Valeria Vegh Weis (Ed) (2022) Criminalization of Activism: Historical, Present, and Future Perspectives. London: Routledge.

Mònica Pons-Hernández reviews Criminalization of Activism: Historical, Present, and Future Perspectives by Valeria Vegh Weis (Editor

Economy Versus Environment: How Corporate Actors Harm Both

The reshaping of the planet by people is having significant consequences for the environment and for human communities. Even though the degradation is visible and pervasive, much of the harm inflicted by humans remains outside the realm of and is not addressed by our criminal justice systems. Such harms tend not to be criminalized and while they may be regulated, such regulation has not led to the overall preservation of the environment or to non-humans. Furthermore, weak and uneven environmental regulations across the globe often have not led to local communities enjoying the economic prosperity from which corporations have benefited greatly. We will demonstrate this complex relationship between the economy and the environment by revisiting the closure of Rio Tinto Alcan's Lynemouth aluminum plant in North East England. Through a literature review and document analysis, we present the past and current socio-economic and environmental contexts of a deprived community entangled in global efforts to protect and improve the environment. Our research reveals a discourse from corporations promoting their social and environmental responsibility in a community that faces socio-economic marginalization and environmental challenges

Escola Francesc d’Albranca: un repte de futur

Aquest treball mostra alguns dels mètodes d’ensenyament que es duen a terme al CP Francesc d’Albranca des Migjorn Gran (Menorca) a partir de la convicció que l’ensenyament ha de tenir a veure amb els interessos i les necessitats dels !llets i !lletes. Aquesta manera de treballar ens permet una dinàmica oberta i "exible i també facilita molt el treball autònom de l’alumnat i l’atenció a la diversitat per part dels mestres.El presente trabajo muestra algunos de los métodos de enseñanza que se llevan a la práctica en el Colegio Público Francesc d’albranca des Migjorn Gran (isla de Menorca) a partir de la convicción de que la enseñanza tiene que ver con los intereses y con las necesidades de los niños y niñas... esta manera de trabajar nos permite una dinámica abierta, "exible... y también facilita el trabajo autónomo del alumnado, y la atención a la diversidad por parte de maestros y maestras

Children with SLI can exhibit reduced attention to a talker's mouth

It has been demonstrated that children with specific language impairment (SLI) show difficulties not only with auditory but also with audiovisual speech perception. The goal of this study was to assess whether children with SLI might show reduced attention to the talker's mouth compared to their typically developing (TD) peers. An additional aim was to determine whether the pattern of attention to a talking face would be related to a specific subtype of SLI. We used an eye-tracker methodology and presented a video of a talker speaking the children's native language. Results revealed that children with SLI paid significantly less attention to the mouth than the TD children. More specifically, it was also observed that children with a phonological-syntactic deficit looked less to the mouth as compared to the children with a lexical-syntactic deficit

Neurologic Involvement in COVID-19: Cause or Coincidence? A Neuroimaging Perspective

Despite a large cohort of 103 patients with COVID-19, the authors found a large number of symptomatic patients with negative neuroimaging findings, and no conclusions can be drawn concerning concrete associations between neuroimaging and COVID-19. The rapid spread of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has shaken hospitals worldwide. Some authors suggest that neurologic involvement could further complicate the disease. This descriptive study is a cross-sectional review of 103 patients diagnosed with COVID-19 who underwent neuroimaging (of a total of 2249 patients with COVID-19 in our center). Analyzed variables were neurologic symptoms and acute imaging findings. The most frequent symptoms that motivated neuroimaging examinations were mild nonfocal neurologic symptoms, code stroke (refers to patients presenting with signs and symptoms of stroke whose hyperacute assessment and care is prioritized), focal neurologic symptoms, postsedation encephalopathy, and seizures. No cases of encephalitis or direct central nervous system involvement were detected. Thirteen patients presented with acute ischemic events, and 7, with hemorrhagic events; however, most reported multiple vascular risk factors. Despite the large cohort of patients with COVID-19, we found a large number of symptomatic patients with negative neuroimaging findings, and no conclusions can be drawn concerning concrete associations between neuroimaging and COVID-19

Cognitive impairment in ALS patients and validation of the Spanish version of the ALS-CBS test

Our aim was to develop and validate the Spanish version of the Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Cognitive Behavioural Screen (ALS-CBS) and investigate behavioural/cognitive impairment in our ALS patients. We enrolled 50 patients with definite or probable ALS, evaluated by the Motor Neuron Disease Unit (using El Escorial criteria) and Dementia Unit, and assessed with the Spanish ALS-CBS. The patients' cognitive/behavioural status was classified according to current criteria. Patients were classified into each diagnostic category: ALS-no impairment, 36%; ALS-mild cognitive impairment, 34%; ALS-mild behavioural impairment, 6%; ALS-mild cognitive/behavioural impairment, 12%; ALS-frontotemporal dementia, 12%. Cognitive impairment was more common in bulbar (90.9%) than spinal (48.7%) forms (p < 0.012). The Spanish ALS-CBS was validated. Performance to differentiate normal vs. impaired individuals was: 1) cognition (cut-off 15; AUC, 84.7%): sensitivity 86.2%, specificity 62%, positive predictive value 75.8%, negative predictive value 76.5%; 2) behaviour (cut-off 36; AUC, 83.3%): sensitivity 93.3%, specificity 74.3%, positive predictive value 61%, negative predictive value 96.3%. Performance to differentiate between patients with and without dementia: 1) cognition (cut-off 8; AUC, 87.3%): sensitivity 83.3%, specificity 75%, positive predictive value 31.3%, negative predictive value 97.1%; 2) behaviour (cut-off 35; AUC, 80.9%): sensitivity 83.3%, specificity 69%, positive predictive value 25%, negative predictive value 96.7%. In conclusion, cognitive impairment is common in ALS patients, particularly in bulbar forms. The Spanish version of the ALS-CBS is useful for screening cognitive/behavioural impairment in this population

Observational study of patients in Spain with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: correlations between clinical status, quality of life, and dignity

Background: Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is an incurable neurodegenerative disease that dramatically affects patients' quality of life (QoL) and dignity of life (DoL). We aimed to study the impact of ALS on QoL and DoL and how these evolve throughout the duration of the disease. Methods: First, we performed an observational, descriptive study of 43 patients with ALS recruited from the ALS unit at our center and compared them with 20 healthy age- and sex-matched controls. Second, we performed a prospective cohort study, following up 23 patients with ALS over 3 months. All participants completed questionnaires about their functional status, QoL, and DoL. Results: QoL and DoL were significantly worse in the ALS group than in controls (both p < 0.001). During the three-month follow-up in the ALS cohort, statistically significant declines were observed in clinical status and QoL. For clinical status, median scores on the ALS Functional Rating scale changed from 30.95 points at baseline to 27.24 points after 3 months (p = 0.0003). For QoL, median scores on the ALS Assessment Questionnaire changed from 124.19 points at baseline to 131.81 at 3 months (p = 0.0062). However, no significant differences were found between the DoL scores at baseline (48. 14 points) and 3 months (45 points) (p-value = 0.12). Conclusions: ALS is a neurodegenerative disease that affects QoL and DoL alike. We found that clinical status and QoL both deteriorated in patients with ALS as the disease progressed, but that DoL was preserved. However, our findings are limited by small sample sizes. The preservation of DoL may be due to multiple factors, including the therapies provided by the ALS unit. These findings suggest that alongside QoL, DoL may be an important target in the management and care of ALS patients

Imaging of skull vault tumors in adults

The skull vault, formed by the flat bones of the skull, has a limited spectrum of disease that lies between the fields of neuro- and musculoskeletal radiology. Its unique abnormalities, as well as other ubiquitous ones, present particular features in this location. Moreover, some benign entities in this region may mimic malignancy if analyzed using classical bone-tumor criteria, and proper patient management requires being familiar with these presentations. This article is structured as a practical review offering a systematic diagnostic approach to focal calvarial lesions, broadly organized into four categories: (1) pseudolesions: arachnoid granulations, meningo-/encephaloceles, vascular canals, frontal hyperostosis, parietal thinning, parietal foramina, and sinus pericrani; (2) lytic: fibrous dysplasia, epidermal inclusion and dermoid cysts, eosinophilic granuloma, hemangioma, aneurysmal bone cyst, giant cell tumor, metastasis, and myeloma; (3) sclerotic: osteomas, osteosarcoma, and metastasis; (4) transdiploic: meningioma, hemangiopericytoma, lymphoma, and metastasis, along with other less common entities. Tips on the potential usefulness of functional imaging techniques such as MR dynamic susceptibility (T2*) perfusion, MR spectroscopy, diffusion-weighted imaging, and PET imaging are provided

New variants of alpha-1-antitrypsin : structural simulations and clinical expression

Alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency (AATD) is characterized by reduced serum levels of the AAT protein and predisposes to liver and lung disease. The characterization at structural level of novel pathogenic SERPINA1 mutants coding for circulating AAT could provide novel insights into the mechanisms of AAT misfolding. The present study aimed to provide a practical framework for the identification and analysis of new AAT mutations, combining structural simulations and clinical data. We analysed a total of five mutations (four not previously described) in a total of six subjects presenting moderate to severe AATD: Gly95Alafs*18, Val210Glu, Asn247Ser, Pi*S + Asp341His and Pi*S + Leu383Phe + Lys394Ile. Clinical data, genotyping and phenotyping assays, structural mapping, and conformational characterization through molecular dynamic (MD) simulations were developed and combined. Newly discovered AAT missense variants were localized both on the interaction surface and the hydrophobic core of the protein. Distribution of mutations across the structure revealed Val210Glu at the solvent exposed s4C strand and close to the "Gate" region. Asn247Ser was located on the accessible surface, which is important for glycan attachment. On the other hand, Asp341His, Leu383Phe were mapped close to the "breach" and "shutter" regions. MD analysis revealed the reshaping of local interactions around the investigated substitutions that have varying effects on AAT conformational flexibility, hydrophobic packing, and electronic surface properties. The most severe structural changes were observed in the double- and triple-mutant (Pi*S + Asp341His and Pi*S + Leu383Phe + Lys394Ile) molecular models. The two carriers presented impaired lung function. The results characterize five variants, four of them previously unknown, of the SERPINA1 gene, which define new alleles contributing to the deficiency of AAT. Rare variants might be more frequent than expected, and therefore, in discordant cases, standardized screening of the S and Z alleles needs complementation with gene sequencing and structural approaches. The utility of computational modelling for providing supporting evidence of the pathogenicity of rare single nucleotide variations is discussed. The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12931-022-02271-8