Reliability and validity of alternate step test times in subjects with chronic stroke

OBJECTIVE: (i) To investigate the intra-rater, inter-rater and test-retest reliability and minimal detectable change of the Alternate Step Test (AST) when assessing people with chronic stroke. (ii) To quantify the correlation between AST times and stroke-specific impairments. DESIGN: Cross-sectional study. SETTING: University-based rehabilitation centre. PARTICIPANTS: A convenience sample of 86 participants: 45 with chronic stroke, and 41 healthy elderly subjects. METHODS: The AST was administered along with the Fugl-Meyer Lower Extremity Assessment (FMA-LE), the Five Times Sit-To-Stand Test (FTSTS), limits of stability (LOS) measurements, Berg Balance Scale (BBS) scores, Chinese-translated Activities-specific Balance Confidence Scale (ABC-C) ratings, and the Timed “Up and Go” test (TUG). RESULTS: Excellent intra-rater, inter-rater and test-retest reliability were found, with a minimal detectable change of 3.26 s. AST times were significantly associated with FMA-LE assessment, FTSTS times, LOS in the forward and backward directions and to the affected side, BBS ratings and TUG times. CONCLUSION: AST time is a reliable assessment tool that correlates with different stroke-specific impairments in people with chronic stroke.published_or_final_versio

Risk factors of cervical intraepithelial lesion in Douala-Cameroon: Implications of Herpes Simplex Virus Type 2, Chlamydia Trachomatis and Treponema Pallidum

Infection with high risk oncogenic human papillomavirus (HPV) such as HPVs 16 and 18 is the main cause of cervical cancer. The objective of this study was to determine the impact of Chlamydia trachomatis, Herpes simplex virus 2 (HSV 2), Treponema pallidum and some sexual behaviour on malignant progression of cervical lesion in Douala, Cameroon. From July 2009 to January 2010, we performed routine cervical smears to 163 consenting women, who completed a questionnaire on risk factors of cervical cancer. Blood samples were obtained for each of these women and used for the detection of antibodies against Chlamydia trachomatis, HSV 2 and Treponema pallidum. Results obtained showed that 26/163 (17 LSIL and 9 HSIL) of women had abnormal cytology, 75.5% (123/163) had HSV 2 infection, 19% (31/163) infected by Chlamydia trachomatis and 4.3% (7/163) infected by Treponema pallidum. Among the LSIL-positive women 35.3% (6/17) and 94.1% (16/17) were infected with Chlamydia trachomatis and HSV 2 respectively. Among those with HSIL cytology, 22.2% (2/9), 66.7% (6/9) and 11.1% (1/9) respectively had Chlamydia trachomatis, HSV 2 and Treponema pallidum. High parity and pregnancy rate was observed among women with positive cytology. Our finding shown high rate of cervical abnormalities among women infected with HSV 2; and among those with a higher number of parities and pregnancies. These results suggest that further investigations should be made in Cameroon to access real burden of these risk factors in the progression and persistence of cervical lesion.Key words:risk factors, cervical cancer, HSV 2, Chlamydia trachomatis, sexually transmitted infections.doi: 10.4314/ajcem.v12i3.

Cross-cultural adaptation and clinical validation of the neonatal skin condition score to Brazilian Portuguese

Objective: to describe the process of cross-cultural adaptation and clinical validation of the Neonatal Skin Condition Score. Methods: this methodological cross-cultural adaptation study included five steps: initial translation, synthesis of the initial translation, back translation, review by an Committee of Specialists and testing of the pre-final version, and an observational cross-sectional study with analysis of the psychometric properties using the Adjusted Kappa, Intraclass Correlation Coefficient, and Bland- Altman Method statistical tests. A total of 38 professionals were randomly recruited to review the clarity of the adapted instrument, and 47 newborns hospitalized in the Neonatology Unit of the Clinical Hospital of Porto Alegre were selected by convenience for the clinical validation of the instrument. Results: the adapted scale showed approximately 85% clarity. The statistical tests showed moderate to strong intra and interobserver item to item reliability and from strong to very strong in the total score, with a variation of less than 2 points among the scores assigned by the nurses to the patients. Conclusions: the scale was adapted and validated to Brazilian Portuguese. The psychometric properties of the Brazilian version of the Neonatal Skin Condition Score instrument were similar to the validation results of the original scale

Role of Misfolded N-CoR Mediated Transcriptional Deregulation of Flt3 in Acute Monocytic Leukemia (AML)-M5 Subtype

The nuclear receptor co-repressor (N-CoR) is a key component of the generic multi-protein complex involved in transcriptional control. Flt3, a key regulator of hematopoietic cell growth, is frequently deregulated in AML (acute myeloid leukemia). Here, we report that loss of N-CoR-mediated transcriptional control of Flt3 due to misfolding, contributes to malignant growth in AML of the M5 subtype (AML-M5). An analysis of hematopoietic genes in AML cells led to the identification of Flt3 as a transcriptional target of N-CoR. Flt3 level was inversely related to N-CoR status in various leukemia cells. N-CoR was associated with the Flt3 promoter in-vivo, and a reporter driven by the Flt3 promoter was effectively repressed by N-CoR. Blocking N-CoR loss with Genistein; an inhibitor of N-CoR misfolding, significantly down-regulated Flt3 levels regardless of the Flt3 receptor mutational status and promoted the differentiation of AML-M5 cells. While stimulation of the Flt3 receptor with the Flt3 ligand triggered N-CoR loss, Flt3 antibody mediated blockade of Flt3 ligand-receptor binding led to N-CoR stabilization. Genetic ablation of N-CoR potentiated Flt3 ligand induced proliferation of BA/F3 cells. These findings suggest that N-CoR-induced repression of Flt3 might be crucial for limiting the contribution of the Flt3 signaling pathway on the growth potential of leukemic cells and its deregulation due to N-CoR loss in AML-M5, could contribute to malignant growth by conferring a proliferative advantage to the leukemic blasts. Therapeutic restoration of N-CoR function could thus be a useful approach in restricting the contribution of the Flt3 signaling pathway in AML-M5 pathogenesis

Long non-coding RNAs: spatial amplifiers that control nuclear structure and gene expression

Over the past decade, it has become clear that mammalian genomes encode thousands of long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs), many of which are now implicated in diverse biological processes. Recent work studying the molecular mechanisms of several key examples — including Xist, which orchestrates X chromosome inactivation — has provided new insights into how lncRNAs can control cellular functions by acting in the nucleus. Here we discuss emerging mechanistic insights into how lncRNAs can regulate gene expression by coordinating regulatory proteins, localizing to target loci and shaping three-dimensional (3D) nuclear organization. We explore these principles to highlight biological challenges in gene regulation, in which lncRNAs are well-suited to perform roles that cannot be carried out by DNA elements or protein regulators alone, such as acting as spatial amplifiers of regulatory signals in the nucleus

Recovery in Psychosis from a Service User Perspective: A Systematic Review and Thematic Synthesis of Current Qualitative Evidence

There is a growing number of qualitative accounts regarding recovery from psychosis from a service user perspective. The aim of this study was to conduct a systematic review of these qualitative accounts. A thematic synthesis was utilised to synthesise and analyse seventeen studies included in the review. Studies were included if they used a qualitative methodology to explore service users’ experiences of recovery from psychosis as a primary research question. All included studies were subjected to a quality assessment. The analysis outlined three subordinate themes: the recovery journey, facilitators of recovery (e.g. faith and spirituality, personal agency and hope), and barriers to recovery (e.g. stigma and discrimination, negative effects of mental health services and medication). Recovery is an idiosyncratic process but includes key components which are important to people who experience psychosis. These should be explored within clinical practice

Developments towards antiviral therapies against enterovirus 71

10.1016/j.drudis.2010.10.008Drug Discovery Today1523-241041-1051complete

Antiviral immunotherapy for mosquito-borne flaviviruses: A review of current status

10.2174/187152210791171296Immunology, Endocrine and Metabolic Agents in Medicinal Chemistry10131-42NETHERLAND

Narasin, a novel antiviral compound that blocks dengue virus protein expression

10.3851/IMP1884Antiviral Therapy1681203-1218UNITED KINGDOMcomplete