Search

Background: Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is an autoimmune rheumatic disease. Individuals with a diagnosis of SSc describe repercussions on their activities of daily living and instrumental activities of daily living that affect their everyday functional capacity. The objective of this systematic review was to explore the effectiveness of nonpharmacological interventions to improve hand function and the ability to perform activities of daily living. Methods: A systematic review was conducted on the Cochrane Library, Medline/ PubMed, OTseeker, PEDro, Scopus, Web of Science up to September 10, 2022. Inclusion criteria were defined following PICOS recommendations (Populations, Intervention, Comparison and Outcome measures). Methodological quality was assessed with the Downs and Black Scale and risk of bias was assessed using version 2 of the Cochrane risk-of-bias tool for randomized trials (RoB 2). A meta-analysis of each outcome was performed. Results: A total of 8 studies met the inclusion criteria, providing data on 487 individuals with SSc. The non-pharmacological intervention applied the most was exercise. The effects of non-pharmacological interventions were better than those of the waiting list or no treatment control conditions in both outcomes – hand function (mean difference [MD] = −6.98; 95% CI [−11.45, − 2.50], P= 0.002, I 2= 0%) and performance of daily activities (MD = −0.19; 95% CI [−0.33, − 0.04], P= 0.01, I 2= 0%). Moderate risk of bias was found in the majority of the studies included. Conclusion: There is emerging evidence that non-pharmacological interventions can improve hand function and performance of daily activities in individuals with a diagnosis of SSc. Given the moderate risk of bias found in the studies included, the results should be considered with caution., University of Granada, Spain

INTRODUCTION Asthma is characterized by recurrent episodes of wheezing, dyspnoea, chest tightness and cough. In addition to respiratory symptoms, previous studies have reported the presence of pain. OBJECTIVE To analyse the nociceptive processing of young adults with well-controlled asthma. METHODS A cross-sectional case-control study was performed. Patients diagnosed with persistent well-controlled asthma were recruited from the 'Complejo Hospitalario Universitario' (Granada). Main outcomes included pain processing, measured by the pressure-pain thresholds (PPTs) and temporal summation and latency of pain; symptoms, including cough (Leicester Cough Questionnaire) and dyspnoea (Borg scale); and catastrophic cognitions about breathlessness, assessed by the Breathlessness Catastrophizing Scale (BCS). RESULTS Seven-two participants were finally recruited in our study. Patients with asthma presented lower pressure thresholds (p

Mammographic screening contributes to a reduction in specific mortality, but it has disadvantages. Decision aids are tools designed to support people's decisions. Because these aids influence patient choice, their quality is crucial. The objective of the current study was to conduct a systematic review of decision aids developed for women eligible for mammographic screening who have an average breast cancer risk and to assess the quality of these aids. The systematic review included articles published between January 1, 1997, and August 1, 2019, in the PubMed, Embase, Cochrane, and PsycInfo databases. The studies were reviewed independently by 2 reviewers. Any study containing a decision aid for women eligible for mammographic screening with an average breast cancer risk was included. Two double-blind reviewers assessed the quality of the selected decision aids using the International Patient Decision Aid Standards instrument, version 3 (IPDASi). Twenty-three decision aids were extracted. Classification of decision aid quality using the IPDASi demonstrated large variations among the decision aids (maximum IPDASi score, 188; mean ± SD score, 132.6 ± 23.8; range, 85-172). Three decision aids had high overall scores. The 3 best-rated dimensions were disclosure (maximum score, 8; mean score, 6.8), focusing on transparency; information (maximum score, 32; mean score, 26.1), focusing on the provision of sufficient details; and probabilities (maximum score, 32; mean score 25), focusing on the presentation of probabilities. The 3 lowest-rated dimensions were decision support technology evaluation (maximum score, 8; mean score, 4.3), focusing on the effectiveness of the decision aid; development (maximum score, 24; mean score, 12.6), evaluating the development process; and plain language (maximum score, 4; mean score, 1.9), assessing appropriateness for patients with low literacy. The results of this review identified 3 high-quality decision aids for breast cancer screening.

OBJECTIVE Patients with stroke frequently present postural control impairment. This review aimed to assess the effectiveness of core exercising on postural control in patients with stroke. TYPE: Systematic review and meta-analysis. LITERATURE SURVEY Systematic review in the following databases: PubMed/MEDLINE, Web of Science, ScienceDirect, CINAHL, Scopus, and Physiotherapy Evidence Database (PEDro). Studies up to July 2019 were included. METHODOLOGY Studies were included if the sample was composed of adults with stroke, the intervention followed a core exercising approach (alone or combined with another intervention), and the study was a randomized controlled trial including at least one measurement related to posture control. Studies were independently screened for inclusion and data were extracted by two researchers, with a third researcher arbitrating any disputes. Study quality was assessed using the Downs and Black scale. SYNTHESIS After screening of 1540 records, a total of 14 studies met the specified inclusion criteria and involved 520 participants. Two studies exhibited "excellent" quality and five exhibited "poor" quality. The meta-analysis was performed with data from the Trunk Impairment Scale (mean difference 0.98; 95% confidence interval, 0.69 to 1.27; P

Sicily (Italy) hosts an ‘endangered’, endemic population of Alectoris graeca whitakeri, commonly known as Sicilian Rock Partridge. An EU-funded Life Natura 2000 project has been founded, involving Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale of Sicily for veterinary aspects: a total of 15 Sicilian Rock Partridge found dead were collected, identified and processed by postmortem examination and laboratory investigations. The evidence of internal parasites was the most relevant finding, showing different types of infections by Nematoda, Cestoda and Coccidia. 60 per cent of these cases were infected with more than one parasite. In one single case, a pathogenic strain of Escherichia coli related to granulocytic lesions in liver was found and another cause of death was due to respiratory disease caused by Aspergillus fumigatus. The study represents the first veterinary report on this rare species and underlines the importance to monitor the health status of wild species in the Italian environment in order to preserve local biodiversity.

Despite increasing clinical adoption, biologic influences of ex vivo lung perfusion (EVLP) remain insufficiently elucidated. The aim of the current study was to investigate biomolecular changes induced by EVLP in rat lungs. EVLP was maintained for 180 min. Hyaluronan, mediators, and cells were assessed in the perfusate. Gene expression, signaling pathways, and ATP content were investigated in lung tissue. EVLP induced the release of medium-high molecular weight hyaluronan and transcription of hyaluronan synthases ( P < 0.001). Increasing concentrations of inflammatory mediators were detected in the perfusate ( P < 0.001). Perfused lungs exhibited a distinctive transcriptional signature compared with organs examined before or after surgery/procurement ( P = 0.003). Up-regulated genes were involved in inflammation and its regulation, apoptosis/survival, heat shock, and oxidative stress response ( q = 0). Down-regulated genes were related to lymphocyte function ( q = 0). The NF-κB, signal transducer and activator of transcription 3, ERK1/2, p38, Akt, and stress-activated protein kinase/JNK signaling pathways were modulated by EVLP ( P < 0.05). Most of these biomolecular changes were examined and confirmed in additional experiments that were performed in lungs procured from donation after cardiocirculatory death after 180 min of warm ischemia. The current study demonstrates that EVLP broadly affects the lung biomolecular phenotype. These findings improve our comprehension of the effects exerted by the procedure and encourage additional research in preclinical models to implement therapeutic interventions.-Lonati, C., Bassani, G. A., Brambilla, D., Leonardi, P., Carlin, A., Faversani, A., Gatti, S., Valenza, F. Influence of ex vivo perfusion on the biomolecular profile of rat lungs.

Five third-stage Ophidascaris robertsi larvae, a python parasite, were recovered from a free-ranging mature male koala, Phascolarctos cinereus, from South-East Queensland. Most larval nematodes were found obstructing several hepatic blood vessels including the portal vein, causing vascular dilation. Despite the low number of parasitic larvae found, the large size of the larval third stage can lead to circulatory impairment of affected organs. Koalas may acquire O robertsi infection possibly by performing geophagy or soil ingestion, contaminated with eggs from python faeces. This is the first report of O robertsi in koalas indicating infection and subsequent pathological changes within the vasculature and liver.

When designing high-temperature brazing processes for ceramic materials, the interfacial phenomena between the liquid media and the adjoining surfaces must be known to design reliable joints. In order to assess the feasibility of using Ta-containing alloys for high-temperature brazing of SiC-based composites, the wetting of molten Ni-Ta alloys on ultra-pure chemical vapor deposited (CVD) SiC substrates has been investigated using the sessile drop technique. For all of the compositions and experimental conditions, good wetting was observed with fast spreading. The interfacial behavior is determined by the competition between the typical interfacial phenomena of the pure elements; specifically, either the dissolution of the ceramic phase by Ni or the formation of a new interfacial layer, TaC, by reaction between Ta and CVD-SiC, which prevails depends on the relative amount of the single element in the alloy.

The G protein-coupled receptor 17 (GPR17) plays crucial roles in myelination. It is highly expressed during transition of oligodendrocyte progenitor cells to immature oligodendrocytes, but, after this stage, it must be down-regulated to allow generation of mature myelinating cells. After endocytosis, GPR17 is sorted into lysosomes for degradation or recycled to the plasma membrane. Balance between degradation and recycling is important for modulation of receptor levels at the cell surface and thus for the silencing/activation of GPR17-signaling pathways that, in turn, affect oligodendrocyte differentiation. The molecular mechanisms at the basis of these processes are still partially unknown and their characterization will allow a better understanding of myelination and provide cues to interpret the consequences of GPR17 dysfunction in diseases. Here, we demonstrate that the endocytic trafficking of GPR17 is mediated by the interaction of a type I PDZ-binding motif located at the C-terminus of the receptor and SNX27, a recently identified protein of the endosome-associated retromer complex and whose functions in oligodendrocytes have never been studied. SNX27 knock-down significantly reduces GPR17 plasma membrane recycling in differentiating oligodendrocytes while accelerating cells' terminal maturation. Interestingly, trisomy-linked down-regulation of SNX27 expression in the brain of Ts65Dn mice, a model of Down syndrome, correlates with a decrease in GPR17(+) cells and an increase in mature oligodendrocytes, which, however, fail in reaching full maturation, eventually leading to hypomyelination. Our data demonstrate that SNX27 modulates GPR17 plasma membrane recycling and stability, and that disruption of the SNX27/GPR17 interaction might contribute to pathological oligodendrocyte differentiation defects. GLIA 2016. GLIA 2016;64:1437-1460.

Implementing the security of a network consists in individually configuring several network functions. Network functions are configured by means of a policy composed of a set of rules, but their actual behaviour is influenced by the other policies implemented by all the other network functions around them. This paper proposes a formal model that can be used to detect inter-function anomalies, which are defined as the interferences between two or more functions deployed in the same network. We have proved with experiments that the proposed model is fast and scalable. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

The investigation for natural fibers composites in terms of performance, durability, and environmental impact for structural applications in marine environments is a relevant challenge in scientific and industrial field. On this context, the aim of this work is to assess the durability and mechanical stability in severe environment of epoxy/glass–flax hybrid composites. For the sake of comparison, also full flax and glass epoxy composites were investigated. All samples were exposed to salt–fog environmental conditions up to 60 aging days. Wettability behavior during time was compared with water uptake evolution to assess water sensitivity of hybrid composite configurations. Moreover, quasi-static flexural and dynamic mechanical analysis were carried to evaluate as aging conditions, laminate configuration influence the surface and mechanical performances stability of the hybrid composites. The addition of glass fibers on flax laminate allows to enhance both flexural strength by 90%, and modulus by 128%, even if these properties are lower than those of full glass laminates. The results evidenced that the hybridization of flax fibers with glass ones is a practical approach to enhance the aging durability of epoxy/flax composite laminates in marine environmental conditions, obtaining a suitable compromise among environmental impact, mechanical properties, aging resistance, and costs

The choice of process parameters is critical in optimizing the mechanical properties of sandwich structures produced using the vacuum bagging technique. The aim of this paper is to analyze how the viscosity of the resin/curing agent system and the vacuum level influence the morphology and the mechanical behavior of sandwich beams with composite faces (epoxy resin and glass fiber fabric named COMBI 900) and a PVC foam core. Four different sandwich structures were produced by varying the viscosity of the epoxy resin/curing agent at constant maximum vacuum pressure. Three further structures were manufactured by varying the strength of the vacuum with the resin viscosity maintained constant at the minimum level. Three point bending tests were carried out on all seven sandwiches. The analysis shows that although both parameters affect the mechanical characteristics of the structure, the viscosity of the resin system is clearly the more influential of the two. The morphological structure of the sandwiches was analyzed both by scanning electron microscope (SEM) and by muffle furnace ignition to calculate the percentage of fibers, matrices, and voids present in the different samples © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Adv Polym Techn 29:20–30, 2010; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/adv.20172

Objective To evaluate the overall benefits of non-taxane chemotherapies in a non-selected population including unfit patients presenting with symptoms and pain. Patients and Methods This randomized phase II study reports data from 92 patients (52% >70 years old; 40% with a performance score of 2) previously treated with taxane-based chemotherapy, collected from 15 centres in France. Patients received i.v. mitoxantrone (MTX), oral vinorelbine, or oral etoposide, together with oral prednisone. Palliative benefit (pain response without progression of the disease), biological and tumoural responses, and toxicity profile as well as geriatric assessment (in elderly population) were analysed on an intention-to-treat basis. Results The palliative response rate was 17% for the whole population, and reached 29% when considering the MTX arm. Pain control was achieved in 40% of the patients. The median overall survival was 10.4 months, and was longer in palliative responders. Few grade 3–4 toxicities were observed. The subgroup analysis of elderly patients showed similar results regarding the number and dose intensity of treatments, efficacy and safety. Conclusion In a population including frail and/or elderly patients, who are poorly represented in most clinical studies, non-taxane chemotherapy may remain a relevant option for metastatic prostate cancer having relapsed after a docetaxel-based regimen. Although new treatment options are now approved, the decision-making process should take into account their expected benefit/risk ratio based on the patient status.