arrangements are currently affecting a wide range of firms and industries. However, its usage is significantly lower among small and medium companies. So far, the study of the attitudes and motivations of business owners and managers of small companies for promoting this new modality of work organization has been poorly addressed. This research aims to reduce this shortage by implementing an empirical analysis based on a sample of managers in small and medium-sized (SMEs) European companies. Our findings reveal the critical influence of organizational culture, the achievement of competencies related to the capacity of team building using digital tools and the subjective perceptions of usefulness on the decision to implement telework. It also provides insight into the most important determinant factors for reshaping work organization in European SMEs. Considering the incipient regulatory framework for flexible work arrangements, the results have practical implications for in-company training strategies and the policies to foster telework implementation in SMEs.

A heuristic algorithm is developed for the P-median problem and was tested for real world effectivity by employing the algorithm for a siting problem. The new heuristic was developed from by extending the myopic or greedy adding algorithm, and was found to generate a large number of solutions which correspond to an optimization of a P-median objective of reducing demand weighted average distance between a selected site and customer locations.

Abstract Background The Spanish version of the Computer Vision Syndrome Questionnaire (CVS-Q©) is a validated instrument, with good psychometric properties, to measure Computer Vision Syndrome (CVS) in workers using Video Display Terminals (VDTs). To date, there are no known valid instruments in Chinese for the assessment of CVS despite the high exposure to VDTs at work that this population presents. For this, the purpose of this study is to translate and cross-culturally adapt the CVS-Q© into Chinese. Methods A study with five consecutive stages: direct translation, synthesis of translations, back translation, consolidation by a committee of experts, and pre-test. During the pre-test, a cross-sectional pilot study was conducted on VDT users (n = 44) who completed the Chinese version of the questionnaire plus an ad hoc post-test to assess the comprehensibility of the scale and to verify aspects of its applicability and feasibility. Data concerning sociodemographic information, general and ocular health, use of optical correction and varying exposure to VDTs was also collected. Results The entire sample considered the Chinese version of the CVS-Q© simple, clear, and easy to understand and 95.5% also found it easy to complete. 88.7% considered that the scale did not need any improvement. The final version of the Chinese scale to measure CVS was obtained (the CVS-Q CN©). The mean age of participants was 31.3 ± 9.8 years, 47.6% were women, and 57.1% used VDTs to work for more than 8 h/day. Conclusions The CVS-Q CN© can be considered an easy tool to assess CVS in workers exposed to digital devices in China. This version would facilitate research, its use in clinical practice, and the prevention of occupational hazards in the workplace.

The COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated the digital transformation of education, prompting universities worldwide to swiftly transition to online and blended learning environments. The adaptation process to online education varies depending on several factors, including the level of digitalization and technological penetration in each country, the availability of technologies at universities, and the digital skills of students and staff. Additionally, the specific field of knowledge influences the adaptation process, with differences observed between disciplines such as health sciences and humanities. In this study, we conduct an exploratory qualitative analysis on how universities have responded, specifically focusing on the coordinators of Master’s programs in Spain in the specific area of assessment. This unprecedented situation has forced educators and institutions to rethink their assessment strategies and adapt to a new educational landscape. The insights gained from this study could provide valuable guidance for future crises and contribute to the ongoing discourse on the role of digital technologies in education in general, and in assessment in particular.

Summary: Despite the symmetrical structure of nucleosomes, in vitro studies have shown that transcription proceeds with different efficiency depending on the orientation of the DNA sequence around them. However, it is unclear whether this functional asymmetry is present in vivo and whether it could regulate transcriptional directionality. Here, we report that the proximal and distal halves of nucleosomal DNA contribute differentially to nucleosome stability in the genome. In +1 nucleosomes, this asymmetry facilitates or hinders transcription depending on the orientation of its underlying DNA, and this difference is associated with an asymmetrical interaction between DNA and histones. These properties are encoded in the DNA signature of +1 nucleosomes, since its incorporation in the two orientations into downstream nucleosomes renders them asymmetrically accessible to MNase and inverts the balance between sense and antisense transcription. Altogether, our results show that nucleosomal DNA endows nucleosomes with asymmetrical properties that modulate the directionality of transcription.

Rifampicin is one of the mainstays in treating staphylococcal prosthetic joint infection (PJI). However, discontinuation due to intolerance, drug interactions, and adverse events is common. Two-stage revision surgery remains the gold standard, with the number of revision arthroplasties steadily increasing. This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of a novel two-stage revision protocol for staphylococcal prosthetic joint infection (PJI) utilizing bone cement spacers loaded with multiple high doses of antibiotics. Additionally, it seeks to analyze outcomes in patients ineligible for rifampicin treatment. A retrospective review of 43 cases of staphylococcal hip and knee prosthetic joint infections (PJIs) from 2012 to 2020 was conducted. In all instances, a commercial cement containing 1 g of gentamicin and 1 g of clindamycin, augmented with 4 g of vancomycin and 2 g of ceftazidime, was employed to cast a spacer manually after thorough surgical debridement. We report an eradication rate of 82%, with no significant differences observed (p = 0.673) between patients treated with (84%, n = 19) and without rifampicin (79%, n = 24). There were no disparities in positive culture rates (7%), spacer replacement (18%), or survival analysis (p = 0.514) after an average follow-up of 68 months (range 10–147) in the absence of systemic toxicity and surgical complications superimposable to those previously reported. In conclusion, two-stage revision with local high doses of ceftazidime, vancomycin, gentamicin, and clindamycin demonstrates high effectiveness in treating staphylococcal PJIs. Notably, systemic rifampicin does not influence the outcomes. This protocol, with multiple high doses of antibiotics loaded into the bone cement spacer, is presented as a viable and safe alternative for patients unsuitable for rifampicin treatment.

The purpose of this work is to analyze the interaction between the spectral transmittance of old-aged subjects, before and after cataract surgery and blue light-filtering intraocular lens implantation, and the spectral power distribution of common street lamps, under conditions typical of nighttime driving. We analyzed contrast threshold and visual reaction time in off-axis vision at different mesopic illumination conditions provided by high-pressure sodium and metal halide lamps. Three groups of subjects with different spectral transmittances participated: young subjects as control group, old-aged subjects with senile cataracts and the same subjects after cataract surgery and blue light-filtering IOL implantation. A clear interaction appears between the spectral power distribution and the spectral transmittance, depending on the visual task. Transparent ocular media allow benefiting from the greater short-wavelength content of the halide lamp. However, cataracts increase contrast threshold and visual reaction time values and also affects how the spectral power distribution influences these visual tasks. After surgery and intraocular lens implantation, visual performance improves for both lamps and the blue light-filter seems to influence spectral transmittance, which affects visual performance under light provided by greater short-wavelength content lamps. Cataract surgery is responsible for an improvement in contrast threshold and visual reaction time tasks, though blue light-filtering of the intraocular lens seems to prevent the visual system from benefiting from lamps with greater emission at short wavelengths. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Theme: Motherhood and Mothering. Ill. ©Stina Wirsén This article sustains that children’s literature has the potential to legitimise and subvert dominant motherhood ideologies. Drawing on feminist motherhood theory in the fields of gender studies and children’s literature, this article critically analyses the influence of New Momism in Jacqueline Wilson’s Tracy Beaker series (1991–2019), contributing to a body of research on these acclaimed books for children. New Momism is an ideological movement which romanticises motherhood and sets highly demanding, impossible-to-meet standards of motherhood (Douglas and Adams 4). New Momist ideology resulted in a series of mother stereotypes advanced by the media, such as the “celebrity mum”, the “welfare mother” and the “supermum”. Mother characters in the Tracy Beaker novels are analysed against these stereotypes to ascertain to what extent their existence is supported or disavowed. This article is divided into two sections that coincide with the two sequences of the series. The first focuses on the two main mother characters: Carly, Tracy’s biological mother, and Cam, Tracy’s foster mother. The second part focuses on the character of Tracy as a mother and how her socio-economic background affects her experience of mothering. The presence of mother stereotypes such as the celebrity mum and the welfare mother demonstrate how New Momist ideas are embedded in the text. However, these patriarchal ideas of motherhood are also undermined in the novels, most notably through the challenge of mother stereotypes, the dismissal of the mother ideal and the portrayal of diverse motherhood experiences. Finally, an evolution in the treatment of motherhood throughout the years can be observed in the series, with the most recent novels presenting a more progressive perspective on working-class motherhood and female sexuality.

Abstract Mammal diversity affects carbon concentration in Amazonian soils. It is known that some species traits determine carbon accumulation in organisms (e.g., size and longevity), and are also related to feeding strategies, thus linking species traits to the type of organic remains that are incorporated into the soil. Trait diversity in mammal assemblages – that is, its functional diversity – may therefore constitute another mechanism linking biodiversity to soil organic matter (SOM) accumulation. To address this hypothesis, we analyzed across 83 mammal assemblages in the Amazon biome (Guyana), the elemental (by ED‐XRF and CNH analysis) and molecular (FTIR‐ATR) composition of SOM of topsoils (401 samples) and trait diversity (functional richness, evenness, and divergence) for each mammal assemblage. Lower mammal functional richness but higher functional divergence were related to higher content of carbonyl and aliphatic SOM, potentially affecting SOM recalcitrance. Our results might allow the design of biodiversity management plans that consider the effect of mammal traits on carbon sequestration and accumulation in soils.

False memories have been extensively investigated over the past few decades using the Deese/Roediger-McDermott (DRM) paradigm. In this paradigm, participants study lists of words associatively related to a non-presented critical lure. During a memory test, these critical lures are falsely recalled or recognized. Most studies have focused on false memories that arise when both encoding and retrieval are conducted in the same language (i.e., within-language conditions), which is typically the participant’s native or first language (L1). However, much less is known about false memories when critical lures appear in the memory test in a different language than the studied lists (i.e., between-language conditions), being one of them the participant’s second language (L2). The main objective of this exhaustive review was to provide an overview of the current state of research on false recognition using the DRM paradigm in between-language conditions, where languages are switched between encoding and retrieval (i.e., L1L2 versus L2L1). The results revealed a language dominance effect in between-language false memories. In other words, false recognition rates were dependent on the study language, with a trend toward higher false recognition when words were enconded in the L1 (L1L2) compared to when words were encoded in the L2 (L2L1). This review enhances our understanding of how studying words in a first or second language affects false memory in the DRM paradigm, emphasizing the significance of investigating false memory in second language speakers and the necessity for further research in the field.

In this article we present MARGINALIA, an academic experience of design carried out within the context of the Final Bachelor of Design Projects of the Visual Creation mention. MARGINALIA is a collaborative workshop that aim to be a tool for amplifying the first drafts of the Final Design Project. It’s a process-oriented design approach, exploratory and experimental. The designers intrude (interfere, involve, intermediate) in the project of the others, developing and extending it towards territories that the author could barely imagine. Applying the ethics of care to the project of design we explore new paths to reinvent the design project and move it from a personal outcome to an interdependent result. We argue that design practices have the capacity to foster cooperation, empathy and shared creation through the vision of ethics of care. We embrace the point of view of the design of care and we transform the design project into a relational infrastructure and a network of interdependencies. With MARGINALIA we inseminate a way of projecting forgetting the traditional design project, which privilege abstract principles, formal rules, impersonal duties and deliberative justice. And we promote a new paradigm where design project is relational.

Medical implantable technologies, such as cochlear implants or joint prostheses, have been commonly used since the late 20th century. By contrast, the market for this type of technology is expanding when the purpose is not medical, even though it is more marginal. This study tests a technology acceptance model for the latter type of insideable technology based on an extension of the technology acceptance models TAM and TAM2 proposed for hedonic technologies by van del Heijden. So, the behavioral intention of insertables is explained by the perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use, as well as social influence, as proposed in the TAM2 by Venkatesh and Davis. Additionally, the perceived enjoyment, included in the extension by Van der Heijden, is added as an explanatory factor. We applied structural equation modeling to the theoretical scheme provided by the modified TAM and performed a necessary condition analysis. Statistical analysis showed that all variables considered in the model have a significantly positive influence on behavioral intention. Likewise, the model has good properties both from the point of view of the fit obtained, since it predicts 70% of behavioral intention, and from the predictive point of view. The necessary condition analysis allows us to analyze whether the presence of some of the latent variables postulated to explain the attitude toward implantables is necessary to produce the said acceptance. Therefore, its absence is a critical aspect of expansion. We observed that perceived usefulness manifests itself as a necessary condition for behavioral intention with a medium size. Perceived ease of use and enjoyment also present a significant necessity effect size, but their strength is smaller. By contrast, the subjective norm does not have the status of a necessary variable.