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The first twelve months of an infant's life are the most dynamic time in the development of motor activities. Water activities can positively stimulate the motor skills, visual perception, and cognitive abilities of infants. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the motor development of infants aged 3–12 months participating in water activities. Participants in the study included 43 infants aged 3–12 months who attended water activities classes at Warsaw City swimming pools (n = 21) and infants not attending any classes (n = 22). Two methods of assessing motor development were used in the study: the Alberta Infant Motor Scale (AIMS) and the Early Motor Development Questionnaire (EMQ). The raw scores of the AIMS test and the EMQ questionnaire were statistically significantly different (p < 0.05) in both groups between the first and second examinations. In contrast, there was a statistically significant improvement in motor development measured by AIMS and expressed in percentiles (p = 0.002) and in percentiles for Polish children (p = 0.030) in the water group. The age-independent total score of the EMQ before and after the intervention did not change significantly (p = 0.149). The water environment has the potential to support the motor development of infants aged 3–12 months. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: L-dopa (Levodopa) is well known for managing PD (Parkinson’s disease); however, its prolonged use caused dyskinesia (LID). Due to the varied presentation of LID, effective treatment options are scarce. Flavonoids reported their neuroprotective activity by ameliorating acetylcholinesterase, monoamine oxidase, and neuroinflammation. Kaempferol is another flavonoid bearing these potentials. Aim: To evaluate neuroprotective activity of kaempferol in dyskinetic rats. Methods: PD was developed in Sprague-Dawley rats by injecting combination of L-ascorbic acid (10 µL) + 6-OHDA (12 µg) in medial forebrain bundle to induce neuronal damage in substantial nigra (SNr). LID was induced by administrating combination of L-dopa (20 mg/kg) + benserazide HCl (5 mg/kg) for 42 days. Rats were concomitantly treated with amantadine (40 mg/kg) or kaempferol (25, 50, and 100 mg/kg, p.o.). Results: Kaempferol (50 and 100 mg/kg) markedly (p < 0.05) inhibited LID-induced abnormal involuntary movements (AIMs) and alternation in motor function. Kaempferol administration considerably (p < 0.05) inhibited reduced mitochondrial complex activities, serotonin and dopamine levels, Bcl-2, and Tyrosine hydroxylase protein expressions in SNr. Additionally, kaempferol considerably (p < 0.05) attenuated increased cFOS, FosB, Parkin, and Pdyn mRNAs expressions, Bax, cleaved caspase-3, caspase-3, and pJNK proteins levels; DOPAC and 5-HIAA levels in SNr. A positive correlation was reported between cFOS, FosB, Parkin, Pdyn, apoptosis, and TH with AIMs. Conclusion: Kaempferol effectively attenuated L-dopa-induced AIMs and dyskinesia via amelioration of alterations in cFOS, FosB, Parkin, Pdyn, Tyrosine hydroxylase, and apoptosis in the brain SNr. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The major crises of the contemporary world make it all the more important for the teaching of history to all students, but at the same time require a renewal of its aims and rationale. After outlining the societal challenges we face at the start of the 21st century, and those that lie ahead for the generations to come, this contribution considers and supports five functions of school history that could serve to address them: the discovery of the strangeness and difference of the past; the explanation of what is observed on the basis of plural documentation; the protection of traces and memories, particularly the most fragile and hidden; the inclusion of all human groups in the narratives and reflections, by crossing their points of view; and the idea of defatalizing history by examining the experiences and room for action of men and women of the past in their present, its uncertainties and possibilities.

The first twelve months of an infant’s life are the most dynamic time in the development of motor activities. Water activities can positively stimulate the motor skills, visual perception, and cognitive abilities of infants. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the motor development of infants aged 3–12 months participating in water activities. Participants in the study included 43 infants aged 3–12 months who attended water activities classes at Warsaw City swimming pools (n = 21) and infants not attending any classes (n = 22). Two methods of assessing motor development were used in the study: the Alberta Infant Motor Scale (AIMS) and the Early Motor Development Questionnaire (EMQ). The raw scores of the AIMS test and the EMQ questionnaire were statistically significantly different (p < 0.05) in both groups between the first and second examinations. In contrast, there was a statistically significant improvement in motor development measured by AIMS and expressed in percentiles (p = 0.002) and in percentiles for Polish children (p = 0.030) in the water group. The age-independent total score of the EMQ before and after the intervention did not change significantly (p = 0.149). The water environment has the potential to support the motor development of infants aged 3–12 months.

This paper systematises knowledge of public participation by bringing together existing concepts and theories from planning literature to conceptualise the 3A 3 -framework of participation. The framework presents participation as an emergent phenomenon, shaped by the dimensions: actors, arenas and aims. Each of these dimensions consists of three interacting elements. The framework highlights interdependencies between these elements and reflects them in the light of their embeddedness in planning processes and the wider social, cultural, political, spatial and temporal context. The framework can be used to gain a better understanding of what constitutes the phenomenon of participation. It enables the reflection of different forms of participation and contributes to more nuanced, and context-sensitive conceptions of and approaches to public participation in planning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Drug-induced movement disorders affect a significant percentage of individuals, and they are commonly overlooked and underdiagnosed in clinical practice. Many comorbidities can affect these individuals, making the diagnosis even more challenging. Several variables, including genetics, environmental factors, and aging, can play a role in the pathophysiology of these conditions. The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) and the International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems (ICD) are the most commonly used classification systems in categorizing drug-induced movement disorders. This literature review aims to describe the abnormal movements associated with some medications and illicit drugs. Myoclonus is probably the most poorly described movement disorder, in which most of the reports do not describe electrodiagnostic studies. Therefore, the information available is insufficient for the diagnosis of the neuroanatomical source of myoclonus. Drug-induced parkinsonism is rarely adequately evaluated but should be assessed with radiotracers when these techniques are available. Tardive dyskinesias and dyskinesias encompass various abnormal movements, including chorea, athetosis, and ballism. Some authors include a temporal relationship to define tardive syndromes for other movement disorders, such as dystonia, tremor, and ataxia. Antiseizure medications and antipsychotics are among the most thoroughly described drug classes associated with movement disorders.

The term extrapyramidal disorders is most often used for conditions such as Parkinson's disease or Huntington's disease, but also refers to a group of extrapyramidal side effects of antipsychotics (EPS), such as tardive dyskinesia (TD). After a brief description of some clinical features of TD, this article summarizes the relatively scarce results of research on a possible link between mainly cytokine levels and TD. This data was found by systematically searching Pubmed and Embase. The limitations of these types of studies are a major obstacle to interpretation. After describing relevant aspects of the neuroinflammatory response and the neuroanatomical backgrounds of EPS, a new hypothesis for the origin of TD is presented with emphasis on dysfunctions in the striosomal compartment of the striatum and the dorsal diencephalic connection system (DDCS). It is postulated that (partly immunologically-induced) increase in oxidative stress and the dopamine-dependent immune response in classic TD proceed primarily via the DDCS, which itself is activated from evolutionarily older parts of the forebrain. Neuroinflammatory responses in the choroid plexus of the third ventricle may contribute due to its proximity to the habenula. It is concluded that direct evidence for a possible role of inflammatory processes in the mechanism of TD is still lacking because research on this is still too much of a niche, but there are indications that warrant further investigation.

As of July 2020, the United States’ Identification Friend or Foe Identifier (IFF) stopped operating the 40-year-old secrecy algorithm Mode-4. Following its termination, Mode 5, which provides improved security performance, jamming response, and GPS location information, has been applied. Herein, we present the function design of the IFF system and the procedures, contents, and test results related to the AIMS PO (Air traffic control radar Beacon system, identification friend or foe, Mark XII/XIIA, systems program office) certification test for the IFF system within the CSR (coastal surveillance radar)-II system. The AIMS certification test, including the stability and interface verification of the CSR-II system with a Mode 5 function, was performed, and the certification letter was received from the US AIMS PO. We present the procedure and practical knowledge of the CSR-II mode 5 platform certification test for reducing business risk when developing a weapon system using Mode 5 and present an excellent test case for platform certification acquisition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Drug-induced movement disorders affect a significant percentage of individuals, and they are commonly overlooked and underdiagnosed in clinical practice. Many comorbidities can affect these individuals, making the diagnosis even more challenging. Several variables, including genetics, environmental factors, and aging, can play a role in the pathophysiology of these conditions. The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) and the International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems (ICD) are the most commonly used classification systems in categorizing drug-induced movement disorders. This literature review aims to describe the abnormal movements associated with some medications and illicit drugs. Myoclonus is probably the most poorly described movement disorder, in which most of the reports do not describe electrodiagnostic studies. Therefore, the information available is insufficient for the diagnosis of the neuroanatomical source of myoclonus. Drug-induced parkinsonism is rarely adequately evaluated but should be assessed with radiotracers when these techniques are available. Tardive dyskinesias and dyskinesias encompass various abnormal movements, including chorea, athetosis, and ballism. Some authors include a temporal relationship to define tardive syndromes for other movement disorders, such as dystonia, tremor, and ataxia. Antiseizure medications and antipsychotics are among the most thoroughly described drug classes associated with movement disorders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Economic & Political Thought / Myśl Ekonomiczna & Polityczna is the property of Lazarski University and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

ABCC9‐related intellectual disability and myopathy syndrome (AIMS) arises from loss‐of‐function (LoF) mutations in the ABCC9 gene, which encodes the SUR2 subunit of ATP‐sensitive potassium (KATP) channels. KATP channels are found throughout the cardiovascular system and skeletal muscle and couple cellular metabolism to excitability. AIMS individuals show fatigability, muscle spasms, and cardiac dysfunction. We found reduced exercise performance in mouse models of AIMS harboring premature stop codons in ABCC9. Given the roles of KATP channels in all muscles, we sought to determine how myopathy arises using tissue‐selective suppression of KATP and found that LoF in skeletal muscle, specifically, underlies myopathy. In isolated muscle, SUR2 LoF results in abnormal generation of unstimulated forces, potentially explaining painful spasms in AIMS. We sought to determine whether excessive Ca2+ influx through CaV1.1 channels was responsible for myopathology but found that the Ca2+ channel blocker verapamil unexpectedly resulted in premature death of AIMS mice and that rendering CaV1.1 channels nonpermeable by mutation failed to reverse pathology; results which caution against the use of calcium channel blockers in AIMS. Synopsis: Loss‐of‐function (LoF) mutation of ABCC9 (SUR2) results in ABCC9‐related intellectual disability and myopathy syndrome (AIMS), characterized by fatigability, spasticity, and cramping. Genetically modified mouse models were used to study the muscle‐delimited effects of KATP LoF. Global SUR2 LoF mutant mice exhibit fatigability and the complete absence of skeletal muscle KATP channels.Skeletal muscle targeted knockdown of KATP channels, using a transgenic dominant‐negative approach, recapitulated the fatigability observed in global SUR2 LoF mice.Isolated muscle from SUR2 LoF mice exhibit increased generation of unstimulated forces during fatigue tests.Systemic administration of the calcium channel blocker verapamil did not improve fatigability and unexpectedly resulted in increased mortality specifically in SUR2 LoF mice.Rendering skeletal muscle CaV1.1 channels non‐permeable by mutation did not improve fatigability or unstimulated force generation in SUR2 LoF mice, suggesting calcium influx through this pathway did not underly pathology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The dominant analytical and programmatic frameworks used when writing about conflict-affected contexts such as Libya in Global Northern academia belong to the interdisciplinary field of peace and conflict studies (PACS). Within this, education is increasingly gaining attention as a tool for building peace and developing social justice. This article is a cautious conceptual exploration of how pragmatism might be a timely intervention in the fields of PACS and peacebuilding education. In particular, the article takes a deeper look at the American philosopher John Dewey's pragmatist approach to politics and education, and his conceptualisations of a context-specific 'public', teachers and enquiry for peaceful and democratic living. Throughout, I argue that a pragmatist philosophy is a worthwhile pedagogical project in a challenging context such as Libya, as it is an internal and ground-up discourse, compared to the often externally initiated and top-down discourses of peacebuilding. I speak as an adjacent and connected critic, because I am both a Libyan and a German researching a problem in my country to which I hope to find possible solutions by engaging with discourses and practices in an academic institution in the Global North. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of ABHATH is the property of ABHATH and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a group of developmental disabilities presenting difficulties in social interaction and language and an increased occurrence of cognitive, sensory, and motor gaps. Early intervention has been reported to improve the function of children with ASD. However, motor screening for children with ASD is difficult, as there are no specific tools for identifying this specific population. This study reports the results of using the Alberta Infant Motor Scale (AIMS), which assesses gross infant motor skills from ages 0 to 18 months, as a screening tool for detecting motor developmental delay (MDD) in small children with ASD. Methods: This retrospective cohort study included all children registered at one health care organization in Israel born between 2011 and 2017 (N = 240,299). Early childhood MDD was defined as having at least one recorded developmental physiotherapy (DPT) visit before the age of 2 years. Reasons for referral to DPT and the results of using AIMS as an appropriate tool for revealing developmental delays in infants with ASD are presented. Results: ASD diagnosis was reported in 1821 children (prevalence rate 0.75%). Of those, 388 (odds ratio 4.1, 95% CI 3.6–4.6) children were referred to DPT. Children with ASD mostly received DPT for motor delays (46.19%), torticollis (19.52%), developmental delay (15.48%), and preterm birth (7.38%). The use of AIMS as an early detection tool suggests that more than 87% of children with ASD and MDD present with a developmental delay or risk for one when using this scale. Conclusions: The prevalence of ASD among children referred to DPT for MDD is higher than its prevalence within the general population. The most common reasons for a child with ASD to be referred for DPT services are MMDs. AIMS was found to be a sensitive tool to pinpoint relevant candidates for ASD screening among children treated in DPT. Possible effects of the study: The use of AIMS as a relevant assessment scale for this group of clients is recommended. Training DPTs in identifying initial ASD signs and developing their clinical reasoning abilities will increase the chance of implementing early intervention with this group of clients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To examine the validity of the Motor Functional Development Scale for Young Children (DF-mot) to predict motor developmental delays in preterm infants. This retrospective cohort study includes 67 preterm infants who were assessed at 3–5 months by the DF-mot and the Alberta Infant Motor Scale (AIMS); and at 22–25 months by the Bayley Scales of Infant-Toddler Development (Bayley-III). The properties of the DF-mot and the AIMS were examined based on their ability to predict motor delays on the Bayley-III. The DF-mot gross motor subscale −2 SD and the AIMS 10th centile showed best balance between sensitivity and specificity (respectively Se = 57.1%, Sp = 71.7% and Se = 50%, Sp = 73.5%). Overall, the DF-mot fine motor subscale fails to predict motor delays. The DF-mot shows a lack of sensitivity and of positive predictive value to accurately predict motor outcome at 2 years in preterm infants. CA, Corrected age; AIMS, Alberta Infant Motor Scale; DF-mot/PML, Motor Functional Development Scale for Young Children postural motor locomotor; DF-mot/EHGC, Motor Functional Development Scale for Young Children eye-hand grip coordination; Bayley-III/GM, Gross motor subscale of the Bayley Scales of Infant-Toddler Development Third Edition; Bayley-III/FM, Fine motor subscale of the Bayley Scales of Infant-Toddler Development Third Edition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract ABCC9‐related intellectual disability and myopathy syndrome (AIMS) arises from loss‐of‐function (LoF) mutations in the ABCC9 gene, which encodes the SUR2 subunit of ATP‐sensitive potassium (KATP) channels. KATP channels are found throughout the cardiovascular system and skeletal muscle and couple cellular metabolism to excitability. AIMS individuals show fatigability, muscle spasms, and cardiac dysfunction. We found reduced exercise performance in mouse models of AIMS harboring premature stop codons in ABCC9. Given the roles of KATP channels in all muscles, we sought to determine how myopathy arises using tissue‐selective suppression of KATP and found that LoF in skeletal muscle, specifically, underlies myopathy. In isolated muscle, SUR2 LoF results in abnormal generation of unstimulated forces, potentially explaining painful spasms in AIMS. We sought to determine whether excessive Ca2+ influx through CaV1.1 channels was responsible for myopathology but found that the Ca2+ channel blocker verapamil unexpectedly resulted in premature death of AIMS mice and that rendering CaV1.1 channels nonpermeable by mutation failed to reverse pathology; results which caution against the use of calcium channel blockers in AIMS.

Abstract Background In The Netherlands, prematurely born infants and their parents are offered regular developmental check-ups in a hospital setting. In line with providing healthcare at distance, the use of video footage showing the infant’s behavior and movements, taken by parents at home and assessed by professionals online, might be a fruitful future practice. The focus of this study was to gain insight into parental experiences with the Alberta Infant Motor Scale home-video method and their appraisal of its applicability for use in an outpatient neonatal follow-up clinic. Method A qualitative descriptive study among parents of healthy extremely or very premature infants (GA 26.2–31.5 weeks) participating in a longitudinal study of motor development between 3–18 months corrected age. Ten semi-structured interviews were conducted and transcribed verbatim. Data was analyzed independently. Inductive content analysis was performed following the process of the AIMS home-video method. Results Parents appraised the AIMS home-video method as manageable and fun to do. Instructions, instruction film, and checklists were clear. Transferring the video footage from their phone to their computer and uploading it to the web portal was sometimes time-consuming. Parents gained a better awareness of their infant’s motor development and found the provided feedback a confirmation of what they already thought about their infant’s development and was reassuring that their child was doing well. First-time parents seemed more uncertain and had a greater need for information about (motor) development, but on the other hand, also had confidence in their child. All parents thought that home-videos can be an addition to follow-up visits, but cannot replace (all) visits. It may be an opportunity to reduce the frequency of hospital visits, while still having their infant monitored. Conclusion Parents appraised the AIMS home-video method positively and are of the opinion that home-videos can be of added value in monitoring infants at risk in neonatal follow-up additional to hospital visits. In future research a user-friendly application and/or platform to exchange video footage safely between parents and professionals should be developed with all possible stakeholders involved and implementation should be explored.

Key digested message An introduction to the Special Group of Independent Practitioners (SGIP), a group specifically for all psychologists working in independent practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Human populations are often highly structured due to differences in genetic ancestry among groups, posing difficulties in associating genes with diseases. Ancestry-informative markers (AIMs) aid in the detection of population stratification and provide an alternative approach to map population-specific alleles to disease. Here, we identify and characterize a novel set of African AIMs that separate populations of African ancestry from other global populations including those of European ancestry.Methods: Using data from the 1000 Genomes Project, highly informative SNP markers from five African subpopulations were selected based on estimates of informativeness (In) and compared against the European population to generate a final set of 46,737 African ancestry-informative markers (AIMs). The AIMs identified were validated using an independent set and functionally annotated using tools like SIFT, PolyPhen. They were also investigated for representation of commonly used SNP arrays.Results: This set of African AIMs effectively separates populations of African ancestry from other global populations and further identifies substructure between populations of African ancestry. When a subset of these AIMs was studied in an independent dataset, they differentiated people who self-identify as African American or Black from those who identify their ancestry as primarily European. Most of the AIMs were found to be in their intergenic and intronic regions with only 0.6% in the coding regions of the genome. Most of the commonly used SNP array investigated contained less than 10% of the AIMs.Discussion: While several functional annotations of both coding and non-coding African AIMs are supported by the literature and linked these high-frequency African alleles to diseases in African populations, more effort is needed to map genes to diseases in these genetically diverse subpopulations. The relative dearth of these African AIMs on current genotyping platforms (the array with the highest fraction, llumina’s Omni 5, harbors less than a quarter of AIMs), further demonstrates a greater need to better represent historically understudied populations.

With the continuous evolution of the computer and internet in the late 20th century, eLearning tools and delivery methods have expanded making it easier for people to learn at home. Seeing its potential as an alternative learning modality, universities and colleges all over the world have taken opportunity of online learning as another mode of instruction. However, this did not come handy to its stakeholders as online learning is also replete with problems. Much to its inherent perplexities, the communication barrier between a teacher and its respective students is one of the prevailing gaps that seem to mostly affect the efficient learning of students. This directed the proponent to explore and focus on the aspects that hinder the effective communication of both the teacher and students in a virtual classroom. Contextualized under the instructional delivery continuum, the researcher analyzed the communication barriers inherent in a virtual classroom utilizing the exploratory sequential mixed-method (ESMM) approach. Underscoring experiences of learners from Asian Institute of Maritime Studies (AIMS), qualitative data was initially gathered from 6 conveniently sampled students through a focus group discussion (FGD). Constant comparative method (CCM) was used in analyzing the data. Four themes emerged on this phase: 1) Lecture/Lesson Proper Problems (LLPP); 2) Assessment Instructional/Material Problems (AIMP); 3) Technology/Software-Related Problems (TSRP); and, 4) Technology Incapacity Problems (TIP). Using the qualitative results as theme constructs in developing the 37-item survey questionnaire, the quantitative phase explored further the communication barriers experienced by a cross-sectional sample of 318 AIMS students. Employing a 4-point Likert scale (1=Strongly Disagree; and, 4=Strongly Agree), mean data revealed the following results: TSRP earned the highest communication barrier problem (M=2.93); followed by LLPP (M=2.89); then AIMP (M=2.73); and, TIP (M=2.41). Based on the results, the respondents expressed two major communication barriers in the instructional delivery of lessons and materials in an online modality. These are online teaching management and technological efficiency. A virtual classroom communication management plan especially anchoring on the two major communication barriers was proposed to be developed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Prematurity remains a leading cause of motor developmental delays. The Alberta Infant Motor Scales (AIMS) is a useful tool to easily assess motor development. However, during the last decade, cross‐cultural differences have been identified regarding the original AIMS norms. Therefore, the aim of this study is twofold: confirm the validity of the AIMS in a preterm population and compare the new Dutch AIMS norms to the original Canadian ones in our Belgian population. Method: Ninety‐six preterm infants were assessed simultaneously on the AIMS and on the Bayley Scales of Infant‐Toddler Development (Bayley‐III) at age 9–14 months. Concurrent validity was evaluated by correlation analysis. Among these, 89 were assessed on the AIMS at age 3–6 months. Clinimetric properties of both AIMS norms were calculated to compare their ability to detect a motor delay on the Bayley‐III at age 9–14 months. Result: Pearson's coefficient showed an excellent level of correlation between the two scales (r = 0.91). At age 3–6 months, only the 10th Canadian centile showed acceptable properties to predict a significant motor delay. At age 9–14 months, the 5th centile of both norms showed good properties to diagnose a significant motor delay, while only the Canadian norms seems to be sensitive enough to diagnose a mild motor delay. Conclusion: The new Dutch norms seem to be less sensitive but more specific than the Canadian ones and therefore require adapted cut‐offs to diagnose motor developmental delays in a preterm population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: It is well recognized that EVs carry many membrane proteins on their surface that can transduce signals to recipient cells and serve as biomarkers/target proteins for the diagnosis /treatment of diseases. Although numerous studies have reported profiling of EV proteins from tumor cells, few efforts have been made to systemically explore tumor cell-derived EV membrane proteins and verify that these membrane proteins are useful plasma biomarkers. The present study explored the EV membrane protein profile in common among CRC cell lines and assessed alterations in the plasma EV proteome of CRC patients compared with healthy subjects. It further identified the plasma EV membrane proteins, CD59 and TSPAN9, as a novel biomarker panel that effectively detected CRC through targeted MS-based quantification of roughly a dozen selected candidate membrane proteins in plasma EV samples from 73 CRC patients and 80 healthy subjects. Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are valuable sources for the discovery of useful cancer biomarkers. This study explores the potential usefulness of tumor cell-derived EV membrane proteins as plasma biomarkers for early detection of colorectal cancer (CRC). EVs were isolated from the culture supernatants of four CRC cell lines by ultracentrifugation, and their protein profiles were analyzed by LC-MS/MS. Bioinformatics analysis of identified proteins revealed 518 EV membrane proteins in common among at least three CRC cell lines. We next used accurate inclusion mass screening (AIMS) in parallel with iTRAQ-based quantitative proteomic analysis to highlight candidate proteins and validated their presence in pooled plasma-generated EVs from 30 healthy controls and 30 CRC patients. From these, we chose 14 potential EV-derived targets for further quantification by targeted MS assay in a separate individual cohort comprising of 73 CRC and 80 healthy subjects. Quantitative analyses revealed significant increases in ADAM10, CD59 and TSPAN9 levels (2.19- to 5.26-fold, p < 0.0001) in plasma EVs from CRC patients, with AUC values of 0.83, 0.95 and 0.87, respectively. Higher EV CD59 levels were significantly correlated with distant metastasis (p = 0.0475), and higher EV TSPAN9 levels were significantly associated with lymph node metastasis (p = 0.0011), distant metastasis at diagnosis (p = 0.0104) and higher TNM stage (p = 0.0065). A two-marker panel consisting of CD59 and TSPAN9 outperformed the conventional marker CEA in discriminating CRC and stage I/II CRC patients from healthy controls, with AUC values of 0.98 and 0.99, respectively. Our results identify EV membrane proteins in common among CRC cell lines and altered plasma EV protein profiles in CRC patients and suggest plasma EV CD59 and TSPAN9 as a novel biomarker panel for detecting early-stage CRC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Didattica della Storia: Journal of Research & Didactics of History is the property of Centro internazionale di Didattica della storia e del patrimonio (DiPaSt), Universita di Bologna and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Revija Šport is the property of Sport: Revija Za Teoreticna in Praticna Vprasanja Sporta and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Background: Clinicians and parents should closely monitor the neurodevelopment of very preterm infants. The aim of our study was to compare whether neurodevelopmental assessments completed by parents and those done by specialists yielded similar outcomes. We wanted to check whether the assessments completed by specialists and parents were comparable in outcomes to emphasize the important roles of early assessment of a child and of the parents in their child's treatment and medical care. Another aim was to check whether or not the pull to sit maneuver from the Neonatal Behavioral Assessment Scale (NBAS) is still a parable item in well-known scales of neurodevelopment. Methods: We assessed 18 preterm neonates in the fourth month of corrected age with scales such as the General Movement Assessment (GMA), the Alberta Infant Motor Scale (AIMS), and the pull to sit maneuver from the NBAS. Finally, we asked parents to complete the Ages and Stages Questionnaire, Third Edition (ASQ-3). Results: We found that the respective assessments completed by specialists and parents are comparable in outcomes. We also found that the pull to sit item from the NBAS was still a valid test since it showed similar findings to those from the AIMS, the GMA, and the ASQ-3. Conclusions: The pull to sit item from the NBAS is an important item for assessment of very preterm infants. Specialists should also take into consideration the input and concerns of parents when planning for treatment and intervention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article, Emil Sætra examines how teachers and students construct and experience aims and goods in classroom discussions of controversial issues. This study is situated within the emerging tradition of empirical ethics, and the research strategy comprised two main steps. First, Sætra used interview data to analyze, via the experiences of teachers and students, the following two empirical questions: (1) What goods normatively constitute educative discussions of controversial issues? (2) How are these goods constructed in time and space? Second, in the concluding discussion, Sætra makes explicit some normative implications of the empirical findings and discusses theses in relation to previous research. In brief, what emerges from the conjoined experiences of teachers and students is the notion that practice comprises multiple aims and drives. Moreover, because aims and drives are multiple, decisions regarding priorities will sometimes have to be made, and teachers may be subject to conflicting expectations. This means that practitioners must be able to make reflective judgments about what comprises acceptable ends, what projects should be undertaken to achieve those ends, and what actions ought to be performed as part of those projects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During the turbulent 2018–19 school year, we researched Hong Kong teachers' perceptions regarding the design and implementation of National Education in schools for students aged 12–17. We seek to make a contribution to understandings of aspects of the cultural, political and social dimensions and contexts relevant to teacher education. 41 civic and/or national education teachers were interviewed about their educational aims, content, teaching methods and assessment approaches. Teachers believe National Education should deliver and assess knowledge of China and nurture students' identification with the nation through teaching Chinese culture and history via a balanced pedagogical approach and experiential learning. They discuss the relationship between Hong Kong and China, and conclude that teaching about the Chinese government is unavoidable. This indicates that in addition to teachers' long established cultural, civic and cosmopolitan forms of nationalism, they are now using national unity and economy-induced nationalism to frame their professional work. These findings are significant because they indicate teachers' fundamental and educational characterisations of National Education at this crucial juncture of Hong Kong; highlight the issues that should be considered for any programmeof initial or in-service teacher education; and, ultimately, indicate the nature of what may possibly be implemented in schools. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The research question behind this article is to analyse how missions and goals for sexological organisations on various levels are described and how they can complement each other. The missions and goals of global (WAS), regional (EFS), and national organisations in Europe are described and analysed by their statutes and bylaws. The results show that organisations on all levels are occupied with sexual health and rights, sexuality education, professional education, and standards of ethics. In addition, there seems to be a division of work between the various levels of organisations: Global organisations: Network of regional federations, sexual health promotion within international organisations such as the WHO and the UN, organising congresses for presenting new research and activist work (within non-governmental organisations-NGOs) and influencing national governments. Regional organisations: Network of national organisations, harmonisation of educational programmes, organisation of regional congresses for presenting new research and new treatment methods, development of projects between different countries. National organisations: Recruitment of members, education, supervision, professional support and development, organising national conferences and meetings, influencing politicians and health & education planners. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To verify the agreement between the Alberta Infant Motor Scale assessment and maternal perception of the motor development in full-term infants. This is a cross-sectional study involving 161 infants and mothers. Children were assessed with the Alberta Infant Motor Scale (AIMS) for motor developmental classification. Mothers completed questionnaires aiming to identify maternal profiles and impressions about their children's development. The kappa test was used to analyze the concordance between AIMS and mother perceptions. A total of 83.2% of the sample was classified as typically developing and 16.8% as suspected or delayed development. The maternal impression indicates that 77% of infants are developing typically, 19.9% perceived their infants' development as advanced, and 3.1% delayed development. There was low agreement between the mothers' perceptions and AIMS classifications (kappa = 0.153) Maternal perception of their infant's development was unsatisfactory for evaluation of motor development because their perceptions did not agree with the findings of the AIMS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]