120 research outputs found
Parkinson’s Disease-Cognitive Rating Scale for Evaluating Cognitive Impairment in Parkinson’s Disease: A Systematic Review
No full textThe aim of the present systematic review was to examine the evidence on the accuracy and psychometric properties of the Parkinson’s Disease-Cognitive Rating Scale (PD-CRS) for evaluating the presence of cognitive impairment in patients with Parkinson’s disease (PD) as well as to highlight the quality and quantity of research available on the use of the PD-CRS in this population. We searched four databases from inception until July 2020. Eight studies, published between 2008 and 2020, met the inclusion criteria: One cross-sectional study in which participants were assessed with the index test (PD-CRS) and a reference standard diagnostic assessment, in accordance with the Level II criteria of the International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society (MDS); one case-control study comparing the PD-CRS to an extensive battery of tests (i.e., MDS Level II diagnosis); and six studies comparing the PD-CRS to other short cognitive batteries. In patients with Parkinson’s disease, the PD-CRS test provides information about cortical and sub-cortical cognitive functions. Even if it demonstrated good psychometric properties, the results regarding the optimal threshold for detecting mild cognitive impairment and dementia in PD are somewhat inconsistent. Further cross-sectional studies are necessary to examine the optimum cut-off score for detecting cognitive dysfunction in PD patients
Border zone brain lesions due to neurotrichinosis
No full textTrichinosis is a parasitic disease that, due to variable clinical syndromes, is often underrecognized. We present the case of a patient with eosinophilia, focal neurological signs and multiple bilateral brain lesions, distributed mainly in the border zones. The diagnostic workup revealed neurotrichinosis, which should be suspected even without a clear history of consumption of poorly cooked meat
Metropolis II: Benefits of Centralised Separation Management in High-Density Urban Airspace
No full textThe Metropolis II project aimed to study the impact of centralised separation management for urban aerial mobility. Three concepts were developed in this study: a fully centralised, strategically separated concept, a hybrid concept featuring cen- tralised strategic separation and distributed tactical separation, and a fully distributed tactical concept. A comparative simu- lation study was performed, using traffic scenarios based on predicted demand in an urban airspace in the city of Vienna. Simulations were performed with varying traffic densities and situations. Results show that the purely strategic and purely tactical strategies perform comparably in terms of safety, and that further improvements can be achieved with a combination of those strategies.Green Open Access added to TU Delft Institutional Repository ‘You share, we take care!’ – Taverne project https://www.openaccess.nl/en/you-share-we-take-care Otherwise as indicated in the copyright section: the publisher is the copyright holder of this work and the author uses the Dutch legislation to make this work public.Control & Simulatio
Financial and institutional assessment of Posta Na Simu Savings and Credit Cooperative Society Limited ("KK") : Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania
No full textCooperative systems were developed into structures of government intervention, where the political structures did not conform to the fundamental cooperatives stance and ideals. Recently, the government of Tanzania has undertaken various initiatives towards poverty reduction and attainment of social and economic development. One of the steps was encouraging formation and to continue providing technical assistance to strengthen and develop SACCOS in urban and rural areas.The purpose of this study is to assess a workers' community established as a Savings and Credit Cooperative Society, namely, Wafanyakazi wa Posta na Simu Savings and Credit Cooperative Society Limited (KK) located in Dar-es-salaam. The intention of the assessment is not to audit the institution but to study performance of activities to give a clear picture of society financial and institutional situation, while observing the extent to which it has successfully fulfilled its avowed role in the past. The study results from KK assessment reveals that with proper organization and control, savings and credit cooperative societies can truly alleviate poverty to its members. SACCOs are expected to improve, continue and expand their role in rural financial services. They also need to be supported through the provision of appropriate capacity building assistance, including training and members' education on savings and credit. This would enable them to upgrade their current level of management, resources, skills, accounting/financial knowledge, assets and overall operating procedures, which would in turn contribute to their sustainability, and make them more effective and efficient. (Author abstract)Mtey, K. A. (2005). Financial and institutional assessment of Posta Na Simu Savings and Credit Cooperative Society Limited ("KK") : Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania. Retrieved from http://academicarchive.snhu.eduMaster of Science (M.S.)School of Community Economic Developmen
Subarachnoid Hemorrhage in Patients with SARS-CoV-2 Infection: Protocol for A Scoping Review
No full textSubarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) is a life-threatening condition associated with high mortality and substantial long-term morbidity. The SARS-CoV-2 virus is a new pathogen that causes a disease with variable clinical manifestations. Although the Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is associated with hypercoagulopathy, patients may also present with cerebral hemorrhage, including SAH. The present paper reports a protocol for a scoping review that is aimed to provide a comprehensive report on existing literature by examining data on SAH associated with SARS-CoV-2 infection. Our objective is to evaluate the epidemiology, clinical, laboratory, and neuroimaging features of SAH in patients with COVID-19 and to explore the etiology and possible interventions in this pathology. Using appropriate search terms, we will search LitCOVID, the WHO database on COVID-19, and MedRxiv. The inclusion criteria are pre-defined. We will extract the data of eligible studies in standardized forms and will report the results in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR). We will provide information for clinicians, healthcare providers, and public health specialists
Montreal Cognitive Assessment for Evaluating Cognitive Impairment in Subarachnoid Hemorrhage: A Systematic Review
No full textSubarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) is a severe condition with high mortality and extensive long-term morbidity. Although research has focused mainly on physical signs and disability for decades, in recent years, it has been increasingly recognized that cognitive and psychological impairments may be present in many patients with SAH, negatively impacting their quality of life. We performed a systematic review aiming to provide a comprehensive report on the diagnostic accuracy of the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) test for evaluating the presence of cognitive impairment in patients with SAH. Using appropriate search terms, we searched five databases (PubMed, Scopus, PsychINFO, Web of Sciences, and Latin American and Caribbean Health Sciences Literature) up to January 2022. Two cross-sectional studies investigated the accuracy of MoCA in SAH patients in the subacute and chronic phase. We appraised the quality of the included studies using the Quality Assessment of Diagnostic Accuracy Studies 2 (QUADAS-2) criteria. The MoCA test provides information about general cognitive functioning disturbances. However, a lower threshold than the original cutoff might be needed as it improves diagnostic accuracy, lowering the false positive rates. Further research is necessary for an evidence-based decision to use the MoCA in SAH patients
Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) for HIV-Associated Neurocognitive Disorders
No full textThis study aims to systematically review the evidence on the accuracy of the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) test for diagnosing HIV-associated neurocognitive disorders (HAND) and to outline the quality and quantity of research evidence available about the accuracy of MoCA in populations infected with HIV. We conducted a systematic literature review, searching five databases from inception until January 2019. We extracted dichotomized positive and negative test results at various thresholds and calculated the sensitivity and specificity of MoCA. Quality assessment was performed according to the Quality Assessment of Diagnostic Accuracy Studies 2 (QUADAS-2) criteria. Eight cross-sectional studies met the inclusion criteria for meta-analysis. Overall, 1014 patients were included but most studies recruited small samples. Recruitment period ranged from 2009 to 2015. We assessed most studies as being applicable to the review question though we had concerns about the selection of participants in three studies. The accuracy of MoCA for diagnosing HAND was reported at six cut-off points (scores 22-27). The MoCA test provides information about general cognitive functioning disturbances that contribute to a diagnosis of HAND. A lower threshold than the original cut-off of 26 is probably more useful for optimal screening of HAND, as it lowers false positive rates and improves diagnostic accuracy. Nonetheless, the choice of cut-off always comes with a sensitivity-specificity trade-off, the preferred cut point depending on whether sensitivity or specificity is more valuable in a given context.</p
UNDERSTANDING DYSPEPSIA IN PATIENTS WITH PARKINSON’S DISEASE
No full textObjectives: Better understanding dyspepsia in Parkinson’s disease (PD) in order to improve patients quality of life.Methods: 27 patients (17 men,10 women, mean age=68,11± 12,62 years) diagnosed with PD (Hoehn-Yars scale), treated with levodopa or dopamine agonists, with gastrointestinal autonomic disorders and disturbances of gastric motility assessed by ultrasound approach undertook a trial consisting of a treatment with Trimebutine 300 mg/day for 3 months. We have assessed digestive severity symptoms scores before and after therapy: no symptoms=0, mild=1, medium=2, severe=3, comparing also to gastric motility curves.Results: Before therapy 15 patients showed delayed of the gastric emptying (55,56%), 7 normal motility (25,92%) and 5 patients rapid emptying (18,51%).Symptoms severity scores before therapy were: 8 patients (29,52%) mild ,14 patients (51,85%) medium and 5 patients (18,51%).severe. Mean dyspepsia severity index in patients with gastric motility disorders before therapy was 2,20±0,52.After therapy the same index decreased to 1,50±0,69(p=0,0009).Gastric motility curves showed an improving after therapy more important in those with delaying emptying varying with 23,45%±14,03 versus 15%±5,87% in patients with rapid emptying (either p<0,001).Conclusions An important range of patients with PD, with nausea and vomiting presented gastric motility disorders (74,07%), most of them having delay of the emptying and a satisfactory response to the treatment with Trimebutine with improving of symptom severity index and also gastric motility
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