A Review of Temporary Functional Deafferentation

After injury, such as a stroke, neural structures that survive reorganize. The brain “ignores” past associations with weaker muscles below the level of injury so stronger, spared muscles take over cortical maps of weaker muscles. Temporary Deafferentation (TD) is a method that utilizes short-term anesthesia, such as over-the-counter lidocaine cream, to inactivate sensation pathways from stronger muscles so that the brain releases inhibition that was placed on weaker muscles, thereby strengthening them. This paper functions as a review of studies that have employed TD approaches in rehabilitative settings in an attempt to understand how to employ TD approaches and why a TD approach may show effective results for certain patients

Optimization of a Non-Invasive Temporary Deafferentation Protocol to Improve Upper Extremity Rehabilitation

Background: After a spinal cord injury neural structures that survive reorganize. The brain “ignores” past associations with weaker muscles below the level of injury so stronger, spared muscles take over cortical maps of weaker muscles. Temporary Deafferentation (TD) is a method that utilizes short-term anesthesia, such as over-the-counter lidocaine cream, to inactivate sensation pathways from stronger muscles so that the brain releases inhibition that was placed on weaker muscles, thereby strengthening them. There has been research supporting TD approaches to rehabilitation; however, there is not an established protocol to apply TD in a clinical setting. Here, we seek to optimize a protocol to deploy TD using over-the-counter lidocaine cream. Methods: We will utilize Ebanel 5% lidocaine cream to anesthetize the biceps muscle on healthy participants. Sensation, using monofilaments, will be measured before placing the cream and then every 10 minutes after the cream has been placed, up to one hour in duration. We will evaluate how long it takes to achieve TD and how long TD lasts after application of the lidocaine cream. Results: Results will show when a patient no longer feels sensation on their biceps muscle and later when they regain sensation, thus helping establish a timeline as to when a participant has the best window of opportunity to exercise and thus strengthen a weaker muscle, such as the triceps. Conclusions: By establishing a clearer timeframe for a TD approach, this mode of rehabilitation can be adapted to more varied clinical settings, in addition to non-medical settings

A Critical Reflection about the Teaching Learning Process and Practice

Reflexión Crítica sobre dos de los proyectos realizados en el Máster de Formación de Profesorado y relacionándolos con el período de prácticas realizado en un centro de Educación Secundaria

De las crónicas de suicidios a las fotografías de cuerpos de suicidas : La <i>Voz del Interior</i> a comienzos del siglo XX

Todos hemos de morir y esa afirmación no es algo novedoso. Convivimos con esa certeza, y seguimos transitando el tiempo que nos toca jugando a la inmortalidad. Sin embargo, hay y hubo personas que decidieron apropiarse de esa condición de finitud determinando el modo y el momento de su muerte, ellos son los suicidas. En la ciudad de Córdoba a comienzos del siglo XX el periódico, Voz del Interior, dedicaban un espacio de relevancia a cronicar los suicidios que atestiguaban y además explicaban, a través del sensacionalismo, los conflictos sociales. Las fotografías de los cuerpos muertos ocupaban allí un lugar dramático, conmovedor y sobresaliente a la mirada de los lectores tanto por el discurso que lo fortalece como por las imágenes del contexto inmediato de los que han dejado el mundo de los vivos. Este trabajo sobre las crónicas de suicidios se pregunta por la relación entre las imágenes de los cuerpos, el diario que las presenta y los lectores de sus páginas.Facultad de Humanidades y Ciencias de la Educació

Are You Numb Yet?

Background: Recent research has suggested that after a spinal cord injury (SCI), detrimental reorganization of neural structures favors stronger muscles while inhibiting weaker muscles. Temporary deafferentation (TD) is a technique that uses short-term anesthesia, to inactivate sensation pathways from stronger muscles so that the brain releases inhibition that was placed on weaker muscles, thereby strengthening them. Here, we seek to evaluate when peak TD is achieved to define when strength-building exercises on a weaker muscle should begin. Methods: 5% lidocaine cream was applied to the right biceps of 7 healthy volunteers. We measured sensation every 15 minutes after applying the cream using von Frey monofilaments of different thicknesses. Sensation was assessed for 75 minutes. Percent sensitivity was assessed across time. Results: We found that at 45 minutes after the application of the short-term anesthesia, at least 50% of the monofilaments had less than 50% sensitivity. Our results suggest that 45 minutes is required to achieve maximum temporary deafferentation after lidocaine cream application. Hence, our protocol could be used in patients with a spinal cord injury to improve triceps function since TD reduces output to the biceps. Conclusions: Our results suggest that most sensation was significantly reduced 45 minutes after the application of the lidocaine cream. However, we found that the anesthetic effect varied in our subjects. Future research will evaluate how the arm size, gender, age, body fat percentage, BMI, and other factors influence the effect of short-term anesthesia

The Effectiveness of Temporary Deafferentation for Upper Limb Rehabilitation

Background: Temporary deafferentation (TD) is an approach that has been investigated in rehabilitation practices to improve motor function in people with spinal cord injuries. The overall goal of temporary deafferentation is to voluntarily reduce sensory input into the nervous system to improve efferent output. Temporary deafferentation is typically achieved using either topical or injectable anesthetics. Recently, our group sought to optimize a protocol for temporary deafferentation using topical anesthetic cream, and results suggested that temporary deafferentation was achieved 50 minutes after anesthetic cream application. Here, we aimed to determine if our optimized protocol impacted limb electromyography (EMG) after the intervention. We focused our study on the biceps and triceps muscles, due to future implementation in populations with upper limb motor disabilities. Method: Twenty healthy subjects were recruited to participate in a single-session study. Using LabChart, subjects\u27 electromyography (EMG; root-mean-square) of the biceps and triceps were assessed before and after intervention with temporary deafferentation and task training. Temporary deafferentation was achieved by applying 10 cc anesthetic cream to the subject’s right biceps for 50 minutes. Following temporary deafferentation, the subject completed 30 minutes of mild-to-moderate upper limb training tasks with their right arm. Results: An ANOVA to test the main effect of the intervention revealed that healthy participants’ triceps muscles excitability significantly decreased by a small to medium effect size, d = .31, F(1, 329) = 7.66, p \u3c .01. Descriptive analysis showed five out of twenty participants did improve after the intervention (d = .24), and fifteen did not (d = .49). Whether the intervention influenced triceps muscles excitability depended on participants, X2 = 352, p 1, BMI2, fat percentage3, and arm width4, p \u3c .001, including Male gender5, p \u3c .02. X2 = 179.191, 3522,3,4, 5.705. Conclusion: Results show the intervention improved triceps muscle excitability for selected healthy participants. Preliminary findings suggest the protocol’s ability to accelerate rehabilitative outcomes for people with upper limb motor disabilities, which will be examined in the next phase of the study; additionally, we aim to specify the main effect of TD, separating the task training effects

CRISPR Cas9 Genome Editing in Human Cell Lines with DONOR Vector Made by Gibson Assembly

CRISPR Cas9 genome editing allows researchers to modify genesin a multitude of ways including to obtain deletions, epitope-tagged loci, and knock-in mutations. Within six years of its initial application, CRISPR Cas9 genome editing has become widely employed, but disadvantages to this method, such as low modification efficiencies and off-target effects,need careful consideration. Obtaining custom donor vectors can also be expensive and time consuming. This chapter details strategies to overcome barriers to CRISPR Cas9 genome editing as well as recent developments in employing this technique

NVP-BEZ235 or JAKi Treatment leads to decreased survival of examined GBM and BBC cells

Cancer cells almost universally harbor constitutively active Phosphatidylinositol-3 Kinase (PI3K) Pathway ac-tivity via mutation of key signaling components and/or epigenetic mechanisms. Scores of PI3K Pathway in-hibitors are currently under investigation as putative chemotherapeutics. However, feedback and stem cell mechanisms induced by PI3K Pathway inhibition can lead to reduced treatment efficacy. To address therapeutic barriers, we examined whether JAKi would reduce stem gene expression in a setting of PI3K Pathway inhibition in order to improve treatment efficacy. We targeted the PI3K Pathway with NVP-BEZ235 (dual PI3K and mTOR inhibitor) in combination with the Janus Kinase inhibitor JAKi in glioblastoma (GBM) and basal-like breast cancer (BBC) cell lines. We examined growth, gene expression, and apoptosis in cells treated with NVP-BEZ235 and/or JAKi. Growth and recovery assays showed no significant impact of dual treatment with NVP-BEZ235/ JAKi compared to NVP-BEZ235 treatment alone. Gene expression and flow cytometry revealed that single and dual treatments induced apoptosis. Stem gene expression was retained in dual NVP-BEZ235/JAKi treatment samples. Future in vivo studies may give further insight into the impact of combined NVP-BEZ235/JAKi treat-ment in GBM and BBC

Adaptación al Español Europeo de la Evaluación Automatizada de la Memoria Operativa (Automated Working Memory Test Battery -AWMA).

The current study presents the adaptation of Automated Working Memory Assessment into European Spanish, considering the need of calibration for accent and linguistic issues not supported by the version available. For this purpose, verbal material was carefully and properly selected, considering specificities of the European Spanish, in order to control possible effects of psycholinguistic factors, such as word length or lexical frequency, and technical aspects such as stimuli presentation speed and sound quality were also tuned. An exploratory sample of 81 children from 7- to 9-year-old was assessed to confirm that the adaptation is suitable for further use, besides, their scores were contrasted with the Argentinean children. The data showed proper validity and reliability scores, which characterize this version as a useful instrument for research purposes, and its usage in further studies should be encourage to gather normative data for Spaniards.En el presente estudio se presenta la adaptación al idioma Es-pañol Europeo de la Evaluación Automatizada de la Memoria Operativa, habiéndose tenido en cuenta la necesidad de calibración para cuestiones de acento y lingüística que no son compatibles con la versión disponible. Con este propósito, el material verbal fue seleccionado cuidadosa y apropiada-mente, teniendo en cuenta las especificidades del Español Europeo y con el fin de controlar los posibles efectos de los factores psicolingüísticos, tales como la longitud de las palabras o la frecuencia léxica, y aspectos técnicos, como la velocidad de presentación de los estímulos y la calidad de sonido también fueron controlados. Una muestra exploratoria de 81 niños de 7 a 9 años de edad se evaluó para confirmar que la adaptación es adecuada para su empleo posterior. Además las puntuaciones obtenidas se contrastaron con las de niños argentinos. Los datos mostraron una validez adecuada y una puntuación fiable, lo que permite considerar a esta versión como un instrumento útil para fines de investigación, y su empleo en futuros estu-dios debería incentivar la recopilación de datos normativos para españoles.This research was supported mainly by two grants from the Fundacion Seneca, Murcia Regional Government Agency for Science and Technology (visiting research grant 2010 to Flavia Heloisa Dos Santos and research grant 19463/PI/14), and by a grant from the Spanish Minister of Science and Innovation (research grant PSI2008-03481/PSIC)

Inserción de la mujer en el mercado laboral en los altos cargos directivos en el sector educativo.

This article, refers to the evolving role and performance of women in their roles in society, contextualizing the events that have transformed chronologically, certain paradigms, social, cultural, political and economic both international and national stereotypes; emphasizing relevant to be made effective events, the participation of women in different fields, independent motherhood and family life, as in the case of the first woman admitted as a student to the Colombian university. Gerda Westendorp was He admitted in 1935 at the National University of Colombia in a medical career, representing a change from the opening of knowledge in an exclusive and rigid space. Similarly, this reflection article seeks to identify the gradual integration of women into the labor market, identifying the variables involved and condition in society, such as academic training, education, salary and what it really means the glass ceiling or sticky floor, that despite actually being an obstacle, which does not allow women to advance meaningful spaces that despite the years remain motionless and unbreakable.El presente artículo, hace alusión a la evolución del papel y desempeño de la mujer en sus roles ante la sociedad, contextualizando los acontecimientos que han logrado transformar cronológicamente, ciertos paradigmas, estereotipos sociales, culturales, políticos y económicos tanto a nivel internacional como nacional; haciendo énfasis en los acontecimientos relevantes para que se hiciera eficaz, la participación de la mujer en distintos ámbitos, independientes a la maternidad y la vida familiar, como es el caso de la primera mujer que ingresa como estudiante a la universidad colombiana. Gerda Westendorp fue admitida en 1935 en la Universidad Nacional de Colombia en la carrera de medicina, lo que representó un cambio frente a la apertura del conocimiento en un espacio excluyente y rígido. De igual forma este artículo de reflexión busca identificar la inserción progresiva de la mujer al mercado laboral, identificando las variables que intervienen y condicionan en la sociedad, tales como la formación académica, nivel educativo, salario y lo que realmente significa el techo de cristal o suelo pegajoso, que, a pesar de efectivamente ser obstáculo, que no permiten a la mujer avanzar en espacios significativos que a pesar de los años siguen siendo inmóviles e irrompibles