Associations between Manual Abilities, Gross Motor Function, Epilepsy, and Mental Capacity in Children with Cerebral Palsy

How to Cite This Article: Gajewska E, Sobieska M, Samborski W. Associations between Manual Abilities, Gross Motor Function, Epilepsy, and Mental Capacity in Children with Cerebral Palsy. Iran J Child Neurol. 2014 Spring 8(2):45-52.ObjectiveThis study aimed to evaluate gross motor function and hand function in children with cerebral palsy to explore their association with epilepsy and mental capacity. Material & MethodsThe research investigating the association between gross and fine motor function and the presence of epilepsy and/or mental impairment was conducted on a group of 83 children (45 girls, 38 boys). Among them, 41 were diagnosedwith quadriplegia, 14 hemiplegia, 18 diplegia, 7 mixed form, and 3 athetosis.A neurologist assessed each child in terms of possible epilepsy and confirmed diagnosis in 35 children. A psychologist assessed the mental level (according toWechsler) and found 13 children within intellectual norm, 3 children with mild mental impairment, 18 with moderate, 27 with severe, and 22 with profound.Children were then classified based on Gross Motor Function Classification System and Manual Ability Classification Scale.ResultsThe gross motor function and manual performance were analysed in relation to mental impairment and the presence of epilepsy. Epilepsy was found to disturb conscious motor functions, but also higher degree of mental impairment wasobserved in children with epilepsy.ConclusionThe occurrence of epilepsy in children with cerebral palsy is associated with worse manual function. The occurrence of epilepsy is associated with limitations in conscious motor functions. 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Analysis of content of selected heavy metals in dietary supplements available on the Polish market

Background. Eating highly processed foods and lack of important nutrients in the diet may increase the need for dietary supplements. Their use allows consumers to supplement deficiencies of vitamins and other minerals necessary for the proper functioning of the body. However, in addition to valuable vitamins and minerals, often contain various types of plant components and they may be contaminated with heavy metals such as: cadmium (Cd), lead (Pb), mercury (Hg). Preparations with a high content of toxic elements may constitute an additional source of their uptake by the body and, apart from the desired nutritional effect, cause intoxication of the organism. Aim of the study. Comparative study on the level of cadmium, lead and mercury in herbal and vitamin-mineral preparations available on the Polish market. Material and methods. 93 samples, belonging to vitamin and vitamin-mineral preparations (50 contained plant components, while free from plant ingredients were in number of 43) were evaluated for selected heavy metals content using the flame atomic absorption spectrometry (FAAS) for cadmium and lead and using atomic absorption spectrometry with amalgamation technique for mercury. Results. Analysed samples of herbal and vitamin-mineral dietary supplements contained a low contamination of cadmium and lead and did not pose a risk to public health. The content of cadmium ranged from 0.010-0.710 mg/kg, while the lead ranged from 0.02 to 1.55 mg/kg. The average cadmium and lead contamination in preparations containing plant raw materials was significantly higher (p < 0.05) compared to the average content of this elements in preparations containing only synthetic ingredients. The level of cadmium and lead in all specimens did not exceed admissible value (1.0 mg/kg and 3.0 mg/kg respectively). The mercury concentration in the tested dietary supplements varied and ranged from 0.0005 to 0.1470 mg/kg. The average mercury content was almost 10 times higher in supplements containing plant raw materials, compared to the average content of this element in preparations containing only synthetic ingredients, but differences were not statistically significant (p < 0.088). Four preparations containing raw materials of plant origin exceeded the permissible mercury content (0.1 mg/kg). The tested dietary supplements were not a significant source of cadmium and mercury, but supply of lead from supplements was much bigger. Conclusion. Heavy metals were detected in all tested preparations. However, the supplements with plant raw materials contained significantly higher concentration of cadmium, lead and mercury compared to supplements that did not contain components of plant origin. Our research showed that the permissible amounts of mercury in the herbal supplements may be exceeded, moreover supplements with plant material may be a significant source of lead. Therefore further studies covering larger number of samples are needed to estimate the heavy metals contamination risk of dietary supplements. Keywords: heavy metals, atomic absorption spectrometry, contaminations, dietary supplements

Silver nanoparticle-based assay for the detection of immunoglobulin free light chains

There is a wide spectrum of malignant diseases that are connected with the clonal proliferation of plasma cells, which cause the production of complete immunoglobulins or their fragments (heavy or light immunoglobulin chains). These proteins may accumulate in tissues, leading to end organ damage. The quantitative determination of immunoglobulin free light chains (FLCs) is considered to be the gold standard in the detection and treatment of multiple myeloma (MM) and amyloid light-chain (AL) amyloidosis. In this study, a silver nanoparticle-based diagnostic tool for the quantitation of FLCs is presented. The optimal test conditions were achieved when a metal nanoparticle (MNP) was covered with 10 particles of an antibody and conjugated by 5-50 protein antigen particles (FLCs). The formation of the second antigen protein corona was accompanied by noticeable changes in the surface plasmon resonance spectra of the silver nanoparticles (AgNPs), which coincided with an increase of the hydrodynamic diameter and increase in the zeta potential, as demonstrated by dynamic light scattering (DLS). A decrease of repulsion forces and the formation of antigen–antibody bridges resulted in the agglutination of AgNPs, as demonstrated by transmission electron microscopy and the direct formation of AgNP aggregates. Antigen-conjugated AgNPs clusters were also found by direct observation using green laser light scattering. The parameters of the specific immunochemical aggregation process consistent with the sizes of AgNPs and the protein particles that coat them were confirmed by four physical methods, yielding complementary data concerning a clinically useful AgNPs aggregation test

Qualitative assessment in the third month of life allows for a better prognosis of the achievement of motor milestones versus assessment of pathological reflexes- prospective studies on Polish children

IntroductionThe characteristic feature of primitive reflexes is that they occur early in development and must expire at a well-defined age. The study was conducted prospectively on a group of 107 children (74 boys). The study population included 83 infants born on time (weight 3,465 ± 395 g) and 24 born prematurely (weight 2,225 ± 793 g).MethodsAn analysis of motor development at 3 months of age consisting of a qualitative assessment (motor performance) and a check of reflexes was performed; at 9 months, the child was checked for crawling and sitting down, and at 16 months for walking.ResultsThe more abnormal reflexes, the less likely it was to achieve the assessed milestones in time. It is possible to notice that the qualitative assessment is, in each case, a better predictor of the milestones than any of the reflexes, except for walking, where the Babkin reflex was strongly predictive. However, the qualitative assessment sum still occupies the second and third positions in prone and supine positions.DiscussionThe occurrence of Babkin’s reflex at 3 months of age impacts the achievement of sitting down and walking functions. An abnormal Galant reflex was strongly associated with the lack of occurrence of crawling on time. At the same time, a high-quality score at 3 months of age guarantees the development of crawling on time, sitting down, and walking

Subclinical target organ damage in patients with essential hypertension

W ostatnich dekadach dokonał się znaczący postęp w możliwościach oceny struktury i funkcji układu sercowo-naczyniowego, który u chorych z nadciśnieniem tętniczym pierwotnym umożliwił ocenę wczesnych zmian w obrębie serca i naczyń. Za najbardziej charakterystyczne zmiany w sercu w przebiegu nadciśnienia uważa się pogrubienie ścian, wzrost masy mięśnia lewej komory, przebudowę komory oraz dysfunkcję rozkurczową. Przyjmuje się, że u chorych z nadciśnieniem tętniczym pogrubienie błony wewnętrznej i środkowej oceniane najczęściej w obrębie tętnicy szyjnej poprzedza rozwój ogniskowych zmian miażdżycowych. Badania rozpoczęte na początku lat 90. ubiegłego wieku dostarczyły dowodów wskazujących na rozwój dysfunkcji śródbłonka w przebiegu nadciśnienia tętniczego. Mikroalbuminuria należy do najwcześniejszych objawów uszkodzenia nerek w przebiegu nadciśnienia i zaliczana jest do najważniejszych czynników ryzyka sercowo-naczyniowego. Wyniki dotychczasowych badań wskazują na związek mikroalbuminurii zarówno z klasycznymi, jak i nowo poznanymi czynnikami ryzyka.Assessment of subclinical target organ damage is a key element in the management of patients with hypertension. Impaired diastolic function and increased LV mass are common findings in hypertensive patients and may occur early in the natural history of hypertension. Ultrasonographic measurements of intima-media thickness (IMT) in carotid arteries are being applied extensively and have been regarded as a valid indicator of atherosclerosis. Several studies showed association between IMT and hypertensive target organ damage, cardiovascular events and risk factors. Microalbuminuria is a marker for generalized vascular dysfunction, is the earliest sign of nephropathy and predicts target organ damage, notably renal disease. Hypertensive patients with microalbuminuria had a significantly higher prevalence of CAD, LV hypertrophy, MI and stroke. The modern goal of the treatment of hypertension is to prevent progression, or even to reverse, subclinical target organ damage

Współpraca dydaktyczna na poziomie zaawansowanym: cele, zasady i formy

Jak efektywnie doskonalić się w komunikacji ustnej na poziomie zaawansowanym? Publikacja niniejsza podejmuje tę kwestię w sposób całościowy i nowatorski, sytuując ją w perspektywie autonomizacji. Jest to plon 2-letniego projektu badawczego zrealizowanego na Wydziale Neofilologii UAM przez zespół pod kierunkiem prof. W. Wilczyńskiej, złożony z psychologa i 10 filologów aż 5 specjalności językowych. Część I obejmuje zagadnienia ogólne: specyfikę komunikacji ustnej, kształtowanie postaw proautonomicznych i osobistej kompetencji komunikacyjnej, relację współpracy dydaktycznej, zastosowaną metodologię badań, implikacje dydaktyczne. Część II zawiera 9 szczegółowych sprawozdań z badań dotyczących m.in. kształtowania samooceny, wrażliwości językowej, umiejętności argumentacyjnych i postawy podmiotowej. Całość uzupełnia słowniczek terminów dotyczących autonomizacji oraz bibliografia. W sumie praca ta stanowi dobre wprowadzenie do badań glottodydaktycznych, a także autorską i pogłębioną refleksję nad wybraną problematyką