Search results for " FEM"
showing 10 items of 2305 documents
Implicit visual analysis in handedness recognition.
1998
In the present study, we addressed the problem of whether hand representations, derived from the control of hand gesture, are used in handedness recognition. Pictures of hands and fingers, assuming either common or uncommon postures, were presented to right-handed subjects, who were required to judge their handedness. In agreement with previous results (Parsons, 1987, 1994; Gentilucci, Daprati, & Gangitano, 1998), subjects recognized handedness through mental movement of their own hand in order to match the posture of the presented hand. This was proved by a control experiment of physical matching. The new finding was that presentation of common finger postures affected responses differ…
Central and peripheral fatigue of the knee extensor muscles induced by electromyostimulation.
2005
The main purpose of this study was to characterise neuromuscular fatigue induced by 30 contractions of the knee extensor muscles evoked by electromyostimulation (EMS). Twelve healthy subjects were tested before and after a typical EMS session (frequency: 75 Hz, on-off ratio: 6.25 s on-20 s off) used for quadriceps femoris muscle strengthening. Surface electromyographic (EMG) activity and torque obtained during maximal voluntary and electrically evoked contractions were analysed to distinguish peripheral from central fatigue. Maximal voluntary torque of the knee extensor muscles decreased approximately 20 % (p < 0.001) following EMS. In the same way, peak torque associated to single (p < 0.0…
Palliative Sedation in Patients With Advanced Cancer Followed at Home: A Prospective Study
2014
Abstract Context Home care programs in Italy. Objectives The aim of this study was to assess a protocol for palliative sedation (PS) performed at home. Methods A total of 219 patients were prospectively assessed to evaluate a PS protocol in patients with advanced cancer followed at home by two home care programs with different territorial facilities. The protocol was based on stepwise administration of midazolam. Results A total of 176 of the patients died at home, and PS was performed in 24 of these patients (13.6%). Younger patients received the procedure more frequently than older patients (P = 0.012). The principal reasons to start PS were agitated delirium (n = 20) and dyspnea (n = 4).…
A prospective, randomized, controlled trial comparing three different gonadotropin regimens in oocyte donors: ovarian response, in vitro fertilizatio…
2009
Objective To compare the efficacy of three different gonadotropin regimens in an oocyte donation program. The analysis of cost minimization also was evaluated. Design Prospective, randomized, controlled study. Setting Instituto Universitario–IVI, Valencia, Spain. Patient(s) One thousand twenty-eight donors undergoing a GnRH agonist protocol were assigned randomly to one of three groups: group 1 (n = 346), only recombinant FSH (rFSH); group 2 (n = 333), only highly purified menotropin (HP-hMG); and group 3 (n = 349), rFSH plus HP-hMG. One thousand seventy-nine oocyte recipients. Intervention(s) Controlled ovarian stimulation. Main Outcome Measure(s) Controlled ovarian stimulation parameters,…
Hashimoto Thyroiditis Coexistent with Papillary Thyroid Carcinoma
2005
Several studies report a higher rate of papillary thyroid carcinomas (PTC) in patients with Hashimoto thyroiditis (HT), indicating a possible correlation between the two diseases. We studied a group of 89 subjects undergoing surgery for thyroid carcinomas compared with a control group of 89 subjects operated on for normofunctioning goiter, and a second group of 47 patients undergoing total thyroidectomy for HT. Association with HT was found in 19 of the 71 PTC subjects (26.7%) and in 8 goiter patients (8.9%), which was a significant difference ( P < 0.02). Thirteen of the HT patients, mostly with the nodular form, showed coexistent PTC (27.6%). HT and PTC coexisted in several morphologi…
Antral Follicle Priming Before Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection in Previously Diagnosed Low Responders: A Randomized Controlled Trial (FOLLPRIM).
2015
A low response to controlled ovarian hyperstimulation implies a reduced number of embryos and impaired pregnancy rate. Follicular priming with steroids before controlled ovarian hyperstimulation has been suggested to improve the subsequent ovarian response.The purpose of this study was to determine the best follicular priming protocol in low responders and to investigate the intrafollicular mechanisms triggered by steroid hormone priming.This was a single-center, randomized, parallel, open-label, controlled trial, in two phases.The setting was a university-based in vitro fertilization unit.Potential low responders (n = 99) underwent a first intracytoplasmic sperm injection cycle. Confirmed …
Clinical success of intrauterine insemination cycles is affected by the sperm preparation time.
2013
Objective To determine the impact of the time interval from the end of sperm preparation (TSP) to intrauterine insemination (IUI) on the outcome. Design Prospective multicentre cohort study. Setting Seven French centers (assisted reproduction group in northeastern France, four academic centers, and three clinics). Patient(s) Eight hundred sixty-two IUI cycles (709 patients) managed by gonadotropins were studied. Intervention(s) Cycles were stimulated by either FSH or hMG, and hCG was administrated when the leading follicle diameter measured >15 mm. IUIs were performed ∼36 hours after ovulation triggering. Main Outcome Measure(s) Generalized linear mixed models for binary outcomes were used …
The Doors and People Test: The Effect of Frontal Lobe Lesions on Recall and Recognition Memory Performance
2016
Objective: Memory deficits in patients with frontal lobe lesions are most apparent on free recall tasks that require the selection, initiation, and implementation of retrieval strategies. The effect of frontal lesions on recognition memory performance is less clear with some studies reporting recognition memory impairments but others not. The majority of these studies do not directly compare recall and recognition within the same group of frontal patients, assessing only recall or recognition memory performance. Other studies that do compare recall and recognition in the same frontal group do not consider recall or recognition tests that are comparable for difficulty. Recognition memory imp…
Parieto-frontal interactions in visual-object and visual-spatial working memory: Evidence from transcranial magnetic stimulation
2001
This study aimed to investigate whether transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) can induce selective working memory (WM) deficits of visual-object versus visual-spatial information in normal humans. Thirty-five healthy subjects performed two computerized visual n-back tasks, in which they were required to memorize spatial locations or abstract patterns. In a first series of experiments, unilateral or bilateral TMS was delivered on posterior parietal and middle temporal regions of both hemispheres after various delays during the WM task. Bilateral temporal TMS increased reaction times (RTs) in the visual-object, whereas bilateral parietal TMS selectively increased RTs in the visual-spatial W…
The impact of emotion regulation and mental health difficulties on health behaviours during COVID19
2021
The COVID-19 outbreak is having a profound impact on individuals' psychological and physical wellbeing. The aim of this study was to assess the extent of this impact and its mechanisms on a sample of adults living in Italy during the first lockdown (April–May 2020). Two hundred ninety-two individuals (67.1% females) were recruited from the community through social media. They completed baseline online questionnaires to collect demographic information, data on past and present general health and health behaviours, and to assess emotion regulation strategies. Participants completed a brief survey to assess mood and health behaviours three times a week, for three weeks. Individuals with lifeti…