Description:
Introduction. Freezing of gait (FOG) is one of the most severe symptoms associated with Parkinson's disease (PD). Physiotherapy treatment could be an effective strategy for treating FOG, but no systematic review has been carried out in this regard. Aim. To identify the characteristics, methodological quality, and main outcomes of the studies that have analyzed the effects of physiotherapy interventions in FOG up to date, by performing a systematic review and a meta-analysis. Patients and methods. Four electronic databases were searched in order to find randomized controlled trials that provided information regarding the effects of any kind of physiotherapy treatment on FOG. The methodological quality of the included investigations was assessed by means of the PEDro scale. Results. Twelve studies were identified for inclusion into the qualitative analysis, with four randomized controlled trials included in the final meta-analysis. The quality of the trials was generally good. Those physiotherapy modalities including cues were more effective for treating FOG than traditional physiotherapy approaches. The meta-analysis indicated that physiotherapy interventions had a significantly greater impact on FOG than control comparisons. Conclusions. Physiotherapy treatment, especially those modalities including visual and auditory cueing, should be prescribed to PD patients with FOG. Future studies including PD patients with cognitive impairment and FOG objective measurement tools are need to complete the existing scientific evidence.
Description:
Introduction. Freezing of gait (FOG) is one of the most severe symptoms associated with Parkinson's disease (PD). Physiotherapy treatment could be an effective strategy for treating FOG, but no systematic review has been carried out in this regard. Aim. To identify the characteristics, methodological quality, and main outcomes of the studies that have analyzed the effects of physiotherapy interventions in FOG up to date, by performing a systematic review and a meta-analysis. Patients and methods. Four electronic databases were searched in order to find randomized controlled trials that provided information regarding the effects of any kind of physiotherapy treatment on FOG. The methodological quality of the included investigations was assessed by means of the PEDro scale. Results. Twelve studies were identified for inclusion into the qualitative analysis, with four randomized controlled trials included in the final meta-analysis. The quality of the trials was generally good. Those physiotherapy modalities including cues were more effective for treating FOG than traditional physiotherapy approaches. The meta-analysis indicated that physiotherapy interventions had a significantly greater impact on FOG than control comparisons. Conclusions. Physiotherapy treatment, especially those modalities including visual and auditory cueing, should be prescribed to PD patients with FOG. Future studies including PD patients with cognitive impairment and FOG objective measurement tools are need to complete the existing scientific evidence.
Effects of Tetranychus lintearius (Acari : Tetranychidae) on the structure and water potential in the foliage of the invasive Ulex europaeus (Fabaceae) in Australia
Description:
Ulex europaeus, a native of Western Europe and the Mediterranean coast, is a serious agricultural and environmental weed in many parts of the earth, including Australia. Tetranychus lintearius attacks U. europaeus in its natural range and is one of the four biological control agents introduced into Australia to regulate populations of U. europaeus. Tetranychus lintearius is specific to different species of Ulex, which enhances its status as a key biological control agent. Little is known on the physiological effects and structural changes induced by T. lintearius on U. europaeus. This article describes anatomical changes and evaluates the physiological effects in U. europaeus consequent to feeding by T. lintearius for more than 100 d. This study demonstrates that feeding by T. lintearius reduces the quantity of photosynthetic tissue in U. europaeus, as a result of feeding on mesophyll parenchyma by inserting its stylets through the stomatal aperture. Unfed parenchyma cells display signs of stress, either exhibiting deformed cell organelles aligned along the walls of vacant cells or with cells with no well-defined cell organelles. Subsequent to T. lintearius feeding, leaves externally manifest bleaching. After feeding by a population of T. lintearius, leaf water potential is decreased by 30% and tender shoots lose their turgor, indicating water-related stress. Tetranychus lintearius has the potential to decelerate vigour and retard the competitiveness of U. europaeus by inflicting stress. Our findings reinforce the use of T. lintearius in the biological management of populations of U. europaeus in temperate Australia.
Description:
Ulex europaeus, a native of Western Europe and the Mediterranean coast, is a serious agricultural and environmental weed in many parts of the earth, including Australia. Tetranychus lintearius attacks U. europaeus in its natural range and is one of the four biological control agents introduced into Australia to regulate populations of U. europaeus. Tetranychus lintearius is specific to different species of Ulex, which enhances its status as a key biological control agent. Little is known on the physiological effects and structural changes induced by T. lintearius on U. europaeus. This article describes anatomical changes and evaluates the physiological effects in U. europaeus consequent to feeding by T. lintearius for more than 100 d. This study demonstrates that feeding by T. lintearius reduces the quantity of photosynthetic tissue in U. europaeus, as a result of feeding on mesophyll parenchyma by inserting its stylets through the stomatal aperture. Unfed parenchyma cells display signs of stress, either exhibiting deformed cell organelles aligned along the walls of vacant cells or with cells with no well-defined cell organelles. Subsequent to T. lintearius feeding, leaves externally manifest bleaching. After feeding by a population of T. lintearius, leaf water potential is decreased by 30% and tender shoots lose their turgor, indicating water-related stress. Tetranychus lintearius has the potential to decelerate vigour and retard the competitiveness of U. europaeus by inflicting stress. Our findings reinforce the use of T. lintearius in the biological management of populations of U. europaeus in temperate Australia.
Description:
Knowledge Translation, as a component of implementation science, has seen extensive popularization in Sport and Exercise Medicine (SEM) over recent years. However, in seeking better and more influential outcomes, much of SEM appears to be following Knowledge Translation fashion and fad, over ensuring function and form. This has meant that key concepts in Knowledge Translation have been conflated, the work oversimplified, and potential outcomes overhyped. In this manuscript, Knowledge Translation is, first, defined as a process. Next, we show how oversimplified versions of Knowledge Translation rely on the “fallacy of amelioration,” with problematic consequences and unintended outcomes. Finally, we move to rethinking Knowledge Translation in SEM by showing how the field can move forward through embracing Knowledge Translation as a complex process to maximize the influence and impact of its work.
Description:
INTRODUCTION: There is an undeniable connection between humans and animals, with the relationship between the two being well documented across the centuries of history and storytelling. METHODS: This article outlines a scoping review of the literature and research exploring the history, efficacy, and currency of animal assisted therapies (AATs) as they have developed in recent decades within human services and social work programmes. FINDINGS AND IMPLICATIONS: Archaeological research suggests a mutualistic relationship has existed between canines and humans dating back 140,000 years evolving to deepened connections between animals and behaviourally modern humans including 15,000 years of animal domestication. These connections have generated relationships where animals both work for and with humans, assuming diverse roles ranging from service animal to companion pet, from livestock to live entertainment, from symbolic idol to science experiment and, as demonstrated in this article, as co-therapist or therapeutic medium in psychotherapeutic, human services and social work practice processes.
Description:
INTRODUCTION: There is an undeniable connection between humans and animals, with the relationship between the two being well documented across the centuries of history and storytelling. METHODS: This article outlines a scoping review of the literature and research exploring the history, efficacy, and currency of animal assisted therapies (AATs) as they have developed in recent decades within human services and social work programmes. FINDINGS AND IMPLICATIONS: Archaeological research suggests a mutualistic relationship has existed between canines and humans dating back 140,000 years evolving to deepened connections between animals and behaviourally modern humans including 15,000 years of animal domestication. These connections have generated relationships where animals both work for and with humans, assuming diverse roles ranging from service animal to companion pet, from livestock to live entertainment, from symbolic idol to science experiment and, as demonstrated in this article, as co-therapist or therapeutic medium in psychotherapeutic, human services and social work practice processes.
Description:
Abstract Background Although effective treatments exist for diagnostic and subthreshold-level eating disorders (EDs), a significant proportion of affected individuals do not receive help. Interventions translated for delivery through smartphone apps may be one solution towards reducing this treatment gap. However, evidence for the efficacy of smartphones apps for EDs is lacking. We developed a smartphone app based on the principles and techniques of transdiagnostic cognitive-behavioral therapy for EDs and evaluated it through a pre-registered randomized controlled trial. Methods Symptomatic individuals (those who reported the presence of binge eating) were randomly assigned to the app ( n = 197) or waiting list ( n = 195). Of the total sample, 42 and 31% exhibited diagnostic-level bulimia nervosa and binge-eating disorder symptoms, respectively. Assessments took place at baseline, 4 weeks, and 8 weeks post-randomization. Analyses were intention-to-treat. The primary outcome was global levels of ED psychopathology. Secondary outcomes were other ED symptoms, impairment, and distress. Results Intervention participants reported greater reductions in global ED psychopathology than the control group at post-test ( d = −0.80). Significant effects were also observed for secondary outcomes ( d 's = −0.30 to −0.74), except compensatory behavior frequency. Symptom levels remained stable at follow-up. Participants were largely satisfied with the app, although the overall post-test attrition rate was 35%. Conclusion Findings highlight the potential for this app to serve as a cost-effective and easily accessible intervention for those who cannot receive standard treatment. The capacity for apps to be flexibly integrated within current models of mental health care delivery may prove vital for addressing the unmet needs of people with EDs.
Description:
Influenza A and B viruses cause significant morbidity and mortality worldwide each year. The neuraminidase inhibitors (NAIs) are the most commonly used class of influenza antiviral drugs for the treatment of infected patients. In vitro studies have shown that influenza B viruses are significantly less susceptible to oseltamivir and other neuraminidase inhibitors compared with influenza A viruses. Following analysis of published clinical studies, we show that oseltamivir does appear to have lower effectiveness in patients infected with influenza B virus compared with influenza A infected patients, but due to insufficient studies on zanamivir, laninamivir or peramivir, it was not possible to conclude the relative effectiveness of these drugs against influenza A virus compared with B virus.
Description:
Business incubators (BI) provide a supportive environment for new tenant businesses to grow to independence. Incubators offer characteristic services including (a) space, physical resources, and infrastructure; (b) business support services, (c) networking; and, (d) structured selection, entry, and exit. Despite the global growth in incubator facilities, complemented by extensive research, knowledge gaps remain. Little research has examined the relationship between the characteristic services at incubators and tenants’ psychological capital; a higher-order construct representing an individual’s positive psychological state of development that includes hope, efficacy, resilience, and optimism. Preliminary examination of the characteristic services at business incubators show analogies with interventions for developing psychological capital. Two research studies were designed to examine these relationships. In the first study, survey (n = 30) and interview data (n = 12) were collected from incubator tenants to examine the existence of a relationship between the four characteristic services at business incubators and tenants’ psychological capital, their hope, efficacy, resilience, and optimism. The survey data confirmed the existence of a relationship between three incubator services – space, physical resources, and infrastructure, business support services, and networking – and tenants’ psychological capital. Tenants’ narrative experiences confirmed that these same three incubator services support tenants’ hope, efficacy, resilience, and optimism. This finding implies that the three incubator services contribute to, and augment tenants’ positive psychological states, which is then manifest in their positive behaviours and attitudes towards their business. To further elucidate these relationships a second study was conducted. Data from surveys (n = 75) and interviews (n = 28) with incubators managers also confirmed that space, physical resources, and infrastructure, business support services, and networking were analogous with methods that support tenants’ hope, efficacy, resilience, and optimism. These findings infer that incubator managers are not only instrumental in delivering these three characteristic services at incubators but are integral in optimising these services to benefit tenants’ hope, efficacy, resilience, and optimism. This current research provides robust evidence that three characteristic services at incubators are associated with tenants’ psychological capital, hope, efficacy, resilience, and optimism. These research findings are novel, and the implications for the incubator industry wide-ranging, with evidence indicating that the three characteristic services at incubators are analogous with interventions that support tenants’ psychological capital, and that incubator staff are integral to the delivery of these characteristic services. New directions for the incubator industry are proposed that include establishing a consistent approach to delivering the characteristic services at incubators that support incubator tenants’ businesses, and their positive psychological development.
Description:
Business incubators (BI) provide a supportive environment for new tenant businesses to grow to independence. Incubators offer characteristic services including (a) space, physical resources, and infrastructure; (b) business support services, (c) networking; and, (d) structured selection, entry, and exit. Despite the global growth in incubator facilities, complemented by extensive research, knowledge gaps remain. Little research has examined the relationship between the characteristic services at incubators and tenants’ psychological capital; a higher-order construct representing an individual’s positive psychological state of development that includes hope, efficacy, resilience, and optimism. Preliminary examination of the characteristic services at business incubators show analogies with interventions for developing psychological capital. Two research studies were designed to examine these relationships. In the first study, survey (n = 30) and interview data (n = 12) were collected from incubator tenants to examine the existence of a relationship between the four characteristic services at business incubators and tenants’ psychological capital, their hope, efficacy, resilience, and optimism. The survey data confirmed the existence of a relationship between three incubator services – space, physical resources, and infrastructure, business support services, and networking – and tenants’ psychological capital. Tenants’ narrative experiences confirmed that these same three incubator services support tenants’ hope, efficacy, resilience, and optimism. This finding implies that the three incubator services contribute to, and augment tenants’ positive psychological states, which is then manifest in their positive behaviours and attitudes towards their business. To further elucidate these relationships a second study was conducted. Data from surveys (n = 75) and interviews (n = 28) with incubators managers also confirmed that space, physical resources, and infrastructure, business support services, and networking were analogous with methods that support tenants’ hope, efficacy, resilience, and optimism. These findings infer that incubator managers are not only instrumental in delivering these three characteristic services at incubators but are integral in optimising these services to benefit tenants’ hope, efficacy, resilience, and optimism. This current research provides robust evidence that three characteristic services at incubators are associated with tenants’ psychological capital, hope, efficacy, resilience, and optimism. These research findings are novel, and the implications for the incubator industry wide-ranging, with evidence indicating that the three characteristic services at incubators are analogous with interventions that support tenants’ psychological capital, and that incubator staff are integral to the delivery of these characteristic services. New directions for the incubator industry are proposed that include establishing a consistent approach to delivering the characteristic services at incubators that support incubator tenants’ businesses, and their positive psychological development.