Sensory over-responsivity: parent report, direct assessment measures, and neural architecture

BACKGROUND: Sensory processing difficulties are common across neurodevelopmental disorders. Thus, reliable measures are needed to understand the biological underpinnings of these differences. This study aimed to define a scoring methodology specific to auditory (AOR) and tactile (TOR) over-responsivity. Second, in a pilot cohort using MRI Diffusion Tensor Imaging, we performed a proof of concept study of whether children with AOR showed measurable differences in their white matter integrity. METHODS: This study included children with AOR and TOR from a mixed neurodevelopmental disorder cohort including autism and sensory processing dysfunction (n = 176) as well as neurotypical children (n = 128). We established cohorts based on sensory over-responsivity using parent report (Short Sensory Profile (SSP)) and direct assessment (Sensory Processing-Three Dimensions: Assessment (SP-3D:A)) measures. With a subset of the children (n = 39), group comparisons, based on AOR phenotype, were conducted comparing the white matter fractional anisotropy in 23 regions of interest. RESULTS: Using direct assessment, 31% of the children with neurodevelopmental disorders had AOR and 27% had TOR. The inter-test agreement between SSP and SP-3D:A for AOR was 65% and TOR was 50%. Children with AOR had three white matter tracts showing decreased fractional anisotropy relative to children without AOR. CONCLUSIONS: This study identified cut-off scores for AOR and TOR using the SSP parent report and SP-3D:A observation. A combination of questionnaire and direct observation measures should be used in clinical and research settings. The SSP parent report and SP-3D:A direct observation ratings overlapped moderately for sensory related behaviors. Based on these preliminary structural neuroimaging results, we suggest a putative neural network may contribute to AOR

Astronomide yaygin öğrenim arayişlari ve meyvesi beyaz cüce

Executing Expansive Learning, which means learning without any schedule, place or intructor, has confused every astronomers' mind. For us, as the students of different universities and perspectives, it was confusing how to share our knowledge and experience. The astronomy students who met at the 4th National Astronomy Student Congress in 2006, started a solution based on share of knowledge and experience. This report tells us the story of Beyaz Cüce workgroup which created as a result of sharing the knowledge and ideas.peer-reviewe

Tabu #1 : bilimsel makale yazmak çok zordur(!)

Target Group: Undergraduate student who has never made a scientific research, especially Astronomy students. Objective: To show this group, making a scientific research and resulting it is not much difficult. Method: Making a research on practical, and writing an article. Result: Young scientists who trust themselves, can make a scientific research, made a few support to the Oceon of Science.peer-reviewe

with Hemiplegic Cerebral Palsy

Objective: This study was carried out to compare Johnstone pressure splints and electromyographic (EMG) biofeedback in addition to neurodevelopmental therapy on activities of daily living, sensory perception and motor integration functions, functional hand activities, and muscle tone in children with hemiplegic cerebral palsy (CP).Materials and Methods: Thirty-eight children with spastic hemiplegic cerebral palsy, whose motor development levels were similar, were included in this study and were divided into two groups. In addition to Bobath's neurodevelopmental therapy, Group I was treated with pressure splints for the upper extremity and Group II-with EMG biofeedback training, also applied to the upper extremity, three times a week for three months. In the biofeedback group the session length was 20 minutes and in the Johnstone group, it was 50 minutes in total, with and without splinting. Patients were evaluated for muscle tone, activities of daily Hying, sensory perception and motor integration functions, and functional hand activities before and after therapy, and on the third and sixth months following therapy.Results: At the third and sixth months after treatment, significant improvement was found in muscle tone, activities of daily living, sensory perception and motor integration functions, and functional hand activities (p<0.05). Moreover, the findings in Group I were more significant than those in Group II (p<0.001).Conclusion: These results show that both treatment methods are helpful to Bobath approach in cerebral palsy rehabilitation. However, EMG biofeedback treatment is more effective due to the fact that it encourages the child's active participation. Turk J Phys Med Rehab 2010;56:116-23

Hydrotherapy For Rett Syndrome

Objective: The effects of hydrotherapy on an 11-year-old girl with stage III Rett syndrome were investigated. Methods: The Halliwick method was used to apply hydrotherapy in a swimming pool twice a week for 8 weeks. The girl's physical abilities were assessed 3 times: before and 5 minutes after a single hydrotherapy session and after 8 weeks of hydrotherapy. The tests included analysis of stereotypical movements, functional hand use, hand skills, gait and balance, hyperactive behaviour, communication and social interaction. Results: Immediately after hydrotherapy, stereotypical movements decreased and this decrease continued during the following 8 weeks. The girl's feeding activities and hand skills increased markedly. After 8 weeks of hydrotherapy, her walking balance was improved, interaction with her environment increased and hyperactive behaviour and anxiety decreased. Conclusion: In conclusion, after the application of hydrotherapy, stereotypical hand movements had decreased and purposeful hand functions and feeding skills increased in this case. Whether hydrotherapy has a positive effect on the functional use of the hand in Rett syndrome should be investigated using more subjects.WoSScopu

Evaluation of photosynthetic performance of wheat cultivars exposed to boron toxicity by the JIP fluorescence test

kayihan, ceyhun/0000-0003-1684-4147; Oz, Mehmet Tufan/0000-0002-0042-2671WOS: 000345394500010The changes in growth and photosynthetic performance of two wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) cultivars (Bolal-2973 and Atay-85) differing in their sensitivity to boron (B) toxicity were investigated under toxic B conditions. Eight-day old seedlings were exposed to highly toxic B concentrations (5, 7.5, and 10 mM H3BO3) for 5 and 9 days. Fast chlorophyll a fluorescence kinetics was determined and analysed using JIP test. Growth parameters, tissue B contents, and membrane damage were measured at two stress durations. The photochemical performance of PSII was hindered more in the sensitive cultivar (Atay-85) than that of the tolerant one (Bolal-2973) under B toxicity. The increase in the B concentration and stress duration caused membrane leakage in both cultivars. However, higher membrane damage was observed in Atay-85 compared to Bolal-2973. Additionally, significant reduction of growth parameters was observed in both cultivars at toxic B concentrations. The accumulation of B was higher in shoots than in roots of both cultivars. Nevertheless, Atay-85 translocated more B from roots to leaves compared to Bolal-2973. The advantages of certain JIP test parameters were demonstrated for evaluation of PSII activity in plants exposed to B stress. Evaluation of photosynthetic performance by JIP test as well as assessment of growth and tissue B content might be used to determine the effects of B toxicity in wheat. The results indicated lesser sensitivity to B toxicity in Bolal-2973 compared to Atay-85.National Boron Research Institute, Turkey [BOREN-2009-C0217]This work was supported by the National Boron Research Institute, Turkey (Project BOREN-2009-C0217)