Nervous habits and stereotyped behaviors in preschool children.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the frequency, age trends, and situational correlates of nervous habits (e.g., nail-biting, thumb-sucking) and motor stereotyped behaviors (e.g., body-rocking) in typically developing preschool children. METHOD: Data were compiled from 100 teacher interviews and 32 parent interviews on children aged 3 to 6 years. A semistructured, individually administered interview was used. RESULTS: Parents reported the most behaviors, with the most common behaviors being thumb-sucking (25%) and nail-biting (23%). Motor stereotypies demonstrated a frequency of 4% as reported by the teachers and a frequency of 3% as reported by the parents. Teachers reported a decrease in children having the nervous habit of picking at sores, lips, etc., with age. Parents reported a significant decrease in all nervous habits with age. Nervous habits were associated with structured times during the day and negative mood states, and teachers reported that girls were more likely than boys to display nervous habits. CONCLUSION: Nervous habits and stereotypies are prevalent in typically developing preschool children, and their presence appears to be a reflection of mood state.

Tactile defensiveness and stereotyped behaviors.

OBJECTIVES: This study explores the constructs of stereotyped behaviors (e.g., repetitive motor patterns, object manipulations, behavioral rigidities) and tactile defensiveness as relevant to occupational therapy theory and practice and attempts to test their purported relationships in children with developmental disabilities. METHOD: Twenty-eight children with developmental disabilities and autism were assessed on eight factors of stereotyped behavior via a questionnaire and by four measures of tactile defensiveness. The subjects' scores from the questionnaire were correlated with their scores on the tactile defensiveness measures to see what, if any, relationship among these behaviors exists. RESULTS: Significant relationships emerged from the data, indicating that subjects with higher levels of tactile defensiveness were also more likely to evidence rigid or inflexible behaviors, repetitive verbalizations, visual stereotypes, and abnormal focused affections that are often associated with autism. No significant association was found between motor and object stereotypes and tactile defensiveness. These relationships could not be explained solely by maturational factors. CONCLUSION: The results suggest that clinicians should include observations of stereotyped behaviors, particularly behavioral rigidities, in conjunction with assessments of sensory defensiveness because these are related phenomena that may pose unique challenges for children with developmental disabilities and autism. Further study is needed to determine the causal mechanisms responsible for these relationships.

Adventitious agents from animal-derived raw materials--a method of risk assessment.

The use of animal-derived raw materials in biopharmaceutical manufacture has a long history. On a risk/benefit basis the use of these raw materials has certainly been beneficial. With proper precautions animals will continue to be the source of raw material for many years to come. As scientific sophistication increases, continuing examination of animal-derived raw material sourcing is important. Even as biopharmaceutical production has made significant progress so has the quality and safety of available animal-derived supplements. It is now possible to perform a reasonable assessment of risk as it relates to adventitious agents. An easy-to-use, preliminary risk-assessment exercise will be discussed. It will allow users of animal-derived raw materials to make more informed decisions regarding the need and type of pre-use processing before the final risk/benefit analysis. Areas to be assessed include geographical origin, age and species of animal, method of harvesting, and anatomical origin of the material.

Noninvasive determination of skin perfusion pressure using a laser Doppler.

Laser Doppler (LD) measures blood flow in approximately one cubic millimeter of tissue. The LD instrument is well suited to the determination of the initiation of flow in the microcirculation after a period of arrest due to externally applied counterpressure. Radioisotope clearance and photoplethysmography have been used to measure skin perfusion pressure (SPP) in an effort to predict healing of ischemic ulcerations and amputation wounds. By placing the LD probe beneath a blood pressure cuff, SPP was measured at the forearm, thigh, calf, foot, dorsal and plantar great toe. The SPP was measured in 32 normal limbs and 26 limbs with rest pain, ulceration or gangrene. Skin of normal extremities and forearm and thigh skin of patients with ischemic lower extremities had a mean SPP of 47 mmHg (+/- 5 SEM). The SPP in ischemic extremities was significantly lower at the calf 22 +/- 4 (p less than .001), the foot 10 +/- 2 (p less than .0001), and the toe 16 +/- 4 (p less than .0001). SPP was greater at the plantar toe (73 +/- 5) than in all other locations. Skin of the plantar toe was unique among the sites measured because it is rich in arteriovenous anastomoses, which have a thermoregulatory function. The higher pressure probably reflects the fact that the larger arterioles have a higher intraluminal pressure than the capillaries and, therefore, a more proximal level of the microcirculation is measured by the LD instrument in thermoregulatory areas of the skin.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Fluorescent virus precipitin test.

A fluorescent virus precipitin test (FVPT) for the serologic identification of small particulate antigens such as viruses has been described. The test has several advantageous characteristics: (a) It is probably as sensitive as any serologic test (i.e., aggregates with dimensions of 0.2 mum are detectable; therefore, complexes containing as few as three large viruses would give a positive test). (b) Cultivation of the virus is not required. (c) Since an indirect test can be used, only a single fluorescent conjugate is needed to permit the detection of a number of viruses. (d) The indirect test can be used to detect antiviral antibody. (e) The FVPT is rapid and reliable. (f) Its simplicity should enhance its general acceptance and application.