Search results for: psychosomatic disorders

Authors: Usama Bin Zubair, Muhammad Azeem

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Introduction: Depression has been one of the most commonly diagnosed mental health disorders in Pakistan. A Census conducted by the government of Pakistan in 2017 showed that more than 10000 trans-genders live in Pakistan. HIV, illicit substance use and mental health issues, including depression, have been the main health problems faced by them. Trans-gender population has been suffering from depressive illness more than normal population all over the world. Aim: To assess the prevalence of depression among the transgender population and analyze the relationship of socio-demographic factors with depression. Subjects and Methods: The sample population comprised of one hundred and forty-two transgender people of Rawalpindi and Islamabad. Beck depressive inventory II (BDI-II) was used to record the presence and severity of the depressive symptoms. Depressive symptoms were categorized as mild, moderate and severe. Relationship of the age, smoking, family income, illicit substance use and education were studied with the presence of depressive symptoms among these transgender people of twin cities of Pakistan. Results: A total of 142 transgender people were included in the final analysis. The mean age of the study participants was 39.55 ± 6.18. Out of these, 45.1% had no depressive symptoms while 31.7% had mild, 12.7% had moderate and 10.6% had severe depressive symptomatology. After applying the binary logistic regression, we found that the presence of depressive symptoms had a significant association with illicit substance use among the target population. Conclusion: This study showed a high prevalence of depressive symptoms among the transgender population in the twin cities of Pakistan. Use of illicit substances like tobacco, cannabis, opiates, and alcohol should be discouraged to prevent mental health problems.

Keywords: depression, transgender, prevalence, sociodemographic factors

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Authors: R. Harihara Prakash, Shweta R. Parikh, Sangna S. Sheth

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The purpose of this study was to explore the usefulness of the Mini-BESTest compared to the Berg Balance Scale in evaluating balance in people with Parkinson's Disease (PD) of varying severity. Evaluation were done to obtain (1) the distribution of patients scores to look for ceiling effects, (2) concurrent validity with severity of disease, and (3) the sensitivity & specificity of separating people with or without postural response deficits. Methods and Material: Seventy-seven(77) people with Parkinson's Disease were tested for balance deficits using the Berg Balance Scale, Mini-BESTest. Unified Parkinson’s Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS) III and the Hoehn & Yahr (H&Y) disease severity scales were used for classification. Materials used in this study were case record sheet, chair without arm rests or wheels, Incline ramp, stopwatch, a box, 3 meter distance measured out and marked on the floor with tape [from chair]. Statistical analysis used: Multiple Linear regression was carried out of UPDRS jointly on the two scores for the Berg and Mini-BESTest. Receiver operating characteristic curves for classifying people into two groups based on a threshold for the H&Y score, to discriminate between mild PD versus more severe PD.Correlation co-efficient to find relativeness between the two variables. Results: The Mini-BESTest is highly correlated with the Berg (r = 0.732,P < 0.001), but avoids the ceiling compression effect of the Berg for mild PD (skewness −0.714 Berg, −0.512 Mini-BESTest). Consequently, the Mini-BESTest is more effective than the Berg for predicting UPDRS Motor score (P < 0.001 Mini-BESTest versus P = 0.72 Berg), and for discriminating between those with and without postural response deficits as measured by the H&Y (ROC).

Keywords: balance, berg balance scale, MINI BESTest, parkinson's disease

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Authors: Arunporn Itharat, Kamonmas Srikwan, Srisopa Ruangnoo, Pakakrong Thongdeeying

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Background: The rhizomes of Smilax glabra (SG) has long been used in Traditional Chinese and Thai herbal medicine to treat a variety of infectious diseases and immunological disorders. Objective: To investigate the in vitro anti-allergic activities of crude extracts and pure isolated flavonoid compounds from SG by determination of inhibitory effects on antigen-induced release of β-hexosaminidase from RBL-2H3 cells. Methods: The in vitro inhibitory effects of crude aqueous and organic extracts on beta-hexosaminidase release in RBL-2H3 cells were evaluated as an in vitro indication of possible anti-allergic activity in vivo. Bioassay-guided fractionation of extracts was used to isolate flavonoid compounds from the ethanolic extracts. Results: The 95% and 50% ethanolic extracts of SG showed remarkably high anti-allergic activity, with IC50 values of 5.74 ± 2.44 and 23.54 ± 4.75 μg/ml, much higher activity than that for Ketotifen (IC50 58.90 μM). The water extract had negligible activity (IC50 > 100 μg/ml). The two isolated flavonols, Engeletin and Astilbin, showed weak anti-allergic activity, IC50 values 97.46 ± 2.04 and > 100 μg/ml, respectively. Conclusions: The 95% and 50% ethanolic extracts of SG showed strong anti-allergic activity but two flavonol constituents did not show any significant anti-allergic activity. These findings suggest that a combination of effects of various phytochemicals in crude extracts used in traditional medicine are responsible for the purported anti-allergic activity of SG herbal preparations. The plethora of constituents in crude extracts, as yet unidentified, are likely to be acting synergistically to account for the strong observed anti-allergic in vitro activity.

Keywords: Smilax glabra, anti-allergic activity, RBL-2H3 cells, flavonoid compounds

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Authors: Bhuvanesh Baniya

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Alzheimer disease is illnesses that are responsible for neuronal cell death and resulting in lifelong cognitive problems. Due to their unclear mechanism, there are no effective drugs available for the treatment. For a long time, herbal drugs have been used as a role model in the field of the drug discovery process. Holy basil in the Indian medicinal system (Ayurveda) is used for several neuronal disorders like insomnia and memory loss for decades. This study aims to identify active components of holy basil as potential inhibitors for the treatment of Alzheimer disease. To fulfill this objective, the Network pharmacology approach, gene ontology, pharmacokinetics analysis, molecular docking, and molecular dynamics simulation (MDS) studies were performed. A total of 7 active components in holy basil, 12 predicted neurodegenerative targets of holy basil, and 8063 Alzheimer-related targets were identified from different databases. The network analysis showed that the top ten targets APP, EGFR, MAPK1, ESR1, HSPA4, PRKCD, MAPK3, ABL1, JUN, and GSK3B were found as significant target related to Alzheimer disease. On the basis of gene ontology and topology analysis results, APP was found as a significant target related to Alzheimer’s disease pathways. Further, the molecular docking results to found that various compounds showed the best binding affinities. Further, MDS top results suggested could be used as potential inhibitors against APP protein and could be useful for the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease.

Keywords: holy basil, network pharmacology, neurodegeneration, active phytochemicals, molecular docking and simulation

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Authors: Zsanett Bahor, Cristina Nunes-Fonseca, Gillian L. Currie, Emily S. Sena, Lindsay D.G. Thomson, Malcolm R. Macleod

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Psychosis is ranked as the third most disabling medical condition in the world by the World Health Organization. Despite a substantial amount of research in recent years, available treatments are not universally effective and have a wide range of adverse side effects. Since many clinical drug candidates are identified through in vivo modelling, a deeper understanding of these models, and their strengths and limitations, might help us understand reasons for difficulties in psychosis drug development. To provide an unbiased summary of the preclinical psychosis literature we performed a systematic electronic search of PubMed for publications modelling a psychotic disorder in vivo, identifying 14,721 relevant studies. Double screening of 11,000 publications from this dataset so far established 2403 animal studies of psychosis, with the most common model being schizophrenia (95%). 61% of these models are induced using pharmacological agents. For all the models only 56% of publications test a therapeutic treatment. We propose a systematic review of these studies to assess the prevalence of reporting of measures to reduce risk of bias, and a meta-analysis to assess the internal and external validity of these animal models. Our findings are likely to be relevant to future preclinical studies of psychosis as this generation of strong empirical evidence has the potential to identify weaknesses, areas for improvement and make suggestions on refinement of experimental design. Such a detailed understanding of the data which inform what we think we know will help improve the current attrition rate between bench and bedside in psychosis research.

Keywords: animal models, psychosis, systematic review, schizophrenia

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Authors: Yayan Harry Yadi, L. Meily Kurniawidjaja

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Work activities for MMH (Manual Material Handling) in the storage of liquid catalyst raw material workstations in chemical industries identify high-risk MSDs (Musculoskeletal Disorders). Their work is often performed frequently requires an awkward body posture, twisting, bending because of physical space limited, cold, slippery, and limited tools for transfer container and weighing the liquid chemistry of the catalyst into the container. This study aims to develop an ergonomic work system design on the transfer and weighing process of liquid catalyst raw materials at the storage warehouse. A triangulation method through an interview, observation, and detail study team with assessing the level of risk work posture and complaints. Work postures were analyzed using the RULA method, through the support of CATIA software. The study concludes that ergonomic design can make reduce 3 levels of risk scores awkward posture. CATIA Software simulation provided a comprehensive solution for a better posture of manual material handling at task weigh. An addition of manual material handling tools such as adjustable conveyors, trolley and modification tools semi-mechanical weighing with techniques based on rule ergonomic design can reduce the hazard of chemical fluid spills.

Keywords: ergonomic design, MSDs, CATIA software, RULA, chemical industry

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Authors: Nurullah Buker, Ezgi Karagoz, Yesim Salik Sengul, Sevay Alsen Guney, Gokhan Yoyler, Aylin Ozbek

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Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is one of the most common neurodevelopmental disorders with heterogeneous clinical features such as inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity. Many different types of exercise interventions were employed for children with ADHD. However, previous studies have usually examined the effects of non-specific exercise programs or short-term effects of exercise. The aim of this study is to investigate the effect of the Neurocognitive Exercise Program (NEP), which is a structured exercise program derived from Life Kinetik, and a relatively new for children with ADHD, on symptoms, attention, and dynamic balance in medication-naïve children with ADHD. Fourteen medication-naive children (7-12 years) with ADHD were included in the intervention group. NEP was performed once a week for ten weeks. The intervention group also performed a structured home exercise program for another six days, for ten weeks. The children in the intervention group were assessed at baseline, in the third month, in the sixth month, and in the twelfth month regarding ADHD-related symptoms, attention, and dynamic balance. Fifteen age-matched typically developing children were assessed once for establishing normative values. Hyperactivity-Impulsivity score and dynamic balance were found to improve after NEP in the ADHD group in the 3rd month (p<0.05). In addition, these results were similar for both groups after NEP and at the end of the 12th month (p>0.05). The NEP may provide beneficial effects on hyperactivity-impulsivity, oppositional defiant, and dynamic balance in children with ADHD, and the improvements may be maintained in the long term.

Keywords: ADHD, attention problems, dynamic balance, neurocognitive exercise

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Authors: Cheng-Yu Tsai, Wen-Te Liu, Yin-Tzu Lin, Chen-Chen Lo, Kang Lo

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Background: Driving drowsiness related to inadequate or disordered sleep accounts for a major percentage of traffic accidents. Sleep-disordered breathing (SDB) syndrome is a common respiratory disorder during sleep. However, the effects of SDB syndrome on driving fatigue remain unclear. Objective: This study aims to investigate the relationship between SDB pattern and driving drowsiness. Methodologies: The physical condition while driving was obtained from the questionnaires to classify the state of driving fatigue. SDB syndrome was quantified as the polysomnography, and the air flow pattern was collected by the thermistor and nasal pressure cannula. To evaluate the desaturation, the mean hourly number of greater than 3% dips in oxygen saturation was sentenced by reregistered technologist during examination in a hospital in New Taipei City (Taiwan). The independent T-test was used to investigate the correlations between sleep disorders related index and driving drowsiness. Results: There were 880 subjects recruited in this study, who had been done polysomnography for evaluating severity for obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) as well as completed the driver condition questionnaire. Four-hundred-eighty-four subjects (55%) were classified as fatigue group, and 396 subjects (45%) were served as the control group. Significantly higher values of snoring index (242.14 ± 205.51 /hours) were observed in the fatigue group (p < 0.01). The value of respiratory disturbance index (RDI) (31.82 ± 19.34 /hours) in fatigue group were significantly higher than the control group (p < 0.01). Conclusion: We observe the considerable association between SDB syndrome and driving drowsiness. To promote traffic safety, SDB syndrome should be controlled and alleviated.

Keywords: driving drowsiness, sleep-disordered breathing syndrome, snoring index, respiratory disturbance index.

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Authors: Chanada Aonsri, Wichai Eungpinichpong

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Stereotypical behavior is one of the learning and social skills development problems that affect children with autism. Previous studies found that traditional Thai massage (TTM) could reduce stereotypical behaviors in autistic children. However, the effects of TTM delivered by the parents of autistic children have not been explored. This pilot study investigated the effects of TTM by parents on stereotypical behaviors in children with autism. A one-group pretest-posttest design was applied for 15 children, aged 4-16 years, with their parents' permissions. They participated in the study at the Special Education program of the Special Education Center of Khon Kaen University, Thailand. After being trained in a specialized TTM for children, the parents delivered 50-minute TTM to children once a day, twice a week for eight weeks. The severity of autism and autistic behaviors were measured using the Childhood Autism Rating Scale (CARS), and the Autism Treatment Evaluation Checklist (ATEC), respectively. The functions of autonomic nervous systems were measured using Heart Rate Variability (HRV) to indicated physical and mental disorders such as stress. The data at baseline and the 8th week were analyzed using either an independent t-test or Wilcoxon signed-rank test. The study found that 16 sessions of TTM significantly improved measured data for autism in all children including the CARS (p<0.001), ATEC, speech/language/communication (p<0.001), sociability (p<0.001), sensory/cognitive awareness (p<0.001), health/physical/behavior (p < 0.001), and HRV (p<0.001). The results indicated that TTM performed by parents could be useful as an adjunct therapy for autistic children as it can reduce stereotypical behaviors and stress.

Keywords: traditional Thai massage, stereotypical behaviors, Autistic children, parent

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Authors: Yousef M. Alammari, Mahmoud A. Gaddoury, Reem A. Almohaini, Sara A. Alharbi, Lena S. Alsaleem, Lujain H. Allowaihiq, Maha H. Alrashid, Abdullah H. Alghamdi, Abdullah A. Alaryni

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Objective: The goal of this study was to establish the prevalence of neuropsychiatric symptoms in systemic lupus erythematosus (NPSLE) patients in Saudi Arabia and the variables that are linked to it. Methods: During June 2021, this cross-sectional study was carried out among SLE patients in Saudi Arabia. The Saudi Rheumatism Association exploited social media platforms to provide a self-administered online questionnaire to SLE patients. All data analyses were performed using the Statistical Packages for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 26. Results: Two hundred and five SLE patients participated in the study (females 91.3 % vs. males 8.7 %). In addition, 13.5 % of patients had a family history of SLE, and 26% had SLE for one to three years. Alteration or loss of sensation (53.4%), Fear (52.4%), and headache (48.1%) were the most prevalent signs of neuropsychiatric symptoms in systemic lupus erythematosus (NPSLE) patients. The prevalence of patients with NPSLE was 40%. In a multivariate regression model, fear, altered sensations, cerebrovascular illness, sleep disruption, and diminished interest in routine activities were identified as independent risk variables for NPSLE. Conclusion: Nearly half of SLE patients demonstrated NP manifestations, with significant symptoms including fear, alteration of sensation, cerebrovascular disease, sleep disturbance, and reduced interest in normal activities. To detect the pathophysiology of NPSLE, it is necessary to understand the relationship between neuropsychiatric morbidity and other relevant rheumatic disorders in the SLE population.

Keywords: neuropsychiatric, systemic lupus erythematosus, NPSLE, prevalence, SLE patients

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Authors: Abdul Kadir, L. Meily Kurniawidjaja

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Batik Madura workers are exposed to many Musculoskeletal Disorders risk factors, particularly Low Back Pain (LBP). This study was conducted as an early detection of ergonomic risk level on Workers Industrial Sentra Batik Madura in Dusun Banyumas, Klampar Subdistrict, Proppo Pamekasan, Madura, East Java. This study includes 12 workers who 11 workers had pain in the upper and lower part of the neck, back, wrist right hand, also 10 workers had pain in the right shoulder. This is a descriptive observational study with cross-sectional approach. Qualitative research by observing workers activity such as draw and putting the wax motif, fabric dyeing, fabric painting, discoloration, washing, and drying. The results are workers have identified ergonomic hazards such as awkward postures, twisting movements, repetitive, and static work postures. Using the method of REBA and QEC, the results get a very high-risk level of activity in each of Madura batik making process is the draw and putting the wax motif, coloring, painting, discoloration, washing, and drying. The level of risk can be reduced by improvement of work equipment include the provision of seats, strut fabric, high settings furnaces, drums, coloring basin, and washing tub.

Keywords: activities of Madura's batik, ergonomic risk level, equipment, QEC (Quick Exposure Checklist), REBA (Rapid Entire Body Assessment)

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Authors: Ahmad Esmaillzadeh, Javad Anjom-Shoae, Omid Sadeghi,

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Background: Although considerable research has been devoted to the link between consumption of legume and nuts and metabolic abnormalities, few studies have examined legume and nuts consumption in relation to psychological disorders. Objective: The current study aimed to examine the association of legume and nuts consumption with depression, anxiety and psychological distress in Iranian adults. Methods: This cross-sectional study was carried out among 3172 adult participants aged 18-55 years. Assessment of legume and nuts consumption was conducted using a validated dish-based 106-item semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire. The Iranian validated version of Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) was used to examine psychological health. Scores of 8 or more on either subscale in the questionnaire were considered to indicate the presence of depression or anxiety. Data on psychological distress were collected through the use of General Health Questionnaire (GHQ), in which the score of 4 or more was considered as having psychological distress. Results: Mean age of participants was 36.5±7.9 years. Compared with the lowest quintile, men in the highest quintile of legume and nuts consumption had lower odds of anxiety; such that after adjusting for potential confounding variables, men in the top quintile of legume and nuts consumption were 66% less likely to be anxious than those in the bottom quintile (OR: 0.34; 95% CI: 0.14-0.82). Such relationship was not observed among women. We failed to find any significant association between legume plus nuts consumption and depression or psychological distress after adjustment for potential confounders. Conclusion: We found that consumption of legume and nuts was associated with lower odds of anxiety in men, but not in women. No significant association was seen between consumption of legume and nuts and odds of depression or psychological disorder. Further prospective studies are required to confirm these findings.

Keywords: anxiety, depression, legumes, nuts, psychological distress

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Authors: Huimin Zhao, Xiaoquan Liu, Haochen Liu

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The major challenge facing Alzheimer's Disease (AD) drug development is how to effectively improve cognitive function in clinical practice. Growing evidence indicates that stimulating hippocampal neurogenesis is a strategy for restoring cognition in animal models of AD. The mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway is a crucial factor in neurogenesis, which is negatively regulated by Dual-specificity phosphatase 16 (DUSP16). Transcriptome analysis of post-mortem brain tissue revealed up-regulation of DUSP16 expression in AD patients. Additionally, DUSP16 was involved in regulating the proliferation and neural differentiation of neural progenitor cells (NPCs). Nevertheless, whether the effect of DUSP16 on ameliorating cognitive disorders by influencing NPCs differentiation in AD mice remains unclear. Our study demonstrates an association between DUSP16 SNPs and clinical progression in individuals with mild cognitive impairment (MCI). Besides, we found that increased DUSP16 expression in both 3×Tg and SAMP8 models of AD led to NPC differentiation impairments. By silencing DUSP16, cognitive benefits, the induction of AHN and synaptic plasticity, were observed in AD mice. Furthermore, we found that DUSP16 is involved in the process of NPC differentiation by regulating c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) phosphorylation. Moreover, the increased DUSP16 may be regulated by the ETS transcription factor (ELK1), which binds to the promoter region of DUSP16. Loss of ELK1 resulted in decreased DUSP16 mRNA and protein levels. Our data uncover a potential regulatory role for DUSP16 in adult hippocampal neurogenesis and provide a possibility to find the target of AD intervention.

Keywords: alzheimer's disease, cognitive function, DUSP16, hippocampal neurogenesis

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Authors: Francisco Dos Santos, Diogo Fonseca-Pereira, Sílvia Arroz-Madeira, Henrique Veiga-Fernandes

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Haematopoiesis is a developmental process that generates all blood cell lineages in health and disease. This relies on quiescent haematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) that are able to differentiate, self renew and expand upon physiological demand. HSCs have great interest in regenerative medicine, including haematological malignancies, immunodeficiencies and metabolic disorders. However, the limited yield from existing HSC sources drives the global need for reliable techniques to expand harvested HSCs at high quality and sufficient quantities. With the extensive use of cord blood progenitors for clinical applications, there is a demand for a safe and efficient expansion protocol that is able to overcome the limitations of the cord blood as a source of HSC. StemCell2MAXTM developed a technology that enhances the survival, proliferation and transplantation efficiency of HSC, leading the way to a more widespread use of HSC for research and clinical purposes. StemCell2MAXTM MIX is a solution that improves HSC expansion up to 20x, while preserving stemness, when compared to state-of-the-art. In a recent study by a leading cord blood bank, StemCell2MAX MIX was shown to support a selective 100-fold expansion of CD34+ Hematopoietic Stem and Progenitor Cells (when compared to a 10-fold expansion of Total Nucleated Cells), while maintaining their multipotent differentiative potential as assessed by CFU assays. The technology developed by StemCell2MAXTM opens new horizons for the usage of expanded hematopoietic progenitors for both research purposes (including quality and functional assays in Cord Blood Banks) and clinical applications.

Keywords: cord blood, expansion, hematopoietic stem cell, transplantation

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Authors: Marija Zulić, Vanda Hájková, Nina Brkić-Jovanović, Linda Rathousová, Sanja Tomić

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Cerebral palsy is primarily reflected in the disorder of the development of movement and posture, which may be accompanied by sensory disturbances, disturbances of perception, cognition and communication, behavioural disorders and epilepsy. According to current inclusive attitudes towards people with disabilities implies that full social participation of children with cerebral palsy means inclusion in all activities in family, peer, school and leisure environments in the same scope and to the same extent as is the case with the children of proper development and without physical difficulties. Due to the fact that it has been established that the quality of children's participation in primary school is directly related to their social inclusion in future life, the aim of the paper is to identify predictors of social participation, respectively, and in particular, factors that could to improve the quality of social participation of children with cerebral palsy, in the primary school environment in Czech Republic. The study includes children with cerebral palsy (n = 75) in the Czech Republic, aged between six and 12 years who attend mainstream or special primary schools to the sixth grade. The main instrument used was the first and third part of the School function assessment questionnaire. It will also take into account the type of damage assessed according to a scale the Gross motor function classification system, five–level classification system for cerebral palsy. The research results will provide detailed insight into the degree of social participation of children with cerebral palsy and the factors that would be a potential cause of their levels of participation, in regular and special primary schools, in different socioeconomic environments in Czech Republic.

Keywords: cerebral palsy, Czech republic, social participation, the school function assessment

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Authors: Unal Demirtas, Mehmet Ergin Dipcin, Mehmet Cetin

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Background: Applied to student candidates prior to entering the air force academy, under the name of Cadet selection flights and executed as 7-8 sorties under the surveillance of flight instructors, this training is mainly towards appraising students’ characteristics of flying ability. All pilot cadets are gone through physical examination before cadet selection flight in a military hospital. Some cadets may show motion sickness symptoms during this flights. The most common symptoms: Nausea, vomiting, vertigo, headache, anxiety, paresthaesia, asthenia, muscle contraction and excitement. These cadets are examined by flight surgeon, after this flight surgeon and psychologist have an motivational interviewing with these cadets. Method: In this study, we have applied a survey that we question the severity of the symptom to the candidates that have motion sickness after the first sortie. We have questioned the candidate who had a motivational interviewing by the psychologist after the treatment of the flight surgeon that whether the candidate relived the complaints that he has at the previous sortie after the second sortie and whether there is decrease or increase in the severity of the complaints compared to the previous flight. Findings: 15 candidates have applied for the flight surgeon with at least one of the motion sickness symptoms. 11 of the 15 candidates showing motion sickness symptoms after the first flight expressed that their complaints are decreased after the motivational interviewing and 4 of the candidates stated that there are no changes in their complaints. The frequently expressed complaints are nausea, vertigo, headache, exhaustion and vomiting respectively. 7 out of 15 candidates expressed that they have same kind of complains in bus, ship etc. Conclusion: It is observed in our study that only conducting motivational interviewing with the candidates without any organic disorders without giving any drugs has a positive effect on the candidates in terms of motion sickness.

Keywords: aeromedicine, candidate, motion sickness, motivational interviewing, pilot

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Authors: Bing-Fang Lee, Srinivasan Periasamy, Ming-Yie Liu

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Shift work sleep disorder is a common problem in industrialized world. It is a type of circadian rhythmic sleep disorders characterized by insomnia and sleep deprivation. Lack of sleep in workers may lead to poor health conditions such as hepatic dysfunction. Melatonin is a hormone secreted by the pineal gland to alleviate insomnia. Moreover, it is a powerful antioxidant and may prevent acute liver injury. Therefore, workers take in melatonin to deal with sleep-related health is an important issue. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of melatonin on an acute hepatic injury model sinusoidal obstruction syndrome (SOS) in mice. Male C57BL/6 mice were injected with a single dose (500 mg/kg) of monocrotaline (MCT) to induce SOS. Melatonin (1, 3, 10 and 30 mg/kg) was injected 1 h before MCT treatment. After 24 h of MCT treatment, mice were sacrificed. The blood and liver were collected. Organ damage was evaluated by serum biochemistry, hematology analyzer, and histological examination. Low doses of melatonin (1 and 3 mg/kg) had no protective effect on SOS. However, high doses (10 and 30 mg/kg) exacerbated SOS. In addition, it not only increased serum glutamate oxaloacetate transaminase (GOT), glutamate pyruvate transaminase (GPT) and extended liver damage indicated by histological examination but also decreased platelet levels, lymphocyte ratio, and glutathione level; it had no effect on malondialdehyde and nitric oxide level in SOS mice. To conclude, melatonin may exacerbate MCT-induced SOS in mice. Furthermore, melatonin might have a synergistic action with SOS. Usage of melatonin for insomnia by people working in long shift must be cautioned; it might cause acute hepatic injury.

Keywords: acute liver injury, melatonin, shift work, sleep deprivation

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Authors: Alli Smith Yemisi Rufina, Adanlawo Isaac Gbadura

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Liver disorders are one of the major problems of the world. Despite its frequent occurrence, high morbidity, and high mortality, its medical management is currently inadequate. This study was designed to evaluate the Hepatoprotective effect of saponin extract of the root of Garcinia kola on the integrity of the liver of paracetamol induced Wistar albino rats. Twenty-five male adult Wistar albino rats were divided into five (5) groups. Group I, was the Control group that received distilled water only, group II was the negative control that received 2 g/kg of paracetamol on the 13th day, and group III, IV, and V were pre-treated with 100, 200 and 400 mg/kg of the saponin extract before inducing the liver damage on the 13th day with 2 g/kg of paracetamol. Twenty-four hours after administration, the rats were sacrificed, and blood samples were collected. The serum Alanine Transaminase (ALT), Aspartate Transaminase (AST), Alkaline Phosphatase (ALP) activities, Bilirubin and Conjugated Bilirubin, Glucose and Protein concentrations were evaluated. The liver was fixed immediately in Formalin and was processed and stained with Haematoxylin and Eosin (H&E). Administration of saponin extract from the root of Garcinia kola significantly decreased paracetamol induced elevated enzymes in the test group. Also, histological observations showed that saponin extract of the root of Garcinia kola exhibited a significant liver protection against the toxicant as evident by the cells trying to return to normal. Saponin extract from the root of Garcinia kola indicated a protection of the structural integrity of the hepatocytic cell membrane and regeneration of the damaged liver.

Keywords: hepatoprotective, liver damage, Garcinia kola, saponin, paracetamol

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Authors: Anit S. Malhotra, Ajay Duseja, Neelam Chadha

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Endothelial dysfunction is a precursor to atherosclerosis, and flow-mediated dilatation (FMD) in the brachial artery is the commonest method to evaluate endothelial function in humans. Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is one of the most common liver disorders encountered in clinical practice. An earlier meta-analysis had quantitatively assessed the degree of endothelial dysfunction using FMD. However, the largest study investigating the relation of FMD with NAFLD was published after that meta-analysis. In addition, that meta-analysis did not include some studies, including one from our centre. Therefore, an updating the previous meta-analysis was considered important. We searched PubMed, Cochrane Library, Embase, Scopus, SCI, Google Scholar, conference proceedings, and references of included studies till June 2017 to identify observational studies evaluating endothelial function using FMD in patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. Data was analyzed using MedCalc. Fourteen studies were found eligible for inclusion in the meta-analysis. Patients with NAFLD had lower brachial artery FMD as compared to controls, standardized mean difference (random effects model) being –1.279%; 95% confidence interval (CI), –1.478 to –0.914. The effect size became smaller after addition of the recent study with the largest sample size was included compared with the earlier meta-analysis. In conclusion, patients with NAFLD had low FMD values indicating that they are at a higher risk of cardiovascular disease although our results suggest the effect size is not as large as reported previously.

Keywords: endothelial dysfunction, flow-mediated dilatation, meta-analysis, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease

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Authors: Bonnie Pollak

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As the world continues to suffer grievous injuries, future generations will suffer from trauma that was inflicted on innocent victims. Trauma can result from refugees fleeing their homes, exposure to warfare, loss of loved ones, and lack of shelter and basic necessities. The Holocaust continues to cause pain even though WWII ended nearly 80 years ago. One cannot forget the inhumane treatment and murder of relatives. The pain and trauma may continue for generations. The purpose of the Final Solution was to eliminate Jews in totality. Though Hitler’s plan was not successful, he managed to cause trauma that will continue with no end date in sight. “The Effects of Trauma and Secondary Trauma,” Trauma can cause life-long challenges, eating disorders, cardiovascular disease, cancer, sleeping difficulties, fear of going outside, guilt, separation problems, and epigenetic changes. Secondary Trauma, witnessing a loved one in danger or hearing about the danger, can cause similar symptoms as seen in primary trauma. The transmission of trauma was demonstrated in children of Holocaust survivors and in communities where oppression was commonplace. We are witnessing a repeat of widescale death and horrific injuries today in Ukraine and in other parts of the world, where concern for pain and trauma is not acknowledged by perpetrators. Lessons from the Holocaust can be applied to help others who have been traumatized by widescale terrorism resulting in death of loved ones, loss of home and shelter, food and other life-sustaining measures. The world must help victims by providing basic necessities but also by using trauma-informed care, focusing on strength and resilience, and helping individuals to feel pride in their identity.

Keywords: transmission of intergenerational trauma, impact on religious beliefs and practices, 2nd generation, identity

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Authors: Xuan Zheng

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China is home to one of the world’s largest Deaf and Hard of Hearing (DHH) populations. In the 1980s, the concept of inclusive education was introduced, giving rise to a unique “learning in regular class (随班就读)” model tailored to local contexts. China’s inclusive education for DHH students is diversifying with innovative models like special education classes at regular schools, regular classes at regular schools, resource classrooms, satellite classes, and bilingual-bimodal projects. The scope extends to preschool and higher education programs. However, the inclusive development of DHH students faces challenges. The prevailing pathological viewpoint on disabilities persists, emphasizing the necessity for favorable auditory and speech rehabilitation outcomes before DHH students can integrate into regular classes. In addition, inadequate support systems in inclusive schools result in poor academic performance and increased psychological disorders among the group, prompting a notable return to special education schools. Looking ahead, China’s inclusive education for DHH students needs a substantial shift from “learning in regular class” to “sharing equal regular education.” Particular attention should be devoted to the effective integration of DHH students who employ sign language into mainstream educational settings. It is crucial to strengthen regulatory frameworks and institutional safeguards, advance the professional development of educators specializing in inclusive education for DHH students, and consistently enhance resources tailored to this demographic. Furthermore, the establishment of a robust, multidimensional, and collaborative support network, engaging both families and educational institutions, is also a pivotal facet.

Keywords: deaf, hard of hearing, inclusive education, China

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Authors: Ishani Majumdar, Jaishree Paul

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Introduction: Ulcerative Colitis (UC) is an inflammatory disease of the colon resulting from an autoimmune response towards individual’s own microbiota. Excessive inflammation is characterized by hyper-activation of NFkB, a transcription factor regulating expression of various pro-inflammatory genes. The ubiquitin editing complex consisting of TNFAIP3, ITCH, RNF11 and TAX1BP1 maintains homeostatic levels of active NFkB through feedback inhibition and assembles in response to various stimuli that activate NFkB. TNFAIP3 deubiquitinates key signaling molecules involved in NFkB activation pathway. ITCH, RNF11 and TAX1BP1 provide substrate specificity, acting as adaptors for TNFAIP3 function. Aim: This study aimed to find expression of members of the ubiquitin editing complex at the transcript level in inflamed colon tissues of UC patients. Materials and Methods: Colonic biopsy samples were collected from 30 UC patients recruited at Department of Gastroenterology, AIIMS (New Delhi). Control group (n= 10) consisted of individuals undergoing examination for functional disorders. Real Time PCR was used to determine relative expression with GAPDH as housekeeping gene. Results: Expression of members of the ubiquitin editing complex was significantly altered during active disease. Expression of TNFAIP3 was upregulated while concomitant decrease in expression of ITCH, RNF11, TAX1BP1 was seen in UC patients. Discussion: This study reveals that increase in expression of TNFAIP3 was unable to control inflammation during active UC. Further, insufficient upregulation of ITCH, RNF11, TAX1BP1 may limit the formation of the ubiquitin complex and contribute to pathogenesis of UC.

Keywords: altered expression, inflammation, ubiquitin editing complex, ulcerative colitis

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Authors: Laleh Golamrej Eliasi, Mahsa Tahzibi, Mohammad Torkashvand Moradabadi

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TheIranian Ear, Throat, Nose, Head, and Neck Research Center has estimated that three to five percent of Iran’s population has moderate to profound hearing disorders. The prevalence of hearing loss in provincial centers is equal to 4.7 per thousand live births (362 cases). The deaf community has limited access to information and health services due to language and communication barriers. Communication and language limitations isolate and limit deaf people from social media, health services, and communication with caregivers and health providers.Limitedcommunicationwith the deaf has led to a lack of knowledge and information about domestic violence against the deaf (DVAD) in this target group in Iran. To fill this knowledge gap, deaf living in Iranwere selected as the target group to assess their views on DVAD. This study is implemented in the socio-ecological approach framework to assess the impacts of individual characteristics, interpersonal relationships, community, and society components on DVAD. Semi-structured interviews with the Iranian deaf and Content analysis are used to find the participants’ point of view on DVAD, its risk factors, and the reduction approach to DVAD. The main purpose is to obtain information about participants' views on the subject. The findings can be used to improve culturally safe social work knowledge and practices with a bottom-up approach to reduce DV and increase their well-being. Therefore, this research can have important effects on the sustainable development of services and supports the welfare and inclusion of the deaf.

Keywords: domestic violence, Iranian deaf, social work, content analysis

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Authors: Faezah Shekh Abdullah, Mohd. Azizuddin Mohd. Yussof, Komathy Thiagarajan, Hasnoorina Husin, Noor Azreena Abd Aziz

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Polycystic ovary syndrome has been associated with multiple disorders such as endocrine disorder, metabolic syndrome, infertility, and endometrial cancer. Women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) are anticipated to develop three times more chances for endometrial cancer than women without PCOS. This study, therefore, was conducted to determine the association between polycystic ovary syndrome and endometrial cancer and to determine the cervical cytology features of PCOS. Patients attending the Subfertility Clinic of the National Population and Family Development Board were recruited and examined physically by medical practitioners. They were categorized into two groups; i) the PCOS group if they met Rotterdam Criteria 2004 and ii) the control group if they did not meet Rotterdam Criteria 2004. Cervical sampling was done on all patients via the Liquid-Based Cytology (LBC) method in the pre-and post-subfertility treatment. A total of 167 patients participated in the study, of which 79 belonged to the PCOS group and 88 to the control group. The findings showed no cervical and endometrial cancer cases in both groups. The Liquid-Based Cytology results in the PCOS group displayed more cases with cellular changes, i.e., benign inflammation, atrophic smear and Candida sp. infection. To conclude, no association was found between polycystic ovary syndrome and endometrial cancer. A more holistic study with a higher number of participants can further determine the association between endometrial cancer and PCOS. Furthermore, a longer duration between LBC pre- and post-subfertility treatment should be implied to observe changes in the cervical cells.

Keywords: endometrial cancer, liquid-based cytology, PCOS, polycystic ovary syndrome

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Authors: Sudhir Kumar, V. R. Sinha

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Water in oil topical microemulsions of 5-FU were developed and optimized using face centered central composite design. Topical w/o microemulsion of 5-FU were prepared using sorbitan monooleate (Span 80), polysorbate 80 (Tween 80), with different oils such as oleic acid (OA), triacetin (TA), and isopropyl myristate (IPM). The ternary phase diagrams designated the microemulsion region and face centered central composite design helped in determining the effects of selected variables viz. type of oil, smix ratio and water concentration on responses like drug content, globule size and viscosity of microemulsions. The CCD design exhibited that the factors have statistically significant effects (p<0.01) on the selected responses. The actual responses showed excellent agreement with the predicted values as suggested by the CCD with lower residual standard error. Similarly, the optimized values were found within the range as predicted by the model. Furthermore, other characteristics of microemulsions like pH, conductivity were investigated. For the optimized microemulsion batch, ex-vivo skin flux, skin irritation and retention studies were performed and compared with marketed 5-FU formulation. In ex vivo skin permeation studies, higher skin retention of drug and minimal flux was achieved for optimized microemulsion batch then the marketed cream. Results confirmed the actual responses to be in agreement with predicted ones with least residual standard errors. Controlled release of drug was achieved for the optimized batch with higher skin retention of 5-FU, which can further be utilized for the treatment of many dermatological disorders.

Keywords: 5-FU, central composite design, microemulsion, ternanry phase diagram

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Authors: Bárbara Durão, Pedro Almeida, David Ramilo, André Meneses, Rute Canejo-Teixeira

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The importance of quality of life (QoL) assessment in veterinary medicine is an integral part of patient care. This is especially true in cases of chronic diseases, such as chronic kidney disease (CKD), where the ever more advanced treatment options prolong the patient’s life. Whether this prolongment of life comes with an acceptable quality of life remains has been called into question. The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship between CKD disease biomarkers and QoL in cats. Thirty-seven cats diagnosed with CKD and with no known concurrent illness were enrolled in an observational study. Through the course of several evaluations, renal biomarkers were assessed in blood and urine samples, and owners retrospectively described their cat’s quality of life using a validated instrument for this disease. Correlations between QoL scores (AWIS) and the biomarkers were assessed using Spearman’s rank test. Statistical significance was set at p-value < 0.05, and every serial sample was considered independent. Thirty-seven cats met the inclusion criteria, and all owners completed the questionnaire every time their pet was evaluated, giving a total of eighty-four questionnaires, and the average-weighted-impact-score was –0.5. Results showed there was a statistically significant correlation between the quality of life and most of 17 the studied biomarkers and confirmed that CKD has a negative impact on QoL in cats especially due to the management of the disease and secondary appetite disorders. To our knowledge, this is the attempt to assess the correlation between renal biomarkers and QoL in cats. Our results reveal a strong potential of this type of approach in clinical management, mainly in situations where it is not possible to measure biomarkers. Whilst health-related QoL is a reliable predictor of mortality and morbidity in humans; our findings can help improve the clinical practice in cats with CKD.

Keywords: chronic kidney disease, biomarkers, quality of life, feline

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Authors: Ramiro Quintanilla-Licea, Isvar K. Angeles-Hernandez, Javier Vargas-Villarreal

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Amebiasis caused by Entamoeba histolytica, associated with high morbidity and mortality, is currently a significant public health problem worldwide, especially in developing countries. In the world, around 50 million people develop this illness, and up to 100,000 deaths occur annually. Due to the side-effects and the resistance that pathogenic protozoa show against common antiparasitic drugs (e.g., metronidazole), growing attention has been paid to plants used in traditional medicine around the world to find new antiprotozoal agents. In this study is reported about the isolation and structure elucidation of antiamoebic compounds occurring in Lippia graveolens Kunth (Mexican oregano). The work-up of the methanol extract of L. graveolens afforded the known flavonoids pinocembrin (1), sakuranetin (2), cirsimaritin (3) and naringenin (4) by bioguided isolation using several chromatographic techniques. Structural elucidation of the isolated compounds was based on spectroscopic/spectrometric analyses (IR; 1H- and 13C-NMR; MS) and comparison with literature data. These compounds showed significant antiprotozoal activity against Entamoeba histolytica trophozoites using in vitro tests (positive control metronidazole IC50 0.205 µg/mL). The antiprotozoal activity of pinocembrin and naringenin (IC50 of 29.51 µg/mL and 28.85 µg/mL, respectively) was higher compared with sakuranetin (44.47 µg/mL) and with cirsimaritin (150.00 µg/mL), revealing that a 5,7-dihydroxylated A ring is essential for antiprotozoal activity. These research funds may validate the use of this plant in the traditional Mexican medicine for the treatment of some digestive disorders and can help to integrate the use of extracts of L. graveolens in the conventional and complementary medicine for the treatment of parasitic diseases.

Keywords: amoebiasis, antiprotozoal agents, bioguided isolation, infectious diseases

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Authors: Patcharapa Thaweekul, Paskorn Sritipsukho

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Background: During the training period of the 6-year medical curriculum, medical students seem to have many risk behaviors of developing obesity. This study aims to demonstrate the prevalence and risk behavior of obesity and related metabolic disorders among the final-year medical students of Thammasat University as well as the change in nutritional status during studying program. Methods: 123 participants were asked to complete the self-report questionnaires. Weight, height, waist circumference and blood pressure were obtained. Blood samples were drawn for total cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein, low-density lipoprotein, triglycerides and plasma glucose. Body weight and height of the medical students in the first year were obtained from the medical report at the entry. Results: The prevalence of overweight and obesity at the entry to medical school was 22.0% and increased to 30.1% in the final year. Two obese students (5.4%) was diagnosed as metabolic syndrome. During 6-year curriculum, the BMI gained in male medical students were more significant as compared to female students (1.76±1.74 and 0.43±1.82 kg/m2, respectively; p <.001). The current BMI is significantly correlated with the BMI at entry. Serum LDL-C in the overweight/obese students was significantly higher as compared to the normal weight and underweight group. Sleep deprivation was a significantly frequent behavior in the overweight/obese students. Conclusion: Medical students, as having high-risk behaviors, should be assessed for the nutritional status and metabolic parameters. Medical schools should promote the healthy behaviors to increase the healthy eating and exercise habits and reduced the risk behaviors among them.

Keywords: medical students, metabolic syndrome, obesity, risk behaviors

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Authors: Azadeh Rouhandeh, Chris Joslin, Zhen Qu, Yuu Ono

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The centre of rotation of the hip joint is needed for an accurate simulation of the joint performance in many applications such as pre-operative planning simulation, human gait analysis, and hip joint disorders. In human movement analysis, the hip joint center can be estimated using a functional method based on the relative motion of the femur to pelvis measured using reflective markers attached to the skin surface. The principal source of errors in estimation of hip joint centre location using functional methods is soft tissue artefacts due to the relative motion between the markers and bone. One of the main objectives in human movement analysis is the assessment of soft tissue artefact as the accuracy of functional methods depends upon it. Various studies have described the movement of soft tissue artefact invasively, such as intra-cortical pins, external fixators, percutaneous skeletal trackers, and Roentgen photogrammetry. The goal of this study is to present a non-invasive method to assess the displacements of the markers relative to the underlying bone using optical motion capture data and tissue thickness from ultrasound measurements during flexion, extension, and abduction (all with knee extended) of the hip joint. Results show that the artefact skin marker displacements are non-linear and larger in areas closer to the hip joint. Also marker displacements are dependent on the movement type and relatively larger in abduction movement. The quantification of soft tissue artefacts can be used as a basis for a correction procedure for hip joint kinematics.

Keywords: hip joint center, motion capture, soft tissue artefact, ultrasound depth measurement

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Authors: C. Chaillou

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The dominant theoretical approaches in Criminology are interested in the phenomenon of delinquency from the question of the management of the risks incurred by the population. Thus, this research advocate prevention of this phenomenon by a tracking of early disorders in children. Treatments offered to rely on medical research (genetics and biology are cited as a reference) and assuming a high naturalization of delinquent behaviour. Programs that are offered also reduce to a recovery of the deviant behaviour, and rely readily on behavioral guidelines, with an educational grant. Public policy then rely on these programs to prevent unwanted behaviour within a given population and to reduce the risk for the company. This is the case in France, with national institutes making (juvenile) violence a public health problem. We consider that other approaches, issues of sociology, are more relevant to the treatment of offenders. These approaches are moving, not on its prevention, but from its inputs and its outputs. Several modalities of entries and exits of delinquency can find and analyze in terms of process. We assume that there is a dynamic inherent in the individual and it is important to take into account the environment of the offender. These different types of processes can illuminate from the derived work of the Psychoanalytical psychopathology and lead to more effective treatment of delinquent acts. Psychoanalytic concepts have enabled us to offer a new look means to treat delinquency, placing several types of relationship with the other and relating to the clinical structure and the uniqueness of the case, we have been able to enter subjective and unconscious logics at work in delinquent acts. This research has facilitated the reduction of these types of subjective responses and proposed others, opening to a reintegration of offenders in a social link them being more favourable and in a longer term.

Keywords: delinquency, insertion, social link, unconscious

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