Absence of post-learning motor activity effects on memory for motor-related words.

Drawing a hypothesis from embodied theories of memory, van Dam, Rueschemeyer, Bekkering and Lindemann [(2013). Embodied grounding of memory: Toward the effects of motor execution on memory consolidation. The Quarterly Journal of Experimental Psychology, 66(12), 2310-2328] showed that recognition performance for action words could be modulated by actions performed during the retention interval, suggesting that motor actions during the retention interval affect memory consolidation. The results of 4 experiments from two different laboratories, designed to replicate and extend the van Dam et al. motor consolidation effect, are presented here. Two of the experiments (n = 30 and n = 44) exactly and independently replicated the experimental design and conditions of the original experiment. Yes/No recognition scores plus additional analysis of response times showed no motor consolidation effects. A third experiment (n = 44) manipulating type of processing during encoding also failed to find significant motor consolidation effects. Finally, a fourth experiment (n = 120) following a more standard reconsolidation paradigm, involving 24-hour intervals between learning and motor behaviour, and a 24-hour delayed test, also found null effects. The absence of effects of motor execution on memory consolidation is discussed in terms of the implications of these findings for the embodiment approach to cognition.

Efectividad del programa de rehabilitación respiratoria en pacientes con enfermedades mentales / Effectiveness of the respiratory rehabilitation program in patients with mental disorders

Fundamento: las afecciones respiratorias en los pacientes con enfermedades mentales constituyen un problema de salud, su tratamiento representa un reto en la práctica médica.Objetivo: determinar la efectividad del programa de rehabilitación respiratoria en pacientes con enfermedades mentales, atendidas en el Hospital Psiquiátrico Provincial Clodomira Acosta Ferrales de Las Tunas, de octubre de 2012 a octubre de 2015.Método: se realizó un estudio de intervención longitudinal prospectiva en una muestra de 60 pacientes del hospital y durante el período de tiempo ya declarados. Se aplicó el programa de rehabilitación respiratoria; se empleó la escala de disnea y una guía de autonomía para realizar la valoración antes y después de la intervención. Los datos fueron tratados según la estadística descriptiva.Resultados: el porciento más elevado de pacientes correspondió al grupo entre los 60 y 69 años de edad, siendo más frecuente el sexo masculino; la bronquitis crónica fue la enfermedad de mayor incidencia, seguida de la EPOC. En la mayoría de los pacientes se logró una disminución de la disnea y mejor tolerancia al ejercicio; se obtuvo mejoría en cuanto a los signos vitales, por lo que hubo un aumento de la capacidad funcional y de la autonomía.Conclusiones: el programa de rehabilitación respiratoria resultó ser de gran beneficio, pues se logró un incremento a la tolerancia al ejercicio físico, mejor capacidad funcional y mayor independencia para realizar las actividades de la vida diaria (AU)

Background: respiratory conditions in patients who suffer from mental disorders are a health problem. Treatment represents a challenge for the medical practice.Objective: to determine the effectiveness of the respiratory rehabilitation program in patients with mental disorders attended to at Clodomira Acosta Ferrales Provincial Psychiatric Hospital of Las Tunas, from October 2012 to October 2015.Methods: a longitudinal, prospective and interventional study was carried out in a sample of 60 patients of the hospital and during the period herein mentioned. The respiratory rehabilitation program was applied. The dyspnea scale and an autonomy guide were used in order to conduct the assessment before and after the intervention. The data were dealt with according to descriptive statistics.Results: the most elevated percentage of patients belonged to the 60 to 69 age group, being more frequent in the male sex. Chronic bronchitis was the condition with the highest incidence, followed by COPD. Most of the patients achieved a decrease of dyspnea and a better tolerance to exercise. An improvement concerning vital signs was obtained; therefore there was an increase in the functional capacity and autonomy.Conclusions: the respiratory rehabilitation program proved to be of great benefit, since there was an increase in the tolerance to exercise, better functional capacity and higher independence to carry out daily activities (AU)

Limitación del esfuerzo terapéutico en cuidados intensivos pediátricos: conocimiento y actitudes bioéticas del profesional médico / Limitation of therapeutic effort in Paediatric Intensive Care Units: bioethical knowledge and attitudes of the medical profession

Los cuidados intensivos pediátricos son una especialidad nueva, con importantes avances tecnológicos que pueden prolongar el proceso de morir. Uno de los problemas bioéticos frecuentes es la limitación del esfuerzo terapéutico, que es la adecuación y/o proporcionalidad del tratamiento tratando de evitar obstinación y futilidad. OBJETIVO Conocer la experiencia de médicos que trabajan en unidades de cuidado intensivo (UCIP) ante decisiones ético-clínicas. SUJETOS Y MÉTODO Estudio observacional, descriptivo y transversal, aplicando una encuesta anónima a médicos de UCIP, solicitando datos sobre problemas éticos que se generan en la atención al niño crítico y su procedimiento de resolución. Aprobado por el Comité de Ética de la Investigación de la Facultad de Medicina de la Universidad del Desarrollo-Clínica Alemana. RESULTADOS Respondieron 126 médicos de 34 UCIP de Chile. El 98,41% ha tomado decisiones de limitación terapéutica. El tipo de limitación más frecuente mencionado fue la orden de no reanimar (n = 119), seguido por la no instauración de medicamentos (n = 113), limitación de ingreso a UCIP (n = 81), siendo la menos mencionada la retirada de tratamientos (n = 81). El 34,13% consideró que existían diferencias éticas entre no instaurar o retirar un determinado tratamiento. CONCLUSIONES Los dilemas ético-clínicos son comunes en la UCIP, siendo frecuentes las decisiones de limitación terapéutica. Muchos médicos reconocen no poseer conocimientos en ética clínica y necesitar formación continua en bioética.

Paediatric intensive care is a relatively new specialty, with significant technological advances that lead to the prolongation of the dying process. One of the most common bioethical problems is limitation of treatment, which is the adequacy and/or proportionality treatment, trying to avoid obstinacy and futility. OBJECTIVE To determine the experience of physicians working in Paediatric Intensive Care Units (PICU) when faced with bioethical decisions. SUBJECTS AND METHOD An observational, descriptive and cross-sectional study was conducted using an anonymous questionnaire sent to physicians working in PICU. The data requested was related to potential ethical problems generated in the care of the critical child, and the procedure for their resolution. The study was approved by the Ethics Research Committee of the Faculty of Medicine UDD CAS. RESULTS A total of 126 completed questionnaires were received from physicians working in 34 PICU in Chile. Almost all (98.41%) of them acknowledged having taken therapeutic limitation decisions (TLD). The most common type of TLD mentioned was the Do Not Resuscitate order (n = 119), followed by the establishment of no medications (n = 113), limited admission to PICU (n = 81), with the withdrawal of treatment being the least mentioned (n = 81). Around one-third (34.13%) felt that there were no ethical difference between introducing or removing certain treatments. CONCLUSIONS Bioethical dilemmas are common in the PICU, with therapeutic limitation decisions being frequent. Many recognise not having expertise in clinical ethics, and they need continuing education in bioethics.

[Limitation of therapeutic effort in Paediatric Intensive Care Units: Bioethical knowledge and attitudes of the medical profession]. / Limitación del esfuerzo terapéutico en cuidados intensivos pediátricos: conocimiento y actitudes bioéticas del profesional médico.

UNLABELLED: Paediatric intensive care is a relatively new specialty, with significant technological advances that lead to the prolongation of the dying process. One of the most common bioethical problems is limitation of treatment, which is the adequacy and/or proportionality treatment, trying to avoid obstinacy and futility. OBJECTIVE: To determine the experience of physicians working in Paediatric Intensive Care Units (PICU) when faced with bioethical decisions. SUBJECTS AND METHOD: An observational, descriptive and cross-sectional study was conducted using an anonymous questionnaire sent to physicians working in PICU. The data requested was related to potential ethical problems generated in the care of the critical child, and the procedure for their resolution. The study was approved by the Ethics Research Committee of the Faculty of Medicine UDD CAS. RESULTS: A total of 126 completed questionnaires were received from physicians working in 34 PICU in Chile. Almost all (98.41%) of them acknowledged having taken therapeutic limitation decisions (TLD). The most common type of TLD mentioned was the Do Not Resuscitate order (n=119), followed by the establishment of no medications (n=113), limited admission to PICU (n=81), with the withdrawal of treatment being the least mentioned (n=81). Around one-third (34.13%) felt that there were no ethical difference between introducing or removing certain treatments. CONCLUSIONS: Bioethical dilemmas are common in the PICU, with therapeutic limitation decisions being frequent. Many recognise not having expertise in clinical ethics, and they need continuing education in bioethics.

Genetic fixity in the human major histocompatibility complex and block size diversity in the class I region including HLA-E.

BACKGROUND: The definition of human MHC class I haplotypes through association of HLA-A, HLA-Cw and HLA-B has been used to analyze ethnicity, population migrations and disease association. RESULTS: Here, we present HLA-E allele haplotype association and population linkage disequilibrium (LD) analysis within the ~1.3 Mb bounded by HLA-B/Cw and HLA-A to increase the resolution of identified class I haplotypes. Through local breakdown of LD, we inferred ancestral recombination points both upstream and downstream of HLA-E contributing to alternative block structures within previously identified haplotypes. Through single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) analysis of the MHC region, we also confirmed the essential genetic fixity, previously inferred by MHC allele analysis, of three conserved extended haplotypes (CEHs), and we demonstrated that commercially-available SNP analysis can be used in the MHC to help define CEHs and CEH fragments. CONCLUSION: We conclude that to generate high-resolution maps for relating MHC haplotypes to disease susceptibility, both SNP and MHC allele analysis must be conducted as complementary techniques.