The influence of interpersonal behaviors and social categories on language use in virtual teams

textAs increasing number of organizations are using virtual teams, communication scholars have started to pay more attention to these relatively new forms of work. Past studies explored interpersonal (i.e., trust, attraction) and group dynamics (i.e., conformity, subgrouping) in virtual teams. Despite the documented effects of interpersonal behaviors and social categories on virtual group dynamics, there is a substantial gap in how these two factors influence language use in virtual teams. To shed light on this neglected area of research, this dissertation examined how teammates’ interpersonal behaviors and social categories affected language use in virtual team collaborations. 164 participants interacted in four-person teams using a synchronous chat program. The age of participants ranged from 18 to 24. 58% of participants were female and 42% were male. Participants used Windows Live Messenger to complete Straus & McGrath’s (1994) decision making task. Upon completing the task, participants filled out social attraction and social identification scales to be used for manipulation checks. Decision making sessions for each group were saved and Linguistic Inquiry and Word Count Program (LIWC) was used to examine language use. Linguistic style accommodation was measured using language style matching (LSM) metric. LSM measured the degree to which group members used similar language patterns. It was calculated by averaging the absolute difference scores for nine function word categories generated by LIWC. Similarly, linguistic markers such as word counts, negations, assents, and pronouns were acquired through LIWC output. The results suggested that having a dissenting member in the group was associated with higher linguistic style accommodation compared to having an assenting member. This result contradicted with the assumptions of communication accommodation theory (Giles, Mulac, Bradac, & Johnson, 1987), yet provided evidence for the validity of minority influence theory (Moscovici, Lage, & Naffrechoux, 1969) in virtual teams. Unexpectedly, there was no significant effect of social categories on linguistic style accommodation. The results also showed that negative behaviors were strongly associated with increased word counts, negations and the second person singular pronouns, whereas positive behaviors were associated with increased use of assents, tentative language, first person plural and singular pronouns.Communication Studie

Determination of levofloxacin by HPLC with fluorescence detection in human breast milk

Aim: A new HPLC method with fluorescence detection has been developed and validated for the determination of levofloxacin, one of the fluoroquinolone class antibiotics, in breast milk. Materials & methods: Chromatographic separation was carried out on a reversed phase C18 column with acetonitrile and 10 mM o-phosphoric acid (25:75,v/v) mobile phase composition. Moxifloxacin was used as internal standard and the peaks were detected by fluorescence detection. Results & conclusion: Calibration graph was found linearly within the range of 2.5-500 ng/ml. Limit of detection and limit of quantification were found to be 0.63 and 2.11 ng/ml, respectively. Mean absolute recovery was 96.18%. The developed method has been successfully applied to the determination of levofloxacin in human breast milk taken from two healthy volunteers

Analytical method development and validation of mucopolysaccharide polysulfate in topical formulations by size exclusion chromatography

In this study, a new size exclusion chromatographic method has been developed and validated for the analysis of mucopolysaccharide polysulfate used as an anti-inflammatory and antithrombotic agent in topical formulations. Mucopolysaccharide polysulfate was analyzed in Repromer OH-4000 (10 mu m, 8.0 x 300 mm) and Repromer OH-5000 (10 mu m, 8.0 x 300 mm) columns using a 0.05 M sodium sulfate isocratic elution mobile phase system at 40 degrees C with a flow rate of 1 mL min(-1) and detected by using refractive index detection. The method was validated by means of the limit of quantification, limit of detection, linearity, robustness, recovery, precision and accuracy using the Bioanalytical Method Validation Guidance. The calibration curve showed linearity in the 0.090-1.575 mg mL(-1) range. The limits of detection and quantification were found to be 45.000 and 90.000 mu g mL(-1), respectively. Assay recovery and precision of mucopolysaccharide polysulfate from topical formulations at 0.450, 0.900 and 1.350 mg mL(-1) concentrations were evaluated. Intra-day and inter-day relative standard deviation values were calculated to be less than 2.46%. The mean recovery was calculated as 96.64%. The validated method was successfully applied to the determination of mucopolysaccharide polysulfate in cream and gel formulations

The effect of kinesiophobia on physical activity, balance, and fear of falling in patients with Parkinson's disease

Purpose Kinesiophobia is defined as the fear of movement and activity resulting from a feeling of vulnerability to painful injury or re-injury. This study aimed to determine the effect of kinesiophobia on physical activity, balance, and fear of falling in patients with Parkinson's disease. Methods The study, which was designed as a cross-sectional type, was conducted with 86 patients with Parkinson's disease (age 61.25 SD [9.72] years old) by face-to-face interviews with the patients. The Tampa Scale of Kinesiophobia, International Physical Activity Questionnaire-Short Form, Berg Balance Scale, Falls Efficacy Scale, Visual Analog Scale - Fear of Falling, Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale - motor score, and the Hoehn and Yahr scale were used to evaluate the patients. Results Patients with Parkinson's disease who had high levels of kinesiophobia had lower levels of physical activity, worse balance, and higher disease severity and fear of falling. A correlation was found between the Tampa Scale score and physical activity, balance, fear of falling, falls efficacy, and disease motor score (p r = -0.38, -0.54, 0.67, 0.57, and 0.37, respectively). According to multiple linear regression analysis, kinesiophobia explained the dependent variables to varying degrees ranging from 13% to 44% (p < .001). Conclusions Patients with Parkinson's disease may have kinesiophobia. Rehabilitation programs to support functional capacity for these patients should be developed considering the presence of kinesiophobia

Spectrophotometric determination of 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme-A reductase inhibitors in pharmaceutical preparations

Simple and accurate spectrophotometric methods are presented for the determination of five 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme-A (HMG-CoA) reductase inhibitors (statins), namely atorvastatin, fluvastatin, pitavastatin, rosuvastatin, and simvastatin, in pharmaceutical preparations. The methods are based on the reaction of drugs as n-electron donor with 7,7,8,8-tetracyanoquinodimethane as pi-acceptors to give highly colored complex species. All variables were studied in order to optimize the reaction conditions. Beer's law was obeyed in the concentration ranges 4-20 mu g mL(-1), 4-12 mu g mL(-1), 0.8-2.4 mu g mL(-1), 4-14 mu g mL(-1), and 2.5-20 mu g mL(-1) for atorvastatin, fluvastatin, pitavastatin, rosuvastatin, and simvastatin, respectively. The proposed methods were successfully applied to the pharmaceutical preparations without any interference from excipients

The Relationship of One Leg Standing Duration to GMFM Scores and to Stance Phase of Walking in Children with Hemiplegic Cerebral Palsy

Background: Lack of stability during stance negatively impacts gait and motor function for children with unilateral cerebral palsy. Improving stability and balance are the focus for gait rehabilitation). The One-Leg-Standing-Test may give valuable information about motor function and stability of stance for patients with unilateral cerebral palsy. Objective: This study aimed to investigate the relationship between the One-Leg-Standing-Test and the gross-motor-function-measurement and single-limb support time. Methods: The study included 18 patients with unilateral cerebral palsy (age 11.08 [SD 2.84] years old). The One-Leg-Standing-Test and pedobarographic evaluation were performed. Sections D and E of the gross-motor-function-measurement were assessed, and in pedobarographic evaluation, the single-limb support time (the total duration of mid-stance and terminal-stance during walking) was calculated to describe stability during stance. Results: For patients, the One-Leg-Standing-Test scores and single-limb support time values were lower on the affected side than on the unaffected side. The One-Leg-Standing-Test was correlated with single-limb support time (p = .02, r = 0.60) and section E (p < .01, r = 0.59) values. The One-Leg-Standing-Test was also correlated to total stance phase and section D. Conclusion: The One-Leg-Standing-Test gives valuable information about gross-motor-function but cannot be substituted for motor function tests. The single-limb support time value may be used to describe stability in stance during walking

Effects of high intensity interval training and sprint interval training in patients with asthma: a systematic review

Objective The aim of this study is to review the effects of high-intensity interval training (HIIT)/sprint interval training (SIT) on asthma symptoms, cardiorespiratory functions, and other variables among asthmatic patients. Data sources Randomized controlled trials published between January 2000 and January 2021 were searched in PubMed/MEDLINE, Web of Science, and Cochrane Library databases. Study selections Following pre-specified inclusion criteria, this review included 7 randomized controlled studies that compare HIIT/SIT as an intervention with any other intervention and/or control group. Results Of the included studies only four reported the chronic phase effects of the HIIT/SIT protocols. HIIT and SIT protocols applied in studies differ. HIIT improved forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1) in the acute phase and maximal oxygen consumption (VO2max) in the chronic phase in the asthmatic patients (p < 0.05). Conclusion To our knowledge, our systematic review is the first study evaluating the effects of HIIT/SIT protocols on asthma patients. HIIT/SIT protocols have beneficial effects on asthma patients. In order to better understand the results of these training procedures, studies that will be designed with high methodology are needed

Characterization, epidemiological profile and risk factors for clinical outcome of infective endocarditis from a tertiary care centre in Turkey

Background: We aimed to investigate the clinical, laboratory, microbiological characteristics of IE in a single tertiary care centre in Turkey and to identify the factors associated with in-hospital mortality. Methods: A total of 155 consecutive adult patients (>= 18 years) admitted to our single tertiary care hospital between 2009 and 2019 with definite infective endocarditis were retrospectively included in the study. Results: The mean age of the patients was 58 years. Among 155 endocarditis episodes, 60% involved prosthetic valves, 35.5% had native valve endocarditis (NVE) and 4.5% were device related. Prosthetic valve disease was the most frequent predisposing valve lesion followed by degenerative valvular disease. Vegetations were detected in 103 (66.5%) patients by transthoracic echocardiography and in 145 (93%) patients by transoesophageal echocardiography. The most commonly affected valve was the mitral valve in 84 (54.2%) patients, followed by 67 (43.2%) aortic valve. Staphylococci were the most frequent causative microorganisms isolated in both NVE (31.8%), prosthetic valve endocarditis (38.9%) and device related IE cases. At least one complication was present in 70 patients (45.2%). One hundred and eight patients underwent surgical therapy (69.7%). Age, syncope, heart failure, perforation, septic shock, renal failure, high red cell distribution width, atrial fibrillation, hypocalcaemia, pulmonary hypertension were associated with high mortality. Conclusions: We identified a 10-year presentation of IE in a referral centre in Turkey. Likely other series, we observed more staphylococcus endocarditis with the aging of the population. Surgery was associated with higher in-hospital survival. Age, syncope, perforation, septic shock were independent predictors of mortality

Does patent foramen ovale presence procure favourable outcomes in patients with severe rheumatic mitral stenosis?

Mitral stenosis (MS) is tolerated for an extended period in patients with atrial septal defect (ASD) known as Lutembacher syndrome due to depressurizing effect. In a similar way, patients with patent foramen ovale (PFO) may have clinical benefits in severe MS. We aim to evaluate the clinical effects of PFO in rheumatic MS. Transthoracic and transesophageal echocardiography records of the patients with symptomatic severe MS were screened for the period between 2008 and 2019 in a single center. 320 symptomatic patients with severe MS were included and presence of PFO recorded. Left atrial appendix (LAA) thrombotic status was defined as clear, spontaneous echo contrast, and thrombus. Two different statistical models were used to determine the predictors of either smallest (mitral valve area) MVA at symptomatic presentation or more thrombogenic LAA. 34 patients had PFO. Multivariable ordinary least square model demonstrated that increase in systolic pulmonary arterial pressure, ejection fraction and presence of PFO were associated with smaller MVA on presentation. Multivariable proportional odds logistic regression model demonstrated that advanced age, increased left atrial diameter, absence of PFO were associated with more thrombotic status whereas larger MVA was associated with decreased thrombotic status in LAA. Presence of PFO in severe MS results in two clinical benefits as (i) being asymptomatic with smaller MVA and (ii) having less LAA thrombosis probably caused by depressurizing effect on the left atrial pressure. Our study could serve as an example for patient groups with expected symptomatic benefits from left atrium pressure offloading interventions

Profiles of primary brain abscesses and their impact on survival: An international ID-IRI study

Objectives: This study of 331 primary brain abscess (PBA) patients aimed to understand infecting agents, predisposing factors, and outcomes, with a focus on factors affecting mortality. Methods: Data were collected from 39 centers across 16 countries between January 2010 and December 2022, and clinical, radiological, and microbiological findings, along with their impact on mortality, were analyzed. Results: The patients had a mean ± SD age of 46.8 ± 16.3 years, with a male predominance of 71.6%. Common symptoms included headache (77.9%), fever (54.4%), and focal neurological deficits (53.5%). Gram-positive cocci were the predominant pathogens, with Viridans group streptococci identified as the most frequently isolated organisms. All patients received antimicrobial therapy and 71.6% underwent interventional therapies. The 42-day and 180-day survival rates were 91.9% and 86.1%, respectively. Significant predictors of 42-day mortality included intravenous drug addiction (HR: 6.02, 95% CI: 1.38-26.26), malignancy (HR: 3.61, 95% CI: 1.23-10.58), confusion (HR: 2.65, 95% CI: 1.19-5.88), and unidentified bacteria (HR: 4.68, 95% CI: 1.76-12.43). Significant predictors of 180-day mortality included malignancy (HR: 2.70, 95% CI: 1.07-6.81), confusion (HR: 2.14, 95% CI: 1.11-4.15), temporal lobe involvement (HR: 2.10, 95% CI: 1.08-4.08), and unidentified bacteria (HR: 3.02, 95% CI: 1.49-6.15). Conclusion: The risk of death in PBA extends beyond the infection phase, with different factors influencing the 42-day and 180-day mortality rates. Intravenous drug addiction was associated with early mortality, while temporal lobe involvement was associated with late mortality