showing 36 of ~574560 from 574555 documents
Improved Bounds on Ultralight Scalar Dark Matter in the Radio-Frequency Range
2022
We present a search for fundamental constant oscillations in the range $20$~kHz-$100$ MHz, that may arise within models for ultralight dark matter (UDM). Using two independent, significantly upgraded optical-spectroscopy apparatus, we achieve up to $\times$1000 greater sensitivity in the search relative to previous work. We report no observation of UDM and thus constrain respective couplings to electrons and photons within the investigated UDM particle mass range $8\cdot 10^{-11}-4\cdot 10^{-7}$ eV. The constraints significantly exceed previously set bounds, and as we show, may surpass in future experiments those provided by equivalence-principle experiments in a specific case regarding the…
Ultraperipheral collisions and low-x physics
2022
Ultraperipheral collisions at the LHC and RHIC offer the highest currently available energy for photon-nucleon and photon-nucleus collisions. Thus they are a valuable tool for studying the gluonic structure of hadrons and nuclei at small $x$. We discuss recent theoretical work towards understanding such exclusive processes at NLO accuracy in QCD perturbation theory. These theoretical advances are also immediately relevant for understanding the physics of deep inelastic scattering at small $x$. We also discuss experimental results in ultraperipheral collisions, most prominently for exclusive vector meson production.
Physical activity, diet quality and all-cause cardiovascular disease and cancer mortality: A prospective study of 346 627 UK Biobank participants
2022
ObjectivesTo examine independent and interactive associations of physical activity and diet with all-cause, cardiovascular disease (CVD) and physical activity, diet and adiposity-related (PDAR) cancer mortality.MethodsThis population-based prospective cohort study (n=346 627) is based on the UK Biobank data with linkage to the National Health Service death records to 30 April 2020. A left-truncated Cox proportional hazards model was fitted to examine the associations between exposures (self-reported total moderate-to-vigorous intensity physical activity (MVPA), vigorous-intensity physical activity (VPA) and a diet quality index (score ranged 0–3)) and outcomes (all-cause, CVD and PDAR cance…
Anisotropic Navier Kirchhoff problems with convection and Laplacian dependence
2022
We consider the Navier problem-Delta(2)(k,p)u(x)=f(x,u(x), del u(x), Delta u(x)) in Omega, u vertical bar(partial derivative Omega) =Delta u vertical bar(partial derivative Omega) = 0,driven by the sign-changing (degenerate) Kirchhoff type p(x)-biharmonic operator, and involving a (del u, Delta u)-dependent nonlinearity f. We prove the existence of solutions, in weak sense, defining an appropriate Nemitsky map for the nonlinearity. Then, the Brouwer fixed point theorem assessed for a Galerkin basis of the Banach space W-2,W-p(x)(Omega)boolean AND W-0(1,p(x))(Omega) leads to the existence result. The case of nondegenerate Kirchhoff type p(x)-biharmonic operator is also considered with respec…
Social Media Influencers as Mediators of Commercial Messages
2022
Social media influencers are integral to contemporary organizations’ marketing strategies. Despite growing interest in the topic, there is scant knowledge of how organizations manage and collaborate with influencers in their content production during commercial collaborations. Drawing on semi-structured interviews and a semiotic analysis of social media content, this study elucidates the dynamics of organizations’ commercial collaborations with influencers and discusses how influencers decode and transmit organizations’ commercial messages to their followers in the destination marketing context. Social reality and commercial messages are enmeshed in the content narrative and interpreted by …
High-precision measurement of a low Q value for allowed β−-decay of 131I related to neutrino mass determination
2022
The ground-state-to-ground-state β−-decay 131I (7/2+) → 131Xe (3/2+) Q value was determined with high precision utilizing the double Penning trap mass spectrometer JYFLTRAP at the IGISOL facility. The Q value of this β−-decay was found to be Q = 972.25(19) keV through a cyclotron frequency ratio measurement with a relative precision of 1.6 × 10−9. This was realized using the phase-imaging ion-cyclotron-resonance technique. The new Q value is more than 3 times more precise and 2.3σ higher (1.45 keV) than the value extracted from the Atomic Mass Evaluation 2020. Our measurement confirms that the β−-decay to the 9/2+ excited state at 971.22(13) keV in 131Xe is energetically allowed with a Q va…
The Children of Risk Communication
2022
For the management of the COVID-19 pandemic, risk communication has been a much-needed preventive and educative action to support citizens – including children – to adopt preventive and health protective measures. However, the COVID-19 pandemic is not the only health concern at hand that has raised concerns about the health status of children and required disease-preventive strategies. Bearing in mind the mental health problems and learning losses reported during the pandemic, in this commentary, we will argue that by now, it is time to consider critically if there could be more space for positive communication and education, both alongside and as an integral part of risk communication, to…
Adding a soil biodiversity monitoring to the French National Soil Quality Monitoring Network :the RMQS-Biodiversity
2022
International audience
Propagating single photons from an open cavity: Description from universal quantization
2022
Over the last decades, quantum optics has evolved from high quality factor cavities in the early experiments toward new cavity designs involving leaky modes. Despite very reliable models, in the concepts of cavity quantum electrodynamics, photon leakage is most of the time treated phenomenologically. Here, we take a different approach, and starting from first principles, we define an inside-outside representation which is derived from the original true-mode representation, in which one can determine effective Hamiltonian and Poynting vector. Contrary to the phenomenological model, they allow a full description of a leaking single photon produced in the cavity and propagating in free space. …
Interactive evolutionary multiobjective optimization with modular physical user interface
2022
© 2022 Copyright held by the owner/author(s). Incorporating the preferences of a domain expert, a decision-maker (DM), in solving multiobjective optimization problems increased in popularity in recent years. The DM can choose to use different types of preferences depending on his/her comfort, requirements, or the problem being solved. Most papers, where preference-based and interactive algorithms have been proposed, do not pay attention to the user interfaces and input devices. If they do, they use character or graphics-based preference input methods. We propose the option of using a physical or tactile input device that gives the DM a better sense of control over providing his/her preferen…
Harnessing Molecular Fluorophores in the Carbon Dots Matrix: The Case of Safranin O
2022
The origin of fluorescence in carbon dots (C-dots) is still a puzzling phenomenon. The emission is, in most of the cases, due to molecular fluorophores formed in situ during the synthesis. The carbonization during C-dots processing does not allow, however, a fine control of the properties and makes finding the source of the fluorescence a challenging task. In this work, we present a strategy to embed a pre-formed fluorescent molecule, safranin O dye, into an amorphous carbonaceous dot obtained by citric acid carbonization. The dye is introduced in the melted solution of citric acid and after pyrolysis remains incorporated in a carbonaceous matrix to form red-emitting C-dots that are strongl…
Metodo e testualità. Costruzioni analtiche e modi di fare
2022
This number of E | C has an experimental character. The contributions gathered in the volume collect the fruit of the work of a cycle of seminars that took place in Palermo between October and December 2021: they were entitled "Text analysis seminars" and saw the participation of Giuditta Bassano, Denis Bertrand , Alice Giannitrapani, Manar Hammad, Tarcisio Lancioni, Dario Mangano, Francesco Mangiapane, Gianfranco Marrone, Maria Pia Pozzato, Carlo Andrea Tassinari and Ilaria Ventura Bordenca. The seminars were intended to reflect on the semiotic method, already the subject of the 2017 conference of the Italian Association of Semiotic Studies, whose proceedings were published in the numbers …
The elite judo female athlete's heart.
2022
Purpose: There is a paucity of data on physiological heart adaptation in elite-level judo female athletes. This study aimed to assess left ventricular morphology and function in highly trained elite female judokas.Methods: The study prospectively included 18 females aged 23.5 ± 2.25 years, nine elite level judokas, and nine healthy non-athlete volunteers. All participants underwent a medical examination, electrocardiogram, and transthoracic 2D echocardiogram. Left ventricular diastolic and systolic diameters and volumes were determined, and parameters of left heart geometry and function (systolic and diastolic) were measured, calculated, and compared between groups.Results: When groups were…
Desirable properties of performance indicators for assessing interactive evolutionary multiobjective optimization methods
2022
Interactive methods support decision makers in finding the most preferred solution in multiobjective optimization problems. They iteratively incorporate the decision maker's preference information to find the best balance among conflicting objectives. Several interactive methods have been developed in the literature. However, choosing the most suitable interactive method for a given problem can prove challenging and appropriate indicators are needed to compare interactive methods. Some indicators exist for a priori methods, where preferences are provided at the beginning of the solution process. We present some numerical experiments that illustrate why these indicators are not suitable for …
Life Satisfaction and Instagram Addiction among University Students during the COVID-19 Pandemic: The Bidirectional Mediating Role of Loneliness.
2022
Background: Social isolation during the lockdown, and the greater use of online platforms to connect with other people, can alter the dynamic relationship between loneliness, social media use, and subjective well-being. The study examines the mediating role of loneliness in the bidirectional association between Instagram addiction and life satisfaction. Methods: A sample of 954 university students from Poland were enrolled in a cross-sectional online study during the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. Participants aged between 19 and 42 (M = 22.56, SD = 2.36), and most of them were women (86.48%). Standardized questionnaires were used to measure Instagram addiction (BIAS), loneliness (DJ…
Health-related quality of life, health literacy and COVID-19-related worries of 16- to 17-year-old adolescents and parents one year into the pandemic…
2022
Abstract Background The uncertain and challenging situation caused by the COVID-19 pandemic affects adolescents and their parents in an exceptional way. More knowledge of health-related quality of life (HRQoL), health literacy (HL) and COVID-19-related worries in adolescents and parents 1 year into the pandemic is needed. The present study aimed to describe HRQoL, HL and COVID-19-related worries of 16- to 17-year-old adolescents and parents of adolescents. Further, to assess the strength of associations between gender, HL, COVID-19-related worries and HRQoL. Methods A cross-sectional study involving 215 adolescents and 320 parents was conducted, exploring HRQoL, HL, COVID-19-related worries…
Control of Molecular Orbital Ordering Using a van der Waals Monolayer Ferroelectric
2022
Two-dimensional (2D) ferroelectric materials provide a promising platform for the electrical control of quantum states. In particular, due to their 2D nature, they are suitable for influencing the quantum states of deposited molecules via the proximity effect. Here, we report electrically controllable molecular states in phthalocyanine molecules adsorbed on monolayer ferroelectric material SnTe. In particular, we demonstrate that the strain and ferroelectric order in SnTe creates a transition between two distinct orbital orders in the adsorbed phthalocyanine molecules. By controlling the polarization of the ferroelectric domain using scanning tunneling microscopy (STM), we have successfully…
Discorso sul metodo di Peppa Pig
2022
This article goes through the events and the theoretical problems raised by the publication of a Semiotic essay that the author has dedicated to the analysis of Peppa Pig, a popular TV series targeted to early-childhood. Assuming a situated point of view, it chooses to dramatize the position of the researcher towards the complexity as represented by the emergence of the “wilderness” of the text to analyze. Consequently, this article aims at enlightening the strategies actually followed by the author in facing this complexity. What format and style to choose in the writing process? How to identify the limits of the text? How to evaluate the eventuality that inspired the analytical curiosity …
A milestone in the era of esports: The Olympics through the lens of virtual reality
2022
Whether the International Olympic Committee (IOC) ever includes electronic sports (esports) in the official program of the Olympic Games, the popularity of competitive gaming continues to grow—sports present a modern audience powerhouse the world cannot fail to notice. By the end of 2025, the number of viewers in esports is expected to reach 640.8 million and revenue growth of 1,866.2 billion U.S. dollars (Gough, 2022). Over 170 colleges in the United States have established varsity esports teams and offer esports players' educational opportunities, including partial or full scholarships (Lyman, 2022). Esports has also found its place in schools, largely influencing the youth (Rothwell and …
Deciphering the conformations and dynamics of FG-nucleoporins in situ
2022
AbstractThe ∼120 MDa nuclear pore complex (NPC) acts as a gatekeeper for the molecular traffic between the nucleus and the cytosol. Small cargo readily passes through the transport channel, yet large cargo requires specialized nuclear transport receptors. While the scaffold structure that anchors the NPC in the double-layered nuclear envelope has been resolved to remarkable details, the spatial organization of intrinsically disordered nucleoporins (NUPs) within the central channel remains enigmatic. These so-called FG-NUPs account for about one-third of the total mass of the NPC and form the actual transport barrier. Here we combined site-specific fluorescent labeling in non-fixed cells and…
A many-body approach to transport in quantum systems : From the transient regime to the stationary state
2022
We review one of the most versatile theoretical approaches to the study of time-dependent correlated quantum transport in nano-systems: the non-equilibrium Green's function (NEGF) formalism. Within this formalism, one can treat, on the same footing, inter-particle interactions, external drives and/or perturbations, and coupling to baths with a (piece-wise) continuum set of degrees of freedom. After a historical overview on the theory of transport in quantum systems, we present a modern introduction of the NEGF approach to quantum transport. We discuss the inclusion of inter-particle interactions using diagrammatic techniques, and the use of the so-called embedding and inbedding techniques w…
A Computationally Efficient Online/Offline Signature Scheme for Underwater Wireless Sensor Networks
2022
Underwater wireless sensor networks (UWSNs) have emerged as the most widely used wireless network infrastructure in many applications. Sensing nodes are frequently deployed in hostile aquatic environments in order to collect data on resources that are severely limited in terms of transmission time and bandwidth. Since underwater information is very sensitive and unique, the authentication of users is very important to access the data and information. UWSNs have unique communication and computation needs that are not met by the existing digital signature techniques. As a result, a lightweight signature scheme is required to meet the communication and computation requirements. In this researc…
The first report of the Italian Migraine Registry (I-GRAINE).
2022
Italian Migraine Registry (I-GRAINE) is a multicenter (n = 38), prospective, observational, non-interventional study aimed at providing big data on migraine to ensure proper clinical disease management, according to scientific, and sustainability criteria. We enrolled consecutive patients affected by episodic or chronic migraine according to the systematic random method. Information on sociodemographic characteristics, lifestyle, migraine features, patient's journey, and healthcare resource use were gathered using face-to-face interviews.On the date of 31 December 2021, we enrolled 231 patients at 12 headache centers. Most of them were women (84.4%), with high migraine frequency (9.6 +/- 6.…
Impact of Heavy Metals in Eggs and Tissues of C. caretta along the Sicilian Coast (Mediterranean Sea)
2022
In this study we compared the heavy metal concentration found in different tissues and eggs of the loggerhead sea turtle and evaluated the potential ecotoxicological risk for this important species. Eighteen heavy metal elements were determined in different tissues (liver, gonads, fat, kidney, heart, brain, and spleen) of nine individuals of Caretta caretta found stranded along the coasts of Messina (Sicily, Italy) and in the shell and yolk of six eggs from the island of Linosa (Sicily, Italy). For the analysis of the heavy metals, we used the analytical procedures in accordance with the EPA 200.8 method supplemented by EPA 6020b with three replicates for each measurement. The elements anal…
Calcium isotopes as a biomarker for vascular calcification in chronic kidney disease
2022
AbstractCalcium balance is abnormal in adults with chronic kidney disease (CKD) and is associated with the development of vascular calcification. It is currently not routine to screen for vascular calcification in CKD patients. In this cross-sectional study, we investigate whether the ratio of naturally occurring calcium (Ca) isotopes, 44Ca and 42Ca, in serum could be used as a noninvasive marker of vascular calcification in CKD.We recruited 78 participants from a tertiary hospital renal center: 28 controls, 9 subjects with mild–moderate CKD, 22 undertaking dialysis and 19 who received a kidney transplant. For each participant, systolic blood pressure, ankle brachial index, pulse wave veloc…
PROGETTAZIONE, SINTESI E CARATTERIZZAZIONE DI NUOVI DERIVATI POLISACCARIDICI E POLIURETANICI PER LA PRODUZIONE DI BIOMATERIALI INNOVATIVI PROCESSABIL…
2022
Challenges in dental statistics: data and modelling
2022
The aim of this work is to present the reflections and proposals derived from the first Workshop of the SISMEC STATDENT working group on statistical methods and applications in dentistry, held in Ancona (Italy) on 28th September 2011. STATDENT began as a forum of comparison and discussion for statisticians working in the field of dental research in order to suggest new and improve existing biostatistical and clinical epidemiological methods. During the meeting, we dealt with very important topics of statistical methodology for the analysis of dental data, covering the analysis of hierarchically structured and over-dispersed data, the issue of calibration and reproducibility, as well as some…
Description of Solid-to-Solid Redox Processes Based on the Voltammetry of Immobilized Particles Methodology: A Logistic Approximation
2022
A semiempirical model to describe the voltammetry of nontopotactic solid-to-solid redox processes occurring in the voltammetry of immobilized particles (VIMP) electrochemistry is described. It is applied to the reduction of solid metal compounds to the corresponding metal in contact with suitable electrolytes. The model is based on the assumption that the transferred charge is a logistic function of the applied potential, a situation that applies for reversible redox processes involving strongly adsorbed reactants. The model satisfactorily applies to reproduce linear potential scan curves recorded for graphite electrodes modified with different lead compounds (PbO, PbCl2·2H2O, lead-tin yell…
The Inland Water Copepod Fauna of a Traditional Rural Landscape in a Mediterranean Island (Crustacea, Copepoda)
2022
Although the Mediterranean area is a well-known hotspot of biological diversity, the crustacean assemblages inhabiting inland waters of the Mediterranean islands are to date unevenly known, and detailed information is missing for most taxa and areas. In the frame of this paper, we provide a checklist and a characterization of the copepod fauna of the lentic water bodies occurring in a traditional rural landscape of Sicily, where the co-existence of agriculture, woodlands, and pastoral activities lead to the presence of a wide range of different aquatic habitats. Overall, 22 copepod species belonging to the orders Calanoida, Cyclopoida, and Harpacticoida have been found in the 92 surveyed si…
In-Field LAMP Detection of Flavescence Dorée Phytoplasma in Crude Extracts of the Scaphoideus titanus Vector
2022
One of the most destructive diseases affecting grapevine in Europe is caused by Flavescence Dorée phytoplasma (FDp), which belongs to the 16Sr-V group and is a European Union quarantine pathogen. Although many molecular techniques such as loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) are widely used for the rapid detection of FDp in infected grapevine plants, there is no developed isothermal amplification assay for FDp detection in the insect vectors that are fundamental for the spread of the disease. For this reason, a simple in-field real-time LAMP protocol was optimized and developed for the specific detection of FDp in the insect vector Scaphoideus titanus. The LAMP assay was optimized …
How they walk the talk : Responsible management education in Finnish business schools
2022
Responsible management education (RME) has become a common initiative in the educational discourse of business schools worldwide. However, little is known about how (non-)engagement with RME in the past influenced the way RME is organised today. We examine this in one of the pioneering countries of RME, Finland, using extensive qualitative research materials. Our results suggest that RME has been embedded with authenticity-driven change (local context and research) since the 1990s. In the late 2000s after the legal educational reforms implemented in Finland, the prestige-driven change (accreditations) began to shape the embedding of RME. In the 2020s, both the authenticity- and prestige-dri…
Venous Leg Compression for Tissue Decongestion in Patients With Worsening Congestive Heart Failure
2022
AimsVenous leg compression (VLC) with elastic bandages has been proposed as a potentially useful strategy for decreasing tissue congestion. We aimed to evaluate the effect of VLC on short-term changes on intravascular refill, assessed by inferior vena cava (IVC) diameter in patients with worsening heart failure (WHF) requiring parenteral furosemide. Additionally, we sought to evaluate whether early changes in IVC were related to short-term decongestion.MethodsThis is a prospective study in which we included 20 consecutive ambulatory patients with WHF treated with subcutaneous furosemide and VLC for at least 72 h. The endpoints were (a) short-term changes in IVC, (b) the association between …
A influência de fatores psicossociais protetores sobre a incidência de dor dentária
2022
ABSTRACT OBJECTIVE To investigate the influence of protective psychosocial factors on the incidence of dental pain in the last six months among 12-year-old children living in Manaus (AM). METHODS A prospective school-based cohort study was conducted with 210 12-year-old students enrolled in public schools in the eastern zone of Manaus (AM). Students were followed up for two years. Validated questionnaires were used to assess sociodemographic characteristics, protective psychosocial factors, including sense of coherence, social support, and self-esteem at baseline and after two years. Calibrated examiners clinically assessed dental caries and gingival bleeding. Multivariate multilevel Poisso…
Do public employment services affect the self-rated health of migrant workers in China?
2022
Migrant workers greatly contributing to China’s industrialization and urbanization are confronted with increasing health risks. This study empirically investigates the effects of public employment services on the self-rated health of migrant workers in Shanghai China, by using data from the National Bureau of Statistics from 2015 to 2020. The estimation results under the Ordered Probit model illustrate that public employment services significantly improve the self-rated health of migrant workers, and vocational training, job development and other related services show an apparently positive correlation with the self-rated health. The marginal effect analysis reveals that public employment s…
DNA Computing: Concepts for Medical Applications
2022
The branch of informatics that deals with construction and operation of computers built of DNA, is one of the research directions which investigates issues related to the use of DNA as hardware and software. This concept assumes the use of DNA computers due to their biological origin mainly for intelligent, personalized and targeted diagnostics frequently related to therapy. Important elements of this concept are (1) the retrieval of unique DNA sequences using machine learning methods and, based on the results of this process, (2) the construction/design of smart diagnostic biochip projects. The authors of this paper propose a new concept of designing diagnostic biochips, the key elements o…
Dignity in relationships and existence in nursing homes’ cultures
2022
Introduction: Expressions of dignity as a clinical phenomenon in nursing homes as expressed by caregivers were investigated. A coherence could be detected between the concepts and phenomena of existence and dignity in relationships and caring culture as a context. A caring culture is interpreted by caregivers as the meaning-making of what is accepted or not in the ward culture. Background: The rationale for the connection between existence and dignity in relationships and caring culture is that suffering is a part of existence, as well as compassion in relieving suffering, and ontological interdependency. Aim: To describe different expressions of dignity in relationships and existence in co…