Support for a reduction in the number of trials needed for the star excursion balance test

Robinson RH, Gribble PA. Support for a reduction in the number of trials needed for the Star Excursion Balance Test.

Objective

To determine the number of trials necessary to achieve stability in excursion distance and stance leg angular displacement for the 8 directions of the Star Excursion Balance Test (SEBT).

Design

One-way repeated-measures analysis of variance.

Setting

Athletic training laboratory.

Participants

Twenty participants (10 men, 10 women) without any known musculoskeletal injuries or neurologic deficits that could have negatively affected their dynamic balance volunteered for the study.

Intervention

Participants completed 6 practice and 3 test trials in each of the 8 reach directions of the SEBT.

Main Outcome Measures

Excursion distances of the reaching leg normalized to leg length and angular displacement at the hip and knee of the stance leg in all 3 planes of movement were determined.

Results

There were significant increases in excursion distance, hip flexion, and knee flexion for 7, 4, and 5 of the 8 reach directions, respectively.

Conclusions

For the majority of the reach directions, maximum excursion distances and stance leg angular displacement values achieved stability within the first 4 practice trials, thus justifying a reduction in the recommended number of practice trials from 6 to 4 and supporting the trend toward simplifying SEBT administration.     

1,2,4-triazol-3-yl-thiopropyl-tetrahydrobenzazepines: a series of potent and selective dopamine D(3) receptor antagonists

The discovery of new highly potent and selective dopamine D3 receptor antagonists has recently permitted characterization of the role of the dopamine D3 receptor in a wide range of preclinical animal models. A novel series of 1,2,4-triazol-3-yl-thiopropyl-tetrahydrobenzazepines demonstrating a high level of D3 affinity and selectivity with an excellent pharmacokinetic profile is reported here. In particular, the pyrazolyl derivative 35 showed good oral bioavailability and brain penetration associated with high potency and selectivity in vitro. In vivo characterization of 35 confirmed that this compound blocks the expression of nicotine- and cocaine-conditioned place preference in the rat, prevents nicotine-triggered reinstatement of nicotine-seeking behavior in the rat, reduces oral operant alcohol self-administration in the mouse, increases extracellular levels of acetylcholine in the rat medial prefrontal cortex, and potentiates the amplitude of the relative cerebral blood volume response to d-amphetamine in a regionally specific manner in the rat brain.     

Evidence of mitochondrial dysfunction in obese adolescents

Aim: Although obesity and weight gain generally are anticipated to be caused by an imbalance between energy intake and energy expenditure, the significance of thyroid hormones (TH) remains unclear. Examination of mitochondrial function may reflect intracellular thyroid hormone effect and elucidate whether a lower metabolic rate is present. Methods: In a group of 34 obese adolescents (age <16 years and body mass index above the age‐related 95th percentile), and an age‐ and gender‐matched group of 32 lean adolescent, thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) and basal oxygen consumption were measured and mitochondrial function in peripheral blood monocytes was determined by flow cytometry. Results: Significant increase in TSH (3.06 ± 1.56 mU/L vs. 2.33 ± 0.91 mU/L, p < 0.05) and a decrease in VO₂ (129 ± 16 mL O₂/m²*min vs. 146 ± 15 mL O₂/m²*min, p < 0.05) were observed in obese adolescents compared with lean adolescents. Flow cytometry analysis demonstrated a lower mitochondrial mass (6385 ± 1962 a.u. vs. 7608 ± 2328 a.u., p < 0.05) and mitochondrial membrane potential (11426 ± 3861 a.u. vs. 14017 ± 5536 a.u., p < 0.05) in obese adolescents compared with lean adolescents. These results are even more pronounced in adolescents with obese mothers. Conclusion: In obese adolescents, the increased TSH and lowered VO₂ propose a lowered basal metabolic rate and the impaired mitochondrial function suggests a decreased thyroid hormone stimulation of mitochondrial energy production. The maternal in‐heritage is suggestive of a basal metabolic defect or mitochondrial resistance for TH.     

不同氮量全胃肠外营养支持对脓毒症病人蛋白质代谢的影响

如何提高脓毒症闰人营养支持的效果是当前的热点和难点之一。本实验前瞻性地对比观察了不同蛋白质供应负荷０．２５ｇ／Ｖ（ｋｇ．ｄ）ｖｓ０．３５ｇＮ／（ｋｇ．ｄ），在脓毒症病人全有肠外营养支持中对蛋白质代谢状况的影响。结果发现，与低氮量ＴＰＮ相比，高氮量ＴＰＮ支持可改善血浆蛋白水平，增加累积氮平衡，但尿中３－ＭＨ排出量也有相应增加。     

Haemophilus aphrophilus bleb infection after a mitomycin trabeculectomy

Background: Haemophilus aphrophilus is a rare cause of ocular infection. It has been reported once as a cause of late-onset endophthalmitis in a patient with an inadvertent bleb after cataract surgery. We present a case of Haemophilus aphrophilus bleb infection after a mitomycin trabeculectomy.
Methods: A 56-year-old woman presented with a bleb infection 10 weeks after a mitomycin C augmented trabeculectomy at a University tertiary referral practice of one of the authors (GET). The causative organism was Haemophilus aphrophilus , identified by the Toronto Public Health Laboratory, Ontario, Canada.
Results: The bleb infection resolved following topical, subconjunctival and intravenous antibiotic therapy. A formal bleb revision was required to repair a persistent bleb leak.
Conclusion: Patients who have had trabeculectomies augmented with mitomycin C may be predisposed to bleb infection with unusual organisms. Prompt diagnosis and treatment is necessary to control the infection. Increased awareness and communication with laboratory personnel may increase the isolation of this fastidious organism.     

A Model for Caregiving of Adopted Children After Institutionalization

TOPIC: Optimizing caregiving for newly adopted postinstitutionalized children. PURPOSE: To consider a template of care for postinstitutionalized children based on experiences that physiological measures suggest are expected by infants postbirth. SOURCES: Published literature and clinical experience. CONCLUSION: Based on an understanding of physiologically expected care postbirth, special care for postinstitutionalized adopted children might include: close physical contact via use of a sling and cosleeping; breastfeeding or nurturing through food; and responsive caregiving. In replicating earlier missed experiences, parents may assist emotional development in their child and promote attachment development.     

Targeted replacement of rodent CCR2 with the human orthologue CCR2B: A mouse model for in vivo analysis of human target‐selective small molecule MCP‐1 receptor antagonists

Rodent models for testing the efficacy of lead compounds are often invalidated by species selectivity of the compounds. The advent of mouse embryonic stem cell technology has allowed the development of genetically engineered mouse strains that incorporate a specific human gene in place of the orthologous mouse gene, a so‐called knock‐in mouse. This study describes the generation and validation of a mutant mouse line that expresses human CCR2B as a functional substitute for murine CCR2. The human CCR2B knock‐in mice are viable and appear normal. In vitro assays indicate that the CCR2B knock‐in is functionally expressed, giving a macrophage chemotactic profile in response to JE or MCP‐1 that is similar to human peripheral blood monocytes rather than that of a murine macrophage cell line. In addition, the human selective CCR2B antagonist, SB‐399721, was a more potent inhibitor of CCR2B knock‐in macrophages in response to hMCP‐1 than JE. The ability of the human CCR2B gene to functionally substitute for the mouse orthologue in vivo is demonstrated by a normal inflammatory response to intraperitoneal thioglycollate injection. Drug Dev. Res. 55:197–209, 2002. © 2002 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.