3,117 research outputs found
Spasticity following brain and spinal cord injury: assessment and treatment
No full textPurpose of review: Spasticity is a common sequela of brain and spinal cord injury and contributes to disability, reduces quality of life, and increases economic burden. Spasticity is still incompletely recognized and undertreated. We will provide an overview of recent published data on the definition, assessment, and prediction, therapeutic advances, with a focus on promising new approaches, and telemedicine applications for spasticity. Recent findings: Two new definitions of spasticity have been recently proposed, but operational criteria should be developed, and test-retest and inter-rater reliability should be explored. Cannabinoids proved to be effective in spasticity in multiple sclerosis, but evidence in other types of spasticity is lacking. Botulinum neurotoxin injection is the first-line therapy for focal spasticity, and recent literature focused on optimizing its efficacy. Several pharmacological, interventional, and nonpharmacological therapeutic approaches for spasticity have been explored but low-quality evidence impedes solid conclusions on their efficacy. The recent COVID-19 pandemic yielded guidelines/recommendations for the use of telemedicine in spasticity. Summary: Despite the frequency of spasticity, robust diagnostic criteria and reliable assessment scales are required. High-quality studies are needed to support the efficacy of current treatments for spasticity. Future studies should explore telemedicine tools for spasticity assessment and treatment
Adaptación de la escala de competencia parental percibida a una población de padres argentinos
No full textEl objetivo del presente trabajo fue adaptar la versión para padres de la Escala de Competencia Parental Percibida (ECPP) de Bayot Mestre y Hernández Viadel (2008) para ser aplicada en población argentina. Se trabajó con una muestra de 552 padres de alumnos de 4to. y 5to. grados de la provincia de Córdoba, Argentina. El estudio de tipo instrumental, tuvo la siguiente secuencia metodológica: (1) adaptación lingüística y (2) estudio psicométrico (i.e., confiabilidad y validez de constructo). Los resultados señalan la bondad de la escala para valorar la percepción que los padres poseen sobre sus competencias parentales para el cuidado y atención de sus hijos. La prueba analizada posee buenas propiedades psicométricas para ser utilizada en padres argentinos de niños escolarizados.Fil: Azar, Elisa Emma. Universidad Católica de Córdoba. Facultad de Educación; ArgentinaFil: Vargas Rubilar, Jael. Universidad Adventista del Plata; ArgentinaFil: Arán Filippetti, Vanessa. Universidad Adventista del Plata; Argentin
Direct replacement of antibodies with molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP) nanoparticles in ELISA - development of a novel assay for vancomycin
No full textA simple and straightforward technique for coating microplate wells with molecularly imprinted polymer nanoparticles (nanoMIPs) to develop ELISA type assays is presented here for the first time. NanoMIPs were synthesized by a solid phase approach with immobilized vancomycin (template) and characterized using Biacore 3000, dynamic light scattering and electron microscopy. Immobilization, blocking and washing conditions were optimized in microplate format. The detection of vancomycin was achieved in competitive binding experiments with a HRP-vancomycin conjugate. The assay was capable of measuring vancomycin in buffer and in blood plasma within the range 0.001-70 nM with a detection limit of 0.0025 nM (2.5 pM). The sensitivity of the assay was three orders of magnitude better than a previously described ELISA based on antibodies. In these experiments nanoMIPs have shown high affinity and minimal interference from blood plasma components. Immobilized nanoMIPs were stored for 1 month at room temperature without any detrimental effects to their binding properties. The high affinity of nanoMIPs and the lack of a requirement for cold chain logistics make them an attractive alternative to traditional antibodies used in ELIS
Adaptation of the parental competence perceived scale to a population of argentine parents
No full textEl objetivo del presente trabajo fue adaptar la versión para padres de la Escala de Competencia Parental Percibida (ECPP) de Bayot Mestre y Hernández Viadel (2008) para ser aplicada en población argentina. Se trabajó con una muestra de 552 padres de alumnos de 4to. y 5to. grados de la provincia de Córdoba, Argentina. El estudio de tipo instrumental, tuvo la siguiente secuencia metodológica: (1) adaptación lingüística y (2) estudio psicométrico (i.e., confiabilidad y validez de constructo). Los resultados señalan la bondad de la escala para valorar la percepción que los padres poseen sobre sus competencias parentales para el cuidado y atención de sus hijos. La prueba analizada posee buenas propiedades psicométricas para ser utilizada en padres argentinos de niños escolarizados.Palabras clave: competencias parentales, adaptación, evaluación, padresFil: Azar, Elisa E.. Universidad Católica de Córdoba; ArgentinaFil: Vargas Rubilar, Jael Alejandra. Universidad Adventista del Plata; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Saavedra 15. Centro Interdisciplinario de Investigaciones en Psicología Matemática y Experimental "Dr. Horacio J. A. Rimoldi". Grupo Vinculado CIIPME - Entre Ríos - Centro Interdisciplinario de Investigaciones en Psicología Matemática y Experimental "Dr. Horacio J. A. Rimoldi"; ArgentinaFil: Arán Filippetti, Vanessa. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. Universidad Adventista del Plata; Argentin
Asbestos in drinking water and hazards to human health: a narrative synthesis
No full textThe term asbestos refers to six unique fibrous minerals mostly used in the production of asbestos cement sheets and pipes. According to the World Health Organization and the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), there exists at least "sufficient evidence" that all types of asbestos may cause cancer in humans (mesothelioma, lung cancer, laryngeal tumor and ovarian cancer). The only asbestos limit in drinking water is 7 million fiber/liter. This study is a narrative synthesis about the possible hazards to human health related to the presence of asbestos in drinking water. The various scientific studies and epidemiological reports examined highlight that there is an ongoing debate on the possible carcinogenic risk associated with asbestos exposure through ingestion. Nevertheless, considering the latency with which diseases caused by asbestos may emerge, control measures should be adopted
Safety of HPV vaccines in the age of nonavalent vaccination
No full textTo date three vaccines against human papilloma virus (HPV) have been licensed: a bivalent, a quadrivalent and, in 2014, a nonavalent vaccine. Despite the early implementation of national vaccination programs, in the majority of developed countries coverage rates remain unsatisfactory. Rumors about vaccine safety have been one of the principal obstacles for the acceptance of HPV vaccination by the public. It is therefore of primary importance to provide the public with clear and up-to-date information about HPV vaccination safety. To this aim, in this narrative review we will summarize safety data from pre and postlicensure studies for the three HPV vaccines available with a focus on the safety profile of the new nonavalent vaccine
Diagnostic nerve block in prediction of outcome of botulinum toxin treatment for spastic equinovarus foot after stroke: A pilot retrospective observational study
No full textObjective: To evaluate the role of diagnostic nerve block in predicting the outcome of botulinum toxin type A treatment for spastic equinovarus foot due to chronic stroke. Design: Pilot, retrospective, observational study. Patients: Fifty chronic stroke patients with spastic equinovarus foot. Methods: Each patient was given diagnostic tibial nerve block (lidocaine 2% perineural injection) assessment followed by botulinum toxin type A inoculation into the same muscles as had been targeted by the nerve block. All patients were evaluated before diagnostic nerve block, after the nerve block, and 4 weeks after botulinum toxin injection. Outcomes were ankle dorsiflexion passive range of motion of the affected side, and calf muscle spasticity, measured with the modified Ashworth scale and the Tardieu Scale. Results: Significant improvements were measured after diagnostic nerve block and botulinum toxin injection compared with the baseline condition. Diagnostic nerve block led to significantly greater improvements in all outcomes than botulinum toxin injection. Conclusion: This study confirmed diagnostic nerve block as a valuable screening tool in deciding whether to treat spastic equinovarus with botulinum toxin. However, the results support the evidence that diagnostic nerve block results in a greater reduction in muscle overactivity than does botulinum toxin type A in patients with spastic equinovarus due to stroke
Coaching early career teachers in urban elementary schools: A mixed method study
No full textCoaching for urban early career teachers (ECTs) offers promise and aligns with features of effective professional development to support the implementation of evidence-based practices. However, the functional components and key elements of coaching and coach supervision are not well specified in the literature. The goal of the current study was to examine adherence and feasibility of a coaching intervention designed to provide urban ECTs with concentrated support in classroom management and engaging learners—two instructional domains that are robust predictors of attrition (Ingersoll and Strong in Rev Educ Res 81:201–233, 2011). Coaches (n = 6) worked with ECTs (n = 15) in three urban, high-poverty elementary schools during the 2-year intervention. A mixed-method design was employed, such that qualitative data (i.e., semi-structured interviews) and quantitative data (i.e., adherence measures) were collected concurrently, remained independent during analyses, and were integrated during interpretation (Creswell and Clark in Designing and conducting mixed methods research. Sage, Thousand Oaks, 2007). Findings revealed that ECTs generally received the intended frequency and duration of coaching but with fewer opportunities for post-conferences. Coach supervision, on average, was delivered with intended frequency, with variability across coaches. Thematic analyses highlighted coach provision of emotional and instrumental support, emphasized consistent coaching as critical, and that time was a significant barrier to ECT participation in coaching. Supervision promoted social support among coaches and provided opportunities to adapt the model to ECT needs.Peer reviewe
Communautés et écriture en ligne. Histoire, devenir, un dialogue
No full textIn this interview, Elisa Bricco talks to writer Benoît Vincent about
the transformations that have taken place over the last twenty years
as a result of the technological turn in literary production. We look
at the repercussions of technology’s hold over literary production, and
in particular at the development of the notion of author in the context
of collective writing. The example of the General Instin project will
be used to highlight some of the issues raised by digital technology in
relation to the production of literary texts.Dans cet entretien, Elisa Bricco discute avec l’écrivain Benoît Vincent
sur les transformations qui sont survenues dans les vingt dernières
années à cause du tournant technologique de la production littéraire. On
s’interroge sur les répercussions de l’emprise de la technologie sur le
faire littéraire et notamment sur le développement de la notion d’auteur
dans le contexte de l’écriture collective. L’exemple du projet Général
Instin servira pour mettre en lumières quelques enjeux du numérique
par rapport à la production de textes littéraires
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