The Demystification of Non-formal Education: A Critique and Suggestions for a New Research Direction

The purpose of this paper is to initiate an inquiry into a currently fashionable educational phenomenon presently referred to as non-formal education. It is hoped that the paradigm resented will provide yet another interpretive perspective by which we can more fully understand the consequences of this educational phenomenon. It is a major contention of this paper that a more conceptually rigorous approach will enable us to understand better how non-formal education might contribute to or inhibit social change and development in societies undergoing rapid modernization

Cor triatriatum presenting as heart failure with reduced ejection fraction: a case report

Cor triatriatum is a rare congenital cardiac malformation and it usually refers to the left atrium. We report an unusual case of cor triatriatum in a 33 - year old woman presented with congestive heart failure caused by left ventricular systolic dysfunction

Similar Biomechanical Behavior in Gait Analysis between Ceramic-on-Ceramic and Ceramic-on-XLPE Total Hip Arthroplasties

In vitro measurements are widely used to implement gait kinematic and kinetic parameters to predict THA wear rate. Clinical tests of materials and designs are crucial to prove the accuracy and validate such measurements. This research aimed to examine the effect of CoC and CoXLPE kinematics and kinetics on wear during gait, the essential functional activity of humans, by comparing in vivo data to in vitro results. Our study hypothesis was that both implants would present the same hip joint kinematics and kinetics during gait. In total, 127 unilateral primary cementless total hip arthroplasties were included in the research. There were no statistically significant differences observed at mean peak abduction, flexion, and extension moments and THA kinematics between the two groups. THA gait kinematics and kinetics are crucial biomechanical inputs associated with implant wear. In vitro studies report less wear in CoC than CoXLPE when tested in a matched gait kinematic protocol. Our findings confirm that both implants behave identically in terms of kinematics in a clinical environment, thus strengthening CoC advantage in in vitro results. Correlated to all other significant factors that affect THA wear, it could address in a complete prism the wear on CoC and CoXLPE

Similar Biomechanical Behavior in Gait Analysis between Ceramic-on-Ceramic and Ceramic-on-XLPE Total Hip Arthroplasties

In vitro measurements are widely used to implement gait kinematic and kinetic parameters to predict THA wear rate. Clinical tests of materials and designs are crucial to prove the accuracy and validate such measurements. This research aimed to examine the effect of CoC and CoXLPE kinematics and kinetics on wear during gait, the essential functional activity of humans, by comparing in vivo data to in vitro results. Our study hypothesis was that both implants would present the same hip joint kinematics and kinetics during gait. In total, 127 unilateral primary cementless total hip arthroplasties were included in the research. There were no statistically significant differences observed at mean peak abduction, flexion, and extension moments and THA kinematics between the two groups. THA gait kinematics and kinetics are crucial biomechanical inputs associated with implant wear. In vitro studies report less wear in CoC than CoXLPE when tested in a matched gait kinematic protocol. Our findings confirm that both implants behave identically in terms of kinematics in a clinical environment, thus strengthening CoC advantage in in vitro results. Correlated to all other significant factors that affect THA wear, it could address in a complete prism the wear on CoC and CoXLPE

BIOMECHANICAL ASSESSMENT OF WEAR IN CERAMIC ON CERAMIC AND CERAMIC ON XLPE THAs

Total Hip Arthroplasty (THA) is an effective treatment for severe hip arthritis, with patients reporting high rates of satisfactory results postoperatively. There are a variety of choices regarding THA implant designs. Ceramic on Ceramic and Ceramic on Highly Cross-Linked Polyethylene (XLPE) THAs are the materials of choice nowadays. The purpose of this study is to review the effect of kinematics and kinetics on wear (in vivo and in vitro testing) that affect wear in Ceramic on Ceramic and Ceramic on XLPE total hip arthroplasties and identify possible advantages amongst them. The study hypothesis was that THA kinematics and/or kinetics, since they directly affect THA wear, could provide data for possible advantages between the examined implant designs. A systematic review of the literature identified no significant evidence for biomechanical advantages between these two prostheses in terms of wear. Further research is proposed with the use of gait analysis systems combined with surface electromyography to further investigate THA biomechanics at a laboratory set up. Wearable sensors technology could also identify detailed biomechanical parameters in more complex daily activities

Application of Wearable Sensors Technology for Lumbar Spine Kinematic Measurements during Daily Activities following Microdiscectomy Due to Severe Sciatica

Background: The recurrence rate of lumbar spine microdiscectomies (rLSMs) is estimated to be 5–15%. Lumbar spine flexion (LSF) of more than 10° is mentioned as the most harmful load to the intervertebral disc that could lead to recurrence during the first six postoperative weeks. The purpose of this study is to quantify LSFs, following LSM, at the period of six weeks postoperatively. Methods: LSFs were recorded during the daily activities of 69 subjects for 24 h twice per week, using Inertial Measurement Units (IMU). Results: The mean number of more than 10 degrees of LSFs per hour were: 41.3/h during the 1st postoperative week (P.W.) (29.9% healthy subjects-H.S.), 2nd P.W. 60.1/h (43.5% H.S.), 3rd P.W. 74.2/h (53.7% H.S.), 4th P.W. 82.9/h (60% H.S.), 5th P.W. 97.3/h (70.4% H.S.) and 6th P.W. 105.5/h (76.4% H.S.). Conclusions: LSFs constitute important risk factors for rLDH. Our study records the lumbar spine kinematic pattern of such patients for the first time during their daily activities. Patients’ data report less sagittal plane movements than healthy subjects. In vitro studies should be carried out, replicating our results to identify if such a kinematic pattern could cause rLDH. Furthermore, IMU biofeedback capabilities could protect patients from such harmful movements

Calmodulin mutations associated with recurrent cardiac arrest in infants.

Background-Life-threatening disorders of heart rhythm may arise during infancy and can result in the sudden and tragic death of a child. We performed exome sequencing on 2 unrelated infants presenting with recurrent cardiac arrest to discover a genetic cause. Methods and Results-We ascertained 2 unrelated infants (probands) with recurrent cardiac arrest and dramatically prolonged QTc interval who were both born to healthy parents. The 2 parent-child trios were investigated with the use of exome sequencing to search for de novo genetic variants. We then performed follow-up candidate gene screening on an independent cohort of 82 subjects with congenital long-QT syndrome without an identified genetic cause. Biochemical studies were performed to determine the functional consequences of mutations discovered in 2 genes encoding calmodulin. We discovered 3 heterozygous de novo mutations in either CALM1 or CALM2, 2 of the 3 human genes encoding calmodulin, in the 2 probands and in 2 additional subjects with recurrent cardiac arrest. All mutation carriers were infants who exhibited life-threatening ventricular arrhythmias combined variably with epilepsy and delayed neurodevelopment. Mutations altered residues in or adjacent to critical calcium binding loops in the calmodulin carboxyl-terminal domain. Recombinant mutant calmodulins exhibited several-fold reductions in calcium binding affinity. Conclusions-Human calmodulin mutations disrupt calcium ion binding to the protein and are associated with a life-threatening condition in early infancy. Defects in calmodulin function will disrupt important calcium signaling events in heart, affecting membrane ion channels, a plausible molecular mechanism for potentially deadly disturbances in heart rhythm during infancy