Análise comparativa entre duas escalas de avaliação clínica na esclerose múltipla: revisão de 302 casos Comparative analysis of two clinical scales for multiple sclerosis: review of 302 cases

Muitas escalas neurológicas têm sido utilizadas para avaliar evolutivamente portadores da esclerose múltipla. O Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) de Kurtzke ainda é a mais utilizada. Analisamos comparativamente a aplicação do EDSS e Neurologic Rating Scale (NRS), de Sipe e col. em 302 pacientes com forma definida de esclerose múltipla. Os resultados demonstram que o NRS foi mais sensível que o EDSS na detecção de alterações clínicas em 22,1% dos casos, sendo possivelmente mais sensível na caracterização de um novo surto. As variações do EDSS ocorrereram mais nos pacientes com EDSS de 36,0 e 3,5. Fazemos considerações sobre estes achados, sugerindo a aplicação de mais de uma escala clínica para avaliação dos pacientes nos estudos com novas drogas para tratamento da doença.<br>Many neurologic scales have been used for clinical evaluation of multiple sclerosis, but there is no consensus about which one is the most appropriate to assess evolution and point to a new relapse. The Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) has been the most commonly used. We analyse the reliability of two scales: the EDSS and Neurologic Rating Scale (NRS) in 302 multiple sclerosis patients. It is shown that NRS is a more sensitive scale than EDSS to disclose clinical changes (22.1% of cases). Changes in NRS were more evident in patients with EDSS 3.0 and 3.5. We comment on these findings and suggest that both scales should be employed in multiple sclerosis treatment trials

Genomic correlate of exceptional erlotinib response in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma.

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THE IMPACT OF PEER INSTRUCTION ON COLLEGE STUDENTS’ BELIEFS ABOUT PHYSICS AND CONCEPTUAL UNDERSTANDING OF ELECTRICITY AND MAGNETISM

The purpose of this study is to assess students' conceptual learning of electricity and magnetism and examine how these conceptions, beliefs about physics, and quantitative problem-solving skills would change after peer instruction (PI). The Conceptual Survey of Electricity and Magnetism (CSEM), Colorado Learning Attitudes about Science Survey (CLASS), multiple-choice test was administered as a pre- and posttest with Solomon 4 group design to students (N = 138) enrolled on freshman level physics course. The number of chapter taught to the students was 14. Problem-solving strategy steps were asked to students in the exam. The analyses of CSEM showed that the treatment group (g = 0.62) obtained significantly higher conceptual learning gain than the control group (g = 0.36). The conceptual understanding and problem-solving skills of the students on magnetism considerably enhanced when PI was conducted (37% and 20%, respectively). CLASS results for 5 subscales (conceptual understanding, applied conceptual understanding, problem solving general, problem solving confidence, and problem solving sophistication) supported the findings of CSEM

Effect of Sex and Dietary Organic Zinc on Growth Performance, Carcass Traits, Tissue Mineral Content, and Blood Parameters of Broiler Chickens

Zinc (Zn) is an essential mineral for animal development and function. A study was carried out to evaluate the effect of sex and dietary organic zinc (OZ) on growth performance, carcass traits, tissue mineral content, and blood parameters of broiler chickens. A total of 240 1-day-old male and 240 female broiler chicks (Cobb x Cobb) were assigned to two dietary levels of OZ (2 x 2 factorial) with six replicates per treatment (20 birds/replicate pen). The OZ supplementation levels were 0 and 25 ppm. Results showed that OZ supplementation did not affect the growth performance of male and female broilers, but the males showed significantly better (P &lt; 0.05) growth performance than females did. Similarly, OZ supplementation did not affect the thickness of both the back and thigh skin of male and female broilers; however, males had thicker skin than females. Dietary OZ supplementation did not affect collagen contents in the skin and meat samples. Male broilers had higher skin collagen contents than females, but no sex difference was found in meat collagen contents. OZ supplementation did not affect the shear force values of skin and meat samples. Male broilers had higher shear force values of back skin than females, but not in the meat samples. Dietary OZ supplementation increased (P &lt; 0.05) the thigh meat Zn content in both sexes. The plasma Ca content was significantly (P &lt; 0.05) increased by dietary OZ supplementation; however, other blood parameters were not affected by dietary OZ supplementation. Males had higher plasma glucose and cholesterol content than females. It is concluded that dietary OZ supplementation at the level of 25 ppm does not affect the growth performance and skin quality of broiler chickens but increases the Zn content in thigh meat and Ca content in plasma of broiler chickens. Male broilers had better growth performance and skin quality than females.N