Accuracy deficits during robotic time-constrained reaching are related to altered prefrontal cortex activity in children with cerebral palsy.

Background: The prefrontal cortex (PFC) is an important node for action planning in the frontoparietal reaching network but its role in reaching in children with cerebral palsy (CP) is unexplored. This case-control study combines a robotic task with functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) to concurrently assess reaching accuracy and PFC activity during time-constrained, goal-directed reaching in children with CP. We hypothesized that reaching accuracy in children with CP would be lower than in typically developing children and would be related to PFC activity.

Motor and Cognitive Trajectories in Infants and Toddlers with and at Risk of Cerebral Palsy Following a Community-Based Intervention.

Background: Early motor development is fundamental in driving cognitive skill acquisition. Motor delays in children with cerebral palsy (CP) often limit exploratory behaviors, decreasing opportunities or the quality of cognitive development, emphasizing the importance of early intervention. This study aimed to assess immediate and 5-month motor and cognitive changes in infants and toddlers at risk of or with CP after participation in a community-based program.

Deficits in recovery of postural stability after stepping are limb- and phase-specific in children with unilateral cerebral palsy.

Background: Recovery of postural stability after taking a step is necessary to maintain functional mobility. Although children with cerebral palsy (CP) are at an increased risk of falling, their ability to recover stability following a step is unknown.

Research Question: This study aimed to validate a method to assess step recovery in children with unilateral CP and determine if recovery of postural stability differs between limbs and across phases of step recovery.

Prefrontal cortex hemodynamic activity during a test of lower extremity functional muscle strength in children with cerebral palsy: A functional near-infrared spectroscopy study.

Children with cerebral palsy (CP) exhibit impaired motor control and significant muscle weakness due to a brain lesion. However, studies that assess the relationship between brain activity and performance on dynamic functional muscle strength assessments in CP are needed. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of a progressive lateral step-up test on prefrontal cortex (PFC) hemodynamic activity in children with CP.

A Novel Effective and Safe Vaccine for Prevention of Marek's Disease Caused by Infection with a Very Virulent Plus (vv+) Marek's Disease Virus.

Marek's disease virus (MDV) is a highly contagious alphaherpesvirus that causes rapid onset lymphoma in chickens. Marek's disease (MD) is effectively controlled using vaccination; however, MDV continues to break through vaccinal immunity, due to the emergence of highly virulent field strains. Earlier studies revealed that deletion of the gene from MDV resulted in an attenuated virus that protects against MD in chickens challenged with highly virulent field strains.

Marek's Disease Virus Cluster 3 miRNAs Restrict Virus' Early Cytolytic Replication and Pathogenesis.

Herpesvirus-encoded microRNAs (miRNAs) have been discovered in infected cells; however, lack of a suitable animal model has hampered functional analyses of viral miRNAs in vivo. Marek's disease virus (MDV) ( 2, GaHV-2) genome contains 14 miRNA precursors, which encode 26 mature miRNAs, grouped into three clusters. In this study, the role of MDV-encoded cluster 3 miRNAs, also known as mdv1-miR-M8-M10, in pathogenesis was evaluated in chickens, the natural host of MDV.

Role of Marek's Disease Virus (MDV)-Encoded U3 Serine/Threonine Protein Kinase in Regulating MDV Meq and Cellular CREB Phosphorylation.

Marek's disease (MD) is a neoplastic disease of chickens caused by Marek's disease virus (MDV), a member of the subfamily Like other alphaherpesviruses, MDV encodes a serine/threonine protein kinase, U3. The functions of U3 have been extensively studied in other alphaherpesviruses; however, the biological functions of MDV U3 and its substrates have not been studied in detail. In this study, we investigated potential cellular pathways that are regulated by MDV U3 and identified chicken CREB (chCREB) as a substrate of MDV U3.

Assessment of caregiver burden of patients receiving dialysis treatment in Rawalpindi.

Objective: To determine the burden on the caregivers of patients receiving dialysis treatment.

Methods: This cross-sectional study was carried out in four different dialysis centres of Rawalpindi, Pakistan, from June 1 to December1, 2015, and comprised attendants of patients receiving dialysis. The data was collected from the attendants of patients receiving dialysis, and caregiver burden was measured using the Zarit Burden Interview questionnaire.

Augmentation of oral submucous fibrosis by NSAIDs in the presence of risk factors.

Various Risk factors initiate Submucous fibrosis which may be augmented by NSAIDs. A number of animal studies on their mechanism indirectly support it especially regarding alterations in prostaglandin synthesis. This study has been designed to find association of these drugs with Oral Submucous fibrosis in the presence of risk factors.

Acute Renal Failure in the Neonate.

Acute renal failure (ARF) in a neonate is a serious condition that impacts 8% to 24% of hospitalized neonates. There is a need for prompt evaluation and treatment to avoid additional complications. In this review, a neonate was found to have renal failure associated with renal vein thrombosis.

Vein of Galen Arteriovenous Malformation in a Neonate.

The vein of Galen is the most common type of arteriovenous malformation in the fetus and neonate. Most vein of Galen arteriovenous malformations (VGAMs) are diagnosed in the neonatal period, with the remainder being identified in early childhood, typically via computed tomography scan. The VGAM is found in five different patterns where the vein of Galen and straight sinus extending to the torcula Herophili are dilated.

Cloning of a very virulent plus, 686 strain of Marek's disease virus as a bacterial artificial chromosome.

Bacterial artificial chromosome (BAC) vectors were first developed to facilitate propagation and manipulation of large DNA fragments. This technology was later used to clone full-length genomes of large DNA viruses to study viral gene function. Marek's disease virus (MDV) is a highly oncogenic herpesvirus that causes rapid induction of T-cell lymphomas in chickens.

Deletion of Marek's disease virus large subunit of ribonucleotide reductase impairs virus growth in vitro and in vivo.

Marek's disease virus (MDV), a highly cell-associated lymphotropic alphaherpesvirus, is the causative agent of a neoplastic disease in domestic chickens called Marek's disease (MD). In the unique long (UL) region of the MDV genome, open reading frames UL39 and UL40 encode the large and small subunits of the ribonucleotide reductase (RR) enzyme, named RR1 and RR2, respectively. MDV RR is distinguishable from that present in chicken and duck cells by monoclonal antibody T81.

Phylogeography and evolutionary history of reassortant H9N2 viruses with potential human health implications.

Avian influenza viruses of the H9N2 subtype have seriously affected the poultry industry of the Far and Middle East since the mid-1990s and are considered one of the most likely candidates to cause a new influenza pandemic in humans. To understand the genesis and epidemiology of these viruses, we investigated the spatial and evolutionary dynamics of complete genome sequences of H9N2 viruses circulating in nine Middle Eastern and Central Asian countries from 1998 to 2010. We identified four distinct and cocirculating groups (A, B, C, and D), each of which has undergone widespread inter- and intrasubtype reassortments, leading to the generation of viruses with unknown biological properties.

Isolation and identification of highly pathogenic avian influenza virus subtype H5N1 in peafowl (Pavo cristatus).

An outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) virus subtype H5N1 was first diagnosed in a "backyard" flock of peafowl (Pavo cristatus) raised on palace premises in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in December 3, 2007. The flock consisted of 40 peafowl, and their ages ranged from 3 to 5 years old. Affected birds suffered from depression, anorexia, and white diarrhea.

Epidemic outbreaks, diagnostics, and control measures of the H5N1 highly pathogenic avian influenza in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, 2007-08.

The first outbreak of H5N1 highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) occurred in two "backyard" flocks of Houbara bustards and falcons in February 2007. Subsequent outbreaks were seen through the end of 2007 in "backyard" birds including native chickens, ostriches, turkeys, ducks, and peacocks. From November 2007 through January 2008, H5N1 HPAI outbreaks occurred in 19 commercial poultry premises, including two broiler breeder farms, one layer breeder farm, one ostrich farm, and 15 commercial layer farms, with approximately 4.

Isolation and identification of highly pathogenic avian influenza H5N1 virus from Houbara bustards (Chlamydotis undulata macqueenii) and contact falcons.

Highly pathogenic influenza virus (HPAIV) H5N1 has caused mortality and morbidity in many species of domestic and wild bird. The Houbara bustard (Chlamydotis undulata macqueenii) is a solitary bird that inhabits semi-desert regions. It is known to be susceptible to avianpox, avian paramyxovirus type 1, and low-pathogenicity avian influenza H9N2.

Co-circulation of two sublineages of HPAI H5N1 virus in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia with unique molecular signatures suggesting separate introductions into the commercial poultry and falconry sectors.

Since early 2007, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) has experienced several highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) H5N1 outbreaks in the falconry and poultry sectors. The public health threat associated with peculiar husbandry systems, requiring close contact between humans and birds of prey, highlights the need of an improved understanding of the epidemiology and of the viral characteristics of H5N1 viruses circulating in the region. Here we report molecular and phylogenetic analyses of H5N1 viruses isolated in the KSA in 2007 in distinct compartments of avian husbandry.