Psychometric properties of a motor skill checklist for 3- to 5-year-old children.

BACKGROUND: Early identification of children with developmental co-ordination disorder is important. Teachers may be very useful in this identification process. The objective of this study was to develop a motor skill checklist (MSC) for 3- to 5-year-old children to be completed by teachers, and to establish the psychometric properties of this new instrument. METHODS: An MSC of 28 functional items was constructed in close consideration with clinical experts and teachers. In regular schools, 366 pre-school children were rated with the MSC by their teachers (n= 111). To determine test-retest reliability, each teacher completed 4 weeks later the MSC again for one randomly selected child. In 22 classes with two teachers sharing the job, both teachers were asked to fill in the questionnaire. A subgroup of children was also tested with the Movement Assessment Battery for Children (M-ABC; n= 122). All teachers were invited to complete a questionnaire to evaluate the MSC. RESULTS: The internal consistency of the MSC was high. The test-retest reliability was good. Inter-rater reliability was adequate except in the 5-year-old children. There was a strong correlation between the checklist and the M-ABC, establishing concurrent validity. Most teachers judged the MSC as easy or rather easy to complete. CONCLUSIONS: The MSC is a reliable, valid and useful instrument to identify and assess young children with motor difficulties.

Catastrophic thinking about pain as a predictor of length of hospital stay after total knee arthroplasty: a prospective study.

This study prospectively investigates whether catastrophizing thinking is associated with length of hospital stay after total knee arthroplasty. Forty-three patients who underwent primary total knee arthroplasty were included in this study. Prior to their operation all patients were asked to complete the pain catastrophizing scale, and a Western Ontario McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis index. A multiple regression analysis identified pain catastrophizing thinking and age as predictors of hospital stay after total knee arthroplasty. Patients with a higher degree of pain catastrophizing prior to the total knee arthroplasty and those with a higher age have a significantly greater risk for a longer hospital stay. Therefore, the results of this study indicate that the pre-operative level of pain catastrophizing in patients determine, in combination with other variables, the length and inter-individual variation in hospital stay after total knee arthroplasty. Reducing catastrophizing thinking about pain through cognitive-behavioral techniques is likely to reduce levels of fear after total knee arthroplasty. As a result, pain and function immediately post-operative might improve, leading to a decrease in length of hospital stay. Although during the last decades the duration of hospital stay is significantly reduced, this study shows that this can be improved when taking into account the contribution of psychological factors such as pain catastrophizing.

Does soccer participation lead to genu varum?

Little is known about the relationship between sport participation and body adaptations during growth. Our aim was to investigate whether soccer participation in youth is associated with the degree of genu varum. The design was a retrospective cohort study. Three hundred and thirty-six male soccer players, and 458 male non-soccer players (aged from 8 to 18) were recruited and included in the study. The intercondylar (IC) or intermalleolar (IM) distance were clinically measured with a specifically designed instrument. The results of this study revealed a statistically significant increase in degree of genu varum in both groups from the age of 14. However, at the age of 16-18 years a significant higher degree of genu varum was observed in the soccer players compared to the non-soccer players (P = 0.028). Intense soccer participation increases the degree of genu varum in males from the age of 16. Since genu varum predisposes to injuries, efforts to reduce the development of genu varum in male soccer players are warranted.

Effect of bracing on the prevention of anterior knee pain--a prospective randomized study.

There have been numerous reports about the use of knee braces to prevent traumatic knee injuries. Despite the frequent use of braces, very few prospective studies have been performed to study the effect of knee braces for preventing anterior knee pain syndrome (AKPS). The purpose of this study was to assess the effectiveness of a dynamic patellofemoral brace (On-Track System, dj Orthopedics) in the prevention of AKPS. 167 military recruits without history of knee pain were randomized into two groups prior to the start of their 6-week basic military training (BMT) program. The first group (brace group) consisted of 54 recruits who wore the braces for all physical activities during these 6 weeks. 113 recruits served as a control group, and followed the same 6-week strenuous training program. Chi square statistics (Fisher exact test) were used to compare the number of AKPS patients in the brace group and in the non-brace group. Our results indicated that recruits in the brace group appeared to develop significantly less anterior knee pain compared to the recruits in the control group (p=0.020). Out of the 54 recruits in the brace group, ten (18.5%) developed anterior knee pain during this study. In the control group (n=113), 42 recruits (37%) developed anterior knee pain. We conclude that the result of the present study suggests that the use of a dynamic patellofemoral brace is an effective way to prevent the development of anterior knee pain in persons undergoing a strenuous training program.

Intra-operator and inter-operator reliability of surface electromyography in the clinical evaluation of back muscles.

As a prerequisite to the use of a test battery based on electromyographic (EMG) analysis of the paraspinal muscles for identifying and remedying back muscle dysfunction, the intra- and inter-operator reliability was assessed. Fifteen volunteers underwent EMG tests on three occasions. The test subjects were asked to perform 22 exercises, subdivided into four categories: coordination, stabilization, balance and strength exercises. The time interval between the tests was one week. The myoelectric signals of the multifidus (MF) and iliocostalis lumborum pars thoracis (ICLT) were analysed with regard to amplitude (averaged EMG) and frequency (zero cross rate). The results indicated that the reliability was better for the MF than for the ICLT, and also for exercises at higher loads (strength exercises). In the intra-operator condition, the reproducibility of the averaged EMG was good (ICC>0.75), except for the balance exercises (ICC = 0.40-0.74). In general, the averaged EMG in the inter-operator condition and the zero cross rate in both the intra- and inter-operator conditions are less or poorly reliable. These results demonstrate that when back muscle function is evaluated during coordination, stabilization and strength exercises, only the averaged EMG parameter has acceptable reproducibility over time when assessed by the same operator.

Patellar tendon vs. doubled semitendinosus and gracilis tendon for anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction.

In a prospective study on ACL reconstruction we treated 17 patients with a "central third-bone-patellar tendon-bone" autograft (PT group) and 32 patients with a doubled semitendinosus/doubled gracilis autograft (HS group). Patients were reviewed at 6 weeks, and at 3, 6, and 12 months postoperatively and the groups compared. Up till 6 months, the KT-1000 side-to-side difference was significantly greater in the HS group (P<0.05) and at 6 and 12 months isokinetic hamstrings strength was lower (P<0.05). No significant differences were noted at any stage with respect to quadriceps strength, functional scores, range of motion, or swelling.

Postmitotic differentiation of colon carcinoma caco-2 cells does not prevent reentry in the cell cycle and tumorigenicity.

Our purpose was to analyze whether postmitotic Caco-2 colon cancer cells, although they express most of the differentiation characteristics of terminally differentiated intestinal epithelial cells, still maintain, unlike normal cells, a proliferation potential. Experiments were performed with clone TC7 of the Caco-2 cell line. Dividing TC7 cells are undifferentiated and express detectable levels of thymidylate synthase (TS) and cytochrome P450 1A1 (CYP1A1) mRNAs. When reaching confluence TS and CYP1A1 are downregulated, mitosis is no longer detectable, and differentiation takes place, as demonstrated by appearance and increasing levels of differentiation-associated marker mRNAs (e.g., sucrase-isomaltase (SI), dipeptidylpeptidase-IV (DPP-IV) or GLUT5), increasing activities of sucrase and DPP-IV, and increasing expression, on immunofluorescence analysis, of SI on the surface of the cell layer. Trypsinization and seeding of late postconfluent cells (day 30) expressing complete differentiation results within 24 h in upregulation of TS and CYP1A1, a concomitant and dramatic disappearance of differentiation marker mRNAs associated with a decrease in sucrase and DPP-IV activities, and delayed resumption of cell division. This is followed, after the cells have reached confluence again, by downregulation of TS and CYP1A1 and resumption of cell differentiation. The ability of differentiated cells to dedifferentiate was further confirmed by wounding the cell layer of late postconfluent differentiated cultures: within 24 h following the wound, cells migrate from the wound edge and dedifferentiate, as demonstrated by transmission electron microscopy and disappearance of SI from the cell surface of migrating cells. Late postconfluent differentiated cells were tumorigenic in nude mice. These results raise the question of the validity of the concept of differentiation therapy when applied to colon cancer cells.

Resistance of the human colon carcinoma cell line HCT-8 to methotrexate results in selection of cells with features of enterocytic differentiation.

Results obtained previously with the human colon carcinoma cell line HT-29 have shown that the ability of the cells to develop resistance against methotrexate (MTX) or 5-fluorouracil is restricted to cells committed to differentiate. With the aim of investigating whether this observation is cell type-specific or more general, we have extended our studies to another colon cell line, HCT-8. We have compared HCT-8 parental cells and the MTX-resistant subline HCT8-MTX using transmission electron microscopy and immuno-fluorescence detection of markers of cell polarity and differentiation. Post-confluent parental HCT-8 cells appeared highly heterogeneous and occurred in clusters of piled-up cells in which the majority were unpolarized and undifferentiated, with a minority exhibiting features of enterocyte-like cells. In contrast, HCT8-MTX cells formed domes and appeared as a monolayer of polarized cells with tight junctions and a discrete apical brush border which expressed villin, dipeptidylpeptidase-IV, CEA and the epithelial mucin MUC1. Together, our results suggest that, as in HT-29 cells, induction of resistance to MTX of HCT-8 cells results in the selection of differentiated cell types.

Low-power laser and healing of burns: a preliminary assay.

A randomized preliminary study of 20 female Fischer rats was conducted to assess the effect of laser on healing in burns. Clinical use for this purpose seemed to be widely accepted and implemented, despite the few substantiating research reports. Two burns were inflicted on each animal; one was treated, and the other was left untreated. Two groups of 10 animals each were randomly organized. In group 1, the experimental burn was treated with a helium-neon laser; in group 2, with a gallium- arsenide laser. In neither group could any major stimulating effect be demonstrated on the basis of observation and a size index. The low statistically significant smaller size index in group 1 on day 20, in comparison with the controls, is intriguing but is of no relevance in view of the complete healing process. The practical feasibility and the weak differential power arouse doubts about the effectiveness of laser for this matter.

Sugar-dependent expression of the fructose transporter GLUT5 in Caco-2 cells.

The effect of glucose and fructose and fetal bovine serum on the expression of the fructose transporter GLUT5 was studied in clone PD7 of the human colon cancer cell line Caco-2, which has been characterized previously [Chantret, Rodoloswe, Barbat et al. (1994) J. Cell Sci. 107, 213-225; Mahraoui, Rodolosse, Barbat et al. (1994) Biochem. J. 298, 629-633]. Culture of the cells in dialysed serum and hexose-free media, down-regulated the expression of GLUT5, which was below detection within 3-4 days. This effect was reversed by fructose and glucose feeding of the cells. Fructose feeding yielded a 3-fold higher abundance of GLUT5 protein and mRNA as compared with that expressed in glucose-fed cells. Cells fed normal serum exhibited an inverse hierarchy of expression, with glucose being a better inducer than fructose for the expression of GLUT5. The GLUT5 mRNA and protein abundances obtained in fructose-fed cells did not depend on the type of serum. A linear relationship between cyclic AMP (cAMP) levels and GLUT5 mRNA abundance was found in cells fed dialysed serum, whereas in cells fed normal serum, mRNA abundances were not correlated to cAMP levels. These results indicate that glucose and fructose, together with serum-related factors and cAMP, have combined effects on the expression of GLUT5 in Caco-2 cells.

Radiation inhibition of mdx mouse muscle regeneration: dose and age factors.

A single hind limb was irradiated with 12, 18, 24, or 30 Gy in mdx and C57 mice aged 12, 21, or 42 days to determine regeneration inhibition dose-response curves in different aged dystrophic mice and to characterize radiation side-effects in normal mice. The anterior tibial muscle mass (8 weeks postirradiation) and percent central nucleated (i.e., regenerated) muscle fibers were measures of regeneration inhibition. Twenty-one-day-old mdx mice irradiated with 18 Gy had complete inhibition of muscle regeneration, but 30 Gy only partially blocked regeneration in mdx mice irradiated at 12 and 42 days in age. In working to produce a clinically relevant model for Duchenne dystrophy, it is crucial to regard mouse age as a major factor in determining radiation effects on mdx muscle regeneration.

A glycine-enriched astrocytic cell clone derived from mouse cerebella transformed in vitro by simian virus-40.

Measurements were made of the amino acid content of a cellular clone (K55) derived from mouse cerebellar cultures transformed in vitro by simian virus-40 (Alliot and Pessac, 1981) and that appears to be astroglial. Both the total amount of amino acids as well as the percentage of glycine in K55 cells were higher than in the mixed cultures from which they are derived. Further, glycine accumulates in the culture medium of K55 cells, but not in the medium of the parental mixed cell culture (C14), thereby suggesting that glycine is synthesized and released by K55 cells.