308 research outputs found

    Practitioners' Perceptions of the Soccer Extra-Time Period: Implications for Future Research

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    Qualitative research investigating soccer practitioners’ perceptions can allow researchers to create practical research investigations. The extra-time period of soccer is understudied compared to other areas of soccer research. Using an open-ended online survey containing eleven main and nine sub questions, we gathered the perceptions of extra-time from 46 soccer practitioners, all working for different professional soccer clubs. Questions related to current practices, views on extra-time regulations, and ideas for future research. Using inductive content analysis, the following general dimensions were identified: ‘importance of extra-time’, ‘rule changes’, ‘efficacy of extra-time hydro-nutritional provision’, ‘nutritional timing’, ‘future research directions’, ‘preparatory modulations’ and ‘recovery’. The majority of practitioners (63%) either agreed or strongly agreed that extra-time is an important period for determining success in knockout football match-play. When asked if a fourth substitution should be permitted in extra-time, 67% agreed. The use of hydro-nutritional strategies prior to extra-time was predominately considered important or very important. However; only 41% of practitioners felt that it was the most important time point for the use of nutritional products. A similar number of practitioners account (50%) and do not (50%) account for the potential of extra-time when training and preparing players and 89% of practitioners stated that extra-time influences recovery practices following matches. In the five minute break prior to extra-time, the following practices (in order of priority) were advocated to players: hydration, energy provision, massage, and tactical preparations. Additionally, 87% of practitioners advocate a particular nutritional supplementation strategy prior to extra-time. In order of importance, practitioners see the following as future research areas: nutritional interventions, fatigue responses, acute injury risk, recovery modalities, training paradigms, injury epidemiology, and environmental considerations. This study presents novel insight into the practitioner perceptions of extra-time and provides information to readers about current applied practices and potential future research opportunities

    Therapeutic DNA Vaccine Encoding Peptide P10 against Experimental Paracoccidioidomycosis

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    Paracoccidioidomycosis (PCM), caused by Paracoccidioides brasiliensis, is the most prevalent invasive fungal disease in South America. Systemic mycoses are the 10th most common cause of death among infectious diseases in Brazil and PCM is responsible for more than 50% of deaths due to fungal infections. PCM is typically treated with sulfonamides, amphotericin B or azoles, although complete eradication of the fungus may not occur and relapsing disease is frequently reported. A 15-mer peptide from the major diagnostic antigen gp43, named P10, can induce a strong T-CD4+ helper-1 immune response in mice. The TEPITOPE algorithm and experimental data have confirmed that most HLA-DR molecules can present P10, which suggests that P10 is a candidate antigen for a PCM vaccine. In the current work, the therapeutic efficacy of plasmid immunization with P10 and/or IL-12 inserts was tested in murine models of PCM. When given prior to or after infection with P. brasiliensis virulent Pb 18 isolate, plasmid-vaccination with P10 and/or IL-12 inserts successfully reduced the fungal burden in lungs of infected mice. In fact, intramuscular administration of a combination of plasmids expressing P10 and IL-12 given weekly for one month, followed by single injections every month for 3 months restored normal lung architecture and eradicated the fungus in mice that were infected one month prior to treatment. The data indicate that immunization with these plasmids is a powerful procedure for prevention and treatment of experimental PCM, with the perspective of being also effective in human patients

    In Situ Compatibilization of Biopolymer Ternary Blends by Reactive Extrusion with Low-Functionality Epoxy-Based Styrene Acrylic Oligomer

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    [EN] The present study reports on the use of low-functionality epoxy-based styrene¿acrylic oligomer (ESAO) to compatibilize immiscible ternary blends made of poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyvalerate) (PHBV), polylactide (PLA), and poly(butylene adipate-co-terephthalate) (PBAT). The addition during melt processing of low-functionality ESAO at two parts per hundred resin (phr) of biopolymer successfully changed the soften inclusion phase in the blend system to a thinner morphology, yielding biopolymer ternary blends with higher mechanical ductility and also improved oxygen barrier performance. The compatibilization achieved was ascribed to the in situ formation of a newly block terpolymer, i.e. PHBVb- PLA-b-PBAT, which was produced at the blend interface by the reaction of the multiple epoxy groups present in ESAO with the functional terminal groups of the biopolymers. This chemical reaction was mainly linear due to the inherently low functionality of ESAO and the more favorable reactivity of the epoxy groups with the carboxyl groups of the biopolymers, which avoided the formation of highly branched and/or cross-linked structures and thus facilitated the films processability. Therefore, the reactive blending of biopolymers at different mixing ratios with low-functionality ESAO represents a straightforward methodology to prepare sustainable plastics at industrial scale with different physical properties that can be of interest in, for instance, food packaging applications.This research was funded by the EU H2020 project YPACK (Reference number 773872) and by the Spanish Ministry of Science, Innovation, and Universities (MICIU) with project numbers MAT2017-84909-C2-2-R and AGL2015-63855-C2-1-R. L. Quiles-Carrillo wants to thank the Spanish Ministry of Education, Culture, and Sports (MECD) for financial support through his FPU Grant Number FPU15/03812. Torres-Giner also acknowledges the MICIU for his Juan de la Cierva contract (IJCI-2016-29675).Quiles-Carrillo, L.; Montanes, N.; Lagaron, J.; Balart, R.; Torres-Giner, S. (2019). In Situ Compatibilization of Biopolymer Ternary Blends by Reactive Extrusion with Low-Functionality Epoxy-Based Styrene Acrylic Oligomer. 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    Permanent education in health: a review

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    OBJECTIVE : To undertake a meta-synthesis of the literature on the main concepts and practices related to permanent education in health. METHODS : A bibliographical search was conducted for original articles in the PubMed, Web of Science, LILACS, IBECS and SciELO databases, using the following search terms: “public health professional education”, “permanent education”, “continuing education”, “permanent education health”. Of the 590 articles identified, after applying inclusion and exclusion criteria, 48 were selected for further analysis, grouped according to the criteria of key elements, and then underwent meta-synthesis. RESULTS : The 48 original publications were classified according to four thematic units of key elements: 1) concepts, 2) strategies and difficulties, 3) public policies and 4) educational institutions. Three main conceptions of permanent education in health were found: problem-focused and team work, directly related to continuing education and education that takes place throughout life. The main strategies for executing permanent education in health are discussion, maintaining an open space for permanent education, and permanent education clusters. The most limiting factor is mainly related to directly or indirect management. Another highlight is the requirement for implementation and maintenance of public policies, and the availability of financial and human resources. The educational institutions need to combine education and service aiming to form critical-reflexive graduates. CONCLUSIONS : The coordination between health and education is based as much on the actions of health services as on management and educational institutions. Thus, it becomes a challenge to implement the teaching-learning processes that are supported by critical-reflexive actions. It is necessary to carry out proposals for permanent education in health involving the participation of health professionals, teachers and educational institutions.OBJETIVO : Realizar metasíntesis de la literatura sobre los principales conceptos y prácticas relacionados con la educación permanente en salud. MÉTODOS : Se realizó búsqueda bibliográfica de artículos originales en las bases de datos PubMed, Web of Science, Lilacs, IBECS y SciELO, utilizando los siguientes descriptores: “ public health professional education”, “permanent education”, “continuing education”, “permanent education health ”. De un total de 590 artículos identificados, posterior a los criterios de inclusión y exclusión, fueron seleccionados 48 para análisis, los cuales fueron sometidos al análisis individual, análisis comparativo, análisis con criterios de agrupamiento de elementos-clave y sometidos a metasíntesis. RESULTADOS : Los 48 artículos originales fueron clasificados como elementos-clave en cuatro unidades temáticas: 1) Concepciones; 2) Estrategias y dificultades; 3) Políticas públicas e 4) Instituciones formadoras. Se encontraron tres concepciones principales de educación permanente en salud: ubicación del problema y enfocarlo en el trabajo en equipo, directamente relacionado con la educación continua y educación que se da a lo largo de la vida. Las principales estrategias para efectivar la educación permanente fueron la ubicación del problema, mantenimiento de espacios para la educación permanente y polos de educación permanente. El mayor factor limitante estuvo relacionado con la gerencia directa o indirecta. Fueron mencionadas la necesidad de implementación y mantenimiento de políticas públicas, así como la disponibilidad de recursos financieros y humanos. Las instituciones formadoras tendrían la necesidad de articular educación y servicio para la formación de egresados críticos-reflexivos. CONCLUSIONES : La articulación educación y salud se encuentra pautada tanto en las acciones de los servicios de salud, cuanto en la gestión y de instituciones formadoras. Así, se torna un desafío implementar procesos de educación-aprendizaje que sean respaldados por acciones crítico-reflexivas. Es necesario realizar propuestas de educación permanente en salud con la participación de profesionales de los servicios, profesores y profesionales de las instituciones de educación.OBJETIVO : Realizar metassíntese da literatura sobre os principais conceitos e práticas relacionados à educação permanente em saúde. MÉTODOS : Foi realizada busca bibliográfica de artigos originais nas bases de dados PubMed, Web of Science, Lilacs, IBECS e SciELO, utilizando os seguintes descritores: “ public health professional education ”, “ permanent education”, “continuing education ”, “ permanent education health ”. De um total de 590 artigos identificados, após os critérios de inclusão e exclusão, foram selecionados 48 para análise, os quais foram submetidos à análise individual, análise comparativa, análise com critérios de agrupamentos de elementos-chave e submetidos à metassíntese. RESULTADOS : Os 48 artigos originais foram classificados como elementos-chave em quatro unidades temáticas: 1) Concepções; 2) Estratégias e dificuldades; 3) Políticas públicas; e 4) Instituições formadoras. Foram encontradas três concepções principais de educação permanente em saúde: problematizadora e focada no trabalho em equipe, diretamente relacionada à educação continuada e educação que se dá ao longo da vida. As principais estratégias para efetivação da educação permanente foram a problematização, manutenção de espaços para a educação permanente e polos de educação permanente. O maior fator limitante foi relacionado à gerência direta ou indireta. Foram indicadas a necessidade de implementação e manutenção de políticas públicas, além de disponibilidade de recursos financeiros e de recursos humanos. As instituições formadoras teriam necessidade de articular ensino e serviço para a formação de egressos críticos-reflexivos. CONCLUSÕES : A articulação educação e saúde encontra-se pautada tanto nas ações dos serviços de saúde, quanto de gestão e de instituições formadoras. Assim, torna-se um desafio implementar processos de ensino-aprendizagem que sejam respaldados por ações crítico-reflexivas. É necessário realizar propostas de educação permanente em saúde com a participação de profissionais dos serviços, professores e profissionais das instituições de ensino

    Gene therapy for monogenic liver diseases: clinical successes, current challenges and future prospects

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    Over the last decade, pioneering liver-directed gene therapy trials for haemophilia B have achieved sustained clinical improvement after a single systemic injection of adeno-associated virus (AAV) derived vectors encoding the human factor IX cDNA. These trials demonstrate the potential of AAV technology to provide long-lasting clinical benefit in the treatment of monogenic liver disorders. Indeed, with more than ten ongoing or planned clinical trials for haemophilia A and B and dozens of trials planned for other inherited genetic/metabolic liver diseases, clinical translation is expanding rapidly. Gene therapy is likely to become an option for routine care of a subset of severe inherited genetic/metabolic liver diseases in the relatively near term. In this review, we aim to summarise the milestones in the development of gene therapy, present the different vector tools and their clinical applications for liver-directed gene therapy. AAV-derived vectors are emerging as the leading candidates for clinical translation of gene delivery to the liver. Therefore, we focus on clinical applications of AAV vectors in providing the most recent update on clinical outcomes of completed and ongoing gene therapy trials and comment on the current challenges that the field is facing for large-scale clinical translation. There is clearly an urgent need for more efficient therapies in many severe monogenic liver disorders, which will require careful risk-benefit analysis for each indication, especially in paediatrics

    Overview of diagnosis and management of paediatric headache. Part I: diagnosis

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    Headache is the most common somatic complaint in children and adolescents. The evaluation should include detailed history of children and adolescents completed by detailed general and neurological examinations. Moreover, the possible role of psychological factors, life events and excessively stressful lifestyle in influencing recurrent headache need to be checked. The choice of laboratory tests rests on the differential diagnosis suggested by the history, the character and temporal pattern of the headache, and the physical and neurological examinations. Subjects who have any signs or symptoms of focal/progressive neurological disturbances should be investigated by neuroimaging techniques. The electroencephalogram and other neurophysiological examinations are of limited value in the routine evaluation of headaches. In a primary headache disorder, headache itself is the illness and headache is not attributed to any other disorder (e.g. migraine, tension-type headache, cluster headache and other trigeminal autonomic cephalgias). In secondary headache disorders, headache is the symptom of identifiable structural, metabolic or other abnormality. Red flags include the first or worst headache ever in the life, recent headache onset, increasing severity or frequency, occipital location, awakening from sleep because of headache, headache occurring exclusively in the morning associated with severe vomiting and headache associated with straining. Thus, the differential diagnosis between primary and secondary headaches rests mainly on clinical criteria. A thorough evaluation of headache in children and adolescents is necessary to make the correct diagnosis and initiate treatment, bearing in mind that children with headache are more likely to experience psychosocial adversity and to grow up with an excess of both headache and other physical and psychiatric symptoms and this creates an important healthcare problem for their future life
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