176,745 research outputs found
Audio-Motor Training Enhances Auditory and Proprioceptive Functions in the Blind Adult
No full textSeveral reports indicate that spatial perception in blind individuals can be impaired as the lack of visual experience severely affects the development of multisensory spatial correspondences. Despite the growing interest in the development of technological devices to support blind people in their daily lives, very few studies have assessed the benefit of interventions that help to refine sensorimotor perception. In the present study, we directly investigated the impact of a short audio-motor training on auditory and proprioceptive spatial perception in blind individuals. Our findings indicate that auditory and proprioceptive spatial capabilities can be enhanced through interventions designed to foster sensorimotor perception in the form of audio-motor correspondences, demonstrating the importance of the early introduction of sensorimotor training in therapeutic intervention for blind individuals
Bacillus spores for vaccine delivery
No full textSpores of the genus Bacillus have been used for a long time as probiotics for oral bacteriotherapy both in humans and in animals. Spores are also employed in a veterinary vaccine against anthrax. Despite this long lasting and extensive use, the specific contribution of spores to the beneficial effects of probiotics and to the immunogenicity of the vaccine is not completely elucidated. This review focuses on the different aspects of the use of spore preparations. In particular the use of recombinant spores as vaccine delivery vehicles is described and discussed
Audio feedback associated with body movement enhances audio and somatosensory spatial representation
No full textIn the last years, the positive impact of sensorimotor rehabilitation training on spatial abilities has been taken into account, e.g., providing evidence that combined multimodal compared to unimodal feedback improves responsiveness to spatial stimuli. To date, it still remains unclear to which extent spatial learning is influenced by training conditions. Here we investigated the effects of active and passive audio-motor training on spatial perception in the auditory and proprioceptive domains on 36 healthy young adults. First, to investigate the role of voluntary movements on spatial perception, we compared the effects of active vs. passive multimodal training on auditory and proprioceptive spatial localization. Second, to investigate the effectiveness of unimodal training conditions on spatial perception, we compared the impact of only proprioceptive or only auditory sensory feedback on spatial localization. Finally, to understand whether the positive effects of multimodal and unimodal trainings generalize to the untrained part, both dominant and non-dominant arms were tested. Results indicate that passive multimodal training (guided movement) is more beneficial than active multimodal training (active exploration) and only in passive condition the improvement is generalized also on the untrained hand. Moreover, we found that combined audio-motor training provides the strongest benefit because it significantly affects both auditory and somatosensory localization, while the effect of a single feedback modality is limited to a single domain, indicating a cross-modal influence of the two domains. Therefore, the use of multimodal feedback is more efficient in improving spatial perception. These results indicate that combined sensorimotor signals are effective in recalibrating auditory and proprioceptive spatial perception and that the beneficial effect is mainly due to the combination of auditory and proprioceptive spatial cues
Rilevazione "Indagine modelli di erogazione dei servizi sociali"
No full textINAPP, Cuppone M., Governatori G., Spitilli F., Turchini A., Rilevazione "Indagine modelli di erogazione dei servizi sociali", Roma, INAPP, febbraio 2017. Isfol OA: Other. Questionario di rilevazione relativo alla ricerca "Indagine modelli di erogazione dei servizi sociali". 02/2017. Disponibile anche su other. questionario di rilevazione relativo alla ricerca "indagine modelli di erogazione dei servizi sociali". 02/2017. disponibile anche su rilevazione "indagine modelli di erogazione dei servizi sociali" michele cuppone giulia governatori francesca spitilli annalisa turchin
“Fair is foul, and foul is fair”: il teatro come equivocation
No full textL'equivocation cui Shakespeare allude nella scena del Porter (quella dei cospiratori della congiura delle polveri) si può in ultima analisi associare al gioco del metateatro, fin da principio fondante il plot del Macbeth attraverso la profezia (non richiesta e insieme ineludibile) delle streghe, cui il pubblico è chiamato a rispondere insieme al (da) protagonista.The catchphrases of the Witches, folk reminiscence and at the same
time astute spectacular resource (which not by chance will give rise to sung and
danced acts until the whole nineteenth century - often nude look), is actually
more than an act; it works, in fact, as an extradiegetic engine of history, offering
us a metatheatrical interpretation key for the whole drama, so that in front of
the unsolicited prophecy not only Macbeth is caught, but immediately each of
us spectators: this is the equivocation of the theatr
La “discesa” agli Antipodi
No full textPresentazione della riduzione teatrale della "Relazione" di Pigafetta come metafora del primo Viaggio modern
How many medical requests for US, body CT, and musculoskeletal MR exams in outpatients are inadequate?
No full textPurpose. Our aim was to evaluate how many medical requests for US, CT and MR outpatients exams are inadequate.
Materials and methods. We evaluated three series of consecutive requests for outpatients exams, distinguishing firstly the adequate from the inadequate requests. The inadequate requests were classified as: A) absence of real indication; B) lacking or generic clinical query; C) absence of important information on patient’s status. US requests concerned 282 patients for 300 body segments, as follows: neck (n=50); upper abdomen (n=95); lower abdomen (n=12); upper and lower abdomen (n=84); musculoskeletal (n=32); other body segments (n=27). Body CT requests concerned 280 patients for 300 body segments, as follows: chest (n=67); abdomen (n=77); musculoskeletal (n=94); other body segments (n=62). MR musculoskeletal requests concerned 138 patients for 150 body segments, as follows: knee (n=87), ankle (n=13), shoulder (n=28) , other body segments (n=22).
Results. A total of 228/300 US requests (76%) were inadequate, ranging from 66% (musculoskeletal) to 86% (neck), classified as: A, 21/228 (9%); B, 130/228 (57%); C, 77/228 (34%). A total of 231/300 (77%) body CT requests were inadequate, ranging from 72% (chest) to 86% (musculoskeletal), classified as: A, 22/231(10%); B, 88/231(38%); C, 121/231(52%). A total of 124/150 (83%) MR musculoskeletal requests were inadequate, ranging from 69% (ankle) to 89% (knee), classified as: A, 12/124(10%); B, 50/124(40%); C, 62/124 (50%). No significant difference was found among the levels of inadequacy for the three techniques and among the body segments for each of the three techniques.
Conclusions. The majority of the medical requests for outpatient exams has turned out to be inadequate. A large communication gap between referring physicians and radiologists must to be filled
Simulation of thermal plant optimization and hydraulic aspects of thermal distribution loops for large campuses
No full textFollowing an introduction, the author describes Texas A&M University and its utilities system. After that, the author presents how to construct simulation models for chilled water and heating hot water distribution systems. The simulation model was used in a $2.3 million Ross Street chilled water pipe replacement project at Texas A&M University. A second project conducted at the University of Texas at San Antonio was used as an example to demonstrate how to identify and design an optimal distribution system by using a simulation model. The author found that the minor losses of these closed loop thermal distribution systems are significantly higher than potable water distribution systems. In the second part of the report, the author presents the latest development of software called the Plant Optimization Program, which can simulate cogeneration plant operation, estimate its operation cost and provide optimized operation suggestions. The author also developed detailed simulation models for a gas turbine and heat recovery steam generator and identified significant potential savings. Finally, the author also used a steam turbine as an example to present a multi-regression method on constructing simulation models by using basic statistics and optimization algorithms. This report presents a survey of the author??s working experience at the Energy Systems Laboratory (ESL) at Texas A&M University during the period of January 2002 through March 2004. The purpose of the above work was to allow the author to become familiar with the practice of engineering. The result is that the author knows how to complete a project from start to finish and understands how both technical and nontechnical aspects of a project need to be considered in order to ensure a quality deliverable and bring a project to successful completion. This report concludes that the objectives of the internship were successfully accomplished and that the requirements for the degree of Degree of Engineering have been satisfied
A nisin-inducible chromosomal gene expression system based on ICE Tn5253 of Streptococcus pneumoniae, transferable among streptococci and enterococci
No full textThe present work reports the development and validation of a chromosomal expression system in Streptococcus pneumoniae which permits gene expression under the control of Lactococcus lactis lantibiotic nisin. The system is based on the integrative and conjugative element (ICE) Tn5253 of S. pneumoniae capable of site-specific chromosomal integration and conjugal transfer to a variety of bacterial species. We constructed an insertion vector that integrates in Tn5251, an ICE contained in Tn5253, which carries the tetracycline resistance tet(M) gene. The vector contains the nisRK regulatory system operon, the L. lactis nisin inducible promoter PnisA upstream of a multiple cloning site for target DNA insertion, and is flanked by two DNA regions of Tn5251 which drive homologous recombination in ICE Tn5253. For system evaluation, the emm6.1::ha1 fusion gene was cloned and integrated into the chromosome of the Tn5253-carrying pneumococcal strain FR24 by transformation. This gene encodes a fusion protein containing the signal peptide, the 122 N-terminal and the 140 C-terminal aa of the Streptococcus pyogenes M6 surface protein joined to the HA1 subunit of the influenza virus A hemagglutinin. Quantitative RT-PCR analysis carried out on total RNA purified from nisin treated and untreated cultures showed an increase in emm6.1::ha1 transcript copy number with growing nisin concentration. The expression of M6-HA1 protein was detected by Western blot and quantified by Dot blot, while Flow cytometry analysis confirmed the presence on the pneumococcal surface. Recombinant ICE Tn5253::[nisRK]-[emm6.1::ha1] containing the nisin-inducible expression system was successfully transferred by conjugation in different streptococcal species including Streptococcus gordonii, S. pyogenes, Streptococcus agalactiae and Enterococcus faecalis. As for S. pneumoniae, the emm6.1::ha1 transcript copy number and the amount of M6-HA1 protein produced correlated with the nisin concentration used for induction in all investigated bacterial hosts. We demonstrated that this host-vector expression system is stably integrated as a single copy within the bacterial chromosome, is transferable to both transformable and non transformable bacterial species, and allows fine tuning of protein expression modulated by nisin concentration. These characteristics make our system suitable for a wide range of applications including complementation assays, physiological studies, host-pathogen interaction studies
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