Introduction to a Culturally Sensitive Measure of Well-Being: Combining Life Satisfaction and Interdependent Happiness Across 49 Different Cultures

How can one conclude that well-being is higher in country A than country B, when well-being is being measured according to the way people in country A think about well-being? We address this issue by proposing a new culturally sensitive method to comparing societal levels of well-being. We support our reasoning with data on life satisfaction and interdependent happiness focusing on individual and family, collected mostly from students, across forty-nine countries. We demonstrate that the relative idealization of the two types of well-being varies across cultural contexts and are associated with culturally different models of selfhood. Furthermore, we show that rankings of societal well-being based on life satisfaction tend to underestimate the contribution from interdependent happiness. We introduce a new culturally sensitive method for calculating societal well-being, and examine its construct validity by testing for associations with the experience of emotions and with individualism-collectivism. This new culturally sensitive approach represents a slight, yet important improvement in measuring well-being

Epidemiology of intra-abdominal infection and sepsis in critically ill patients: “AbSeS”, a multinational observational cohort study and ESICM Trials Group Project

Purpose: To describe the epidemiology of intra-abdominal infection in an international cohort of ICU patients according to a new system that classifies cases according to setting of infection acquisition (community-acquired, early onset hospital-acquired, and late-onset hospital-acquired), anatomical disruption (absent or present with localized or diffuse peritonitis), and severity of disease expression (infection, sepsis, and septic shock). Methods: We performed a multicenter (n = 309), observational, epidemiological study including adult ICU patients diagnosed with intra-abdominal infection. Risk factors for mortality were assessed by logistic regression analysis. Results: The cohort included 2621 patients. Setting of infection acquisition was community-acquired in 31.6%, early onset hospital-acquired in 25%, and late-onset hospital-acquired in 43.4% of patients. Overall prevalence of antimicrobial resistance was 26.3% and difficult-to-treat resistant Gram-negative bacteria 4.3%, with great variation according to geographic region. No difference in prevalence of antimicrobial resistance was observed according to setting of infection acquisition. Overall mortality was 29.1%. Independent risk factors for mortality included late-onset hospital-acquired infection, diffuse peritonitis, sepsis, septic shock, older age, malnutrition, liver failure, congestive heart failure, antimicrobial resistance (either methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, vancomycin-resistant enterococci, extended-spectrum beta-lactamase-producing Gram-negative bacteria, or carbapenem-resistant Gram-negative bacteria) and source control failure evidenced by either the need for surgical revision or persistent inflammation. Conclusion: This multinational, heterogeneous cohort of ICU patients with intra-abdominal infection revealed that setting of infection acquisition, anatomical disruption, and severity of disease expression are disease-specific phenotypic characteristics associated with outcome, irrespective of the type of infection. Antimicrobial resistance is equally common in community-acquired as in hospital-acquired infection

Introduction to a culturally sensitive measure of well-being: Combining life satisfaction and interdependent happiness across 49 different cultures

How can one conclude that well-being is higher in country A than country B, when wellbeing is being measured according to the way people in country A think about wellbeing? We address this issue by proposing a new culturally sensitive method to comparing societal levels of well-being. We support our reasoning with data on life satisfaction and interdependent happiness focusing on individual and family, collected mostly from students, across forty-nine countries. We demonstrate that the relative idealization of the two types of wellbeing varies across cultural contexts and are associated with culturally different models of selfhood. Furthermore, we show that rankings of societal well-being based on life satisfaction tend to underestimate the contribution from interdependent happiness. We introduce a new culturally sensitive method for calculating societal well-being, and examine its construct validity by testing for associations with the experience of emotions and with individualism-collectivism. This new culturally sensitive approach represents a slight, yet important improvement in measuring well-being

Innovative magnetic aggregates for the removal of transition metals from industrial wastewater

A novel adsorbent material based on microaggregates of Fe3O4 magnetic nanoparticles functionalized with succinic acid has been developed. The magnetic aggregates (MA) were char-acterized in terms of the size distribution (master sizer analysis), morphology (TEM), chemical structure (IR-spectroscopy and XRD), magnetic properties (VSM), and Z-Potential. The effects of various parameters such as contact time, dosage of magnetic aggregates, the amount of succinic acid on the magnetic aggregates on the adsorption capacity, as well as the efficiency of the treatment in the adsorption of two transition metals, copper (Cu) and zinc (Zn) from real wastewater, were investigated. The kinetic behavior was analyzed by using the Lagergren pseudo-first-order, pseudo-second-order, and Elovich and intra-particle diffusion models. Langmuir and Freundlich’s models were applied to simulate the adsorption equilibrium. The magnetic aggregates reached the equilibrium condition relatively fast, within 10 min. Magnetic aggregates with a higher amount of succinic acid in their formulation showed a higher adsorption capacity of the two metals in all the experiments. This is consistent with the adsorption mechanism mainly based on electrostatic interaction between the metal ions and the negative charges on the surface of magnetic aggregates. A higher adsorption capacity for the removal of copper compared to zinc was found. Additionally, the electrochemical characterization of the magnetic aggregates was done as a preliminary study for proposing a regeneration method of the MA along with the extraction metals adsorbed based on an electrochemical process

Geochemistry and isotopic composition of mantle xenoliths from Mt. Vulture volcano, southern Italy

Mt. Vulture volcano is located at the eastern margin of the Apennines, S. Italy and belongs to the Intra- mountain Ultra-alkaline Magmatic Province (Stoppa & Lavecchia , 1993). It is composed of Recent tephrites, basanites, phonolites and melilitites (De Fino et.al, 1982). Mantle xenoliths are found in the youngest unit of the volcano, a sequence of melilititic and carbonatitic tuffs. They are very fresh, mainly lherzolites and wehrlites. A few harzburgites and orthopyroxene (En89, Wo 2.0), clinopyroxene (Mg# 90-92, Al2O3 = 3-6 wt%, Cr2O3% ~1%) and one composite xenolith have also been found. The main mineral phases are olivine (Fo 90- 92), Cr-spinel ( MgO = 12-20 wt%, Cr2O3 = 30-40 wt%). Glasses are frequently found and are thought to represent in situ partial melting. Mica (phlogopite) is found in a few xenoliths. Carbonate is also present occasionally. The xenoliths have been derived from a depth between 55-75 km, corresponding to the spinel stability field in the upper mantle (Jones et. al., subm.). In this paper we present the geochemistry and isotope composition of the Vulture xenoliths. A selection of representative samples have been analysed for Sr, Nd isotop eratios. ICP-MS analyses on clinopyroxenes and whole rock powders have also been performed. The REE patterns for Cpx from Vulture peridotites show a slight to modest enrichment in LREE. (Ce/Yb)n values are relatively low (1. Sm/Nd is lower in the LREE - enriched samples. There is a positive correlation between enrichment in LREE and degree of deformation: the more deformed xenoliths have greater amounts of LREE than the less deformed ones. This is in consistence with the results from other xenolith localities in Europe (e.g., Hungary, France, Germany) (Downes, 1990). The LREE enriched rocks have equilibrated at higher pressures (~20 kbar) than the depleted xenoliths (15-18 kbar) but there is no apparent correlation with temperature. The isotope results give the following range for 87Sr/86Sr: 0.70424 - 0.70580 and for 144Nd/143Nd: 0.51258 - 0.51280. The eSr values vary between -3.7 and +18.5, with the majority of the samples having positive values >7. eNd is positive for all the xenoliths except for one, with a range from -1.17 to + 3.12. Only one sample shows a strongly depleted isotopic signature having the highest eSr (+18) and the lowest eNd (-1.17) amongst the xenoliths. The positive eNd along with the higher Sr - lower Nd relationship indicates that the xenoliths originated in a depleted mantle that has been affected by enrichment processes only recently. This is also supported by the fact that some samples, although being LREE-enriched, have Sm/Nd < CHUR (0.325). The source of the enrichment could be either a hydrous fluid and / or a carbonatitic melt. There is no strong evidence to allow us to exclude either possibility. However, petrographical features of the xenoliths, e.g. a lherzolite with a wide zone of recrystallised wehrlite that is believed to be the product of reaction between a carbonatite melt and the peridotite (Jones et. al., submitted) can support a carbonatite as the LREE-enrichment agent. A weak correlation between isotope chemistry and equilibration conditions is observed with a tendency for the higher 87Sr/86Sr - lower 144Nd/143Nd samples to have equilibrated at higher pressure (18-20 kbar) and temperature (~1100oC). In comparison with other isotopic data on xenoliths from Europe, Vulture xenoliths have generally higher 87Sr/86Sr and they fall in the end of the high 87Sr/86Sr - low 144Nd/143Nd array having an Ocean Island Basalts-type isotopic signature. The Vulture host rocks are more enriched in 87Sr/86Sr but they have similar low 144Nd/143Nd (Vollmer, 1976; Hawkesworth and Vollmer, 1979). The geochemistry and isotopic compostition of the mantle xenoliths show that the sampled mantle beneath Mt. Vulture volcano has been originally depleted in LREE and LILE but has undergone a recent slight enrichment. The metasomatic agent is probably a carbonate melt but the possibility that hydrous fluids may have also contibuted to the process cannot be ruled out. Geothermobarometry and geochemistry tentatively suggest that the LREE- and LILE-enriched xenoliths have been derived from greater depth than the depleted rocks. This could be reflection of a stratigraphic division witihin the lithospheric mantle, with a fertile domain underlying the refractory domain

Intravenous fosfomycin for the treatment of multidrug resistant pathogens: what is the evidence on dosing regimens?

The intravenous (IV) formulation of fosfomycin has been re-introduced lately in clinical practice mainly to overcome treatment failures against multi drug-resistant (MDR), bacterial strains. However, appropriate dosing schedules of the IV formulation of the drug have not yet been established. Areas covered: The mechanism of action and resistance development, commercial IV formulations, pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamics (PK/PD) properties, IV dosing regimens commonly used for the treatment of MDR infections along with efficacy and safety issues were reviewed. Data regarding specific MDR pathogens with emphasis on daily doses and patients' outcomes, gaps in the current literature, as well as, in progress research agenda are presented. Expert opinion: The doses of fosfomycin IV range between 12-24 grams/day depending on the severity of infection. The efficacy and safety of the commonly administered doses have been shown mainly in observational non-comparative trials. The optimal dose ensuring maximal efficacy with minimal toxicity along with the most appropriate co-administered antibiotic(s) needs further evaluation. The pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic (PK/PD) parameter associated with fosfomycin maximum efficacy has not yet been established, although, the ratio of the area under the concentration-time curve (AUC) for the free unbound fraction of fosfomycin versus the MIC (fAUC/MIC) may be linked to optimal treatment. Future research agenda should focus on these gaps of knowledge. RCTs and other comparative studies are needed to establish appropriate doses, intervals and combination selections. Four registered clinical trials are underway to address these issues in adult patients while a randomized interventional trial including a pharmacokinetic study in hospitalized neonates with clinical sepsis (Neofosfo trial) will be terminated soon