Effect of Accent Perception on the Perception of Professionalism

This study explores how people’s perceptions of speakers’ accents may be related to their perceptions of speakers’ professional characteristics. Sociolinguistic research continues to highlight that the ways listeners perceive accents and the ways they perceive the people who use those accents are intertwined. In addition, accent discrimination is often an underlooked form of discrimination in various aspects of society, including in workplace situations – from interview success to upward mobility. The U.S. judicial system, in theory, condemns discrimination based on national origin, race, socioeconomic status, etc. but, in reality, provides leeway for employers to discriminate based on language and uphold beliefs in standard language ideology. In the U.S., English speakers tend to view non-native English speakers as less credible or believable than native English speakers, but few other studies have explored this relationship between accent perception and the perception of personal characteristics. Our study contributes to sociolinguistic research on accent perception by exploring how accentedness interacts with the perception of specific character traits prioritized in professional situations: professionalism, confidence, believability, knowledgeability, and level of experience

Modified POF Sensor for Gaseous Hydrogen Fluoride Monitoring in the Presence of Ionizing Radiations

This paper describes the development of a sensor designed to detect low concentrations of hydrogen fluoride (HF) in gas mixtures. The sensor employs a plastic optical fiber (POF) covered with a thin layer of glass- like material. HF attacks the glass and alters the fiber transmission capability so that the detection simply requires a LED and a photodiode. The coated POF is obtained by means of low-pressure plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition that allows the glass-like film to be deposited at low temperature without damaging the fiber core. The developed sensor will be installed in the recirculation gas system of the resistive plate chamber muon detector of the Compact Muon Solenoid experiment at the Large Hadron Collider accelerator of the European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN

Oral 24% sucrose associated with nonnutritive sucking for pain control in healthy term newborns receiving venipuncture beyond the first week of life

Objective: To test the hypothesis that oral administration of 24% sucrose associated with nonnutritive sucking in healthy newborns receiving venipuncture beyond the first week of life controls pain and pain-related variation in heart rate (HR) and noninvasive oxygen saturation (SpO2). Methods: A total of 66 term newborns were enrolled between February and September 2017 in the Neonatology Department of AORN Santobono-Pausilipon, Naples. They were randomly assigned to receive oral 1 mL 24% sucrose (treated group [TG], n=33; gestational age 38.53±1.49 weeks; body weight 3,035±55 g; age 22.40±6.82 weeks) or oral 1 mL 10% glucose (control group [CG], n=33; gestational age 38.91±1.45 weeks; body weight 3,203±65 g; age 23.36±7.02 weeks) 1 minute before and during venipuncture. Evaluations were carried out between 8 and 9 am in all newborns. The Neonatal Infant Pain Scale (NIPS) was used to assess pain in newborns. Outcome measurements (HR, SpO2) were obtained before (T0), during (T1), and 1 minute after (T2) venipuncture using a Nellcor bedside SpO2 patient-monitoring system. NIPS scores were recorded throughout the procedure. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS version 20.0. Changes in HR and SpO2 were assessed by mixed ANOVA for repeated measures. NIPS scores were evaluated by Mann–Whitney U test. Results: There were no statistically significant differences in HR or SpO2 between TG and CG at T0. HR was significantly lower in TG than CG at both T1 and T2 (P<0.05), whereas SpO2 was significantly higher in TG than CG at both T1 and T2 (P<0.05). NIPS scores were significantly lower in TG (median 0) than CG (median 6) during the entire procedure (P<0.05). Conclusion: Oral administration of 24% sucrose associated with nonnutritive sucking prior to and during a painful procedure has a strong impact on pain response in term newborns, reducing NIPS scores and influencing pain-associated variations in HR and SpO2. Complete analgesia during painful procedures in term newborns might prevent pain reactivity and its behavioral and neurodevelopmental consequences. Replication of this study is needed before widespread application of findings

INFLAMMATORY BOWEL DISEASE AND EXTRAINTESTINAL MANIFESTATIONS

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), including Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis, are chronic and recurrent inflammatory diseases. Although the typical symptoms are localized in the gastrointestinal tract, there are also extraintestinal manifestations (EIMs) associated with IBD, probably caused by immune reactions secondary to the pathology of origin. Anybody can be affected by EIMs, which can be dermatological, pulmonary, ocular, musculoskeletal, hepatobiliary and neurological, et al. This represents a therapeutic challenge for clinicians, who must first establish a diagnostic and then a multidisciplinary therapeutic path, in order to guarantee an optimal quality of life for the patient

Exploring the shape influence on melting temperature, enthalpy, and solubility of organic grug nanocrystals by a thermodynamic model

The file attached to this record is the author's final peer reviewed version. The Publisher's final version can be found by following the DOI link.This paper focuses on a thermodynamic model built to predict the reduction of organic drug melting temperature and enthalpy with nanocrystal size decrease. Indeed, this valuable information enables us to evaluate the increase of drug solubility, an aspect of paramount importance for poorly water-soluble organic drugs since a solubility increase is reflected in a bioavailability enhancement. In particular, the model considers the effect of nanocrystals shape (spherical, cylindrical, and parallelepiped-shaped) and morphology (from platelet to needle nanocrystals) on the melting temperature and enthalpy reduction with crystal size decrease. Nimesulide, a typical nonsteroidal and poorly water-soluble drug with anti-inflammatory action, has been chosen as a model drug to test model reliability. Model outcomes suggest that the reduction of melting temperature and enthalpy mainly depends on the ratio between crystals surface area and volume, i.e., on the ratio between the number of surface and bulk molecules constituting the nanocrystal network. The obtained prediction of solubility enhancement and the successful comparison with the outcomes obtained from a molecular dynamics approach, in terms of melting temperature and enthalpy decrease, have confirmed the reliability of the proposed model

Clinical Features, Cardiovascular Risk Profile, and Therapeutic Trajectories of Patients with Type 2 Diabetes Candidate for Oral Semaglutide Therapy in the Italian Specialist Care

Introduction: This study aimed to address therapeutic inertia in the management of type 2 diabetes (T2D) by investigating the potential of early treatment with oral semaglutide. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted between October 2021 and April 2022 among specialists treating individuals with T2D. A scientific committee designed a data collection form covering demographics, cardiovascular risk, glucose control metrics, ongoing therapies, and physician judgments on treatment appropriateness. Participants completed anonymous patient questionnaires reflecting routine clinical encounters. The preferred therapeutic regimen for each patient was also identified. Results: The analysis was conducted on 4449 patients initiating oral semaglutide. The population had a relatively short disease duration (42%  60% of patients, and more often than sitagliptin or empagliflozin. Conclusion: The study supports the potential of early implementation of oral semaglutide as a strategy to overcome therapeutic inertia and enhance T2D management

Aprendizajes y prácticas educativas en las actuales condiciones de época: COVID-19

“Esta obra colectiva es el resultado de una convocatoria a docentes, investigadores y profesionales del campo pedagógico a visibilizar procesos investigativos y prácticas educativas situadas en el marco de COVI-19. La misma se inscribe en el trabajo llevado a cabo por el equipo de Investigación responsable del Proyecto “Sentidos y significados acerca de aprender en las actuales condiciones de época: un estudio con docentes y estudiantes de la educación secundarias en la ciudad de Córdoba” de la Facultad de Filosofía y Humanidades. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. El momento excepcional que estamos atravesando, pero que también nos atraviesa, ha modificado la percepción temporal a punto tal que habitamos un tiempo acelerado y angustiante que nos exige la producción de conocimiento provisorio. La presente publicación surge como un espacio para detenernos a documentar lo que nos acontece y, a su vez, como oportunidad para atesorar y resguardar las experiencias educativas que hemos construido, inventado y reinventando en este contexto. En ella encontrarán pluralidad de voces acerca de enseñar y aprender durante la pandemia. Este texto es una pausa para reflexionar sobre el hacer y las prácticas educativas por venir”.Fil: Beltramino, Lucia (comp.). Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Filosofía y Humanidades. Escuela de Archivología; Argentina

Effects of accent perception on the perception of professionalism​

1 page.This study explores how people’s perceptions of speakers’ accents may be related to their perceptions of speakers’ professional characteristics. In this study, 256 online participants listened to two speakers, one with an accent common for a native Spanish-speaker in Oregon and one with an accent common for a native monolingual English-speaker in Oregon, discussing Mexican history or marine biology. Each speaker was described as an expert or nonexpert in the topic. Participants then rated how they perceived each speaker’s professionalism, confidence, believability, knowledgeability and level of experience. On average, participants rated the speaker with the monolingual accent higher in professionalism and confidence than the speaker with the bilingual accent. However, participants tended to rate the speaker with the bilingual accent higher than the speaker with monolingual accent in knowledgeability and experience when the speakers were presented as nonexperts discussing Mexican history. These results suggest ways that perceptions about accents can affect assumptions made about speakers. Considering that accent perception may influence perceptions of character traits that are prioritized in professional settings, these results highlight the importance of acknowledging and challenging those assumptions in situations where unjust perceptions of a speaker can result in biased and harmful decisions, including in job interviews, classrooms and courtrooms

Valutazione della compattazione nei suoli vitati della Regione Veneto

The subject of this PhD thesis is the soil compaction, one of the "eight threats" of soil degradation identified by the European Commission. To assess the risk of compaction we used two models. The method of Jones et al. (2003), adopted in the project ENVASSO by the JRC of the European Commission, identifies the susceptibility to compaction based on texture and bulk density and, by means of a climatic index of subsoil moisture, allows the estimation of vulnerability. It was applied to the soils of the plains of the Veneto region identified by the soil map of the Veneto region in scale 1:250.000. The map of the vulnerability highlights that most of the soils are not vulnerable or moderately vulnerable; the method, therefore, is more suited to northern European countries than our lands, because it considers clay soils, already compacted, at low susceptibility, while coarse soils and those rich in organic matter, not at all compacted, at very high susceptibility. It was subsequently used the model of the Agriculture Agri-Food Canada (AAFC), which considers the content of organic carbon (CO) at the A horizon, the surface texture and drainage. It was chosen as the reference area the DOC Piave area and, using the ARPAV soil database, the maps of the various parameters and the final vulnerability were made. Soils with low CO (<1.7%), with fine to medium fine surface texture, moderately well to imperfectly drained have a high vulnerability to compaction, but also soils with low CO content, with medium texture and poorly drained. Therefore, the most of vineyard soils in the DOC Piave area (82% of the Cartographic Units) is characterized by a vulnerability at least moderate that requires the adoption of appropriate soil management practices to ensure its conservation. The AAFC model has produced results consistent with expectations, it feels far more effective than the previous. The validation activities in the field was initially conducted in the Giuseppe Cescon winery in Chiarano (TV), which fall in different classes of vulnerability. Measures of bulk density and penetration resistance were carried out, in the wheel traffic and in the inter-row in order to compare the natural situation with compacted one. Two sites (F soil and FLA soil)were chosen to measure the parameters. The results show that the bulk density on the wheel traffic is greater than on the inter-row both in the F soil and in the FLA soil, with higher values in more clay soil. From the measurements with the penetrometer, it is noted that more clay soils in the wheel traffic causes a deepening of compaction than sandy soils. We also observed higher values in the FLA soil as the average and in the wheel traffic. To extend the verification to the entire Veneto, 20 wineries already involved in the European project BIO-BIO were investigated through the soil survey (drillings), texture, CO and other chemical parameters. The farms are located in the Pramaggiore area, on the north of Treviso Province, in the Euganean Hills and the hills of Verona. Among the 20 farms, 5 pairs have been chosen: within each pair there was a similar type of soil, one at organic conduction and one at conventional management; parameters analyzed were bulk density, penetration and chemical-physical characteristics. There were no significant differences in bulk density between wheel traffic and inter-row, even if there is a greater value in the wheel traffic. There are, however, significant differences in some chemical parameters (TN, S, TC, TOC, S, pH, EC) between organic and conventional management. From the data of penetration resistance it is evident that conventional farms have higher values than the organic farms, and are more compacted, and the value in the wheel traffic is much higher than in the inter-row, confirming that in the passage of machinery the soil is more compressed. It was also evaluated the depth of the compaction and we have seen that, within couples, the conventional winery presents higher values. The soils with higher organic matter content were less susceptible to compaction (eg. Filippi winery) while the soils rich in clay are more easily compactable (eg. Vicentini winery). In conclusion, the experimentation of the AAFC model in wineries has returned a set of values that can be consistently represent the vulnerability of soils.Nella presente tesi di dottorato è stata approfondita la tematica della compattazione del suolo, una delle “otto minacce” di degrado del suolo individuate dalla Commissione europea. Per valutare il rischio di compattazione sono stati utilizzati due modelli. Il metodo di Jones et al. (2003), adottato nel progetto ENVASSO dal JRC della Commissione europea, individua la suscettibilità alla compattazione sulla base di tessitura e densità apparente e, mediante un indice climatico di umidità del subsoil, consente la stima della vulnerabilità. Esso è stato applicato ai suoli di pianura della Regione Veneto individuati dalla carta dei suoli del Veneto in scala 1:250.000. La carta della vulnerabilità evidenzia che la maggior parte dei suoli non sono vulnerabili o lo sono moderatamente; il metodo, quindi, risulta più adatto ai paesi nord europei che al nostro territorio perché considera i suoli argillosi, già compattati, a bassa suscettibilità, mentre i suoli grossolani e quelli ricchi di sostanza organica, per niente compattati, a suscettibilità molto alta. Successivamente è stato utilizzato il modello dell’Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC), che considera il contenuto di carbonio organico (CO) dell’orizzonte A, la tessitura superficiale e il drenaggio. E’ stata scelta come area di riferimento la DOC Piave e, utilizzando i database di ARPAV, sono state create le carte dei vari parametri e della vulnerabilità finale. I suoli con basso contenuto di CO (< 1,7%), fini o medio fini nell’orizzonte superficiale, con drenaggio buono o mediocre hanno un’alta vulnerabilità alla compattazione, ma anche i suoli franchi con basso contenuto di CO mal drenati. Risulta, quindi, che la maggior parte delle aree vitate della DOC Piave (l’82% delle unità cartografiche) è caratterizzata da una vulnerabilità quanto meno moderata che necessita l’adozione di adeguate pratiche di gestione del suolo per garantirne la conservazione. Il modello AAFC ha prodotto risultati coerenti con le aspettative, risultando molto più efficace del precedente. L’attività di validazione in campo è stata inizialmente condotta nell’azienda vitata di Giuseppe Cescon a Chiarano (TV), in cui ricadono più classi di vulnerabilità. Sono state effettuate misure di densità apparente e di resistenza alla penetrazione, nell’interfila e nella ruotata (ormaia), allo scopo di confrontare la situazione naturale con quella compattata a causa del passaggio dei macchinari. Sono stati scelti due siti in cui effettuare le misurazioni (il suolo F e il suolo FLA). I risultati dimostrano che la densità apparente sull’ormaia è maggiore di quella sull’interfila sia nel suolo F che nel suolo FLA, con i valori maggiori nel suolo più argilloso. Dalle misure con il penetrometro si nota che nel suolo più argilloso il passaggio delle trattrici causa un approfondimento del compattamento rispetto ai suoli sabbiosi. Si notano anche valori maggiori nel suolo FLA come media complessiva e nelle ormaie. Per estendere la verifica a tutto il territorio veneto sono state indagate 20 aziende vitate già coinvolte nel progetto europeo BIO-BIO attraverso l’indagine pedologica (trivellate), tessitura, CO e altri parametri chimici. Le aziende sono localizzate nell’area del Pramaggiore, nell’alto Trevigiano, nei Colli Euganei e nei colli veronesi. Tra le 20 aziende ne sono state scelte 5 coppie: entro ogni coppia avevamo una tipologia di suolo simile, una azienda a conduzione biologica e l’altra convenzionale; i parametri analizzati sono stati densità apparente, resistenza alla penetrazione e caratteristiche chimico-fisiche. Non sono state riscontrate differenze significative di densità apparente tra ormaia e interfila, anche se si riscontra un valore maggiore nella ruotata. Ci sono, invece, differenze significative di alcuni parametri chimici (TN, S, TC, TOC, SO, pH, EC) tra conduzione biologica e convenzionale. Dai dati di resistenza alla penetrazione si evidenzia che le aziende convenzionali hanno valori maggiori rispetto alle aziende biologiche, quindi risultano più compattabili, e il valore nell’ormaia è nettamente superiore a quello dell’interfila, sottolineando che nel passaggio del macchinario il terreno è più compresso. E’ stata inoltre valutata la profondità cui arriva la compattazione e si è visto che, entro le coppie, l’azienda convenzionale presenta valori maggiori. I suoli con maggior contenuto di sostanza organica sono risultati meno suscettibili alla compattazione (es. Azienda Filippi) mentre i suoli più ricchi in argilla sono più facilmente compattabili (es. Azienda Vicentini). In conclusione la sperimentazione in aziende vitate del modello AAFC ha restituito un insieme di valori in grado di rappresentare coerentemente la vulnerabilità dei suoli