The effect of a cognitive task on the postural control of dyslexic children

We explore the influence of a secondary cognitive task on concurrent postural control in dyslexic children. Seventeen children with dyslexia (DYS) were compared with thirteen non-dyslexic children (NDYS). Postural control was recorded in Standard Romberg (SR) and Tandem Romberg (TR) conditions while children, in separate sessions, have to fixate on a target and name simple objects appearing consecutively on a computer screen. The surface, the length and the mean speed of the center of pressure were analyzed; the percentage of correct responses to the cognitive task was also measured. DYS are significantly more unstable than NDYS. The secondary cognitive task significantly decreases the postural stability in DYS only. For both children postural performances in the TR condition is significantly worse than in the SR condition. The percentage of wrong responses to the cognitive task is significantly higher in DYS. Postural instability observed in DYS supports the hypothesis that there is a deficit of automatic integration of visual information and postural control in these children. This result is in line with the U-shaped non linear model showing that a secondary task performed during a postural task leads to an impaired postural stability probably due to focus attention on the cognitive task.     

Survival Benefit of Hyperthermic Intraperitoneal Chemotherapy for Recurrent Ovarian Cancer: A Multi-institutional Case Control Study

Background

Hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC) and complete surgical removal of the tumor, in relapsing patients may provide a clinical benefit. There is no consensus considering the place of HIPEC for patients who had first ovarian cancer relapse. To assess for possible efficacy of HIPEC on overall survival (OS) rates in this situation, we performed a multi-institutional study.

Methods

The current study was a retrospective case control multi-institutional study comparing a group of patients treated with HIPEC to a group of patients treated without HIPEC. Inclusion criteria were first relapse of a serous ovarian carcinoma and >6 months after the end of initial treatment. Exclusion criteria were another pathological subtype of ovarian cancer, a relapse at <6 months after initial treatment, and a second relapse or more. We aimed to assess OS, morbidity, and mortality rates and prognostic factors.

Results

From June 1997–July 2011, 42 patients were included, 23 in the HIPEC group and 19 in the control group. Each patient from the two groups had a complete secondary surgery at the time of the first relapse. At 4 years OS was 75.6 % in the HIPEC group and 19.4 % in the control group (p = 0.013). In a multivariate analysis, HIPEC and interval-free before the end of initial treatment were both independent prognostic factors.

Conclusion

When compared to the control group, complete secondary surgery and HIPEC appear to afford a better OS rate than complete secondary surgery alone, in case of first ovarian cancer relapse. Further randomized trials are warranted to confirm these results.     

Complete cervical spinal cord injury above C6 predicts the need for tracheostomy

Background

Failed extubation and delayed tracheostomy contribute to poor outcomes in patients with a traumatic spinal cord injury (SCI). We determined if the level and completeness of SCI predict the need for tracheostomy.

Methods

Data from 256 patients with SCI between C1 and T3 with or without tracheostomy were retrospectively analyzed. Logistic regression identified predictors for tracheostomy. Data are presented as raw percentage or odds ratio (OR) with 95% confidence interval. P < .05 indicates significance.

Results

Complete spinal cord injuries were common in patients requiring tracheostomy (55% vs 18%, P < .05), and predicted the need for tracheostomy (OR: 6.4 (3.1 to 13.5), P < .05). An injury above C6 predicted the need for tracheostomy in patients with complete injury (OR: 3.7 (1 to 11.9), P < .05), but not incomplete injury (OR: .7 (.3 to 1.9); P = .53).

Conclusion

Tracheostomy is unlikely in patients with incomplete SCI, regardless of the level of injury. Patients with complete SCI above C6 are likely to require tracheostomy.     

Evaluation of [18F]2FP3 in pigs and non‐human primates

So far, no suitable 5‐HT₇R radioligand exists for clinical positron emission tomography (PET) imaging. [¹⁸F]2FP3 was first tested in vivo in cats, and the results were promising for further evaluations. Here, we evaluate the radioligand in pigs and non‐human primates (NHPs). Furthermore, we investigate species differences in 5‐HT₇R binding with [³H]SB‐269970 autoradiography in post‐mortem pig, NHP, and human brain tissue. Specific binding of [¹⁸F]2FP3 was investigated by intravenous administration of the 5‐HT₇R specific antagonist SB‐269970. [³H]SB‐269970 autoradiography was performed as previously described. [¹⁸F]2FP3 was synthesized in an overall yield of 35% to 45%. High brain uptake of the tracer was found in both pigs and NHPs; however, pretreatment with SB‐269970 only resulted in decreased binding of 20% in the thalamus, a 5‐HT₇R–rich region. Autoradiography on post‐mortem pig, NHP, and human tissues revealed that specific binding of [³H]SB‐269970 was comparable in the thalamus of pig and NHP. Despite the high uptake of [¹⁸F]2FP3 in both species, the binding could only be blocked to a limited degree with the 5‐HT₇R antagonists. We speculate that the affinity of the radioligand is too low for imaging the 5‐HT₇Rs in vivo and that part of the PET signal arises from targets other than the 5‐HT₇R.     

Strong protection induced by an experimental DIVA subunit vaccine against bluetongue virus serotype 8 in cattle

Bluetongue virus (BTV) infections in ruminants pose a permanent agricultural threat since new serotypes are constantly emerging in new locations. Clinical disease is mainly observed in sheep, but cattle were unusually affected during an outbreak of BTV seroype 8 (BTV-8) in Europe. We previously developed an experimental vaccine based on recombinant viral protein 2 (VP2) of BTV-8 and non-structural proteins 1 (NS1) and NS2 of BTV-2, mixed with an immunostimulating complex (ISCOM)–matrix adjuvant. We demonstrated that bovine immune responses induced by this vaccine were as good or superior to those induced by a classic commercial inactivated vaccine. In this study, we evaluated the protective efficacy of the experimental vaccine in cattle and, based on the detection of VP7 antibodies, assessed its DIVA compliancy following virus challenge. Two groups of BTV-seronegative calves were subcutaneously immunized twice at a 3-week interval with the subunit vaccine (n = 6) or with adjuvant alone (n = 6). Following BTV-8 challenge 3 weeks after second immunization, controls developed viremia and fever associated with other mild clinical signs of bluetongue disease, whereas vaccinated animals were clinically and virologically protected. The vaccine-induced protection was likely mediated by high virus-neutralizing antibody titers directed against VP2 and perhaps by cellular responses to NS1 and NS2. T lymphocyte responses were cross-reactive between BTV-2 and BTV-8, suggesting that NS1 and NS2 may provide the basis of an adaptable vaccine that can be varied by using VP2 of different serotypes. The detection of different levels of VP7 antibodies in vaccinated animals and controls after challenge suggested a compliancy between the vaccine and the DIVA companion test. This BTV subunit vaccine is a promising candidate that should be further evaluated and developed to protect against different serotypes.     

Heat shock increases antigenic peptide generation but decreases antigen presentation

The heat shock response is a universal and highly conserved cellular response to stress. We describe here the effect of elevated temperature on the capacity of B cells to present antigen. Heat shock markedly affects the ability of these cells to process and present tetanus toxin to class II-restricted T cell clones. Inhibition of antigen presentation is due neither to a modification of antigen capture nor to a variation of major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class II molecule synthesis and cell surface expression. Stressed and nonstressed B cells are able to present peptides loaded at the cell surface with the same efficiency. Nevertheless, heat shock leads to an increase of antigen peptide generation in subcellular compartments; an enhancement of cathepsin B activity is also observed. These data suggest that such a stress induces a failure in the intracellular peptide loading onto MHC class II molecules.     

Analysis of susceptibility of NOD mice to spontaneous and experimentally induced thyroiditis

Beside diabetes, non-obese diabetic (NOD) mice develop sporadic lymphoid infiltration of the thyroid gland, mimicking Hashimoto's thyroiditis. We have examined the prevalence of those manifestations in NOD mice, the influence of the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) and the association with autoantibodies. The incidence at 1 year is of 14.3% in wild-type NOD mice versus 19.6% in congenic NOD.H2^k mice. The moderate, but statistically significant difference, based on the analysis of 161 NOD and 169 NOD.H2^k mice, suggests that MHC genes partially control spontaneous NOD thyroiditis. Autoantibodies against thyroglobulin (Tg) are mouse specific and their presence correlates closely with thyroiditis. The strong correlation between cellular and humoral anomalies therefore resembles Hashimoto's thyroiditis. NOD and NOD.H2^k mice actively immunized against Tg develop severe chronic lesions with epithelium necrosis and interstitial tissue fibrosis. Most interestingly, those lesions do not regress spontaneously as in CBA/J mice. Paradoxically, the response to Tg of lymph node cells from NOD mice is weaker both in proliferation and cytokine production. The defect is most evident for interferon-γ-producing T cells and is reflected in the marked deficit in IgG2a antibodies. Thus a moderate anti-Tg response seems to favor chronicity of thyroiditis. In conclusion, NOD and NOD.H2^k mice offer a unique opportunity of analyzing the factors leading to immune chronicity in a genetic context which promotes autoimmune endocrinopathies.