Disability, quality of life, personality, cognitive and psychological variables associated with fatigue in patients with multiple sclerosis.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the associations between function, quality of life, personality, cognitive and psychological outcomes with fatigue in patients with MS. METHODS: One hundred and eight patients (54% women) with definite MS participated. MS-related fatigue was assessed with the Fatigue Impact Scale (FIS). Demographic and clinical data (weight, height, medication and history of pain), specific disease outcomes (Functional Assessment of Multiple Sclerosis/FAMS), general disease outcomes (Beck Depression Inventory/BDI-II, and Short-Form Health Survey 36/SF-36) and personality (NEO Five-Factor Inventory/NEOFFI) were assessed. Correlation and regression analyses were performed to determine associations between variables. RESULTS: A significant positive correlation existed between the FIS and EDSS (r=0.190; P<0.05). Significant negative correlations between the FIS with specific disease (FAMS mobility: r=-0.333, P<0.01; FAMS symptoms: r=-0.443, P<0.01; FAMS emotional well-being: r=-0.412, P<0.01; FAMS general contentment: r=-0.325, P<. 01; and, FAMS thinking/fatigue: r=-0.706, P<0.01); general disease (all domains SF36: -0.508

Empleo de sistemas de realidad virtual sobre la extremidad superior en niños con parálisis cerebral. Revisión de la literatura / Use of virtual reality systems on the upper limbs in children with cerebral palsy. A literature review

El objetivo fue revisar la efectividad del empleo de los sistemas de realidad virtual (RV) en la mejora de la funcionalidad del miembro superior en niños con parálisis cerebral, mediante una revisión de la literatura científica. Se realizó una búsqueda bibliográfica en las principales bases de datos desde 2005 a 2011. Se evaluó el nivel de evidencia científica y el grado de recomendación mediante la Escala Modificada de Marzo y Viana. Los resultados sugieren mejoras en la funcionalidad de la extremidad superior, la cinemática de alcance, la calidad de movimiento, la movilidad activa, la motricidad fina, así como en determinadas actividades básicas de la vida diaria. Sin embargo, las limitaciones metodológicas de los estudios incluidos justifican una lectura cuidadosa de los resultados. Por ello, es fundamental abrir nuevas líneas de investigación comparando el empleo de RV con otros métodos específicos de intervención de fisioterapia neurológica (AU)

This study has aimed to review the literature on the effectiveness of the use of virtual reality systems (RV) to improve the functionality of the upper limb in children with cerebral palsy. A search was made of the literature from 2005 to 2011 in the major databases. Level of scientific evidence and the grade of recommendation by the Marzo and Viana Modified Scale were evaluated. The results suggest that there are improvements in functionality of the upper limb, kinematics of reaching, quality of movement, active mobility, fine motor control and in certain basic activities of daily living. However, the methodological limitations of the studies included justify a careful reading of these results. Therefore, new research lines must be opened to compare the use of RV with specific methods of intervention of neurological physiotherapy (AU)

Telerrehabilitación y neurología / Telerehabilitation and neurology

Introducción. La telerrehabilitación hace referencia a la prestación de servicios de rehabilitación por medio de sistemas electrónicos, basados en las tecnologías de información y comunicación. El desarrollo de estas tecnologías ha convertido a la telemedicina en una realidad, permitiendo extender la atención rehabilitadora más allá del ámbito hospitalario. El objetivo del presente trabajo es analizar las posibilidades reales, la evidencia científica y las limitaciones de los sistemas de telerrehabilitación en el paciente neurológico. Desarrollo. Se expone el estado actual de la telemedicina y la telerrehabilitación en España, así como la problemática asociada a dichas modalidades terapéuticas. Se describen los principales proyectos de telerrehabilitación, como el H-CAD, el HELLO-DOC o el THRIVE, y la evidencia de dichos sistemas en el tratamiento rehabilitador de la enfermedad de Parkinson, el traumatismo craneoencefálico, la esclerosis múltiple, el lesionado medular y el paciente con ictus. Se enumeran las ventajas, limitaciones y líneas de investigación desarrolladas en la actualidad. Conclusiones. Los sistemas de telerrehabilitación que se han normalizado e integrado en los programas de prestación sanitaria en nuestro país son ciertamente muy escasos. Es necesario desarrollar herramientas y técnicas de evaluación para salvar las limitaciones metodológicas que podrían estar enmascarando los posibles beneficios de estos programas (AU)

Introduction. Telemedicine is the application of telemedicine. There is not a new branch of medicine, but a way of exercising through systems that seek to alleviate the physical separation of its protagonists. There are many activities closely related to telemedicine, such as the telecare of socio-distance services, telehealth, which is responsible for increasing the welfare and health of individuals, teleeducation (health) and telesurgery. Development. The neurorehabilitation is a process designed to reduce disability and social disadvantage suffered by a person as a result of a neurological disease, in which the telerehabilitation is positioning as a therapeutic measure. The telerehabilitation refers to the provision of rehabilitation services through electronic systems, based on information and communication technologies. Conclusions. The development of these technologies have made telemedicine a reality, enabling extended rehabilitative care beyond the hospitalarian process, in a ecologic environment, where new constraints detect and evaluate the effectiveness of the intervention, compared with the activities of daily living and quality of life of patients at a sustainable cost, is a challenge today. However, current evidence of telerehabilitation measures in neurological patients is scarce in our country, so is necessary a larger number of studies focusing on the validity, reliability, effectiveness and efficiency of the technique (AU)

Electron beam ionization induced oxidative enzymatic activities in pepper (Capsicum annuum L.), associated with ultrastructure cellular damages.

Mature green pepper fruits (Capsicum annuum L.) were subjected to ionizing radiation, in the range of 1-7 kGy, with accelerated electrons. Ultrastructural changes by electron microscopy, and the activity of several oxidative metabolism-related enzymes such as superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), ascorbate peroxidase (APX), guaicol peroxidase (POX), and lipoxygenase (LOX), were determined in pericarp tissue just after the ionization treatment and during postionization storage at 7 degrees C followed by 3 days at 20 degrees C. Changes in oxidative stress during the ionization treatment was assessed by the accumulation of malondyaldehide (MDA), a lipid peroxidation product. The ionization induced modifications in the cell ultrastructure, a moderate separation of the plasma membrane from the cell wall being observed for all doses. At 5 and 7 kGy, peroxisomes were not detected and the structures of the chloroplast and vacuoles were seriously damaged. Lipid peroxidation and lipoxygenase activity increased with the ionization dose, staying constant and decreasing, respectively, during the storage period. Conversely, catalase, ascorbate peroxidase, and superoxide dismutase had lower values than in nonionized fruits and, in general, their values did not change or diminished slightly from the seventh day of storage. Peroxidase exhibited an increase in activity with the ionization dose, although these was not a linear relationship, with higher values at 3kGy. Ionization of pepper, especially at doses of 5 and 7 kGy, caused a significant oxidative damage in the fruit, since it increased oxidation and decreased the antioxidant enzymatic defense systems causing ultrastructural changes at cell level.

Cd-induced oxidative burst in tobacco BY2 cells: time course, subcellular location and antioxidant response.

The relation between Cd and oxidative stress in BY2 cell cultures of tobacco was studied. In response to 5 mM Cd, a rapid generation of H2O2 has been detected in tobacco cell cultures by the oxidative quenching of the fluorescent reporter dye pyranine. This oxidative burst reached the maximum production of H2O2 after 10 min of treatment with Cd. This response could be considered as short term hypersensitive response previous to the oxidative stress caused by the metal at the cell plasma membrane. The observed antioxidant enzymatic response to the oxidative burst was preceded by an increased peroxidation of lipids with a significant increase in the activities of superoxide dismutase and ascorbate peroxidase. The results presented in this study point out to the plasma membrane as the primary target for the short term production of activated oxygen species in response to Cd in BY2 tobacco cells followed by a coordinated activation of the antioxidant enzymatic system.

Superoxide Dismutases from a Citrus Plant: Presence of Two Iron-containing Isoenzymes in Leaves of Lemon Trees (Citrus limonum L.).

Superoxide dismutases (EC 1.15.1.1) in leaves from a Citrus plant (Citrus limonum L.) were characterized for the first time using polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. The three molecular forms of the enzyme were distinguished from each other by their varying sensitivity to cyanide and H(2)O(2). Leaf extracts from lemon leaves contained at least five electrophoretically distinct SOD isozymes: two Cu,Zn-superoxide dismutases, one Mn-superoxide dismutase and, interestingly, two Fe-containing superoxide dismutases, a type of superoxide dismutase mainly found in procaryotic organisms. The two Fe-SODs were further identified by nutritional experiments. In higher plants, ferric SODs have only been found thus far in three families (Gingkoaceae, Nymphaceae, and Cruciferae) and this is the first report of the presence of two Fe-SODs in a citrus plant, species which are phylogenetically distant from these families. Results obtained may be useful from an evolutionary standpoint and also in mineral nutrition studies using superoxide dismutase isoenzymes as combined markers of functionally active Mn, Fe, Cu, and Zn involved in the plant cell metabolism.