Propriedades Métricas da Escala Aachen Aphasia Test

No contexto atual do exercício da profissão de enfermagem, com exigência crescente a nível de eficácia, eficiência e prática baseada na evidência, torna-se imperativa a utilização de instrumentos de avaliação e medida, devidamente validados para as populações que assistem e avaliam. O objetivo deste estudo foi conhecer as propriedades métricas da escala Aachen Aphasia Test (AAT), aplicada a pessoas que sofreram um Acidente Vascular Cerebral (AVC). Foi realizada uma revisão sistemática da literatura, através de bases de dados eletrónicas, nos últimos 5 anos. Selecionaram-se 4 artigos que cumpriam os critérios, relacionados com a temática. Pouca informação foi obtida relacionada com as propriedades métricas da AAT. Apenas um dos artigos aborda informações exatas e referentes às propriedades métricas da sua adaptação para a versão Portuguesa, que de acordo com os autores consultados são robustas, comparáveis às da versão Alemã. Os restantes estudos recorrem a este instrumento como padrão na comparação com outros instrumentos

Effects of a brief mindfulness-based intervention on emotional regulation and levels of mindfulness in senior students

Mindfulness-based interventions have been applied in diverse populations and achieved mental health benefits. This study examined the effects of a brief mindfulness program for emotional regulation and levels of mindfulness on senior students in Brazil. The intervention consisted of six weekly meetings attended by 30 participants. It is a pre-experimental research, with pre- and post-test comparative and correlation measurements. The preliminary results, which relied on parametrical and non-parametrical tests, revealed a reduction in total emotional regulation difficulties (p = 0.0001; r = − 0.55). Also, there was an increase in the levels of mindfulness in the subtests for both dimensions under evaluation: “Awareness” (p = 0.0001; d = 0.77) and “Acceptance” (p = 0.048; d = 0.37). By associating the amount of meditative practices performed by students with the variables, a significant positive correlation was found with the mindfulness dimension “Awareness” (rP = 0.422; p = 0.020), and there was a significant negative correlation with Difficulties in emotion regulation (rS = − 0.478; p = 0.008) and with its respective subscales “Non-acceptance” (rS = − 0.654; p = 0.0001) and “Clarity” (rS = − 0.463; p = 0.010). In conclusion, the application of a brief mindfulness-based intervention is promising in Brazilian university contexts; moreover, it can bring benefits to students, e.g., an increase in emotion regulation as well as in levels of mindfulness. We suggest that further research should use an experimental design and follow-up.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis--clinical presentation, outcome and baseline prognostic factors in a Portuguese cohort

Introduction: Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis (IPF) is the most common disease in the subgroup of idiopathic interstitial pneumonias. It is inevitably associated to a bad prognosis, although assuming a highly variable clinical course. Methods: Patients with IPF, observed at Interstitial Lung Diseases outpatient clinic of Centro Hospitalar de São João – Porto, Portugal, were identified and clinical, functional, radiological and bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) parameters were reviewed. Their clinical course and survival were analyzed in order to identify prognostic factors. Results: Eighty-one patients were included, with a mean age at diagnosis of 63.8 years old. At diagnosis, the main functional abnormalities were restrictive physiology, reduced lung diffusion and exercise capacity impairment. Clinical course was mainly slowly progressive (72.3%). Ten patients (13.2%) had a rapid progression and 11 (14.5%) patients had an acute exacerbation during the course of the disease. IPF's rapid progression was associated to a higher functional impairment at diagnosis, namely in what is related with Functional Vital Capacity (FVC) and Total Lung Capacity (TLC). Median survival was 36 months. A significant difference in survival was observed among different types of clinical course – 41 months for slow progressors and 9 months for rapid progressors. Lower levels of FVC, TLC, six-minute walk test (6MWT) distance and rest PaO2, and higher BAL neutrophil count were associated with poorer survival in univariate analysis. Conclusion: The analysis of this group of IPF patients confirms two clearly different phenotypes, slow and rapid progressors. Those phenotypes seem to have different presentations and a remarkably different natural history. These results could mean different physiopathologic pathways, which could implicate different therapeutic approaches

Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis in the Era of Antifibrotic Therapy: Searching for New Opportunities Grounded in Evidence

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a progressive and fatal lung disease that up to now has been associated with a poor prognosis. However, the results of the INPULSIS and ASCEND trials and the approval of nintedanib and pirfenidone have marked the beginning of a new era for IPF patients. Questions remain, however. Should these drugs be used earlier? What effect will they have on more severe disease? Will their effects last beyond the trial period? This manuscript is the outcome of a multidisciplinary meeting between pulmonology, radiology, and pathology clinicians on the use of antifibrotic agents in IPF. In our opinion, the existing data show that pirfenidone and nintedanib slow functional decline in early stages of disease. These drugs also appear to result in therapeutic benefits when administered to patients with advanced disease at diagnosis and maintain effective over time. The data also suggest that continuing antifibrotic therapy after disease progression may confer benefits, but more evidence is needed. Early diagnosis and treatment are crucial for reducing functional decline, slowing disease progression, and improving quality of life.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

How do tsetse recognise their hosts? The role of shape in the responses of tsetse (Glossina fuscipes and G. palpalis) to artificial hosts

Palpalis-group tsetse, particularly the subspecies of Glossina palpalis and G. fuscipes, are the most important transmitters of human African trypanomiasis (HAT), transmitting .95% of cases. Traps and insecticide-treated targets are used to control tsetse but more cost-effective baits might be developed through a better understanding of the fly’s host-seeking behaviour.Electrocuting grids were used to assess the numbers of G. palpalis palpalis and G. fuscipes quanzensis attracted to and landing on square or oblong targets of black cloth varying in size from 0.01 m2 to 1.0 m2. For both species, increasing the size of a square target from 0.01 m2 (dimensions = 0.1 x 0.1 m) to 1.0 m2 (1.0 x 1.0 m) increased the catch ,4x however the numbers of tsetse killed per unit area of target declined with target size suggesting that the most cost efficient targets are not the largest. For G. f. quanzensis, horizontal oblongs, (1 m wide x 0.5 m high) caught, 1.8x more tsetse than vertical ones (0.5 m wide x 1.0 m high) but the opposite applied for G. p. palpalis. Shape preference was consistent over the range of target sizes. For G. p. palpalis square targets caught as many tsetse as the oblong; while the evidence is less strong the same appears to apply to G. f. quanzensis. The results suggest that targets used to control G. p. palpalis and G. f. quanzensis should be square, and that the most cost-effective designs, as judged by the numbers of tsetse caught per area of target, are likely to be in the region of 0.25 x 0.25 m2. The preference of G. p. palpalis for vertical oblongs is unique amongst tsetse species, and it is suggested that this response might be related to its anthropophagic behaviour and hence importance as a vector of HAT

IL10 Low-Frequency Variants in Behçet's Disease Patients

To explain the missing heritability after the genome-wide association studies era, sequencing studies allow the identification of low-frequency variants with a stronger effect on disease risk. Common variants in the interleukin 10 gene (IL10) have been consistently associated with Behçet's disease (BD) and the goal of this study is to investigate the role of low-frequency IL10 variants in BD susceptibility

A Comprehensive Analysis of Electric Dipole Moment Constraints on CP-violating Phases in the MSSM

We analyze the constraints placed on individual, flavor diagonal CP-violating phases in the minimal supersymmetric extension of the Standard Model (MSSM) by current experimental bounds on the electric dipole moments (EDMs) of the neutron, Thallium, and Mercury atoms. We identify the four CP-violating phases that are individually highly constrained by current EDM bounds, and we explore how these phases and correlations among them are constrained by current EDM limits. We also analyze the prospective implications of the next generation of EDM experiments. We point out that all other CP-violating phases in the MSSM are not nearly as tightly constrained by limits on the size of EDMs. We emphasize that a rich set of phenomenological consequences is potentially associated with these generically large EDM-allowed phases, ranging from B physics, electroweak baryogenesis, and signals of CP-violation at the CERN Large Hadron Collider and at future linear colliders. Our numerical study takes into account the complete set of contributions from one- and two-loop EDMs of the electron and quarks, one- and two-loop Chromo-EDMs of quarks, the Weinberg 3-gluon operator, and dominant 4-fermion CP-odd operator contributions, including contributions which are both included and not included yet in the CPsuperH2.0 package. We also introduce an open-source numerical package, 2LEDM, which provides the complete set of two-loop electroweak diagrams contributing to the electric dipole moments of leptons and quarks.Comment: 23 pages, 11 figures; v2: references added, minor change

Effect of Cr(V) on reproductive organ morphology and sperm parameters: An experimental study in mice

BACKGROUND: Cr(V) species are formed during the intracellular reduction of Cr(VI), a ubiquitous environmental pollutant. In this study, the acute toxicity of a physiologically stable Cr(V) compound, [Cr(V)-BT](2- )(BT = bis(hydroxyethyl)aminotris(hydroxymethyl)methane) was investigated in the male reproductive system of sexually mature 60-day-old male ICR-CD1 mice. METHODS: Eight-week-old animals were subcutaneously injected daily with a dose of ca 8 μmol of Cr/mouse, during 5 days. The control group was injected with 0.5 mL of BT buffer. Testis and epididymis morphology was evaluated using light and transmission electron microscopy. Epididymal sperm counts, motility and acrosome integrity were also assayed using standard methods. RESULTS: Seminiferous epithelium abnormalities were detected in the Cr(V)-BT experimental group, including intraepithelial vacuolation, and remarkable degeneration of Sertoli cells, spermatocytes and spermatids. The premature release of germ cells into the tubular lumen was also evident. Histological evaluation of epididymal compartments revealed apparently normal features. However, the epididymal epithelium presented vacuolation. [Cr(V)-BT](2- )induced a reduction in sperm acrosome integrity. However, sperm motility and density were not significantly affected. CONCLUSION: This in vivo study using a Cr(V) compound, provides evidence for the potential reproductive hazards caused on male reproductive system by species containing chromium in intermediate oxidation states

Ears of the Armadillo: Global Health Research and Neglected Diseases in Texas

Neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) have\ud been recently identified as significant public\ud health problems in Texas and elsewhere in\ud the American South. A one-day forum on the\ud landscape of research and development and\ud the hidden burden of NTDs in Texas\ud explored the next steps to coordinate advocacy,\ud public health, and research into a\ud cogent health policy framework for the\ud American NTDs. It also highlighted how\ud U.S.-funded global health research can serve\ud to combat these health disparities in the\ud United States, in addition to benefiting\ud communities abroad