Casting Protocols Following BoNT-A Injections to Treat Spastic Hypertonia of the Triceps Surae in Children with Cerebral Palsy and Equinus Gait: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

Aim: To study the effects of single versus serial casting post-Botulinum toxin A (BoNT-A) injections on hypoextensibility of triceps surae in children, 2-7 years old, with cerebral palsy and equinus gait.

Methods: A randomized, stratified, parallel, two-group trial was conducted at a pediatric health center with assessments at baseline, precast, postcast and, 1-, 2-, and 6-month follow-ups. One week following BoNT-A injections into triceps surae muscle, a single below-knee cast (n = 10) or 3 serial casts (n = 10) were applied for 3 weeks.

The Effect of Physicochemical Modification on the Function of Antibodies Induced by Anti-Nicotine Vaccine in Mice.

Smoking remains one of the major causes of morbidity and mortality worldwide. One approach to assisting smoking cessation is via anti-nicotine vaccines, composed of nicotine-like haptens conjugated to a carrier protein plus adjuvant(s). We have previously shown that the carrier, hapten, linker, hapten load, degree of conjugate aggregation, and presence of adducts can each influence the function (nicotine-binding capacity) of the antibody (Ab) induced.

Swaddling and Infant Sleeping Practices.

Swaddling promotes quiet sleep and may be a useful strategy to encourage infant safe sleep practices. We explored the effect of a swaddling education intervention on infant sleep practices in an urban minority community. We compared a cohort of postpartum mothers who were given education about swaddling to a historical group.

Introduction to Baculovirus Molecular Biology.

The development of baculovirus expression vector systems has accompanied a rapid expansion of our knowledge about the genes, their function and regulation in insect cells. Classification of these viruses has also been refined as we learn more about differences in gene content between isolates, how this affects virus structure and their replication in insect larvae. Baculovirus gene expression occurs in an ordered cascade, regulated by early, late and very late gene promoters.

The Basic Domain of Herpes Simplex Virus 1 pUS9 Recruits Kinesin-1 To Facilitate Egress from Neurons.

Unlabelled: The alphaherpesviral envelope protein pUS9 has been shown to play a role in the anterograde axonal transport of herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV-1), yet the molecular mechanism is unknown. To address this, we used an in vitro pulldown assay to define a series of five arginine residues within the conserved pUS9 basic domain that were essential for binding the molecular motor kinesin-1. The mutation of these pUS9 arginine residues to asparagine blocked the binding of both recombinant and native kinesin-1.

Solid pseudopapillary neoplasm of the pancreas head in a pregnant woman: safe pancreaticoduodenectomy postpartum.

Solid pseudopapillary neoplasms (SPNs) of the pancreas are rare and typically arise in young women. The optimal management of a pregnant woman suspected of having an SPN of the pancreas head is unclear. We report such a case where close monitoring for tumor growth was done during pregnancy and a successful pancreaticoduodenectomy was performed after term delivery.

Capturing patient information at nursing shift changes: methodological evaluation of speech recognition and information extraction.

Objective: We study the use of speech recognition and information extraction to generate drafts of Australian nursing-handover documents.

Methods: Speech recognition correctness and clinicians' preferences were evaluated using 15 recorder-microphone combinations, six documents, three speakers, Dragon Medical 11, and five survey/interview participants. Information extraction correctness evaluation used 260 documents, six-class classification for each word, two annotators, and the CRF++ conditional random field toolkit.

A usability framework for speech recognition technologies in clinical handover: a pre-implementation study.

A multi-disciplinary research team is undertaking a trial of speech-to-text (STT) technology for clinical handover management. Speech-to-text technologies allow for the capture of handover data from voice recordings using speech recognition software and systems. The text documents created from this system can be used together with traditional handover notes and checklists to enhance the depth and breadth of data available for clinical decision-making at the point of care and so improve patient care and reduce medical errors.

The interaction of the HSV-1 tegument proteins pUL36 and pUL37 is essential for secondary envelopment during viral egress.

The herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) tegument proteins pUL36 (VP1/2) and pUL37 are essential for viral egress. We previously defined a minimal domain in HSV-1 pUL36, residues 548-572, as important for binding pUL37. Here, we investigated the role of this region in binding to pUL37 and facilitating viral replication.

Association of postpartum maternal tetanus toxoid, reduced diphtheria toxoid and acellular pertussis vaccine administration and timeliness of infant immunization.

A retrospective cohort study was conducted on infants of mothers delivering at an inner-city hospital in October 2009 where postpartum maternal tetanus toxoid, reduced diptheria toxoid and acellular pertussis (Tdap) vaccination had been initiated in May 2008. We compared mothers and infants in a Tdap intervention group discharged July 2008 (n=250) with a pre-Tdap control group discharged July 2007 (n=238). Postpartum maternal Tdap impacted positively timeliness of early infant immunization.

Ultrastructural visualization of individual tegument protein dissociation during entry of herpes simplex virus 1 into human and rat dorsal root ganglion neurons.

Herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV-1) enters neurons primarily by fusion of the viral envelope with the host cell plasma membrane, leading to the release of the capsid into the cytosol. The capsid travels via microtubule-mediated retrograde transport to the nuclear membrane, where the viral DNA is released for replication in the nucleus. In the present study, the composition and kinetics of incoming HSV-1 capsids during entry and retrograde transport in axons of human fetal and dissociated rat dorsal root ganglia (DRG) neurons were examined by wide-field deconvolution microscopy and transmission immunoelectron microscopy (TIEM).

Identification of host cell proteins which interact with herpes simplex virus type 1 tegument protein pUL37.

The herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) structural tegument protein pUL37, which is conserved across the Herpesviridae family, is known to be essential for secondary envelopment during the egress of viral particles. To shed light on additional roles of pUL37 during viral replication a yeast two-hybrid screen of a human brain cDNA library was undertaken. This screen identified ten host cell proteins as potential pUL37 interactors.

Identification of a single amino acid residue which is critical for the interaction between HSV-1 inner tegument proteins pUL36 and pUL37.

The herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) structural tegument proteins pUL36 and pUL37 are essential for secondary envelopment during the egress of viral particles. For this study, scanning alanine mutagenesis of HSV-1 pUL37, in combination with yeast two-hybrid, identified pUL37 residue D631 as a major determinant for binding of pUL36. Further analysis of the binding of this pUL37 mutant to pUL36 by coimmunoprecipitation assay confirmed the role of pUL37 D631 in mediating binding of pUL36.

Tiered maternity care training in family medicine.

Background And Objectives: Maternity care training in family medicine is a major component of our specialty. The Association of Family Medicine Residency Directors (AFMRD) issued a position paper calling for a two-tiered system of training for family physicians based on concern that some residency programs are unable to meet the current Residency Committee-Family Medicine (RC-FM) requirements for maternity care training. This two-tiered system was also endorsed by other family medicine organizations, including the AAFP, ADFM, NAPCRG, and STFM.

Ethics of involving children in health-related research: applying a decision-making framework to a clinical trial.

Purpose: This paper explores ethical issues related to the involvement of children in health-related research through the application of a conceptual model (the Miller and Kenny framework) to a current clinical trial on casting protocols for equinus gait of children with cerebral palsy (CP).

Summary Of Key Points: The direct involvement of children in health-related research is important for maintaining and improving standards of paediatric clinical care. Ethical considerations around investigations involving this highly vulnerable population are complex, however, requiring the involvement of many levels of decision makers-government, research ethics boards (REBs), health care providers, parents, and children.

Functional roles of the tegument proteins of herpes simplex virus type 1.

Herpes virions consist of four morphologically distinct structures, a DNA core, capsid, tegument, and envelope. Tegument occupies the space between the nucleocapsid (capsid containing DNA core) and the envelope. A combination of genetic, biochemical and proteomic analysis of alphaherpes virions suggest the tegument contains in the order of 20 viral proteins.

Advanced procedural training in family medicine: a group consensus statement.

Background And Objectives: Family medicine does not have a defined scope of procedures or universal standards for procedural training. This contributes to wide variation in family physician training and difficulties obtaining hospital privileges for advanced procedures. The Society of Teachers of Family Medicine (STFM) Group on Hospital Medicine and Procedural Training previously developed a list of core procedures to be taught in all family medicine residencies.

Assessment protocol for serial casting after botulinum toxin a injections to treat equinus gait.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate feasibility of an assessment protocol for a trial of post-Botox casting to treat equinus gait in cerebral palsy.

Methods: Ten children (ages, 26-75 months) were recruited. Nine were assessed 1 week before botulinum toxin-A injections and reassessed 1 week after removal of the final cast.

Required procedural training in family medicine residency: a consensus statement.

Background And Objectives: Specific procedural training standards for US family medicine residencies do not exist. As a result, family physicians graduate with highly variable procedural skills, and the scope of procedural practice for family physicians remains poorly defined. Our objective was to develop a standard list of required procedures for family medicine residencies.

Extended budded virus formation and induction of apoptosis by an AcMNPV FP-25/p35 double mutant in Trichoplusia ni cells.

An Autographa californica nucleopolyhedrovirus (AcMNPV) mutant (AcdefrT) isolated from virus-infected Trichoplusia ni (TN-368) cells produced plasma membrane blebbing and caspase-3-like activity late in infection. It also synthesized less polyhedra, but displayed enhanced budded virus formation in TN-368 cells. This phenotype resulted from dual mutations in p35 and FP-25.

Potential of alphavirus vectors in the treatment of advanced solid tumors.

Alphaviruses are positive-strand RNA viruses that are being developed as a high level transient expression vectors. Although most work so far has centered on their use as vaccine vectors, they do have potential as tumor therapy agents. The region of the genome coding for non-structural proteins induces rapid apoptosis in most infected cells, leaving the multiple cloning site (MCS) of the vector free for other purposes.

Introduction to baculovirus molecular biology.

The development of baculovirus expression vector systems has accompanied a rapid expansion of our knowledge about the genes, their function, and regulation in insect cells. Classification of these viruses has also been refined as we learn more about differences in gene content between isolates, how this affects virus structure, and their replication in insect larvae. Baculovirus gene expression occurs in an ordered cascade, regulated by early, late, and very late gene promoters.

Semliki Forest virus vectors expressing the H and HN genes of measles and mumps viruses reduce immunity induced by the envelope protein genes of rubella virus.

A Semliki Forest virus (SFV) recombinant particle vaccine vector was constructed expressing the viral E1 and E2 envelope proteins of the RA27/3 vaccine strain of rubella virus. This vector induced high titres of antibody after intramuscular administration to Balb/C mice, both following initial vaccination and a boost 4 weeks later. This occurred for antibody as measured by ELISA and as measured by a latex agglutination test.