Transforming the news value chain in the social era: a technical perspective

Purpose: This paper develops a conceptual framework to unde rstand the influence that the social era is having on the value chain of the local news industry. We theoretically advance value chain theory by firstly, considering the influence of community type and age on consumption and secondly exploring the role that consumers can play in value adding activities. Our theoretical contribution lies in moving from a transactional approach towards consumer relationships in the value chain towards managing consumers as a source of relational value (e.g. co-creation and integrated perspectives). Design: The conceptual framework is theoretically positioned in relation to community and digital community practices in the social era. A series of research questions are presented, then these questions are explored drawing on empirical data from the PEW database. We then advance the framework further to consider news firm strategy towards its consumers. 15 in-depth executive interviews were conducted with local news organizations in the Manchester area of the UK. Findings: We illustrate that different types of communities (merging cohorts and locations) are influencing levels of technological and social connectivity within the value chain. We also find that the news industry is experimenting with reconfiguring its consumer relations from a purely transactional to a co-created and participatory value added activity in the social era. In terms of its policy impact our findings show that the whole strategic value chain ideology of the news industry needs to change radically; away from its largely transactional (and lack of trust) approach in the ability of consumers to create value in the supply chain (other than to buy a product) and, move towards much greater consumer involvement and participation in value chain processes (creation, production and distribution of news products and services). Originality/value: The change associated with social media and connec tivity is changing the way that different community types and consumer groups are now consuming and participating in news content creation. Unlike previous studies we show that there is variance and complexity in the levels of consumer participation by community type/age group. Using the PEW data we contribute to knowledge on the value creation strategy of news firms in the social era, by identifying how communicative, social and communicative logics influence value and co-creation activities in the local news supply chain. Through our interviews we advance value co-creation theory from its strategic and marketing origins to operational and supply chain implementation

Dendron-functionalised hyperbranched bis-MPA polyesters as efficient non-viral vectors for gene therapy in different cell lines

Gene therapy has become a relevant tool in the biomedical field to treat or even prevent some diseases. The effective delivery of genetic material into the cell remains a crucial step to succeed in this purpose. In the search for efficient non-viral vectors, a series of amino-terminated dendronized hyperbranched polymers (DHPs) of different generations based either on bis-MPA or bis-GMPA have been designed. All of them have demonstrated an accurate ability to complex two types of genetic materials, a plasmid DNA and a siGFP, yielding dendriplexes. Moreover, some of them have proved to be able to deliver the genetic material inside the cells, resulting in the effective accomplishment of the desired genetic modification and improving the activity of some commercial transfection reagents. Different cell lines, including cancer and mesenchymal stem cells, have been studied here to evaluate the ability of DHPs as vectors for transfection. Treatments based on mesenchymal stem cells are gaining importance due to their pluripotency. Thus, it is of special relevance to introduce a genetic modification into a mesenchymal cell line as it allows it to act over a wide spectrum of tissues after inducing cellular differentiation

A comparative rheological study of amaranth, wheat and chickpea doughs

Legume flours due to their nutritional benefits (e.g., high levels of proteins, fiber, complex carbohydrates, micronutrients and vitamins) are ideal ingredients for improving the nutritional value of bread and bakery products. Although proteins has a major role in the quality breads, however, few studies related to the evaluation of doughs containing chickpea flour(or other legume flour) alone or blended with other ingredients have been published. This work performs a comparative study of the flow properties of three different flours: wheat, amaranth and chickpea, at two temperatures. The flow curves showed shear-thinning behaviour although amaranth flour presented the higher values of viscosity and wheat flour de lower values. The influence of the protein content in the three doughs was evaluated by means of step- up-stepdown tests and frequency sweeps (Fig. 1). Amaranth flour presented the higher elastic modulus and the wheat flour the lower. This can explain the compactation observed in gluten-free bread. The results of the flow studies are prone to the combination of cereal and legume flours in order to improve the taste and quality of gluten-free breads.Universidad de Málaga. Campus de Excelencia Internacional Andalucía Tech

Design and rationale of a multicentre, randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial to evaluate the effect of vitamin D on ventricular remodelling in patients with anterior myocardial infarction: the VITamin D in Acute Myocardial Infarction (VITDAMI) trial

Introduction:Decreased plasma vitamin D (VD) levels are linked to cardiovascular damage. However, clinical trials have not demonstrated a benefit of VD supplements on left ventricular (LV) remodelling. Anterior ST-elevation acute myocardial infarction (STEMI) is the best human model to study the effect of treatments on LV remodelling. We present a proof-of-concept study that aims to investigate whether VD improves LV remodelling in patients with anterior STEMI. Methods and analysis:The VITamin D in Acute Myocardial Infarction (VITDAMI) trial is a multicentre, randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. 144 patients with anterior STEMI will be assigned to receive calcifediol 0.266 mg capsules (Hidroferol SGC)/15 days or placebo on a 2:1 basis during 12 months. Primary objective:to evaluate the effect of calcifediol on LV remodelling defined as an increase in LV end-diastolic volume >= 10\% (MRI). Secondary objectives:change in LV end-diastolic and end-systolic volumes, ejection fraction, LV mass, diastolic function, sphericity index and size of fibrotic area; endothelial function; plasma levels of aminoterminal fragment of B-type natriuretic peptide, galectin-3 and monocyte chemoattractant protein-1; levels of calcidiol (VD metabolite) and other components of mineral metabolism (fibroblast growth factor-23 (FGF-23), the soluble form of its receptor klotho, parathormone and phosphate). Differences in the effect of VD will be investigated according to the plasma levels of FGF-23 and klotho. Treatment safety and tolerability will be assessed. This is the first study to evaluate the effect of VD on cardiac remodelling in patients with STEMI. Ethics and dissemination: This trial has been approved by the corresponding Institutional Review Board (IRB) and National Competent Authority (Agencia Espanola de Medicamentos y Productos Sanitarios (AEMPS)). It will be conducted in accordance with good clinical practice (International Council for Harmonisation of Technical Requirements for Pharmaceuticals for Human Use-Good Clinical Practice (ICH-GCP)) requirements, ethical principles of the Declaration of Helsinki and national laws. The results will be submitted to indexed medical journals and national and international meetings.The VITDAMI trial is an investigator initiated study, sponsored by the Instituto de Investigacion Sanitaria Fundacion Jimenez Diaz (IIS-FJD). Funding has been obtained from Fondo de Investigaciones Sanitarias (PI14/01567; http://www.isciii.es/) and Spanish Society of Cardiology (http://secardiologia.es/). In addition, the study medication has been provided freely by the pharmaceutical Company FAES FARMA S.A. (Leioa, Vizcaya, Spain; http://faesfarma.com/). This company was the only funder who collaborated in study design (IG-H).S

Feasibility and outcomes after dose reduction of immunochemotherapy in young adults with Burkitt lymphoma and leukemia: results of the BURKIMAB14 trial

High dose -intensive or infusional intermediate -dose immunochemotherapy is highly effective treatment for Burkitt lymphoma irrespective of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. However, toxicities of these regimens are relevant, especially in older adults and elderly patients. The prospective multicenter BURKIMAB14 trial included four to six blocks of immunochemotherapy according to stage (localized: 1 and 2 non -bulky; advanced: 2 bulky, 3, 4) and age, with dose reduction in patients >55 years old. Dose -intensity of chemotherapy was reduced in patients 55 years old had a significantly higher treatment -related mortality despite dose reduction of chemotherapy. With a median follow-up of 3.61 years the 4 -year OS probability was 73% (range, 63-81%). Age (55 years) and stage (localized vs. advanced) had prognostic significance. No significant differences in OS were observed in HIV -positive versus HIV -negative patients. The results of BURKIMAB14 are similar to those of other dose -intensive immunochemotherapy trials. Age >55 years and advanced stage, but not HIV infection, were associated with poor survival. Dose reduction of chemotherapy in young adults in CMR is safe and does not impact outcomes (clinicaltrials gov. Identifier: NCT05049473)

Risk factors for developing ventilator-associated lower respiratory tract infection in patients with severe COVID-19:a multinational, multicentre study, prospective, observational study

Around one-third of patients diagnosed with COVID-19 develop a severe illness that requires admission to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU). In clinical practice, clinicians have learned that patients admitted to the ICU due to severe COVID-19 frequently develop ventilator-associated lower respiratory tract infections (VA-LRTI). This study aims to describe the clinical characteristics, the factors associated with VA-LRTI, and its impact on clinical outcomes in patients with severe COVID-19. This was a multicentre, observational cohort study conducted in ten countries in Latin America and Europe. We included patients with confirmed rtPCR for SARS-CoV-2 requiring ICU admission and endotracheal intubation. Only patients with a microbiological and clinical diagnosis of VA-LRTI were included. Multivariate Logistic regression analyses and Random Forest were conducted to determine the risk factors for VA-LRTI and its clinical impact in patients with severe COVID-19. In our study cohort of 3287 patients, VA-LRTI was diagnosed in 28.8% [948/3287]. The cumulative incidence of ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) was 18.6% [610/3287], followed by ventilator-associated tracheobronchitis (VAT) 10.3% [338/3287]. A total of 1252 bacteria species were isolated. The most frequently isolated pathogens were Pseudomonas aeruginosa (21.2% [266/1252]), followed by Klebsiella pneumoniae (19.1% [239/1252]) and Staphylococcus aureus (15.5% [194/1,252]). The factors independently associated with the development of VA-LRTI were prolonged stay under invasive mechanical ventilation, AKI during ICU stay, and the number of comorbidities. Regarding the clinical impact of VA-LRTI, patients with VAP had an increased risk of hospital mortality (OR [95% CI] of 1.81 [1.40-2.34]), while VAT was not associated with increased hospital mortality (OR [95% CI] of 1.34 [0.98-1.83]). VA-LRTI, often with difficult-to-treat bacteria, is frequent in patients admitted to the ICU due to severe COVID-19 and is associated with worse clinical outcomes, including higher mortality. Identifying risk factors for VA-LRTI might allow the early patient diagnosis to improve clinical outcomes. Trial registration: This is a prospective observational study; therefore, no health care interventions were applied to participants, and trial registration is not applicable

Strengtheningtheunderstanding and production of texts, use of research as a pedagogicalstrategy, withsupport in information and communicationtechnologies

Este artículo presenta resultados derivados de la investigación acerca del desarrollo de la comprensión lectora y la producción escrita, comocompetencias necesarias en la formación integral de los estudiantes, no sólo del área del lenguaje, sino en todo su quehacer comunicativo e intelectual, en favor de un aprendizaje significativo. El propósito es generar procesos para fortalecer una práctica pedagógica que promuevael desarrollo de aprendizajes basados en la investigación como estrategia pedagógica y la incorporación de los avances de las tecnologías de la información y la comunicación. Se desarrolló la investigación con estudiantes de la Institución Educativa Departamental Agropecuaria Nuestra Señora de las Mercedes, ubicada en Magdalena, Pivijay, Colombia. Se generaron orientaciones para la integración curricular de la investigación y las tecnologías de información y comunicación, para orientar innovaciones necesarias para redefinir las estrategias que adoptan los docentes en su quehacer pedagógicoThisarticlepresentsresultsderivedfromresearchonthedevelopment of readingcomprehension and writtenproduction, as necessarycompetences in the integral formation of students, notonly in thearea of language, but in alltheircommunicative and intellectualwork, in favor of a significantlearningThepurposeistogenerateprocessestostrengthen a pedagogicalpracticethatpromotesthedevelopment of learningbasedonresearch as a pedagogicalstrategy and theincorporation of advances in information and communicationtechnologies.TheresearchwasdevelopedwithstudentsfromtheAgriculturalDepartmentalInstitution of Our Lady of Mercy, located in Magdalena, Pivijay, Colombia. Guidelinesforthe curricular integration of research and information and communicationtechnologiesweregeneratedto guide innovationsnecessaryto redefine thestrategiesadoptedbyteachers in theirpedagogicalwor

Venezuela's humanitarian crisis, resurgence of vector-borne diseases, and implications for spillover in the region.

In the past 5-10 years, Venezuela has faced a severe economic crisis, precipitated by political instability and declining oil revenue. Public health provision has been affected particularly. In this Review, we assess the impact of Venezuela's health-care crisis on vector-borne diseases, and the spillover into neighbouring countries. Between 2000 and 2015, Venezuela witnessed a 359% increase in malaria cases, followed by a 71% increase in 2017 (411 586 cases) compared with 2016 (240 613). Neighbouring countries, such as Brazil, have reported an escalating trend of imported malaria cases from Venezuela, from 1538 in 2014 to 3129 in 2017. In Venezuela, active Chagas disease transmission has been reported, with seroprevalence in children (<10 years), estimated to be as high as 12·5% in one community tested (n=64). Dengue incidence increased by more than four times between 1990 and 2016. The estimated incidence of chikungunya during its epidemic peak is 6975 cases per 100 000 people and that of Zika virus is 2057 cases per 100 000 people. The re-emergence of many vector-borne diseases represents a public health crisis in Venezuela and has the possibility of severely undermining regional disease elimination efforts. National, regional, and global authorities must take action to address these worsening epidemics and prevent their expansion beyond Venezuelan borders