Developing the Observatory Test of Capacity,Performance, and Developmental Disregard (OTCPDD) for Children with Cerebral Palsy

Purpose

The purpose of this study was to develop a reliable and valid instrument, named the Observatory Test of Capacity, Performance, and Developmental Disregard (OTCPDD), for measuring the amount and quality of use of affected upper limb functions in the daily routines of children with CP.

Methods

Forty-eight participants (24 children with CP and 24 matched typically developing children) were recruited. The OTCPDD was administered twice (the spontaneous use condition first, followed by the forced use condition) on children with CP. Their parents were asked to complete the Pediatric Motor Activity Log-Revised (PMAL-R). The internal consistency, the intrarater and interrater reliabilities, and the convergent and discriminate validities were measured.

Results

The internal consistency (Cronbach’s alpha) and the intrarater and interrater reliabilities were higher than 0.9 for all of the OTCPDD scores. The convergent validity was confirmed by significant correlations between the OTCPDD and the PMAL-R. For the discriminant validity, significant differences (p<0.05) were found between children with CP and typically developing children.

Conclusions

The results support that the OTCPDD is a reliable and valid observation-based assessment. The OTCPDD, which uses bimanual daily living activities, is able to represent the children’s general affected hand functions (including capacity, performance, and developmental disregard) in their daily routines.     

Sodium transport in Na+-rich Chlorella cells

Summary The rate of Na⁺/Na⁺ exchange as measured with ²⁴Na⁺ in Na⁺-rich cells of Chlorella pyrenoidosa is governed by a single rate constant and saturates with increasing external Na⁺ concentration. The K _mvalue for this process is 0.8 mM Na⁺ and the maximum rate of exchange in illuminated cells is about 5 pmoles cm^-2 sec^-1. These values contrast with a K _mof 0.18 mM K⁺ and maximum rate of about 17 pmoles K⁺·cm^-2·sec^-1 for net K⁺ influx. Although the Na⁺/Na⁺ exchange was only slightly sensitive to light it was inhibited by the uncouplers CCCP and DNP and by the energy transfer inhibitor DCCD. This inhibition of the rate of Na⁺/Na⁺ exchange was not accompanied by a loss of internal Na⁺. Both the effect of external K⁺ on ²⁴Na⁺ influx into Na⁺-rich cells and the inhibition of net K⁺ uptake by the presence of external Na⁺ indicates that Na⁺/Na⁺ and K⁺/Na⁺ exchanges share the same carrier and that the external site of this carrier has a three to four times higher affinity for K⁺ over Na⁺.     

华南鱼藤的分析及毒力试验

一、绪言 鱼藤(Derris)是一种优良的植物质杀虫剂,对多数害虫有毒杀的效力,而对人畜无害,对作物亦绝不发生药害,同时更不影响作物固有的风味,为近代综合有机杀虫药剂所不能及的。鱼藤为各国普遍所采用,尤其对一般园艺作物害虫的防治,更受欢迎。鱼藤在我国除台湾在日伪时代曾大量推广繁殖,从事专业栽培外;     

Antagonists of the luteinizing hormone releasing hormone (LHRH) with emphasis on the TRP7 of the salmon and chicken II LHRH's

The sequences of four naturally occurring luteinizing hormone releasing hormones (LHRH's) differ only in positions 5, 7 and 8. Salmon and chicken II LHRH's have Trp7; porcine/ovine (P/O) and chicken I LHRH's have Leu7. The receptor for P/O LHRH might effectively bind certain antagonists with Trp7. Thirteen antagonists having Trp7 and eight antagonists with other substitutions in position 7 were synthesized. One of the thirteen antagonists with the natural Trp7, [N-Ac-D-2-Nal1,D-pClPhe2,D-3-Pal3,D-Arg6,Trp7,D- Ala10]-LHRH, not only maintained activity, but had increased potency (ca. 58%; 90% antiovulatory activity/250 ng; rats) in comparison with the companion analog with the natural Leu7 of P/O LHRH. The other twelve Trp7-antagonists had lower potency.     

Conformational changes in Kir2.1 channels during NH4+-induced inactivation

We have shown previously that NH(4)(+) binding to the external pore of a Kir2.1 channel induces channel inactivation possibly through conformational changes. In this study, we performed further biophysical analyses of the NH(4)(+)-induced inactivation modeled by a refined kinetic scheme. Also, we investigated the conformational change hypothesis by examining whether the chemical modification of single-cysteine substitution of amino acids located at the internal pore alters the kinetics of the NH(4)(+)-induced inactivation. In addition, we examined whether the mutation of amino acids located at various parts of a Kir2.1 channel influences the NH(4)(+)-induced inactivation. Kir2.1 channels were expressed in Xenopus oocytes and studied using patch-clamp techniques. The gating of the NH(4)(+)-induced inactivation was affected by mutation of several amino acids located at various regions of the Kir2.1 channel. These results suggest that amino acids from different parts of a Kir2.1 channel are involved in the channel closure. Furthermore, internal chemical modification of several cysteine mutants resulted in the block of inward currents and changes in the on and off rate for the NH(4)(+)-induced inactivation, suggesting that the internal pore mouth is involved in the closure of a Kir2.1 channel. Taken together these results provide new evidence for conformational changes affecting the NH(4)(+)-induced inactivation in the Kir2.1 channel.     

Increased cellular cholesterol efflux in glycogen storage disease type Ia mice: a potential mechanism that protects against premature atherosclerosis

Glycogen storage disease type Ia (GSD-Ia) patients manifest a pro-atherogenic lipid profile but are not at elevated risk for developing atherosclerosis. Serum phospholipid, which correlates positively with the scavenger receptor class B type I (SR-BI)-mediated cholesterol efflux, and apolipoprotein A-IV and E, acceptors for ATP-binding cassette transporter A1 (ABCA1)-mediated cholesterol transport, are increased in GSD-Ia mice. Importantly, sera from GSD-Ia mice are more efficient than sera from control littermates in promoting SR-BI- and ABCA1-mediated cholesterol effluxes. As the first step in reverse cholesterol transport, essential for cholesterol homeostasis, these observations provide one explanation why GSD-Ia patients are apparently protected against premature atherosclerosis.     

Survey of Microorganisms for the Production of Extracellular Phytase

A culture enrichment technique was used to isolate phytase-producing microorganisms. Also, microorganisms from various culture collections were tested for their phytase-producing ability. A number of the Aspergillus niger group produced extracellular phytase which dephosphorylated calcium phytate in acidic solution. A soil isolate, A. ficuum NRRL 3135, produced the most active phytase in a cornstarch-based medium. Production of phytase was strongly repressed by inorganic phosphates and required a high carbon to phosphorus ratio in the medium.     

Prior infection and passive transfer of neutralizing antibody prevent replication of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus in the respiratory tract of mice

Following intranasal administration, the severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) coronavirus replicated to high titers in the respiratory tracts of BALB/c mice. Peak replication was seen in the absence of disease on day 1 or 2, depending on the dose administered, and the virus was cleared within a week. Viral antigen and nucleic acid were detected in bronchiolar epithelial cells during peak viral replication. Mice developed a neutralizing antibody response and were protected from reinfection 28 days following primary infection. Passive transfer of immune serum to na?ve mice prevented virus replication in the lower respiratory tract following intranasal challenge. Thus, antibodies, acting alone, can prevent replication of the SARS coronavirus in the lung, a promising observation for the development of vaccines, immunotherapy, and immunoprophylaxis regimens.     

Emodin inhibits the growth of hepatoma cells: Finding the common anti-cancer pathway using Huh7, Hep3B, and HepG2 cells

Emodin—a major component of Rheum palmatum L.—exerts antiproliferative effects in cancer cells that are regulated by different signaling pathways. Hepatocellular carcinoma has high-incidence rates and is associated with poor prognosis and high mortality rates. This study was designed to evaluate the effects of emodin on human hepatocarcinoma cell viability and investigate its mechanisms of action in Huh7, Hep3B, and HepG2 cells. To define the molecular changes associated with this process, expression profiles were compared in emodin-treated hepatoma cells by cDNA microarray hybridization, quantitative RT-PCRs, and Western blot analysis. G2/M phase arrest was observed in all 3 cell lines. Cell cycle regulatory gene analysis showed increased protein levels of cyclin A, cyclin B, Chk2, Cdk2, and P27 in hepatoma cells after time courses of emodin treatment, and Western blot analysis showed decreased protein levels of Cdc25c and P21. Microarray expression profile data and quantitative PCR revealed that 15 representative genes were associated with emodin treatment response in hepatoma cell lines. The RNA expression levels of CYP1A1, CYP1B1, GDF15, SERPINE1, SOS1, RASD1, and MRAS were upregulated and those of NR1H4, PALMD, and TXNIP were downregulated in all three hepatoma cells. Moreover, at 6 h after emodin treatment, the levels of GDF15, CYP1A1, CYP1B1, and CYR61 were upregulated. Here, we show that emodin treatment caused G2/M arrest in liver cancer cells and increased the expression levels of various genes both in mRNA and protein level. It is likely that these genes act as biomarkers for hepatocellular carcinoma therapy.