Reorganization of the Action Observation Network and Sensory-Motor System in Children with Unilateral Cerebral Palsy: An fMRI Study

Little is known about the action observation network (AON) in children with unilateral cerebral palsy (UCP). Using fMRI, we aimed to explore AON and sensory-motor network (SMN) in UCP children and compare them to typically developed (TD) children and analyse the relationship between AON (re-)organization and several neurophysiological and clinical measures. Twelve UCP children were assessed with clinical scales and transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS). For the fMRI study, they underwent a paradigm based on observation of complex and simple object-manipulation tasks executed by dominant and nondominant hand. Moreover, UCP and TD children carried out a further fMRI session to explore SMN in both an active motor and passive sensory task. AON in the UCP group showed higher lateralization, negatively related to performances on clinical scales, and had greater activation of unaffected hemisphere as compared to the bilateral representation in the TD group. In addition, a good congruence was found between bilateral or contralateral activation of AON and activation of SMN and TMS data. These findings indicate that our paradigm might be useful in exploring AON and the response to therapy in UCP subjects

Home-based, early intervention with mechatronic toys for preterm infants at risk of neurodevelopmental disorders (CARETOY):a RCT protocol

Background: Preterm infants are at risk for neurodevelopmental disorders, including motor, cognitive or behavioural problems, which may potentially be modified by early intervention. The EU CareToy Project Consortium ( http://www.caretoy.eu ) has developed a new modular system for intensive, individualized, home-based and family-centred early intervention, managed remotely by rehabilitation staff. A randomised controlled trial (RCT) has been designed to evaluate the efficacy of CareToy training in a first sample of low-risk preterm infants. Methods/Design: The trial, randomised, multi-center, evaluator-blinded, parallel group controlled, is designed according to CONSORT Statement. Eligible subjects are infants born preterm without major complications, aged 3-9 months of corrected age with specific gross-motor abilities defined by Ages & Stages Questionnaire scores. Recruited infants, whose parents will sign a written informed consent for participation, will be randomized in CareToy training and control groups at baseline (T0). CareToy group will perform four weeks of personalized activities with the CareToy system, customized by the rehabilitation staff. The control group will continue standard care. Infant Motor Profile Scale is the primary outcome measure and a total sample size of 40 infants has been established. Bayley-Cognitive subscale, Alberta Infants Motor Scale and Teller Acuity Cards are secondary outcome measures. All measurements will be performed at T0 and at the end of training/control period (T1). For ethical reasons, after this first phase infants enrolled in the control group will perform the CareToy training, while the training group will continue standard care. At the end of open phase (T2) all infants will be assessed as at T1. Further assessment will be performed at 18 months corrected age (T3) to evaluate the long-term effects on neurodevelopmental outcome. Caregivers and rehabilitation staff will not be blinded whereas all the clinical assessments will be performed, videotaped and scored by blind assessors. The trial is ongoing and it is expected to be completed by April 2015. Discussion: This paper describes RCT methodology to evaluate CareToy as a new tool for early intervention in preterm infants, first contribution to test this new type of system. It presents background, hypotheses, outcome measures and trial methodology. Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT01990183 . EU grant ICT-2011.5.1-287932

Effect of iron and nanolites on Raman spectra of volcanic glasses:A reassessment of existing strategies to estimate the water content

Global peatlands are a valuable but vulnerable resource. They represent a significant carbon and energy reservoir and play major roles in water and biogeochemical cycles. Peat soils are highly complex porous media with distinct characteristic physical and hydraulic properties. Pore sizes in undecomposed peat can exceed 5 mm, but significant shrinkage occurs during dewatering, compression and decomposition, reducing pore-sizes. The structure of peat soil consists of pores that are open and connected, dead-ended or isolated. The resulting dual-porosity nature of peat soils affects water flow and solute migration, which influence reactive transport processes and biogeochemical functions. Advective movement of aqueous and colloidal species is restricted to the hydrologically active (or mobile) fraction of the total porosity, i.e. the open and connected pores. Peat may attenuate solute migration through molecular diffusion into the closed and dead-end pores, and for reactive species, also through sorption and degradation reactions. Slow, diffusion-limited solute exchanges between the mobile and immobile regions may give rise to pore-scale chemical gradients and heterogeneous distributions of microbial habitats and activity in peat soils. While new information on the diversity and functionalities of peat microbial communities is rapidly accumulating, the significance of the geochemical and geomicrobial study on peat stands to benefit from a basic understanding of the physical structure of peat soils. In this paper, we review the current knowledge of key physical and hydraulic properties related to the structure of globally available peat soils and briefly discuss their implications for water storage, flow and the migration of solutes. This paper is intended to narrow the gap between the ecohydrological and biogeochemical research communities working on peat soils

Predictive validity of the Hand Assessment for Infants in infants at risk of unilateral cerebral palsy

Aim: To evaluate the sensitivity, specificity, and predictive value of the Hand Assessment for Infants (HAI) in identifying infants at risk of being diagnosed with unilateral cerebral palsy(CP), and to determine cut-off values for this purpose. Method: A convenience sample of 203 infants (106 females, 97 males) was assessed by the HAI at 3, 6, 9, and 12 months. Sensitivity, specificity, predictive values, and likelihood ratios were calculated using receiver operating characteristic curve analysis. Cut-off values were derived for different ages. The clinical outcome (unilateral CP yes/no) at 24 months or more served as an external criterion to investigate the predictive validity of HAI. Results: Half of the infants developed unilateral CP. The area under the curve ranged from0.77 (95% CI [confidence interval] 0.63–0.91) to 0.95 (95% CI 0.90–1.00) across HAI scales and age intervals. Likewise, sensitivity ranged from 63% to 93%, specificity from 62% to 91%, and accuracy from 73% to 94%. Interpretation: HAI scores demonstrated overall accuracy that ranged from very good to excellent in predicting unilateral CP in infants at risk aged between 3.5 and 12 months. This accuracy increased with age at assessment and the earliest possible prediction was at3.5 months of age, when appropriate HAI cut-off values for different ages were applied

Action observation training for rehabilitation in brain injuries: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Background : To systematically review and analyse the effects of Action Observation Training on adults and children with brain damage. Methods : Seven electronic databases (Cochrane, EBSCO, Embase, Eric, PubMed, Scopus and Web of Science) were searched up to 16 September 2018 to select Randomized Controlled Trials focused on adults and children with brain damage that included AOT training on upper and/or lower limb carried out for at least 1 week. Identification of studies and data extraction was conducted with two reviewers working independently. Oxford Centre for Evidence-based Medicine (March2009) – Levels of Evidence and Physiotherapy Evidence Database scale were used to grade studies. The data collected from the articles were analysed using software R, version 3.4.3. Hedge’s g values were calculated and effect size estimates were pooled across studies. Separate meta-analyses were carried out for each ICF domain (i.e. body function and activity) for upper and lower limb. Results : Out of the 210 records identified after removing duplicates, 22 were selected for systematic review and 19 were included in the meta-analysis. Thirteen studies included in the meta-analysis focused on upper limb rehabilitation (4 in children and 9 in adults) and 6 on lower limb rehabilitation (only studies in adults). A total of 626 patients were included in the meta-analysis. An overall statistically significant effect size was found for upper limb body function (0.44, 95% CI: [0.24, 0.64], p<0.001) and upper limb activity domain (0.47, 95% CI: [0.30, 0.64], p<0.001). For lower limb, only the activity domain was analysed, revealing a statistically significant overall effect size (0.56, 95% CI: [0.28, 0.84], p<0.001). Conclusions : Action Observation Training (AOT) is an innovative rehabilitation tool for individuals with brain damage, which shows promising results in improving the activity domain for upper and lower limbs, and also the body function domain for the upper limb. However, the examined studies lack uniformity and further well-designed, larger controlled trials are necessary to determine the most suitable type of AOT particularly in childre

John Sicola Oral History

An oral history interview of military veteran John Sicola produced for, and published by, the H.E.A.R.T.S. Veterans Museum of Texa

“No, they won\u27t ‘just sound like each other’”: NNS-NNS negotiated interaction and attention to phonological form on targeted L2 pronunciation tasks

Task-based research in SLA has yielded evidence that when working on two-way information gap tasks, learners can negotiate to draw each other\u27s attention to L2 grammatical and lexical forms. This study aimed to determine whether English L2 learners would also be able to negotiate for phonological forms when working on such tasks. Of particular interest were their use of corrective feedback, modified output, and other processes believed to promote attention during negotiation. The study addressed the following research questions: (1) When working together on interactive pronunciation tasks, do NNSs draw each other\u27s attention to a targeted phonological form in ways generally understood to facilitate SLA? I.e., (1a) Do they provide each other with corrective feedback on the target form? (1b) Do they modify their production of the target form? (2) If NNSs do provide each other with feedback that focuses on the target form, are there specific ways in which they do so? (3) If NNSs do modify their target form production, do the modifications result in more targetlike pronunciation? To answer these questions, a two-way, interactive map task was used, with the phonological form theta (/&thetas;/) preselected as a target. The task design balanced inherent communicative value and target form essentialness in order to maximize the need to negotiate the target form. The task was integrated into an existing curriculum for three intact, intermediate, L2 pronunciation classes. Participants completed and recorded the task during a weekly class meeting in the language laboratory. Mixed-L1 dyads were formed when possible to raise the potential for the need to negotiate. Negotiations pertaining to the target form were coded for corrective feedback and modified pronunciation, and interceder reliability was established at 91.3%. Data revealed that participants frequently provided each other with a variety of corrective feedback types, and produced more-targetlike modifications nearly twice as often as less-targetlike modifications. Additional strategies for drawing interlocutors\u27 attention to form and the influence of the task design were also explored. Findings of NNSs\u27 ability to push each other toward more targetlike control provided evidence of steps in adult learners\u27 L2 phonological development

Analise da Percepcao do Risco Associado a Cheias e Inundacoes na Bacia do Baixo Zambeze: Uma Contribuicao para a Gestao do Risco em Mocambique

Tese de Doutoramento em Território, Risco e Políticas Públicas apresentada ao Instituto de Investigação Interdisciplinar da Universidade de Coimbra.Esta tese no âmbito do Doutoramento em Território, Risco e Políticas Públicas, desenvolve uma análise da percepção sobre as práticas e a gestão do risco associados às cheias e inundações no troço inferior da bacia do rio Zambeze, para os distritos de Mopeia e Marromeu, nas províncias moçambicanas de Zambézia e Sofala, respectivamente. Parte-se de uma abordagem contextual das vivências e memórias das partes interessadas, organizadas em dois grupos, populações e stakeholders, baseada na teoria do Actor Rede, em que se considera que ambos têm igual importância nos processos de decisão na gestão das cheias e inundações, influenciando-se através de relações de causa-efeito. A análise, através de uma pesquisa aplicada de abordagem exploratória, recorre ao uso de questionários e entrevistas, ao levantamento documental e à técnica cartográfica. Essa análise, revelou a vulnerabilidade das populações residentes nas margens do baixo rio Zambeze, a susceptibilidade do território às cheias e inundações na sequência de episódios de precipitação extrema e de frequência variável, determinando cheias com diferentes magnitudes. A classificação do uso do solo mostra um território marcado pelas actividades agrícolas e pecuárias, áreas urbanas e reassentamentos decorrentes de anteriores cheias. A cartografia para as grandes cheias, mostra extensas áreas potencialmente inundáveis, com assentamentos informais ligados aos terrenos agrícolas mais férteis. Na percepção da população sobre os danos das cheias e inundações sobressaem os económicos e nas infra-estruturas, com impactos, quer individuais quer colectivos. A população afirma a melhoria dos processos de comunicação pré-emergência, através do aviso e alerta, determinando menos perdas humanas e materiais, e refere a existência de margem de melhoria para a prevenção e acções prévias, nomeadamente de consciencialização para comportamentos mais seguros, e abandono das áreas expostas. Os resultados apresentados sobre a percepção e o posicionamento crítico dos stakeholders sobre o risco de cheias e inundações, fazem ressaltar a existência de um modelo de gestão centrado na competência técnica, em que a população está afastada do processo, e onde existe um confronto entre a escala local e supra-local, na implementação das políticas e na disponibilização de recursos. Este grupo, organizado em três perfis distintos de posicionamento, salienta as perturbações na evacuação, alojamento e recuperação após as cheias e inundações, apontando acções persuasivas ou sancionatórias dirigidas à população, estimulando novas práticas e comportamentos mais seguros. Salienta-se, igualmente, que, apesar da existência de um planeamento para o aviso, alerta e emergência, bem como a capacitação de recursos de protecção civil, o nível de risco na área de estudo subsiste com elevado, função de gravidade e da probabilidade, o que reflecte a baixa infraestruturação existente, assim como, a vulnerabilidade social ou os níveis rudimentares ou informais da actividade económica. Esta tese apresenta uma análise inovadora das vivências, memórias e práticas associadas às cheias e inundações em Moçambique, utilizando como referência de estudo a bacia do baixo Zambeze, e propõe um modelo de gestão do risco com enfoque na comunicação e na integração dos diferentes tipos de conhecimento e de visão das partes interessadas.This PhD thesis with focus on Territory, Risk and Public Policy develops an analysis of the perception on the practices and the management of the risks associated to floods in the lower region of the Zambezi River basin, in the districts of Mopeia and Marromeu, in the Mozambican provinces of Zambézia and Sofala, respectively. The analyses are drawn through a contextual approach based on the experiences and memories of two groups, stakeholder and populations, based on the Network Actor theory, in which both are considered equally important in decision-making processes in flood management, influencing themselves through cause-and-effect relationships. The analysis, through an applied research of exploratory approach, was supported using questionnaires, interviews, the documentary survey and the cartographic technique. This analysis revealed the vulnerability of the populations living on the shores of the lower Zambezi River, the susceptibility of the territory to floods following episodes of extreme precipitation and variable frequency, determining floods with different magnitudes. The classification of the soil use shows a territory marked by agricultural and livestock activities, urban areas and resettlements resulting from previous floods. The cartography for large floods shows large areas of potential flooding, with informal settlements linked to the most fertile agricultural land. In the population’s perception about flood damage, stand out the economic and infrastructures impacts with both individual and collective impacts. The population affirms the improvement of the pre-emergency communication processes, through the warning and alert, determining less human and material losses, and the population refers to the existence of margin of improvement for the prevention and previous actions, namely of conscience for safer behaviors, and abandonment of the exposed areas. The results presented on the perception and the critical positioning of the stakeholders on flood risk point to the existence of a management model centered on technical skills, where the population is far from the process, and where there is a confrontation between the local and supra-local scale, policy implementation and resource availability. This group, organised in three different positioning profiles, highlights disturbances in evacuation, accommodation and recovery after floods, pointing to persuasive or sanctioning actions directed at the population, stimulating new practices and safer behaviours. It should also be noted that despite the existence of planning for the warning, alert and emergency, as well as the training of civil protection resources, the level of risk in the area of study remains high, depending on severity and probability, reflecting the existing low infrastructure, as well as social vulnerability or the rudimentary or informal levels of economic activity. This thesis presents an innovative analysis of the experiences, memories and a practice associated with floods in Mozambique using the Zambezi basin as a study reference and proposes a risk management model with a focus on communication and the integration of different types of knowledge and stakeholders.Universidade Pedagogica de Mocambique e Fundacao Calouste Gulbenkia