Developmental dysfunction in a preclinical model of Kcnq2 developmental and epileptic encephalopathy.

Background: Developmental and epileptic encephalopathies (DEE) are rare but severe neurodevelopmental disorders characterised by early-onset seizures often combined with developmental delay, behavioural and cognitive deficits. Treatment for DEEs is currently limited to seizure control and provides no benefits to the patients' developmental and cognitive outcomes. Genetic variants are the most common cause of DEE with KCNQ2 being one of the most frequently identified disease-causing genes.

At-home Administration of Opioid Analgesia in Children After Reduction of Forearm Fracture.

Objective: Controversy exists surrounding which agents best provide analgesia in children with fractures. Prior studies have demonstrated that ED visits for fracture-related pain have the highest rates of opioid prescribing. Studies have also found that NSAIDs are equivalent at controlling acute fracture-related pain.

The impact of odor-reward memory on chemotaxis in larval Drosophila.

How do animals adaptively integrate innate with learned behavioral tendencies? We tackle this question using chemotaxis as a paradigm. Chemotaxis in the Drosophila larva largely results from a sequence of runs and oriented turns. Thus, the larvae minimally need to determine (i) how fast to run, (ii) when to initiate a turn, and (iii) where to direct a turn.

Patterns of injury and management of children with pelvic fractures at a non-trauma center.

Background: Pelvic injuries in young children are rare, and it has been difficult to establish clinical guidelines to assist providers in managing blunt pelvic trauma, especially in non-Level 1 trauma centers.

Objective: Our aim was to describe the relationship among clinical findings, mechanism of injury, and the radiographic resources utilized in children with pelvic fractures presenting to a non-Level 1 trauma center.

Methods: A retrospective review of patients with a pelvic fracture treated in two urban pediatric Level 3 emergency departments was performed.

Ovarian Torsion in Pediatric Patients: A Review of Eleven Years' Experience.

Objectives. To examine associated clinical features and evaluate published criteria regarding volumetric diagnosis of ovarian torsion (OT). Methods.

Does age affect analgesia provision at discharge among children with long bone fractures requiring emergency care?

Background: Inadequate treatment of painful conditions in children is a significant and complex problem. The wide range of cognitive abilities associated with a child's age is a particular challenge for providers treating children with painful conditions.

Study Objective: To examine the effect of patient age on the provision of analgesic medicines at discharge in children treated emergently for a long bone fracture.

Childhood death attributable to trauma: is there a difference between accidental and abusive fatal injuries?

Background: Trauma is a leading cause of death among children worldwide. Detailed knowledge of the epidemiology of childhood fatal injuries is necessary for preventing injuries.

Objective: To determine clinical differences between children who were treated in an emergency department for accidental or abusive injuries.

Race, ethnicity, and analgesia provision at discharge among children with long-bone fractures requiring emergency care.

Background: Inadequate treatment of painful conditions in children is a significant and complex problem. The objective of this study was to examine the effect of race/ethnicity on the provision of analgesic medicines at discharge in children treated emergently for a long-bone fracture.

Methods: A retrospective review of all patients during a 1-year period with a long-bone fracture treated in 2 urban pediatric emergency departments was performed.

Navigational efficiency of nocturnal Myrmecia ants suffers at low light levels.

Insects face the challenge of navigating to specific goals in both bright sun-lit and dim-lit environments. Both diurnal and nocturnal insects use quite similar navigation strategies. This is despite the signal-to-noise ratio of the navigational cues being poor at low light conditions.

Pediatric lateral patellar dislocation: is there a role for plain radiography in the emergency department?

Background: Osteochondral fractures are reported to complicate patellar dislocations in 5-95% of patients. For this reason, post-reduction radiographs are recommended for the routine evaluation of patellar dislocations in all patients. To date, no data have been reported regarding the impact plain radiography has on the Emergency Department (ED) management of pediatric patients with lateral patellar dislocations.

Anterior shoulder dislocations in pediatric patients: are routine prereduction radiographs necessary?

Background: Fractures are reported to complicate anterior shoulder dislocations in up to 50% of adults. For this reason, prereduction and postreduction radiographs are recommended for the routine evaluation of shoulder dislocations in all patients. To date, few data have been reported as to the incidence of fractures or as to the value of prereduction x-rays in pediatric patients with anterior shoulder dislocations.

Traumatic deaths in children: is there a difference between urban and rural populations?

Objective: Trauma is a leading cause of death among children. Detailed knowledge of the epidemiology of traumatic childhood deaths is necessary for allocating available treatment resources and for preventing injuries at both community and regional levels. To our knowledge, there has been no report comparing urban to rural pediatric deaths of this nature.

Which management strategy do parents prefer for their head-injured child: immediate computed tomography scan or observation?

Objective: The objectives of this study were to determine which method of head injury evaluation, immediate computed tomography (CT) or observation, parents would prefer for their child when given the opportunity to make an informed decision and to determine factors influencing preference.

Methods: Parents of head-injured children 2 years or older who presented to a pediatric emergency department were eligible. After triage evaluation, and before physician assessment, research assistants presented educational materials regarding the method, risks, and benefits of both immediate CT and observation.

Ethnicity and reported pain scores among children with long-bone fractures requiring emergency care.

Objectives: Previous studies have shown that regular pain measurement improves pain management. As the diversity of patients seeking emergency care continues to grow, a better understanding of the potential differences in pain perception and analgesic needs among various cultural groups will be required. The purpose of this study was to describe the differences in pain scores reported among ethnic groups treated for a long-bone fracture.

Incidental findings on computed tomography scans in children with mild head trauma.

Background: Computed tomography (CT) scans are frequently used in managing traumatic brain injuries in children.

Objective: To assess incidental findings in children with head trauma undergoing CT scan and to describe any associated clinical ramifications.

Materials And Methods: Retrospective review of 524 children treated in 2 emergency departments for closed head injury who received a CT scan.

Nondepressed linear skull fractures in children younger than 2 years: is computed tomography always necessary?

Background: Current recommendations are that young children with a skull fracture following head injury undergo computed tomography (CT) examination of their head to exclude significant intracranial injury. Recent reports, however, have raised concern that radiation exposure from CT scanning may cause malignancies.

Objective: To estimate the proportion of children with nondisplaced linear skull fractures who have clinically significant intracranial injury.

How well does serum bicarbonate concentration predict the venous pH in children being evaluated for diabetic ketoacidosis?

Objective: The objective of the study was to determine whether serum bicarbonate (HCO₃) concentration can accurately predict venous pH in the evaluation of diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA).

Methods: A retrospective review of patients who presented to a children's hospital emergency department and received an International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision code related to DKA or diabetes mellitus was performed. To be eligible for inclusion and data abstraction, patients had blood sampled simultaneously for venous blood gas and metabolic panel.

Different effects of temperature on foraging activity schedules in sympatric Myrmecia ants.

Animals avoid temperatures that constrain foraging by restricting activity to specific times of the day or year. However, because temperature alters the availability of food resources, it is difficult to separate temperature-dependent effects on foraging and the occupation of temporal niches. By studying two congeneric, sympatric Myrmecia ants we isolated the effect of temperature and investigated whether temperature affects foraging schedules and causes the two ants to be active at distinct times of the day or year.

Utilization of emergency ultrasound in pediatric emergency departments.

Objectives: This study aimed to determine the utilization of emergency ultrasound (EUS) in pediatric emergency departments (EDs) and in pediatric emergency medicine (PEM) fellowship training programs and to assess if PEM fellowship programs provided formal training in EUS.

Methods: A Web-based survey was administered to pediatric emergency medical directors, fellowship directors, and graduating fellows.

Results: A response was received from 60% of individuals and 68% of institutions.

Polarised skylight and the landmark panorama provide night-active bull ants with compass information during route following.

Navigating animals are known to use a number of celestial and terrestrial compass cues that allow them to determine and control their direction of travel. Which of the cues dominate appears to depend on their salience. Here we show that night-active bull ants attend to both the pattern of polarised skylight and the landmark panorama in their familiar habitat.

Caste-specific visual adaptations to distinct daily activity schedules in Australian Myrmecia ants.

Animals are active at different times of the day and their activity schedules are shaped by competition, time-limited food resources and predators. Different temporal niches provide different light conditions, which affect the quality of visual information available to animals, in particular for navigation. We analysed caste-specific differences in compound eyes and ocelli in four congeneric sympatric species of Myrmecia ants, with emphasis on within-species adaptive flexibility and daily activity rhythms.

The twilight zone: ambient light levels trigger activity in primitive ants.

Many animals become active during twilight, a narrow time window where the properties of the visual environment are dramatically different from both day and night. Despite the fact that many animals including mammals, reptiles, birds and insects become active in this specific temporal niche, we do not know what cues trigger this activity. To identify the onset of specific temporal niches, animals could anticipate the timing of regular events or directly measure environmental variables.

Are serial brain imaging scans required for children who have suffered acute intracranial injury secondary to blunt head trauma?

In most instances, infants and children with moderate to severe head trauma undergo a head computed tomography (CT) scan as part of their initial evaluation. Several authors have advocated a routine second head CT after traumatic brain injury (TBI) to identify progressive lesions that may require surgical intervention. However, recent studies have challenged the need for a routine second brain imaging study after TBI.

Parental preference for rehydration method for children in the emergency department.

Objective: To determine which rehydration method, oral or intravenous, parents would choose for their child when given the opportunity to make an informed decision and to determine factors influencing preference.

Methods: Parents of children, aged 6 months to 5 years, who presented to a pediatric emergency department with a chief complaint of vomiting and/or diarrhea were eligible. After triage evaluation and before physician assessment, research assistants presented educational materials regarding the method, risks, and benefits of both oral and intravenous rehydration.

Rehydration: role for early use of intravenous dextrose.

Acute gastroenteritis is a common reason for children to seek health care. Among the potential complications of acute gastroenteritis, the most common is dehydration. For mild to moderate dehydration, treatment options include oral and intravenous rehydration.