Functional Capacity and Self-Esteem of People With Cerebral Palsy.

OBJECTIVE: We assessed whether functional capacity predicts self-esteem in people with cerebral palsy (CP). METHOD: We conducted a cross-sectional observational study of 108 people with CP, ages 16-65 yr, who were residents of Spain. Self-esteem was captured using the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (RSES), and functional capacity using the Barthel Index (BI). Sociodemographic characteristics were recorded. The relationship between the RSES score and the BI score was analyzed using linear regression. RESULTS: RSES scores increased significantly as BI scores increased (regression coefficient = 0.047, 95% confidence interval [0.017, 0.078], p = .003). People with a higher level of education, active employment, and independent living arrangements tended to have better functional capacity and higher self-esteem. CONCLUSION: Greater functional capacity predicted higher self-esteem; this effect is probably partly mediated by education, employment, and living arrangements.

Bone overgrowth-associated mutations in the LRP4 gene impair sclerostin facilitator function.

Humans lacking sclerostin display progressive bone overgrowth due to increased bone formation. Although it is well established that sclerostin is an osteocyte-secreted bone formation inhibitor, the underlying molecular mechanisms are not fully elucidated. We identified in tandem affinity purification proteomics screens LRP4 (low density lipoprotein-related protein 4) as a sclerostin interaction partner. Biochemical assays with recombinant proteins confirmed that sclerostin LRP4 interaction is direct. Interestingly, in vitro overexpression and RNAi-mediated knockdown experiments revealed that LRP4 specifically facilitates the previously described inhibitory action of sclerostin on Wnt1/ß-catenin signaling. We found the extracellular ß-propeller structured domain of LRP4 to be required for this sclerostin facilitator activity. Immunohistochemistry demonstrated that LRP4 protein is present in human and rodent osteoblasts and osteocytes, both presumed target cells of sclerostin action. Silencing of LRP4 by lentivirus-mediated shRNA delivery blocked sclerostin inhibitory action on in vitro bone mineralization. Notably, we identified two mutations in LRP4 (R1170W and W1186S) in patients suffering from bone overgrowth. We found that these mutations impair LRP4 interaction with sclerostin and its concomitant sclerostin facilitator effect. Together these data indicate that the interaction of sclerostin with LRP4 is required to mediate the inhibitory function of sclerostin on bone formation, thus identifying a novel role for LRP4 in bone.

Trends of dietary habits in adolescents.

Lifestyle plays an important role in the development of obesity during childhood and adolescence. We provide up-to-date information about the relationship between obesity and food intake and dietary patterns in adolescents. Scientific evidence is increasing about the dietary factors associated with this relationship, specifically a low meal frequency, skipping breakfast, and a high consumption of sugar sweetened beverages. Maybe some of the reviewed dietary factors could cluster in the same population of adolescents, increasing the individual risk. There is little information about dietary patterns and current time trends in adolescents; however, the available data seem to show that the tendency in the adolescent population worldwide is to increase those dietary factors related with obesity development. Public health efforts should be emphasized in order to decrease the current tendency. Regular family meals could serve as role models for healthy eating behaviors. Educational intervention programs for parents, aiming to modify the healthfulness of the diet, seems to be one of the most adequate tools to deal with the worldwide obesity epidemic.

Percepción de la calidad de vida y satisfacción con la asistencia sanitaria recibida en un grupo de pacientes oncológicos terminales que reciben cuidados paliativos en un hospital de Zaragoza, España / Perceived quality of life and satisfaction with health care received in a group of terminal cancer patients receiving palliative care in a hospital in Zaragoza, Spain

Fundamento y objetivo: Mediante este estudio se buscó conocer la calidad de vida percibida por pacientes oncológicos terminales que reciben cuidados paliativos, así como la influencia que tiene la satisfacción con la asistencia sanitaria en la calidad de vida de estos pacientes. Se utilizaron escalas de la EORTC para conseguir esta información. Material y método: Estudio descriptivo transversal con 47 pacientes oncológicos terminales con cuidados paliativos en la unidad de hospitalización de oncología del Hospital Clínico Universitario Lozano Blesa de Zaragoza (España), durante febrero, marzo y abril de 2014. Se evaluó la calidad de vida y la satisfacción con la asistencia sanitaria a través de los cuestionarios EORTC QLQ C15-PAL y EORTC INPATSAT32. Resultados: Los participantes fueron en un 57,4% hombres, con 64 años de edad media, y todos tuvieron una persona principal de apoyo, siendo la pareja sentimental en un 74,5%. Los diagnósticos más frecuentes fueron: cáncer de pulmón, mama y colon. Los pacientes consideraron que tenían una calidad de vida buena con una media de 51,77 puntos, medida con el cuestionario EORTC QLQ C15-PAL. La satisfacción con la asistencia sanitaria medida con el cuestionario EORTC INPATSAT32 mostró una satisfacción media con la asistencia de medicina, enfermería y con los servicios y organización con 57,78, 57,54 y 52,2 puntos respectivamente. En general, los pacientes estuvieron muy satisfechos con la asistencia, con una media de 83 puntos. Conclusiones: Los pacientes obtuvieron una calidad de vida buena, y estuvieron muy satisfechos con la asistencia sanitaria en general, sin establecer relación entre esta y la calidad de vida.

Background and objective: The aim of this study is to determine the perceived quality of life of terminal cancer patients receiving palliative care, and the influence of health care satisfaction in the quality of life of these patients. EORTC scales were used to collect this information. Patients and methods: Descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted on 47 terminal cancer patients on palliative care in the Oncology Unit of the «Hospital Clínico Universitario Lozano Blesa¼, Zaragoza (Spain), during February, March and April 2014. The quality of life and the satisfaction with the health care were evaluated using the EORTC QLQ C15-PAL and EORTC INPATSAT32 questionnaires. Results: The participants had a mean age of 64 years, and included 57.4% males. All participants had a main support person, being their partner in 74.5% of cases. The most frequent diagnoses were lung, breast and colon cancer. Patients considered they had a good quality of life with a mean of 51.77 points, calculated with EORTC QLQ C15-PAL questionnaire. The satisfaction with health care, calculated with EORTC INPATSAT32, showed a good satisfaction with the medication and nursing care, as well as with the services and organisation, with 57.88, 57.54, and 52.2 points, respectively. In general, patients were very satisfied with the health care provided, with a mean score of 83 points. Conclusions: The patients obtained a good quality of life, and they were very satisfied with the health care in general, although there was no relationship between the two.

Calentamiento de la atmósfera, cambio climático y repercusiones en la salud / Warming of the atmosphere, climate change and repercussions in the health

Los autores analizan la importancia del calentamiento global de la atmósfera y de sus consecuencias, especialmente el incremento de la temperatura de los océanos, fusión de los glaciares y casquetes polares, aparición de olas de calor y gran variabilidad climática. Estos factores influyen en el ciclo de ciertos vectores y facilitan la contaminación del agua. Como consecuencia, pueden aparecer diversas enfermedades, entre las que destacan el paludismo y el dengue, entre otras producidas por parásitos, bacterias y virus, ante las cuales son, especialmente susceptibles, los niños y los ancianos. La reducción de emisiones de gases de efecto invernadero, producidas por consumo de combustibles fósiles, es la medida más eficaz para lograr un medio ambiente sostenible (AU)

The authors analyse the importance of the atmospheric global warming and its consequences, especially the increase of the temperature of the oceans, the appearance of heat waves and high climatic variability. These factors have an influence on the cycle of some kind of vectors and facilitate the contamination of the water. This may have very grave consequences for us; it can appear several diseases, where we can emphasize malaria and dengue fever, between other diseases caused because of parasites, bacteria and viruses, given the seriousness of the situation, children and old men have an high risk and probability to have these kind of diseases. The reduction in the emission of toxic gases for the environment caused by fossil combustibles is the best solution to get a sustainable environment (AU)