A comparison between IBEX bone health applied to digital radiographs and dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry at the distal-third and ultra-distal regions of the radius.

Background: In an ageing population, low impact fragility fractures are becoming increasingly common. However, fracture risk can be reduced where low bone density can be identified at an early stage. In this study we aim to demonstrate that IBEX Bone Health (IBEX BH) can provide a clinically useful prediction from wrist radiographs of aBMD and T-score at the ultra-distal (UD) and distal-third (DT) regions of the radius.

Development of an opportunistic diagnostic prediction algorithm for osteoporosis and fragility fracture risk estimates from forearm radiographs (The OFFER1 Study).

Osteoporosis and associated fractures are an increasingly prevalent concern with an ageing population. This study reports testing of IBEX Bone Health (IBEX BH) software, applied following acquisition of forearm radiographs. IBEX Bone Health analyses the radiograph to measure areal bone mineral density (aBMD) at the examination site.

Three-dimensional biofabrication of nanosecond laser micromachined nanofibre meshes for tissue engineered scaffolds.

There is a high demand for bespoke grafts to replace damaged or malformed bone and cartilage tissue. Three-dimensional (3D) printing offers a method of fabricating complex anatomical features of clinically relevant sizes. However, the construction of a scaffold to replicate the complex hierarchical structure of natural tissues remains challenging.

Narrative Intervention for Preschoolers Who Are Deaf and Hard of Hearing Using Listening and Spoken Language: A Pilot Study.

Purpose: This pilot study aimed to examine the effects of a caregiver-supported, narrative-based intervention program on the story retelling skills of a group of preschoolers who are deaf and hard of hearing (D/HH) using listening and spoken language (LSL).

Method: A concurrent multiple baseline design across participants was used to determine the effect of a narrative intervention on the story retelling skills of three preschool-age participants who demonstrated complex language delays. Their primary caregivers also functioned as participants.

Supporting Families from a Distance: Implementing Routines-Based Home Visits via Telepractice.

Early intervention is a system of services designed to strengthen child outcomes and build family capacity. One approach of service provision is the Routines-Based Model which implements adult-learning practices wherein service providers and caregivers partner to build family-mediated interventions for children. Owing to COVID-19 and the benefits of telepractice, more and more service providers are likely to incorporate a telepractice modality into service provision.

Attitudes Toward Inclusion and Benefits Perceived by Families in Schools with Students with Autism Spectrum Disorders.

The aim of this study was to find out about attitudes toward inclusion and benefits perceived by families with children enrolled in schools attended by students with ASD at different educational stages (from kindergarten to high school). 323 families of classmates of students with ASD from different educational stages of 16 mainstream schools participated. The analysis of the attitudes, perceived benefits, relationship with the teacher, and relationship with the school was carried out through questionnaires.

Enhanced visualization of mobile chest X-ray images in the intensive care setting using software scatter correction.

Background: Mobile chest X-ray (CXR) scans are performed within intensive treatment units (ITU) without anti-scatter grids for confirming tube and line hardware placement. Assessment is therefore challenging due to degraded subject contrast resulting from scatter.

Purpose: To evaluate the efficacy of a software scatter correction method (commercially named Trueview) for enhanced hardware visualization and diagnostic quality in the ITU setting.

Support Networks and Family Empowerment in Early Intervention.

Despite the importance of empowerment and the support network of families who receive early intervention (EI) with a family-centered approach, there is little evidence of a relationship between these two variables and family characteristics that might influence this relationship. This study analyzes the correlations between the perception of empowerment of the families, the family supports used, and the socio-demographic factors of both the child and the family. The study consisted of 44 families who received family-centered EI services.

CD271 antibody-functionalized microspheres capable of selective recruitment of reparative endogenous stem cells for in situ bone regeneration.

In the strategy of in situ bone regeneration, it used to be difficult to specifically recruit bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BM-MSCs) by a single marker. Recently, CD271 has been considered to be one of the most specific markers to isolate BM-MSCs; however, the effectiveness of CD271 antibodies in recruiting BM-MSCs has not been explored yet. In this study, we developed novel CD271 antibody-functionalized chitosan (CS) microspheres with the aid of polydopamine (PDA) coating to recruit endogenous BM-MSCs for in situ bone regeneration.

Rasch Analysis of Authentic Evaluation of Young Children's Functioning in Classroom Routines.

This study evaluated the functioning of children in early childhood education classroom routines, using the 3M Functioning in Preschool Routines Scale. A total of 366 children aged 36 to 70 months and 22 teachers from six early childhood education centers in Spain participated in the study. The authors used the Rasch model to determine the item fit and the difficulty of the items in relation to children's ability levels in this age range.

Crisis Brings Innovative Strategies: Collaborative Empathic Teleintervention for Children with Disabilities during the COVID-19 Lockdown.

While coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) continues to spread across the globe, public health strategies-including the social distancing measures that many countries have implemented- have caused disruptions to daily routines. For children with disabilities and their families, such measures mean a lack of access to the resources they usually have through schools and habilitation or rehabilitation services. Health emergencies, like the current COVID-19 pandemic, require innovative strategies to ensure continuity of care.

Rural and Racial/Ethnic Differences in Children Receiving Early Intervention Services.

Unlabelled: A review of the literature shows that racial and ethnic minority children (eg, African American, Asian, and Hispanic) received diagnoses for developmental concerns later in life compared with their age-matched white counterparts. Research has also documented disparities in access to and receipt of health care services among children with developmental concerns as compared with children with other disabilities.

Objectives: We examined health care providers' (HCPs') responses to parents' developmental concerns about their children.

The Routines-Based Model Internationally Implemented.

Professionals from 10 countries are implementing practices from the Routines-Based Model, which has three main components: needs assessment and intervention planning, a consultative approach, and a method for running classrooms. Its hallmark practices are the Routines-Based Interview, support-based visits with families, and a focus on child engagement. Implementers were interested in actual practices for putting philosophy and theory into action in their systems and cultures.

Accuracy of Screening Tools for Pap Smears in General Practice.

Background: Data extraction tools (DETs) are increasingly being used for research and audit of general practice, despite their limitations.Objective This study explores the accuracy of Pap smear rates obtained with a DET compared to that of the Pap smear rate obtained with a manual file audit.

Method: A widely available DET was used to establish the rate of Pap smears in a large multi-general practice (multi-GP) in regional New South Wales followed by a manual audit of patient files.

Characterization of 11 Polymorphic Microsatellite Markers for Black Drummer (Girella elevata) Developed Using 454 Next-Generation Sequencing.

Black Drummer (Girella elevata) is a long-lived fish species that experiences considerable recreational fishing pressure, although managers lack a clear understanding of stock structure and dispersal patterns that are essential for the design, implementation, and administration of fisheries stock management. We used 454 sequencing to identify and develop 11 microsatellite primer pairs from 31 G. elevata All loci were found to be polymorphic, with the number of alleles detected ranging from 4 to 8 and observed heterozygosity ranging from 0.

High-contrast pattern reconstructions using a phase-seeded point CGH method.

A major challenge encountered in digital holography applications is the need to synthesize computer-generated holograms (CGHs) that are realizable as phase-only elements while also delivering high quality reconstruction. This trade-off is particularly acute in high-precision applications such as photolithography where contrast typically must exceed 0.6.

Growing up with spinal muscular atrophy with respiratory distress (SMARD1).

Spinal muscular atrophy with respiratory distress type 1 (SMARD1) is an inherited neuromuscular condition resulting from recessive mutations in the immunoglobulin mu-binding protein (IGHMBP2) gene. Affected individuals characteristically present in infancy with progressive distal weakness and respiratory distress secondary to diaphragmatic weakness. Considerable clinical heterogeneity has been described both in its presentation and phenotype in childhood; however little data pertaining to phenotype in adulthood have been reported to date.

Congenital myopathies with secondary neuromuscular transmission defects; a case report and review of the literature.

Congenital myopathies are a clinically and genetically heterogeneous group of disorders characterized by early onset hypotonia, weakness and characteristic, but not pathognomonic, structural abnormalities in muscle fibres. The clinical features overlap with muscular dystrophies, myofibrillar myopathies, neurogenic conditions and congenital myasthenic syndromes. We describe a case of cap myopathy with myasthenic features due to a mutation in the TPM2 gene that responded to anticholinesterase therapy.

Epilepsy due to PNPO mutations: genotype, environment and treatment affect presentation and outcome.

The first described patients with pyridox(am)ine 5'-phosphate oxidase deficiency all had neonatal onset seizures that did not respond to treatment with pyridoxine but responded to treatment with pyridoxal 5'-phosphate. Our data suggest, however, that the clinical spectrum of pyridox(am)ine 5'-phosphate oxidase deficiency is much broader than has been reported in the literature. Sequencing of the PNPO gene was undertaken for a cohort of 82 individuals who had shown a reduction in frequency and severity of seizures in response to pyridoxine or pyridoxal 5'-phosphate.

A combination of Botulinum Toxin A therapy and Functional Electrical Stimulation in children with cerebral palsy--a pilot study.

Background: Among the ambulant population of children with spastic cerebral palsy (CP), dynamic equinus is one of the most common form of gait deviation that is encountered.

Objective: To investigate the combined effects of Functional Electrical Stimulation (FES) and Botulinum Toxin A (BTXA) therapy in children with spastic CP, and to demonstrate the feasibility of this combination therapy.

Methods: A single-subject design with repeated measures was adopted.

Health-related quality-of-life and behavioural outcome in survivors of childhood meningitis.

Objective: To describe behavioural and health-related quality-of-life (HRQoL) outcomes in survivors of childhood meningitis and identify variables predictive of psychosocial outcome.

Methods: Psychosocial outcomes were measured via parent and teacher report using the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) and the Paediatric Quality of Life Inventory (PedsQL Core & Fatigue versions). Participants were 346[corrected] consecutive survivors admitted to a regional children's hospital (1991-2007).

Use of a computer interviewing system in a chiropractic clinic during periodic patient reassessment.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to investigate whether a computer interviewing system (CIS) could be used as part of the periodic patient reassessment process, if patients and practitioners perceived that the CIS enhanced communication, and if the CIS could be used to identify patients with possible anxiety and/or depression.

Methods: An observational method was used, whereby the CIS was used to augment the usual patient reassessment routine in a chiropractic clinic. One clinic in the Dundee region, with 3 chiropractors, collected information from 60 patients using a CIS directly before the patient treatment session.

Three-dimensional holographic lithography by an iterative algorithm.

We have applied an iterative algorithm for hologram design with multiple output image planes arranged in close proximity to create continuous patterns within an imaging volume. These holograms have been designed for photolithography on three-dimensional surfaces. The influence of simulated image plane separation on the final image, and its suitability for lithography, is assessed.

The impact of checklist-based training on teachers' use of the zone defense schedule.

We assessed the impact of checklist-based training on teaching teams' use of the zone defense schedule. Three teaching teams (lead teacher plus 2 assistant teachers) in an inclusive early childhood program participated. A multiple baseline design across teams was used to determine whether accurate implementation of the zone defense schedule increased when checklist-based training was provided.

Pyruvate dehydrogenase E2 deficiency: a potentially treatable cause of episodic dystonia.

The association of progressive episodic dystonia and learning disability with distinctive neuroimaging findings may lead to consideration of atypical Pantothenate Kinase Associated Neurodegeneration (PKAN) and investigations directed towards that diagnosis. Recent reports indicate that deficiency of dihydrolipoamide acetyltransferase, the E2 component of the pyruvate dehydrogenase complex, may present similarly, and that this disorder should also be considered in the differential diagnosis. We describe two sisters with early onset episodic dystonia and pyruvate dehydrogenase deficiency caused by defects in the E2 subunit.