Low elementary movement speed is associated with poor motor skill in Turner's syndrome

The article aims to discriminate between 2 features that in principle both may be characteristic of the frequently observed poor motor performance in girls with Turner's syndrome (TS). On the one hand, a reduced movement speed that is independent of variations in spatial accuracy demands and therefore suggests a problem in motor execution. On the other hand, a disproportional slowing down of movement speed under spatial-accuracy demands, indicating a more central problem in motor programming. To assess their motor performance problems, 15 girls with TS (age 9.6-13.0 years) and 14 female controls (age 9.1-13.0 years) were tested using the Movement Assessment Battery for Children (MABC). In additionally, an experimental procedure using a variant of Fitts' graphic aiming task was used to try and disentangle the role of spatial-accuracy demands in different motor task conditions. The results of the MABC reestablish that overall motor performance in girls with TS is poor. The data from the Fitts' task reveal that TS girls move with the same accuracy as their normal peers but show a significantly lower speed independent of task difficulty. We conclude that a problem in motor execution is the main factor determining performance differences between girls with TS and controls.     

Lack of PTEN expression in endometrial intraepithelial neoplasia is correlated with cancer progression

We tested the hypothesis that PTEN inactivation may stratify cancer progression risk among putative endometrial hyperplasias, classified prognostically by means of the morphometric D score (DS). The DS, calculated from 3 morphometric variables measured in routine hematoxylin-eosin-stained endometrial biopsy slides, is the most sensitive and specific method of endometrial cancer risk prediction currently available. Clinical outcomes of 103 women with endometrial hyperplasia on biopsy were tallied according to the DS. Seven (7/103; 7%) patients with carcinoma during follow-up were all distributed within the high-risk prognostic group (ie, DS <1 = endometrial intraepithelial neoplasia [EIN]) (7/21; 33% progression). None of the 82 cases with a DS higher than 1 progressed. All cases that progressed were PTEN null, indicating that this genotype is capable of further stratifying cancer progression risk in hyperplasias irrespective of histological categorization. However, only 16% of the PTEN-null cases progressed. When PTEN expression pattern was combined with EIN, the prognostic power was greatly increased (specificity from 63% for PTEN and 85% for EIN to 93% when combined; positive predictive value from 16% and 33% to 50%). We conclude that loss of PTEN expression is the first biomarker in EIN that increases the accuracy of the prognostic DS to predict cancer progression risk. Unless endometrial hyperplasias are stratified by histological morphometric D-Score, PTEN has a low positive predictive value.     

Reproductive risk factors in unilateral and bilateral renal agenesis

ABSTRACT  Renal agenesis (RA) appears to be a multifactorial condition with combined genetic and environmental influences. We performed a retrospective case-control study of reproductive history of 26 isolated RA live births cases referred to Sicilian Registry of Congenital Malformations. A statistical significant association for birth weight if we considered all RA together and for bilateral RA alone, an increasing risk for maternal age only in the bilateral RA subgroup and a male predominance both for unilateral and bilateral RA was found. Our results show that some reproductive risk factors may be associated with RA, moreover differences found between subgroups indicate that some risk factors may be different in unilateral and bilateral RA. The association between reproductive risk factors and RA may reflect pathogenetic interaction between genetic and environmental factors. Nevertheless further studies are needed to clarify these associations and to explore the role of perinatal factors in the etiology of renal agenesis. In fact if prenatal or perinatal risk factors are in a causal chain influencing the risk for developing RA, then these data could have important implications in the prevention or treatment of this condition.     

Variability in acquired resistance of Pasteurella and Mannheimia isolates from the nasopharynx of calves, with particular reference to different herd types

To measure the level of antimicrobial resistance in potential bovine respiratory pathogens at different production types, nasal swabs were collected from 57 calves of 13 dairy herds, 150 calves of 9 beef cattle herds, and 289 calves of 5 high-density veal calf herds and investigated for the presence of Pasteurellaceae. All calves were less than 6 months old. Susceptibilities of the Pasteurella and Mannheimia isolates to eight antimicrobials were determined using an agar dilution method. P. multocida (37.3%) and hemolytic Mannheimia organisms (M. haemolytica sensu lato) (6.3%) were the most frequently detected organisms. The overall prevalence of isolates resistant to at least one antimicrobial from the dairy, beef, and veal calves were 17.6% (6/34), 21.9% (14/64), and 71.9% (64/89), respectively. In isolates obtained on the veal calf herds, acquired resistance to ampicillin, oxytetracycline, potentiated sulfonamides, gentamicin, tilmicosin, and enrofloxacin was frequently present, and 32.6% of these isolates were resistant to more than two of the tested antimicrobials. Resistance to ceftiofur and florfenicol was not detected. A substantial within-herd variability of species diversity and resistance profiles among isolates belonging to the genera Pasteurella and Mannheimia was found among the isolates of the veal calf farms.     

Contractile effects of the exchange of cardiac troponin for fast skeletal troponin in rabbit psoas single myofibrils

The effects of the removal of fast skeletal troponin C (fsTnC) and its replacement by cardiac troponin C (cTnC) and the exchange of fast skeletal troponin (fsTn) for cardiac troponin (cTn) were measured in rabbit fast skeletal myofibrils. Electrophoretic analysis of myofibril suspensions indicated that replacement of fsTnC or exchange of fsTn with cTnC or cTn was about 90% complete in the protocols used. Mechanical measurements in single myofibrils, which were maximally activated by fast solution switching, showed that replacement of fsTnC with cTnC reduced the isometric tension, the rate of tension rise following a step increase in Ca²⁺ ( k _act ), and the rate of tension redevelopment following a quick release and restretch ( k _tr ), but had no effect on the kinetics of the fall in tension when the concentration of inorganic phosphate (P_i) was abruptly increased ( k _Pi(+)). These data suggest that the chimeric protein produced by cTnC replacement in fsTn alters those steps controlling the weak-to-strong crossbridge attachment transition. Inefficient signalling within the chimeric troponin may cause these changes. However, replacement of fsTn by cTn had no effect on maximal isometric tension, k _act or k _tr , suggesting that these mechanics are largely determined by the isoform of the myosin molecule. Replacement of fsTn by cTn, on the other hand, shifted the pCa₅₀ of the pCa-tension relationship from 5.70 to 6.44 and reduced the Hill coefficient from 3.3 to 1.4, suggesting that regulatory protein isoforms primarily alter Ca²⁺ sensitivity and the cooperativity of the force-generating mechanism.     

Longitudinal Changes in Muscle Mass,Muscle Strength,and Physical Performance in Acutely Hospitalized Older Adults

ObjectivesAcute hospitalization may lead to a decrease in muscle measures, but limited studies are reporting on the changes after discharge. The aim of this study was to determine longitudinal changes in muscle mass, muscle strength, and physical performance in acutely hospitalized older adults from admission up to 3 months post-discharge.DesignA prospective observational cohort study was conducted.Setting and ParticipantsThis study included 401 participants aged ≥70 years who were acutely hospitalized in 6 hospitals. All variables were assessed at hospital admission, discharge, and 1 and 3 months post-discharge.MethodsMuscle mass in kilograms was assessed by multifrequency Bio-electrical Impedance Analysis (MF-BIA) (Bodystat; Quadscan 4000) and muscle strength by handgrip strength (JAMAR). Chair stand and gait speed test were assessed as part of the Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB). Norm values were based on the consensus statement of the European Working Group on Sarcopenia in Older People.ResultsA total of 343 acute hospitalized older adults were included in the analyses with a mean (SD) age of 79.3 (6.6) years, 49.3% were women. From admission up to 3 months post-discharge, muscle mass (?0.1 kg/m²; P = .03) decreased significantly and muscle strength (?0.5 kg; P = .08) decreased nonsignificantly. The chair stand (+0.7 points; P < .001) and gait speed test (+0.9 points; P < .001) improved significantly up to 3 months post-discharge. At 3 months post-discharge, 80%, 18%, and 43% of the older adults scored below the cutoff points for muscle mass, muscle strength, and physical performance, respectively.Conclusions and ImplicationsPhysical performance improved during and after acute hospitalization, although muscle mass decreased, and muscle strength did not change. At 3 months post-discharge, muscle mass, muscle strength, and physical performance did not reach normative levels on a population level. Further research is needed to examine the role of exercise interventions for improving muscle measures and physical performance after hospitalization.     

Characteristics and Motivation of Solid Organ Transplant Recipients Attending the Canadian Transplant Games

BackgroundThe Canadian Transplant games (“Games”) were created to increase awareness of organ donation and highlight the importance of staying active and healthy post-transplant. It is unclear what motivates solid organ transplant (SOT) recipients to participate and whether the games serve as an incentive for SOT recipients to increase their physical activity (PA) levels.Objectives1. To describe the characteristics of participants from past games and their motivation for attending and 2. to determine whether there was an interest in participating in goal-based, pre-games exercise training programs.MethodsA web-based questionnaire was sent to adult SOT recipients who were members of the Canadian Transplant Association. The survey included questions about why participants attended, their PA levels, and their interest in a pre-games training program.ResultsOf the 157 participants, more were male than female; the 35-54-year-old age group was the most common; and 62% of respondents received a liver or kidney transplant. The most common reasons for participating in the games were to showcase health post-transplant, promote awareness of organ donation, sports competition, and social reasons. Sixty-five percent of respondents reported that they would be interested in an exercise program to be more physically prepared for the competition.ConclusionPre-games training programs could be developed to motivate participation and help participants achieve higher training intensities and foster social interaction. Directing resources to individuals who do not attend the games and to those who are not physically active should be considered.     

Giant abdominopelvic epithelioid angiomyolipoma associated with tuberous sclerosis: Report of a case

(Received for publication on July 16, 1998; accepted on Mar. 11, 1999)