Key worker services for disabled children: what characteristics of services lead to better outcomes for children and families?

Background: Research has shown that families of disabled children who have a key worker benefit from this service and recent policy initiatives emphasize the importance of such services. However, research is lacking on which characteristics of key worker schemes for disabled children are related to better outcomes for families.

Methods: A postal questionnaire was completed by 189 parents with disabled children who were receiving a service in seven key worker schemes in England and Wales.

Report of three cases of chronic pancreatic fistulas treated with prolamine as a sclerosing substance following pancreatic resection.

Context: Pancreatic fistulas are one of the most common and important complications after pancreatic resection and their consequences are a life-threatening event. Thus, they must be treated in the best way and resolved as soon as possible to avoid their morbidity.

Methods: Three cases of pancreatic fistula following pancreatic resection were reported.

A novel VNTR enhancer within the SIRT3 gene, a human homologue of SIR2, is associated with survival at oldest ages.

SIR2 genes control life span in model organisms, playing a central role in evolutionarily conserved pathways of aging and longevity. We wanted to verify whether similar effects may act in humans too. First, we searched for variability in the human sirtuin 3 gene (SIRT3) and discovered a VNTR polymorphism (72-bp repeat core) in intron 5.

Health promotion for survivors of childhood cancer: a minimal intervention.

We report the evaluation of an information booklet aimed to explain the purpose of follow-up to survivors of childhood cancer. Evaluations drew on theoretical concepts in the elaboration likelihood and stages of change models. We predicted that survivors who adopt central rather than peripheral processing would show greater understanding and increased readiness to change health behaviour.

Pancreatic metastases: observations of three cases and review of the literature.

Background: The aim of the study is to analyze pancreatic metastases and their clinical, radiological, therapeutic and prognostic features.

Methods: Three cases of pancreatic metastases observed and a world literature review of 333 cases were recorded.

Results: Pancreatic metastases are due more frequently to renal cell carcinoma; they are usually metachronous and characterized by a long period of time between the resection of the primary tumor and their detection.

Double diagnostic meaning of serum transferrin receptor in hemodialysis patients: two case reports.

Hemodialysis patients on maintenance erythropoietin need an adequate supply of iron to optimize therapy and achieve and maintain target levels of hemoglobin. Evaluation of iron stores and early detection of iron deficiency are essential for management of erythropoiesis in chronic renal failure, but there is still no single biochemical or hematological parameter that is sensitive or specific enough to completely describe the distribution of iron in the body. Serum transferrin receptor (sTfR) is a marker of iron that is available for erythropoiesis.

Unintentional ingestion of 60% hydrogen peroxide by a six-year-old child.

Ingestion of industrial-strength hydrogen peroxide is rare. Fatal outcomes have been reported with solutions of 35%. We report a six-year-old boy who unintentionally ingested an unknown quantity of hydrogen peroxide with a concentration of 60%.

Conserved glycines in the C terminus of MinC proteins are implicated in their functionality as cell division inhibitors.

Alignment of 36 MinC sequences revealed four completely conserved C-terminal glycines. As MinC inhibits cytokinesis in Neisseria gonorrhoeae and Escherichia coli, the functional importance of these glycines in N. gonorrhoeae MinC (MinC(Ng)) and E.

Surviving childhood cancer: quality of life and parental regulatory focus.

Applying Regulatory Focus Theory (RFT), the authors predicted that among survivors of childhood cancer, quality of life (QOL) may be compromised by prevention-focused parenting characterized by an overly protective concern with possible mishaps and illness recurrence rather than promotion-focused parenting encouraging expectations of recovery and a normal life. Interviews with parents of 64 survivors (M age = 13.83 years) of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) or central nervous system (CNS) tumors were coded for reports of promotion or prevention-oriented parenting and positive and negative expectancies.

Molecular epidemiology of Neisseria gonorrheae isolates with plasmid-mediated tetracycline resistance in Canada: temporal and geographical trends (1986-1997).

Plasmid-mediated resistance to tetracycline in Neisseria gonorrhoeae (TRNG) isolates is caused by the acquisition of a 25.2-MDa conjugative, tetM-containing plasmid (TetM plasmid). The presence of the TetM plasmid is the leading cause of gonococcal resistance to tetracycline in most countries.

Care co-ordination and key worker schemes for disabled children: results of a UK-wide survey.

Aim: To investigate the prevalence and nature of care co-ordination and key worker services for disabled children and their families.

Methods: Postal survey of 225 Children with Disabilities Teams across the UK.

Results: Out of 159 questionnaires returned (70%), 35 (22%) reported having a care co-ordination scheme, with 30 (19%) of these providing key workers for families.

Defining the epithelial stem cell niche in skin.

Many adult regenerative cells divide infrequently but have high proliferative capacity. We developed a strategy to fluorescently label slow-cycling cells in a cell type-specific fashion. We used this method to purify the label-retaining cells (LRCs) that mark the skin stem cell (SC) niche.

Digital cineradiography of the pharynx and the oesophagus after total or partial laryngectomy.

Purpose: The aim of the present study is to report our experience using digital cineradiography to assess morphological and functional disorders of the pharynx in patients with prior partial or total laryngectomy.

Materials And Methods: From March 2000 to October 2002, 21 patients (18 males and 3 females) with prior total laryngectomy (12 patients), total laryngopharyngectomy (2 patients) and partial laryngectomy (7 patients) were examined. A digital cineradiography with 12 frames/second acquisition was performed in all patients.

Variability of the SIRT3 gene, human silent information regulator Sir2 homologue, and survivorship in the elderly.

The human sirtuin 3 (SIRT3) gene encodes a putative mitochondrial NAD-dependent deacetylase (SIRT3) which belongs to the evolutionary conserved family of sirtuin 2 proteins. Studies in model organisms have demonstrated that SIR2 genes control lifespan, while no data are available regarding a possible role of SIRT3 in human longevity. By analysing the genotype-specific survival function relevant to the G477T marker of SIRT3, we found that in males the TT genotype increases (p=0.

The allele (A)(-110) in the promoter region of the HSP70-1 gene is unfavorable to longevity in women.

Heat shock proteins (HSPs) are crucial for maintenance of cell homeostasis and survival both during and after various stresses. The capability to cope with stress is believed to affect the chance of health and survival at organismal level. We have investigated whether the gene pool relevant to the (A/C)(-110) polymorphism in the promoter region of the HSP70-1 gene changes as the population ages and survival selection occurs.

Parton coalescence and the antiproton/pion anomaly at RHIC.

Coalescence of minijet partons with partons from the quark-gluon plasma formed in relativistic heavy ion collisions is suggested as the mechanism for production of hadrons with intermediate transverse momentum. The resulting enhanced antiproton and pion yields at intermediate transverse momenta give a plausible explanation for the observed large antiproton to pion ratio. With further increasing momentum, the ratio is predicted to decrease and approach the small value given by independent fragmentations of minijet partons after their energy loss in the quark-gluon plasma.

Parenting a child with cancer: promotion and prevention-focused parenting.

Applying regulatory focus theory (RFT), it was predicted that, among survivors of childhood cancer, quality of life (QoL) may be compromised by prevention-focused parenting (the focus on avoiding negative outcomes), rather than promotion-focused parenting (the focus on approaching positive outcomes). Interviews with mothers of survivors of Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia (ALL) and tumours of the Central Nervous System (CNS) were coded for reports of parenting and related to child QoL. Parents reported overall more promotion than prevention; however, mothers of children with tumours of the CNS reported more prevention-focus than mothers of children with ALL.

Effects of symmetry energy on two-nucleon correlation functions in heavy-ion collisions induced by neutron-rich nuclei.

Using an isospin-dependent transport model, we study the effects of nuclear symmetry energy on two-nucleon correlation functions in heavy-ion collisions induced by neutron-rich nuclei. We find that the density dependence of the nuclear symmetry energy affects significantly the nucleon emission times in these collisions, leading to larger values of two-nucleon correlation functions for a symmetry energy that has a stronger density dependence. Two-nucleon correlation functions are thus useful tools for extracting information about the nuclear symmetry energy from heavy-ion collisions.

Molecular variation of human HSP90alpha and HSP90beta genes in Caucasians.

Understanding DNA variation within the human genome is fundamental to the identification and interpretation of genetic components underlying complex traits and diseases. Despite their role in many crucial cellular pathways and their reported involvement in many complex diseases no data are available on the molecular variability of the genes coding for Heat Shock Proteins 90Kda (HSP90). Towards this purpose we have used DHPLC methodology to survey, a sample of Caucasians for genetic polymorphisms in the exons and exon-flanking regions of the expressed genes of human HSP90 gene families, HSP90alpha (HSPCAL4, 14q31.

Detection of antibodies in acid eluates with the gel microcolumn assay.

Background: Gel microcolumns can be used to detect unexpected serum antibodies and to determine ABO blood group and Rh phenotype. DATs can also be performed with this system. The purpose of this study was to compare the gel microcolumn to the tube IAT using anti-IgG for the detection of antibodies eluted from RBCs.

Seventeenth-century telescope optics of Torricelli, Divini, and Campani.

Optics of telescope makers Torricelli, Divini, and Campani dating back to the 17th century have been tested interferometrically. It was found that the optical polishing technology had progressed to thorough control over the surface figure and finish, while the nearly paraxial conditions of the aperture remained constant. The instruments that were examined exemplify the knowledge of optics of that time, particularly with respect to the early use of erector units in terrestrial telescopes.

Sex-specific longevity associations defined by Tyrosine Hydroxylase-Insulin-Insulin Growth Factor 2 haplotypes on the 11p15.5 chromosomal region.

By studies in centenarians, it was recently found that an STR marker of the Tyrosine Hydroxylase (TH, 11p15.5) gene is associated with human longevity. The aim of the present study was to continue the exploration of the 11p15.