Ducks and Deer, Profit and Pleasure: Hunters, Games and the Natural Landscapes of Medieval Italy

This dissertation is an ample and thorough assessment of hunting in late medieval and Renaissance northern and central Italy. Hunting took place in a variety of landscapes and invested animal species. Both of these had been influenced by human activities for centuries. Hunting had deep cultural significance for a range of social groups, each of which had different expectations and limitations on their use of their local game animal-habitat complexes. Hunting in medieval Italy was business, as well as recreation. The motivations and hunting dynamics (techniques) of different groups of hunters were closely interconnected. This mutuality is central to understanding hunting. It also deeply affected consumption, the ultimate reason behind hunting. In all cases, although hunting was a marginal activity, it did not stand in isolation from other activities of resource extraction. Actual practice at all levels was framed by socio-economic and legal frameworks. While some hunters were bound by these frameworks, others attempted to operate as if they did not matter. This resulted in the co-existence and sometimes competition between several different hunts and established different sets of knowledge and ways to think about game animals and the natural world. The present work traces game animals from their habitats to the dinner table through the material practices and cultural interpretation of a variety of social actors to offer an original and thorough survey of the topic

Clustering of Lyman-alpha Emitters Around Quasars at z∼4z\sim4

The strong observed clustering of $z>3.5$ quasars indicates they are hosted by massive ($M_{\rm{halo}}\gtrsim10^{12}\,h^{-1}\,\rm{M_{\odot}}$) dark matter halos. Assuming quasars and galaxies trace the same large-scale structures, this should also manifest as strong clustering of galaxies around quasars. Previous work on high-redshift quasar environments, mostly focused at $z>5$, have failed to find convincing evidence for these overdensities. Here we conduct a survey for Lyman alpha emitters (LAEs) in the environs of 17 quasars at $z\sim4$ probing scales of $R\lesssim7\,h^{-1}\,{\rm{Mpc}}$. We measure an average LAE overdensity around quasars of 1.4 for our full sample, which we quantify by fitting the quasar-LAE cross-correlation function. We find consistency with a power-law shape with correlation length of $r^{QG}_{0}=2.78^{+1.16}_{-1.05}\,h^{-1}\,{\rm{cMpc}}$ for a fixed slope of $\gamma=1.8$. We also measure the LAE auto-correlation length and find $r^{GG}_{0}=9.12^{+1.32}_{-1.31}\,h^{-1}$\,cMpc ($\gamma=1.8$), which is $3.3$ times higher than the value measured in blank fields. Taken together our results clearly indicate that LAEs are significantly clustered around $z\sim4$ quasars. We compare the observed clustering with the expectation from a deterministic bias model, whereby LAEs and quasars probe the same underlying dark matter overdensities, and find that our measurements fall short of the predicted overdensities by a factor of 2.1. We discuss possible explanations for this discrepancy including large-scale quenching or the presence of excess dust in galaxies near quasars. Finally, the large cosmic variance from field-to-field observed in our sample (10/17 fields are actually underdense) cautions one from over-interpreting studies of $z\sim6$ quasar environments based on a single or handful of quasar fields.Comment: 19 pages, 12 figures, submitted to the Ap

Mappatura della letteratura sulle soluzioni digitali e tecnologiche nell'assistenza infermieristica: un protocollo di scoping review

   INTRODUCTION: Digital and technological solutions (DTS) might have an impact on people’s personal and professional lives. These types of solutions, according to studies, have the potential to revolutionize and improve the quality and long-term sustainability of healthcare activities, with nurses playing a significant role. Although DTS appears to be intimately linked to the future of nursing, technology must be utilized as an active rather than passive tool. Nonetheless, understanding DTS appears to be difficult, and a scoping study can provide a thorough overview of such a complicated topic. As a result, the scoping study on this topic will map all of the important aspects of DTS and synthesize studies on the nursing workforce, as well as analyze and clarify knowledge gaps and aid future research and development. This article presents the study protocol.  METHODS: The Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) scoping review methodology will be used for the proposed scoping review. It will include both quantitative and qualitative scientific research as well as grey literature on DTS in nursing. Only English-language works will be considered for inclusion. Two independent reviewers will take part in an iterative process of evaluating literature, choosing papers, and extracting data. Disagreements among reviewers will be resolved through debate until a consensus is reached or through consultation with the study team if necessary. Results will be presented using descriptive statistics, diagrammatic or tabular displayed information, and narrative summaries, as specified in the JBI guidelines.  DISCUSSION: This scoping review protocol explained why it is important to describe the literature on embracing DTS in the nursing field, how to approach the research process, and what the study's key implications will be. The protocol itself may be helpful to increase transparency in the research process, attract interested researchers to work with the group that developed the protocol and offer a practical methodological benchmark for researchers interested in performing scoping reviews by serving as an example of a scoping review protocol.  KEYWORDS: Digital solutions; Technological solutions; Nursing; Scoping review; Study protocol; Framework    INTRODUZIONE: Le soluzioni digitali e tecnologiche potrebbero avere un impatto sulla vita personale e professionale della popolazione. Questi tipi di soluzioni, secondo gli studi, hanno il potenziale per rivoluzionare e migliorare la qualità e la sostenibilità a lungo termine delle attività di salute, deve gli infermieri svolgono un ruolo significativo di innovatori, facilitatori e gestori dei processi. Sebbene le soluzioni digitali e tecnologiche sembrino essere intimamente legate al futuro dell’assistenza infermieristica, la tecnologia deve essere utilizzata come strumento attivo, piuttosto che passivo. Tuttavia, la comprensione del fenomeno sembra essere difficile e una scoping review può fornire una panoramica completa di un argomento di tale complessità. Di conseguenza, la presente scoping review mapperà tutti gli aspetti salienti legati alle soluzioni digitali e tecnologiche e sintetizzerà gli studi sul coinvolgimento della professione infermieristica, nonché analizzerà e chiarirà le lacune di conoscenza presenti e aiuterà la ricerca e i progetti futuri. Questo articolo presenta il protocollo di studio di scoping review per raggiungere l’obiettivo di mappatura della letteratura.  METODI: Il protocollo utilizza la metodologia di scoping review del Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI). Comprenderà sia la ricerca scientifica quantitativa che qualitativa, nonché la letteratura grigia sulle soluzioni digitali e tecnologiche nell’assistenza infermieristica. Solo i lavori in lingua inglese saranno presi in considerazione per l’inclusione. Due revisori indipendenti prenderanno parte a un processo iterativo di valutazione della letteratura, scelta dei documenti ed estrazione dei dati. I disaccordi tra i revisori saranno risolti attraverso il dibattito fino al raggiungimento di un consenso o attraverso la consultazione con il gruppo di studio, ove necessario. I risultati saranno presentati utilizzando statistiche descrittive, le informazioni presentate in forma grafica, tabulare o a mezzo narrativo, come specificato nelle linee guida JBI.  DISCUSSIONE: Questo protocollo di scoping review intende definire perché è importante descrivere la letteratura sull’adozione delle soluzioni digitali e tecnologiche in ambito infermieristico, come affrontare il processo di ricerca sottostante alla revisione e quali saranno le implicazioni chiave dello studio. Il protocollo stesso può essere utile per aumentare la trasparenza nel processo di ricerca, ingaggiare i ricercatori interessati a lavorare con il gruppo che ha sviluppato il protocollo (research engagement) e offrire un punto di riferimento metodologico e pratico per i ricercatori interessati a svolgere revisioni nel medesimo ambito.  PAROLE CHIAVE: Soluzioni digitali; Soluzioni tecnologiche; Infermieristica; Revisione della letteratura; Protocollo di studi

Modified Research Utilization Questionnaire: Development and Validation Study among Italian Nurses

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to develop the modified research utilization questionnaire (M-RUQ) and to establish its content and face validity, construct validity, and reliability. Methods: This study has a multiphase (three phases), methodological, and cross-sectional design. First, research utilization questionnaire (RUQ) was translated into Italian, which is the target language to develop the M-RUQ. Second, the RUQ psychometric proprieties were assessed using exploratory factorial analysis to identify ambiguous or problematic items (e.g., cross-loadings) (cross-sectional sampling A). The RUQ modification (i.e., item deleting, wording modification, and scoring procedure) represented the development of the M-RUQ among Italian nurses. The third phase was aimed to confirm the construct validity of the M-RUQ and to test its stability and internal consistency (cross-sectional sampling B). Results: This study's findings show that M-RUQ has a three-dimensional structure and a total of 22 items. The M-RUQ shows evidence of validity and reliability. Precisely, the factorial structure coming from an exploratory factorial analysis on the first sample (n = 504) was confirmed by a final model of confirmatory factorial analysis (CFA) on a second sample (n = 362). The final CFA model showed adequate goodness of fit, where all the factor loadings showed values higher than .40. Cronbach's α was satisfactory for each domain and for the overall scale. Furthermore, the M-RUQ showed good stability described by the test–retest. Conclusion: The M-RUQ should be used to assess research utilization among nurses for educational or research purposes to address the practice. Further research about its validity and reliability is suggested. Keywords: evidence-based nursing, nursing, psychometric

ighlights from 2013 Consociazione Nazionale Associazioni Infermieri (CNAI) Conference: reflections and addresses for Italian nursing

This conference intends to boost the reflection on the state of nursing in Italy, which began with the XV National Congress of National Consociation of Nurses Associations and Other Health Social Workers (CNAIOSS) held in Naples in 1996. Today the name of the association is National Consociation of Italian Nurses (CNAI) (Desimio et al, 1998). After 17 years, it seems urgent to re-read the stretch of progress made in nursing science and identify future directions for the Italian nursing, in this period of rationalization of resources and economic crisis. The congress activities intend to deepen Italian debate within the profession on the state of the art and discipline, starting from the changing of many elements such as: healthcare setting, diffusion information technology, contents of education and especially the care needs of the population. The conference is designed to answer to some stated aims: to set the nursing science within the wide context of the health sciences with particular reference to Italy;to reflect on the state of the art and culture of nursing in Italy;to acquire theoretical and methodological elements useful to strengthen and redefine their identity as nurse practitioners;to identify the reasons why it is urgent to choose and use a common language in nursing clinical education, training and organization;to learn from the sharing of the care planning experience and from the knowledge of different languages acquired by Italian realities.The conference follows the tradition of CNAI and intends to continue its contribution to the evolution of the theoretical and methodological aspects that found nursing practice in ItalyKeywords: conference report, Italian nursing, 2013 CNAI, nursing professio

A Single-Center, Randomized Controlled Trial to Test the Efficacy of Nurse-Led Motivational Interviewing for Enhancing Self-Care in Adults with Heart Failure

Background: The role of nurse-led motivational interviewing (MI) in improving self-care among patients with heart failure (HF) is promising, even if it still requires further empirical evidence to determine its efficacy. For this reason, this study tested its efficacy in enhancing self-care maintenance (primary endpoint), self-care management, and self-care confidence after three months from enrollment in adults with HF compared to usual care, and assessed changes in self-care over follow-up times (3, 6, 9, and 12 months). Methods: A single-center, randomized, controlled, parallel-group, superiority study with two experimental arms and a control group was performed. Allocation was in a 1:1:1 ratio between intervention groups and control. Results: MI was effective in improving self-care maintenance after three months when it was performed only for patients (arm 1) and for the patients-caregivers dyad (arm 2) (respectively, Cohen's d = 0.92, p-value < 0.001; Cohen's d = 0.68, p-value < 0.001). These effects were stable over the one-year follow-up. No effects were observed concerning self-care management, while MI moderately influenced self-care confidence. Conclusions: This study supported the adoption of nurse-led MI in the clinical management of adults with HF

Quaternary structure independent folding of voltage-gated ion channel pore domain subunits

Every voltage-gated ion channel (VGIC) has a pore domain (PD) made from four subunits, each comprising an antiparallel transmembrane helix pair bridged by a loop. The extent to which PD subunit structure requires quaternary interactions is unclear. Here, we present crystal structures of a set of bacterial voltage-gated sodium channel (BacNaV) 'pore only' proteins that reveal a surprising collection of non-canonical quaternary arrangements in which the PD tertiary structure is maintained. This context-independent structural robustness, supported by molecular dynamics simulations, indicates that VGIC-PD tertiary structure is independent of quaternary interactions. This fold occurs throughout the VGIC superfamily and in diverse transmembrane and soluble proteins. Strikingly, characterization of PD subunit-binding Fabs indicates that non-canonical quaternary PD conformations can occur in full-length VGICs. Together, our data demonstrate that the VGIC-PD is an autonomously folded unit. This property has implications for VGIC biogenesis, understanding functional states, de novo channel design, and VGIC structural origins