Long-Term Efficacy of Prism Adaptation on Spatial Neglect: Preliminary Results on Different Spatial Components

This study describes the long-term effectiveness on spatial neglect recovery of a 2-week treatment based on prism adaptation (PA). Seven right-brain-damaged patients affected by chronic neglect were evaluated before, after two weeks of the PA treatment and at a follow-up (variable between 8 and 30 months after the end of PA). Neglect evaluation was performed by means of BIT (conventional and behavioral), Fluff Test, and Comb and Razor Test. The results highlight an improvement, after the PA training, in both tasks performed using the hand trained in PA treatment and in behavioral tasks not requiring a manual motor response. Such effects extend, even if not significantly, to all BIT subtests. These results support previous findings, showing that PA improves neglect also on imagery tasks with no manual component, and provide further evidence for long-lasting efficacy of PA training. Dissociations have been found with regard to PA efficacy on peripersonal, personal, and representational neglect, visuospatial agraphia and neglect dyslexia. In particular, we found no significant differences between the pre-training and post-training PA session in personal neglect measures, and a poor recovery of neglect dyslexia after PA treatment. The recruitment of a larger sample could help to confirm the effectiveness of the prismatic lenses with regard to the different clinical manifestations of spatial neglect

Development of a new duplex real-time polymerase chain reaction assay for detection and quantification of KIHPyV and WUHPyV in pediatric samples

KI and WU are two recently-described human polyomaviruses worldwide distributed. An association between these two viruses and respiratory infections has been suggested, in particular in children and immunocompromised patients. Since no standardized detection methods are currently available, we developed a duplex real-time PCR assay for the simultaneous detection of KIHPyV and WUHPyV polyomaviruses based on TaqMan probes. We assessed this technique on 831 nasopharyngeal aspirate specimens from hospitalized paediatric patients with respiratory symptoms, retrospectively analysed with commercial multiplex assay for 16 other major respiratory viruses. Our assay detected 500 copies/mL for both KIHPyV and WUHPyV in all tested samples. We detected KIHPyV and WUHPyV genome in 28 (3.36%) and 41 samples (4.93%) respectively. Moreover, in 3 samples, the co-infection of the two viruses was found. 55 out of all positive samples (n=69) for KIHPyV and/or WUHPyV infection exhibited a co-infection with one or more respiratory viruses, confirming that KIHPyV and WUHPyV were often detected in association with other viral infections. Interestingly, KIHPyV and WUHPyV were detected singularly in 8 out of 28 cases and 6 out of 41 cases, respectively, suggesting a possible direct role of these viruses in the respiratory diseases. In conclusion, this method could be taken into account as an alternative technical approach to detect KIHPyV and/or WUHPyV in respiratory samples helping in the definition of the pathogenic potential and of the epidemiological prevalence of these two viruses. \u200

Clinical and immunological assessment of 94 patients with primary humoral immunodeficiency: Common variable immunodeficiency, selective IgA deficiency and polysaccharide antibody deficiency syndrome

We present the clinical and B cell immunophenotypical characterization of 94 patients with Common Variable immunodeficiency (CVID), selective IgA deficiency (SIgAD) and polysaccharide antibody deficiency syndrome (SAD). Study design: We retrospectively investigated clinical findings and B cell compartment in 31 patients with CVID, 35 with SIgAD and 28 with SAD. Regardless of underlying disease, a delay was observed between age at diagnosis and onset of first symptoms. The predominant clinical findings were upper and lower respiratory tract infections. Allergic symptoms were more frequent in SAD and SIgAD patients, hematological and autoimmune manifestations in CVID and celiac disease in SIgAD. B-cell Immunophenotype abnormalities were observed in SAD and CVID patients: both had reduced memory B cells (CD19{+} CD27{+}), and increased transitional B cells (CD24{ + + } CD38{+ +}) was found in SAD. We did not find any statistically significant abnormalities in any of differentiation stages of B cells in SIgAD. Defects of the B cell compartment were associated with bronchiectasis, splenomegaly, autoimmunity and/or malignancy in CVID and SAD patients.We conclude that flow cytometric evaluation of the B cell compartment could be a useful tool for the diagnosis and follow up of these patients.Fil: Bezrodnik, Liliana. Gobierno de la Ciudad de Buenos Aires. Hospital General de Niños "Ricardo Gutiérrez". Área de Inmunología; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Gaillard, Maria Isabel. Gobierno de la Ciudad de Buenos Aires. Hospital General de Niños "Ricardo Gutiérrez". Área de Inmunología; ArgentinaFil: Carelli, Daniela. Gobierno de la Ciudad de Buenos Aires. Hospital General de Niños "Ricardo Gutiérrez". Área de Inmunología; Argentin

Análise comparativa do sintagma nominal em textos científicos de língua inglesa das áreas de Psicologia e Botânica

Orientador: José Erasmo GruginskiDissertação (mestrado) - Universidade Federal do Paraná, Setor de Ciências Humanas, Letras e Artes, Curso de Pós-Graduação em LetrasResumo: O objeto de estudo desta pesquisa foi estudar a complexidade do sintagma nominal no texto científico de língua inglesa. Analisamos a complexidade, do sintagma nominal em relação à função sintática (sujeito e não-sujeito) ao tipo de publicação ( livros e periódicos ) e à área científica (Psicologia e Botânica). Verificamos a ocorrência do sintagma nominal simples e complexo, e também o grau de complexidade do sintagma medido em termos da quantidade de elementos na sua modificação. Após havermos classificado 2804 sintagmas nominais, quanto à função sintática e complexidade, e analisando-os estatisticamente, concluímos que : 1 - a complexidade do sintagma nominal tende a estar associado à função sintática exercida por tal sintagma; 2 - não ficou comprovada a associação entre complexidade do sintagma e o tipo de publicação; 3 - há uma associação entre complexidade do sintagma nominal e área científica e, 4 - nos textos analisados, há um maior percentual de sintagmas nominais complexos do que sintagmas nominais simples. Quanto aos sintagmas nominais complexos, há uma tendência de predominância dos sintagmas nominais só pós-modificados, independentemente da função sintática, do tipo de publicação e da área científica.Abstract: The object of study in this research is the complexity of the noun phrase in English scientific texts. We analysed the complexity of the noun phrase in relation to syntactic function (subject and on-subject), to the type of publication (book and journal) and scientific area (Psychology and Botany). We verified the quantity of simple and complex noun phrases and also the complexity of noun phrase measured in terms of the quantity of elements in its modification. After having classified 2804 noun phrases according to their syntactic function and complexity and analysed them statistically, we concluded that : 1 - the complexity of the noun phrase tends to be associated with the syntactic function performed by this noun phrase; 2 - there is no support to associate the complexity of the noun phrase to the type of publication; 3 - there is an association between complexity of the noun phrase and scientific- area, and 4 - in the texts analysed, there is a higher percentage of complex noun phrases than simple noun phrases

La tras-formazione in medicina Progettare il cambiamento nelle cure di fine vita

The term “humanization of medicine,” now widely used to show the importance of the recovery of human and relational dimension in the process of care, deserves to be re-discussed and considered with reference to the way the relationship between health/disease, norm/deviation has evolved in the context of our civilization. Around this expression, in fact, are gathered the requestsfor change addressed to medicine and to a biomedical approach to illness. It thus allows one to reflect on the cultural meanings that accompany the experience of illness, pain and suffering and the transformations that over the past decades have touched the medicine. In this perspective, the article presents the results of a study on the lived experiences of general practitioners working in the context of end of life, which shows the importance of implementing training programs increasingly integrated through the inter-disciplinary nature of knowledge and through the contribution of specific professional profiles (family mediators) to improve the scope of relationships and communication between the physician, the patient and the family of the latter.Il termine “umanizzazione della medicina”, ora ampiamente usato per mostrare l’importanza del recupero della dimensione umana e relazionale nel processo di cura, merita di essere ridiscussa e considerate in riferimento al modo in cui le relazioni tra salute/malattia, norma/deviazione si sono evolute nel contestodella nostra civiltà. Attorno a questa espressione, infatti, si raccolgono le richieste di cambiamento indirizzate alla medicina e a un approccio biomedico alla malattia. Ciò consente di riflettere sui significati culturali che accompagnano l’esperienza della malattia, del dolore e della sofferenza e le trasformazioni che hanno toccato la medicina nei decenni trascorsi. In questa prospettiva, l’articolopresenta i risultati di uno studio sulle esperienze vissute di medici di famiglia che lavorano nel contesto del fine vita, le quali mostrano l’importanza di implementare programmi di formazione sempre più integrati attraverso il carattere inter-disciplinare della conoscenza e grazie al contributo di specifici profili professionali (mediatori famigliari) allo scopo di migliorare le opportunità di relazione e comunicazione tra i medici, i pazienti e le famiglie di questi ultimi

Control Servo-Visual de un Robot Manipulador Planar Basado en Pasividad

En este trabajo se diseña un controlador servo visual basado en la propiedad de pasividad del sistema visual. Se propone un regulador con ganancias de control variables, de tal manera que se evita la saturacion de los actuadores y al mismo tiempo presenta la capacidad de corregir errores de pequena magnitud. Asimismo el diseno se hace teniendo en cuenta el desempeno L2, a fin de darle capacidad de seguimiento de objetos en movimiento, con un error de control pequeno. Se muestran resultados experimentales realizados en un robot manipulador industrial tipo planar para verificar el cumplimiento de los objetivos del controlador propuesto

Superconducting tunable flux qubit with direct readout scheme

We describe a simple and efficient scheme for the readout of a tunable flux qubit, and present preliminary experimental tests for the preparation, manipulation and final readout of the qubit state, performed in incoherent regime at liquid Helium temperature. The tunable flux qubit is realized by a double SQUID with an extra Josephson junction inserted in the large superconducting loop, and the readout is performed by applying a current ramp to the junction and recording the value for which there is a voltage response, depending on the qubit state. This preliminary work indicates the feasibility and efficiency of the scheme.Comment: 10 pages, 5 figure

A Novel null homozygous mutation confirms <i>CACNA2D2</i> as a gene mutated in epileptic encephalopathy

Contribution to epileptic encephalopathy (EE) of mutations in CACNA2D2, encoding α2δ-2 subunit of Voltage Dependent Calcium Channels, is unclear. To date only one CACNA2D2 mutation altering channel functionality has been identified in a single family. In the same family, a rare CELSR3 polymorphism also segregated with disease. Involvement of CACNA2D2 in EE is therefore not confirmed, while that of CELSR3 is questionable. In a patient with epilepsy, dyskinesia, cerebellar atrophy, psychomotor delay and dysmorphic features, offspring to consanguineous parents, we performed whole exome sequencing (WES) for homozygosity mapping and mutation detection. WES identified extended autozygosity on chromosome 3, containing two novel homozygous candidate mutations: c.1295delA (p.Asn432fs) in CACNA2D2 and c.G6407A (p.Gly2136Asp) in CELSR3. Gene prioritization pointed to CACNA2D2 as the most prominent candidate gene. The WES finding in CACNA2D2 resulted to be statistically significant (p = 0.032), unlike that in CELSR3. CACNA2D2 homozygous c.1295delA essentially abolished α2δ-2 expression. In summary, we identified a novel null CACNA2D2 mutation associated to a clinical phenotype strikingly similar to the Cacna2d2 null mouse model. Molecular and statistical analyses together argued in favor of a causal contribution of CACNA2D2 mutations to EE, while suggested that finding in CELSR3, although potentially damaging, is likely incidental