Relevance of anatomy to medical education and clinical practice: perspectives of medical students, clinicians, and educators

Introduction: Against a backdrop of ever-changing diagnostic and treatment modalities, stakeholder perceptions (medical students, clinicians, anatomy educators) are crucial for the design of an anatomy curriculum which fulfils the criteria required for safe medical practice. This study compared perceptions of students, practising clinicians, and anatomy educators with respect to the relevance of anatomy education to medicine. Methods: A quantitative survey was administered to undergraduate entry (n = 352) and graduate entry students (n = 219) at two Irish medical schools, recently graduated Irish clinicians (n = 146), and anatomy educators based in Irish and British medical schools (n = 30). Areas addressed included the association of anatomy with medical education and clinical practice, mode of instruction, and curriculum duration. Results: Graduate-entry students were less likely to associate anatomy with the development of professionalism, teamwork skills, or improved awareness of ethics in medicine. Clinicians highlighted the challenge of tailoring anatomy education to increase student readiness to function effectively in a clinical role. Anatomy educators indicated dissatisfaction with the time available for anatomy within medical curricula, and were equivocal about whether curriculum content should be responsive to societal feedback. Conclusions: The group differences identified in the current study highlight areas and requirements which medical education curriculum developers should be sensitive to when designing anatomy courses.

Prediction of a low-risk concentration of diflubenzuron to aquatic organisms and evaluation of clay and gravel in reducing the toxicity.

Resumo: Predição da concentração de baixo risco de diflubenzuron para organismos aquáticos e avaliação da argila e brita na redução da toxicidade. O diflubenzuron é um inseticida que além de ser usado agricultura, tem sido amplamente empregado na piscicultura, apesar do seu uso ser proibido nesta atividade. Este composto não consta na lista da legislação brasileira que estabelece limites máximos permissíveis em corpos de água para a proteção das comunidades aquáticas. No presente trabalho, a partir da toxicidade do diflubenzuron em organismos não-alvo, foi calculada a concentração de risco para somente 5% das espécies (HC5). O valor deste parâmetro foi estimado em aproximadamente 7 x 10-6 mg L-1 . Este baixo valor é devido à extremamente alta toxicidade do diflubenzuron para dafnídeos e à grande variação de sensibilidade entre as espécies testadas. Dois matérias de relativamente baixo custo se mostraram eficientes na remoção da toxicidade do diflubenzuron de soluções contendo este composto. Dentre esses materiais, a argila expandida promoveu a redução em aproximadamente 50% da toxicidade de uma solução contendo diflubenzuron. Os resultados podem contribuir para políticas públicas no Brasil relacionadas ao estabelecimento de limites máximos permissíveis de xenobióticos no compartimento aquático. Também, para a pesquisa de matérias inertes e de baixo custo com potencial de remoção de xenobióticos presentes em efluentes da aquicultura ou da agricultura. Abstract: Diflubenzuron is an insecticide that, besides being used in the agriculture, has been widely used in fish farming. However, its use is prohibited in this activity. Diflubenzuron is not in the list of Brazilian legislation establishing maximum permissible limits in water bodies for the protection of aquatic communities. In this paper, according toxicity data of diflubenzuron in non-target organisms, it was calculated an hazardous concentration for only 5% of the species (HC5) of the aquatic community. This parameter value was estimated to be about 7 x 10 -6 mg L -1 . The low value is due to the extreme high toxicity of diflubenzuron to daphnids and to the large variation in sensitivity among the species tested. Two relatively low cost and inert materials were efficient in removing the diflubenzuron from solutions containing this compound. Among these materials, expanded clay shown to promote reduction of approximately 50% of the toxicity of a solution containing diflubenzuron. The results may contribute to the establishment of public policies in Brazil associated to the definition of maximum permissible limits of xenobiotics in the aquatic compartment. This study is also relevant to the search of low cost and inert materials for xenobiotics removal from aquaculture or agricultural effluents.

Contribution of cytokines to the etiology and progression of Primary Myelofibrosis

Primary Myelofibrosis (PMF) is the end-stage of Philadelphia-negative myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPN) and is characterized by fibrosis and hematopoietic failure in bone marrow, with a consequential migration of the malignant hematopoietic stem cells (HSC) in the spleen where they induce ineffective haematopoiesis. To date, available therapies for PMF are still palliative and do not halt the progression of this neoplasm. During my PhD years, our laboratory investigated the factors promoting the onset and progression of PMF. In our PMF mice model, Gata1low mouse, we studied the role of the interaction of HSC niche with megakaryocytes and HSC localization in the bone marrow during their division and cycle. We observed the inflammation and the main protagonists (LNC-2, CXCL1, and TGF-β) of this process and how their level changes before and after the onset of the disease. We investigated the different megakaryocyte populations in the fibrotic environment in different organs (lung and bone marrow) to define the megakaryocytes implicated in this process. In human samples, we described different ultrastructural abnormalities of megakaryocytes from the bone marrow and the spleen, identifying a possible different metabolism in those two populations. In conclusion, we highlighted the intricated crosstalk between the megakaryocytes, the niche and HSC in PMF. We identified megakaryocytes-dependent cytokines altering the homeostasis of the niche and HSC. Those cytokines could be used as alternative therapeutic targets. Furthermore, we observed different megakaryocytic populations in different organs, providing new prospective on the role of megakaryocytes in different microenvironments.

Managing university records and documents in the world of governance, audit and risk: Case studies from South Africa and Malawi

There are enormous benefits for any organisation from practising sound records management. In the context of a public university, the importance of good records management includes: facilitating the achievement the university’s mandate; enhancing efficiency of the university; maintaining a reliable institutional memory; promoting trust; responding to an audit culture; enhancing university competitiveness; supporting the university’s fiduciary duty; demonstrating transparency and accountability; and fighting corruption. Records scholars and commentators posit that effective recordkeeping is an essential underpinning of good governance. Although there is a portrayal of positive correlation, recordkeeping struggles to get the same attention as that given to the governance. Evidence abounds of cases of neglect of recordkeeping in universities and other institutions in Sub-Saharan Africa. The apparent absence of sound recordkeeping provided a rationale for revisiting some universities in South Africa and Malawi in order to critically explore the place of recordkeeping in an organisation’s strategy in order to develop an alternative framework for managing records and documents in an era where good governance is a global agenda. The research is a collective case study in which multiple cases are used to critically explore the relationship between recordkeeping and governance. As qualitative research that belongs in the interpretive tradition of enquiry, it is not meant to suggest prescriptive solutions to general recordkeeping problems but rather to provide an understanding of the challenges and opportunities that arise in managing records and documents in the world of governance, audit and risk. That is: what goes on in the workplace; what are the problems; and what alternative approaches might address any existing problem situations. Research findings show that some institutions are making good use of their governance structures and other drivers for recordkeeping to put in place sound recordkeeping systems. Key governance structures and other drivers for recordkeeping identified include: laws and regulations; governing bodies; audit; risk; technology; reforms; and workplace culture. Other institutions are not managing their records and documents well despite efforts to improve their governance systems. They lack recordkeeping capacity. Areas that determine recordkeeping capacity include: availability of records management policy; capacity for digital records; availability of a records management unit; senior management support; level of education and training of records management staff; and systems and procedures for storage, retrieval and dispositions of records. Although this research reveals that the overall recordkeeping in the selected countries has slightly improved compared with the situation other researchers found a decade ago, it remains unsatisfactory and disjointed from governance. The study therefore proposes governance recordkeeping as an approach to managing records and documents in the world of governance, audit and risk. The governance recordkeeping viewpoint considers recordkeeping as a governance function that should be treated in the same manner as other governance functions such as audit and risk management. Additionally, recordkeeping and governance should be considered as symbiotic elements of a strategy. A strategy that neglects recordkeeping may not fulfil the organisation’s objectives effectively.

Collecting valuable consumer data: Motivating consumers to disclose personal information

Collecting and analyzing consumer data is essential in today’s data-driven business environment. However, consumers are becoming more aware of the value of the information they can provide to companies, thereby being more reluctant to share it for free. Therefore, companies need to find ways to motivate consumers to disclose personal information. The main research question of the study was formed as “How can companies motivate consumers to disclose personal information?” and it was further divided into two subquestions: 1) What types of benefits motivate consumers to disclose personal information? 2) How does the disclosure context affect the consumers’ information disclosure behavior? The conceptual framework consisted of a classification of extrinsic and intrinsic benefits, and moderating factors, which were recognized on the basis of prior research in the field. The study was conducted by using qualitative research methods. The primary data was collected by interviewing ten representatives from eight companies. The data was analyzed and reported according to predetermined themes. The findings of the study confirm that consumers can be motivated to disclose personal information by offering different types of extrinsic (monetary saving, time saving, self-enhancement, and social adjustment) and intrinsic (novelty, pleasure, and altruism) benefits. However, not all the benefits are equally useful ways to convince the customer to disclose information. Moreover, different factors in the disclosure context can either alleviate or increase the effectiveness of the benefits and the consumers’ motivation to disclose personal information. Such factors include the consumer’s privacy concerns, perceived trust towards the company, the relevancy of the requested information, personalization, website elements (especially security, usability, and aesthetics of a website), and the consumer’s shopping motivation. This study has several contributions. It is essential that companies recognize the most attractive benefits regarding their business and their customers, and that they understand how the disclosure context affects the consumer’s information disclosure behavior. The likelihood of information disclosure can be increased, for example, by offering benefits that meet the consumers’ needs and preferences, improving the relevancy of the asked information, stating the reasons for data collection, creating and maintaining a trustworthy image of the company, and enhancing the quality of the company’s website.

Effectiveness of pharmacist care in the improvement of adherence to antidepressants: a systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND: Pharmacists can play a decisive role in the management of ambulatory patients with depression who have poor adherence to antidepressant drugs. OBJECTIVE: To systematically evaluate the effectiveness of pharmacist care in improving adherence of depressed outpatients to antidepressants. METHODS: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) was conducted. RCTs were identified through electronic databases (MEDLINE, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Institute for Scientific Information Web of Knowledge, and Spanish National Research Council) from inception to April 2010, reference lists were checked, and experts were consulted. RCTs that evaluated the impact of pharmacist interventions on improving adherence to antidepressants in depressed patients in an outpatient setting (community pharmacy or pharmacy service) were included. Methodologic quality was assessed and methodologic details and outcomes were extracted in duplicate. RESULTS: Six RCTs were identified. A total of 887 patients with an established diagnosis of depression who were initiating or maintaining pharmacologic treatment with antidepressant drugs and who received pharmacist care (459 patients) or usual care (428 patients) were included in the review. The most commonly reported interventions were patient education and monitoring, monitoring and management of toxicity and adverse effects, adherence promotion, provision of written or visual information, and recommendation or implementation of changes or adjustments in medication. Overall, no statistical heterogeneity or publication bias was detected. The pooled odds ratio, using a random effects model, was 1.64 (95% CI 1.24 to 2.17). Subgroup analysis showed no statistically significant differences in results by type of pharmacist involved, adherence measure, diagnostic tool, or analysis strategy. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that pharmacist intervention is effective in the improvement of patient adherence to antidepressants. However, data are still limited and we would recommend more research in this area, specifically outside of the US.

Studying the recent situation of information and communication technology industry

Globaalinen liiketoimintaympäristö on muutoksessa. Uudet teknologiat muuttavat toimintaympäristöä ja talouden säännöt muuttuvat nopeasti. Uusia liiketoimintamalleja tarvitaan. Tutkimuksen tavoitteena oli analysoida tieto- ja viestintäteollisuuden (ICT-teollisuus) nykytilannetta strategisesta ja kilpailuanalyyttisestä näkökulmasta, sekä luoda kuva ICT-teollisuudesta ja sen suurista pelureista Euroopassa ja USA:ssa. Tutkimus analysoi viittä suurta ICT-alan yritystä. Tutkimus oli luonteeltaan sekä kvalitatiivinen että kvantitatiivinen. Yrityksiä analysoitiin käyttäen numeerista ja laadullista materiaalia. Tutkimus perustui kirjallisuuteen, artikkeleihin, tutkimusraportteihin, yritysten internet-kotisivuihin ja vuosikertomuksiin. Tutkimuksen tuloksena voitiin löytää sekä yhtäläisyyksiä että eroavaisuuksia yritysten liiketoimintamallien ja taloudellisen menestymisen väliltä.

Biochemical and molecular characterization of pathogenic vibrios from hatcheries and aquaculture farms

Vibrio are important during hatchery rearing. aquaculture phase and post-harvest quality of shrimps. Vibrio spp are of concern to shrimp farmers and hatchery operators because certain species can cause Vibriosis. Vibrio species are of concern to humans because certain species cause serious diseases.With the progress in aquaculture, intensive systems used for shrimp aquaculture create an artificial environment that increases bacterial growth. To maintain the productivity of such an intensive aquaculture, high inputs of fish protein have to be employed for feeding together with high levels of water exchange and the massive use of antibiotics/ probiotics / chemicals. It seems that the combination of these conditions favours the proliferation of vibrios and enhances their virulence and disease prevalence. The risk of a microbial infection is high, mainly at larval stages. The effect and severity are related to Vibrio species and dose, water, feed, shrimp quality and aquaculture management.Consumption of seafood can occasionally result in food-bome illnesses due to the proliferation of indigenous pathogens like Vibrio.Of the l2 pathogenic Vibrio species, 8 species are known to be directly food associated. Strict quality guidelines have been laid by the importing nations, for the food products that enter their markets. The microbiological quality requirement for export of frozen shrimp products is that V.cholerae, V.parahaemolyticus and V. vulnificus should be absent in 25g of the processed shrimp (Export Inspection Council of India, 1995). The mere presence of these pathogenic Vibrios is sufficient for the rejection of the exported product.The export rejections cause serious economic loss to the shrimp industry and might harm the brand image of the shrimp products from the countiy.There is a need for an independent study on the incidence of different pathogenic vibrios in shrimp aquaculture and investigate their biochemical characteristics to have a better understanding about the growth and survival of these organisms in the shrimp aquaculture niche. PCR based methods (conventional PCR, duplex PCR, multiplex-PCR and Real Time PCR) for the detection of the pathogenic Vibrios is important for rapid post-harvest quality assessment. Studies on the genetic heterogeneity among the specific pathogenic vibrio species isolated from shrimp aquaculture system provide; valuable information on the extent of genetic diversity of the pathogenic vibrios, the shrimp aquaculture system.So the present study was undertaken to study the incidence of pathogenic Vibrio spp. in Penaeus monodon shrimp hatcheries and aquaculture farms, to carry out biochemical investigations of the pathogenic Vibrio spp isolated from P. monodon hatchery and. aquaculture environments, to assess the effect of salt (NaCl) on the growth and enzymatic activities of pathogenic Vibrio spp., to study the effect of preservatives, and chemicals on the growth of pathogenic Vibrio spp. and to employ polymerase chain reaction (PCR) methods for the detection of pathogenic V ibrio spp.Samples of water (n=7) and post-larvae (n=7) were obtained from seven Penaeus monodon hatcheries and samples of water (n=5), sediment (n=5) and shrimp (n=5) were obtained from five P. monodon aquaculture farms located on the East Coast of lndia. The microbiological examination of water, sediment, post-larvae and shrimp samples was carried out employing standard methods and by using standard media.The higher bacterial loads were obtained in pond sediments which can be attributed to the accumulation of organic matter at the pond bottom which stimulated bacterial growth.Shrimp head. (4.78 x 105 +/- 3.0 x 104 cfu/g) had relatively higher bacterial load when compared to shrimp muscle 2.7 x 105 +/- 1.95 x 104 cfu/g). ln shrimp hatchery samples, the post-larvae (2.2 x 106 +/- 1.9 x 106 cfu/g) had higher bacterial load than water (5.6 x 103 +/- 3890 cfu/ml).The mean E.coli counts were higher in aquaculture pond sediment (204+/-13 cfu/g) and pond water (124+/-88 cfu/ml). Relatively lower Escherichia coli counts were obtained from shrimp samples (12+/-11 to 16+/-16.7 cfu/g). The presence of E.coli in aquaculture environment might have been from the source water. E.coli was not detected in hatchery waters and post-larvae.

Predicting the profile of nutrients available for absorption: from nutrient requirement to animal response and environmental impact

Current feed evaluation systems for dairy cattle aim to match nutrient requirements with nutrient intake at pre-defined production levels. These systems were not developed to address, and are not suitable to predict, the responses to dietary changes in terms of production level and product composition, excretion of nutrients to the environment, and nutrition related disorders. The change from a requirement to a response system to meet the needs of various stakeholders requires prediction of the profile of absorbed nutrients and its subsequent utilisation for various purposes. This contribution examines the challenges to predicting the profile of nutrients available for absorption in dairy cattle and provides guidelines for further improved prediction with regard to animal production responses and environmental pollution. The profile of nutrients available for absorption comprises volatile fatty acids, long-chain fatty acids, amino acids and glucose. Thus the importance of processes in the reticulo-rumen is obvious. Much research into rumen fermentation is aimed at determination of substrate degradation rates. Quantitative knowledge on rates of passage of nutrients out of the rumen is rather limited compared with that on degradation rates, and thus should be an important theme in future research. Current systems largely ignore microbial metabolic variation, and extant mechanistic models of rumen fermentation give only limited attention to explicit representation of microbial metabolic activity. Recent molecular techniques indicate that knowledge on the presence and activity of various microbial species is far from complete. Such techniques may give a wealth of information, but to include such findings in systems predicting the nutrient profile requires close collaboration between molecular scientists and mathematical modellers on interpreting and evaluating quantitative data. Protozoal metabolism is of particular interest here given the paucity of quantitative data. Empirical models lack the biological basis necessary to evaluate mitigation strategies to reduce excretion of waste, including nitrogen, phosphorus and methane. Such models may have little predictive value when comparing various feeding strategies. Examples include the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Tier II models to quantify methane emissions and current protein evaluation systems to evaluate low protein diets to reduce nitrogen losses to the environment. Nutrient based mechanistic models can address such issues. Since environmental issues generally attract more funding from governmental offices, further development of nutrient based models may well take place within an environmental framework.

The contribution of biofuels to the sustainability of development in Latin America and the Caribbean

Includes bibliography

An initiative for participatory monitoring of large scale acquisitions: Opportunities and results thus far

Increasing commercial pressures on land are provoking fundamental and far-reaching changes in the relationships between people and land. Much knowledge on land-oriented investments projects currently comes from the media. Although this provides a good starting point, lack of transparency and rapidly changing contexts mean that this is often unreliable. The International Land Coalition, in partnership with Oxfam Novib, Centre de coopération internationale en recherche agronomique pour le développement (CIRAD), University of Pretoria, Centre for Development and Environment of the University of Bern (CDE), and GIZ, started to compile an inventory of land-related investments. This project aims to better understand the extent, trends and impacts of land-related investments by supporting an ongoing and systematic stocktaking exercise of the various investment projects currently taking place worldwide. It involves a large number of organizations and individuals working in areas where land transactions are being made, and able to provide details of such investments. The project monitors land transactions in rural areas that imply a transformation of land use rights from communities and smallholders to commercial use, and are made both by domestic and foreign investors (private actors, governments, government-back private investors). The focus is on investments for food or agrofuel production, timber extraction, carbon trading, mineral extraction, conservation and tourism. A novel way of using ITC to document land acquisitions in a spatially explicit way and by using an approach called “crowdsourcing” is being developed. This approach will allow actors to share information and knowledge directly and at any time on a public platform, where it will be scrutinized in terms of reliability and cross checked with other sources. Up to now, over 1200 deals have been recorded across 96 countries. Details of such transactions have been classified in a matrix and distributed to over 350 contacts worldwide for verification. The verified information has been geo-referenced and represented in two global maps. This is an open database enabling a continued monitoring exercise and the improvement of data accuracy. More information will be released over time. The opportunities arise from overcoming constraints by incomplete information by proposing a new way of collecting, enhancing and sharing information and knowledge in a more democratic and transparent manner. The intention is to develop interactive knowledge platform where any interested person can share and access information on land deals, their link to involved stakeholders, and their embedding into a geographical context. By making use of new ICT technologies that are more and more in the reach of local stakeholders, as well as open access and web-based spatial information systems, it will become possible to create a dynamic database containing spatial explicit data. Feeding in data by a large number of stakeholders, increasingly also by means of new mobile ITC technologies, will open up new opportunities to analyse, monitor and assess highly dynamic trends of land acquisition and rural transformation.

Hidrogeología e hidrodinámica del acuífero de los manantiales de Gormaz y su importancia en el caudal base del río Duero, España = Hydrogeology and hydrodynamic of the Gormaz Springs Aquifer and its importance to the base flow of the Duero River, Spain

Se cuantifican las descargas subterráneas de un acuífero a un río que lo atraviesa utilizando correlaciones estadísticas. El río Duero, España, incrementa su caudal base en varios m3/s, al atravesar unos afloramientos carbonatados mesozoicos en un pequeño tramo de su cabecera; esto es de especial importancia en época de estiaje, cuando la mayor parte del caudal base del río procede de manantiales que allí se sitúan. Dichos afloramientos corresponden a uno de los dos acuíferos calcáreos confinados, que se desarrollan en paralelo y están hidráulicamente desconectados por una capa impermeable, que forman el sistema acuífero de los manantiales de Gormaz. Este sistema se encuentra en estado de régimen natural y está apenas explotado. Se define el modelo conceptual de funcionamiento hidrogeológico, considerando el papel hidrogeológico de la falla de Gormaz, situada en la zona de descarga del sistema. Analizando información geológica antecedente y la geofísica exploratoria realizada, se obtuvo un mejor conocimiento de la geometría y los límites de los acuíferos, definiéndose un sistema acuífero con una zona de recarga en el sur, correspondiente a los afloramientos calcáreos, los cuales se confinan hacia el norte bajo el Terciario, hasta intersecar con la falla normal de Gormaz. El salto de falla genera una barrera para las formaciones permeables situadas al extremo norte (margen derecha del río Duero); a su vez, el plano de falla facilita el ascenso del agua subterránea del sistema acuífero en estudio y pone en conexión hidráulica los dos acuíferos. Se estimaron, además, los parámetros hidráulicos de los acuíferos en los alrededores de la falla. La buena correlación entre los niveles piezométricos y las descargas subterráneas al río Duero han permitido la reconstrucción del hidrograma de los manantiales de Gormaz en el periodo 1992-2006. Se calcula así que la contribución subterránea al río Duero es de 135.9 hm3/año, que supone el 18.9% de la aportación total del río. In a short stretch of its headwaters, the base flow of the River Duero increases by several m3/s as it traverses some Mesozoic carbonate outcrops. This is of special importance during the dry season, when the majority of the base flow of the river proceeds from springs in this reach. The outcrops correspond to one of two confined calcareous aquifers that developed in parallel but which are not hydraulically connected because of an impermeable layer. Together, they constitute the aquifer system of the Gormaz Springs. The system is still in its natural regime and is hardly exploited. This study defines the conceptual model of hydrogeological functioning, taking into consideration the role of the Gormaz Fault, which is situated in the discharge zone of the system. Analysis of both antecedent geological information and geophysical explorations has led to a better understanding of the geometry and boundaries of the aquifers, defining an aquifer system with a recharge zone in the south corresponding to in the calcareous outcrops. These calcareous outcrops are confined to the north below Tertiary formations, as far as their intersection with the normal fault of Gormaz. The throw of the fault forms the barrier of the permeable formations situated in the extreme north (right bank of the River Duero). In turn, the fault plane facilitates the upflow of groundwater from the aquifer system and creates hydraulic connection between the two aquifers. In addition, the study estimated the hydraulic parameters of the aquifer around the fault. The close correlation between piezometric levels and the groundwater discharges to the River Duero has enabled the reconstruction of the hydrogram of Gormaz springs over the period 1992-2006. By this means, it is calculated that the groundwater contribution to the River Duero is 135.9 hm3/year, or 18.9% of the total river inflow.

A general proposal to multilingual information access based on syntactic-semantic patterns

In the last few years, there has been a wide development in the research on textual information systems. The goal is to improve these systems in order to allow an easy localization, treatment and access to the information stored in digital format (Digital Databases, Documental Databases, and so on). There are lots of applications focused on information access (for example, Web-search systems like Google or Altavista). However, these applications have problems when they must access to cross-language information, or when they need to show information in a language different from the one of the query. This paper explores the use of syntactic-sematic patterns as a method to access to multilingual information, and revise, in the case of Information Retrieval, where it is possible and useful to employ patterns when it comes to the multilingual and interactive aspects. On the one hand, the multilingual aspects that are going to be studied are the ones related to the access to documents in different languages from the one of the query, as well as the automatic translation of the document, i.e. a machine translation system based on patterns. On the other hand, this paper is going to go deep into the interactive aspects related to the reformulation of a query based on the syntactic-semantic pattern of the request.

The preparation of reach-to-grasp movements in adults, children, and children with movement problems

This study explored the use of advance information in the control of reach-to-grasp movements. The paradigm required participants to reach and grasp illuminated blocks with their right hand. Four target blocks were positioned on a table surface, two each side of the mid-saggital plane. In the complete precue condition, advance information precisely specified target location. In the partial precue condition, advance information indicated target location relative to the midsaggital plane (left or right). In the null condition, the advance information was entirely ambiguous. Participants produced fastest responses in the complete precue condition, intermediate response times in the partial condition, and the slowest responses in the null condition. This result was observed in adults and four groups of children including a group aged 4-6 years. In contrast, children with Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD, n = 11, aged 7-13 years) showed no advantage of partial precueing. Movement duration was determined by target location but was unaffected by precue condition. Movement duration was a clear function of age apart from children in the DCD group who showed equivalent movement times to those of the youngest children. These findings provide important insights into the control of reach-to-grasp movements and highlight that partial cues are exploited by children as young as 4 years but are not used in situations of abnormal development.

Influence of arterial compliance on presence and extent of ischaemia during stress echocardiography

Objective: To seek an association between total arterial compliance (TAC) and the extent of ischaemia at stress echocardiography. Design: Cohort study. Setting: Regional cardiac centre. Methods: 255 consecutive patients (147 men; mean (SD) age 58 (8)) presenting for stress echocardiography for clinical indications were studied. Wall motion score index (WMSI) was calculated and ischaemia was defined by an inducible or worsening wall motion abnormality. Peak WMSI was used to reflect the extent of dysfunction (ischaemia or scar), and Delta WMSI was indicative of extent of ischaemia. TAC was assessed at rest by simultaneous radial applanation tonometry and pulsed wave Doppler in all patients. Results: Ischaemia was identified by stress echocardiography in 65 patients (25%). TAC was similar in the groups with negative and positive echocardiograms (1.08 (0.41) v 1.17 (0.51) ml/ mm Hg, not significant). However, the extent of dysfunction was associated with TAC independently of age, blood pressure, risk factors, and use of a beta blocker. Moreover, the extent of ischaemia was determined by TAC, risk factors, and use of a b blocker. Conclusion: While traditional cardiovascular risk factors are strong predictors of ischaemia on stress echocardiography, TAC is an independent predictor of the extent of ischaemia.