Reporting quality of music intervention research in healthcare: A systematic review

INTRODUCTION: Concomitant with the growth of music intervention research, are concerns about inadequate intervention reporting and inconsistent terminology, which limits validity, replicability, and clinical application of findings. OBJECTIVE: Examine reporting quality of music intervention research, in chronic and acute medical settings, using the Checklist for Reporting Music-based Interventions. In addition, describe patient populations and primary outcomes, intervention content and corresponding interventionist qualifications, and terminology. METHODS: Searching MEDLINE, PubMed, CINAHL, HealthSTAR, and PsycINFO we identified articles meeting inclusion/exclusion criteria for a five-year period (2010-2015) and extracted relevant data. Coded material included reporting quality across seven areas (theory, content, delivery schedule, interventionist qualifications, treatment fidelity, setting, unit of delivery), author/journal information, patient population/outcomes, and terminology. RESULTS: Of 860 articles, 187 met review criteria (128 experimental; 59 quasi-experimental), with 121 publishing journals, and authors from 31 countries. Overall reporting quality was poor with <50% providing information for four of the seven checklist components (theory, interventionist qualifications, treatment fidelity, setting). Intervention content reporting was also poor with <50% providing information about the music used, decibel levels/volume controls, or materials. Credentialed music therapists and registered nurses delivered most interventions, with clear differences in content and delivery. Terminology was varied and inconsistent. CONCLUSIONS: Problems with reporting quality impedes meaningful interpretation and cross-study comparisons. Inconsistent and misapplied terminology also create barriers to interprofessional communication and translation of findings to patient care. Improved reporting quality and creation of shared language will advance scientific rigor and clinical relevance of music intervention research

Polarization-Sensitive Photodetectors Based on Directionally Oriented Organic Bulk-Heterojunctions

Polarized spectroscopic photodetection enables numerous applications in diverse areas such as sensing, industrial quality control, and visible light communications. Although organic photodetectors (OPDs) can offer a cost-effective alternative to silicon-based technology—particularly when flexibility and large-area arrays are desired—polarized OPDs are only beginning to receive due research interest. Instead of resorting to external polarization optics, this report presents polarized OPDs based on directionally oriented blends of poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT) and benchmark polymer or nonfullerene acceptors fabricated using a versatile solution-based method. Furthermore, a novel postprocessing scheme based on backfilling and plasma etching is advanced to ameliorate high dark-currents that are otherwise inherent to fibrillar active layers. The resulting polarized P3HT:N2200 OPDs exhibit a broad enhancement across all principal figures of merit compared to reference isotropic devices, including peak responsivities of 70 mA W$^{-1}$ and up to a threefold increase in 3 dB bandwidth to 0.75 MHz under parallel-polarized illumination. Polarization ratios of up to 3.5 are obtained across a spectral range that is determined by the specific donor–acceptor combinations. Finally, as a proof-of-concept demonstration, polarized OPDs are used for photoelasticity analysis of rubber films under tensile deformation, highlighting their potential for existing and emerging applications in advanced optical sensing

Low temperature magnetic hysteresis in Mn12_{12} acetate single crystals

Precise magnetic hysteresis measurements of small single crystals of Mn$_{12}$ acetate of spin 10 have been conducted down to 0.4 K using a high sensitivity Hall magnetometer. At higher temperature (>1.6K) step-like changes in magnetization are observed at regularly spaced magnetic field intervals, as previously reported. However, on lowering the temperature the steps in magnetization shift to higher magnetic fields, initially gradually. These results are consistent with the presence of a second order uniaxial magnetic anisotropy, first observed by EPR spectroscopy, and thermally assisted tunnelling with tunnelling relaxation occurring from levels of progressively lower energy as the temperature is reduced. At lower temperature an abrupt shift in step positions is found. We suggest that this shift may be the first evidence of an abrupt, or first-order, transition between thermally assisted and pure quantum tunnelling, suggested by recent theory.Comment: 8 pages, 4 figures, submitted to Europhys. Let

Polarization-Sensitive Photodetectors Based on Directionally Oriented Organic Bulk-Heterojunctions

Polarized spectroscopic photodetection enables numerous applications in diverse areas such as sensing, industrial quality control, and visible light communications. Although organic photodetectors (OPDs) can offer a cost-effective alternative to silicon-based technology—particularly when flexibility and large-area arrays are desired—polarized OPDs are only beginning to receive due research interest. Instead of resorting to external polarization optics, this report presents polarized OPDs based on directionally oriented blends of poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT) and benchmark polymer or nonfullerene acceptors fabricated using a versatile solution-based method. Furthermore, a novel postprocessing scheme based on backfilling and plasma etching is advanced to ameliorate high dark-currents that are otherwise inherent to fibrillar active layers. The resulting polarized P3HT:N2200 OPDs exhibit a broad enhancement across all principal figures of merit compared to reference isotropic devices, including peak responsivities of 70 mA W$^{-1}$ and up to a threefold increase in 3 dB bandwidth to 0.75 MHz under parallel-polarized illumination. Polarization ratios of up to 3.5 are obtained across a spectral range that is determined by the specific donor–acceptor combinations. Finally, as a proof-of-concept demonstration, polarized OPDs are used for photoelasticity analysis of rubber films under tensile deformation, highlighting their potential for existing and emerging applications in advanced optical sensing

Acrylic bone cements modified with graphene oxide: Mechanical, physical, and antibacterial properties

Bacterial infections are a common complication after total joint replacements (TJRs), the treatment of which is usually based on the application of antibiotic-loaded cements; however, owing to the increase in antibiotic-resistant microorganisms, the possibility of studying new antibacterial agents in acrylic bone cements (ABCs) is open. In this study, the antibacterial effect of formulations of ABCs loaded with graphene oxide (GO) between 0 and 0.5 wt. % was evaluated against Gram-positive bacteria: Bacillus cereus and Staphylococcus aureus, and Gram-negative ones: Salmonella enterica and Escherichia coli. It was found that the effect of GO was dependent on the concentration and type of bacteria: GO loadings ≥0.2 wt. % presented total inhibition of Gram-negative bacteria, while GO loadings ≥0.3 wt. % was necessary to achieve the same effect with Gram-positives bacteria. Additionally, the evaluation of some physical and mechanical properties showed that the presence of GO in cement formulations increased wettability by 17%, reduced maximum temperature during polymerization by 19%, increased setting time by 40%, and increased compressive and flexural mechanical properties by up to 17%, all of which are desirable behaviors in ABCs. The formulation of ABC loading with 0.3 wt. % GO showed great potential for use as a bone cement with antibacterial properties

Crystal structure of SmeT bound to the biocide triclosan

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Human Metapneumovirus Infections during COVID-19 Pandemic, Spain

We describe an unusual outbreak of respiratory infections caused by human metapneumovirus in children during the sixth wave of COVID-19 in Spain, associated with the Omicron variant. Patients in this outbreak were older than usual and showed more hypoxia and pneumonia, longer length of stay, and greater need for intensive care.This study was partially funded by FIS (Fondo de Investigaciones Sanitarias-Spanish Health Research Fund), grant nos. PI06/0532, PI09/0246, PI12/0129, PI18CIII/00009, PI21CIII/00019, and PI21/00377.S

Energy Intake, Macronutrient Profile and Food Sources of Spanish Children Aged One to < 10 Years-Results from the EsNuPI Study

The present study aimed to assess energy intake, nutrient profile and food sources in Spanish children participating in the EsNuPI ("Estudio Nutricional en Poblacion Infantil Espanola") study. Plausibility of energy intake and adequacy of nutrient intakes to international recommendations were analyzed in a final sample of 1448 subjects (728 boys and 720 girls) and one group representative of the 1 to <10 years old urban Spanish children (reference sample (n = 707)) who consumed milk and one of the same age who consumed adapted milk over the last year (adapted milk consumers sample (n = 741)) were compared. Both groups completed data of a face-to-face and a telephone 24-h dietary recalls. Both the reference and the adapted milk consumers samples reported an adequate daily energy intake (1503 kcal/day and 1404 kcal/day); and a high contribution to total energy from protein (16.5% and 15.6%) and fat (36.5% and 35.9%). Also, a high percentage of children from both samples were below the lower limit of the recommendations for carbohydrates (47.8% and 39.3%). As the percentage of plausible energy reporters was high for both groups (84.7% and 83.5%, respectively), data for the whole sample were analyzed. Milk and dairy, cereals, meat and derived products, fats and oils, bakery and pastry, fruits and vegetables contributed to about 80% of the total energy intake in both groups. However, the reference sample reported significantly more contribution to energy from cereals, meat and meat products, bakery and pastry and ready to cook/eat foods; meanwhile, the adapted milk consumers sample reported significantly more energy from milk and dairy products, fruits and eggs. Those results suggest that adapted milk consumers have better adherence to the food-based dietary guidelines. Further analyses are warranted to characterize food patterns and the quality of the diet in the EsNuPI study population