Polyester microfiber impacts on coastal sediment organic matter consumption.

As plastic pollution continues to accumulate at the seafloor, concerns around benthic ecosystem functionality heightens. This research demonstrates the systematic effects of polyester microfibers on seafloor organic matter consumption rates, an important benthic ecosystem function connected to multiple reactions and processes. We used a field-based assay to measure the loss of organic matter, both with and without polyester microfiber contamination. We identified sediment organic matter content, mud content, and mean grain size as the main drivers of organic matter consumption, however, polyester microfiber contamination decoupled ecosystem relationships and altered observed organic matter cycling dynamics. Organic matter consumption rates varied across horizontal and vertical spaces, highlighting that consumption and associated plastic effects are dependent on environmental heterogeneity at both small (within sites) and larger (between sites) scales. Our results emphasize the important role habitat heterogeneity plays in seafloor organic matter consumption and the associated effects of plastic pollution on ecosystem function.

[Satisfaction of wheelchair users in the Baixada Santista Metropolitan Region]. / Satisfação dos usuários de cadeiras de rodas da Região Metropolitana da Baixada Santista.

This article seeks to identify user satisfaction in relation to wheelchairs and the provision of public and private health services in the Baixada Santista Metropolitan Region. It involved a cross-sectional study with a quantitative approach. Participants answered a sociodemographic questionnaire and the Brazilian version of the Quebec Assistive Technology User Satisfaction Assessment. Data were analyzed using descriptive and comparative statistics by means of Student's t test. Cohen's d effect sizes were also calculated. Participants (n = 42) were "more or less satisfied" with the wheelchairs and "quite satisfied" with the services provided. Rigid frame wheelchair users were significantly more satisfied with their wheelchairs compared to users of wheelchairs weighing over 198 lbs. (p = 0.010, d = 1.04). Users of private services showed significantly greater satisfaction with the provision of the service compared to public services users (p = 0.021, d = 0.75). Wheelchair users in the Baixada Santista Metropolitan Region are more satisfied with the rigid frame wheelchair and less satisfied with public services.

O objetivo deste artigo é identificar a satisfação dos usuários em relação às cadeiras de rodas e à prestação de serviços públicos e privados de saúde da Região Metropolitana da Baixada Santista. Estudo transversal com abordagem quantitativa. Os participantes responderam a um questionário sociodemográfico e à versão brasileira do Quebec Assistive Technology User Satisfaction Assessment. Os dados foram analisados utilizando a estatística descritiva e comparativa por meio do teste t de Student. Os tamanhos de efeito d de Cohen foram calculados. Os participantes (n = 42) estavam "mais ou menos satisfeitos" com as cadeiras de rodas e "pouco satisfeitos" com a prestação de serviços. Os usuários de cadeiras de rodas monobloco apresentaram satisfação significativamente maior com suas cadeiras em comparação com usuários de cadeiras de rodas acima de 90kg (p = 0,010, d = 1,04). Os usuários de serviços privados apresentaram satisfação significativamente maior com a prestação de serviço em comparação aos usuários de serviços públicos (p = 0,021, d = 0,75). Os usuários de cadeiras de rodas da Região Metropolitana da Baixada Santista estão mais satisfeitos com as cadeiras de rodas monobloco e menos satisfeitos com os serviços públicos.

Wheelchair outcome measurement instruments for children: a scoping review protocol.

Purpose: The proposed scoping review aims to explore and map wheelchair outcome measurement instruments for children in the literature.Method: The proposed scoping review will be conducted in accordance with the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) methodology. The review question and eligibility criteria were developed using the PCC (population, concept, context) mnemonic as follows: (P) children manual or motorised wheelchair users (aged ≤ 18 years), (C) wheelchair outcome measurement instruments, (C) primary sources of literature. The search will be conducted in nine relevant electronic databases. including grey literature from Academic Google. Study screening, selection, and data extraction will be performed independently by two authors. A third reviewer will resolve discrepancies between the authors. General characteristics, population, feasibility, interpretability data will be extracted in accordance with the COSMIN methodology (Consensus-based Standards for the selection of health Measurement Instruments). This will encompass data pertaining to the measurement properties of the domains of reliability, validity and responsiveness. A descriptive analysis will be carried out, and the results will be classified into categories and presented in tables accompanied by a descriptive summary.Results: The results can inform future research directions, clinical practice and the development of wheelchair outcome measurement instruments. Furthermore, it will help professionals in rehabilitation and wheelchair services to find the wheelchair outcome measurement instruments according to the target population and cultural context.

IMPLICATIONS FOR REHABILITATIONThis review has the potential to enhance understanding of wheelchair outcome measurement instruments, thereby enabling rehabilitation professionals to assess the impact and progress of wheelchair use within the target population.The findings related to measurement properties may guide future research in the field of wheelchair outcome measurement instruments.Additionally it will assist clinical professionals in identifying appropriate wheelchair outcome measurement instruments based on the target population and cultural context.

Satisfação dos usuários de cadeiras de rodas da Região Metropolitana da Baixada Santista / Satisfaction of wheelchair users in the Baixada Santista Metropolitan Region

Resumo O objetivo deste artigo é identificar a satisfação dos usuários em relação às cadeiras de rodas e à prestação de serviços públicos e privados de saúde da Região Metropolitana da Baixada Santista. Estudo transversal com abordagem quantitativa. Os participantes responderam a um questionário sociodemográfico e à versão brasileira do Quebec Assistive Technology User Satisfaction Assessment. Os dados foram analisados utilizando a estatística descritiva e comparativa por meio do teste t de Student. Os tamanhos de efeito d de Cohen foram calculados. Os participantes (n = 42) estavam "mais ou menos satisfeitos" com as cadeiras de rodas e "pouco satisfeitos" com a prestação de serviços. Os usuários de cadeiras de rodas monobloco apresentaram satisfação significativamente maior com suas cadeiras em comparação com usuários de cadeiras de rodas acima de 90kg (p = 0,010, d = 1,04). Os usuários de serviços privados apresentaram satisfação significativamente maior com a prestação de serviço em comparação aos usuários de serviços públicos (p = 0,021, d = 0,75). Os usuários de cadeiras de rodas da Região Metropolitana da Baixada Santista estão mais satisfeitos com as cadeiras de rodas monobloco e menos satisfeitos com os serviços públicos.

Abstract This article seeks to identify user satisfaction in relation to wheelchairs and the provision of public and private health services in the Baixada Santista Metropolitan Region. It involved a cross-sectional study with a quantitative approach. Participants answered a sociodemographic questionnaire and the Brazilian version of the Quebec Assistive Technology User Satisfaction Assessment. Data were analyzed using descriptive and comparative statistics by means of Student's t test. Cohen's d effect sizes were also calculated. Participants (n = 42) were "more or less satisfied" with the wheelchairs and "quite satisfied" with the services provided. Rigid frame wheelchair users were significantly more satisfied with their wheelchairs compared to users of wheelchairs weighing over 198 lbs. (p = 0.010, d = 1.04). Users of private services showed significantly greater satisfaction with the provision of the service compared to public services users (p = 0.021, d = 0.75). Wheelchair users in the Baixada Santista Metropolitan Region are more satisfied with the rigid frame wheelchair and less satisfied with public services.

Not out of the Mediterranean: Atlantic populations of the gorgonian Paramuricea clavata are a separate sister species under further lineage diversification.

The accurate delimitation of species boundaries in nonbilaterian marine taxa is notoriously difficult, with consequences for many studies in ecology and evolution. Anthozoans are a diverse group of key structural organisms worldwide, but the lack of reliable morphological characters and informative genetic markers hampers our ability to understand species diversification. We investigated population differentiation and species limits in Atlantic (Iberian Peninsula) and Mediterranean lineages of the octocoral genus Paramuricea previously identified as P. clavata. We used a diverse set of molecular markers (microsatellites, RNA-seq derived single-copy orthologues [SCO] and mt-mutS [mitochondrial barcode]) at 49 locations. Clear segregation of Atlantic and Mediterranean lineages was found with all markers. Species-tree estimations based on SCO strongly supported these two clades as distinct, recently diverged sister species with incomplete lineage sorting, P. cf. grayi and P. clavata, respectively. Furthermore, a second putative (or ongoing) speciation event was detected in the Atlantic between two P. cf. grayi color morphotypes (yellow and purple) using SCO and supported by microsatellites. While segregating P. cf. grayi lineages showed considerable geographic structure, dominating circalittoral communities in southern (yellow) and western (purple) Portugal, their occurrence in sympatry at some localities suggests a degree of reproductive isolation. Overall, our results show that previous molecular and morphological studies have underestimated species diversity in Paramuricea occurring in the Iberian Peninsula, which has important implications for conservation planning. Finally, our findings validate the usefulness of phylotranscriptomics for resolving evolutionary relationships in octocorals.

Economic evaluation of wheelchairs interventions: a systematic review.

OBJECTIVE: The overall aim of this systematic review was to identify and synthesise the best available evidence on effectiveness, resource use and costs involved in wheelchair interventions of adults with mobility limitations. METHODOLOGY: This systematic review was undertaken in accordance with the Centre for Reviews and Dissemination Guidelines. The protocol for this systematic review was registered with PROSPERO International Prospective Register of Systematic reviews. The following PICOS eligibility criteria were considered: (P) Population was individuals with mobility limitations that live in their community (e.g., non-institutionalized), with aged 18 or older; (I) Intervention was mobility assistive technologies (MAT), such as manual and powered wheelchairs; (C) Comparators (Not Applied); (O) Outcome, the primary outcome of interest, was established as the cost-effectiveness of wheelchair interventions. Direct and indirect costs per unit of effect were expressed in terms of clinical outcome units, quality-adjusted life years gained, utility scores, quality of life measures and incremental cost-effectiveness ratios to inform the economic outcomes. (S) Study design was considered as a health economic evaluation (i.e., including cost-effectiveness analysis, cost-utility analysis and cost benefit analysis as well as partial economic evaluations). The Consolidated Health Economic Evaluation Reporting Standards - CHEERS, checklist was used for summarising and interpreting the results of economic evaluations. RESULTS: Sixteen studies were included, two were identified as full health economic evaluations and 14 were considered partial health economic evaluations. CONCLUSION: Only two full health economic analyses of wheelchair interventions have been conducted and both focussed on powered wheelchair provision. There are important gaps in current knowledge regarding wheelchair health economic methods and available outcome measures, which there is a great need for further research.Implication for RehabilitationSystematic reviews of health economic evaluation studies are useful for synthesising economic evidence about health interventions and provide insight in new research development.Organisations involved in the provision of wheelchairs should apply cost-effectiveness outcome measures to help raise the standard of provision, to support evidence-based practice, and to improve resource utilisation.

Conceptual mapping proposed to comprehend the effect of wheelchair mobility on social participation and quality of life: a systematic review.

PURPOSE: To identify and synthesise the available evidence on the effect of mobility on social participation and quality of life (QoL) of wheelchairs (WC) on adults who use WC as their primary means of mobility. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Systematic review undertaken in accordance with the Centre for Reviews and Dissemination Guidelines and registered in the PROSPERO International Prospective Register of Systematic reviews. Nine electronic databases (MEDLINE via PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, LILACS, CINAHL, PEDro, SCOPUS, Web of Science, and BVS ECOS) were searched with the following PICO eligibility criteria: (P) Population was individuals with mobility limitations that live in their community, aged 18 or older; (I) Intervention was mobility devices, such as manual and powered wheelchairs; (C) Comparators, not applied; (O) Outcome was factors that can be influenced by wheelchair use, such as: social participation, health-related quality of life and QOL. Critical appraisal of methodological quality of studies were undertaken. RESULTS: A total of 18 studies were included. The proportion of studies evaluating the effects of mobility on participation was higher than to mobility on QoL. WC quality, device benefit (ease of repairs and maintenance), confidence using a WC and WC skills were key factors determining participation. The provision of WC according to the eight steps service proposed by the Word Health Organisation contributed to higher levels of physical health, WC satisfaction, hours using the WC and QoL enhancement. CONCLUSION: Attention should be given to enhance WC service provision (with continuous service support) as well as professional continuing education.IMPLICATIONS FOR REHABILITATIONWheelchair technology is a key element in rehabilitation. Significant effort should be made to provide and maintain the wheelchair as a facilitator to participation. A great attention should be done to enhance wheelchair services as well as professional continuous education.Wheelchair skills are associated with participation and may be targeted in clinical intervention.

Compreensão das dificuldades e dos fatores contextuais nas atividades cotidianas de pessoas com esclerose múltipla: um estudo piloto / Understanding difficulties and contextual factors in the daily activities of people with multiple sclerosis: a pilot study

Resumo Introdução A esclerose múltipla (EM) é caracterizada pela degeneração de estruturas do sistema nervoso. Essa condição de saúde pode causar dificuldades na realização das atividades de vida diária e impactar a qualidade de vida do indivíduo. Objetivo Compreender as dificuldades e os fatores contextuais (ambientais e pessoais) que atuam nas atividades cotidianas das pessoas com EM. Método Estudo piloto, transversal, descritivo, exploratório e de abordagem quantitativa e qualitativa. Utilizou-se o formulário WHODAS 2.0 de 36 itens e entrevista semiestruturada, a fim de compreender as dificuldades e os fatores contextuais que atuam nas atividades cotidianas das pessoas com EM. Resultados Os participantes apresentaram maiores dificuldades em relação à mobilidade e em atividades de vida, como caminhar por longas distâncias e à realização de tarefas domésticas. Os recursos de tecnologia assistiva mais utilizados são as cadeiras de rodas, bengalas e andadores. As instalações de barras de apoio, corrimãos e rampas foram descritas como modificações realizadas no ambiente. Conclusão Os achados desta pesquisa contribuíram para verificar a possibilidade de recrutamento de uma amostragem maior, explorar as causas das dificuldades, aprofundar as investigações acerca do uso de recursos de tecnologia assistiva, adaptações no ambiente e enfatizar eventual associação da intensidade das dificuldades com os recursos auxiliares de locomoção e adaptações ambientais.

Abstract Introduction Multiple sclerosis (MS) is characterized by the degeneration of the nervous system structures. This health condition can cause difficulties in carrying out activities of daily living and impact the individual's quality of life. Objective To understand the difficulties and contextual factors (environmental and personal) that act in the daily activities of people with MS. Method Pilot, cross-sectional, descriptive, exploratory study with a quantitative and qualitative approach. The 36-item WHODAS 2.0 form and semi-structured interview were used in order to understand the difficulties and contextual factors that affect the daily activities of people with MS. Results Participants had greater difficulties in terms of mobility and life activities, such as walking long distances and performing household chores. The most used assistive technology resources are wheelchairs, canes and walkers. The installations of grab bars, handrails and ramps were described as modifications made to the environment. Conclusion The findings of this research contributed to verifying the possibility of recruiting a larger sample, exploring the causes of the difficulties, deepening the investigations about the use of assistive technology resources, adaptations in the environment and emphasizing the possible association of the intensity of the difficulties with the mobility aids and environmental adaptations.

Stakeholder perspectives on research and development priorities for mobility assistive-technology: a literature review.

PURPOSE: Over one billion people with disabilities (PWDs) and older adults with mobility impairment are currently in need of assistive technology devices (ATDs) and only 10% of those population have ordinarily access to them. The need for advancement in mobility-assistive technology is growing to address the gap in ATDs provision globally. The purpose of this review is to identify potential future areas of development and research in mobility-assistive technology. METHOD: Publications were identified using scientific and medical electronic databases. Also, a limited grey literature search was conducted to muster a variety of sources. A combination of keyword search terms was used, corresponding to the medical subject heading (MeSH) terms. RESULTS: A total of 392 articles were identified, of which 75 were selected for detailed review. Twenty-eight articles were identified that met the review's inclusion criteria. Future areas of research for mobility-assistive technology were identified by grouping the publications into four main categories. The findings of this review identified several areas of research and development in ATDs in general and mobility-assistive technology, in particular, with special attention to the importance of engaging users and stakeholders in the process of research and design. CONCLUSIONS: It is apparent that users' needs and priorities vary between regions within countries. The majority of studies were noted to mainly identify consumers' perspectives on a national basis. The authors, therefore, suggest that further research should be conducted on a global level to determine the knowledge and perspectives concerning future research and development needs and priorities in mobility-assistive technologies.Implication for RehabilitationDespite the benefits derived from the use of ATDs, only 10% of people with disabilities have access to them.Increasing access, quality and affordable ATDs in all countries is global demand.Identifying mobility consumers' needs and priorities would help in enhancing their quality of life by translating research into new technologies that meet their environment and culture needs.Users' involvement in research and design process is a crucial approach to re-shape the future research agenda.

Fatores relacionados à eficiência da propulsão em cadeira de rodas manual de usuários com paraplegia devido à lesão medular / Factors related to propulsion efficiency in manual wheelchair users with paraplegia due to spinal cord injury

Resumo Introdução Indivíduos com paraplegia devido à lesão medular (LM) realizam propulsão de cadeira de rodas manual (CRM), a fim de promover mobilidade funcional para realização das atividades cotidianas. No entanto, a ineficiência da propulsão causada pela inadequada configuração da CRM, assim como dores e lesões nos membros superiores (MMSS), pode resultar na diminuição da mobilidade do usuário. Objetivo Por meio da metodologia da revisão integrativa, buscou-se identificar e avaliar fatores relacionados à eficiência da propulsão em CRM de usuários com paraplegia devido à LM. Método Foram selecionados estudos indexados na PubMed, LILACS e SciELO sobre a biomecânica da propulsão de usuários de CRM com paraplegia devido à LM, entre os anos de 2008 e 2018. Resultados Dentre os 10 estudos incluídos na revisão, dois foram classificados como nível III-2 e oito como nível IV de evidência. Foram identificados como fatores relacionados à eficiência da propulsão: os momentos não propulsivos; a velocidade dos MMSS na fase de recuperação; a posição da mão no período de liberação; o tamanho do encosto; a manutenção do peso corporal; o nível de atividade diária e a força de adutores de ombro; a intensidade da propulsão; a orientação dos MMSS; e o tempo de LM. Conclusão As evidências sobre ciclo e padrões de propulsão, configurações de CRM, características do usuário e dores e lesões nos MMSS demonstraram ser fatores relacionados à eficiência da propulsão em CRM de usuários com paraplegia devido à LM.

Abstract Introduction Individuals with paraplegia due to spinal cord injury (SCI) perform manual wheelchair (MWC) propulsion to promote functional mobility to perform daily activities. However, the inefficiency of propulsion caused by inadequate MWC setting, as well as pain and upper limb injury (UL), can result in decreased user mobility. Objective Through the methodology of the integrative review, sought to identify and evaluate factors related to propulsion efficiency in MWC of users with paraplegia due to SCI. Method We selected indexed studies in PubMed, LILACS, and SciELO on the biomechanics of the propulsion of users with paraplegia due to SCI between 2008 and 2018. Results Among the 10 studies included in the review, two studies were classified as level III-2 and eight as level IV evidence. Factors related to propulsion efficiency were identified as: non-propulsive moments; the speed of the UL in the recovery phase; the position of the hand in the release period; the size of the backrest; maintaining body weight; the level of daily activity and shoulder adduction strength; the intensity of the propulsion; the orientation of the UL and the SCI time. Conclusion Evidence regarding the cycle and propulsion patterns, MWC settings, user characteristics, and pain and injury in the UL proved to be factors related to propulsion efficiency in MWC of users with SCI paraplegia.