Rehabilitative devices for a top-down approach

In recent years, neurorehabilitation has moved from a "bottom-up" to a "top down" approach. This change has also involved the technological devices developed for motor and cognitive rehabilitation. It implies that during a task or during therapeutic exercises, new "top-down" approaches are being used to stimulate the brain in a more direct way to elicit plasticity-mediated motor re-learning. This is opposed to "Bottom up" approaches, which act at the physical level and attempt to bring about changes at the level of the central neural system. Areas covered: In the present unsystematic review, we present the most promising innovative technological devices that can effectively support rehabilitation based on a top-down approach, according to the most recent neuroscientific and neurocognitive findings. In particular, we explore if and how the use of new technological devices comprising serious exergames, virtual reality, robots, brain computer interfaces, rhythmic music and biofeedback devices might provide a top-down based approach. Expert commentary: Motor and cognitive systems are strongly harnessed in humans and thus cannot be separated in neurorehabilitation. Recently developed technologies in motor-cognitive rehabilitation might have a greater positive effect than conventional therapies

Italian Version of the Pittsburgh Rehabilitation Participation Scale: Psychometric Analysis of Validity and Reliability

Patient’s active participation in therapy is a key component of successful rehabilitation. In fact, low participation has been shown to be a prognostic factor of poor outcome; however, participation is rarely assessed in clinical settings. The Pittsburgh Rehabilitation Participation Scale (PRPS) is a validated, quick, and accurate measure of participation, relying on clinicians’ observation, and not requiring any self-report by patients. The aim of this study was to validate an Italian version of the PRPS. Following forward and back-translation of PRPS into Italian, the translated version was validated in a total of 640 therapy sessions, related to a cohort of 32 patients admitted to an Italian hospital. It was tested for concurrent validity, finding significant correlations with Barthel Index (R > 0.58, p < 0.001) and SF-36 Physical and Mental Health (R > 0.4, p < 0.02), for predictive validity, finding significant correlation with the effectiveness of rehabilitation (R = 0.358, p = 0.045), and for inter-rater and intra-rater reliability, computing an Intra-class correlation coefficient (ICC = 0.926 and 0.756, respectively). These psychometric properties results were similar to those of the original version of this scale. The proposed PRPS can be helpful for Italian clinicians in the assessment of patient’s participation during rehabilitation

Immature mosquitoes (Diptera: Culicidae) in a eutrophic landfill tank from State of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Introduction To determine the faunal composition of immature culicids inhabiting a percolation tank in the landfill of Sapucaia, State of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, immature mosquitoes were collected over a two-day period during the third weeks of April, August and October 2011. Results The species found were Culex usquatus, Lutzia bigoti, Anopheles argyritarsis and Limatus durhamii. This study is the first to report the colonization of eutrophic breeding sites by these species. Conclusions The oviposition behavior observed in this study suggests a secondary adaptation or change in habit to select eutrophic environments during the developmental stages of the observed species

Ultrastructure of the egg of Coquillettidia juxtamansonia (Chagas, 1907) (Diptera: Culicidae)

Made available in DSpace on 2015-05-15T13:16:47Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 2 license.txt: 1914 bytes, checksum: 7d48279ffeed55da8dfe2f8e81f3b81f (MD5) fernanda_moroneetal_IOC_2014.pdf: 2101565 bytes, checksum: a2985f1486a92d2a3341cc728acad161 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2014Fundação Oswaldo Cruz. Instituto Oswaldo Cruz. Laboratório de Díptera. Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil.Fundação Oswaldo Cruz. Instituto Oswaldo Cruz. Laboratório de Transmissores de Leishmanioses. Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil.Fundação Oswaldo Cruz. Instituto Oswaldo Cruz. Laboratório deFundação Oswaldo Cruz. Instituto Oswaldo Cruz. Laboratório deUniversidade Federal de Santa Catarina. Centro de Ciências Biológicas. Departmento de Microbiologia, Immunologia e Parasitologia. Florianópolis, SC, Brasil.Fundação Oswaldo Cruz. Instituto Oswaldo Cruz. Laboratório de Díptera. Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil.No abstract is available for this article

Evaluation of mosquito (Diptera: Culicidae) species richness using two sampling methods in the hydroelectric reservoir of Simplício, Minas Gerais, Brazil

Submitted by Sandra Infurna ([email protected]) on 2016-09-06T12:07:03Z No. of bitstreams: 1 jeronimo_alencar_etal_IOC_2012.pdf: 365324 bytes, checksum: 00ed428f0de76dca6433208ca4bc43fb (MD5)Approved for entry into archive by Sandra Infurna ([email protected]) on 2016-09-06T12:42:50Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 jeronimo_alencar_etal_IOC_2012.pdf: 365324 bytes, checksum: 00ed428f0de76dca6433208ca4bc43fb (MD5)Made available in DSpace on 2016-09-06T12:42:50Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 jeronimo_alencar_etal_IOC_2012.pdf: 365324 bytes, checksum: 00ed428f0de76dca6433208ca4bc43fb (MD5) Previous issue date: 2012Fundação Oswaldo Cruz. Instituto Oswaldo Cruz. Laboratório de Díptera. Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil.Fundação Oswaldo Cruz. Instituto Oswaldo Cruz. Laboratório de Díptera. Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil.Fundação Oswaldo Cruz. Instituto Oswaldo Cruz. Laboratório Nacional e Internacional de Referência em Taxonomia de Triatomíneos - LNIRTT. Setor de Ixodides. Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil.Fundação Oswaldo Cruz. Instituto Oswaldo Cruz. Laboratório de Díptera. Rio de Janeiro, RJ, BrasilFundação Oswaldo Cruz. Instituto Oswaldo Cruz. Laboratório de Díptera. Rio de Janeiro, RJ, BrasilFundação Oswaldo Cruz. Instituto Oswaldo Cruz. Laboratório de Díptera. Rio de Janeiro, RJ, BrasilWe compared two types of light traps used for monitoring mosquito abundance in the hydroelectric reservoir of Simplício, Além Paraíba - Minas Gerais. Mosquitoes were captured bimonthly using automatic CDC and Shannon traps before the filling of the hydroelectric plant reservoir from December 2008 to December 2009. In total, 1474 specimens from 13 genera were captured. Among the captured specimens, several species known to be vectors of disease-causing agents for humans and/or animals were identified, including Anopheles aquasalis, Aedes albopictus, Coquillettidia venezuelensis, Haemagogus leucocelaenus, and Aedes scapularis. Sampling efficacy between the four capture sites was not found to be significantly different, irrespective of species captured or type of trap used. Poor correlation (r (x, y) = -0.0444) between the number of mosquito species and capture site was observed when not influenced by the type of trap used. Among the installation sites of the CDC and Shannon traps in the areas investigated, CDC traps fixed in livestock shelters obtained an overall higher abundance of species captured

Distribution of Haemagogus and Sabethes (Diptera: Culicidae) populations in relation to forest cover and climatic factors in the Chapada dos Guimarães National Park, State of Mato Grosso, Brazil

Members of the genera Haemagogus and Sabethes are the most important biological vectors of the wild yellow fever virus (WYF) in the forested areas of the Americas. The ecologies of Haemagogus janthinomys, Hg. leucocelaenus, Sabethes chloropterus, and Sa. glaucodaemon were studied in a forest of the Chapada dos Guimarães National Park, state of Mato Grosso, Brazil, to evaluate the influence of climatic factors (temperature and relative humidity [RH]) on their abundance. We also examined the association of climate with landscape structure on species distribution patterns throughout the seasons of the year. Multiple stepwise regressions showed that RH was most likely to influence the density of mosquito populations. A multidimensional scaling (MDS) was used to evaluate the effects of forest cover on the composition of mosquito populations at different radii (100-, 250-, and 1,000-m-radius buffer areas). The MDS provided 2 dimensions with values that indicated a higher similarity in the composition of culicid populations between sites 1 and 3, while site 2 was separate from the others in the ordination space. Site 2 had a much higher forest cover ratio at 100-m radius compared with sites 1 and 3. We found a possible relationship between the forest cover and the composition of the mosquito populations only in the 100-m radius. These results enabled us to infer that RH directly favored the activity of mosquito populations and that the forest cover located closest to the sampling site may influence the species composition. Since mosquito abundance was higher in the sites with lower local forest cover, forest fragmentation may be a key factor on the presence of WYF vector.Fil: Alencar, Jeronimo. Instituto Oswaldo Cruz; BrasilFil: Mello, Cecilia F.. Instituto Oswaldo Cruz; BrasilFil: Morone, Fernanda. Instituto Oswaldo Cruz; BrasilFil: Albuquerque, Hermano Gomes. Instituto Oswaldo Cruz; BrasilFil: Serra-Freire, Nicolau. Instituto Oswaldo Cruz; BrasilFil: Gleiser, Raquel M.. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Córdoba. Instituto Multidisciplinar de Biología Vegetal (P). Grupo Vinculado Centro de Relevamiento y Evaluación de Recursos Agrícolas y Naturales; ArgentinaFil: Silva, Shayenne. Instituto Oswaldo Cruz; BrasilFil: Guimarães, Antonio. Instituto Oswaldo Cruz; Brasi

Flight Height Preference for Oviposition of Mosquito (Diptera: Culicidae) Vectors of Sylvatic Yellow Fever Virus Near the Hydroelectric Reservoir of Simplício, Minas Gerais, Brazil

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A comparative study of the effect of multiple immersions on Aedini (Diptera: Culicidae) mosquito eggs with emphasis on sylvan vectors of yellow fever virus

The effect of multiple immersions on Haemagogus janthinomys , Haemagogus leucocelaenus , Aedes albopictus and Ochlerotatus terrens eggs was studied. Eggs were collected in April, June, October and December of 2011 in Minas Gerais, Brazil. Most of the Aedes and Ochlerotatus eggs hatched upon the first immersion, while Haemagogus eggs showed a varied instalment hatching response. The number of immersions required for hatching increased for eggs collected closer to the dry winter season

Motor Imagery and Sport Performance: A Systematic Review on the PETTLEP Model

The aim of this review is to critically analyze the evidence provided throughout the years regarding the application of motor imagery (MI) in sport performance, focusing on the PETTLEP approach. Among the different MI approaches, in fact, the PETTLEP model takes into account many different domains for increasing the performance of athletes. These domains include physical features, the environment, task-related aspects, timing, learning, emotion, and perspective