USING THE SENSORY INTEGRATION TECHNIQUE FOR PEOPLE WITH AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDERS DURING TRAINING AT THE CLIMBING SECTION.

OBJECTIVE: Aim: To analyze the practical application of the sensory integration technique for individuals with autism spectrum disorder at a climbing section, and to investigate the impact of physical activity on improving their proprioceptive and vestibular systems. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Materials and Methods: The method of included participant observation at the climbing classes with constant recording the behavior (desirable and undesirable) was used. The sensory screening (developed by J. Ayres) was applied for recording and determining the sensory systems of the people with ASD before the start of training and again after a month. The scale of Sensory Integration and Praxis Tests (SIPT) was used for assessing certain aspects of participants' sensory processing or perception according to the goals set during the climbing classes. RESULTS: Results: The results of the research showed that the application of the sensory integration technique for individuals with ACD at a climbing section promoted the dynamics of changes in their sensory system during training considering the characteristics of their sensory system. The positive changes were observed in the way the people with ACD felt about their own bodies and their involvement in sports activities that in its turn made it possible to be active and develop their sensory system. It has been identified that while planning training for the people with ASD it is necessary to take into account sensory modulation (reading sensory signals) and apply exercises for stimulating sensory sensations that will improve the motor activity of persons with ASD, their social interaction, and safety, as well. CONCLUSION: Conclusions: During training at the climbing section sensory information processing of the individuals with ASD have the impact on their body control, hand-eye coordination, and hand sensitivity during training. The improvement of sensory information processing in its turn enables people with ASD to master climbing.

ETHICS OF PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITIES OF SOCIAL WORKERS IN THE FIELD OF HEALTH: THE AMERICAN EXPERIENCE.

OBJECTIVE: The aim: Coverage of the American experience of successful application of professional ethics of social workers in the field of health to solve complex ethical dilemmas in the activity of a social worker. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Materials and methods: The methodological basis of the study was the use of an axiological approach in identifying the values and ethics of the professional activity of social workers, a competence approach in determining the competence of a social work specialist in the field of health in matters of professional ethics, an interdisciplinary approach in integrating the ethical competence of a social work specialist in the practice of solving ethical dilemmas in the field of health, including in the process of work of an interdisciplinary team of specialists. CONCLUSION: Conclusions: The content and specifics of the practical application of the Code of Professional Ethics of the National Association of Social Workers of the USA in social work in the field of health were studied. It was determined that many situations in the practice of social work do not have simple answers when solving complex ethical issues in the field of health. Social workers, in addition to the values, principles and standards of the Code, in making decisions about professional actions in the field of health, must take into account their own beliefs and those of the client. The mechanism for the adjustment of difficult ethical choice cases in the practice of a social worker in the field of health is described.

ISSUES OF EMOTIONAL INSTABILITY IN THE CONTEXT OF STUDENTS' EMOTIONAL HEALTH RESEARCH.

OBJECTIVE: The aim: The aim of the research was to investigate the issue of emotional health in the context of mental health of students, in particular, the emotional instability as a students' personal quality with regard to cognitive and empathic components. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Materials and methods: In a comparative analysis of the study, 104 3rd-year students of the Faculty of Management and Media Communications of the Ukrainian Academy of Printing, were divided into two groups on the basis of gender (group №1 - females; group №2 - males). In the study, undertaken in 2019-2020, two questionnaires, namely "Problems of Emotional Health" and "Assessment of Empathic Compassion", drawn up by a team of authors, were used. The comparative analysis was carried out with the use of the Mann-Whitney U test. RESULTS: Results: The study of emotional instability and competence in the context of the student's mental health allows us to conclude that the cognitive component is the basis that promotes the development of social, regulatory, and empathic components, and the latter is the main motivator of a person's activity. CONCLUSION: Conclusions: The research showed that high school students do not always have enough opportunities for independent formation and emotional competence development, and have problems with emotional instability. These problems may be solved by the introduction of the educational component, in particular: introducing relevant special courses into the educational process, conducting psychological training aimed at the development of emotional professional competence in the context of the formation of personality's mental health.

The biomechanical characteristics of spinal dura mater in the context of its basic morphology.

PURPOSE: Spinal dura mater plays a crucial role in the biomechanics and protection of the spine. Therefore, the present study investigated the dura mater's mechanical and basic morphological properties to learn more about the biomechanical behaviour of this fibrous membrane. METHODS: Tissue strips, oriented in the longitudinal and circumferential directions, were cut from the cervical, thoracic, and lumbar vertebrae parts of the porcine spinal cord. Uniaxial tensile tests were performed using a device with a speed of 4 mm/min until rupture of the sample. RESULTS: It was demonstrated that the dura mater is a heterogeneous, anisotropic material. The longitudinal excised specimens showed the highest values of mechanical properties (ultimate force (FU), the stiffness coefficient (k), ultimate tensile strength (σUTS), and Young's modulus (E)) compared to those of the circumferentially. Confocal microscopy and sulforhodamine B (SRB) assay enabled us to visualise collagen and elastin elements more efficiently without a need for sample fixation. CONCLUSIONS: The spinal dura mater mechanical properties are not uniform along the entire length of the spinal cord, but, in the case of morphological features, no major differences were noticed. The utilisation of SRB occurred to be a non-destructive, fast, and efficient tool for visualising even the smallest elastic fibres on different depths of examined samples. The mechanical and morphological properties of the dura mater provided by this study can be further used in computational modelling to understand injury mechanisms better and help develop injury prevention strategies.

Effect of the black chokeberry (Aronia melanocarpa (Michx.) Elliott) juice acquisition method on the content of polyphenols and antioxidant activity.

The primary objective of the study was to determine the effect of process conditions on extraction efficiency and the total amount of released polyphenols and antioxidant activity (AA) in black chokeberry juice. The study samples were fruits of black chokeberry (Aronia melanocarpa (Michx.) Elliott) cv. Galicjanka. In the study, two kinds of presses-piston press and twin gear juice extractor-were used, and two raw material pretreatment methods-freezing and thawing and enzymatic liquefaction-were applied. The study showed that pressing efficiency depends on the design of press and the nature of pretreatment. The highest pressing efficiency was obtained using the twin gear juice extractor. Enzymatic liquefaction of shredded fruits significantly increased the efficiency of pressing by the piston press. The type of press and the pretreatment method used had an effect on the quality traits of the extracted juices. The highest content of soluble solids was obtained for fruits not subjected to any pretreatment and pressed using the twin gear press. The highest total phenolic content was obtained in juice extracted using the piston press from shredded fruits subjected to enzymatic treatment at 45°C. A higher total phenolic content was also a characteristic of juice obtained from fruits not subjected to any pretreatment and extracted using the twin gear press. The capacity of the black chokeberry juices for free radical quenching oscillated around the level of approximately 90%. The study showed that the application of suitable processing methods is necessary for the acquisition of products with desirable quality traits.

1Click1View: interactive visualization methodology for RNAi cell-based microscopic screening.

Technological advancements are constantly increasing the size and complexity of data resulting from large-scale RNA interference screens. This fact has led biologists to ask complex questions, which the existing, fully automated analyses are often not adequate to answer. We present a concept of 1Click1View (1C1V) as a methodology for interactive analytic software tools. 1C1V can be applied for two-dimensional visualization of image-based screening data sets from High Content Screening (HCS). Through an easy-to-use interface, one-click, one-view concept, and workflow based architecture, visualization method facilitates the linking of image data with numeric data. Such method utilizes state-of-the-art interactive visualization tools optimized for fast visualization of large scale image data sets. We demonstrate our method on an HCS dataset consisting of multiple cell features from two screening assays.

Ultra-sensitive measurements of 11-Nor-δ(9)-tetrahydrocannabinol-9-carboxylic acid in oral fluid by microflow liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry using a benchtop quadrupole/orbitrap mass spectrometer.

Oral fluid has been gaining more acceptance as the alternative matrix for forensic toxicology. Currently, Δ(9)-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) is used as the primary target for detecting cannabis use in oral fluid. Meanwhile, THC carboxylic acid (THCA) in oral fluid is reported as a more reliable marker for cannabis abuse as its presence does not come from passive exposure. An analytical method for simultaneous quantitation of THC and THCA will be efficient for toxicology laboratories. THCA quantitation is challenging due to its very low concentration in oral fluid. Recently reported liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS)-based methods achieved sufficient sensitivity but involved complex sample preparation procedures. We aimed to develop a sensitive LC-MS/MS method for simultaneous quantitation of THC and THCA in oral fluid with low-flow liquid chromatography and a Q Exactive mass spectrometer, using offline sample preparation of oral fluid followed by microflow LC with online sample cleanup. The total runtime of the method was 12.5 min. The method had a lower limit of quantitation of 7.5 pg/mL and was linear from 7.5 to 300 pg/mL for THCA. The intra- and interbatch precision of the method ranged from 3.3% to 9.3% for THC and THCA.

Development of a liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry method for plasma-free metanephrines with ion-pairing turbulent flow online extraction.

Liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry has become the preferred technology to measure unconjugated metanephrine and normetanephrine in plasma because of its high sensitivity and specificity over immunoassay and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. In our earlier study, plasma metanephrines were extracted with offline ion-pairing solid-phase extraction and quantified by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry with porous graphitic carbon column based chromatography. In this study, we aim to automate the sample preparation with turbulent flow online extraction technology and maintain or improve the analytical performance previously achieved from the offline approach. The online extraction was done with a mixed-mode cation exchange turbulent flow chromatography column assisted with ion-pairing reagent and porous graphitic column was used for chromatographic separation. The total online extraction and analytical LC runtime was 12 min. This method was linear from 6.3 to 455.4 pg/mL for metanephrine; 12.6 to 954.5 pg/mL for normetanephrine with an accuracy of 80.6% to 93.5% and 80.9% to 101.7%, respectively. The lower limit of quantitation was 6.3 pg/mL for metanephrine and 12.6 pg/mL for normetanephrine. Inter-assay and intra-assay precision for metanephrine and normetanephrine at low and high concentration levels ranged from 2.0% to 10.5%. In conclusion, we have developed a fast and sensitive automated online turbulent flow extraction method for the quantitative analysis of plasma metanephrines. Ion-pairing reagent was necessary for the success of this method.

Simultaneous quantification of 19 drugs/metabolites in urine important for pain management by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry.

BACKGROUND: Monitoring pain management drugs and frequently abused drugs is important for physicians to assess patient compliance. Liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry offers high specificity needed for this purpose. In this report, a novel liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry method for simultaneously monitoring 19 drugs/metabolites in urine was developed and validated. METHODS: Sample preparation included hydrolysis, dilution and turbulent flow online extraction. Analysis was achieved by reverse phase liquid chromatography and triple-quadruple tandem mass spectrometry. Two fragment ions, one for quantification and the other for assuring identification, were monitored for each analyte. RESULTS: No matrix effect or interference was observed. Lower limits of quantification ranged from 5 to 25 ng/mL. Within the linear range, analytical recovery was between 85.8% and 119.4%. Intra-assay and total coefficient of variations were between 0.2% and 12.7%. This method was compared with mass spectrometry methods offered by two other laboratories using 82 patient samples and 60 spiked urine samples showing 60%-100% agreement. The current method identified more positive samples for all analytes except THCA. The discrepancy in detection rates was primarily due to the different cut-offs used by the other laboratories. CONCLUSIONS: A sensitive and specific liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry method was developed for measuring 19 drugs/metabolites in urine important for pain management clinics.

Quantitative measurement of plasma free metanephrines by ion-pairing solid phase extraction and liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry with porous graphitic carbon column.

Plasma free metanephrine and normetanephrine are the best biomarkers for diagnosing pheochromocytoma. In the past few years, liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry has become the preferred technology to measure plasma metanephrine and normetanephrine because of its high sensitivity and specificity, as well as fast and simple sample preparation. In this study, we report a liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry method for measuring plasma metanephrine and normetanephrine. A solid phase extraction method using ion-pairing reagent and C18 stationary phase was used for sample preparation. We tested a porous graphitic carbon column and a HILIC column for chromatographic separation, and the former one showed better resolution with no interference from plasma matrix. This method was linear from 7.2-486.8 pg/mL for metanephrine and 18.0-989.1 pg/mL for normetanephrine with an accuracy of 92.2-111.8% and 92.1-115.0%, respectively. Inter-assay and intra-assay CV for metanephrine and normetanephrine at two different concentration levels ranged from 2.0% to 10.9%. In conclusion, this liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry method using ion-pairing solid phase extraction and porous graphitic column was simple and efficient for measuring plasma metanephrines.

Sensitive measurement of serum 1α,25-dihydroxyvitamin D by liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry after removing interference with immunoaffinity extraction.

Vitamin D plays important roles in bone health and a variety of other pathophysiological conditions. 1α,25-Dihydroxyvitamin D is the active form of vitamin D. Quantification of serum 1α,25-dihydroxyvitamin D is useful for evaluation of several diseases including chronic renal failure, hypoparathyroidism, sarcoidosis, and rickets. Measurement of 1α,25-dihydroxyvitamin D is very challenging due to its low circulating concentration and presence of interfering substances in serum. In this report, a liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry (LC/MS/MS) method for quantifying serum 1α,25-dihydroxyvitamin D is described. Lithium adducts of 1α,25-dihydroxyvitamin D were formed prior to mass spectrometry analysis to improve ionization efficiency. We tested a number of different sample preparation procedures and found that immunoaffinity extraction was the method of choice because it completely removed isobaric interferences and matrix effects present in patient serum. Extraction efficiency, expressed as absolute recovery, was greater than 60% in both patient serum and charcoal-stripped serum. This method was linear from 3.4 to 206.2 pg/mL for 1α,25-dihydroxyvitamin D(3) and 3.9 to 212.6 pg/mL for 1α,25-dihydroxyvitamin D(2) with an accuracy of 89.8-98.4% and 97.5-115.7%, respectively. Inter-assay and intra-assay coefficients of variance (CVs) for both analytes at two different concentration levels ranged from 2.5-7.0%. Comparison with a radioimmunoassay for measuring total 1α,25-dihydroxyvitamin D concentration using 40 patient samples showed a Deming regression slope of 0.751, a y-intercept of 0.84 pg/mL, an r value of 0.7909, and a mean percentage difference of -27.1%. Comparison with a reference LC/MS/MS method (n = 20) showed a Deming regression slope of 1.020, a y-intercept of 1.32 pg/mL, an r value of 0.9797, and a mean percentage difference of -2.9%. In conclusion, usage of immunoaffinity extraction enabled a sensitive LC/MS/MS method for quantification of 1α,25-dihydroxyvitamin D in serum.

An automated turbulent flow liquid chromatography-isotope dilution mass spectrometry (LC-IDMS) method for quantitation of serum creatinine.

BACKGROUND: When creatinine concentrations determined by routine clinical assays are in question, reference methods can aid investigation. Currently available reference methods are significantly labor-intensive, which prevents implementation in a routine clinical laboratory. METHODS: Creatinine D-3 internal standard was added to serum prior to chromatographic separation. A TurboFlow Cyclone MCX column was used for online solid phase extraction (SPE) to remove large biomolecules such as proteins, carbohydrates and phospholipids from the serum specimen. Creatinine and creatinine D-3 were then eluted onto a Hypercarb (porous graphitic carbon) column for separation. Analytes were detected using electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry and measured by monitoring parent ions of m/z 114 and 117, respectively. RESULTS: Total precision at multiple levels was found to be less than 6% (1.0-7.5 mg/dl). Limit of detection (LOD) was 0.05 mg/dl and limit of quantitation (LOQ) was 0.20 mg/dl. Average recovery was 107.5% (0.37-5.95 mg/dl). Analysis of standard reference materials from The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) confirmed accuracy of the method. No significant difference was found between the liquid chromatography-isotope dilution mass spectrometry (LC-IDMS) method and the Roche Creatinine Plus enzymatic assay. CONCLUSION: The automated turbulent flow LC-IDMS method for quantitation of serum creatinine is accurate, robust, and easy to perform and may serve as a quick and inexpensive alternative to current creatinine reference methods.

A rapid and reliable method for the quantitation of tricyclic antidepressants in serum using HPLC-MS/MS.

OBJECTIVE: Here we describe a liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry method for the detection of tricyclic antidepressant drugs (amitriptyline, desipramine, imipramine, and nortriptyline) in serum. DESIGN AND METHODS: Following a protein precipitation from serum and dilution of supernatant with water, these analytes and their internal standards (deuterated versions of each drug) were injected, separated, and eluted from a Hypersil Gold C-18 (50x2.1 mm) analytical column with a gradient of water and acetonitrile each with 0.1% formic acid. Analytes were then ionized and detected over a 3.5 minute analysis time by electrospray ionization mass spectrometry with multiple reaction monitoring. Matrix effects were characterized using three methods: post-column infusion, pre- and post-extraction addition of analyte to matrix, and comparison of neet to serum preparations. RESULTS: The inter-day and intra-day coefficients of variation for all compounds were < or =12%. The limit of detection for all drugs was <15 ng/mL and the limit quantitation for all drugs was <22 ng/mL. Recoveries were between 97 and 131% for all drugs. Patient method comparison and proficiency samples were run with acceptable results. CONCLUSION: We have developed a specific and sensitive method for rapid quantitation of tricyclic antidepressants in serum, suitable for use in the clinical laboratory.