“You Cannot Get into My Taxi!” Perceptions of a COVID-19-based rejection episode reported in the newspapers

COVID-19-related incidents of xenophobia have hit the headlines. We asked participants to read about a rejection episode targeting a foreigner and we manipulated whether the rejection was motivated by COVID-19 fears or by no specific reasons. In the COVID-19 condition, the perpetrator was perceived as moral but as experiencing shame and guilt, while the target was seen as experiencing social pain. Helping intentions were predicted by either the perceived victim's social pain or morality and blame associated with the perpetrator.info:eu-repo/semantics/acceptedVersio

Clinical Features of SARS-CoV-2 Infection in Older Adults

The COVID-19 clinical presentation is extremely heterogenous and, in older people, it is influenced not simply by chronologic age but also by common geriatric syndromes, such as multimorbidity, motor disability, and frailty. Consequently, although typical respiratory symptoms remain the most frequent clinical presentation of COVID-19 in all age classes, in older patients, atypical symptoms (including but not limited to delirium and hyporexia) are more common than in middle-aged adults and have been associated with adverse outcomes. Moreover, some studies described the tendency of COVID-19 presenting symptoms to aggregate in clusters, and this approach seems to better capture the complexity of COVID-19 disease. The prognostic value of COVID-19 symptom clusters, however, is currently poorly investigated, especially in the older population

A moderate 500-m treadmill walk for estimating peak oxygen uptake in men with NYHA class I-II heart failure and reduced left ventricular ejection fraction

Background: Maximal cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPX) is the gold-standard for cardiorespiratory fitness assessment in chronic heart failure (CHF) patients. However, high costs, required medical supervision, and safety concerns make maximal exercise testing impractical for evaluating mobility-impaired adults. Thus, several submaximal walking protocols have been developed and currently used to estimate peak oxygen consumption (VO(2)peak)in CHF patients. However, these tests have to be performed at close to maximum exercise intensity. The aim of this study was to examine the validity of a 500-m treadmill-walking test carried out at moderate intensity for estimating VO(2)peak in community-dwelling adult and elderly patients with CHF and reduced left ventricular ejection fraction (HFrEF).Methods: Forty-three clinically stable men with HFrEF (age 67.7 +/- 9.2 years, and left ventricular ejection fraction, LVEF 38% +/- 6%) underwent exercise testing during an outpatient cardiac rehabilitation/secondary prevention program. Each patients completed a CPX, and a moderate and self-paced (11-13/20 on the Borg scale) 500-m treadmill-walking test. Age, weight, height, walk time, and heart rate during the 500-m test were entered into prediction equations previously validated for VO(2)peak estimation from a 1000-m walking test in patients with cardiovascular disease and preserved LVEF.Results: Directly measured and estimated VO(2)peak values were not different (21.6 +/- 4.9 vs 21.7 +/- 4.6 mL/kg/min). The comparison between measured and estimated VO(2)peak values yielded a correlation of R = 0.97 (SEE = 0.7 mL/kg/min, P < 0.0001). The slope and the intercept coincided with the line of identity (Passing and Bablock analysis, P = 0.50). Residuals were normally distributed, and the examination of the Bland-Altman analysis do not show systematic or proportional error.Conclusions: A moderate and self-regulated 500-m treadmill-walking test is a valid tool for VO(2)peak estimation in patients with HFrEF. These findings may have practical implications in the context of transitioning from clinically based programs to fitness facilities or self-guided exercise programs in adults and elderly men with HFrEF

Prevalence and clinical correlates of sarcopenia in institutionalized older people: Cross-sectional study of a nursing home population

Background &amp; aims. Sarcopenia is a common condition among institutionalized older people which leads to increased risk of adverse outcomes such as disability and death. We investigated the prevalence and clinical correlates of sarcopenia in older institutionalized adults in Italy, while also evaluating the interchangeability and adequacy of two definitions of sarcopenia (EWGSOP and FNIH) for this geriatric setting. Methods. Cross-sectional analysis of 97 participants enrolled in a nursing home facility in Italy. Since 97% of the study subjects resulted either unable to walk or “slow walkers”, we assessed sarcopenia presence ignoring the walking speed criterion: sarcopenia was assessed as low appendicular skeletal mass index plus low grip strength (EWGSOP criteria) and as weakness plus low lean mass (FNIH criteria). Skeletal muscle mass was estimated using bioimpendance analysis. Results. In this population of 97 institutionalized older people (age 83.2 ± 9.4 years, women 73.2%), according to both EWGSOP and FNIH criteria 13 participants (13.4%) were identified as affected by sarcopenia; however, only 5 subjects were identified as sarcopenic according to both definitions simultaneously. The prevalence of sarcopenia was directly correlated with male sex and comorbidity level, while being inversely correlated with Body Mass Index. Conclusions. According to EWGSOP and FNIH criteria, prevalence of sarcopenia is significant among institutionalized older people, and it’s strongly related to male sex, BMI and comorbidity level. EWGSOP and FNIH criteria identified as sarcopenic different individuals and therefore cannot be used interchangeably. Assessment of walking speed might be unfeasible in institutionalized older subjects

Tako-Tsubo cardiomyopathy in an older woman with hyperkinetic delirium

Tako-Tsubo syndrome is cardiological condition, mainly affecting post-menopausal women, that mimics an acute heart attack, because a similar clinical presentation, ECG changes and altered laboratory tests. There is general consensus that the common etiology is a sudden and strong emotional or physical stress. We report here the case of 80-yearold woman who developed a Tako-Tsubo syndrome during an episode of hyperkinetic delirium. Delirium is an acute, transient, usually reversible neuropsychiatric syndrome, considered a serious and stressful condition in older patients admitted to both medical and surgical setting. This clinical case expands our knowledge on the negative consequence of delirium in hospitalized patients and describes an additional risk factor for Tako-Tsubo syndrome in older people

Are the Male Body Dissatisfaction and Drive for Muscularity scales reliable and valid instruments?

The Drive for Muscularity Scale and Male Body Dissatisfaction Scale were developed for use with men and correspond to measures of drive for thinness and body dissatisfaction in women. The psychometric properties of these measures were evaluated in a sample of 655 Italian men, who completed other 11 measures also. Both scales demonstrated excellent internal consistency and temporal stability as well as criterion-related and concurrent validity. Both measures distinguished between men with high and low levels of disordered eating. Confirmatory factor analysis replicated the unidimensional factor structure of both scales. Directions for future research are discussed

Adhesion behavior of conventional and high‐translucent zirconia: Effect of surface conditioning methods and aging using an experimental methodology

Objective: Evaluate the adhesive behavior of conventional and high-translucent zirconia after surface conditioning and hydrothermal aging. Materials and methods: Conventional (ZrC) and high-translucent zirconia (ZrT) specimens were divided into six groups: without surface treatment (ZrC and ZrT), air-borne particle abrasion with 50-μm Al2 O3 sized particles (ZrC-AO and ZrT-AO), and tribochemical treatment with 30-μm silica modified Al2 O3 sized particles (ZrC-T and ZrT-T). Zirconia specimens were treated using an MDP-containing universal adhesive and bonded to two resins blocks with an adhesive luting cement. Microbar specimens with cross-sectioned areas of 1 mm2 were achieved. Half of the microbars were subjected to hydrothermal aging. Bond strength was evaluated by microtensile bond strength test and statistically evaluated by the Weibull analysis. Results: Roughness of the ZrC-AO and ZrT-AO groups were statistically higher. Bond strength analysis revealed higher bond strength for ZrC-AO and ZrC-T groups compared to ZrT-AO and ZrT-T, respectively. Mixed failure was the most frequent for the mechanically treated groups, while no cohesive failures were obtained. Conclusion: Lower values of bond strength were obtained for the mechanically treated high-translucent zirconia groups when compared to their conventional zirconia counterparts. Mechanical surface treatment significantly improved the bond strength to conventional and high-translucent zirconia. Clinical significance: Mechanical surface treatment (air-borne particle abrasion or tribochemical treatment) associated with the use of universal adhesives containing MDP could provide a durable bonding to conventional and high-translucent zirconia. Keywords: adhesive cementation; high-translucent zirconia; microtensile bond strength

Body image dissatisfaction and eating disorder symptomatology: a latent structural equation modeling examination of moderators among adolescent girls

Introduction According to meta-analytic review, body dissatisfaction (BD) is recognized as the strongest risk factor of all forms of eating disorders (EDs).Yet, it has been found that BD is so prevalent among adolescent girls and young adult women that it is “normative”. The present study investigates why only a minority of adolescents girls report severe levels of ED symptomatology, when so many are body dissatisfied? Aims Five theoretically relevant variables are investigated as potential moderators of the BD-ED symptomatology relationship (drive for thinness and bulimic behaviours). Methods A sample of 401 Italian adolescent girls completed questionnaire measures of BD, drive for thinness, bulimic behaviours, as well as the proposed moderating variables of body checking, perfectionism, appearance control beliefs, internalization of socio-cultural standards of beauty, and self-esteem. Results Structural equation modeling with latent factor interactions indicated that body checking, perfectionism, appearance control beliefs and internalization of socio-cultural standards of beauty intensified the primary BD-ED symptomatology, such that BD was strongly related to drive for thinness and bulimic behaviours when levels of each moderator were higher. By contrast self-esteem buffered the deleterious effects of BD, such that when levels of the moderator were higher, the relationship between BD and each criterion variable representing female's ED symptomatology was weaker

Condições agrometeorológicas de cafeeiros na região de Soledade de Minas, anos 1999-2011.

O objetivo deste estudo foi descrever os dados climáticos de temperatura do ar e precipitação da região cafeeira de Soledade de Minas, Minas Gerais e relacioná-las as fases fenológicas dos cafeeiros e qualidade da bebida. A área de estudo compreende o município de Soledade de Minas, situado na região da Serra da Mantiqueira, sul do estado de Minas Gerais e pertencente à bacia hidrográfica do Rio Verd

Allelopathy And Weed Competition

Currently, only two herbicides, Londax® (bensulfuron) and Taipan® (benzofenap) are available for the effective control of all four major broadleaf weeds infesting NSW rice paddocks. Prolonged and widespread use of these two herbicides in the rice growing regions increases the threat of herbicide resistance. The low likelihood of new herbicides in the foreseeable future increases the impact of herbicide resistance on the Australian rice industry. Allelopathy, chemical interactions between plants, is an alternative control option. Weeds could be controlled by using crops which have been developed to exert their own weed control by releasing chemicals into the soil. These naturally occurring compounds could play a valuable role in an integrated weed management system, potentially reducing the amount of synthetic herbicides required for weed control. In rice, the potential use of allelopathy in weed control has been explored by several researchers worldwide. Funding for work on allelopathic potential was provided by the Rice CRC as they recognised that the Australian weed community is very different and many of the weeds infesting rice paddocks are typically Australian problems not likely to be tackled by international research groups. Twenty-seven rice cultivars were examined in the laboratory for their allelopathic potential against several currently important and potentially important rice weeds in Australia, namely barnyard grass (Echinochloa crus-galli), dirty dora (Cyperus difformis), lance-leaved water plantain (Alisma lanceolatum), starfruit (Damasonium minus), arrowhead (Sagittaria montevidensis) and S. graminea. Weed root growth inhibition ranged from 0.3 % to 93.6 % of the control depending on the cultivar and the weed species being tested. One weed was actually stimulated by Langi. Several rice varieties significantly inhibited root growth of more than one weed. A field trial using starfruit as the test species was conducted to see if those cultivars which inhibited starfruit in the laboratory experiment also inhibited starfruit in the field and to determine whether allelopathy was an important factor in the resulting field performance. Twenty-four cultivars were used in a field trial based at the Yanco Agricultural Institute. Starfruit dry matter was measured as an indicator of weed inhibition. It was found that there was a correlation between laboratory and field results, and that allelopathy was an important contributor to field performance of a rice variety