Background
Games are increasingly being used as a means of alleviating pain and anxiety in paediatric patients, in the view that this form of distraction is effective, non‐invasive and ...non‐pharmacological.
Aims
To determine whether a game‐based intervention (via gamification or virtual reality) during the induction of anaesthesia reduces preoperative pain and anxiety in paediatric patients.
Methods
A systematic review with meta‐analysis of randomised controlled trials was performed in accordance with the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta‐Analyses) guidelines and using RevMan software. The review was based on a search of the EMBASE, CINAHL, Medline, SciELO and Scopus databases, conducted in July 2021. No restriction was placed on the year of publication.
Results
26 studies were found, with a total study population of 2525 children. Regarding pain reduction, no significant differences were reported. For anxiety during anaesthesia induction, however, a mean difference of −10.62 (95% CI −13.85, −7.39) on the Modified Yale Preoperative Anxiety Scale, in favour of game‐based intervention, was recorded.
Conclusions
Game‐based interventions alleviate preoperative anxiety during the induction of anaesthesia in children. This innovative and pleasurable approach can be helpful in the care of paediatric surgical patients.
Relevance to clinical practice
In children, preoperative management is a challenging task for healthcare professionals, and game‐based strategies could enhance results, improving patients’ emotional health and boosting post‐surgery recovery. Distractive games‐based procedures should be considered for incorporation in the pre‐surgery clinical workflow in order to optimise healthcare.
Point-of-Care Ultrasonography Díaz-Gómez, José L; Mayo, Paul H; Koenig, Seth J
The New England journal of medicine,
10/2021, Letnik:
385, Številka:
17
Journal Article
Recenzirano
POCUS is performed by the treating clinician at the bedside, with immediate interpretation and clinical integration of the imaging results. This review discusses POCUS technology, clinical ...applications, and the complementarity of POCUS and consultative ultrasonography in primary imaging specialties.
The consequence of unpaired electrons in organic molecules has fascinated and confounded chemists for over a century. The study of open-shell molecules has been rekindled in recent years as new ...synthetic methods, improved spectroscopic techniques and powerful computational tools have been brought to bear on this field. Nonetheless, it is the intrinsic instability of the biradical species that limits the practicality of this research. Here we report the synthesis and characterization of a molecule based on the diindenob,ianthracene framework that exhibits pronounced open-shell character yet possesses remarkable stability. The synthetic route is rapid, efficient and possible on the gram scale. The molecular structure was confirmed through single-crystal X-ray diffraction. From variable-temperature Raman spectroscopy and magnetic susceptibility measurements a thermally accessible triplet excited state was found. Organic field-effect transistor device data show an ambipolar performance with balanced electron and hole mobilities. Our results demonstrate the rational design and synthesis of an air- and temperature-stable biradical compound.
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•Vancomycin-loaded chitosan aerogels were prepared for chronic wound management.•Chitosan aerogels exhibited low-density, large surface area and high porosity.•Aerogels can provide a ...fast local administration of vancomycin at the wound site.
Chronic wounds are a prevailing cause of decreased quality of life, being microbial burden a factor hindering the normal wound healing process. Aerogels are nanostructured materials with large surface area (>250 m2/g) and high porosity (>96%). In this work, vancomycin-loaded chitosan aerogel beads were tested as a potential formulation to treat and prevent infections at the wound site. Processing of chitosan in the form of aerogels endowed this polysaccharide with enhanced water sorption capacity and air permeability. The morphological and textural properties of the particles were studied by image and N2 adsorption-desorption analysis and scanning electron microscopy. Vancomycin content and release profiles from aerogel carriers showed a fast drug release that permitted to efficiently achieve local therapeutic levels. Cell studies with fibroblasts and antimicrobial tests against S. aureus showed that the vancomycin-loaded aerogel particles were cytocompatible and effective in preventing high bacterial loads at the wound site.
Despite the different animal models of Parkinson's disease developed during the last years, they still present limitations modelling the slow and progressive process of neurodegeneration. Here, we ...undertook a histological, neurochemical and behavioural analysis of a new chronic parkinsonian mouse model generated by the subcutaneous administration of low doses of MPTP (20 mg/kg, 3 times per week) for 3 months, using both young adult and aged mice. The MPTP‐induced nigrostriatal neurodegeneration was progressive and was accompanied by a decrease in striatal dopamine levels and motor impairment. We also demonstrated the characteristic neuroinflammatory changes (microglial activation and astrogliosis) associated with the neurodegenerative process. Aged animals showed both a faster time course of neurodegeneration and an altered neuroinflammatory response. The long‐term systemic application of low MPTP doses did not induce any increase in mortality in either young adult or aged mice and better resembles the slow evolution of the neurodegenerative process. This treatment could be useful to model different stages of Parkinson's disease, providing a better understanding of the pathophysiology of the disease and facilitating the testing of both protective and restorative treatments.
Here, we show a new chronic and progressive parkinsonian mouse model, in young and aged mice. This model produces a stable degeneration of the dopaminergic nigrostriatal pathway, continuous neuroinflammatory reaction and motor deficits. Aged animals showed a faster neurodegeneration and an altered neuroinflammatory response. This treatment could be useful to model different stages of PD and to test both protective and restorative therapeutic approaches.
Here, we show a new chronic and progressive parkinsonian mouse model, in young and aged mice. This model produces a stable degeneration of the dopaminergic nigrostriatal pathway, continuous neuroinflammatory reaction and motor deficits. Aged animals showed a faster neurodegeneration and an altered neuroinflammatory response. This treatment could be useful to model different stages of PD and to test both protective and restorative therapeutic approaches.
Aim
To analyse the effects of active video games on physical function in independent community‐dwelling older adults.
Design
Systematic review and meta‐analysis of randomized controlled trials.
Data ...sources
The CINAHL, LILACS, Medline, Proquest and Scopus databases were consulted, with no restriction by year of publication.
Review methods
Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta‐Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines were followed. The meta‐analysis was performed using RevMan software.
Results
The analysis included 22 randomized controlled trials with a total of 1208 participants (all ≥55 years old). In our meta‐analyses, the effects produced by playing the active video games (mean differences) were statistically significant for the variables Gait speed and Timed up‐and‐go. The differences between the control and experimental groups were not significant in the following tests: 6‐minute walk, 30‐second chair stand, balance (measured with the Berg Balance Scale), cadence, grip strength, knee extension strength, 8‐Foot Up‐and‐Go or velocity.
Conclusions
Physical exercise from participation in active video games has beneficial effects on two clinical parameters (Gait speed and Timed up‐and‐go) in independent community‐dwelling older adults. However, the effects on other parameters do not differ from those obtained with conventional exercise training. Therefore, the clinical significance of these benefits is limited.
Impact
Older adults usually perform little physical activity. In consequence, researchers have increasingly considered alternatives to traditional forms of exercise. One such is that provided by active video games, which can be a source of stimulation, encouraging adherence and motivation in exercise programmes. Our review shows that active video games can improve gait speed and mobility, but in other respects obtain no differences from conventional exercises. Further tailored randomized clinical trials should be undertaken with diverse populations of older adults to evaluate different physical function variables to determine the most appropriate training approach and its optimal design and duration.
Abstract
We analyze the parsec-scale jet kinematics from 2007 June to 2018 December of a sample of
γ
-ray bright blazars monitored roughly monthly with the Very Long Baseline Array (VLBA) at 43 GHz ...under the VLBA-BU-BLAZAR program. We implement a novel piecewise linear fitting method to derive the kinematics of 521 distinct emission knots from a total of 3705 total intensity images in 22 quasars, 13 BL Lacertae objects, and 3 radio galaxies. Apparent speeds of these components range from 0.01
c
to 78
c
, and 18.6% of knots (other than the “core”) are quasi-stationary. One-fifth of moving knots exhibit nonballistic motion, with acceleration along the jet within 5 pc of the core (projected) and deceleration farther out. These accelerations occur mainly at locations coincident with quasi-stationary features. We calculate the physical parameters of 273 knots with statistically significant motion, including their Doppler factors, Lorentz factors, and viewing angles. We determine the typical values of these parameters for each jet and the average for each subclass of active galactic nuclei. We investigate the variability of the position angle of each jet over the 10 yr of monitoring. The fluctuations in position of the quasi-stationary components in radio galaxies tend to be parallel to the jet, while no directional preference is seen in the components of quasars and BL Lacertae objects. We find a connection between
γ
-ray states of blazars and their parsec-scale jet properties, with blazars with brighter 43 GHz cores typically reaching higher
γ
-ray maxima during flares.
We present relativistic magnetohydrodynamic (RMHD) simulations of stationary overpressured magnetized relativistic jets, which are characterized by their dominant type of energy: internal, kinetic, ...or magnetic. Each model is threaded by a helical magnetic field with a pitch angle of 45° and features a series of recollimation shocks produced by the initial pressure mismatch, whose strength and number varies as a function of the dominant type of energy. We perform a study of the polarization signatures from these models by integrating the radiative transfer equations for synchrotron radiation using as inputs the RMHD solutions. These simulations show a top-down emission asymmetry produced by the helical magnetic field and a progressive confinement of the emission into a jet spine as the magnetization increases and the internal energy of the non-thermal population is considered to be a constant fraction of the thermal one. Bright stationary components associated with the recollimation shocks appear, presenting a relative intensity modulated by the Doppler boosting ratio between the pre-shock and post-shock states. Small viewing angles show a roughly bimodal distribution in the polarization angle, due to the helical structure of the magnetic field, which is also responsible for the highly stratified degree of linear polarization across the jet width. In addition, small variations of the order of 26° are observed in the polarization angle of the stationary components, which can be used to identify recollimation shocks in astrophysical jets.
The use of microalgae and cyanobacteria for nutritional purposes dates back thousands of years; during the last few decades, microalgae culture has improved to become one of the modern ...biotechnologies. This has allowed high amounts of algal biomass to be obtained for use in different applications. Currently, the global production of microalgae and cyanobacteria is predominately aimed at applications with high added value given that algal biomass contains pigments, proteins, essential fatty acids, polysaccharides, vitamins, and minerals, all of which are of great interest in the preparation of natural products, both as food and in cosmetics. Hence, the bioactive components from microalgae can be incorporated in cosmetic and cosmeceutical formulations, and can help achieve benefits including the maintenance of skin structure and function. Thalassotherapy involves using seawater and all related marine elements, including macroalgae, however, there has been limited use of microalgae. Microalgae and cyanobacteria could be incorporated into health and wellness treatments applied in thalassotherapy centers due to their high concentration of biologically active substances that are of interest in skin care. This paper briefly reviews the current and potential cosmetic and cosmeceutical applications of marine microalgae and cyanobacteria compounds and also recommends its use in thalassotherapy well-being treatments.
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