Effect of playing computer games on decision making in people with intellectual disabilities

People with intellectual disabilities have difficulty making decisions and this may hinder their independence and inclusion in society. Interactive computer software may give them the opportunity to practice the underlying components of this skill. This study aimed to discover if repeated sessions playing a computer game involving aspects of decision making, such as collecting relevant information and controlling impulsivity, would improve performance in two non-computer based tests of decision making. 12 adults with intellectual disabilities were randomly assigned to either an intervention group or control group. They were all exposed to 10 twice weekly sessions, playing either the intervention game or the control game, which involved simple reaction time only. After repeated sessions, the intervention group showed a significant improvement in game score, with researcher assistance significantly decreasing. At follow up, the intervention group showed a significant decrease from baseline in the number of guesses made before guessing correctly on both of the decision making tests. The decrease observed in the control group failed to reach significance

Data mining of gene arrays for biomarkers of survival in ovarian cancer

The expected five-year survival rate from a stage III ovarian cancer diagnosis is a mere 22%; this applies to the 7000 new cases diagnosed yearly in the UK. Stratification of patients with this heterogeneous disease, based on active molecular pathways, would aid a targeted treatment improving the prognosis for many cases. While hundreds of genes have been associated with ovarian cancer, few have yet been verified by peer research for clinical significance. Here, a meta-analysis approach was applied to two care fully selected gene expression microarray datasets. Artificial neural networks, Cox univariate survival analyses and T-tests identified genes whose expression was consistently and significantly associated with patient survival. The rigor of this experimental design increases confidence in the genes found to be of interest. A list of 56 genes were distilled from a potential 37,000 to be significantly related to survival in both datasets with a FDR of 1.39859 × 10−11, the identities of which both verify genes already implicated with this disease and provide novel genes and pathways to pursue. Further investigation and validation of these may lead to clinical insights and have potential to predict a patient’s response to treatment or be used as a novel target for therapy

Fabrication, characterisation and performance of hydrophilic and super-hydrophilic silica as cell culture surfaces

We demonstrate a straightforward procedure for the controlled formation of silica films on tissue culture polystyrene (PS) surfaces. The films were formed by sequentially treating PS with polyaniline, glutaric dialdehyde and protein prior to silica formation. The films could be tailored to exhibit superhydrophilicity (contact angle < 5°) which was retained for more than two months under ambient conditions. Both hydrophilic and super-hydrophilic silica coated surfaces were suitable for the culture of an adherent human melanoma cell line. Proliferation, toxicity and adhesion assays were used to compare cell behaviour. Cells on the silica surfaces showed enhanced adhesion and comparable rates of cell proliferation as compared to cells grown on conventional tissue culture plastic. The results obtained can be understood by considering the surface properties of the different materials and the ability of the silica coated surfaces to adsorb significantly higher levels of serum proteins from the growth medium. One of the outcomes of this study is a re-evaluation of the hydrophobicity/hydrophilicity characteristics required for good cell growth and the possibility of designing new tissue culture materials capable of greater control over cell populations

Using the Principle Based Model to Improve Well-Being in School: A Mixed-Methods Pilot Study

The contemporary school environment in England has been identified as stressful for both staff and pupils. School-based interventions aimed at improving well-being and mental health have shown mixed results. The Principle Based Model (PBM) of Mind, Consciousness, and Thought is an untried intervention in English schools and as a working model there is a paucity of research into its potential. The aim of this mixed-methods pilot study was to investigate the effectiveness of the PBM as a means of increasing the psychological well-being of staff and pupils. The study was a 16-week pre, post, and follow-up study using the Friedman Well-Being Scale (FWBS) as a measure of psychological well-being, and analyzed using matched sample t tests and repeated measures ANOVA. The study was carried out in a high school in the east of England with 10 staff and nine pupils. The staff and pupils involved received the PBM as a psychoeducational program. During the follow-up period, six members of staff and one pupil were interviewed and the transcripts analyzed using Thematic Analysis. The pre to post total FWBS scores showed an increase in psychological well-being for both staff and pupils but only the change for pupils was statistically significant. Post to follow-up total FWBS scores for both staff and pupils showed no significant change. This study provides some initial evidence to suggest that the PBM may be a useful tool for schools to utilize in attempting to increase psychological well-being

UK practice for penile prosthesis surgery: baseline analysis of the British Association of Urological Surgeons (BAUS) Penile Prosthesis Audit

Objectives: To undertake a prospective multicentre national audit of penile prosthesis practice in the UK over a 3‐year period. Patients and Methods: Data were submitted by urological surgeons as part of the British Association of Urological Surgeons Penile Prosthesis National Audit. Patients receiving a penile prosthesis (inflatable or malleable) were included as part of a prospective registry over a 3‐year period. Data were validated and then analysed using a software package (Tableau). Results: A total of 1071 penile prosthesis procedures were included from 22 centres. The three commonest aetiological factors for erectile dysfunction were diabetes, prostate surgery and Peyronie's disease. Of the recorded data, inflatable penile prostheses were the commonest devices implanted, with 665 devices used (62.1%), whereas malleable prostheses accounted for 14.2% of the implants. Recorded intra‐operative complications included urethral injury (0.7%, n = 7), corporal perforation (1.1%, n = 12) and cross‐over (0.6%, n = 6). Known postoperative complications were recorded in 9.8% of patients (74/752), with the two most frequently reported being postoperative penile pain (n = 11) and scrotal haematoma (n = 14). Conclusion: This baseline analysis is the largest prospective registry of penile prostheses procedures to date. The data show that, over the 3‐year collection period in the UK, there are now fewer surgeons performing the procedure, together with a reduction in the number of centres. Peri‐operative complications were infrequent, and the rate of implant abortion (e.g. as a result of urethral injury) was very low. Further follow‐up data will be required to publish long‐term outcomes and patient satisfaction

Paraganglioma of the Spermatic Cord: Case Report and Review of the Literature

Paragangliomas rarely involve the genitourinary tract. We present a case of a paraganglioma arising from the spermatic cord and review the literature on the topic

The Frequency of Visually Induced Gamma-Band Oscillations Depends on the Size of Early Human Visual Cortex

The structural and functional architecture of the human brain is characterized by considerable variability, which has consequences for visual perception. However, the neurophysiological events mediating the relationship between interindividual differences in cortical surface area and visual perception have, until now, remained unknown. Here, we show that the retinotopically defined surface areas of central V1 and V2 are correlated with the peak frequency of visually induced oscillations in the gamma band, as measured with magnetoencephalography. Gamma-band oscillations are thought to play an important role in visual processing. We propose that individual differences in macroscopic gamma frequency may be attributed to interindividual variability in the microscopic architecture of visual cortex

β2-adrenergic signalling promotes cell migration by upregulating expression of the metastasis-associated molecule LYPD3

Metastasis is associated with poor prognosis in breast cancer. Although some studies suggest beta-blockers increase survival by delaying metastasis, others have been discordant. This study provides both insights into the anomalous findings and identifies potential biomarkers that may be treatment targets. Cell line models of basal-type and oestrogen receptor-positive breast cancer were profiled for basal levels of adrenoceptor gene/protein expression, and β2-adrenoceptor mediated cell behaviour including migration, invasion, adhesion, and survival in response to adrenoceptor agonist/antagonist treatment. Protein profiling and histology identified biomarkers and drug targets. Baseline levels of adrenoceptor gene expression are higher in basal-type rather than oestrogen receptor-positive cancer cells. Norepinephrine (NE) treatment increased invasive capacity in all cell lines but did not increase proliferation/survival. Protein profiling revealed the upregulation of the pro-metastatic gene Ly6/PLAUR Domain-Containing Protein 3 (LYPD3) in norepinephrine-treated MDA-MB-468 cells. Histology confirmed selective LYPD3 expression in primary and metastatic breast tumour samples. These findings demonstrate that basal-type cancer cells show a more aggressive adrenoceptor-β2-activated phenotype in the resting and stimulated state, which is attenuated by adrenoceptor-β2 inhibition. This study also highlights the first association between ADRβ2 signalling and LYPD3; its knockdown significantly reduced the basal and norepinephrine-induced activity of MCF-7 cells in vitro. The regulation of ADRβ2 signalling by LYPD3 and its metastasis promoting activities, reveal LYPD3 as a promising therapeutic target in the treatment of breast and other cancers

Characterisation of a Desmosterol Reductase Involved in Phytosterol Dealkylation in the Silkworm, Bombyx mori

Most species of invertebrate animals cannot synthesise sterols de novo and many that feed on plants dealkylate phytosterols (mostly C29 and C28) yielding cholesterol (C27). The final step of this dealkylation pathway involves desmosterol reductase (DHCR24)-catalysed reduction of desmosterol to cholesterol. We now report the molecular characterisation in the silkworm, Bombyx mori, of such a desmosterol reductase involved in production of cholesterol from phytosterol, rather than in de novo synthesis of cholesterol. Phylogenomic analysis of putative desmosterol reductases revealed the occurrence of various clades that allowed for the identification of a strong reductase candidate gene in Bombyx mori (BGIBMGA 005735). Following PCR-based cloning of the cDNA (1.6 kb) and its heterologous expression in Saccharomyces cerevisae, the recombinant protein catalysed reduction of desmosterol to cholesterol in an NADH- and FAD- dependent reaction