Seated postural control measure: Italian translation and validation in children with cerebral palsy.

BACKGROUND: Seating interventions are part of the postural management program recommended for children with Cerebral Palsy (CP) who are nonambulatory or have difficulty in walking. The lack of validated outcome measures for assessing seating interventions limits access to obtain valid and comparable data internationally. OBJECTIVE: To translate the Seated Postural Control Measure (SPCM) into Italian and assess reliability and validity of the translated measure in a population of children with CP. STUDY DESIGN: Cross-sectional and repeated measures study. METHODS: The original version of the SPCM was translated and culturally adapted by a multidisciplinary team according to international guidelines. Internal consistency was examined with Cronbach's alpha. Both inter- and intrarater reliabilities were estimated using intraclass correlation coefficients with 95% confidence intervals. Intrarater reliability was estimated over a 1-week period. Convergent construct validity was investigated by comparing SPCM values with the Level of Sitting Scale, the Gross Motor Function Classification System, and the Manual Ability Classification System using Pearson's correlation coefficients. RESULTS: The Italian version of the SPCM (IT-SPCM) was evaluated on 72 children with CP aged 4-18 years. Cronbach's alpha was 0.83, 0.95, and 0.93 for IT-SPCM alignment subscale, IT-SPCM functioning subscale, and total score, respectively. Reliability for IT-SPCM total score was high for both inter- and intrarater reliabilities (0.95 and 0.93). The IT-SPCM total score was moderately correlated with the Level of Sitting Scale (0.37), Gross Motor Function Classification System (-0.41), and Manual Ability Classification System (-0.56). CONCLUSION: Preliminary evidence supports the reliability and validity of using IT-SPCM with a population of children with CP.

Dispersion of the invasive common carp Cyprinus carpio in southern South America: changes and expectations, westward and southward.

Common carp Cyprinus carpio possess multiple traits that contribute to their success as an invasive species. They have been introduced across the globe, and abundant populations can have numerous negative effects. Although ecological niche-based modelling techniques have been used to predict the potential range of C. carpio invasion in U.S.A., occurrence and abundance patterns have not yet been considered on a regional scale. In the present review new locations are documented, the status of the southernmost population has been studied and the probability of new lakes and reservoirs being colonized by C. carpio has been obtained and related to environmental conditions. The new localities for C. carpio have expanded its distribution westward, into the Andean Region, and present results from the South American southernmost population have shown a well-established population. Analysis of presence data provided two principal results: (1) the probability of a site being with C. carpio can be inferred using environmental variables and (2) the probability of a site being with C. carpio is a useful tool for the prediction of future invasions. Selective fishing on the Negro basin could constitute a potential mitigation measure, decreasing the abundance of the species and thus reducing the species' potential for southward expansion. These results reinforce the idea that artisanal fisheries, food production and conservation interests should be taken into account by local government management agencies in any discussion regarding the southern distribution of C. carpio in the near future.

Association of psoriasis and/or psoriatic arthritis with autoimmune diseases: the experience of two Italian integrated Dermatology/Rheumatology outpatient clinics.

BACKGROUND: The systemic nature of psoriasis and its association with arthropathy, metabolic syndrome and cardiovascular disease is well established. In contrast, the association between psoriatic disease and other autoimmune disorders is still a matter of debate and data available in the literature are scarce. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to examine the association of common autoimmune diseases (ADs), specified a priori, in an Italian cohort of patients affected by psoriasis and/or psoriatic arthritis (PsA), referred to two integrated Dermatology/Rheumatology outpatient clinics, over a 3-year period. METHODS: Five hundred and two patients, affected by plaque psoriasis, PsA 'sine psoriasis' or a combination of psoriasis and PsA and with a diagnosis of at least one AD, were retrospectively evaluated. Univariate and multivariate binary logistic regression was employed to identify possible association between psoriasis, PsA, psoriasis-PsA and ADs, by calculating corresponding odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals. RESULTS: Patients with psoriasis or PsA may develop one or more autoimmune diseases during their lifetime, with a higher prevalence of most ADs in psoriasis subgroup. We demonstrated for the first time that the combination of psoriasis-PsA appears to be protective towards some autoimmune diseases. However, a gender effect should always be considered due to the different distribution of autoimmune disorders between males and females. CONCLUSION: The new concept of psoriatic disease, focusing on genetic and molecular aspects which are at the basis of the pathogenesis of psoriasis and its related manifestations, extended the traditional idea of a disease confined to skin and joints. In this context, the multidisciplinary assessment of patients in the combined Dermatology/Rheumatology outpatient clinics would allow to identify early clinical and laboratory abnormalities not limited to skin and joint.

Monitoreo de la contaminación por acuicultura intensiva en el embalse Alicurá

La cría de salmónidos en jaulas flotantes en el embalse Alicurá es una actividad productiva que debe ser controlada a fin de minimizar sus consecuencias contaminantes y obtener una producción sostenida en el tiempo

Monitoreo de la contaminación por acuicultura intensiva en el embalse Alicurá

La cría de salmónidos en jaulas flotantes en el embalse Alicurá es una actividad productiva que debe ser controlada a fin de minimizar sus consecuencias contaminantes y obtener una producción sostenida en el tiempo