169,753 research outputs found
Exercise motives in independent older adults
No full textAims: People report a host of reasons for exercising. Exercise motives is an important area of study because it can provide significant information for understanding and predicting health behaviors.
The aim of the study was to examine which of the six Exercise Motivations Inventory (EMI-2) scales - Health and Fitness (HF), Social/Emotional Benefits (SEB), Weight Management (WM), Stress Management (SM), Enjoyment (E) and Appearance (A) - discriminate three physical activity levels of Inactive, Active, and Sustained Maintainers.
Methods: Three hundred fifty-five older adults (Age=66.1±6.5y) completed EMI-2 and Physical Activity Stage of Change Questionnaire (PASCQ). BMI was also assessed. Age, BMI, PASCQ, and EMI-2 subscales correlation was investigated with Pearson’s r. Two way ANOVA was used to determine whether exercise motives could discriminate among three physical activity level based on PASCQ. For this aims the six stage of change categories were collapsed into three physical activity level groups: Inactives (precontemplation and contemplation), Actives (preparation, action, early maintenance), and Sustained Maintainers (maintenance for longer than one year).
Results: The three activity levels groups show a low correlation with HF and E (r=.18; p<.001 for both); BMI was correlated with WM (r=.30; p=<.001) while Age was negatively correlated with SM and E (r=-.16; p<.001 / r=-.11, p<.05 respectively). Two way ANOVA shows differences among the six EMI-2 subscales (data expressed in mean±s.d.: HF=3.50±1.05; SEB=2.27±1.23; SM=3.13±1.47; WM=3.34±1.41; E=3.63±1.30; A=1.75±1.54; p<.001), and an interaction groups-subscales (p<.001); the two subscales HF and E discriminate the Inactive group vs Active and Sustained Maintainers (p=<.05 ÷ <.001). Results suggest that Enjoyment (E) and Health and Fitness (HF) motives are important for the maintenance of actual activity in independent older adults. Implications for exercise promotion must be studied
Going Beyond Counting First Authors in Author Co-citation Analysis
No full textThe present study examines one of the fundamental aspects of author co-citation analysis (ACA) - the way co-citation
counts are defined. Co-citation counting provides the data on which all subsequent statistical analyses and mappings
are based, and we compare ACA results based on two different types of co-citation counting - the traditional type that
only counts the first one among a cited work's authors on the one hand and a non-traditional type that takes into
account the first 5 authors of a cited work on the other hand. Results indicate that the picture produced through this non-traditional author co-citation counting contains more coherent author groups and is therefore considerably clearer. However, this picture represents fewer specialties in the research field being studied than that produced through the traditional first-author co-citation counting when the same number of top-ranked authors is selected and analyzed. Reasons for these effects are discussed
Feasibility of a physical activity program in patients with mild cognitive impairment
No full textEmerging evidence underlined the importance of physical
activity on frailty, independence, communication, depression, cognition, and quality of life in patients with cognitive decline
The effects of an innovative combined Robot Assisted Gait Training and Virtual Reality on cognitive impairments and motor deficits in patients with multiple sclerosis: a pilot randomized control trial
No full textBackground: Cognitive impairments affect up to 70% of persons with Multiple Sclerosis (MS) and the potential of gait rehabilitation with Virtual Reality (VR) to reduce clinical symptoms and disability Poster Session 1, 24(S2) due to cognitive deficits might be very promising. The main aim of this pilot randomized controlled trial was to compare the effects of an innovative combined Robot Assisted Gait Training plus VR (RAGT-VR) with those of standard RAGT on cognitive impair- ments and motor deficits in patients with Multiple Sclerosis (MS). Methods: Subjects were enrolled and randomly allocated either in the RAGT- VR or in the RAGT group. The RAGT-VR group underwent a training on an end-effector device combine with VR while the RAGT group underwent a training on an end-effector device alone. Each patient, irrespective of group assignment, underwent individualized treatment 40-minute/day, two days/ week for six consecutive weeks for a total of 12 sessions. A blinded rater evaluated patients before, after treatment, and at one month follow-up. Primary outcome was the Paced Auditory Serial Addition Test (PASAT). Secondary outcomes were the Phonemic Fluency Test (PFT), Rivermead Behavioral Memory Test (RBMT), Digit Symbol (DSymb), Multiple Sclerosis Quality of Life-54 (MSQOL-54) and Two Minute Walking Test (2MWT), 10 Meter Walking Test (10MWT) and Berg Balance Scale (BBS). Results: Seventeen MS patients (7 males and 10 females) were ran- domized to the RAGT-VR group (n =8) or the RAGT group (n =9). At baseline no significant differences were noted. Between groups comparisons showed significant change in 2MWT after treatment (p=0.012) in favor of RAGT-VR group. In the RAGT-VR group, within-group comparison showed significant improvements after treatment and at follow-up on PASAT (p=0.012; p=0.012), PFT (p=0.012; p=0.012) and RBMT NT-IR (p=0.012; p=0.012). Significant improvements after treatment were found on MSQOL- 54 PHC composite (p=0.017), MSQOL-54 MHC composite (p=0.018), 2MWT (p=0.012), 10MWT (p=0.012) and BBS (p=0.011). In the RAGT group significant improvements were found for MSQOL-54 MHC (p=0.018), MSQOL-54 PHC (p=0.017), 10MWT (p=0.018) and BBS (p=0.016) after treatment. Conclusion: RAGT combine with VR could be consider a nov- elty training and more effective on improving gait abilities com- pare to RAGT alone and could ameliorated cognitive impairments in subjects suffering from MS. Further studies on larger patients samples are warranted to confirm these preliminary findings
Mitomycin C in highly myopic eyes - Author reply
No full textOphthalmology. 2005 Feb;112(2):208-18; discussion 219.
Mitomycin C modulation of corneal wound healing after photorefractive keratectomy in highly myopic eyes.
Gambato C, Ghirlando A, Moretto E, Busato F, Midena E.
SourceRefractive Surgery Service and Antimetabolite Therapy Research Unit, Department of Ophthalmology, University of Padova, Padova, Italy.
Abstract
PURPOSE: To evaluate the role of topical mitomycin C in corneal wound healing (CWH) after photorefractive keratectomy (PRK) in highly myopic eyes.
DESIGN: Prospective, double-masked, randomized clinical trial.
PARTICIPANTS: Seventy-two eyes of 36 patients affected by high (>7 diopters) myopia.
METHODS: In each patient, one eye was randomly assigned to PRK with intraoperative topical 0.02% mitomycin C application, and the fellow eye was treated with a placebo. Postoperatively, mitomycin C-treated eyes received artificial tears (3 times daily, tapered in 3 months), whereas the fellow eye was treated with fluorometholone sodium 2% and artificial tears (3 times daily, tapered in 3 months).
MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Uncorrected visual acuity (UCVA) and best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA), contrast sensitivity, manifest refraction, and biomicroscopy. Contrast sensitivity was determined using the Pelli-Robson chart. Corneal confocal microscopy documented CWH.
RESULTS: Mean follow-up was 18 months (range, 12-36). No side effects or toxic effects were documented. At 12-month follow-up examination, UCVAs (logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution) were 0.4+/-0.48 and 0.5+/-0.53 (P = .03) in mitomycin C-treated eyes and corticosteroid-treated eyes, respectively. At 1 year, corneal haze developed in 20% of corticosteroid-treated eyes, versus 0% of mitomycin C-treated eyes. At 12, 24, and 36 months, corneal confocal microscopy showed activated keratocytes and extracellular matrix significantly more evident in untreated eyes (Ps = 0.004, 0.024, and 0.046, respectively).
CONCLUSION: Topical intraoperative application of 0.02% mitomycin C can reduce haze formation in highly myopic eyes undergoing PRK.
Comment in
Ophthalmology. 2006 Feb;113(2):357; author reply 357-8
Developing ICF core set for subjects with traumatic brain injury: an Italian clinical perspective.
No full textThe objective of this empirical study is to describe functioning and health of individuals with traumatic brain injury (TBI) and to identify the most common problems using the International Classification of Functioning Disability and Health (ICF). The specific aims are to describe the prevalence of problems in functioning as defined by the ICF of individuals with TBI, and to identify categories that explain most of the variance of the external standards.261 TBI patients from 24 Italian centres members of the Italian Network were consecutively enrolled into the study between July 2008 and January 2009. The study was conducted as an empirical cross-sectional study.The Extended ICF checklist captures the problems of TBI patients: many problems were reported within body function and body structure, but the most impaired categories were in Activity and Participation domain: the impaired categories reflect restrictions in challenging activities or activities related to later stages of recovery. The Environmental Factors in ICF were most frequently scored as facilitators: the support of the family is the most important environmental factor emerged, together.This study describes and identifies the most common problems in functioning of persons with TBI in an Italian sample. It emphasizes the importance of approaching the description of functioning and disability from a comprehensive perspective including not only body functions and structures but also activities and participation domains and environmental factors
Dispelling the Myths Behind First-author Citation Counts
No full textWe conducted a full-scale evaluative citation analysis study of scholars in the XML research field to explore just how different from each other author rankings resulting from different citation counting methods actually are, and to demonstrate the capability of emerging data and tools on the Web in supporting more realistic citation counting methods. Our results contest some common arguments for the continued
use of first-author citation counts in the evaluation of scholars, such as high correlations between author rankings by first-author citation counts and other citation
counting methods, and high costs of using more realistic citation counting methods that are not well-supported by the ISI databases. It is argued that increasingly available digital full text research papers make it possible for citation analysis studies to go beyond what the ISI databases have directly supported and to employ more
sophisticated methods
RIABILITAZIONE DELL’EMIANOPSIA OMONIMA LATERALE TRAMITE SOFTWARE NEUROEYE COACH IN PAZIENTI CON ICTUS CEREBRALE
No full textINTRODUZIONE. Vari studi mostrano che l’emianopsia omonima laterale è il deficit visivo più frequente dopo eventi neurologici acuti (es. ictus). Tale disturbo ha un importante impatto sul livello funzionale e la qualità della vita del paziente sin dall’insorgere sin alle fasi croniche della malattia [1]. Pazienti con deficit emianoptico presentano una riduzione del campo visivo e mostrano difficoltà nell’eseguire in maniera spontanea i movimenti saccadici necessari per compensare il disturbo. Tra gli approcci sviluppati per trattare l’emianopsia, recenti studi suggeriscono che training con un approccio compensatorio mostrano una buona efficacia nel recupero della disabilità associata [2,3]. Tra questi, il software NeuroEyeCoach (NEC) della Nova Vision è stato sviluppato per aiutare i pazienti a compensare i deficit di campo visivo aumentando l’efficacia dei loro movimenti oculari attraverso un esercizio sistematico di ricerca visiva. Lo scopo di questo studio è quello di valutare gli effetti di questo training nel recupero della disabilità conseguente al deficit emianoptico nei pazienti colpiti da ictus. MATERIALI E METODI. Sono stati reclutati 10 pazienti con ictus (M=9) con emianopsia omonima laterale. Due pazienti hanno abbandonato durante il trattamento. Otto hanno completato il trattamento con NEC. Prima (T0) e dopo il trattamento (T1) è stato somministrato un protocollo valutativo comprendente prove di ricerca visuo-spaziale sia computerizzate (previste dal NEC) che carta e matita (ricerca visiva, copia di figure, disegno spontaneo, bisezione di linee e compiti di lettura). Il programma, composto da 12 livelli (3 sezioni ciascuno) di crescente difficoltà, prevedeva tre incontri settimanali della durata di circa un’ora ciascuno. In ogni seduta il paziente doveva completare 3 sezioni di training. La lunghezza del trattamento dipendeva dall’abilità del paziente nel superare ogni livello. In particolare il software si adattava alle performance del soggetto, riproponendo, in caso di scarsa prestazione, il livello precedente con alcune agevolazioni (es. tempo di permanenza degli stimoli sullo schermo) RISULTATI. Due pazienti hanno abbandonato durante il trattamento. Otto hanno completato il trattamento con NEC. Un’analisi descrittiva mostra un incremento della performance dopo il trattamento. Nelle misure di outcome computerizzate, sono stati rilevati miglioramenti sia in termini di accuratezza sia in termini di tempo di esecuzione. I test carta e matita post-trattamento, registrano lievi miglioramenti nell’accuratezza, mentre il tempo di esecuzione si riduce notevolmente. CONCLUSIONI. Questi dati preliminari suggeriscono che il NEC è uno strumento efficace per il recupero del deficit emianoptico tramite approccio compensatorio. Il software sembra infatti favorire lo sviluppo di strategie di compensazione e migliorando così le prestazioni di esplorazione visiv
Neurotablet: un nuovo strumento per la riabilitazione neuropsicologica. studio pilota su pazienti con ictus cerebrale
No full textIntroduzione: Come noto, il deficit cognitivo è uno dei principali fattori disabilitanti nel paziente con ictus cerebrale. Risulta quindi di fondamentale importanza sottoporre i pazienti ad una riabilitazione specifica che possa ridurre tale deficit. Tra i vari trattamenti proposti nell’ambito neuropsicologico, recentemente sono stati sviluppati protocolli di intervento che prevedono l’utilizzo di strumenti computerizzati a scopo riabilitativo. I lavori presenti in letteratura indicano come la riabilitazione tramite software computerizzati possa portare ad un miglioramento di vari aspetti cognitivi deficitari nei pazienti con ictus (Bo ryun Kim et al 2011; Hwi-Young Cho et al 2015). Tuttavia rimane ancora da indagare approfonditamente l’efficacia di una riabilitazione tramite strumenti tecnologici computerizzati, sulle abilità cognitive dei pazienti con ictus. In tale ambito, recentemente è stato sviluppato un nuovo strumento specificatamente creato per la riabilitazione neuropsicologica: il Neurotablet. Obiettivo del presente studio è quindi quello di indagare gli effetti di un trattamento con Neurotablet in pazienti post ictus che presentano nello specifico disturbi di attenzione. Materiali e Metodi: Nel presente studio sono stati inclusi pazienti con ictus cerebrale afferenti alla Neuroriabilitazione dell’Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria Integrata di Verona che presentano le seguenti caratteristiche: distanza dall’ictus compresa fra i 2 e i 6 mesi (fase subacuta), età compresa tra 20 e 85 anni, presenza di deficit attentivi conseguenti all’ictus (valutati con TMT, Test delle Campanelle, Matrici Attentive e Dual Task), assenza di decadimento cognitivo, di disturbi psichiatrici, di deficit di comprensione gravi, di neglect o di disturbi visivi non corretti. I pazienti che rispettavano tali criteri sono stati valutati attraverso una batteria di test (misure di outcome primarie: TMT, Matrici Attentive, Test delle Campanelle, Dual Task, SART, Test di Stroop; misure di outcome secondarie: MMSE, Test della figura di Rey, Memoria di Prosa, Digit Span, Span Reversal, Span di Corsi, FAB, Test dei labirinti di Elithorn, Test dell’Orologio e Test di Brixton) prima, dopo il trattamento riabilitativo con Neurotablet e a distanza di due mesi dalla fine dello stesso (follow-up). Il trattamento aveva una durata di quattro settimane per un totale di dodici sedute (tre sedute settimanali) ognuna della durata di quaranta minuti. Risultati: Attualmente sono stati inclusi nello studio 6 pazienti (età media: 70 anni; 5 maschi) con ictus cerebrale in fase sub-acuta (media distanza evento: 4,5 mesi) che presentavano disturbi di attenzione. Una prima analisi descrittiva mostra un miglioramento successivamente al trattamento nelle seguenti prove: Matrici Attentive, Dual Task, FABit, Test dei labirinti di Elithorn. Si rileva un peggioramento nei tempi di reazione del test SART e nel tempo di esecuzione del TMTb Complessivamente stabili le performance pre-post trattamento nelle altre prove. Le valutazione follow-up mostrano una stabilizzazione delle prestazioni rispetto alla valutazione post-trattamento. Conclusione: Dai dati preliminari non è possibile definire con precisione gli effetti del trattamento con Neurotablet. Tuttavia si riscontra un’alta compliance dei pazienti nei confronti del trattamento ed un miglioramento in alcune prove specifiche di attenzione. Rispetto ai protocolli riabilitativi standard l’utilizzo del Neurotablet fornisce un feedback immediato della performance del paziente, e permette di lavorare in maniera più specifica e sensibile poichè si adatta in maniera automatica alle capacità del paziente e fornisce una grande varietà di stimoli ed esercizi, lavorando anche sulla velocità di esecuzione
A Multi-Language Comparison of Influences on Author Verification using Character N-Grams
No full textWe create a new multi-language corpus for author verification based on Wikipedia talkpages, and evaluate the influence that differences in topic and time have on character n-gram author profiles. Topic alignment between two texts is found to increase author verification precision, and an authors writing style is found to change over time, but not more significantly after 3 years than after 1 year.Information ArchitectureWISElectrical Engineering, Mathematics and Computer Scienc
- …
