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CONCLUSIONS This study shows indications of impairments of eye and head coordination in chronic WAD due to MVA when compared to healthy subjects. These alterations may have implications for driving safety. BACKGROUND The Shoulder Disability Questionnaire (SDQ) demonstrated promising psychometric properties, but currently there is no evidence of an Italian version. OBJECTIVE To cross-culturally adapt the Italian version of the SDQ (SDQ-I) and to explore its psychometric properties in patients with non-specific shoulder pain (SP). METHODS The SDQ-I was translated according to international guidelines and administered to 105 patients with SP. The SDQ-I scores were compared with Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder, and Hand Questionnaire (DASH), Numerical Pain Rating Scale (NPRS), and 36-item Short Form Health Survey (SF-36). Structural validity (Exploratory Factor Analysis [EFA]), internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha), test-retest reliability (Intraclass Correlation Coefficient [ICC]), measurement error (Standard Error of the Measurement [SEM], Minimal Detectable Change [MDC]), and construct validity (hypothesis testing with correlation of the DASH, NPRS, and SF-36) were explored. RESULTS The EFA identified two subscales (activity and participation-psychosocial factors). The internal consistency was supported for activity (α = 0.78), but not for participation-psychosocial subscales (α = 0.45). Both subscales demonstrated high test-retest reliability (ICC = 0.97 [95%CI = 0.96-0.98] and ICC = 0.95 [95%CI = 0.93-0.97]), a SEM of 5.8% and 7.0%, and a MDC of 15% and 19% for the first and second subscale, respectively. Construct validity was satisfactory, as >75% of the expected correlations were met for each subscale. CONCLUSIONS The SDQ-I was successfully cross-cultural adapted into Italian and proved to be valid for patients with non-specific SP, but its reliability should be further assessed, as internal consistency of the participation-psychosocial subscale showed some psychometric flaws. Further research is needed to refine the instrument. BACKGROUND It is difficult to evaluate the transversus abdominis (TrA) and internal oblique (IO) due to their dual role in both trunk control and breathing. OBJECTIVES To investigate whether TrA and IO thickness as measured by ultrasound differs across the respiratory cycle in upright standing. DESIGN Observational study. METHODS Thickness of TrA and IO was measured with ultrasound in 67 subjects in upright standing. Measures were performed 3 times and by 2 assessors, at the end of relaxed expiration, at the end of a full inspiration, and at the end of full expiration. Differences were assessed by ANOVA. Intra- and inter-rater reliability (of a single measure and the average of 3 measures) were assessed by intra-class correlation (ICC). RESULTS Thickness of the TrA and IO was higher at full expiration than at the end of relaxed expiration (p  less then  0.001), and in turn compared to at full inspiration (p  less then  0.001). Intra-rater reliability was excellent at all respiratory phases (ICC 0.76-0.87). Whereas inter-rater reliability for a single measure was only fair to good for TrA (ICC 0.52-0.71) and good to excellent for IO (ICC 0.61-0.78), the inter-rater reliability of the average was excellent at all respiratory phases (ICC 0.75-0.90). CONCLUSIONS Thickness of TrA and IO increases when lung volume decreases. The intra- and inter-rater reliability of an average measure were excellent at the end of relaxed expiration, full inspiration and full expiration. This provides new opportunities to evaluate the deep abdominal muscles, and their role in respiration, in a physiotherapeutic setting. BACKGROUND Placental perfusion can be evaluated by 3D power Doppler ultrasound (3D PD-US), particularly using the validated tool 3D Fractional Moving Blood Volume (3D-FMBV); however regional variability and size limitations beyond the first trimester mean that multiple 3D PD-US volumes are required to evaluate the whole organ. PURPOSE We assessed the feasibility of manual offline stitching of second trimester 3D PD-US volumes of the placenta to assess whole organ perfusion using 3D-FMBV. MATERIALS AND METHODS This was a single-centre, prospective, observational cohort study of 36 normal second trimester singleton pregnancies with anterior placentas. 3D PD-US placental volumes were manually segmented offline and stitched together by rigid registration using manually selected, pair-wise coordinates. Data acquisition and offline volume segmentation and stitching were triplicated by a single observer with Dice similarity coefficient (DSC) and Hausdorff distance used to assess consistency. Intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) was used to assess intra-observer repeatability of 3D-FMBV and placental volume. RESULTS Acquisition and stitching success were 94% and 88%, respectively. Median time for acquisition, segmentation and stitching were 13 min, 40 min and 95 min, respectively. Median intra-observer DSCs were 0.94 and 0.88, and Hausdorff distances were 11.85 mm and 36.6 mm, for segmentations and stitching, respectively. CONCLUSION 3D-ultrasound volume stitching of the placenta is technically feasible. Intra-observer repeatability was good to excellent for all measured parameters. This work demonstrates technical feasibility; further studies may provide the basis of an in-vivo assessment tool to measure the placenta in mid-to late pregnancy. BACKGROUND It has been reported that during the culture of human placental explants, the syncytiotrophoblast dies between 3 and 24 h and is then replaced within 48 h by a new syncytiotrophoblast layer formed by the fusion of underlying cytotrophoblasts. Most frequently the death of the syncytiotrophoblast is indicated by the uptake of nuclear stains such as propidium iodide (PI). This process is reportedly similar in both early and late gestation placental explants. METHODS We cultured first trimester placental explants for up to 48 h and tested membrane intactness by exposure to PI. Connexin and pannexin mRNAs were quantified by RT-PCR and protein levels determined by immunofluorescence. DTNB chemical structure The syncytiotrophoblast membrane leak was determined by culturing explants in the presence of hemichannel blockers. Extrusion of extracellular vesicles from the syncytiotrophoblast was quantified. RESULTS Nuclei of the syncytiotrophoblast were stained with PI following approximately 4 h of culture and this was prevented by culturing the explants with pannexin-1 blockers.