Browsing by Issue Date, starting with "2023-02-21"
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- Manual but not instrument-assisted cervical manipulation reduces pain and disability in subjects with nonspecific neck pain: double-blinded, randomized clinical trialPublication . Nogueira, Nuno; Oliveira-Campelo, Natália; Torres, Rui; Sousa, Andreia S. P.; Ribeiro, FernandoThere is limited evidence comparing the effects of manual and instrumented-assisted manipulations among adults with neck pain. Our purpose was to determine the effects of a multisession regime of manual and instrument-assisted cervical manipulation on pain, disability, perception of change, and muscle properties in subjects with nonspecific neck pain. We conducted a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled study in 32 subjects with nonspecific neck pain. Two groups received three sessions of cervical (C3/C4) manipulation, one group manual and the other instrument-assisted, a third group received three sessions of sham manipulation, and a fourth group served as a control. Self-reported pain, pressure pain thresholds, neck disability, patient perception of change, and properties (tonus, stiffness, and elasticity) of the upper trapezius and biceps brachii were assessed at baseline, immediately after the first session and 15 days after the end of the intervention. After the end of the intervention, the percentage of changes in the visual analogue scale score, Neck Disability Index, and Patient Global Perception of Change score were significantly higher in the manual group in comparison with the other groups (p < 0.05). No between-group differences were observed in the percentage of changes in tonus, stiffness, and elasticity of the four muscles at the end of the intervention. We concluded that three sessions of C3/C4 manual manipulation improved pain and disability in subjects with nonspecific neck pain.
- Lab-on-valve automated and miniaturized assessment of nanoparticle concentration based on light-scatteringPublication . Marques, Sara S.; Ramos, Inês I.; Silva, Carla; Barreiros, Luisa; Domingues, Maria R.; Segundo, Marcela A.Nanoparticles (NPs) concentration directly impacts the dose delivered to target tissues by nanocarriers. The evaluation of this parameter is required during NPs developmental and quality control stages, for setting dose−response correlations and for evaluating the reproduci bility of the manufacturing process. Still, faster and simpler procedures, dismissing skilled operators and post-analysis conversions are needed to quantify NPs for research and quality control operations, and to support result validation. Herein, a miniaturized automated ensemble method to measure NPs concentration was established under the lab-on-valve (LOV) mesofluidic platform. Automatic NPs sampling and delivery to the LOV detection unit were set by flow programming. NPs concentration measurements were based on the decrease in the light transmitted to the detector due to the light scattered by NPs when passing through the optical path. Each analysis was accomplished in 2 min, rendering a determination throughput of 30 h−1 (6 samples h−1 for n = 5) and only requiring 30 μL (≈0.03 g) of NPs suspension. Measurements were performed on polymeric NPs, as these represent one of the major classes of NPs under development for drug delivery aims. Determinations for polystyrene NPs (of 100, 200, and 500 nm) and for NPs made of PEGylated poly-D,L-lactide-co glycolide (PEG−PLGA, a biocompatible FDA-approved polymer) were accomplished within 108 −1012 particles mL−1 range, depending on the NPs size and composition. NPs size and concentration were maintained during analysis, as verified for NPs eluted from the LOV by particle tracking analysis (PTA). Moreover, concentration measurements for PEG−PLGA NPs loaded with an anti-inflammatory drug, methotrexate (MTX), after their incubation in simulated gastric and intestinal fluids were successfully achieved (recovery values of 102−115%, as confirmed by PTA), showing the suitability of the proposed method to support the development of polymeric NPs targeting intestinal delivery.
- Knowledge Management and Total Quality Management Impact on Employee Effectiveness in Emerging Industries: Case of Tunisian Small and Medium EnterprisesPublication . Lehyani, Fatma; Zouari, Alaeddine; Ghorbel, Ahmed; Tollenaere, Michel; Sá, José CarlosEmployee effectiveness is highly important for all economic activities. Several factors can affect its degree, either positively or negatively. In this vein, this work aims to examine the impact of knowledge management and total quality management on employee effectiveness in the industry of emerging countries. For that, Tunisian small and medium enterprises were taken as an example. The proposed methodology consists first of providing a research model linking the correlation between knowledge management elements, total quality management practices, and employee effectiveness. Then, a survey was designed and broadcast to more than 3000 Tunisian small and medium enterprises. Hence, 206 responses were collected from several industrial fields, and collected data analysis was achieved by SPSS software. For testing research hypotheses, multiple regression analysis, factor analysis, and structural equation modeling were employed. The finding points out that total quality management and knowledge management have a positive impact on staff effectiveness. This impact is highlighted through the roles of knowledge management elements and total quality management practices on human resources behavior and their ability enhancement. Consequently, a significant increase in productivity can be seen in the operational processes of the company. This work is one of the first studies to research total quality management and knowledge management impact on staff effectiveness in Tunisian small and medium enterprises. Besides, it reflects the maturity and the awareness of respondent companies’ managers to the practice of these concepts in emerging economies.