ABSTRACT
The use of robotic technologies in neurorehabilitation is growing, because they allow highly repeatable exercise protocols and patient-tailored therapies. However, there is a lack of objective methods for assessing these technologies, which makes it difficult to determine their value in rehabilitation settings. While there exist many outcome measurements for motor assessment from a clinical standpoint (such as the Fugl-Meyer scale), the evaluation of performance and clinical benefits of technology for rehabilitation still lacks a standardized approach from a technical standpoint.In this work, we describe NeBULA (Neuromechanical Biomarkers for Upper Limb Assessment), a benchmarking platform for evaluating robotic technology for upper limb neurorehabilitation. By utilizing standardized neuromechanical biomarkers, NeBULA aims at providing a groundwork for assessing and comparing neurorehabilitation robots. We describe its implementation and preliminary results assessing a novel upper limb exoskeleton.Clinical Relevance- Standardized evaluation of neurorehabilitation robots can lead to better patient outcomes, optimizing resources by identifying the most effective technology and by boosting their use in clinical practice. This would provide quantitative and objective information to complement clinical motor evaluation - preventing suboptimal treatments and ensuring that patients receive personalized care. It can also facilitate the transfer of technologyto clinics, identifying the most promising ones for further investment and research.
Subject(s)
Neurological Rehabilitation , Robotic Surgical Procedures , Robotics , Humans , Robotics/methods , Benchmarking , Upper Extremity , BiomarkersABSTRACT
Com o objetivo de diagnosticar a situação do complexo teníase-cisticercose bovina em Minas Gerais, Brasil, foi selecionado o município de São João Evangelista, onde foram coletadas amostras de sangue de 339 bovinos em 15 propriedades rurais, sorteadas aleatoriamente. Em cada propriedade, foi aplicado um questionário socioeconômico para a análise de fatores que favorecem a manutenção do complexo teníase-cisticercose bovina. Foi realizado também o diagnóstico de teníase humana por meio de exame coproparasitológico dos habitantes das propriedades. Encontrou-se a prevalência de 4,1% para cisticercose bovina e a frequência de 2,94% para teníase humana. Entre os fatores de risco para a manutenção do complexo teníase-cisticercose analisados, foi observada uma relação estatisticamente significativa (P=0,042) entre a ocorrência de cisticercose bovina e a ingestão de carne malpassada pelos entrevistados. Concluiu-se que a cisticercose bovina está presente no município de São João Evangelista, MG, em índices considerados endêmicos, sendo o consumo de carne malpassada e não inspecionada o principal fator de risco para a manutenção do complexo teníase-cisticercose, o que reforça a necessidade da adoção de medidas de controle com contínua vigilância epidemiológica e sanitária.
In order to diagnose the situation of bovine taeniasis-cysticercosis complex in the state of Minas Gerais, Brazil, the city of São João Evangelista was selected, and blood samples were collected from 339 cattle in 15 randomly selected farms. A socioeconomic questionnaire was filled in each property for the analysis of the factors that favor the maintenance of the taeniasis-cysticercosis complex. Additionally, there was the diagnosis of human taeniasis verified by stool examinations of the properties' inhabitants. A prevalence of 4.1% for bovine cysticercosis and the frequency of 2.94% for human taeniasis were found. Among the risk factors, a statistically significant relation (p = 0.042) was found between the occurrence of bovine cysticercosis and the ingestion of undercooked meat. It was concluded that bovine cysticercosis is broadly distributed in the city of São João Evangelista, with rates considered endemic, being the consumption of raw and not-inspected meat the main risk factors for the maintenance of complex taeniasis-cysticercosis, reinforcing the need to adopt control measures with continuous epidemiological and health surveillance.
Subject(s)
Animals , Cattle , Cysticercosis/diagnosis , Cysticercosis/veterinary , Risk Factors , Taeniasis/diagnosis , Taeniasis/veterinary , Endemic Diseases/prevention & control , Endemic Diseases/veterinary , Health SurveysABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: We described the electroclinical features, evolution and family history of two patients with definitive diagnosis of pyridoxine dependency. CASE REPORTS: The first patient is a 15-month-old girl who at 1 month of age started with seizures and irritability. At two months of age, pyridoxine was prescribed with a good control of seizures. At five months of age withdrawal response provoked 7 days after seizures recurrence. Pyridoxine was reintroduced and seizures disappeared. Her sister, at two months of age, started with refractory seizures. This sister also had mental retardation and at four years, she died. Her brother, 16 years old, presents mental retardation, refractory epilepsy and progressive motor and cognitive impairment. At 3 months of age, he started with seizures and at 15 years of age, pyridoxine was prescribed with a significative improvement the number of seizures and a better visual connection. The second patient is a 4-month-old girl who started with clonic seizures at 3 days of age and she had a good response to pyridoxine. Withdrawal response provoked seizure recurrence at 48 hours. Pyridoxine was introduced immediately with total control of seizures. She had two cousins with seizures who died at 3 months and 3 years of age respectively. CONCLUSION: When dealing with an infant with refractory seizures which start in the first two years of life and without etiology, we should consider the diagnosis of pyridoxine dependency. Early diagnosis and treatment with pyridoxine is crucial to avoid high risk morbidity and mortality. All infants in the two first years of life with refractory seizures without etiology must be prescribed oral pyridoxine (50-200 mg per day).
Subject(s)
Pyridoxine/physiology , Seizures/etiology , Female , Humans , Infant , Pyridoxine/therapeutic use , Seizures/diagnosis , Seizures/drug therapy , Time FactorsABSTRACT
Objective. We described the electroclinical features, evolution and family history of two patients with definitive diagnosis of pyridoxine dependency. Case reports. The first patient is a 15-month-old girl who at 1 month of age started with seizures and irritability. At two months of age, pyridoxine was prescribed with a good control of seizures. At five months of age withdrawal response provoked 7 days after seizures recurrence. Pyridoxine was reintroduced and seizures disappeared. Her sister, at two months of age, started with refractory seizures. This sister also had mental retardation and at four years, she died. Her brother, 16 years old, presents mental retardation, refractory epilepsy and progressive motor and cognitive impairment. At 3 months of age, he started with seizures and at 15 years of age, pyridoxine was prescribed with a significative improvement the number of seizures and a better visual connection. The second patient is a 4-month-old girl who started with clonic seizures at 3 days of age and she had a good response to pyridoxine. Withdrawal response provoked seizure recurrence at 48 hours. Pyridoxine was introduced immediately with total control of seizures. She had two cousins with seizures who died at 3 months and 3 years of age respectively. Conclusion. When dealing with an infant with refractory seizures which start in the first two years of life and without etiology, we should consider the diagnosis of piridoxine dependency. Early diagnosis and treatment with piridoxine is crucial to avoid high risk morbility and mortality. All infants in the two first years of life with refractory seizures without etiology must be prescribed oral pyridoxine (AU)
Objetivo. Describimos las características clínicas, electroencefalográficas y evolutivas y los antecedentes familiares de dos pacientes con diagnóstico definitivo de dependencia de piridoxina (DP). Casos clínicos. El primer paciente, de sexo femenino, de 15 meses de edad, inició con convulsiones e irritabilidad al mes de vida. A los dos meses de vida inicia el tratamiento con vitamina B6, y logra un control total de las crisis. A los cinco meses de edad se realizó la prueba de suspensión de la vitamina B6 y reinició las convulsiones a los siete días, por lo que se reintrodujo la misma. Su hermana, con convulsiones refractarias al tratamiento desde los dos meses de edad y retardo mental, falleció a los 4 años. Su hermano vivo, de 16 años de edad, presentó epilepsia intratable desde los tres meses de vida y deterioro progresivo motor e intelectual. A los 15 años de edad se le indicó vitamina B6, con una disminución significativa del número de crisis y una mejoría de su grado de conexión visual. El segundo paciente, mujer de cuatro meses de edad e hija única, comenzó con clonías generalizadas desde los tres días de vida, con una excelente respuesta a la piridoxina; se reiniciaron las mismas a las 48 h de suspendida, y desaparecieron una vez reintroducida la vitamina B6. Tuvo dos primos hermanos con convulsiones, fallecidos a los tres meses y tres años, respectivamente. Conclusión. El diagnóstico de DP debe considerarse en un lactante con convulsiones refractarias de inicio en los dos primeros años de vida y sin etiología reconocida. El diagnóstico precoz y el tratamiento con vitamina B6 es crucial para evitar los altos riesgos de morbilidad y mortalidad. Por lo tanto, en todo lactante menor de dos años con convulsiones refractarias, sin etiología determinada, debemos indicar piridoxina por vía oral (50200 mg/día) (AU)
Subject(s)
Humans , Female , Infant , Time Factors , Pyridoxine , SeizuresABSTRACT
Con frecuencia nos encontramos con comentarios, especialmente en la prensa general, sobre los efectos en la salud humana de los campos electromagnéticos y las posibles consecuencias de las emisiones de radiofrecuencia, en relación con la telefonía móvil. En este artículo se hace una toma de contacto con la presencia de estos elementos en entornos laborales y urbanos (AU)
Subject(s)
Adult , Male , Humans , Telephone , Radiation , Radioactive Hazard Release/prevention & control , Radioactive Hazard Release/trends , Radiation Effects , Risk Assessment , 16136 , Primary Health Care/organization & administration , Primary Health Care/trends , Primary Health Care , Nervous System/pathologyABSTRACT
Failure of the hepatic allograft continues to be a serious life-threatening risk for the recipient. Because no effective method of extracorporeal support is available for these patients, early retransplantation is the only alternative that offers the potential for survival. The aim of this prospective analysis was to search for a predictor of primary non-function of hepatic allografts before reperfusion. From March to June 1993 we investigated 19 liver biopsies which were obtained during the preparation of the donor liver in the back table bath immediately before the implantation of the organ. All organs were preserved by UW solution. Biopsies were stored at -80 degrees C, the working-up process was started by dividing the biopsy into several portions for the determination of fat (petrol-ether extraction), water (weighing before thawing and after drying) and free amino acids (OPA-HPLC method). Graft function was categorized into three groups: (1) good function; (2) fair function; (3) primary non-function (PNF). In addition to known risk factors for delayed graft function such as a long stay of the donor in intensive care and a prolonged anhepatic period of the recipient, we were able to demonstrate that organs with malfunction had a higher fat and water content. Donor livers developing PNF showed a trend towards higher total and subdivided amino acids, which could be explained by the incapacity of the liver to utilize available substrates for gluconeogenesis.
Subject(s)
Liver Transplantation/adverse effects , Liver/pathology , Organ Preservation , Biopsy , Cold Temperature , Humans , Prospective StudiesABSTRACT
Spontaneous diabetes mellitus was diagnosed in six of 126, 13-lined ground squirrels, Citellus tridecemlineatus. Serum glucose values were significantly higher in the diabetic ground squirrels than in the non-diabetic ground squirrels, while serum insulin values of fasted diabetic squirrels were significantly lower than fasted nondiabetic ground squirrels. In addition, the classic diabetic signs of poly-dipsia, polyuria, glycosuria, ketonuria, polyphasia, and weight loss were present. The proportion of islet tissue to total pancreatic area in diabetic ground squirrels was less than 25% of that in the nondiabetic ground squirrels. Both the number and size of the islets of Langerhans in diabetic ground squirrels were less than those in nondiabetic ground squirrels.
