Diversity of activity participation determines bone mineral content in the lower limbs of pre-pubertal children with developmental coordination disorder.

This study examined the relationships between activity participation and bone mineralization in children with developmental coordination disorder. Limited participation in physical, recreational, social, and skill-based and self-improvement activities contributed to lower bone mineral content. For improved bone health, these children should participate in a variety of activities, not only physical activities. INTRODUCTION: Limited activity participation in children with developmental coordination disorder (DCD) may have a negative impact on bone mineral accrual. The objectives of this study were to compare bone mineralization and activity participation patterns of pre-pubertal children with DCD and those with typical development, and to determine the association between activity participation patterns and bone mineralization in children with DCD. METHODS: Fifty-two children with DCD (mean age = 7.51 years) and 61 children with typical development (mean age = 7.22 years) participated in the study. Appendicular and total body (less head) bone mineral content (BMC) and bone mineral density (BMD) were evaluated by a whole-body dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry scan. Activity participation patterns were assessed using the Children's Assessment of Participation and Enjoyment (CAPE) questionnaire. RESULTS: Children with DCD had lower appendicular and total body BMCs and BMDs than children with typical development overall (p < 0.05). They also had lower CAPE total activity and physical activity diversity scores (p < 0.05). After accounting for the effects of age, sex, height, lean mass, and fat mass, the total activity diversity score remained independently associated with leg BMC in children with DCD, explaining 5.1% of the variance (p = 0.030). However, the physical activity diversity score was no longer associated with leg BMC (p = 0.090). CONCLUSIONS: Diversity of activity participation and bone mineralization were lower in pre-pubertal children with DCD. Decreased total activity participation diversity was a contributing factor to lower BMC in the legs of children with DCD.

Service evaluation to establish the sensitivity, specificity and additional value of broad-range 16S rDNA PCR for the diagnosis of infective endocarditis from resected endocardial material in patients from eight UK and Ireland hospitals.

Infective endocarditis (IE) can be diagnosed in the clinical microbiology laboratory by culturing explanted heart valve material. We present a service evaluation that examines the sensitivity and specificity of a broad-range 16S rDNA polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay for the detection of the causative microbe in culture-proven and culture-negative cases of IE. A clinical case-note review was performed for 151 patients, from eight UK and Ireland hospitals, whose endocardial specimens were referred to the Microbiology Laboratory at Great Ormond Street Hospital (GOSH) for broad-range 16S rDNA PCR over a 12-year period. PCR detects the causative microbe in 35/47 cases of culture-proven IE and provides an aetiological agent in 43/69 cases of culture-negative IE. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV) and negative predictive value (NPV) of the 16S rDNA PCR assay were calculated for this series of selected samples using the clinical diagnosis of IE as the reference standard. The values obtained are as follows: sensitivity = 67 %, specificity = 91 %, PPV = 96 % and NPV = 46 %. A wide range of organisms are detected by PCR, with Streptococcus spp. detected most frequently and a relatively large number of cases of Bartonella spp. and Tropheryma whipplei IE. PCR testing of explanted heart valves is recommended in addition to culture techniques to increase diagnostic yield. The data describing the aetiological agents in a large UK and Ireland series of culture-negative IE will allow future development of the diagnostic algorithm to include real-time PCR assays targeted at specific organisms.

Pseudomonas aeruginosa outbreaks in the neonatal intensive care unit--a systematic review of risk factors and environmental sources.

Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a Gram-negative bacterium commonly occurring in soil and water. It is an opportunistic pathogen and an important cause of healthcare-associated infections, particularly among infants in neonatal intensive care units (NICUs). Several reports regarding outbreaks of P. aeruginosa in NICUs have been published. MEDLINE and EMBASE databases were searched using the MeSH terms [Pseudomonas aeruginosa], [Outbreak OR Infection OR bacteraemia, OR sepsis OR disease] and [Neonat* OR baby OR babies OR newborn*]. Fifteen studies describing a total of 414 infants colonized or infected with P. aeruginosa were reviewed. The mean percentage of infections occurring in the populations that had been colonized by the organism (calculated as n(infected)/n(infected)+n(colonized)) was 22%. Environmental sampling was performed in 14 studies, nine of which detected P. aeruginosa. The risk factors identified were antimicrobial drug use and the number of days of antimicrobial therapy prescribed before positive blood culture, exposure to particular healthcare workers (HCW), transfusion of blood products, and intravenous delivery of nutrients/electrolytes. Exposure to umbilical venous catheters was associated with bloodstream infections. Increasing age and use of artificial fingernails were risk factors for colonization of hands of HCWs. Low birth weight pre-term infants were at greater risk of mortality from P. aeruginosa infection than older infants.

Myopia, genetics, and ambient lighting at night in a UK sample.

BACKGROUND: It has been reported that exposure to artificial lighting at night during the first 2 years of life was very strongly associated with subsequent myopia development. METHODS: The strength of this association was tested in a UK sample for the first time. The study population comprised 122 university students. RESULTS: Myopia occurred with approximately equal frequency in those who slept with and without light exposure at night. In contrast, two largely genetic factors, parental myopia and race, were both significantly associated with myopia development, as has been found previously. CONCLUSION: This study provides further support for the view that night-time light exposure during infancy is not a major risk factor for myopia development in most population groups. In a subset of this cohort for which spectacle prescriptions were available for both parents (49 trios), the heritability of ocular refraction was estimated to be 0.31.

The effect of a component of tea (Camellia sinensis) on methicillin resistance, PBP2' synthesis, and beta-lactamase production in Staphylococcus aureus.

Extracts of tea (Camellia sinensis) can reverse methicillin resistance in methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and also, to some extent, penicillin resistance in beta-lactamase-producing S. aureus. These phenomena are explained by prevention of PBP2' synthesis and inhibition of secretion of beta-lactamase, respectively. Synergy between beta-lactams and tea extracts were demonstrated by disc diffusion, chequerboard titration and growth curves. Partition chromatography of an extract of green tea on Sephadex LH-20 yielded several fractions, one of which contained a virtually pure compound that showed the above-mentioned activities, at concentrations above about 2 mg/L. The observed activities are novel and distinct from the previously reported direct antibacterial activity of tea extracts. Prevention of PBP2' synthesis offers an interesting possible new approach for the treatment of infections caused by MRSA.

Microbiological activity of whole and fractionated crude extracts of tea (Camellia sinensis), and of tea components.

Aqueous extracts of teas (Camellia sinensis) of different types and from various sources inhibited a wide range of pathogenic bacteria, including methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. Tea extracts were bactericidal to staphylococci and Yersinia enterocolitica at well below 'cup of tea' concentrations. Activity was confined to one of four fractions obtained from a green tea extract by partition chromatography. Testing of pure tea compounds and closely related chemicals suggested that the antibacterial activity of extracts of green tea can be explained by its content of epigallocatechin, epigallocatechin gallate and epicatechin gallate. In black tea extracts, theaflavin and its gallates are additional antibacterially active components.

Errors arising from incorrect orientation of E test strips.

Major errors arise if E test strips are placed upside down. Asymmetric zones, or no zone at all, may result. MICs indicated by upside-down tests were almost always considerably higher than true values. This situation differs markedly from that for conventional testing, where orientation of disks is not important.

Callus formation and plantlet development from axillary buds of taro.

Excised lateral buds of taro [Colocasia esculenta var. esculenta (L.) A.F. Hill] developed into plantlets and formed callus if cultured on media containing taro extract. α-Naphthaleneacetic acid enhanced the process but only if taro extract was also present. The tissue requirements for this variety of taro are different from those of Colocasia esculenta var. antiquorum (L.) A.F. Hill.

Plant regeneration in vitro of South Pacific taro (Colocasia esculenta var. esculenta cv. Akalomamale, Aracea).

Axillary bud expiants from South Pacific (Solomon Islands) taro, Colocasia esculenta var. esculenta cv. Akalomamale (Araceae) cultured on a modified Murashige-Skoog medium containing 1 mg NAA 1(-1) and TE formed callus and produced multiple plantlets. Explants died if NAA was present at levels lower than 0.1 mg 1(-1). BA was not required and may have been inhibitory. Plantlets developed faster and became larger following transfer to a hormone-free medium two weeks after the start of culture. Fully grown plants were established in a potting mix and are growing well in a greenhouse.

Induction of callus from axillary buds of taro (Colocasia esculenta var. esculenta, Araceae) and subsequent plantlet regeneration.

Axillary buds of taro (Colocasia esculenta var. esculenta, Araceae) cultured on half strength Murashige-Skoog medium (HMS) containing taro extract (HMSTE) and 2, 4, 5-trichlorophenoxyacetic acid produce a compact, hard, slow growing callus which is not very active morphogenetically and produces only a few plantlets. When cultured on HMSTE plus 5 mg 1(-1) each of naphthaleneacetic acid and benzyl adenine (HMSNB) the buds produce a fast growing, friable and morphogenetically active callus. Meristematic regions form on the friable callus after 30 days on HMSNB. If transferred to HMSTE at this point the callus gives rise to plantlets. Addition of taro extract to the media is required for the culture of buds, induction of callus and plantlet regeneration.