Physical education in secondary higher school

Teaching of motor activities in secondary higher school imposes a prescriptive teaching through unidirectional methodological-didactic decisions: teacher directs and the student performs. Improving performance through skills improvement and the structuring of new skills through exercise requires the adoption of a less prescriptive methodology and allowing the student to express himself with greater freedom and awareness to facilitate heuristic learning according to the motor principle by Bernstein of executive variability. Physical education doesn’t have the scientific basis in knowledge as for other theoretical knowledge because the scientific paradigm of corporeality and movement is based on doing and acting. In agreement with the scientific pedagogical community, we ask ourselves about the most appropriate methodology to educate the body with the movement in a habilitative sense, the person through the body for a training of the person (life skills) and strive for the person's well-being through movement (soft skills). This vision seems to be tempered in the documents of physical education up to the first-grade secondary school and seems to change in secondary higher school, when a higher level of education is required. Alongside this prescription, reasonably useful for raising the levels of motor ability of individual services the problem of individual performance in groups arises to achieve the common goal (sports game), where along with significant skill levels, the best and fastest possible decision is also needed. For this necessity, the methodology of the "Teaching games for understanding" comes to the rescue, which contemplates the tactical part together with the enabling one

Physical education in secondary higher school

Teaching of motor activities in secondary higher school imposes a prescriptive teaching through unidirectional methodological-didactic decisions: teacher directs and the student performs. Improving performance through skills improvement and the structuring of new skills through exercise requires the adoption of a less prescriptive methodology and allowing the student to express himself with greater freedom and awareness to facilitate heuristic learning according to the motor principle by Bernstein of executive variability. Physical education doesn’t have the scientific basis in knowledge as for other theoretical knowledge because the scientific paradigm of corporeality and movement is based on doing and acting. In agreement with the scientific pedagogical community, we ask ourselves about the most appropriate methodology to educate the body with the movement in a habilitative sense, the person through the body for a training of the person (life skills) and strive for the person's well-being through movement (soft skills). This vision seems to be tempered in the documents of physical education up to the first-grade secondary school and seems to change in secondary higher school, when a higher level of education is required. Alongside this prescription, reasonably useful for raising the levels of motor ability of individual services the problem of individual performance in groups arises to achieve the common goal (sports game), where along with significant skill levels, the best and fastest possible decision is also needed. For this necessity, the methodology of the "Teaching games for understanding" comes to the rescue, which contemplates the tactical part together with the enabling one

Hydrogen Sulfide, a Toxic Gas with Cardiovascular Properties in Uremia: How Harmful Is It?

Hydrogen sulfide (H2S) is a poisonous gas which can be lethal. However, it is also produced endogenously, thus belonging to the family of gasotransmitters along with nitric oxide and carbon monoxide. H2S is in fact involved in mediating several signaling and cytoprotective functions, for example in the nervous, cardiovascular, and gastrointestinal systems, such as neuronal transmission, blood pressure regulation and insulin release, among others. When increased, it can mediate inflammation and apoptosis, with a role in shock. When decreased, it can be involved in atherosclerosis, hypertension, myocardial infarction, diabetes, sexual dysfunction, and gastric ulcer; it notably interacts with the other gaseous mediators. Cystathionine γ-lyase, cystathionine β-synthase, and 3-mercaptopyruvate sulfurtransferase are the principal enzymes involved in H2S production. We have recently studied H2S metabolism in the plasma of chronic hemodialysis patients and reported that its levels are significantly decreased. The plausible mechanism lies in the transcription inhibition of the cystathionine γ-lyase gene. The finding could be of importance considering that hypertension and high cardiovascular mortality are characteristic in these patients

[Next Generation Sequencing and ADPKD]

Autosomal Dominant Polycistic Kidney Disease (ADPKD) is the most common inherited genetic disorder in the word, caused by mutations in PKD1 gene in 85% of cases and PKD 2 gene in the remaining 15%. Although diagnosis is usually based on ultrasound, MRI and CT scans, in some cases genetic testing is necessary, for example, in patients with atypical phenotype or with a negative family history, or in cases of donation from relatives. The presence of pseudogenes in PKD1, the size of the gene, the costs of the Sanger sequencing and genetic heterogeneity underlying kidney disease make genetic analysis particularly difficult to be performed. Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) represents the last frontier of innovation among diagnostic tools for molecular diagnosis of inherited cystic kidney disease thanks to the ability to analyze several genes at the same time. In this regard, we have developed a NGS platform, called Nephroplex, with the aim of identifying variations in 115 genes responsible for numerous kidney diseases, including cystic and polycystic disease, achieving, overall, a target region of 338.8 kbps. The technology used for the enrichment is HaloPlex system, based on the digestion of genomic DNA with restriction enzymes and the capture of the regions of interest with specific hybridization probes. With our platform, we have analyzed 9 patients with clinical diagnosis of ADPKD. We have obtained a depth coverage of 100x for 96.5% of the target, while the region not covered accounted for only 3% of the region of interest. In 6 patients, we found causative mutations in the genes PKD1 and PKD2, achieving a detection rate of 66%. In conclusion, the NephroPlex platform has proved to be an excellent device for molecular diagnosis of kidney disease and could clarify the mechanisms underlying genetic heterogeneity observed in kidney disease

Renal phenotype in bardet-biedl syndrome: A combined defect of urinary concentration and dilution is associated with defective urinary aqp2 and umod excretion

The renal phenotype in Bardet-Biedl syndrome (BBS) is highly variable. The present study describes renal findings in 41 BBS patients and analyzes the pathogenesis of hyposthenuria, the most common renal dysfunction. Five of 41 patients (12%) showed an estimated glomerular filtration rate 60 ml·min-1·1.73 m-2. Urine protein and urine albumin-to-creatinine ratio were over 200 and 30 mg/g in 9/24 and 7/23 patients, respectively. Four of 41 patients showed no renal anomalies on ultrasound. Twenty of 34 patients had hyposthenuria in the absence of renal insufficiency. In all 8 of the hyposthenuric patients studied, dDAVP failed to elevate urine osmolality (Uosm), suggesting a nephrogenic origin. Interestingly, water loading (WL) did not result in a significant reduction of Uosm, indicating combined concentrating and diluting defects. dDAVP infusion induced a significant increase of plasma Factor VIII and von Willebrand Factor levels, supporting normal function of the type 2 vasopressin receptor at least in endothelial cells. While urinary aquaporin 2 (u-AQP2) abundance was not different between patients and controls at baseline, the dDAVP-induced increased u-AQP2 and the WL-induced reduction of u-AQP2 were blunted in patients with a combined concentrating and diluting defect, suggesting a potential role of AQP2 in the defective regulation of water absorption. Urine Uromodulin excretion was reduced in all hyposthenuric patients, suggesting a thick ascending limb defect. Interestingly, renal Na, Cl, Ca, but not K handling was impaired after acute WL but not at basal. In summary, BBS patients show combined urinary concentration and dilution defects; a thick ascending limb and collecting duct tubulopathy may underlie impaired water handling.The renal phenotype in BardetBiedl syndrome (BBS) is highly variable. The present study describes renal findings in 41 BBS patients and analyzes the pathogenesis of hyposthenuria, the most common renal dysfunction. Five of 41 patients (12%) showed an estimated glomerular filtration rate < 60 ml.min(-1).1.73 m(-2). Urine protein and urine albumin-to-creatinine ratio were over 200 and 30 mg/g in 9/24 and 7/23 patients, respectively. Four of 41 patients showed no renal anomalies on ultrasound. Twenty of 34 patients had hyposthenuria in the absence of renal insufficiency. In all 8 of the hyposthenuric patients studied, dDAVP failed to elevate urine osmolality (Uosm), suggesting a nephrogenic origin. Interestingly, water loading (WL) did not result in a significant reduction of Uosm, indicating combined concentrating and diluting defects. dDAVP infusion induced a significant increase of plasma Factor VIII and von Willebrand Factor levels, supporting normal function of the type 2 vasopressin receptor at least in endothelial cells. While urinary aquaporin 2 (u-AQP2) abundance was not different between patients and controls at baseline, the dDAVP-induced increased u-AQP2 and the WL-induced reduction of u-AQP2 were blunted in patients with a combined concentrating and diluting defect, suggesting a potential role of AQP2 in the defective regulation of water absorption. Urine Uromodulin excretion was reduced in all hyposthenuric patients, suggesting a thick ascending limb defect. Interestingly, renal Na, Cl, Ca, but not K handling was impaired after acute WL but not at basal. In summary, BBS patients show combined urinary concentration and dilution defects; a thick ascending limb and collecting duct tubulopathy may underlie impaired water handling

Use of Aspergillus fumigatus real-time PCR in bronchoalveolar lavage samples (BAL) for diagnosis of invasive aspergillosis, including azole-resistant cases, in high risk haematology patients: the need for a combined use with galactomannan

Diagnosis of invasive aspergillosis (IA) is challenging, particularly in high-risk patients with lung lesions other than typical according to 2008-EORTC/MSG criteria. Even if microbiology is positive, they still remain unclassified according to 2008-EORTC/MSG. Quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) provides new mycological documentation of IA. This retrospective study assessed Aspergillus fumigatus real time qPCR (MycoGENIE (R)) in BAL to diagnose IA and identify azole-resistant strains. Clinical, radiological, and microbiological data from 114 hematology patients (69% HSCT recipients; 29% on mould active agents) from years 2012-2017 were collected; and 123 BAL samples were tested with qPCR (cutoff: Ct < 40) and galactomannan (GM, Platelia (R), cutoff: 0.5 ODI). Patients were classified as proven/probable, possible, and no-IA. "Atypical-IA" referred to patients with lesions other than typical according to 2008-EORTC/MSG and positive mycology. Proven IA was diagnosed in two cases (1.6%), probable in 28 (22.8%), possible in 27 (22%), atypical in 14 (11.4%). qPCR was positive in 39 samples (31.7%). Sensitivity and specificity of qPCR for proven/probable IA (vs no-IA; atypical-IA excluded) were 40% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 23-59) and 69% (95%CI: 55-81), respectively. Sensitivity of qPCR was higher when combined with GM (83%, 95%CI: 65-94) and in those receiving mould-active agents at BAL (61%, 95%CI: 32-86). One sample had TR34/L98H mutation. In conclusion, in high-risk hematology patients with various lung lesions, A. fumigatus qPCR in BAL contributes to diagnosing IA, particularly if combined with GM and in patients receiving mould-active agents might allow detecting azole-resistant mutations in culture negative samples

Nationwide survey on the management of pediatric pharyngitis in Italian emergency units

Background Acute pharyngitis is a frequent reason for primary care or emergency unit visits in children. Most available data on pharyngitis management come from primary care studies that demonstrate an underuse of microbiological tests, a tendency to over-prescribe antibiotics and a risk of antimicrobial resistance increase. However, a comprehensive understanding of acute pharyngitis management in emergency units is lacking. This study aimed to investigate the frequency of rapid antigen test use to diagnose acute pharyngitis, as well as other diagnostic approaches, the therapeutic attitude, and follow-up of children with this condition in the emergency units.Methods A multicentric national study was conducted in Italian emergency departments between April and June 2022.Results A total of 107 out of 131 invited units (response rate 82%), participated in the survey. The results showed that half of the units use a scoring system to diagnose pharyngitis, with the McIsaac score being the most commonly used. Most emergency units (56%) were not provided with a rapid antigen diagnostic test by their hospital, but the test was more frequently available in units visiting more than 10,000 children yearly (57% vs 33%, respectively, p = 0.02). Almost half (47%) of the units prescribe antibiotics in children with pharyngitis despite the lack of microbiologically confirmed cases of Group A beta-hemolytic streptococcus. Finally, about 25% of units prescribe amoxicillin-clavulanic acid to treat Group A beta-hemolytic streptococcus pharyngitis.Conclusions The study sheds light on the approach to pharyngitis in emergency units, providing valuable information to improve the appropriate management of acute pharyngitis in this setting. The routinary provision of rapid antigen tests in the hospitals could enhance the diagnostic and therapeutic approach to pharyngitis