Exploring Media Convergence: Evidence from Italy

The evolution of media and devices is enabling the ubiquitous and multi-device access to media and information, so that a media mutual contamination is in play. New forms of user interactions with media, in which different devices are used simultaneously in different contexts, have emerged. These new interactions are significantly impacting on users’ attitudes towards the media and their way of searching and generating content. Such a change, called “media convergence”, has a strong potential impact on marketing and communication processes, but as yet has not been deeply analysed in the literature. This paper presents the outcomes of several studies aimed at exploring media convergence on the demand-side to advance possible implications for marketers and managers

Users’ search mechanisms and risks of inappropriateness in healthcare innovations : the role of literacy and trust in professional contexts

In the context of professional service organizations, user engagement with knowledge search might generate significant risks of inappropriateness to innovation processes. Previous research suggests that professionals would then keep users at arms' length, controlling the design and implementation of innovations internally. This study overcomes this view investigating how professional service organizations can enable users' knowledge search while controlling for the risks of inappropriateness. Combining a qualitative research on 5 innovation processes in healthcare organizations with quantitative research on 110 service users, our findings highlight that professional providers, such as senior clinicians, shaped their tactics according to the ‘threats’ of laggards, i.e. users searching knowledge outside of professional logics of appropriateness; more than to the opportunities of lead-user communities. Professional providers sought to “activate” users' engagement with knowledge search by investing on their literacy, i.e. showing the basics of the logic of appropriateness informing their decision; and on trust relationships, i.e. becoming transparent on the criteria of knowledge selection during the innovation processes

Glucometer Usability for 65+ Type 2 Diabetes Patients: Insights on Physical and Cognitive Issues

Background: Self-monitoring of blood glucose (SMBG) is of paramount relevance for type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) patients. However, past evidence shows that there are physical and cognitive issues that might limit the usage of glucometers by T2DM patients aged 65 years and over. Objective: Our aim was to investigate the physical and cognitive issues related to the usage of glucometers by T2DM patients aged 65 years and over. Materials and Methods: The extant literature was analysed to define an original framework showing the logical nexus between physical and cognitive issues and quality of life. Then we collected evidence addressing the specific case of the Accu-Chek® Instant glucometer produced by Roche Diabetes Care GmbH, which implements new features claiming to improve usability. We conducted 30 interviews with T2DM patients aged 65 years and over, three interviews with senior nurses, and a focus group with three senior physicians and three senior nurses. Results: From the interviews, both patients and nurses declared that they were generally satisfied with the Accu-Chek® Instant glucometer’s characteristics. In the focus group, the results were commented on and, in the light of some diverging answers, improvements have been set up for future implementation. Conclusions: Our study produces evidence and future suggestions about the usage of glucometers by type 2 diabetes patients aged 65 years and over

Evaluation of benzydamine effects on Candida albicans adhesion, biofilm formation and persistence onto abiotic surfaces

Introduction. Candida albicans is the most abundant yeast colonizing the oral cavity. It behaves as an opportunistic pathogen, causing mucosal infections mainly in immunocompromised individuals; in addition, it is often associated to patients suffering from diabetes, oral cancer and terminally ill conditions. Benzydamine hydrochloride is a non-steroidal and anti-inflammatory agent. It has been included in the formulation of several mouthwashes because endowed with analgesic and anesthetic properties. Since benzydamine exerts antibacterial and antifungal activity in vitro, we assessed if this molecule could affect C. albicans virulence traits, such as adhesion, biofilm formation and persistence on abiotic surfaces. Materials and Methods. C. albicans CA1398, carrying the bioluminescence ACT1p-gLUC59 fusion product, was employed. Firstly, fungal cells were exposed for 1\u2019, 5\u2019, or 15\u2019 to 4 different benzydamine concentrations (0.075%, 0.15%, 0.3% and 0.6%) and then tested for their capacity to adhere to plastic (90\u2019 incubation) or to form a biofilm (24h assay). Secondly, 24 and 48h-old biofilms were exposed to the same concentrations of benzydamine and for the same times in order to assess biofilm persistence and regrowth. Benzydamine effects were quantified by measuring, in parallel, metabolically active fungal cells (bioluminescence assay) and viable cells (Colony Forming Units assay). Results. Benzydamine impaired ability to adhere to plastic and to form biofilm, in a dose-dependent fashion; such effects could be ascribed to a direct effect of benzydamine on Candida viability only when using the highest dosage. Moreover, benzydamine caused a dose-dependent decrement in the viability of Candida cells embedded in biofilm, no matter whether a 24h- or a 48h-old sessile community was tested. Discussion and Conclusions. Benzydamine not only impairs C. albicans biofilm formation, profoundly affecting the initial step of fungal cell adhesion to abiotic surfaces, but it is also able to counteract persistence and regrowth of a preformed biofilm. The capacity of benzydamine to affect C. albicans, a fungus responsible of oral diseases in several categories of susceptible subjects, makes this molecule a very interesting tool for both prevention and treatment of oral candidiasis. Studies employing benzydamine-containing mouthwashes will be carried out, in order to assess and compare the anti-Candida effects of different commercial products

fatigue strength of welded joints under multiaxial non proportional loading

Abstract Fatigue behaviour of a fillet-welded tubular T-joint in the so-called H structural component of an agricultural sprayer is examined by using experimental strain measurements found in the literature and linear elastic finite element analyses. Two stress-based critical plane criteria are applied at a verification point located near the intersection between the end of brace and chord of the above-mentioned T-joint, where crack initiation and growth is experimentally observed

The role of 5f-orbital participation in unexpected inversion of the σ-bond metathesis reactivity trend of triamidoamine thorium(iv) and uranium(iv) alkyls

We report on the role of 5f-orbital participation in the unexpected inversion of the σ-bond metathesis reactivity trend of triamidoamine thorium(IV) and uranium(IV) alkyls. Reaction of KCH2Ph with [U(TrenTIPS)(I)] [2a, TrenTIPS = N(CH2CH2NSiPri3)33−] gave the cyclometallate [U{N(CH2CH2NSiPri3)2(CH2CH2NSiPri2C[H]MeCH2)}] (3a) with the intermediate benzyl complex not observable. In contrast, when [Th(TrenTIPS)(I)] (2b) was treated with KCH2Ph, [Th(TrenTIPS)(CH2Ph)] (4) was isolated; which is notable as Tren N-silylalkyl metal alkyls tend to spontaneously cyclometallate. Thermolysis of 4 results in the extrusion of toluene and formation of the cyclometallate [Th{N(CH2CH2NSiPri3)2(CH2CH2NSiPri2C[H]MeCH2)}] (3b). This reactivity is the reverse of what would be predicted. Since the bonding of thorium is mainly electrostatic it would be predicted to undergo facile cyclometallation, whereas the more covalent uranium system might be expected to form an isolable benzyl intermediate. The thermolysis of 4 follows well-defined first order kinetics with an activation energy of 22.3 ± 0.1 kcal mol−1, and Eyring analyses yields ΔH‡ = 21.7 ± 3.6 kcal mol−1 and ΔS‡ = −10.5 ± 3.1 cal K−1 mol−1, which is consistent with a σ-bond metathesis reaction. Computational examination of the reaction profile shows that the inversion of the reactivity trend can be attributed to the greater f-orbital participation of the bonding for uranium facilitating the σ-bond metathesis transition state whereas for thorium the transition state is more ionic resulting in an isolable benzyl complex. The activation barriers are computed to be 19.0 and 22.2 kcal mol−1 for the uranium and thorium cases, respectively, and the latter agrees excellently with the experimental value. Reductive decomposition of “[U(TrenTIPS)(CH2Ph)]” to [U(TrenTIPS)] and bibenzyl followed by cyclometallation to give 3a with elimination of dihydrogen was found to be endergonic by 4 kcal mol−1 which rules out a redox-based cyclometallation route for uranium

PREPARATION OF ALPHA-ALLENIC AND BETA-ACETYLENIC ALCOHOLS BY TREATMENT OF A MIXTURE OF BU3SNCH=C=CH2 AND RCHO WITH BU2SNCL2 AND WATER

Treatment of a mixture of Bu3SnCH\ue5fbC\ue5fbCH2 and RCHO (R = CH3, C2H5, (CH3)2CH, (CH3)3C) with Bu2SnCl2 in the presence of water gives isomeric mixtures of \u3b1-allenic and \u3b2-acetylenic alcohols with the \u3b1-allenic isomer predominating ( 3c 75%). Reactions carried out without water give mixtures in which the isomeric ratio between the allenic and acetylenic alcohol varies between 7030 and 5050. In contrast \u3b2-acetylenic alcohols predominate when HCHO and \u3b1,\u3b2-unsaturated aldehydes (R = CH2=CH, CH2=C(CH3), CH3CH=CH, C3H7CH=CH) are used. The stereochemical course of the reactions appear to depend upon the addition and isomerization rates of the Bu2Sn(CH2C=CH)Cl intermediate

ALLYLSTANNATION .7. PREPARATION OF CARBOXYLIC-ACID 1-ALKENE-4-YL AND 1-ALKYNE-4-YL ESTERS BY TRANSALKOXYLATION OF 4-NORMAL-DIBUTYLCHLOROSTANNOXY-1-ALKENES AND 4-NORMAL-DIBUTYLCHLOROSTANNOXY-1-ALKYNES WITH ACYL CHLORIDES

Carboxylic acid 1-alkene-4-yl and 1-alkyne-4-yl, esters (RCH(CH2CH\ue5fbCH2)OCOR\u2032 ad RCH(CH2C\ue5fcCH)OCOR\u2032, R = R\u2032 or R 60 R\u2032 = alkyl or alkenyl group) can be readily prepared in high yields by transalkoxylation reactions between 4-n-dibutylchlorostannoxy-1-alkenes or 4-n-dibutylchlorostannoxy-1-alkynes with acyl chlorides. This represents a general route for preparation of esters containing allyl or propargyl groups

Z-Stereoconvergent synthesis of homoallylic alcohols by addition of Bu2ClSnCH(CH3)CHCH2 and \u3b1-\u3b2-unsaturated aldehydes

Bu2ClSnCH(CH3)CHCH2 react with \u3b1-\u3b2-unsaturated aldehydes to give cis-homoallylic alcohols in high yield