Quantification of Methylation and Phosphorylation Stoichiometry.

Tauopathies including Alzheimer's disease (AD) are neurodegenerative disorders accompanied by the conversion of functional forms of the microtubule associated protein Tau into non-functional aggregates. A variety of post-translational modifications (PTMs) on Tau precede or accompany the conversion, placing them in position to modulate Tau function as well as its propensity to aggregate. Although Tau PTMs can be characterized by their sites of modification, their total stoichiometry when summed over all sites also is an important metric of their potential impact on function.

Well-being, Self-transcendence, and Resilience of Parental Caregivers of Children in Active Cancer Treatment: Where Do We Go From Here?

Background: Childhood cancer profoundly impacts the well-being of many parental caregivers in the United States yearly. Empirical evidence is extensive for negative well-being and scarce for positive well-being in this population.

Objective: Study aims were to (1) describe resilience, self-transcendence, and positive (general well-being) and negative well-being (depression and anxiety); (2) examine if caregiver-related personal factors (resilience and/or demographic characteristics) and/or child-related contextual factors (child's cancer and/or demographic characteristics) are associated with well-being; and (3) test if self-transcendence mediates the relationship between resilience and well-being.

Association between Pain Sensitivity, Central Sensitization, and Functional Disability in Adolescents With Joint Hypermobility.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine the association between pain sensitivity, central sensitization, and functional disability in adolescents with joint hypermobility.

Design And Methods: A cross-sectional descriptive design was utilized for this study. A sample of 40 adolescents being evaluated for chronic pain and autonomic nervous system dysfunction were recruited.

Association of Asthma Illness Representations and Reported Controller Medication Adherence Among School-Aged Children and Their Parents.

This study examined the relationship between asthma illness representations and reported controller medication adherence of school-aged children (6-11 years) with persistent asthma and their parents. Thirty-four parent-child dyads independently reported on asthma controller medication adherence and asthma illness representations. Hierarchical regression analyses were used to test parent and child illness representation domain variables as predictors of reported medication adherence.

Central Sensitization in Functional Chronic Pain Syndromes: Overview and Clinical Application.

The purpose of this review and clinical application article is to offer nurses up-to-date knowledge on peripheral and central sensitization in chronic functional pain syndromes, and to discuss therapies that have shown efficacy in treating various aspects of these disorders. Central sensitization is a result of changes in the peripheral and central nervous system due to noxious stimuli, such as illness or trauma. Once these changes occur, treatment for the associated syndromes requires a multimodal approach that includes behavioral pain psychology, physical therapy, and pharmacological agents that specifically target neuroinflammation, pain modulation, and amplification of pain pathways.

Weight change during childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia induction therapy predicts obesity: a report from the Children's Oncology Group.

Background: Obesity is a well documented problem associated with childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) with increasing body mass index often observed during therapy. This study aims to evaluate if weight gain, early in therapy, is predictive of obesity at the end of treatment.

Procedure: In this secondary analysis, data from 1,017 high-risk ALL patients previously treated on a Children's Oncology Group protocol (CCG study 1961) were reviewed.

Increase in oxidative stress as measured by cerebrospinal fluid lipid peroxidation during treatment for childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia.

Five-year survival from childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) approaches 90%, but 40% of survivors experience central nervous system (CNS) treatment-related cognitive problems. Despite considerable evidence for cognitive problems, less is known about mechanisms of neurological injury. Our purpose was to investigate oxidative stress, measured by lipid peroxidation, as a mechanism of CNS treatment-related neurological injury.

Cancer-related cognitive changes in children, adolescents and adult survivors of childhood cancers.

Objectives: To summarize the current knowledge about 1) cognitive changes associated with central nervous system-directed chemotherapy and cranial radiation among children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia and brain tumors and adult survivors; and 2) interventions designed to prevent or remediate the cognitive and academic problems associated with central nervous system-directed cancer treatment.

Data Sources: Classic and current databased publications.

Conclusion: Future directions for research include 1) identification of sources of variability in long-term outcomes; 2) greater understanding of the developmental evolution of deficits across the survivor lifespan; and 3) interventions to treat and prevent negative outcomes following cancer therapy.

Longitudinal evaluation of fine motor skills in children with leukemia.

Background: Improved survival for children with acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL) has allowed investigators to focus on the adverse or side effects of treatment and to develop interventions that promote cure while decreasing the long-term effects of therapy. Although much attention has been given to the significant neurocognitive sequelae that can occur after ALL therapy, limited investigation is found addressing fine motor function in these children and motor function that may contribute to neurocognitive deficits in ALL survivors.

Methods: Fine motor and sensory-perceptual performances were examined in 82 children with ALL within 6-months of diagnosis and annually for 2 years (year 1 and year 2, respectively) during therapy.

Effects of sex, hindpaw injection site and stimulus modality on nociceptive sensitivity in arthritic rats.

Injection of Complete Freund's adjuvant (CFA) into the hindpaw produces inflammation and alterations in nociceptive sensitivity. The present study was designed to compare the effects of CFA injection into the dorsal and plantar surfaces of the hindpaw on nociceptive sensitivity of the hindpaw to mechanical pressure, warm-water and a hotplate stimulus in male and female rats. CFA or vehicle (VEH) was injected into the dorsal or plantar surface of the right hindpaw on day 0 and tests were conducted on days 4, 6, 8, 10, 11 and 18.

Orthostatic heart rates and blood pressures in healthy young women and men.

Orthostatic heart rate, systolic and diastolic blood pressure responses to standing were measured in 50 young healthy men and women. The responses of the men and women were the same. Heart rate stabilized after 45 seconds of standing, systolic blood pressure after 2 minutes, and diastolic blood pressure immediately on standing.