Identification of sugar response complex in the metallothionein OsMT2b gene promoter for enhancement of foreign protein production in transgenic rice.

A 146-bp sugar response complex MTSRC is identified in the promoter of rice metallothionein OsMT2b gene conferring high-level expression of luciferase reporter gene and bioactive recombinant haFGF in transgenic rice. A rice subfamily type 2 plant metallothionein (pMT) gene, OsMT2b, encoding a reactive oxygen species (ROS) scavenger protein, has been previously shown to exhibit the most abundant gene expression in young rice seedling. Expression of OsMT2b was found to be regulated negatively by ethylene and hydrogen peroxide in rice stem node under flooding stress, but little is known about its response to sugar depletion.

IQ discrepancy differentiates levels of fine motor skills and their relationship in children with autism spectrum disorders.

Purpose: We investigated 1) the impact of differences in intelligence quotient discrepancy (IQD) on motor skills of preschool-aged children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD); 2) the relationships between IQD and motor skills in preschool-aged children with ASD.

Methods: A total of 127 ASD preschool-aged children were divided into three groups according to the size of the IQD: IQD within 1 standard deviation (1SD; EVENIQ; n=81), discrepantly higher verbal intelligence quotient (VIQ; n=22; VIQ>performance intelligence quotient [PIQ] above 1SD [≥15 points]), and discrepantly higher PIQ (n=24; PIQ>VIQ above 1SD [≥15 points]). Children's IQD and motor skills were determined with the Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scale of Intelligence™ - Fourth Edition and the motor subtests of the Comprehensive Developmental Inventory for Infants and Toddlers (CDIIT), respectively.

Development of a Computerized Adaptive Test of Children's Gross Motor Skills.

Objectives: To (1) develop a computerized adaptive test for gross motor skills (GM-CAT) as a diagnostic test and an outcome measure, using the gross motor skills subscale of the Comprehensive Developmental Inventory for Infants and Toddlers (CDIIT-GM) as the candidate item bank; and (2) examine the psychometric properties and the efficiency of the GM-CAT.

Design: Retrospective study.

Setting: A developmental center of a medical center.

Improving the utility of the fine motor skills subscale of the comprehensive developmental inventory for infants and toddlers: a computerized adaptive test.

Aim: This study aimed at improving the utility of the fine motor subscale of the comprehensive developmental inventory for infants and toddlers (CDIIT) by developing a computerized adaptive test of fine motor skills.

Methods: We built an item bank for the computerized adaptive test of fine motor skills using the fine motor subscale of the CDIIT items fitting the Rasch model. We also examined the psychometric properties and efficiency of the computerized adaptive test of fine motor skills with simulated computerized adaptive tests.

Selecting score types for longitudinal evaluations: the responsiveness of the Comprehensive Developmental Inventory for Infants and Toddlers in children with developmental disabilities.

Objective: The objective of this study was to examine the responsiveness of the Comprehensive Developmental Inventory for Infants and Toddlers (CDIIT) in children with developmental disabilities (DD).

Methods: The responsiveness of a measure is its ability to detect change over time, and it is fundamental to an outcome measure for detecting changes over time. We compared the responsiveness of four types of scores (ie, raw scores, developmental ages [DAs], percentile ranks [PRs], and developmental quotients [DQs]) in the five subtests of the CDIIT.

Intelligence quotient discrepancy indicates levels of motor competence in preschool children at risk for developmental delays.

Purpose: This study aimed to establish 1) whether a group difference exists in the motor competence of preschool children at risk for developmental delays with intelligence quotient discrepancy (IQD; refers to difference between verbal intelligence quotient [VIQ] and performance intelligence quotient [PIQ]) and 2) whether an association exists between IQD and motor competence.

Methods: Children's motor competence and IQD were determined with the motor subtests of the Comprehensive Developmental Inventory for Infants and Toddlers and Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scale of Intelligence™ - Fourth Edition. A total of 291 children were included in three groups: NON-IQD (n=213; IQD within 1 standard deviation [SD]), VIQ>PIQ (n=39; VIQ>PIQ greater than 1 SD), and PIQ>VIQ (n=39; PIQ>VIQ greater than 1 SD).

Development of a Tablet-based symbol digit modalities test for reliably assessing information processing speed in patients with stroke.

Purpose: To develop a Tablet-based Symbol Digit Modalities Test (T-SDMT) and to examine the test-retest reliability and concurrent validity of the T-SDMT in patients with stroke.

Methods: The study had two phases. In the first phase, six experts, nine college students and five outpatients participated in the development and testing of the T-SDMT.

Differences Between Women and Men in Phase I Cardiac Rehabilitation After Acute Myocardial Infarction: A Nationwide Population-Based Analysis.

Although numerous studies have investigated gender-related differences in patients who have had an acute myocardial infarction (AMI), few studies have examined the gender-related differences among inpatients receiving Phase I inpatient cardiac rehabilitation following AMI.Using data from the Taiwan National Health Insurance Research Database, this study analyzed 6713 adult patients who received inpatient cardiac rehabilitation following AMI between 2002 and 2011. The differences in comorbidity, medical service use, and prognosis between the male and female patients were analyzed to determine whether the comorbidities affecting their prognoses differed.

Genetic Evaluation of Children with Global Developmental Delay--Current Status of Network Systems in Taiwan.

This review article aims to introduce the screening and referral network of genetic evaluation for children with developmental delay in Taiwan. For these children, integrated systems provide services from the medical, educational, and social welfare sectors. All cities and counties in Taiwan have established a network for screening, detection, referral, evaluation, and intervention services.

Incidence of severe dysphagia after brain surgery in pediatric traumatic brain injury: a nationwide population-based retrospective study.

Objectives: To investigate the incidence of dysphagia and medical resource utilization in a nationwide population of pediatric patients with traumatic brain injury (TBI).

Setting: Subjects' data were obtained from the Taiwan National Health Insurance Research Database.

Participants: Between 2000 and 2008, 6290 children less than 18 years old who had received surgery post-TBI were included in the study.

An investigation of the factors affecting flatfoot in children with delayed motor development.

This study investigated the prevalence of flatfoot in children with delayed motor development and the relevant factors affecting it. In total, 121 preschool-aged children aged 3-6 with delayed motor development (male: 81; female: 40) were enrolled in the motor-developmentally delayed children group, and 4 times that number, a total of 484 children (male: 324; female: 160), of gender- and age-matched normal developmental children were used as a control group for further analyses. The age was from 3.

Impacts of autistic behaviors, emotional and behavioral problems on parenting stress in caregivers of children with autism.

This study examined the effects of autistic behaviors and individual emotional and behavioral problems on parenting stress in caregivers of children with autism. Caregivers were interviewed with the Childhood Autism Rating Scale and completed the Strength and Difficulties Questionnaire and the Parenting Stress Index Short Form. Results revealed that caregivers of children with mild/moderate autistic behavior problems perceived lower parenting stress than did those of children with no or severe problems.

The ICF-CY-based structural equation model of factors associated with participation in children with autism.

Objective: The aim of this study was to apply the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health - Child and Youth (ICF-CY) framework to identify the factors related to the participation of children with autism.

Method: A convenience sample included 162 preschool children with autism ages 36 to 72 months. The raters collected data using the ICF-CY-based questionnaire as an instrument to construct the structural equation modeling of factors associated with participation.

Sensory integration dysfunction affects efficacy of speech therapy on children with functional articulation disorders.

Background: Articulation disorders in young children are due to defects occurring at a certain stage in sensory and motor development. Some children with functional articulation disorders may also have sensory integration dysfunction (SID). We hypothesized that speech therapy would be less efficacious in children with SID than in those without SID.

The association of drooling and health-related quality of life in children with cerebral palsy.

Objective: To investigate the association between drooling in children with cerebral palsy (CP) and their health-related quality of life (HRQOL), as well as the possible variables that predict their HRQOL.

Method: A cross-sectional design was used for this study. Children with CP, without other identified disease, aged 2 to 6 years, who drool (n = 33) or did not drool (n = 14), were included.

Change in flatfoot of preschool-aged children: a 1-year follow-up study.

Unlabelled: The main purpose of this study is to investigate the changes in the signs of flatfoot of preschool-aged children in a 1-year follow-up study. This study performed follow-up on a total of 580 preschool-aged children (boys, 297 children; girls, 283 children) with a median age of 54 (range 36-71 months), and the average follow-up period was 11.8 months.

ICF-CY based assessment tool for children with autism.

Purpose: The objectives of this study was to develop an International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health-Children and Youth (ICF-CY) based questionnaire for children with autism, investigate the inter-rater reliability of the questionnaire and assess functional performance in children with autism.

Method: The ICF-CY based questionnaire for children with autism comprised 118 items was designed with reference the ICF-CY structure. The study protocol was divided into two parts.

Relevant factors influencing flatfoot in preschool-aged children.

The aim of this study was to discuss the influence of age, gender, obesity status, joint laxity, and the W-sitting habit on flatfoot in preschool-aged children. A total of 1,598 children (833 boys and 765 girls) between 3 and 6 years of age from kindergartens in the central area of Taiwan were studied. The children were divided into a normal group (n = 733), a unilateral flatfoot group (n = 266), and a bilateral flatfoot group (n = 599), and a multinomial logistic regression model was used to analyze the data.

Psychometric properties of functional balance assessment in children with cerebral palsy.

Background: Children with cerebral palsy often suffer from a lack of balance compared with typically developing children. Because balance capacity is relevant to functional activities, reliable and valid functional balance measures are crucial for the pediatric clinical setting.

Objective: This study examined the reliability and validity of 3 functional balance measures.

Electromyographic analyses of global synkinesis in the paretic upper limb after stroke.

Background And Purpose: Global synkinesis (GS), or motor irradiation, is an involuntary movement associated with the coactivation of numerous muscles in one limb when the opposite limb is active. The electromyographic (EMG) patterns of people with stroke and people who were healthy were analyzed to characterize GS development in relation to joint involvement and to attempt to relate these findings to clinical observations.

Subjects And Methods: Twenty patients with stroke, divided into 2 groups with either greater levels of irradiation (SG, n = 10) or lesser levels of irradiation (SL, n = 10), and 20 subjects in a control group were studied.

Responsiveness of the H reflex to loading and posture in patients following stroke.

The objective of the research was to examine the effects of loading and posture on motoneuronal excitability of the triceps surae (TS) for patients with hemiplegia. Twelve healthy subjects and 12 patient subjects with post-stroke hemiparesis (onset period: 3-60 months) were enrolled in this study. The subjects were instructed to remain in quiet sitting with the test knee straight and three standing conditions of different superincumbent loads by shifting body weight to the test leg (10%, 50%, and 90% of body weight), while the H reflexes and M waves of the TS were measured.