Headache in school children: prevalence and risk factors.

Background: Recurrent headache is a common problem in school children. Evaluation generally leads to the diagnosis of a primary headache syndrome (migraine or tension-type headache). This review is addressed to the question whether headaches in school children are becoming more common and, if so, what risk factors are associated with the rise in frequency.

Comparison of the pedalling performance induced by magnetic and electrical stimulation cycle ergometry in able-bodied subjects.

The purpose of the study was to compare the mechanical power and work generated by able-bodied subjects during functional magnetic stimulation (FMS) vs. functional electrical stimulation (FES) induced ergometer training conditions. Both stimulation methods were applied at a 30 Hz frequency to the quadriceps muscles of 22 healthy able-bodied subjects to induce cycling for 4× four minutes or until exhaustion.

Model of dynamic self-assembly in ferromagnetic suspensions at liquid interfaces.

Ferromagnetic microparticles suspended at the interface between immiscible liquids and energized by an external alternating magnetic field show a rich variety of self-assembled structures, from linear snakes to radial asters. In order to obtain insight into the fundamental physical mechanisms and the overall balance of forces governing self-assembly, we develop a modeling approach based on analytical solutions of the time-averaged Navier-Stokes equations. These analytical expressions for the self-consistent hydrodynamic flows are then employed to modify effective interactions between the particles, which in turn are formulated in terms of the time-averaged quantities.

Zigzag transitions and nonequilibrium pattern formation in colloidal chains.

Paramagnetic colloidal particles that are optically trapped in a linear array can form a zigzag pattern when an external magnetic field induces repulsive interparticle interactions. When the traps are abruptly turned off, the particles form a nonequilibrium expanding pattern with a zigzag symmetry, even when the strength of the magnetic interaction is weaker than that required to break the linear symmetry of the equilibrium state. We show that the transition to the equilibrium zigzag state is always potentially possible for purely harmonic traps.

A novel framework for exploratory analysis of highly variable morphology of migrating epithelial cells.

Migratory cells, for example human retinal epithelial (RPE) cells, exhibit highly variable morphology. This makes it difficult to use traditional methods, such as the landmark based Procrustes analysis or feature based analysis, to quantitatively represent their shapes. We propose a novel framework to generate a low-dimensional representation of highly variable cell shapes.

Lovastatin improves impaired synaptic plasticity and phasic alertness in patients with neurofibromatosis type 1.

Background: Neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) is one of the most common genetic disorders causing learning disabilities by mutations in the neurofibromin gene, an important inhibitor of the RAS pathway. In a mouse model of NF1, a loss of function mutation of the neurofibromin gene resulted in increased gamma aminobutyric acid (GABA)-mediated inhibition which led to decreased synaptic plasticity and deficits in attentional performance. Most importantly, these defictis were normalized by lovastatin.

Successful long-term control of lymphomatous meningitis with intraventricular rituximab.

Most primary central nervous system lymphomas (PCNSL) are highly malignant B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphomas. First-line therapy consists of high-dose methotrexate-based chemotherapy with or without whole brain radiotherapy. However, no standard of care is defined for refractory or recurrent PCNSL.

Rehabilitation outcome of patients with severe and prolonged disorders of consciousness after aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (aSAH).

Objectives: Our objectives were to evaluate rehabilitation outcome of aSAH survivors with severe disorders of consciousness (DOC) and to examine potential predictors of long-term outcome. Severe DOC includes patients in a vegetative state (VS) and in a minimally conscious state (MCS).

Patients And Methods: This is a retrospective single-center cohort study of consecutive aSAH patients with severe and prolonged DOC upon admission to neurorehabilitation.

Correlation of headache frequency and psychosocial impairment in migraine: a cross-sectional study.

Objective: To investigate if a headache frequency of 15 days per month constitutes a turning point in the psychosocial impairment associated with migraine.

Background: Migraine is differentiated into episodic and chronic forms based on a headache frequency criterion (< vs ≥15 headache days per month). It is presently not clear if this criterion represents a clinically and pathophysiologically meaningful turning point of the disease.

Randomized, multicenter trial to assess the efficacy, safety and tolerability of a single dose of a novel AMPA receptor antagonist BGG492 for the treatment of acute migraine attacks.

Background: Glutamate is implicated in migraine pathophysiology; amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazole propionic acid (AMPA) receptor antagonists represent a potential therapeutic approach because of their anti-excitatory actions.

Methods: This randomized, double-blind, proof-of-concept study assessed the efficacy of the AMPA receptor antagonist, BGG492 (250 mg), vs placebo and sumatriptan (100 mg), in 75 subjects with acute migraine attacks. Efficacy was measured using the Patient Migraine Diary.

Coordination of adjacent domains mediates TACC3-ch-TOG-clathrin assembly and mitotic spindle binding.

A complex of transforming acidic coiled-coil protein 3 (TACC3), colonic and hepatic tumor overexpressed gene (ch-TOG), and clathrin has been implicated in mitotic spindle assembly and in the stabilization of kinetochore fibers by cross-linking microtubules. It is unclear how this complex binds microtubules and how the proteins in the complex interact with one another. TACC3 and clathrin have each been proposed to be the spindle recruitment factor.

Signatures of nonlinearity in single cell noise-induced oscillations.

A class of theoretical models seeks to explain rhythmic single cell data by postulating that they are generated by intrinsic noise in biochemical systems whose deterministic models exhibit only damped oscillations. The main features of such noise-induced oscillations are quantified by the power spectrum which measures the dependence of the oscillatory signal's power with frequency. In this paper we derive an approximate closed-form expression for the power spectrum of any monostable biochemical system close to a Hopf bifurcation, where noise-induced oscillations are most pronounced.

Age-related differences in the stabilization of important task variables in reaching movements.

Empirical evidence suggests that the ability to stabilize important task variables of everyday movements by synergistically coordinating redundant degrees of freedom decreases with aging. The aim of the current study was to investigate whether this decrease may be regarded as a characteristic that also applies for the control of multiple task variables. We asked younger and older subjects to repeatedly reach towards and grasp a handle, while joint angle movement of the arm was recorded.

Rehabilitation outcome of anoxic-ischaemic encephalopathy survivors with prolonged disorders of consciousness.

Objectives: To examine the natural clinical course of patients admitted to inpatient neurorehabilitation in a coma, vegetative state (VS), or minimally conscious state (MCS) after anoxic-ischaemic encephalopathy (AIE).

Methods: This is a retrospective cohort study of 113 consecutive patients admitted to a German inpatient neurorehabilitation centre with severe disorders of consciousness (DOC) following AIE due to cardiac arrest over a 6-year period. Functional independence was measured with the Glasgow Outcome Scale (GOS) and recovery of consciousness with the Coma Remission Scale (CRS).

Expression of B-cell activating factor, a proliferating inducing ligand and its receptors in primary central nervous system lymphoma.

B-cell activating factor belonging to the tumor necrosis factor family (BAFF) and a proliferating inducing ligand (APRIL) might play an important role in the pathogenesis of systemic B-cell malignancies. However, the BAFF/APRIL system has not been systematically evaluated in primary central nervous system lymphoma (PCNSL) to date. We assessed the expression of BAFF, APRIL and its receptors BAFF-R (BAFF receptor), BCMA (B-cell maturation antigen) and TACI (transmembrane activator and calcium modulator cyclophilin ligand interactor) in five PCNSL specimens by immunohistochemical staining.

Viscosity control of the dynamic self-assembly in ferromagnetic suspensions.

Recent studies of dynamic self-assembly in ferromagnetic colloids suspended in liquid-air or liquid-liquid interfaces revealed a rich variety of dynamic structures ranging from linear snakes to axisymmetric asters, which exhibit novel morphology of the magnetic ordering accompanied by large-scale hydrodynamic flows. Based on controlled experiments and first principles theory, we argue that the transition from snakes to asters is governed by the viscosity of the suspending liquid where less viscous liquids favor snakes and more viscous, asters. By obtaining analytic solutions of the time-averaged Navier-Stokes equations, we gain insight into the role of mean hydrodynamic flows and an overall balance of forces governing the self-assembly.

Early cranioplasty may improve outcome in neurological patients with decompressive craniectomy.

Primary Objective: Decompressive craniectomy is an effective therapy to relieve intractable intracranial hypertension following acute brain injury. However, little is known about the optimal timing for cranioplasties in the sub-acute phase. The objective of the present study was to analyse the effect of cranioplasty timing on neurological outcomes.

Period prevalence of self-reported headache in the general population in Germany from 1995-2005 and 2009: results from annual nationwide population-based cross-sectional surveys.

Background: Although primary headache is the most frequent neurological disorder and there is some evidence that the prevalence rates have increased in recent years, no long-term data on the annual prevalence of headache are available for Germany. The objective of the study was therefore to obtain long-term data on the period prevalence of headache in the general population in Germany by means of population-based cross-sectional annual surveys (1995-2005 and 2009).

Methods: These surveys were conducted as face-to-face paper-and-pencil interviews from 1995 through 2004, and from 2005 onwards as computer-aided personal interviews.

Mechanical properties of doubly stabilized microtubule filaments.

Microtubules are cytoskeletal filaments responsible for cell morphology and intracellular organization. Their dynamical and mechanical properties are regulated through the nucleotide state of the tubulin dimers and the binding of drugs and/or microtubule-associated proteins. Interestingly, microtubule-stabilizing factors have differential effects on microtubule mechanics, but whether stabilizers have cumulative effects on mechanics or whether one effect dominates another is not clear.

Rehabilitation outcome of unconscious traumatic brain injury patients.

Outcome prediction of traumatic brain injury (TBI) patients with severe disorders of consciousness (DOC) at the end of their time in an intensive care setting is important for clinical decision making and counseling of relatives, and constitutes a major challenge. Even the question of what constitutes an improved outcome is controversially discussed. We have conducted a retrospective cohort study for the rehabilitation dynamics and outcome of TBI patients with DOC.

MRI evidence for altered venous drainage and intracranial compliance in mild traumatic brain injury.

Purpose: To compare venous drainage patterns and associated intracranial hydrodynamics between subjects who experienced mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) and age- and gender-matched controls.

Methods: Thirty adult subjects (15 with mTBI and 15 age- and gender-matched controls) were investigated using a 3T MR scanner. Time since trauma was 0.

When during horizontal saccades in monkey does cerebellar output affect movement?

The caudal part of the cerebellar fastigial nucleus (CFN) influences the horizontal component of saccades. Previous reports show that activity in the CFN contralateral to saccade direction aids saccade acceleration and that activity in the ipsilateral CFN aids saccade deceleration. Here we refine this description by characterizing how blocking CFN activity changes the distance that the eye rotates during each of 4 phases of saccades, the increasing and decreasing saccade acceleration (phases 1 and 2) and deceleration (3 and 4).