Psychometric Comparisons of Benevolent and Corrective Humor across 22 Countries: The Virtue Gap in Humor Goes International

Recently, two forms of virtue-related humor, benevolent and corrective, have been introduced. Benevolent humor treats human weaknesses and wrongdoings benevolently, while corrective humor aims at correcting and bettering them. Twelve marker items for benevolent and corrective humor (the BenCor) were developed, and it was demonstrated that they fill the gap between humor as temperament and virtue. The present study investigates responses to the BenCor from 25 samples in 22 countries (overall N = 7,226). The psychometric properties of the BenCor were found to be sufficient in most of the samples, including internal consistency, unidimensionality, and factorial validity. Importantly, benevolent and corrective humor were clearly established as two positively related, yet distinct dimensions of virtue-related humor. Metric measurement invariance was supported across the 25 samples, and scalar invariance was supported across six age groups (from 18 to 50+ years) and across gender. Comparisons of samples within and between four countries (Malaysia, Switzerland, Turkey, and the UK) showed that the item profiles were more similar within than between countries, though some evidence for regional differences was also found. This study thus supported, for the first time, the suitability of the 12 marker items of benevolent and corrective humor in different countries, enabling a cumulative cross-cultural research and eventually applications of humor aiming at the good

Spread of a SARS-CoV-2 variant through Europe in the summer of 2020.

Following its emergence in late 2019, the spread of SARS-CoV-21,2 has been tracked by phylogenetic analysis of viral genome sequences in unprecedented detail3–5. Although the virus spread globally in early 2020 before borders closed, intercontinental travel has since been greatly reduced. However, travel within Europe resumed in the summer of 2020. Here we report on a SARS-CoV-2 variant, 20E (EU1), that was identified in Spain in early summer 2020 and subsequently spread across Europe. We find no evidence that this variant has increased transmissibility, but instead demonstrate how rising incidence in Spain, resumption of travel, and lack of effective screening and containment may explain the variant’s success. Despite travel restrictions, we estimate that 20E (EU1) was introduced hundreds of times to European countries by summertime travellers, which is likely to have undermined local efforts to minimize infection with SARS-CoV-2. Our results illustrate how a variant can rapidly become dominant even in the absence of a substantial transmission advantage in favourable epidemiological settings. Genomic surveillance is critical for understanding how travel can affect transmission of SARS-CoV-2, and thus for informing future containment strategies as travel resumes. © 2021, The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature Limited

International nosocomial infection control consortium (INICC) report, data summary of 36 countries, for 2004-2009

The results of a surveillance study conducted by the International Nosocomial Infection Control Consortium (INICC) from January 2004 through December 2009 in 422 intensive care units (ICUs) of 36 countries in Latin America, Asia, Africa, and Europe are reported. During the 6-year study period, using Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN; formerly the National Nosocomial Infection Surveillance system [NNIS]) definitions for device-associated health care-associated infections, we gathered prospective data from 313,008 patients hospitalized in the consortium's ICUs for an aggregate of 2,194,897 ICU bed-days. Despite the fact that the use of devices in the developing countries' ICUs was remarkably similar to that reported in US ICUs in the CDC's NHSN, rates of device-associated nosocomial infection were significantly higher in the ICUs of the INICC hospitals; the pooled rate of central line-associated bloodstream infection in the INICC ICUs of 6.8 per 1,000 central line-days was more than 3-fold higher than the 2.0 per 1,000 central line-days reported in comparable US ICUs. The overall rate of ventilator-associated pneumonia also was far higher (15.8 vs 3.3 per 1,000 ventilator-days), as was the rate of catheter-associated urinary tract infection (6.3 vs. 3.3 per 1,000 catheter-days). Notably, the frequencies of resistance of Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolates to imipenem (47.2% vs 23.0%), Klebsiella pneumoniae isolates to ceftazidime (76.3% vs 27.1%), Escherichia coli isolates to ceftazidime (66.7% vs 8.1%), Staphylococcus aureus isolates to methicillin (84.4% vs 56.8%), were also higher in the consortium's ICUs, and the crude unadjusted excess mortalities of device-related infections ranged from 7.3% (for catheter-associated urinary tract infection) to 15.2% (for ventilator-associated pneumonia). Copyright © 2012 by the Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology, Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved

Efeitos de uma intervenção artística sobre o humor e saúde emocional: Projeto Saludarte

El objetivo principal de este estudio es analizar el efecto que tie- ne la aplicación de un Programa de Intervención Artística sobre el estado de ánimo. Se analizan los efectos de la observación e identificación de recursos expresivos de movimiento y escucha musical, a través de un espectáculo de danza-circo con música en directo, así como la posible correlación entre dichas variables. Se llevó a cabo un estudio cuasi-experimental, pre-post intervención (N =15). Los resultados muestran una influencia positiva del Programa encontrándose una reducción significativa en los factores de tensión y fatiga del Profile of Mood States (POMS). Se exploran algunos componentes de la experiencia de apreciación y se discuten los efectos que podría tener sobre la salud física y emocional.Abstract: The aim of this study was to analyse the effect of an Artistic Inter- vention Program (AIP) on the mood state. The research consisted in the ob- servation and identification of expressive resources of movement and musical listening throughout a dance-circus show. Using a cuasi-experimental design, pre-post intervention, (N= 15) results showed a positive influence of the AIP on mood state. We found statistical significant differences on the Tension and Fatigue factors of Profile of Mood States (POMS). Also some compo- nents of the artistic appreciation experience are explored and the effects that they might have on the physical and emotional health are discussed.Resumo: O objectivo principal deste estudo é analisar o efeito que tem o aplicativo de um Programa de Intervenção Artística sobre o estado de ânimo. Analisam-se os efeitos da observação e identificação de recursos expressivos de movimento e escuta musical, através de um espectáculo de dança-circo com música ao vivo, bem como a possível correlação entre ditas variáveis. Levou-se a cabo um estudo cuasi-experimental, pré-pós intervenção (n =15). Os resul- tados mostram uma influência positiva do Programa encontrando-se uma redução significativa nos factores de tensão e fadiga do POMS. Exploram-se alguns componentes da experiência de apreciação e discutem-se os efeitos que poderia ter sobre a saúde física e emocional

Changes in the microbiome composition in Churra sheep with a resistant phenotype to infection

Trabajo presentado al: COMBAR meeting (Combatting Anthelmintic Resistance in Ruminants). Atenas (Grecia). Febrero. 2022

Microbial community in resistant and susceptible Churra sheep infected by Teladorsagia circumcincta

11 páginas, 4 figuras, 3 tablas.Gastrointestinal nematodes (GIN) are a major threat to health and welfare in small ruminants worldwide. Teladorsagia circumcincta is a nematode that inhabits the abomasum of sheep, especially in temperate regions, causing important economic losses. Given that T. circumcincta and microbiome share the same niche, interactions between them and the host are expected. Although it is known that within a sheep breed there are animals that are more resistant than others to infection by GIN, it is not known if the microbiome infuences the phenotype of these animals. Under this condition, 12 sheep were classifed according to their cumulative faecal egg count (cFEC) at the end of a frst experimental infection, 6 as resistant group (RG) and 6 as susceptible group (SG) to T. circumcincta infection. Then, all sheep were experimentally infected with 70,000 L3 of T. circumcincta and at day 7 days postinfection were euthanized. At necropsy, gastric mucosa and gastric content from abomasum were collected to extract bacterial DNA and sequence V3-V4 region from 16S rRNA gene using Ilumina technology. After bioanalysis performed, results showed that α-diversity and β-diversity remained similar in both groups. However, resistant phenotype sheep showed a higher number of bacteria butyrate-fermenting species as Clostridium sensu stricto 1 (abundance in RG: 1.29% and in SG: 0.069%; p = 0.05), and Turicibacter (abundance in RG: 0.31% and in SG: 0.027%; p = 0.07) in gastric content but also Serratia spp in gastric mucosa (abundance in RG: 0.12% and in SG: 0.041%; p = 0.07). A trend towards a signifcant negative correlation between cFEC and Clostridium sensu stricto 1 abundance in gastric content was detected (r= − 0.537; p = 0.08). These data suggest that microbiome composition could be another factor associated with the development of the resistant phenotype modifying the interaction with the host and the in last instance afecting the individual risk of infection.Peer reviewe

Características da tuberculose pulmonar em área hiperendêmica: município de Santos (SP) Characteristics of pulmonary tuberculosis in a hyperendemic area: the city of Santos, Brasil

OBJETIVO: Caracterizar o perfil dos pacientes com tuberculose pulmonar (TBP) no município de Santos (SP) segundo fatores biológicos, ambientais e institucionais. MÉTODOS: Estudo descritivo, com dados obtidos na vigilância da TB, abrangendo pacientes com TBP maiores de 15 anos de idade, residentes em Santos (SP) e com tratamento iniciado entre 2000 e 2004. RESULTADOS: Foram identificados 2.176 casos, e 481 apresentavam história prévia de TB. Desses, 29,3% curaram-se no episódio anterior, e 70,7% abandonaram o tratamento. Em 61,6% e em 33,8% dos casos, o diagnóstico foi confirmado por baciloscopia e por critérios clínico-radiológicos, respectivamente; 69.0% eram homens, e 69,5% situavam-se entre 20 a 49 anos. Houve 732 hospitalizações, com tempo médio de permanência de 32 dias na primeira internação. A prevalência de alcoolismo, diabetes e coinfecção TB/HIV foi de, respectivamente, 11,7%, 8,2% e 16,2%, com declínio dessa última de 20,7% para 12,9% no período de estudo. O desfecho do tratamento para 71,0%, 12,1%, 3,2% e 3,3% foi, respectivamente, cura, abandono, óbito por TB e óbito por TB/HIV. O tratamento supervisionado de curta duração foi aplicado em 63,4% dos casos, e não houve diferenças nos desfechos entre os tipos de tratamento (p > 0,05). A incidência anual média de TBP foi de 127,9/100.000habitantes (variação: 72,8-272,92/100.000 conforme a região). A taxa anual média de mortalidade por TBP foi de 6,9/100.000 habitantes. CONCLUSÕES: Em áreas hiperendêmicas de TB, o tratamento supervisionado de curta duração deve ser priorizado para os grupos de risco para o abandono de tratamento ou óbito, e a busca de TB entre contatos deve ser intensificada.<br>OBJECTIVE: To characterize the profile of patients with pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB) in the city of Santos, Brazil, according to biological, environmental and institutional factors. METHODS: Descriptive study, using the TB surveillance database, including patients with PTB, aged 15 years or older, residing in the city of Santos and whose treatment was initiated between 2000 and 2004. RESULTS: We identified 2,176 cases, of which 481 presented a history of TB. Of those 481 patients, 29.3% were cured, and 70.7% abandoned treatment. In 61.6% of the cases, the diagnosis was confirmed by sputum smear microscopy, whereas it was confirmed based on clinical and radiological criteria in 33.8%; 69.0% were male; and 69.5% were between 20 and 49 years of age. There were 732 hospitalizations, and the mean length of hospital stay was 32 days (first hospitalization). The prevalence of alcoholism, diabetes and TB/HIV coinfection was, respectively, 11.7%, 8.2% and 16.2%. The prevalence of TB/HIV coinfection decreased from 20.7% to 12.9% during the study period. The treatment outcome was cure, abandonment, death from TB and death attributed to TB/HIV coinfection in 71.0%, 12.1%, 3.9% and 2.5%, respectively. The directly observed treatment, short-course (DOTS) was adopted in 63.4% of cases, and there were no significant differences between DOTS and the conventional treatment approach in terms of outcomes (p > 0.05). The mean annual incidence of PTB was 127.9/100,000 population (range: 72.8-272.92/100,000 population, varying by region). The mean annual mortality rate for PTB was 6.9/100,000 population. CONCLUSIONS: In areas hyperendemic for TB, DOTS should be prioritized for groups at greater risk of treatment abandonment or death, and the investigation of TB contacts should be intensified