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PubMed2006

Evaluation of the urodynamic and hemodynamic effects of orally administered phenylpropanolamine and ephedrine in female dogs.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the urodynamic and hemodynamic effects of different dosages of phenylpropanolamine and ephedrine and determine effective dosages in increasing urethral resistance in female dogs. ANIMALS: 20 sexually intact female Beagles. PROCEDURE: Dogs were allocated into 4 groups and received phenylpropanolamine once, twice, or 3 times daily, or ephedrine twice daily, for 14 days. On days 0, 7, and 14, urethral pressure profiles were performed while dogs were anesthetized with propofol. Variables recorded included maximum urethral pressure, maximum urethral closure pressure, integrated pressure, functional profile length, anatomic profile length, plateau distance, distance before maximum urethral pressure, and maximum meatus pressure. Arterial and central venous pressures were measured before anesthetic induction and 10 and 35 minutes after induction. RESULTS: Administration of phenylpropanolamine once daily or ephedrine twice daily significantly increased maximum urethral pressure and maximum urethral closure pressure. Values for integrated pressure were significantly increased after 14 days of once-daily administration of phenylpropanolamine. Variables did not change significantly from day 7 to day 14. Diastolic and mean arterial blood pressures increased significantly during the treatment periods, and arterial pressure decreased during propofol infusion. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Oral administration of phenylpropanolamine once daily or ephedrine twice daily increased urethral resistance in clinically normal dogs and may be recommended for management of urethral sphincter mechanism incompetence. Treatment efficacy may be assessed after 1 week. Dogs with concurrent cardiovascular disease should be monitored for blood pressure while receiving alpha-adrenergic agents because of the effects on diastolic and mean arterial pressure.

Administration, Oral↗

PubMed2006

Functional and psychosocial impairment in adults with undiagnosed ADHD.

BACKGROUND: Identify a group of adults with 'undiagnosed' attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and compare their personal and family medical histories, psychosocial profiles, functional impairment and quality of life with non-ADHD controls. Additionally, compare adults with undiagnosed and diagnosed ADHD to investigate possible reasons why the undiagnosed avoid clinical detection. METHOD: ICD-9 codes for ADHD in administrative claims records and responses to a telephone-administered adult ADHD screener [the Adult ADHD Self-Report Scale (ASRS)] were used to classify approximately 21000 members of two large managed health-care plans as 'undiagnosed' (no coded diagnosis; ASRS positive) or 'non-ADHD' controls (no coded diagnosis; ASRS negative). Patients identified as 'undiagnosed' ADHD were compared with samples of non-ADHD controls and 'diagnosed' ADHD patients (ICD-9 coded ADHD diagnoses) on the basis of demographics, socio-economic status, past and present mental health conditions, and self-reported functional and psychosocial impairment and quality of life. RESULTS: A total of 752 'undiagnosed' ADHD subjects, 199 'non-ADHD' controls and 198 'diagnosed' ADHD subjects completed a telephone interview. Overall, the 'undiagnosed' ADHD cohort demonstrated higher rates of co-morbid illness and greater functional impairment than 'non-ADHD' controls, including significantly higher rates of current depression, and problem drinking, lower educational attainment, and greater emotional and interpersonal difficulties. 'Undiagnosed' ADHD subjects reported a different racial composition and lower educational attainment than 'diagnosed' ADHD subjects. CONCLUSION: Individuals with 'undiagnosed' ADHD manifest significantly greater functional and psychosocial impairment than those screening negative for the disorder, suggesting that ADHD poses a serious burden to adults even when clinically unrecognized.

Adult↗

PubMed2004

Cardiovascular risk factor profiles and endothelial function in coronary artery disease patients treated with statins.

Although endothelial dysfunction is associated with cardiovascular risk factors and is improved by cholesterol-lowering therapy, the relationship between endothelial function and cardiovascular risk factor profiles has not been fully investigated in coronary artery disease patients who have been treated with statins. We investigated endothelial function in male hypercholesterolemic patients (n=53) who underwent statin therapy over 6 months in a cross-sectional study. Patients were classified into three groups based on the results of coronary angiography: a normal coronary artery group (n=15), an angina pectoris group (n=20) and a myocardial infarction group (n=18). Endothelial function was assessed by measuring flow-mediated dilatation after reactive hyperemia in the brachial artery, and serum lipid, lipoprotein (a), glucose and insulin levels were measured. Significant associations were observed between the status of coronary disease and systolic blood pressure, lipoprotein (a), glucose and insulin levels (p <0.05, respectively), and the levels of these risk factors in the myocardial infarction group were higher than those in the other groups. Flow-mediated dilatation was also associated with the status of coronary disease (p <0.05), and the myocardial infarction group showed the lowest levels of flow-mediated dilatation (p <0.05). Flow-mediated dilatation was negatively correlated with systolic and diastolic blood pressures, serum levels of lipoprotein (a), glucose and insulin, and the status of coronary disease. Stepwise multiple regression analysis also revealed that lipoprotein (a), diastolic blood pressure and the status of myocardial infarction were significantly correlated with impaired vasodilatation. Serum lipids, age and smoking habit were independent of flow-mediated dilatation. In conclusion, even after cholesterol-lowering treatment, male patients with myocardial infarction still had endothelial dysfunction, and higher levels of lipoprotein (a) may be associated with endothelial dysfunction in such patients.

Aged↗

PubMed2006

Functional implications of BAL in the presence of restrictive or obstructive lung disease.

Most of the complications associated to bronchoscopy are related to changes of the respiratory function during or after its performance. Prevention of complications should be achieved by understanding the effects of bronchoscopic procedures and their relation to the pulmonary function deterioration. Previous studies regarding the functional impairment caused by bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) were mostly limited by the presence of interferent factors such as sedative drugs. Furthermore, it is not clear whether or not patients with different ventilatory disturbances present the same functional response to bronchoscopy and BAL. The aim of this study was to determine the additional effects of BAL over the respiratory function deterioration related to bronchoscopy in patients with different respiratory function profiles (normal, restrictive and obstructive). Forty patients submitted to bronchoscopy without premedication were divided into four groups: group I-normal pulmonary function submitted to basic bronchoscopy; group II-bronchoscopy in combination with BAL, subdivided according to pulmonary function: group IIa (normal function), group IIb (restrictive ventilatory disturbances) and group IIc (obstructive ventilatory disturbances). Spirometry was made before and after the bronchoscopic procedure. Baseline hemoglobin saturation was compared to the lowest level during the procedure. Functional worsening caused by the procedure was observed with a decrease in forced vital capacity (FVC), forced expiratory volume in the first second (FEV(1)) and Hemoglobin saturation in all groups. Comparison between groups showed no significant difference regarding the changes in FVC (P=0.8324), FEV(1) (P=0.6952) and hemoglobin saturation (P=0.5044). We conclude that standardized BAL, like the one used in our study, does not result in an increased risk for ventilatory impairment compared to bronchoscopy itself, independently of the presence of previous respiratory disease.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1997

The prostaglandin transporter is widely expressed in ocular tissues.

Prostaglandins (PGs) play important physiological and therapeutic roles in the eye. Our laboratory recently identified a novel PG transporter in the rat that we call "PGT" (Science 268:866, 1995). We have also recently cloned the human PGT cDNA (J Clin Invest 98:1142, 1996). To determine whether PGT might play a role in human ocular tissues, we performed Northern blot analysis of RNA obtained from human ocular tissues and from the nonpigmented ciliary epithelium cell line "ODM-2." PGT transcripts were clearly evident in all ocular tissues. Given that the functional profile of PGT expressed in vitro strongly suggests a role in PG uptake and degradation, the present results suggest that PGT may function in various regions of the human eye for purposes of terminating the signal(s) produced by locally-synthesized PGs.

Adult↗

PubMed1993

[Urodynamic evaluation for bladder dysfunction after radical hysterectomy].

Bladder dysfunction after radical hysterectomy and/or radiotherapy for uterine cancer is a serious problem. Its pathogenesis has not been well elucidated. Urodynamic and clinical evaluations were performed in 53 patients; 24 of them underwent radical hysterectomy and postoperative radiotherapy (RH + RT), 13 had radical hysterectomy alone (RH), 7 had modified radical hysterectomy (mRH), 9 had radiotherapy alone (RT). Nine preoperative patients without micturition disturbance were examined, serving as controls. Patients with more than 50 ml of residual urine were only 3 in RH + RT, 2 in RH and 1 in RT. Bladder volumes at maximum desire to void were significantly lower in RT than in controls. Intravesical pressures at maximum desire to void were significantly higher in RH + RT and RH than in controls, but there were no significant differences between mRH or RT and controls. Detrusor compliances significantly decreased after radical hysterectomy and/or radiotherapy. Maximum urethral closure pressures significantly decreased after radical hysterectomy with or without radiotherapy. In RH + RT, 18 patients (75%) of them mainly complained of urinary incontinence. Their functional profile lengths were significantly shorter than in controls. We conclude that the pelvic plexus injury by radical hysterectomy compromise both urethral closure function and bladder compliance.

Aged↗

PubMed2005

Systematic analysis of genes required for synapse structure and function.

Chemical synapses are complex structures that mediate rapid intercellular signalling in the nervous system. Proteomic studies suggest that several hundred proteins will be found at synaptic specializations. Here we describe a systematic screen to identify genes required for the function or development of Caenorhabditis elegans neuromuscular junctions. A total of 185 genes were identified in an RNA interference screen for decreased acetylcholine secretion; 132 of these genes had not previously been implicated in synaptic transmission. Functional profiles for these genes were determined by comparing secretion defects observed after RNA interference under a variety of conditions. Hierarchical clustering identified groups of functionally related genes, including those involved in the synaptic vesicle cycle, neuropeptide signalling and responsiveness to phorbol esters. Twenty-four genes encoded proteins that were localized to presynaptic specializations. Loss-of-function mutations in 12 genes caused defects in presynaptic structure.

Aldicarb↗

PubMed2002

Work functions at facet edges.

We perform ab initio pseudopotential calculations for metal crystals with finite facets of different crystallographic orientation to investigate the work function profile near crystal edges. We examine local edge effects, and address the problem of the coexistence of different face-dependent local work functions at crystal edges. By modeling the electronic dipoles at the metal surface, we show how nonvanishing surface charges spontaneously appear on metals with inequivalent facets. Our studies of Al crystal nanowires with (100) and (111) facets are extended to derive the dependence of the work function on the crystal morphology in the macroscopic limit.

Journal Article↗

PubMed1978

Evaluation of linear profile scans; mathematical treatment of line-spread functions.

The profile measurement capability of a scanning multidetector whole-body counter is described using line spread functions. Measurements in air and water phantoms, as a function of energy, are discussed in relationship to the relevant physical processes. A computer program for evaluating bodyprofile scans and an attempt to improve the resolution are reported.

Evaluation Studies as Topic↗

PubMed1995

Albuterol responsiveness in infants with respiratory failure caused by respiratory syncytial virus infection.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the bronchodilator effect of inhaled albuterol in the acute stage of severe respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infection. DESIGN: Prospective, nonrandomized study of previously healthy infants who underwent intubation and whose lungs were ventilated because of respiratory failure caused by RSV infection. Ten infants with an endotracheal tube in place and without lung disease were matched for age and weight and served as normal control subjects. METHODS: Lung function tests, including respiratory mechanics by single-breath occlusion, small airway function by forced deflation, and lung volumes by nitrogen washout, were performed before and after inhalation of 900 micrograms albuterol by metered dose inhaler. Bronchodilator response was defined as a change of more than twice the coefficient of variation of repeated baseline measurements. RESULTS: Twenty-three infants (mean +/- SE age = 4.2 +/- 1.1 months) were studied, of whom 20 (87%) had obstructive small airway disease, and 3 (13%) had exclusively restrictive lung function profiles. Ten of the infants with obstructive disease (50%) did not benefit from albuterol, and 9 (45%) had small but significant improvements in lung function. Deterioration of lung function was documented in 1 patient after albuterol inhalation. CONCLUSION: Inhaled albuterol is of limited value as a bronchodilator in infants with RSV-induced respiratory failure and should be discontinued if a beneficial response cannot be observed.

Acute Disease↗

PubMed1999

Vitamin K reduces bleeding in left ventricular assist device recipients.

BACKGROUND: Despite advances in left ventricular assist device (LVAD) design that permit support without anticoagulation, LVAD recipients often suffer profound bleeding complications. This bleeding diathesis may be attributable to pre-operative right-ventricular failure with concomitant hepatic dysfunction. The purpose of this study was to characterize coagulation abnormalities in LVAD recipients and determine the impact of pre-operative vitamin K administration on the incidence of postoperative bleeding. METHODS: Hemostatic and liver function profiles were obtained in 66 recipients of the Heartmate LVAD; 39 of these patients received perioperative vitamin K. RESULTS: During LVAD support, hepatic synthetic function improved as evidenced by increases in clotting factors II, V, VII, XI. There was ongoing fibrinolysis with elevation of fibrinopeptide A and D-dimers and diminution of fibrinogen; however, plasminogen levels did not decline suggesting that systemic disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC) did not occur. Bleeding requiring re-exploration more than 48 hours postimplantation occurred in 9 of 66 patients (13.6%). Prior to implantation, patients that bled had decreased levels of factor II (52.2 +/- 27.1% vs 69.7 +/- 26.6%; p = 0.048) and prolonged prothrombin times (16.5 +/- 2.4 seconds vs 13.8 +/- 3.1 seconds; p = 0.005) compared to patients that did not bleed. Seven of 27 patients (25.9%) not treated with vitamin K bled, while only 2 of 39 (5.1%) patients treated with vitamin K required re-exploration for bleeding (p = 0.026). CONCLUSIONS: We conclude that: (1) Liver synthetic function improves during LVAD support resulting in increased levels of circulating coagulation factors; (2) ongoing fibrinolysis occurs but likely only represents remodeling of fibrin on the LVAD surface; (3) perioperative vitamin K reduces nonsurgical bleeding in LVAD recipients.

Disseminated Intravascular Coagulation↗

PubMed2000

Homo- and heterodimerization of somatostatin receptor subtypes. Inactivation of sst(3) receptor function by heterodimerization with sst(2A).

Several recent studies suggest that G protein-coupled receptors can assemble as heterodimers or hetero-oligomers with enhanced functional activity. However, inactivation of a fully functional receptor by heterodimerization has not been documented. Here we show that the somatostatin receptor (sst) subtypes sst(2A) and sst(3) exist as homodimers at the plasma membrane when expressed in human embryonic kidney 293 cells. Moreover, in coimmunoprecipitation studies using differentially epitope-tagged receptors, we provide direct evidence for heterodimerization of sst(2A) and sst(3). The sst(2A)-sst(3) heterodimer exhibited high affinity binding to somatostatin-14 and the sst(2)-selective ligand L-779,976 but not to the sst(3)-selective ligand L-796,778. Like the sst(2A) homodimer, the sst(2A)-sst(3) heterodimer stimulated guanosine 5'-3-O-(thio)triphosphate (GTPgammaS) binding, inhibition of adenylyl cyclase, and activation of extracellular signal-regulated kinases after exposure to the sst(2)-selective ligand L-779,976. However, unlike the sst(3) homodimer, the sst(2A)-sst(3) heterodimer did not promote GTPgammaS binding, adenylyl cyclase inhibition, or extracellular signal-regulated kinase activation in the presence of the sst(3)-selective ligand L-796,778. Interestingly, during prolonged somatostatin-14 exposure, the sst(2A)-sst(3) heterodimer desensitized at a slower rate than the sst(2A) and sst(3) homodimers. Both sst(2A) and sst(3) homodimers underwent agonist-induced endocytosis in the presence of somatostatin-14. In contrast, the sst(2A)-sst(3) heterodimer separated at the plasma membrane, and only sst(2A) but not sst(3) underwent agonist-induced endocytosis after exposure to somatostatin-14. Together, heterodimerization of sst(2A) and sst(3) results in a new receptor with a pharmacological and functional profile resembling that of the sst(2A) receptor, however with a greater resistance to agonist-induced desensitization. Thus, inactivation of sst(3) receptor function by heterodimerization with sst(2A) or possibly other G protein-coupled receptors may explain some of the difficulties in detecting sst(3)-specific binding and signaling in mammalian tissues.

Adenylyl Cyclases↗

PubMed2005

Human intestinal macrophages display profound inflammatory anergy despite avid phagocytic and bacteriocidal activity.

Intestinal macrophages, which are thought to orchestrate mucosal inflammatory responses, have received little investigative attention compared with macrophages from other tissues. Here we show that human intestinal macrophages do not express innate response receptors, including the receptors for LPS (CD14), Fcalpha (CD89), Fcgamma (CD64, CD32, CD16), CR3 (CD11b/CD18), and CR4 (CD11c/CD18); the growth factor receptors IL-2 (CD25) and IL-3 (CD123); and the integrin LFA-1 (CD11a/CD18). Moreover, resident intestinal macrophages also do not produce proinflammatory cytokines, including IL-1, IL-6, IL-10, IL-12, RANTES, TGF-beta, and TNF-alpha, in response to an array of inflammatory stimuli but retain avid phagocytic and bacteriocidal activity. Thus, intestinal macrophages are markedly distinct in phenotype and function from blood monocytes, although intestinal macrophages are derived from blood monocytes. To explain this paradox, we show that intestinal stromal cell-derived products downregulate both monocyte receptor expression and, via TGF-beta, cytokine production but not phagocytic or bacteriocidal activity, eliciting the phenotype and functional profile of intestinal macrophages. These findings indicate a mechanism in which blood monocytes recruited to the intestinal mucosa retain avid scavenger and host defense functions but acquire profound "inflammatory anergy," thereby promoting the absence of inflammation characteristic of normal intestinal mucosa despite the close proximity of immunostimulatory bacteria.

Antigens, Surface↗

PubMed2025

Genome-wide identification and expression profiling of the MADS-box gene family in Lavandula angustifolia.

BACKGROUND: MADS-box genes encode transcription factors critical for plant development, particularly floral organogenesis, flowering time regulation, and adaptation to environmental stresses. Among these, the MIKCC-type genes are pivotal regulators in floral developmental processes. Although the evolutionary diversification and functional dynamics of MADS-box genes have been extensively characterized in model plants such as Arabidopsis thaliana and Oryza sativa, their evolutionary relationships and functional profiles in Lavandula angustifolia, an economically significant aromatic plant, remain poorly understood. RESULTS: Genome-wide analysis identified 173 MADS-box genes in L. angustifolia, categorized into type I (Mα: 26; Mβ: 0; Mγ: 10) and type II (MIKCC: 125; MIKC*: 12) based on phylogenetic comparisons with A. thaliana. The MIKCC subgroup was further subdivided into 12 subclasses, including genes central to the ABCDE model of floral organ specification. Structural analyses revealed distinct conserved motifs and exon-intron configurations specific to each subgroup, indicative of functional divergence. Synteny analysis demonstrated Whole Genome Duplication (WGD) and segmental duplications as major contributors to MIKCC gene family expansion, notably among genes linked to floral organ development. Expression profiling via RNA-seq and quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR) showed type II MADS-box genes exhibited higher expression levels with pronounced tissue-specific and developmental stage-specific expression patterns compared to type I genes. Many type II genes displayed significant associations with floral organogenesis, floral transition, and abiotic stress responses, underscoring their essential roles in reproductive development and environmental adaptability in L. angustifolia. CONCLUSIONS: The identification and comprehensive characterization of 173 MADS-box genes in L. angustifolia highlight the significant expansion of the MIKCC subgroup driven primarily by WGD and segmental duplications. The distinct structural features and specific expression patterns observed provide insights into the functional divergence and complexity of these genes, particularly regarding floral organogenesis and adaptation to environmental stress. This study establishes a robust molecular basis for further functional analysis and genetic improvement of aromatic plants.

MADS Domain Proteins↗

PubMed2005

Pathophysiological roles of extracellular nucleotides in glial cells: differential expression of purinergic receptors in resting and activated microglia.

Microglial cells are the major cellular elements with immune function inside the CNS and play important roles in orchestrating inflammatory brain response to hypoxia and trauma. Although a complete knowledge of the endogenous factors leading to a prompt activation of microglia is not yet available, activation of P2 purinoreceptors by extracellular ATP has been indicated as a primary factor in microglial response. A still unresolved question, however, is which subtype(s) of P2 receptors mediate(s) the response to ATP. By a combination of RT-PCR, Western blotting, and single-cell calcium imaging, we assessed the presence and the activity of P2 receptor subtypes in the mouse microglial cell line N9. All members of the P2 receptor family, including the recently reported receptor for sugar nucleotides (P2Y(14)), were found to be present in these cells at mRNA and/or protein level. The functionality of the receptors was assessed by analysis of the calcium responses evoked by specific agonists both in N9 cells and in primary microglia from rat brain. Interestingly, a different functional profile of P2 receptors was observed in resting or in LPS-activated N9 cells. Overnight exposure to LPS increased P2Y(6) and P2Y(14), decreased P2X(7), and left unchanged P2Y(1) and P2Y(2,4) receptor activity. The change in the P2 receptor profile in activated cells suggests selective roles for specific P2 receptor subtypes in microglial activation triggered by LPS. We speculate that modulation of microglial cell function via subtype-selective P2 receptor ligands may open up new strategies in the therapeutic management of inflammatory neurological diseases characterized by abnormal microglia response.

Analysis of Variance↗

PubMed2026

Effects of Fecal Microbiota Transplantation on Intestinal Microbial Characteristics and Clinical Phenotypes in Patients with Parkinson's Disease.

Alterations in the gut microbiota have been associated with Parkinson's disease (PD), but longitudinal microbial changes after fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) and their clinical associations remain poorly understood. This single-center retrospective observational study included 6 patients with PD, stratified into high- and low-severity subgroups based on disease duration (>6 years vs ≤6 years). Thirty-six fecal samples were collected before FMT and monthly for five months afterward. Microbial diversity, community structure, taxonomic composition, and predicted functional profiles were assessed using 16S ribosomal RNA gene sequencing. Analyses included alpha and beta diversity, taxonomic abundance, linear discriminant analysis effect size, Tax4Fun2-based functional prediction, and Spearman rank correlations between microbial features and clinical indicators. Descriptive analyses indicated differences in microbial richness, diversity, community structure, and predicted functions between severity subgroups and across post-FMT time points. At baseline, the low-severity subgroup had greater microbial richness and diversity than the high-severity subgroup, with relatively higher abundances of taxa including Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus. One month after FMT, richness and diversity increased from baseline in the high-severity subgroup, accompanied by changes in taxonomic composition. Both subgroups showed time-associated variation in microbial diversity and predicted Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathway enrichment after FMT. Predicted functions included carbohydrate and amino acid metabolism, secondary metabolite biosynthesis, membrane transport, and signal transduction. Several operational taxonomic units correlated with indicators of motor impairment, constipation, sleep quality, functional status, and neuropsychiatric symptoms. FMT was therefore associated with longitudinal changes in gut microbial diversity, composition, and predicted functions, and specific microbial features were associated with motor and non-motor indicators. Given the small retrospective cohort, these findings are preliminary and warrant confirmation in larger controlled studies. Future studies should determine whether these microbial alterations are reproducible, persist beyond five months, reflect donor engraftment, and correspond to measurable clinical improvement after transplantation in PD.

Humans↗

PubMed2000

Ratings of profile attractiveness after functional appliance treatment.

The aim of this study was to determine the change in profile attractiveness in children with Class II Division 1 malocclusion after 18 months' treatment with functional appliances. Changes in profile attractiveness were assessed by panels of art students, dental students, and parents of orthodontic patients. Each panel consisted of an equal number of male and female raters. The raters first decided whether the initial or 18-month profile silhouette was more attractive, and then scored the degree to which it was more attractive on an unmarked visual analog scale. There were no significant differences between either male and female raters or among panels in their assessments of the change in profile attractiveness in the whole sample. Neither were there significant differences between the change in profile attractiveness of the untreated subjects and the subjects treated with either Fränkel function regulators or Harvold activators. It is concluded that treatment with functional appliances does not lead to more attractive profiles than nontreatment.

Analysis of Variance↗

PubMedDate not supplied

The International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health: a new tool for understanding disability and health.

Reliable and timely information about the health of populations is part of the World Health Organization's mandate in the development of international public health policy. To capture data concerning functioning and disability, or non-fatal health outcomes, WHO has recently published the revised International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF). In this article, the authors briefly outline the revision process and discuss the rationale for the ICF and the needs that it serves in rehabilitation. The ICF is shown to be an essential tool for identifying and measuring efficacy and effectiveness of rehabilitation services, both through functional profiling and intervention targeting. Existing applications of the ICF in rehabilitation are then surveyed. The ICF, in short, offers an international, scientific tool for understanding human functioning and disability for clinical, research, policy development and a range of other public health uses.

Activities of Daily Living↗