Clinical assessment of gait and functional mobility in Italian healthy and cognitively impaired older persons using wearable inertial sensors

Aim The main purpose of the present study was to verify the feasibility of wearable inertial sensors (IMUs) in a clinical setting to screen gait and functional mobility in Italian older persons. In particular, we intended to verify the capability of IMUs to discriminate individuals with and without cognitive impairments and assess the existence of significant correlations between mobility parameters extracted by processing trunk accelerations and cognitive status. Methods This is a cross-sectional study performed on 213 adults aged over 65 years (mean age 77.0 ± 5.4; 62% female) who underwent cognitive assessment (through Addenbrooke’s Cognitive Examination Revised, ACE-R) instrumental gait analysis and the Timed Up and Go (TUG) test carried out using a wearable IMU located in the lower back. Results Individualswithcognitiveimpairmentsexhibitapeculiargaitpattern,characterizedbysignificantreductionofspeed (− 34% vs. healthy individuals), stride length (− 28%), cadence (− 9%), and increase in double support duration (+ 11%). Slight, but significant changes in stance and swing phase duration were also detected. Poorer performances in presence of cognitive impairment were observed in terms of functional mobility as overall and sub-phase TUG times resulted significantly higher with respect to healthy individuals (overall time, + 38%, sub-phases times ranging from + 22 to + 34%), although with some difference associated with age. The severity of mobility alterations was found moderately to strongly correlated with the ACE-R score (Spearman’s rho = 0.58 vs. gait speed, 0.54 vs. stride length, 0.66 vs. overall TUG time). Conclusion The findings obtained in the present study suggest that wearable IMUs appear to be an effective solution for the clinical assessment of mobility parameters of older persons screened for cognitive impairments within a clinical setting. They may represent a useful tool for the clinician in verifying the effectiveness of interventions to alleviate the impact of mobility limitations on daily life in cognitively impaired individuals

Functional mobility in older women with and without motoric cognitive risk syndrome: a quantitative assessment using wearable inertial sensors

Background. The Motoric Cognitive Risk (MCR) syndrome is defined in non-demented older adults by cognitive complaints and slow gait. Individuals with MCR are at higher risk of dementia and other poor clinical outcomes, such as falls. However, no data are available as regards functional mobility alterations associated with MCR. The main purpose of the present study is to quantitatively investigate such an aspect using the instrumented Timed-Up-and-Go (iTUG) test carried out using a wearable inertial measurement unit (IMU). Methods. Fifty-one women aged over 65 years underwent a geriatric and neuropsychologic assessment (which included the Mini Mental State Examination, MMSE and Addenbrooke’s Cognitive Examination Revised, ACE-R), instrumented gait analysis and iTUG performed using an IMU located on the lower back. Based on subjective cognitive complaints and slow gait, they were assigned either to the MCR (n = 24) or non-MCR (n = 27) group. IMU data allowed calculation of overall and sub-phases iTUG times. Results. Women with MCR were characterized by a significantly higher body mass and body mass index, lower normalized handgrip strength, and similar values of MMSE compared to non-MCRs. A trend was observed in terms of lower overall and sub-domain ACE-R score. They also performed iTUG at a significantly slower speed (22.4 s vs 14.1 of the non-MCR group, p < 0.001) and exhibited increased sub-phase times (29 to 31% higher with respect to non-MCRs). Conclusions. The findings of the present study suggest that the MCR syndrome impairs functional mobility, probably due reduced muscular strength and coordination, fear of falling and increased instability. The instrumental evaluation of functional mobility appears useful in the management of women with MCR, particularly in monitoring the progression of the motor impairments, verifying the effectiveness of interventions targeted in alleviating the impact on daily life of mobility limitations associated with MCR and in defining tailored rehabilitation programs

The Impact of SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) and its Lockdown Measures on the Mental and Functional Health of Older Individuals

The effect of the COVID-19 on the physical and mental health of Italian older individuals displaying signs of cognitive deterioration has not been deeply investigated. This longi- tudinal study examined the impact of COVID-19 lockdown measures on the psychologi- cal well-being and motor efficiency of a sample of Italian community-dwellers with and without cognitive decline. Forty-seven participants underwent instrumental gait analysis performed in ecological setting using wearable sensors, and completed a battery of tasks assessing cognitive functioning and psychological well-being, before and after the full lockdown due to the COVID-19 spreading. A series of Multivariate Analyses of Variance (MANOVAs) documented that the superior gait performance of the cognitively healthy participants exhibited before the COVID-19 spread, vanished when they were tested at the end of the lockdown period. Moreover, before the outbreak of the COVID-19, cognitively healthy participants and those with signs of cognitive decline reported similar levels of psychological well-being, whereas, after the lockdown, the former group reported better coping, emotional competencies, and general well-being than the participants displaying signs of cognitive decline. In conclusion, the full COVID-19 outbreak had a significant impact on the mental and motor functioning of older individuals with and without signs of cognitive deterioration living in Italy

Atypical primary pulmonary meningioma: A report of a case suspected of being a lung metastasis

Primary extracranial and extraspinal meningiomas are very rare tumours, and primary pulmonary ones are even more uncommon. They present as a solitary pulmonary nodule, and most of them are benign, except for three cases. We describe a primitive atypical pulmonary meningioma first suspected of being a metastasis in a patient during follow-up ten years after therapy for breast cancer. © the authors; licensee ecancermedicalscience

Chamba es chamba, proyecto social en Instagram: estrategia de relanzamiento y rebranding

Este proyecto social tuvo como propósito el relanzamiento de la plataforma en Instagram llamada Chamba Es Chamba, dirigida a practicantes de la carrera de Ciencias de la Comunicación y afines; de Lima, Perú. Partiendo de la necesidad de muchos estudiantes por conseguir prácticas preprofesionales de calidad, especialmente durante la pandemia ocasionada por el COVID-19, se planificó y llevó a cabo un plan de acción ejecutado en un plazo de 6 meses. Este consistió en el desarrollo de una estrategia de marketing digital, formulada con los resultados de diversas encuestas y validaciones. Este proyecto demuestra que, conociendo al público objetivo, con una buena investigación y constante ejecución, se puede impactar la vida de las personas a través de la comunicación digital para que inicien su vida laboral exitosamente.This social project purpose was to relaunch the Instagram platform called Chamba Es Chamba, aimed at college students of the Communication Sciences subjects and related; from Lima, Peru. Based on the need of many students to get quality internships, especially during the pandemic caused by COVID-19, an action plan was planned and carried out within a period of 6 months. This consisted in the development of a digital marketing strategy, formulated with the results of various surveys and validations. This project shows that, knowing the target audience, with good research and constant execution, it can be possible to impact people's lives through digital communication so that they can start their working life successfully

Influence of <i>Moraxella</i> sp. colonization on the kidney proteome of farmed gilthead sea breams (<i>Sparus aurata</i>, L.)

Background: Currently, presence of Moraxella sp. in internal organs of fish is not considered detrimental for fish farming. However, bacterial colonization of internal organs can affect fish wellness and decrease growth rate, stress resistance, and immune response. Recently, there have been reports by farmers concerning slow growth, poor feed conversion, and low average weight increase of fish farmed in offshore floating sea cages, often associated with internal organ colonization by Moraxella sp. Therefore, presence of these opportunistic bacteria deserves further investigations for elucidating incidence and impact on fish metabolism. Results: A total of 960 gilthead sea breams (Sparus aurata, L.), collected along 17 months from four offshore sea cage plants and two natural lagoons in Sardinia, were subjected to routine microbiological examination of internal organs throughout the production cycle. Thirteen subjects (1.35%) were found positive for Moraxella sp. in the kidney (7), brain (3), eye (1), spleen (1), and perivisceral fat (1). In order to investigate the influence of Moraxella sp. colonization, positive and negative kidney samples were subjected to a differential proteomics study by means of 2-D PAGE and mass spectrometry. Interestingly, Moraxella sp. infected kidneys displayed a concerted upregulation of several mitochondrial enzymes compared to negative tissues, reinforcing previous observations following lipopolysaccharide (LPS) challenge in fish. Conclusions: Presence of Moraxella sp. in farmed sea bream kidney is able to induce proteome alterations similar to those described following LPS challenge in other fish species. This study revealed that Moraxella sp. might becausing metabolic alterations in fish, and provided indications on proteins that could be investigated as markers of infection by Gram-negative bacteria within farming plants

A novel A33 promoter-based conditionally replicative adenovirus suppresses tumor growth and eradicates hepatic metastases in human colon cancer models

Purpose: A33 antigen is a membrane-bound protein expressed in intestinal epithelium that is overexpressed in 95% of primary and metastatic colorectal carcinomas but is absent in most epithelial tissues and tumor types. We hypothesized that A33 promoter might be useful in the design of a conditionally replicative adenovirus for the treatment of colorectal cancer (CRC). Experimental Design: We cloned an A33 promoter fragment (A33Pr) that extends from -105 to +307 bp. Using luciferase activity as a reporter gene, we showed that A33Pr was active inCRC cell lines. We next constructed a conditionally replicative adenovirus named AV22EL where E1A was placed under the control of A33Pr. The tumor-specific oncolytic effect of AV22EL was investigated both in vitro and in vivo. Results: AV22EL induced specific in vitro lysis of human CRC cell lines that expressed A33 and have negligible lytic capacity on cells that lacked or hadminimal A33 expression, including normal human colonic cells. In vivo, a marked reduction of tumor growth and increased long-term survival rates were observed in nude mice xenografted with s.c. CRC tumors. Combination with 5-fluorouracil induced an additive effect in vitro with no toxic effects in vivo. Remarkably, AV22EL completely eliminated established hepatic metastases in >90% of mice and restored hepatic function according to biochemical parameters. Its systemic administration induced E1A expression only in the hepatic metastasis but not in normal organs. Conclusions: These data show that AV22EL is a stringently regulated and potent oncolytic agent for the treatment of CRC.Facultad de Ciencias Veterinaria

Validation of a multidimensional scale to measure work-related stress in Argentine workers

El estrés relacionado con el trabajo o estrés laboral constituye un tema central en salud y seguridad ocupacional. A lo largo de los últimos años, numerosas investigaciones han advertido acerca del impacto negativo de este fenómeno no solo sobre la salud y el bienestar de los trabajadores, sino también sobre la productividad y el funcionamiento armónico de las organizaciones. Tales efectos perjudiciales producen, a su vez, cuantiosas pérdidas económicas anuales, a nivel tanto estatal como organizacional. Frente a este panorama, en 2004, el Ejecutivo de Salud y Seguridad del Reino Unido desarrolló el Instrumento Indicador de Estándares de Gestión (IIGE - Health and Safety Executive’s Management Standards Indicator Tool; Cousins et al., 2004), un cuestionario autodescriptivo integrado por 35 ítems que exploran siete factores de riesgo psicosocial asociados con el estrés laboral: demandas, control, apoyo de la gestión, apoyo de pares, relaciones interpersonales negativas, claridad de rol y cambio organizacional. Si bien este instrumento ha sido validado en Reino Unido, Italia, Irlanda e Irán, mostrando destacadas propiedades psicométricas, hasta la fecha no se registran validaciones en países latinoamericanos. En vista de esta deficiencia en el conocimiento, el objetivo del presente estudio fue adaptar y validar el Instrumento Indicador de Estándares de Gestión para su empleo con trabajadores argentinos. Con tal propósito, se llevó a cabo un estudio empírico, cuantitativo, instrumental, de corte transversal. Participaron 532 trabajadores (56.6% mujeres), con una media de edad de 34.6 años (DE = 10.3) y una media de antigüedad laboral de 4.2 años, pertenecientes a diferentes organizaciones públicas (29.5%) y privadas (70.5%) radicadas en Rafaela, Rosario y sus respectivas zonas de influencia, provincia de Santa Fe, Argentina. Las/os trabajadores completaron un cuadernillo integrado por la versión adaptada al español del Instrumento Indicador de Estándares de Gestión, una sección de datos sociodemográficos y reconocidas escalas para medir variables psicosociales vinculadas con el estrés laboral. La participación fue totalmente anónima, confidencial y voluntaria, requiriéndose la firma de un formulario de consentimiento informado.Work-related stress (also known as job stress or occupational stress) is a central issue in occupational health and safety. Over recent years, numerous studies have warned about the negative impact of this phenomenon not only on workers’ health and well-being, but also on the harmonious functioning and productivity of organizations. Such negative effects produce, in turn, large annual economic losses at the state and organizational level. Considering this state of affairs, in 2004, the UK Health and Safety Executive developed the Management Standards Indicator Tool (Cousins ​​et al., 2004), a self-report measure composed of 35 items that explore seven psychosocial risk factors associated with work-related stress: demands, control, manager’s support, peer support, negative interpersonal relationships, role clarity, and organizational change. Although this instrument has been validated in the UK, Italy, Ireland, and Iran, showing good psychometric properties, to date no validations have been conducted in Latin American countries. In view of this lack of knowledge, the objective of the present study was to adapt and to validate the HSE’s Management Standards Indicator Tool for use with Argentine workers. In order to achieve this purpose, an empirical, quantitative, instrumental, cross-sectional study was carried out. Participants were 532 employees (56.6% women), with a mean age of 34.6 years (SD = 10.3) and a median tenure of 4.2 years, who belonged to different public (29.5%) and private organizations (70.5%) based in Rafaela, Rosario and their spheres of influence, in the province of Santa Fe, Argentina. Participants completed a questionnaire containing the Spanish version of the Management Standards Indicator Tool, a section of sociodemographic data, and a set of validated measures to assess different psychosocial variables associated with work-related stress. Participation was anonymous, confidential, and voluntary, and required the signing of an informed consent form.Facultad de Psicologí

Influence of Moraxella sp. colonization on the kidney proteome of farmed gilthead sea breams (Sparus aurata, L.)

Background: Currently, presence of Moraxella sp. in internal organs of fish is not considered detrimental for fish farming. However, bacterial colonization of internal organs can affect fish wellness and decrease growth rate, stress resistance, and immune response. Recently, there have been reports by farmers concerning slow growth, poor feed conversion, and low average weight increase of fish farmed in offshore floating sea cages, often associated with internal organ colonization by Moraxella sp. Therefore, presence of these opportunistic bacteria deserves further investigations for elucidating incidence and impact on fish metabolism. Results: A total of 960 gilthead sea breams (Sparus aurata, L.), collected along 17 months from four offshore sea cage plants and two natural lagoons in Sardinia, were subjected to routine microbiological examination of internal organs throughout the production cycle. Thirteen subjects (1.35%) were found positive for Moraxella sp. in the kidney (7), brain (3), eye (1), spleen (1), and perivisceral fat (1). In order to investigate the influence of Moraxella sp. colonization, positive and negative kidney samples were subjected to a differential proteomics study by means of 2-D PAGE and mass spectrometry. Interestingly, Moraxella sp. infected kidneys displayed a concerted upregulation of several mitochondrial enzymes compared to negative tissues, reinforcing previous observations following lipopolysaccharide (LPS) challenge in fish. Conclusions: Presence of Moraxella sp. in farmed sea bream kidney is able to induce proteome alterations similar to those described following LPS challenge in other fish species. This study revealed that Moraxella sp. might be causing metabolic alterations in fish, and provided indications on proteins that could be investigated as markers of infection by Gram-negative bacteria within farming plants.Pubblicat

Biological and Molecular Heterogeneity of Breast Cancers Correlates with Their Cancer Stem Cell Content

SummaryPathways that govern stem cell (SC) function are often subverted in cancer. Here, we report the isolation to near purity of human normal mammary SCs (hNMSCs), from cultured mammospheres, on the basis of their ability to retain the lipophilic dye PKH26 as a consequence of their quiescent nature. PKH26-positive cells possess all the characteristics of hNMSCs. The transcriptional profile of PKH26-positive cells (hNMSC signature) was able to predict biological and molecular features of breast cancers. By using markers of the hNMSC signature, we prospectively isolated SCs from the normal gland and from breast tumors. Poorly differentiated (G3) cancers displayed higher content of prospectively isolated cancer SCs (CSCs) than did well-differentiated (G1) cancers. By comparing G3 and G1 tumors in xenotransplantation experiments, we directly demonstrated that G3s are enriched in CSCs. Our data support the notion that the heterogeneous phenotypical and molecular traits of human breast cancers are a function of their CSC content