614 research outputs found
Change in basic motor abilities, quality of movement and everyday activities following intensive, goal-directed, activity-focused physiotherapy in a group setting for children with cerebral palsy
Background: The effects of intensive training for children with cerebral palsy (CP) remain uncertain. The aim of the study was to investigate the impact on motor function, quality of movements and everyday activities of three hours of goal-directed activity-focused physiotherapy in a group setting, five days a week for a period of three weeks. Methods: A repeated measures design was applied with three baseline and two follow up assessments; immediately and three weeks after intervention. Twenty-two children with hemiplegia (n = 7), diplegia (n = 11), quadriplegia (n = 2) and ataxia (n = 2) participated, age ranging 3-9 y. All levels of Gross Motor Function Classification System (GMFCS) and Manual Ability Classification System (MACS) were represented. Parents and professionals participated in goal setting and training. ANOVA was used to analyse change over repeated measures. Results: A main effect of time was shown in the primary outcome measure; Gross Motor Function Measure-66 (GMFM- 66), mean change being 4.5 (p < 0.01) from last baseline to last follow up assessment. An interaction between time and GMFCS-levels was found, implying that children classified to GMFCS-levels I-II improved more than children classified to levels III-V. There were no main or interaction effects of age or anti-spastic medication. Change scores in the Pediatric Evaluation of Disability Inventory (PEDI) ranged 2.0-6.7, p < 0.01 in the Self-care domain of the Functional Skills dimension, and the Self-care and Mobility domains of the Caregiver Assistance dimension. The children's individual goals were on average attained, Mean Goal Attainment Scaling (GAS) T-score being 51.3. Non-significant improved scores on the Gross Motor Performance Measure (GMPM) and the Quality of Upper Extremities Skills Test (QUEST) were demonstrated. Significant improvement in GMPM scores were found in improved items of the GMFM, not in items that maintained the same score. Conclusions: Basic motor abilities and self-care improved in young children with CP after goal-directed activityfocused physiotherapy with involvement of their local environment, and their need for caregiver assistance in self-care and mobility decreased. The individualized training within a group context during a limited period of time was feasible and well-tolerated. The coherence between acquisition of basic motor abilities and quality of movement should be further examined
The prognostic role of intragenic copy number breakpoints and identification of novel fusion genes in paediatric high grade glioma
BACKGROUND:
Paediatric high grade glioma (pHGG) is a distinct biological entity to histologically similar tumours arising in older adults, and has differing copy number profiles and driver genetic alterations. As functionally important intragenic copy number aberrations (iCNA) and fusion genes begin to be identified in adult HGG, the same has not yet been done in the childhood setting. We applied an iCNA algorithm to our previously published dataset of DNA copy number profiling in pHGG with a view to identify novel intragenic breakpoints.
RESULTS:
We report a series of 288 iCNA events in pHGG, with the presence of intragenic breakpoints itself a negative prognostic factor. We identified an increased number of iCNA in older children compared to infants, and increased iCNA in H3F3A K27M mutant tumours compared to G34R/V and wild-type. We observed numerous gene disruptions by iCNA due to both deletions and amplifications, targeting known HGG-associated genes such as RB1 and NF1, putative tumour suppressors such as FAF1 and KIDINS220, and novel candidates such as PTPRE and KCND2. We further identified two novel fusion genes in pHGG - CSGALNACT2:RET and the complex fusion DHX57:TMEM178:MAP4K3. The latter was sequence-validated and appears to be an activating event in pHGG.
CONCLUSIONS:
These data expand upon our understanding of the genomic events driving these tumours and represent novel targets for therapeutic intervention in these poor prognosis cancers of childhood.We are grateful for support from the Rosetrees Trust, the Brain Tumour Charity and Fundacao para a Ciencia e Tecnologia, Portugal (PhD Studentship SFRH/BD/33473/2008). DC, AM, LB and CJ acknowledge NHS funding to the Biomedical Research Centre
Non-genetic expression of adolescent idiopathic scoliosis: a case report and review of the literature
Treating children with idiopathic scoliosis can amaze someone at the many different ways in which the deformity can present. Most authors state that genetics stipulates the course of adolescent idiopathic scoliosis. This is mainly based on the high concordance in monozygotic twins. However, there is indication that environmental factors have influences on adolescent idiopathic scoliosis. This is the first report in which a monozygotic twin pair is described concordant for idiopathic scoliosis but with different apical levels, magnitudes and age at detection of scoliosis which stresses the importance of environmental factors
The Influence of Different Stresses on Glomalin Levels in an Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungus—Salinity Increases Glomalin Content
Glomalin is a glycoprotein produced by arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi, and the soil fraction containing glomalin is correlated with soil aggregation. Thus, factors potentially influencing glomalin production could be of relevance for this ecosystem process and for understanding AM fungal physiology. Previous work indicated that glomalin production in AM fungi may be a stress response, or related to suboptimal mycelium growth. We show here that environmental stress can enhance glomalin production in the mycelium of the AM fungus Glomus intraradices. We applied NaCl and glycerol in different intensities to the medium in which the fungus was grown in vitro, causing salinity stress and osmotic stress, respectively. As a third stress type, we simulated grazing on the extraradical hyphae of the fungus by mechanically injuring the mycelium by clipping. NaCl caused a strong increase, while the clipping treatment led to a marginally significant increase in glomalin production. Even though salinity stress includes osmotic stress, we found substantially different responses in glomalin production due to the NaCl and the glycerol treatment, as glycerol addition did not cause any response. Thus, our results indicate that glomalin is involved in inducible stress responses in AM fungi for salinity, and possibly grazing stress
The relationship between spasticity in young children (18 months of age) with cerebral palsy and their gross motor function development
<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>It is thought that spasticity has an influence on the development of functional motor abilities among children with cerebral palsy (CP). The extent to which spasticity is associated with the change in motor abilities in young children with CP has not been established. The objective of this study is to evaluate the relationship of initial spasticity in young children with CP and their gross motor function development over one year.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Fifty children with CP aged 18 months, GMFCS-levels I-V participated in a longitudinal observational study. Change in gross motor functioning (GMFM-66) was measured over one year. The level of spasticity measured at the first assessment was determined with the Modified Tardieu Scale in three muscle groups of the lower extremity (adductor muscles, the hamstrings and the m. gastrocnemius). The Spasticity Total Score per child was calculated with a maximum score of 12 points.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Spearman's Rho Correlation (-0.28) revealed a statistically significant relationship (p < 0.05) of small strength between the Spasticity Total Score and the change score of the GMFM-66.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Our findings indicate that when measured over one year, spasticity is marginally related to gross motor function development in infants with CP. The initial level of spasticity is only one of the many child, environmental and family factors that determines gross motor development of a young child with CP.</p
Malaria mosquito control using edible fish in western Kenya: preliminary findings of a controlled study
<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Biological control methods are once again being given much research focus for malaria vector control. This is largely due to the emerging threat of strong resistance to pesticides. Larvivorous fish have been used for over 100 years in mosquito control and many species have proved effective. In the western Kenyan highlands the larvivorous fish <it>Oreochromis niloticus </it>L. (Perciformes: Cichlidae) (formerly <it>Tilapia nilotica</it>) is commonly farmed and eaten but has not been previously tested in the field for malaria mosquito control.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>This fish was introduced into abandoned fishponds at an altitude of 1,880 m and the effect measured over six months on the numbers of mosquito immatures. For comparison an untreated control pond was used. During this time, all ponds were regularly cleared of emergent vegetation and fish re-stocking was not needed. Significant autocorrelation was removed from the time series data, and t-tests were used to investigate within a pond and within a mosquito type any differences before and after the introduction of <it>O. niloticus</it>. Mulla's formula was also used on the raw data to calculate the percentage reduction of the mosquito larvae.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>After <it>O. niloticus </it>introduction, mosquito densities immediately dropped in the treated ponds but increased in the control pond. This increase was apparently due to climatic factors. Mulla's formula was applied which corrects for that natural tendency to increase. The results showed that after 15 weeks the fish caused a more than 94% reduction in both <it>Anopheles gambiae s.l</it>. and <it>Anopheles funestus </it>(Diptera: Culicidae) in the treated ponds, and more than 75% reduction in culicine mosquitoes. There was a highly significantly reduction in <it>A. gambiae s.l</it>. numbers when compared to pre-treatment levels.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>This study reports the first field trial data on <it>O. niloticus </it>for malaria mosquito control and shows that this species, already a popular food fish in western Kenya, is an apparently sustainable mosquito control tool which also offers a source of protein and income to people in rural areas. There should be no problem with acceptance of this malaria control method since the local communities already farm this fish species.</p
Evidence for the h_b(1P) meson in the decay Upsilon(3S) --> pi0 h_b(1P)
Using a sample of 122 million Upsilon(3S) events recorded with the BaBar
detector at the PEP-II asymmetric-energy e+e- collider at SLAC, we search for
the spin-singlet partner of the P-wave chi_{bJ}(1P) states in the
sequential decay Upsilon(3S) --> pi0 h_b(1P), h_b(1P) --> gamma eta_b(1S). We
observe an excess of events above background in the distribution of the recoil
mass against the pi0 at mass 9902 +/- 4(stat.) +/- 2(syst.) MeV/c^2. The width
of the observed signal is consistent with experimental resolution, and its
significance is 3.1sigma, including systematic uncertainties. We obtain the
value (4.3 +/- 1.1(stat.) +/- 0.9(syst.)) x 10^{-4} for the product branching
fraction BF(Upsilon(3S)-->pi0 h_b) x BF(h_b-->gamma eta_b).Comment: 8 pages, 4 postscript figures, submitted to Phys. Rev. D (Rapid
Communications
Meaningful health outcomes for paediatric neurodisability: stakeholder prioritisation and appropriateness of patient reported outcome measures
BACKGROUND: Health services are increasingly focused on measuring and monitoring outcomes, particularly those that reflect patients' priorities. To be meaningful, outcomes measured should be valued by patients and carers, be consistent with what health professionals seek to achieve, and be robust in terms of measurement properties. The aim of this study was (i) to seek a shared vision between families and clinicians regarding key aspects of health as outcomes, beyond mortality and morbidity, for children with neurodisability, and (ii) to appraise which multidimensional patient reported outcome measures (PROMs) could be used to assess salient health domains.
METHODS: Relevant outcomes were identified from (i) qualitative research with children and young people with neurodisability and parent carers, (ii) Delphi survey with health professionals, and (iii) systematic review of PROMs. The International Classification of Functioning Disability and Health provided a common language to code aspects of health. A subset of stakeholders participated in a prioritisation meeting incorporating a Q-sorting task to discuss and rank aspects of health.
RESULTS: A total of 33 pertinent aspects of health were identified. Fifteen stakeholders from the qualitative and Delphi studies participated in the prioritisation meeting: 3 young people, 5 parent carers, and 7 health professionals. Aspects of health that emerged as more important for families and targets for health professionals were: communication, emotional wellbeing, pain, sleep, mobility, self-care, independence, mental health, community and social life, behaviour, toileting and safety. Whilst available PROMs measure many aspects of health in the ICF, no single PROM captures all the key domains prioritised as for children and young people with neurodisability. The paucity of scales for assessing communication was notable.
CONCLUSIONS: We propose a core suite of key outcome domains for children with neurodisability that could be used in evaluative research, audit and as health service performance indicators. Future work could appraise domain-specific PROMs for these aspects of health; a single measure assessing the key aspects of health that could be applied across paediatric neurodisability remains to be developed
Precise measurement of the W-boson mass with the CDF II detector
We have measured the W-boson mass MW using data corresponding to 2.2/fb of
integrated luminosity collected in proton-antiproton collisions at 1.96 TeV
with the CDF II detector at the Fermilab Tevatron collider. Samples consisting
of 470126 W->enu candidates and 624708 W->munu candidates yield the measurement
MW = 80387 +- 12 (stat) +- 15 (syst) = 80387 +- 19 MeV. This is the most
precise measurement of the W-boson mass to date and significantly exceeds the
precision of all previous measurements combined
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