Effectiveness of biomaterial-based combination strategies for spinal cord repair – a systematic review and meta-analysis of preclinical literature

Funding This work was supported by the Institute of Medical Sciences of the University of Aberdeen, International Spinal Research Trust, Scottish Rugby Union, RS McDonald Charitable Trust and The European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme (Marie Skłodowska-Curie grant agreement no. 702213).Peer reviewedPublisher PD

Prevalence of Spinal Muscular Atrophy in the Era of Disease-Modifying Therapies: An Italian Nationwide Survey

Objective: Spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) is a neurodegenerative disorder caused by mutations in the SMN1 gene. The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence of SMA and treatment prescription in Italy. Methods: An online survey was distributed to 36 centers identified by the Italian government as referral centers for SMA. Data on the number of patients with SMA subdivided according to age, type, SMN2 copy number, and treatment were collected. Results: One thousand two hundred fifty-five patients with SMA are currently followed in the Italian centers with an estimated prevalence of 2.12/100,000. Of the 1,255, 284 were type I, 470 type II, 467 type III, and 15 type IV with estimated prevalence of 0.48, 0.79, 0.79 and 0.02/100,000, respectively. Three patients with SMA 0 and 16 presymptomatic patients were also included. Approximately 85% were receiving one of the available treatments. The percentage of treated patients decreased with decreasing severity (SMA I: 95.77%, SMA II: 85.11%, SMA III: 79.01%). Discussion: The results provide for the first time an estimate of the prevalence of SMA at the national level and the current distribution of patients treated with the available therapeutical options. These data provide a baseline to assess future changes in relation to the evolving therapeutical scenario

COVID-19 atypical Parsonage-Turner syndrome: a case report

Background Neurological manifestations of Sars-CoV-2 infection have been described since March 2020 and include both central and peripheral nervous system manifestations. Neurological symptoms, such as headache or persistent loss of smell and taste, have also been documented in COVID-19 long-haulers. Moreover, long lasting fatigue, mild cognitive impairment and sleep disorders appear to be frequent long term neurological manifestations after hospitalization due to COVID-19. Less is known in relation to peripheral nerve injury related to Sars-CoV-2 infection. Case presentation We report the case of a 47-year-old female presenting with a unilateral chest pain radiating to the left arm lasting for more than two months after recovery from Sars-CoV-2 infection. After referral to our post-acute outpatient service for COVID-19 long haulers, she was diagnosed with a unilateral, atypical, pure sensory brachial plexus neuritis potentially related to COVID-19, which occurred during the acute phase of a mild Sars-CoV-2 infection and persisted for months after resolution of the infection. Conclusions We presented a case of atypical Parsonage-Turner syndrome potentially triggered by Sars-CoV-2 infection, with symptoms and repercussion lasting after viral clearance. A direct involvement of the virus remains uncertain, and the physiopathology is unclear. The treatment of COVID-19 and its long-term consequences represents a relatively new challenge for clinicians and health care providers. A multidisciplinary approach to following-up COVID-19 survivors is strongly advised

TRY plant trait database – enhanced coverage and open access

Plant traits - the morphological, anatomical, physiological, biochemical and phenological characteristics of plants - determine how plants respond to environmental factors, affect other trophic levels, and influence ecosystem properties and their benefits and detriments to people. Plant trait data thus represent the basis for a vast area of research spanning from evolutionary biology, community and functional ecology, to biodiversity conservation, ecosystem and landscape management, restoration, biogeography and earth system modelling. Since its foundation in 2007, the TRY database of plant traits has grown continuously. It now provides unprecedented data coverage under an open access data policy and is the main plant trait database used by the research community worldwide. Increasingly, the TRY database also supports new frontiers of trait‐based plant research, including the identification of data gaps and the subsequent mobilization or measurement of new data. To support this development, in this article we evaluate the extent of the trait data compiled in TRY and analyse emerging patterns of data coverage and representativeness. Best species coverage is achieved for categorical traits - almost complete coverage for ‘plant growth form’. However, most traits relevant for ecology and vegetation modelling are characterized by continuous intraspecific variation and trait–environmental relationships. These traits have to be measured on individual plants in their respective environment. Despite unprecedented data coverage, we observe a humbling lack of completeness and representativeness of these continuous traits in many aspects. We, therefore, conclude that reducing data gaps and biases in the TRY database remains a key challenge and requires a coordinated approach to data mobilization and trait measurements. This can only be achieved in collaboration with other initiatives

Silkworm silk biomaterials for spinal cord repair : promise for combinatorial therapies

This work was supported by the Institute of Medical Sciences of the University of Aberdeen and Scottish Rugby UnionPeer reviewedPublisher PD

Classroom argumentation in a physical knowledge class for eight to ten years old students

This paper is concerned with the study of the argumentation of eight to ten years old students in a physical knowledge class. The analysis was carried out from the structural point of view, through the identification of the components present in isolated arguments, as well as looking for different ideas and searching for syntheses in the argumentation as a whole. It was also observed in which way the teacher conducted the discussion and a IRF discursive standard mainly elucidative was identified. This kind of discourse provided a cooperative space for the externalization of ideas, which allowed at the same time the respect for alternative explanations and the selfconfidence regarding of complementary arguments. Besides presenting many statements in their justifications, relating them to the data they gathered, students stated hypotheses from their conclusions and the proposed problem stimulated them not only to solve it but to try alternative solutions as well

RELAÇÕES ENTRE O DISCURSO DO PROFESSOR E A ARGUMENTAÇÃO DOS ALUNOS EM UMA AULA DE FÍSICA

Resumo: O presente trabalho é voltado para o estudo das interações discursivas que propiciam a argumentação dos alunos em aulas de Física - compreendendo a identificação tanto de componentes de seus argumentos, quanto de padrões discursivos determinados pelas intervenções do professor. São analisadas duas cenas dentro de um episódio de ensino extraído de uma seqüência de aulas relacionadas ao estudo do funcionamento do microondas, realizadas com alunos do primeiro ano do ensino médio. Nas duas cenas, os argumentos empregados pelos alunos contaram com refutações e também com a formulação de uma síntese das principais idéias discutidas. Este resultado foi atribuído tanto à apresentação de conhecimentos básicos por parte dos mesmos, quanto à alternância de padrões discursivos empregados pelo professor

RELAÇÕES ENTRE O DISCURSO DO PROFESSOR E A ARGUMENTAÇÃO DOS ALUNOS EM UMA AULA DE FÍSICA

Resumo: O presente trabalho é voltado para o estudo das interações discursivas que propiciam a argumentação dos alunos em aulas de Física - compreendendo a identificação tanto de componentes de seus argumentos, quanto de padrões discursivos determinados pelas intervenções do professor. São analisadas duas cenas dentro de um episódio de ensino extraído de uma seqüência de aulas relacionadas ao estudo do funcionamento do microondas, realizadas com alunos do primeiro ano do ensino médio. Nas duas cenas, os argumentos empregados pelos alunos contaram com refutações e também com a formulação de uma síntese das principais idéias discutidas. Este resultado foi atribuído tanto à apresentação de conhecimentos básicos por parte dos mesmos, quanto à alternância de padrões discursivos empregados pelo professor

Seed germination capability of four endemic species in the Central Apennines (Italy): Relationships with seed size

Seed germination capability of Adonis distorta, Androsace mathildae, Aquilegia magellensis and Campanula fragilis subsp. cavolinii endemic species of the Central Apennines (Italy) were analyzed. Seed traits varied significantly among the considered species. In particular, seed volume was the largest in Adonis (91.642 ± 16.851 mm3) and the lowest in Campanula (0.029 ± 0.008 mm3). The seed coat thickness ranged from 31 ± 10 μm in Adonis to 9 ± 1 μm in Campanula. Pretreatments were carried out to improve seed germination. Seed germination did not happen in Adonis and Androsace in response to the applied treatments (i.e., 0, 250, 500 ppm gibberelic acid, GA3) and the cold-wet stratification. A 65 % increase of germination was observed after the pre-treatment with 500 ppm GA3 in Aquilegia which could be justified by an endogenous non-deep physiological dormancy. The final germination percentage increased by 26% in Aquilegia and decreased by 89% in Campanula after the cold-wet stratification treatment. The obtained results were used to define germination protocols which could be used in reinforcement projects for the wild populations of the considered endemic species as a means of reducing their extinction risk