Influence of rotational force fields on the determination of the work done on a driven Brownian particle

For a Brownian system the evolution of thermodynamic quantities is a stochastic process. In particular, the work performed on a driven colloidal particle held in an optical trap changes for each realization of the experimental manipulation, even though the manipulation protocol remains unchanged. Nevertheless, the work distribution is governed by established laws. Here, we show how the measurement of the work distribution is influenced by the presence of rotational, i.e. nonconservative, radiation forces. Experiments on particles of different materials show that the rotational radiation forces, and therefore their effect on the work distributions, increase with the particle refractive index.Comment: 12 pages, 4 figure

The Effects of ESC/ESH-Based Written Generic Lifestyle Advice and a Nutraceutical on 24-Hour Blood Pressure in Patients with High-Normal Office Blood Pressure and Low-Moderate Cardiovascular Risk

(1) Background: Lifestyle changes, eventually coupled with a nutraceutical, are recommended strategies for managing high-normal blood pressure (BP) patients with low-moderate cardiovascular (CV) risk. In a real-life clinical setting, we evaluated the effects of generic written lifestyle advice, extrapolated from the 2018 ESC/ESH guidelines, and a beetroot-based nutraceutical on 24 h BP in a population with a high-normal office BP and low-moderate CV risk. (2) Methods: A longitudinal observational study was conducted in two ESH Hypertension Excellence Centres on 43 consecutive subjects with high-normal BP according to repeated office BP (OBP) measurements and a low-moderate CV risk based on SCORE2/SCORE2-OP. Additionally, 24 h ambulatory BP monitoring (ABPM) was carried out at baseline and three months after lifestyle changes, according to generic written advice from the 2018 ESC/ESH guidelines, coupled with a nutraceutical containing 500 mg of dry beetroot extract. (3) Results: The mean age was 50 +/- 11 years, with male prevalence (54%). The prevalence of overweight/obesity was 58%. The mean OBP was 135 +/- 3/85 +/- 3 mmHg. At baseline, the mean 24 h BP, daytime BP, and night-time BP were 127 +/- 7/80 +/- 6 mmHg, 131 +/- 8/83 +/- 6 mmHg, and 118 +/- 8/70 +/- 5 mmHg, respectively, BP profiles compatible with hypertension status in some subjects. After a median follow-up of 98 (92-121) days, all BPs, except night-time diastolic BP, were significantly decreased: -3 +/- 6/-2 +/- 4 mmHg for 24 h BP, -3.9 +/- 6.0/-3.0 +/- 4.0 mmHg for daytime BP, and -3.3 +/- 7.4/-1.3 +/- 4.7 mmHg for night-time BP, respectively. No significant clinical changes in body weight were detected. BP decreased independently of baseline BP levels, sex, smoking status, and body mass index, while a more substantial BP decrease was observed in older patients. (4) Conclusions: Our exploratory study shows, for the first time, that written generic lifestyle advice taken from the ESC/ESH hypertension guidelines coupled with a beetroot-based nutraceutical may represent a valid initial non-pharmacological approach in subjects with a high-normal office BP and low-moderate CV risk, even without personalized diet interventions

Familial Hemophagocytic Lymphohistiocytosis May Present during Adulthood: Clinical and Genetic Features of a Small Series

Familial Hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (FHL) is a rare immune deficiency with defective cytotoxic function. The age at onset is usually young and the natural course is rapidly fatal if untreated. A later onset of the disease has been sporadically reported even in adolescents and adults. We report the results of our retrospective data collection of all cases diagnosed with FHL at an age of 18 years or older and enrolled in the Italian Registry of HLH. All cases were diagnosed with FHL based on evidence of genetic defect in one FHL-related gene. A total of 11 patients were diagnosed with FHL. They were 9 males and 2 females, from 10 unrelated families; their age ranged between 18 and 43 years (median, 23 years). Family history was unremarkable in eight families at the time of the diagnosis. Their genetic diagnoses are: FHL2 (n = 6), FHL3 (n = 2), FHL5 (n = 1), XLP1 (n = 2). Clinical, molecular and functional data are described. These data confirm that FHL may present beyond the pediatric age and up to the fifth decade. FHL2 due to perforin defect is the most frequently reported subtype. Adult specialists should consider FHL in the differential diagnosis of patients with cytopenia and liver or central nervous system disorders, especially when a lymphoproliferative disease is suspected but eventually not confirmed. FHL may turn to be fatal within a short time course even in adults. This risk, together with the continuous improvement in the transplant technique, especially in the area of transplant from matched unrelated donor, resulting in reduced treatment related mortality, might suggest a wider use of SCT in this population. Current diagnostic approach allows prompt identification of patients by flow-cytometry screening, then confirmed by the genetic study, and treatment with chemo-immunotherapy followed by stem cell transplantation

Observaciones sobre la producción y conservación de cebolla en el sudeste de Buenos Aires en relación con la disponibilidad hídrica

En experimentos con siete cultivares de cebolla de diferente longitud de ciclo, realizados en el sudeste de la provincia de Buenos Aires (Argentina) bajo restricción hídrica, se observó además del esperable tamaño reducido de los bulbos, una llamativa desmejora en su conservación, en relación con ensayos sin limitaciones de agua. La marcada aceleración de la brotación y el incremento en la tasa de pérdida de peso de los bulbos en almacenamiento como consecuencia de las restricciones hídricas durante el llenado fueron confirmadas en un ensayo independiente con el cv. Valcatorce INTA. Estos resultados sugieren la necesidad de replantear el manejo del agua en cebolla al menos cuando se pretende su conservación a largo plazo, como es el caso de los cultivos para exportación.In experiments with seven onion cultivars of different cycle length in the S.E. of Buenos Aires province (Argentina) under restricted water supply, an expected reduction in bulb size but also an unexpected decline in bulb postharvest life were observed, relative to essays with non-limiting irrigation. The remarkable acceleration of sprouting together with an increased weight loss rate, as a consequence of water deficit during bulb filling, was confirmed in an independent experiment with cv. Valcatorce INTA. These results suggest the need of reevaluating water management of the onion crop, especially when destined to long-term storage as required for expor

Análisis de la influencia del visual merchandising en el consumidor de la mediana empresa que comercializa prendas femeninas en el municipio de San Salvador.

A través de los años surge la necesidad de hacer cambios para mejorar las diferentes empresas existentes en el Mercado salvadoreño. La globalización exige adaptarse a las nuevas tendencias para poder aprovechar las oportunidades de expandirse y comercializar los productos. En El Salvador el mercadeo visual es una herramienta del marketing que no es implementada de manera adecuada en los comercios. Las empresas en su mayoría desconocen sobre la correcta utilización de sus técnicas tales como colocación del producto, punto focal, decoración, ambiente, montaje de vitrinas, entre otros. La investigación establece una relación entre el Visual Merchandising y el comportamiento del consumidor debido a que permite realizar un análisis de la influencia que este tiene en el proceso de compra. El objetivo de este trabajo de grado es identificar si las empresas que comercializan prendas femeninas utilizan de manera adecuada o no la herramienta del Visual Merchandising. Los resultados obtenidos permitieron concluir que existe una deficiente utilización del Visual Merchandising ya que los consumidores manifestaron su descontento con respecto a la ordenación de prendas, iluminación, vitrinas no adecuadas y demás elementos que se consideran necesarios para la elaboración de una correcta atmosfera dentro de los comercios dedicadas a este rubro

Predicting needlestick and sharps injuries in nursing students: Development of the SNNIP scale

© 2020 The Authors. Nursing Open published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd. Aim: To develop an instrument to investigate knowledge and predictive factors of needlestick and sharps injuries (NSIs) in nursing students during clinical placements. Design: Instrument development and cross-sectional study for psychometric testing. Methods: A self-administered instrument including demographic data, injury epidemiology and predictive factors of NSIs was developed between October 2018–January 2019. Content validity was assessed by a panel of experts. The instrument's factor structure and discriminant validity were explored using principal components analysis. The STROBE guidelines were followed. Results: Evidence of content validity was found (S-CVI 0.75; I-CVI 0.50–1.00). A three-factor structure was shown by exploratory factor analysis. Of the 238 participants, 39% had been injured at least once, of which 67.3% in the second year. Higher perceptions of “personal exposure” (4.06, SD 3.78) were reported by third-year students. Higher scores for “perceived benefits” of preventive behaviours (13.6, SD 1.46) were reported by second-year students

Canagliflozin and Cardiovascular and Renal Outcomes in Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus and Chronic Kidney Disease in Primary and Secondary Cardiovascular Prevention Groups

Background: Canagliflozin reduces the risk of kidney failure in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus and chronic kidney disease, but effects on specific cardiovascular outcomes are uncertain, as are effects in people without previous cardiovascular disease (primary prevention). Methods: In CREDENCE (Canagliflozin and Renal Events in Diabetes With Established Nephropathy Clinical Evaluation), 4401 participants with type 2 diabetes mellitus and chronic kidney disease were randomly assigned to canagliflozin or placebo on a background of optimized standard of care. Results: Primary prevention participants (n=2181, 49.6%) were younger (61 versus 65 years), were more often female (37% versus 31%), and had shorter duration of diabetes mellitus (15 years versus 16 years) compared with secondary prevention participants (n=2220, 50.4%). Canagliflozin reduced the risk of major cardiovascular events overall (hazard ratio [HR], 0.80 [95% CI, 0.67-0.95]; P=0.01), with consistent reductions in both the primary (HR, 0.68 [95% CI, 0.49-0.94]) and secondary (HR, 0.85 [95% CI, 0.69-1.06]) prevention groups (P for interaction=0.25). Effects were also similar for the components of the composite including cardiovascular death (HR, 0.78 [95% CI, 0.61-1.00]), nonfatal myocardial infarction (HR, 0.81 [95% CI, 0.59-1.10]), and nonfatal stroke (HR, 0.80 [95% CI, 0.56-1.15]). The risk of the primary composite renal outcome and the composite of cardiovascular death or hospitalization for heart failure were also consistently reduced in both the primary and secondary prevention groups (P for interaction >0.5 for each outcome). Conclusions: Canagliflozin significantly reduced major cardiovascular events and kidney failure in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus and chronic kidney disease, including in participants who did not have previous cardiovascular disease