Search

This retrospective study aims to evaluate the impact of interrupted services for peripheral arterial disease (PAD) patients and especially women in a single north-eastern Italian center over a period of 3 months prior to the pandemic, during the first (2020) and the second (2021) wave of contagion in northern Italy.Patients with PAD at Rutherford stages 3 to 6 that required revascularization between March 2019 and March 2021 were classified into 3 groups, according to the period of treatment: the prepandemic period, the pandemic-20 period, and the pandemic-21 period.Twenty-eight patients were treated in the prepandemic period, 21 in the pandemic-20 period, and 39 in the pandemic-21 period. It was observed that in the both pandemic periods patients presented with more severe stages of limb ischemia, Rutherford 5 and 6 stages. During pandemic-20, patients underwent mostly open surgery, followed by hybrid procedures. No differences were observed between the 3 groups in major amputations, length of hospital stay, type of discharge, limb salvage and mortality. During long-term follow-up, limb salvage appeared to be significantly better in the pandemic-21 group. The gender analysis revealed a significantly reduced female proportion of overall treated patients in 2020 and 2021 compared to the prepandemic period. In the pandemic-20 this difference appears even more evident since treatments on females represented 19% of the total while in the same period of the previous year the male/female percentage was comparable (54% vs. 46%). The women admitted presented higher stages of disease and tended to have a longer hospital stay than men. At 12-month follow-up, limb salvage was similar between the 2 genders but was slightly worse in women.An efficient reorganization of the vascular surgery services during the pandemic period guaranteed the quality and standard of treatment offered in the preceding periods. Among patients suffering from PAD the impact of the pandemic was greater for the female gender. It is therefore important that in addition to a reorganization of hospital services to provide adequate care for patients with ACOP in the pandemic period, greater information and awareness of women.

Purpose Acute kidney injury (AKI) frequently complicates hospitalization and is associated with in-hospital mortality (IHM). It has been reported a seasonal trend in different clinical conditions. The aim of this study was to evaluate the possible relationship between seasons of the year and IHM in elderly hospitalized patients with AKI. Methods We selected all admissions complicated by AKI between 2000 and 2015 recorded in the Italian National Hospital Database. ICD-9-CM code 584.xx identified subjects with age ≥ 65 years and age, sex, comorbidity burden, need of dialysis treatment and IHM were compared in hospitalizations recorded during the four seasons. Moreover, we plotted the AKI observed/expected ratio and percentage of mortality during the study period. Results We evaluated 759,720 AKI hospitalizations (mean age 80.5 ± 7.8 years, 52.2% males). Patients hospitalized with AKI during winter months had higher age, prevalence of dialysis-dependent AKI, and number of deceased patients. In whole population IHM was higher in winter and lower in summer, while the AKI observed/expected ratio demonstrated two peaks, one in summer and one in winter. Logistic regression analysis demonstrated that parameters such as age, autumn, winter, comorbidity burden were positively associated with IHM. Conclusion We conclude that a seasonality exists in AKI, however, relationship between seasons and AKI could vary depending on the aspects considered. Both autumn and winter months are independent risk factors for IHM in patients with AKI regardless of age, sex and comorbidity burden. On the contrary, summer time reduces the risk of death during hospitalizations with AKI.

Gait rehabilitation is a critical factor in functional recovery after a stroke. The aim of this pragmatic observational study was to identify the optimal dose and timing of robot-assisted gait training (RAGT) that can lead to a favourable outcome in a sample of subacute stroke survivors. Subacute patients with stroke who underwent a RAGT within a multidisciplinary rehabilitation program were enrolled. A set of clinical (i.e. age, type of stroke and time since stroke) and rehabilitation stay outcomes (length of stay and RAGT number of sessions) were recorded to evaluate their impact on functional outcome measures by functional independence measure (FIM) or functional ambulation category (FAC). We included 236 patients (62.73 ± 11.82 year old); 38.44% were females, and 59.32% were ischaemic stroke patients. Patients that received at least 14 RAGT sessions, had 15.83% more chance to be responders compared to those that receive less sessions (P = 0.006). Similarly, younger patients (≤60 years) were more prone to be responders (+15.1%). Lastly, an early rehabilitation (6 weeks) was found to be more efficient (+21.09%) in determining responsiveness (P 0.001). Becoming newly independent for gait, that refers to a FAC score ≥4, was related with age and RAGT sessions (P = 0.001). In conclusion, a younger age (≤60 years), an early rehabilitation (6 weeks since stroke) and a higher RAGT dose (at least 14 sessions) were related to a favourable outcome in patients with subacute stroke.

Quality of life (QoL) has been acknowledged as a fundamental concept in the field of health and is favorably improved by physical activity (PA). This systematic review aims to assess the benefits and harms of different types of PA to improve health-related QoL in both community-dwelling and diseased older adults to provide a recommendation for the minimum amount of PA needed to obtain measurable QoL benefits.We will search MEDLINE, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, CINHAL, Epistemonikos, Web of Science and gray literature. Randomized controlled trials enrolling healthy or diseased older adults aged65 years, providing any kind of physical activity intervention and having quality of life as an outcome will be included. There will be no language restriction. Two independent reviewers will screen the papers, and a third reviewer will resolve the conflicts. The quality of the included studies will be assessed through the Risk of Bias 2.0 tool. Finally, data will be extracted to create proper meta-analyses of comparisons between the different kinds of physical activity interventions or to control groups.This review does not require approval from the Ethics Committee. The results will be disseminated in peer-reviewed journals and at international conferences; moreover, the findings will be shared on social media using an accessible language.

In patients with peripheral artery disease (PAD), supervised exercise at near-moderate pain improves walking ability but not ankle-brachial index (ABI) values. In a retrospective observational study, we determined vascular and functional effects of a 6-month structured pain-free exercise program in patients with claudication and compressible vessels. Four-hundred and fifty-nine consecutive patients were studied. Segmental limb pressures were measured and ABI calculated during circa-monthly hospital visits. The 6-min (6MWD) and the pain-free walking distance (PFWD) during the 6-min walking test were determined. Two daily 8-min sessions of slow–moderate in-home walking at increasing metronome-paced speed were prescribed. After excluding patients with unmeasurable ABI or incompletion of the program, 239 patients were studied. Safe and satisfactory (88%) execution of the prescribed training sessions was reported. During the visits, bilateral ABI improved (+ 0.07; p F = 46.52; p F = 5.52; p p p F = 15.91; p F = 235.93; p R2 = 0.27; p

There is a growing awareness that spending time in nature is associated with improvement of well-being; nevertheless, the prescription of forest bathing is still limited. The aim of this systematic review was to explore the physiological and psychological benefits of different forest therapies on healthy and pathological elderly populations (>60 years) to identify the most-effective type, duration, and frequency of these interventions. A search for literature was carried out in December 2021 using PubMed, EMBASE, ResearchGate, Google Scholar and Web of Science. Grey literature was searched as well. After removal of the duplicates, within the 214 articles identified, ten met the inclusion criteria. The methodological quality of the selected studies was rated. Forest walking, alone and in combination with other activities is the most effective intervention. The selected studies reported a positive impact on physical components, including reduction in blood pressure and heart rate and improvements in cardiopulmonary and neurochemical parameters. Favorable modifications have also been noted in the psychological field, with improvements in depression, stress levels and in quality of life perception. In conclusion, forest walking may play an important role in promoting physical and mental health in healthy and pathological elderly populations. However, the lack of high-quality studies limits the strength of the results, calling for more trials.

Post-COVID Syndrome (PCS) is characterized by physical, psychological and cognitive symptoms with a negative impact on daily activities. This study tested the responsiveness and construct validity of the original version of the COVID-19 Yorkshire Rehabilitation Scale (C19-YRS) in a cohort of Italian hospitalized COVID-19 patients. This longitudinal study involved 79 hospitalized COVID-19 patients with rehabilitation needs, assessed after 12 and 26 weeks post-infection. Functional and patient-reported outcome measures were correlated with 10 items of the C19-YRS to test the construct validity, whereas distribution-based methods were used for the responsiveness over time. After 12 weeks since infection, 88.5% of patients reported fatigue, 83.3% breathlessness, 69.4% anxiety, 55.6% depression, and 44.9% pain. Moreover, 84.6% experienced reduced mobility, 75.7% had difficulties with usual activities, and 47.4% with personal care. Single items for each symptom had significant correlation (rho 0.25–0.60) with well-established scales for these symptoms. At 26 weeks, except for anxiety, all the PCS symptoms were still present but significantly reduced. The C19-YRS had moderate responsiveness for the most represented deficit reported. The C19-YRS was a valuable patient-reported outcome for screening, assessing severity, and monitoring the persistence of symptoms after 12 and 26 weeks from SARS-CoV2 infection in a cohort of Italian hospitalized patients.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS The EXCITE trial (JASN 28: 1259–1268, 2017) in dialysis patients showed that a 6-month home walking exercise program increases the walking distance covered during the 6 min walking test (6MWT), improves the response to the 5 times sit-to-stand test (5STS) and the cognitive function and quality of social interaction scores of the KDQOLSF-SF™ questionnaire. METHOD In this post-trial study embedded in the EXCITE trial, we tested the response to the 6MWT and the 5STS tests and the KDQOLSF-SF™ from the 6th month (end of the trial) to the 36th month. RESULTS Among the 227 patients of the EXCITE trial cohort, 162 underwent at least three out four testing visits (baseline, 6, 18 and/or 36 month) contemplated by the study protocol and 89 all four testing visits. In the primary analysis by the linear mixed model, the gain in walking distance achieved at 6th month in the exercise group {between-arms difference: +36 m, [95% confidence interval (95% CI): 22–51]; P CONCLUSION In dialysis patients the benefits of a 6-months structured walking program outlast the duration of the intervention and postpone the loss of walking performance, which naturally occurs in this population.

In the EXerCise Introduction to Enhance Performance in Dialysis (EXCITE) trial, a simple, personalized 6-month walking exercise program at home during the day off of dialysis improved the functional status and the risk for hospitalization in patients with kidney failure. In this post-trial observational study, we tested whether the same intervention was associated with a lower long-term risk of death or hospitalization (combined end point) during a follow-up extended up to 36 months.In total, 227 patients (exercise,In the long-term observation (up to 36 months), 134 events were recorded (eight deaths not preceded by hospitalization and 126 hospitalizations, which were followed by death in 38 cases). The long-term risk for hospitalization or death was 29% lower (hazard ratio, 0.71; 95% confidence interval, 0.50 to 1.00), and in an analysis stratified by adherence to the walking exercise program during the 6-month trial, the subgroup with high adherence (60% of prescribed sessions) had a 45% lower risk as compared with the control group (hazard ratio, 0.55; 95% confidence interval, 0.35 to 0.87). A Bayesian analysis showed that the posterior probability of a hazard ratio of 0.71 (95% confidence interval, 0.50 to 1.00) for the risk of the composite outcome observed in the post-trial observational study was 93% under the conservative prior and 97% under the optimistic prior. Sensitivity analyses restricted to the risk of hospitalization only or censoring patients at the time of transplantation fully confirmed these findings.A simple, personalized, home-based, low-intensity exercise program was associated with a lower risk of hospitalization.EXerCise Introduction to Enhance Performance in Dialysis (EXCITE), NCT01255969.

This latest TeMA Journal Special Issue ‘Mobile phone data to explore spatio-temporal transformations in contemporary territories’ takes up the focus of the journal in a stringent logical-temporal sequence. The volume, in fact, offers the scientific community an in-depth study on the increasingly relevant relationship between new communication technologies and the governance of urban and territorial transformations, and aims to develop a cognitive framework on the evolution of digital communications in the urban and territorial sphere and on their use for the knowledge of settlement phenomena.

Balance and mobility impairments are widespread in patients with Multiple Sclerosis (PwMS), even at an early stage. They can contribute to disability, physical deconditioning and reduced quality of life. Task-oriented is a training modality that may promote walking abilities and conditioning. However, the effects usually are short-lasting and exercising at home can have several barriers. This randomized controlled trial aimed to test the effectiveness of the combination of a 2-weeks in-person, supervised task-oriented circuit training (TOCT), followed by a 12-weeks home-based task-oriented program with monthly in-person visits.36 PwMS with EDSS 4-5.5 and unassisted walking have been randomly assigned to 10 supervised TOCT sessions over two weeks (Phase 1) followed by a 12-weeks home-based task-oriented program (Phase 2) or a delayed-treatment group. At the end of Phase 2, the delayed-treatment group (usual care) received the same TOCT protocol. Phase 1 was composed of six gait-based workstations and treadmill training, whereas Phase 2 was based on progressive task-oriented tasks practice at home with monthly visits to adjust activities levels. Six Minute Walk Test (6MWT), Timed 25-foot walk test (T25FW), Timed Up and Go test (TUG), Dynamic Gait Index (DGI), Modified Fatigue Impact Scale (MFIS), Multiple Sclerosis Walking Scale - 12 (MSWS-12), Multiple Sclerosis Impact Scale-29 (MSIS-29) and resting muscle oxygen consumption (rmVOThe entire sample completed the 2-weeks TOCT, whereas adherence was good for the 12-weeks home-based task-oriented program (6.2/10). The mean repetitions and level of difficulty of each task significantly increased after every timepoint. A superiority of task-oriented program was verified for 6MWT (F, 2,88 = 7.80; p0.001) on usual care after the 12-weeks home-based program. Moreover, between-group differences were highlighted at the same point, even for T25FW, TUG and MSWS-12. RmVOThe combination of a supervised and self-managed task-oriented program enhances walking endurance with positive effects on walking ability, fatigue and resting muscle oxygen consumption in PwMS with unassisted walking. These preliminary results reflected how this intervention was effective for impairment and activity improvements; moreover, it was cardiorespiratory stressful and possibly reduced deconditioning.

Objective To compare the effects of unilateral, proximal arm robot-assisted therapy combined with hand functional electrical stimulation with intensive conventional therapy for restoring arm function in survivors of subacute stroke. Design This was a single-blinded, randomized controlled trial. Setting Inpatient rehabilitation university hospital. Participants Patients (N=40) diagnosed as having ischemic stroke (time since stroke Interventions Participants randomized to the experimental group received 30 sessions (5 sessions/wk) of robot-assisted arm therapy and hand functional electrical stimulation (RAT+FES). Participants randomized to the control group received a time-matched intensive conventional therapy. Main Outcome Measures The primary outcome was arm motor recovery measured with the Fugl-Meyer Motor Assessment. Secondary outcomes included motor function, arm spasticity, and activities of daily living. Measurements were performed at baseline, after 3 weeks, at the end of treatment, and at 6-month follow-up. Presence of motor evoked potentials (MEPs) was also measured at baseline. Results Both groups significantly improved all outcome measures except for spasticity without differences between groups. Patients with moderate impairment and presence of MEPs who underwent early rehabilitation ( Conclusions RAT+FES was no more effective than intensive conventional arm training. However, at the same level of arm impairment and corticospinal tract integrity, it induced a higher level of arm recovery.

Background and Objectives: Robot-assisted gait training (RAGT) could be a rehabilitation option for patients after experiencing a stroke. This study aims to determine the sex-related response to robot-assisted gait training in a cohort of subacute stroke patients considering mixed results previously reported. Materials and Methods: In this study, 236 participants (145 males, 91 females) were admitted to a rehabilitation facility after experiencing a stroke and performed RAGT within a multidisciplinary rehabilitation program. Functional Independence Measure (FIM) and Functional Ambulatory Category (FAC) were assessed at admission and discharge to determine sex-related outcomes. Results: At the baseline, no significant difference among sexes was observed. At the end of rehabilitation, both males and females exhibited significant improvements in FIM (71% of males and 80% of females reaching the MCID cut-off value) and FAC (∆score: men 1.9 ± 1.0, women 2.1 ± 1.1). A more remarkable improvement was observed in women of the whole population during the study, but statistical significance was not reached. When analysing the FAC variations with respect to the total number of RAGT sessions, a more significant improvement was observed in women than men (p = 0.025). Conclusion: In conclusion, among subacute stroke patients, benefits were observed following RAGT during a multidisciplinary rehabilitation program in both sexes. A greater significant recovery for women with an ischemic stroke or concerning the number of sessions attended was also highlighted. The use of gait robotics for female patients may favour a selective functional recovery after stroke.

The molecular characterization of complex behaviours is a challenging task as a range of different factors are often involved to produce the observed phenotype. An established approach is to look at the overall levels of expression of brain genes-or 'neurogenomics'-to select the best candidates that associate with patterns of interest. However, traditional neurogenomic analyses have some well-known limitations: above all, the usually limited number of biological replicates compared to the number of genes tested-known as the "curse of dimensionality." In this study we implemented a machine learning (ML) approach that can be used as a complement to more established methods of transcriptomic analyses. We tested three supervised learning algorithms (Random Forests, Lasso and Elastic net Regularized Generalized Linear Model, and Support Vector Machine) for their performance in the characterization of transcriptomic patterns and identification of genes associated with honeybee waggle dance. We then matched the results of these analyses with traditional outputs of differential gene expression analyses and identified two promising candidates for the neural regulation of the waggle dance: boss and hnRNP A1. Overall, our study demonstrates the application of ML to analyse transcriptomics data and identify candidate genes underlying social behaviour. This approach has great potential for application to a wide range of different scenarios in evolutionary ecology, when investigating the genomic basis for complex phenotypic traits, and can present some clear advantages compared to the established tools of gene expression analysis, making it a valuable complement for future studies.A komplex viselkedések molekuláris jellemzése kihívást jelentő feladat, mivel gyakran számos tényező vesz részt a megfigyelt fenotípus előállításában. A jelenlegi bevált módszer az agyi gének - azaz a „neurogenomika, vagy neurogenomtan” - általános expressziós szintjének megvizsgálása alapján a kutatott viselkedéshez kapcsolódó gének kiválasztása. Ez az eljárás eddig olyan hatékony statisztikai eszközökre támaszkodott, amelyek pillanatképet tudnak szolgáltatni egy szervezet genomjában jelen lévő sok ezer génexpresszióról. Mindazonáltal, a hagyományos neurogenomtani elemzéseknek vannak jól ismert korlátai; mindenekelőtt a biológiai mérések korlátozott száma a tesztelt gének számához képest - ami angolul a „curse of dimensionality” néven ismert. Ezen kutatásban egy új Gépi Tanulás, angolul Machine Learning (ML), megközelítést vezettünk be, amely kiegészíti a transzkriptomikus elemzések ismert módszereit. Három ML modell teljesítményét teszteltük a háziméhek táncához kapcsolódó gének azonosításában, majd ezen elemzések eredményeit a hagyományos differenciális génexpressziós elemzések eredményeivel összehasonlítva, két ígéretes jelöltet azonosítottunk a méhek táncának neurális szabályozására: a G-proteinnel kapcsolt boss receptort és a hnRNP A1 gént, amely nagy valószínűséggel részt vesz az alternatív splicingben. Összességében tanulmányunk bemutatja a gépi tanulás alkalmazását a transzkriptomikai adatok elemzésére és a társadalmi viselkedés alapjául szolgáló gének azonosítására. Ez a megközelítés nagy lehetőségeket rejt magában az evolúciós ökológia kutatások széles skálájára tekintve, ahol a komplex fenotípusos jellemvonások genomiális alapját vizsgálják.

Aim: The aim of this study was to evaluate the utility and reliability of temperature foot changes measured by infrared thermography (IRT) for the evaluation of patients with atherosclerotic peripheral arterial disease (PAD) before and after endovascular revascularisation. Methods: This is an observational prospective study carried out on symptomatic PAD patients. Evaluations consisted of a clinical examination, duplex scan with ankle–brachial index calculation (ABI) and IRT measurements with infrared camera FLIR-ONE connected to a smartphone with android technology. Locations on the foot sampled with IRT were the anterior tibial, pedal, posterior and arcuate arteries. Results obtained with IRT on the symptomatic foot were compared to the contralateral foot and with the ABI values obtained bilaterally before and 24 h after revascularisation. Results: Within one year, 40 patients were enrolled, among whom 87,5% suffered from critical limb ischaemia. In three patients, it was impossible to obtain ABI measurements because of ulcerations on the limb. Skin temperature changes obtained by IRT between the symptomatic limb and the contralateral limb had a mean difference of 1.7 °C (range: 1.1–2.2 °C), p &lt, 0.001. There was a positive correlation between ABI and temperature values of the limb needed for treatment before revascularisation (p = 0.025, r = 0.36) and after revascularisation (p = 0.024, r = 0.31). The technical success rate was 100% in all cases, achieving a significant increase in temperature at all points of the foot analysed, with a median change of 2 °C (p &lt, 0.001). Conclusion: IRT is a safe, reliable and simple application. It could be a valuable tool for the assessment of the clinical presentation and severity of foot blood perfusion in symptomatic PAD patients and the evaluation of the technical success of endovascular revascularisation. IRT might have a role in follow-up of revascularisation procedures.

Social life and isolation pose a complex suite of challenges to organisms prompting significant changes in neural state. However, plasticity in how brains respond to social challenges remains largely unexplored. The fire ants Solenopsis invicta provide an ideal scenario for examining this. Fire ant queens may found colonies individually or in groups of up to 30 queens, depending on key factors such as density of newly mated queens and availability of nesting sites. We artificially manipulated availability of nesting sites to test how the brain responds to social versus solitary colony founding at two key timepoints (early vs. late colony founding) and to group size (large vs. small groups). We adopted a powerful neurogenomic approach to identify even subtle differences of gene expression between treatment groups, and we built a global gene co-expression network of the fire ant brain to identify gene modules specifically associated with the different components of the social environment. The difference between group and single founding queens involves only one gene when founding behavior is still plastic and queens can switch from one modality to another, while hundreds of genes are involved later in the process, when behaviors have lost the initial plasticity and are more canalized. Furthermore, we find that large groups are associated with greater changes in gene expression than small groups, showing that even potentially subtle differences in the social environment can be linked to different neurogenomic states.

Background: Peripheral artery disease (PAD) is a common cardiovascular pathology that affects mobility. In previous research, supervised exercise, a recommended treatment for claudication, was less effective in women. This study retrospectively investigated whether functional outcomes exhibit sex differences following a pain-free, home-based exercise program for PAD patients. Materials and Methods: Patients with PAD and claudication enrolled to a structured home-based program from 2003 to 2016 were studied. The program was prescribed at the hospital and based on two daily 10-minute pain-free walking sessions at progressively increasing speed. Outcome measures, which were assessed at baseline and discharge, were pain threshold speed (PTS) and maximal (Smax) during a treadmill test and pain-free walking distance (PFWD) and total distance walked in 6 minutes (6MWD). The ankle-brachial index (ABI), program duration, and patient adherence were determined. Results: A total of 1007 patients (women; n = 264; 26%) were enrolled. At baseline, compared to men, women exhibited similar ABI values but lower PTS and PFWD values (p

We retrospectively studied the association between changes in exercise capacity at discharge from a home-based exercise program and the risk of all-cause mortality among patients with peripheral artery disease (PAD) and claudication. The records of 1076 consecutive PAD patients were assessed between 2003 and 2013. The exercise program was prescribed during a few visits and executed at home at symptom-free walking speed. Ankle–Brachial Index (ABI) and maximal speed (Smax) on an incremental treadmill test were recorded at baseline and discharge. The number and date of deaths and hospitalizations for a 10-year period were collected from the regional registry. A total of 865 PAD patients completed the program (completers), while 221 left the program for health reasons (n = 128, diseased) or for nonhealth reasons (n = 83, quitters). Among the completers, the mortality rate (27%) was significantly lower (p

To synthesize evidence about the effect of individual circadian preference (chronotype) and gender in the development of sleep and mood problems in nursing professionals.Shift workers are more prone to having unhealthy habits and unfavourable clinical conditions than nonshift workers. These associations are mediated by chronotype and gender differences have also been detected.A quantitative systematic review.Electronic searches were performed in MEDLINE, Scopus, ScienceDirect, and Web of Science from 1 July 2012 - 1 July 2017.A systematic review was conducted using the Cochrane Collaboration guidelines and two quality assessment tools: the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute and GRADE. Inclusion criteria were quantitative studies where the sample consists entirely of nurses, analysing circadian rhythms or individual chronotype or gender and sleep/mood disturbances in nursing activity. The review was reported using the PRISMA statement.A total of 23 studies were included in the review (five cohort studies and 18 cross-sectional studies). Data on gender-specific attention were scarce (two studies) and showed a higher incidence of sleep problems. Female nurses with eveningness-oriented personality seem to be more prone to having sleep disorders, insomnia, fatigue, and anxiety than male and morningness ones.Evidence seems to show that female nurses with an evening-oriented preference suffer more problems of insomnia, sleepiness, fatigue, and anxiety. The impact of our results may affect nurses, patient safety and the quality of clinical practice.目的: 综合个人昼夜节律偏好(时型)和性别对护理专业人员睡眠和情绪问题发展的影响的证据。 背景: 轮班员工比不轮班员工更容易养成不健康的习惯和不良的临床状况。这些联系由时型作为媒介,同时,也涉及性别差异。 设计: 定量系统性评价。 数据来源: 2012年7月1日至2017年7月1日期间,在MEDLINE、Scopus、Science-Direct和科学网进行电子搜索。 综述方法: 使用科克伦协作组织指南和两个质量评估工具进行系统性评价:国家心肺血液研究所和GRADE。纳入标准是定量研究,其中,样本完全由护士组成,以分析护理活动中的昼夜节律或个体时型或性别以及睡眠/情绪障碍。使用PRISMA声明对这项评价进行报告。 结果: 评价中共包含23项研究(五项队列研究和18项横向研究)。在性别方面,并无特别关注(两项研究),并且,性别方面的数据突显出睡眠问题的发生率较高。夜型人女性护士似乎比男性和晨型人更容易出现睡眠障碍、失眠、疲劳和焦虑。 结论: 证据似乎表明,有着夜型偏好的女性护士失眠、嗜睡、疲劳、焦虑等问题较多。研究结果可能会影响到护士、患者的安全以及临床实践的质量。.

In social wasps, female lifespan depends on caste and colony tasks: workers usually live a few weeks while queens as long as 1 year. Polistes dominula paper wasps infected by the strepsipteran parasite Xenos vesparum avoid all colony tasks, cluster on vegetation where parasite dispersal and mating occur, hibernate and infect the next generation of wasp larvae. Here, we compared the survival rate of infected and uninfected wasp workers. Workers’ survival was significantly affected by parasite sex: two-third of workers parasitized by a X. vesparum female survived and overwintered like future queens did, while all workers infected by a X. vesparum male died during the summer, like uninfected workers that we used as controls. We measured a set of host and parasite traits possibly associated with the observed lifespan extension. Infected overwintering workers had larger fat bodies than infected workers that died in the summer, but they had similar body size and ovary development. Furthermore, we recorded a positive correlation between parasite and host body sizes. We hypothesize that the manipulation of worker’s longevity operated by X. vesparum enhances parasite’s fitness: if workers infected by a female overwinter, they can spread infective parasite larvae in the spring like parasitized gynes do, thus contributing to parasite transmission.

Epigenetic markers have been extensively employed to identify several physiological and/or pathological conditions, as they are associated with a long list of biological processes, including DNA methylation, histone modifications, genomic imprinting, and regulation of protein-coding mRNAs mediated by microRNAs (miRNAs). miRNAs are small noncoding RNAs (15–25 nucleotides in length) able to bind the 3′UTR and, less frequently, 5′UTR and coding sequences (CDS) of target mRNAs leading to mRNA-translation repression and/or mRNA degradation, depending on binding affinity. Recently, miRNAs have been extensively investigated as epigenetic biomarkers for the identification of physiological alterations, such as doping-related procedures, thanks to their easily detection and stability in a large variety of body fluids including bloods and derivatives (plasma and serum). As for several physiological alterations, it is expected that the miRNA expression profile may be altered following the exposure to agents employed in doping procedures. In agreement with this hypothesis circulating miRNAs were found to be associated with administration of human testosterone and growth-hormone and have been proposed as long-term biomarkers for the detection of the erythropoiesis-stimulating agent CERA. Hypoxia-regulated miRNAs might be used to identify the HIF Stabilizer Molidustat. In addition, despite the occurrence of possible confounding factors (changes in the miRNA expression profile during blood storage, aging, exercise, environment), miRNAs have been proposed as potential markers of autologous blood transfusion in sports.

Over the last twenty years, the structure of the job market has changed due to new technologies and innovations. In this context, new working spaces are emerging such as Coworking spaces, Makerspace and FabLab. This chapter presents an analytical experimentation aimed at evaluating if and how the social and digital connections can be put in relationship with physical spaces. More precisely, social media data related to new working spaces have been analyzed and mapped in order to understand their link with spatial issues like the location of these spaces or the spatial distribution of the followers connected to the accounts of selected physical spaces. This approach tries to highlight how different geographical and relational proximities interact with each other by using the topic of coworking spaces as an observation point. In the current world, dominated by online connectivity and social media reality, online milieu cannot be missed. Using an original methodology based on Twitter derived data, the research will analyze the online debate of new working spaces (Coworking Spaces, Maker Spaces, FabLab), the networks of their related accounts, the user communities and their features compared to the reality. By performing a social network analysis with Gephi using DMI-TCAT software and geo-localizing the followers of 11 case studies, the research will demonstrate the importance of the virtual world created by the online social platforms and the proximity of the web communities with the actual location of the new working spaces.

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is growing worldwide, with increasing numbers of patients facing end-stage renal disease, high cardiovascular risk, disability and mortality. Early recognition of CKD and improvements in lifestyle are crucial for maintaining or recovering both physical function and quality of life. It is well known that reducing sedentariness, increasing physical activity and initiating exercise programs counteract cardiovascular risk and frailty, limit deconditioning and sarcopenia, and improve mobility, without side-effects. However, these interventions, often requested by CKD patients themselves, are scarcely available. Indeed, it is necessary to identify and train specialists on exercise in CKD and to sensitize doctors and health personnel, so that they can direct patients towards an active lifestyle. On the other hand, effective and sustainable interventions, capable of overcoming patients' barriers to exercise, remain unexplored. Scientific societies, international research teams and administrators need to work together to avoid that exercise in nephrology remains an empty narrative, a niche interest without any translations into clinical practice, with no benefit to the physical and mental health of CKD patients.

Exercise therapy in the intermediate stages of peripheral artery disease (PAD) represents an effective solution to improve mobility and quality of life (QoL). Home-based programs, although less effective than supervised programs, have been found to be successful when conducted at high intensity by walking near maximal pain. In this randomized trial, we aim to compare a low-intensity, pain-free structured home-based exercise (SHB) program to an active control group that will be advised to walk according to guidelines. Sixty PAD patients aged > 60 years with claudication will be randomized with a 1:1 ratio to SHB or Control. Patients in the training group will be prescribed an interval walking program at controlled speed to be performed at home; the speed will be increased weekly. At baseline and after 6 months, the following outcomes will be collected: pain-free walking distance and 6-min walking distance (primary outcome), ankle-brachial index, QoL by the VascuQoL-6 questionnaire, foot temperature by thermal camera, 5-time sit-to-stand test, and long-term clinical outcomes including revascularization rate and mortality. The home-based pain-free exercise program may represent a sustainable and cost effective option for patients and health services. The trial has been approved by the CE-AVEC Ethics Committee (898/20). Registration details: Clinicaltrials.gov NCT04751890 [Registered: 12 February 2021].

We studied the outcomes of peripheral artery disease (PAD) patients enrolled in a structured in-home walking program right before the lockdown due to the SARS-CoV-2 epidemic emergency, to determine whether this intervention ensured the maintenance of mobility even in the case of movement restrictions. We selectively studied 83 patients (age 72 ± 11, males n = 65) enrolled in the program within 9-month before the lockdown. The usual intervention was based on two daily 8-min sessions of slow intermittent in-home walking prescribed in circa-monthly hospital visits. During the lockdown, the program was updated by phone. Six-minute (6MWD) and pain-free walking distance (PFWD) were measured pre- and post-lockdown as well as body weight (BW), blood pressure (BP), and ankle-brachial index (ABI). Sixty-six patients were measured 117 ± 23 days after their previous visit. A safe, pain-free execution of the prescribed sessions was reported (median distance: 74 km). Overall, the 6MWD was stable, while PFWD improved (p 3 months; n = 31) were stable. Decreased BW with stable BP and ABI values were also recorded, with better outcomes for new-entry subjects. In PAD patients, a structured walking program performed inside home and purposely guided by phone was adhered to by patients and favored mobility and risk factor control during the COVID-19 pandemic, regardless of walking ability, type of home and external conditions. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s11739-020-02598-4.

Among patients with peripheral artery disease, an altered estimation of walking ability reported to the physician may influence the choice of treatment. We compared claudication distance (CD) values reported by patients or assessed by validated protocols to elaborate a formula capable of estimating more reliable values. Three hundred fifty-nine patients with claudication were measured at the time of entry into a rehabilitation program. Walking performance was obtained by patients’ reports (self-reported claudication distance, SR-CD) and was directly assessed to determine the claudication and maximal walking distance by the 6-min test (6-CD and 6-MWD) and an incremental treadmill test (T-CD and T-MWD). The degree of muscle deoxygenation was objectively determined at the calf by near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) during the treadmill test. Among the 289 subjects analyzed, SR-CD exceeded both 6-CD and T-CD (+155 and +182 m, respectively). SR-CD was moderately correlated with T-CD (r = 0.30), 6-CD (r = 0.32), and 6-MWD (r = 0.29) but not with muscle deoxygenation per meter walked, unlike T-CD and 6-CD. A formula adjusted for the presence of diabetes reduced patient overestimation by 92%. The patient’s reported claudication distance was generally overestimated compared to objective measures, and it was made more reliable through a corrective factor for easy use in a clinical setting.

OBJECTIVE: Impairment in physical function and physical performance leads to decreased independence and health-related quality of life in people living with chronic kidney disease and end-stage kidney disease. Physical activity and exercise in kidney care are not priorities in policy development. We aimed to identify global policy-related enablers, barriers, and strategies to increase exercise participation and physical activity behavior for people living with kidney disease. DESIGN AND METHODS: Guided by the Behavior Change Wheel theoretical framework, 50 global renal exercise experts developed policy barriers and enablers to exercise program implementation and physical activity promotion in kidney care. The consensus process consisted of developing themes from renal experts from North America, South America, Continental Europe, United Kingdom, Asia, and Oceania. Strategies to address enablers and barriers were identified by the group, and consensus was achieved. RESULTS: We found that policies addressing funding, service provision, legislation, regulations, guidelines, the environment, communication, and marketing are required to support people with kidney disease to be physically active, participate in exercise, and improve health-related quality of life. We provide a global perspective and highlight Japanese, Canadian, and other regional examples where policies have been developed to increase renal physical activity and rehabilitation. We present recommendations targeting multiple stakeholders including nephrologists, nurses, allied health clinicians, organizations providing renal care and education, and renal program funders. CONCLUSIONS: We strongly recommend the nephrology community and people living with kidney disease take action to change policy now, rather than idly waiting for indisputable clinical trial evidence that increasing physical activity, strength, fitness, and function improves the lives of people living with kidney disease. ispartof: JOURNAL OF RENAL NUTRITION vol:32 issue:4 pages:441-449 ispartof: location:United States status: published

Aim: We retrospectively examined the impact on the rate of survival of pain-free home-based exercise in diabetic peripheral artery disease patients compared to patients receiving usual care. Methods: In total, 202 patients at Fontaine’s Stage II with diabetes were studied. Half were enrolled in a structured home-based exercise program (E), whereas the other half received walking advice as the active control group (C). Long-term clinical outcomes at five years were gathered from the Emilia-Romagna Health Service Registry, with survival probability selected as the primary outcome. Results: At baseline, the two groups did not differ for any demographic or clinical characteristics. High adherence to the program was recorded in Group E (88% of home-walking sessions executed, with an average distance walked during the program of 174 km). After five years, a survival rate of 90% for Group E and 60% for Group C was observed, with a significantly (P < 0.001) higher mortality risk for Group C [Hazard ratio (HR) = 3.92]. Additionally, among secondary outcomes, Group E showed a significantly (P = 0.048) lower rate of peripheral revascularizations than Group C (15% vs. 24%, respectively; HR = 1.91), all-cause hospitalizations (P = 0.007; 61% vs. 80%, HR = 1.58), and amputations (P = 0.049; 6% vs. 13%, HR = 2.47). In a Cox multivariate-proportional regression model of the entire population, the predictors of survival probability were age (HR = 1.05), Charlson index (HR = 1.24), lower ankle-brachial index (HR = 6.66), and control group (HR = 4.99). Conclusion: A simple sustainable program aimed at improving mobility of diabetic patients with claudication at high cardiovascular risk was associated with better survival and long-term clinical outcomes.

Rehabilitative exercise outcomes and plasma concentrations of soluble adhesion molecules (sEndoglin, sE-Selectin, sL-Selectin, sICAM-1, sNCAM, sNCAM-1, sVCAM-1, sPECAM-1, sVAP-1) were evaluated in 60 severely disabled progressive multiple sclerosis (MS) patients at 4-time points. Changes of sE-Selectin, sL-Selectin, and sPECAM-1 concentrations were observed over time, and their variations were significantly correlated with rehabilitative outcome variations. Baseline sVAP-1 concentrations were able to predict functional mobility recovery. Our data suggest that the evaluation of adhesion molecules in plasma provides useful information to interpret rehabilitative exercise processes and to identify potential predictors of the rehabilitation-induced changes in mobility outcomes in MS patients.

Social life and isolation pose a complex suite of challenges to organisms prompting significant changes in neural state. However, plasticity in how brains respond to social challenges remains largely unexplored. The fire ants Solenopsis invicta provide an ideal scenario for examining this. Fire ant queens may found colonies individually or in groups of up to 30 queens. Here, we artificially manipulated availability of nesting sites to test how the brain responds to social vs. solitary colony founding at two key timepoints, and to group size. The difference between group and single founding queens involves only 1 gene when behaviour is still plastic and queens can switch from one modality to another, while hundreds of genes are involved once behaviours are more canalized. Furthermore, we show that large groups lead to greater changes in gene expression than small groups, perhaps due to higher cognitive demands of a more complex social environment.

Background: The aim of this study was to relate the weekend (WE) effect and acute kidney injury (AKI) in elderly patients by using the Italian National Hospital Database (NHD). Methods: Hospitalizations with AKI of subjects aged &ge, 65 years from 2000&ndash, 2015 who were identified by the ICD-9-CM were included. Admissions from Friday to Sunday were considered as WE, while all the other days were weekdays (WD). In-hospital mortality (IHM) was our outcome, and the comorbidity burden was calculated by the modified Elixhauser Index (mEI), based on ICD-9-CM codes. Results: 760,664 hospitalizations were analyzed. Mean age was 80.5 &plusmn, 7.8 years and 52.2% were males. Of the studied patients, 9% underwent dialysis treatment, 24.3% were admitted during WE, and IHM was 27.7%. Deceased patients were more frequently comorbid males, with higher age, treated with dialysis more frequently, and had higher admission during WE. WE hospitalizations were more frequent in males, and in older patients with higher mEI. IHM was independently associated with dialysis-dependent AKI (OR 2.711, 95%CI 2.667&ndash, 2.755, p &lt, 0.001), WE admission (OR 1.113, 95%CI 1.100&ndash, 1.126, p &lt, 0.001), and mEI (OR 1.056, 95% CI 1.055&ndash, 1.057, p &lt, 0.001). Discussion: Italian elderly patients admitted during WE with AKI are exposed to a higher risk of IHM, especially if they need dialysis treatment and have high comorbidity burden.

We assessed whether muscle metabolism biomarkers (MMb) identified by near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) are valid for determining adaptations following revascularization or exercise training in peripheral artery disease (PAD). Eighteen patients (males n = 13, 69 &plusmn, 7 years) were randomized to receive revascularization (Rev = 6) or pain-free home-based exercise (Ex = 12). MMb were safely collected via a NIRS-assisted treadmill test as area-under-curve for the spectra of oxygenated (-oxy), deoxygenated (-deoxy), differential (-diff) and total (-tot) hemoglobin traces. MMb, ankle&ndash, brachial index (ABI), pain-free (PFWD) and 6-minute (6MWD) walking distances were assessed at baseline and after four months. MMb were correlated at baseline with ABI (MMb-oxy r = 0.46) and 6MWD (MMb-tot r = 0.51). After treatments, MMb-oxy showed an expected increase, which was more relevant for Rev group than the Ex (56% vs. 20%), with trends towards normalization for the other MMb. These changes were significantly correlated with variations in ABI (MMb-oxy r = 0.71, p = 0.002) and 6MWD (MMb-tot r = 0.58, p = 0.003). The MMb-diff in Rev group and MMb-deoxy in Ex group at baseline predicted clinical outcomes being correlated with PFWD improvements after 4-month (r=&minus, 0.94, p = 0.005 and r = &minus, 0.57, p = 0.05, respectively). A noninvasive NIRS-based test, feasible in a clinical setting, identified muscle metabolism biomarkers in PAD. The novel MMb were associated with validated outcome measures, selectively modified after different interventions and able to predict long-term functional improvements after surgery or exercise training.

OBJECTIVE We tested the safety, feasibility, and effectiveness of blood flow restriction-empowered low-intensity interval walking exercise (BFR-W) compared with conventional intensive overground walking (CON-W) at improving gait speed and functional capacity in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) and severe gait disabilities. METHODS 24 patients (58 ± 5 years; 7 males) with progressive MS (Expanded Disability Status Scale 5.5 - 6.5) were randomized to receive 12 rehabilitation sessions over 6 weeks. The BFR-W group (n = 12) performed interval walking (speed paced by a metronome that increased weekly) with BFR bands at the thighs. The CON-W group (n = 12) received physiotherapist-assisted overground walking therapy. The primary outcome was gait speed, measured by the timed 25-foot walk test. Secondary outcomes included walking endurance, balance, strength, fatigue, and quality of life. The measurements were collected at baseline, at the end of training, and a 6-week follow-up. RESULTS The two groups did not present any baseline difference. BFR-W group safely walked without limitations due to sleeve compression, with lower increase in perceived exertion (RPE) (P

Abnormal levels of pyruvate and lactate were reported in multiple sclerosis (MS). We studied the response of markers of mitochondrial function to rehabilitation in relation to type, intensity and endurance performance in severely disabled MS patients. Forty-six progressive MS patients were randomized to receive 12 walking sessions of robot-assisted gait training (RAGT, n = 23) or conventional overground therapy (CT, n = 23). Ten healthy subjects were also studied. Blood samples were collected to determine lactate, pyruvate, and glutathione levels and lactate/pyruvate ratio pre&ndash, post rehabilitation. In vivo muscle metabolism and endurance walking capacity were assessed by resting muscle oxygen consumption (rmVO2) using near-infrared spectroscopy and by six-minute walking distance (6MWD), respectively. The levels of mitochondrial biomarkers and rmVO2, altered at baseline with respect to healthy subjects, improved after rehabilitation in the whole population. In the two groups, an enhanced response was observed after RAGT compared to CT for lactate (p = 0.012), glutathione (&lt, 0.001), lactate/pyruvate ratio (p = 0.08) and rmVO2 (p = 0.07). Metabolic biomarkers and 6MWD improvements were exclusively correlated with a training speed markedly below individual gait speed. In severely disabled MS patients, rehabilitation rebalanced altered serum metabolic and muscle parameters, with RAGT being more effective than CT. A determinable slow training speed was associated with better metabolic and functional recovery. Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT02421731.

Paper wasps (Polistes dominula), parasitized by the strepsipteran Xenos vesparum, are castrated and desert the colony to gather on plants where the parasite mates and releases primary larvae, thus completing its lifecycle. One of these plants is the trumpet creeper Campsis radicans: in a previous study the majority of all wasps collected from this plant were parasitized and focused their foraging activity on C. radicans buds. The unexpected prevalence and unusual feeding strategy prompted us to investigate the influence of this plant on wasp behavior and physiology through a multidisciplinary approach. First, in a series of laboratory bioassays, we observed that parasitized wasps spent more time than non-parasitized ones on fresh C. radicans buds, rich of extra-floral nectaries (EFNs), while the same wasps ignored treated buds that lacked nectar drops. Then, we described the structure and ultra-structure of EFNs secreting cells, compatible with the synthesis of phenolic compounds. Subsequently, we analysed extracts from different bud tissues by HPLC-DAD-MS and found that verbascoside was the most abundant bioactive molecule in those tissues rich in EFNs. Finally, we tested the immune-stimulant properties of verbascoside, as the biochemical nature of this compound indicates it might function as an antibacterial and antioxidant. We measured bacterial clearance in wasps, as a proxy for overall immune competence, and observed that it was enhanced after administration of verbascoside—even more so if the wasp was parasitized. We hypothesize that the parasite manipulates wasp behavior to preferentially feed on C. radicans EFNs, since the bioactive properties of verbascoside likely increase host survival and thus the parasite own fitness.

Background Increasing evidence for contribution of hemostasis components in multiple sclerosis (MS) has been reported. Hemostasis protein inhibitors display key regulatory roles, extending to regulation of innate immune response and inflammation, and promotion of blood–brain barrier integrity. Whereas the effects on hemostasis of exercise and rehabilitation strategies have been extensively investigated, relationships between MS rehabilitation strategies and hemostasis have not been previously reported. Objectives To investigate in MS patients the association between outcomes of rehabilitative exercise and plasma levels of selected hemostasis inhibitors. Methods Sixty-one severely disabled progressive-MS (P-MS) patients were randomized in the RAGTIME trial to receive 12 walking session of robot-assisted gait training (RAGT) or conventional overground therapy (CT). Outcome parameters were: timed 25-foot walk test (T25FWT) speed, 6-minute walking test (6MWT), Berg Balance Scale (BBS), and MS impact scale-29 (MSIS-29). Plasma levels of coagulation inhibitors protein S (PS), soluble thrombomodulin (sTM), and tissue factor pathway inhibitor (TFPI) were assayed by multiplex assay and ELISA at 4-time points: baseline (T0), intermediate (T1), end of rehabilitation (T2), 3-month follow-up (T3). Descriptive analysis, trend analysis, Spearman's rank and Pearson's correlations, and multiple regression models were used. Results Rehabilitative exercises moderately modified plasma protein concentrations. A significant trend to increase was observed for PS (p=0.015) and TFPI (p=0.047) in the whole population, and for PS (p=0.011) in the CT group. Correlation between TFPI and sTM levels was detectable at all time points in the whole P-MS patients and in RAGT group. The correlation between TFPI and PS, present at T0, was lost during the rehabilitation, and recovered at T3 in the whole population and CT group. During rehabilitation, positive variations of TFPI were inversely related with changes in 6MWT in the whole population (r=-0.309, p=0.021), and in the RAGT group (r=-0.51, p=0.004). In all P-MS, PS T0 levels were associated (r=0.379, p=0.004) with increased gait speed, which in the RAGT group was associated both with PS T0 (r=0.378, p=0.040), and sTM T0 (r=0.453, p=0.012). Accordingly, in the regression model including age, sex and EDSS and the stepwise enter of PS T0, higher PS T0 levels predicted increased gait speed in all P-MS (F=3.4, p=0.016) The regression model in the RAGT group indicated that higher PS and sTM T0 levels were both predictors of increased gait speed (F=5.7, p=0.001). Conclusions Plasma levels of coagulation inhibitors were related to variations of outcome measurements after high-intensity walking rehabilitation programs. Patients with decreased TFPI levels from T0 to T2 displayed the most significant functional recovery following rehabilitation, and particularly after RAGT. Higher baseline total PS levels were associated with favorable outcomes of rehabilitation therapies in MS. These novel findings, which suggest that plasma levels of hemostasis inhibitors might have implication for rehabilitative therapy options in MS, warrant further investigation.

Sedentariness of patients affected by end-stage kidney disease (ESKD) expose them to high risk of unfavorable clinical outcomes. Exercise training is effective in improving physical function, quality of life (QoL) and long-term outcomes. However, the existing barriers related to patients, programs and dialysis staff limit patient participation and call for new strategies. This pragmatic nonrandomized trial will test the impact on ESKD population of an intervention proposed by an exercise facilitator regularly present in a dialysis center. The patient will be free to choose among three-month walking and/or resistance low-intensity training programs: (a) guided physical activity increase; (b) home-based exercise; (c) in-hospital (pre/post dialysis) supervised exercise; (d) performance assessment only. The first phase will define feasibility and the characteristics and preference of responders. The second phase will evaluate safety and patients’ adherence. Outcome measures will be collected at baseline, after three-month and at six-month follow-up. They will include: aerobic capacity, QoL, gait speed, strength, depression and long-term clinical outcomes (hospitalization and mortality). The trial was approved by the Area-Vasta Emilia-Romagna Centro Ethics Committee with approval number 48/2019. Written informed consent will be obtained from all participants. The results of the study will be presented in international congresses, published in peer-reviewed journals and communicated to the patient community. Registration details: Clinicaltrials.gov NCT04282616 [Registered:24/02/2020].

ObjectiveThe aim of this project was to adapt the English, French, German and Russian versions of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) injury and illness surveillance form to be sport-specific for use in biathlon.Methods23 medical representatives from 16 of the 55 biathlon federations participated in this project to adapt the form and create disease coding relevant to biathlon. The English version of the IOC injury and illness surveillance form was used as the primary template. Four review rounds were used to develop electronic fillable PDF forms. The changes were then forward translated onto the Russian, French and German forms.ResultsChanges were made to event type to biathlon-specific events. A weekly reporting format was adopted in line with the race week format of World Cup events. Wherever possible, coding replaced free-text format to avoid translation issues. New codes were created to describe the time of injury/illness. A new symptom code was added to reflect the prevalence of respiratory infection: sore throat/cold symptoms. As the number of athletes in a team differs between weeks in the season, an additional question was added to ask for the ‘number of athletes in the team for the week’ and for the season.ConclusionThis project provides a biathlon-specific injury and illness surveillance form in English, French, German and Russian. This forms the basis for surveillance that will contribute to a greater understanding of the illness and injury rate in elite biathletes and ultimately to enhanced athlete well-being and success in biathlon, and winter sports more generally.

Eusociality, a form of animal social organization involving sterile and reproductive castes, is a rare, but highly ecologically successful form of life. There are striking examples of eusocial species with populations that are ecologically dominant in their native ranges, as well as remarkably successful globally as invasive species; prominent examples include fire ants and yellowjacket wasps. At the same time, there have been startling population declines in other social insects, notably bumble bees. Here, we explore the possible role of phenotypic plasticity in invasion biology and declines of social insect species. This topic is of particular interest, because social insects exhibit extreme behavioral, developmental, physiological, and morphological plasticity. It has been suggested that this plasticity may contribute to ecological dominance in some species, but could be a liability or cost to others. In this review, we explore the relationship between phenotypic plasticity, invasion biology, and vulnerability to global change in social insects. By considering plasticity at three levels–molecular, individual, and colony—we suggest ways in which considerations of phenotypic plasticity may help in managing social insect populations. Fil: Manfredini, Fabio. University of London; Reino Unido. University of Aberdeen; Reino Unido Fil: Arbetman, Marina Paula. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Patagonia Norte. Instituto de Investigaciones en Biodiversidad y Medioambiente. Universidad Nacional del Comahue. Centro Regional Universidad Bariloche. Instituto de Investigaciones en Biodiversidad y Medioambiente; Argentina Fil: Toth, Amy L.. Iowa State University; Estados Unidos

Cooperation and aggression are ubiquitous in social groups, and the genetic mechanisms underlying these behaviours are of great interest for understanding how social group formation is regulated and how it evolves. In this study, we used a candidate gene approach to investigate the patterns of expression of key genes for cooperation and aggression in the brain of a primitively eusocial wasp, Polistes dominula, during colony founding, when multiple foundresses can join the same nest and establish subtle hierarchies of dominance. We used a comparative approach to select candidate genes for cooperation and aggression looking at two previously published studies on global gene expression in wasps and ants. We tested the expression of these genes in P. dominula wasps that were either displaying aggressive behaviour (dominant and single foundresses) or cooperation (subordinate foundresses and workers) towards nestmates. One gene in particular, the egg yolk protein vitellogenin, known for its reproductive role in insects, displayed patterns of expression that strongly matched wasp social rank. We characterize the genomic context of vitellogenin by building a head co-expression gene network for P. dominula, and we discuss a potential role for vitellogenin as a mediator of social interactions in wasps. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1007/s00359-018-1252-6) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Background Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) is used for therapeutic purpose in severely brain-injured patients. The relationship between the recovery after tDCS and potential biomarkers in plasma has been limitedly investigated in patients with minimal conscious state (MCS). Objective To investigate soluble neuronal adhesion molecule (sNCAM) plasma levels in relation to tDCS and recovery processes in MCS. Methods sNCAM was measured in plasma before (T−1,T0), during (T1) and after (T2, T3) tDCS sessions in eight patients with a post traumatic etiology and at least one year of chronic state. Results While sNCAM levels were highly correlated overtime, no significant difference was observed in relation to tDCS. An inverse relation was observed between sNCAM levels at baseline and the tDCS long-lasting effects (T−1, r = −0.852, p = 0.007; T0, r = −0.787, p = 0.020). Conclusions This exploratory research suggests the sNCAM levels, potentially associated with tDCS outcomes, as a candidate biomarker of neurobiological after-effects in MCS patients.

Social insect societies are long-standing models for understanding social behaviour and evolution. Unlike other advanced biological societies (such as the multicellular body), the component parts of social insect societies can be easily deconstructed and manipulated. Recent methodological and theoretical innovations have exploited this trait to address an expanded range of biological questions. We illustrate the broadening range of biological insight coming from social insect biology with four examples. These new frontiers promote open-minded, interdisciplinary exploration of one of the richest and most complex of biological phenomena: sociality.