796 research outputs found
From waste to value: assessing the pressures toward a sustainability transition of the Ukrainian waste management system
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Vertigo and balance disorders - The role of osteopathic manipulative treatment: A systematic review
No full textBackground: Balance disorders are among the most frequent reasons for consultation and referral to specialist care. Osteopathic Manipulative Treatment (OMT) can influence the proprioceptive system by inducing alterations in the proprioceptive stimuli, hence affecting postural control. Objective: The present systematic review aimed to explore the effects of OMT in managing patients with vertigo and balance disorders. Methods: MEDLINE (PubMed), ScienceDirect, and Google Scholar were searched. Clinical trials and prospective observational studies were considered. Only studies that considered OMT as the main intervention, provided alone or combined with other interventions, were included. The methodological quality of the evidence was assessed with a modified version of the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale. Results: Five studies that enrolled a total of 114 subjects met our inclusion criteria. Overall, it has been observed that there is a positive effect on balance disorders through different outcomes in all of the included studies. Only two studies (9 subjects) mentioned low to moderate adverse events after OMT. Conclusions: OMT showed weak positive effects on balance function, encouraging the connection of conventional medicine and evidence-based complementary medicine for integrative clinical practice and interprofessional work. However, full-sized adequately powered randomized trials are required to determine the effectiveness of OMT for vertigo and balance disorders
Knowledge Diffusion and Innovation: Modelling Complex Entrepreneurial Behaviours by Piergiuseppe Morone and Richard Taylor: A Response to the Review
No full textIn this brief note we reply to C�sar Garc�a-D�az and Diemo Urbig who reviewed our book on Knowledge Diffusion and Innovation (Edward Elgar Publishing: Cheltenham, 2010). We take this opportunity to reaffirm our personal view on several relevant issues, such as the need for a holistic view in economics, the adoption of a pragmatic heuristic approach when dealing with complex socio-economic systems, the relevance of a \'prototype model\' to setting a rigorous conceptual framework and the proposition of a novel way of looking at knowledge and innovation.Knowledge Diffusion, Innovation, Agent-Based Model, Validation
Loss of fractal gait harmony in Parkinson's Disease
No full textObjective: Recently, an intrinsic fractal harmonic structure was found underlying the rhythm of physiological walking, but it has not yet been investigated in subjects with a neurological disease. The aim of this study was to determine if and how this harmonic structure is altered in patients with Parkinson's Disease. Methods: Gait analysis of 70 patients with Parkinson's Disease in pharmacological phase on was performed, the findings of which we compared with reference data of age-matched healthy subjects. Fifteen patients were retested after a washout period of 12 h. Results: Alterations in all spatio-temporal gait parameters and gait indices with regard to symmetry, coordination, and harmony were noted, but after correction for multicollinearity bias, only the latter correlated significantly with Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale motor score (p = 0.001). The fractal gait structure underwent even more extensive alterations in pharmacological off phase (p < 0.05). Conclusions: The intrinsic gait harmony was altered in patients with Parkinson's Disease and significantly correlated to motor severity. It could be partially recovered by assumption of L-dopa. Significance: Loss of harmony is a quantitatively assessable gait benchmark in Parkinson's Disease. It seems to be dependent on dopaminergic but also on non-dopaminergic networks. (C) 2015 International Federation of Clinical Neurophysiology. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved
Overground walking training with the i-Walker, a robotic servo-assistive device, enhances balance in patients with subacute stroke: a randomized controlled trial
No full textBackground: Patients affected by mild stroke benefit more from physiological overground walking training than walking-like training performed in place using specific devices. The aim of the study was to evaluate the effects of overground robotic walking training performed with the servo-assistive robotic rollator (i-Walker) on walking, balance, gait stability and falls in a community setting in patients with mild subacute stroke. Methods: Forty-four patients were randomly assigned to two different groups that received the same therapy in two daily 40-min sessions 5 days a week for 4 weeks. Twenty sessions of standard therapy were performed by both groups. In the other 20 sessions the subjects enrolled in the i-Walker-Group (iWG) performed with the i-Walker and the Control-Group patients (CG) performed the same amount of conventional walking oriented therapy. Clinical and instrumented gait assessments were made pre- and post-treatment. The follow-up observation consisted of recording the number of fallers in the community setting after 6 months. Results: Treatment effectiveness was higher in the iWG group in terms of balance improvement (Tinetti: 68.4 +/- 27.6 % vs. 48.1 +/- 33.9 %, p = 0.033) and 10-m and 6-min timed walking tests (significant interaction between group and time: F(1,40) = 14.252, p = 0.001; and F(1,40) = 7.883, p = 0.008, respectively). When measured, latero-lateral upper body accelerations were reduced in iWG (F = 4.727, p = 0.036), suggesting increased gait stability, which was supported by a reduced number of falls at home. Conclusions: A robotic servo-assisted i-Walker improved walking performance and balance in patients affected by mild/moderate stroke, leading to increased gait stability and reduced falls in the community
Assessing regional performance for the Sustainable Development Goals in Italy
No full textThe monitoring report on progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in a global context involves a large number of actors as it represents probably the biggest change that our society is implementing. Actions at all levels, from local, regional and national to the aggregation of multiple countries (e.g. EU 27) are needed to achieve a sustainable future. This work focuses on a national perspective (Italy) where multi-criteria decision analysis (MCDA) is used to measure current performance. A sustainability score for each region is calculated from a set of 175 indicators contained in all 17 SDGs. Additionally, sustainability scores are disaggregated along the three pillars – social (1–5, 10, 16, and 17), environmental (6, 13–15) and economic (7–9, 11, and 12). The results highlight the positive performance of northern regions and, in particular, of Trentino Alto Adige, which ranks first in the two considered scenarios. In addition, the relevance of territorial specificities emerges for which the analysis of individual SDGs shows different leading regions. It is noteworthy to highlight the performance of the environmental sub-group of SDGs in southern regions, in contrast to the social and economic sub-groups. Evidently, policy actions are needed to reduce the long-lasting North/South divide—yet the highlighted heterogeneous sustainability performance along the three dimensions calls for well targeted policy measures necessary to regain competitiveness at a European and global level, without compromising with environmental sustainability
Dorsal and anal pterygiophore interdigitation patterns in four species of Morone (Teleostei, Percichthyidae) : an aid to larval identification
No full textThe diagnostic potential of dorsal and anal pterygiophore interdigitation patterns was examined in larval stages of Morone saxatilis, M. chrysops, M. americana and M.mississippiensis. The number and position of pterygiophores relative to interneural spaces 1-6 and 10-13 and interhaemal spaces 12-15 as well as total number of dorsal and anal pterygiophores are characters useful in delimiting larvae of American Morone species. Interdigitation patterns useful in separating M. mississippiensis and M. americana larvae were not found, however these two species may not co-occur.Virginia Institute of Marine Scienc
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