Munchausen syndrome by proxy: A family affair

Munchausen syndrome by proxy is an unusual form of child abuse: a child presents with an illness that has been factitiously produced by a parent, typically the mother. A case of chronic illicit insulin administration to a one-year-old girl is described. Despite temporary separation of the child from the mother and long-term psychiatric intervention, factitious illnesses continued, including urine specimen contamination, laxative-induced diarrhea, suspected bladder catheterization, and suspected poisoning. Retrospective review of the medical records of the mother and two siblings demonstrated previously unrecognized evidence of factitious illnesses. The medical records contained evidence of 30 separate episodes of suspected or documented factitious illness in these four members of the same family. This unique family illustrates the significant morbidity of Munchausen syndrome by proxy and a poor response to psychiatric treatment.     

GSK3在抑郁症发病机制中的研究进展

尽管锂制剂在临床上使用了几十年,但其确切机制并不清楚。人们通过研究认识到锂可能是通过抑制糖原合成酶激酶3（glycogen synthase kinase 3,GSK3）而发挥抗抑郁作用的。锂可以调控GSK3下游的许多分子,许多抗抑郁类药物可以调控GSK3的信号。使用药理方法或基因沉默方法抑制GSK3均具有稳定情绪、抵抗抑郁的作用,这些研究表明GSK3可能是抗抑郁的潜在靶点。近些年来对GSK3在神经生物学中的作用机制的研究进一步证实了锂可能是通过作用于GSK3来达到治疗目的的。如GSK3可以调节生物体应激反应、炎症反应、神经发生、5-羟色胺（5-hydroxytryptamin,5-HT）传递过程,并参与生物周期节律的调控。因此,特异的GSK3抑制剂能否在临床上发挥抗抑郁作用有待进一步研究。该文对GSK3在应激反应、炎症反应、神经发生、5-HT传递过程以及生物周期节律这五个方面对抑郁发病机制的研究进行了综述。     

Determination of Acid β-Galactosidase Activity: Methodology and Perspectives

Early, accurate diagnosis of lysosomal storage disorders is a major challenge, even for trained specialists. Finding innovative, accurate diagnostic methods, and high throughput, cost-effective tools are crucial to medical progress and will contribute to improved quality of life. The goal of this work was to improve currently used protocols to determine activity of acid β-galactosidase, and discuss the possibility analysing lysosomal enzymes with microfluidic systems. A principle of the determination of β-galactosidase activity was fluorometric measurement of a deprotonated form of 4-methylumbelliferone released in the enzymatic reaction. Measurements were performed using Jurkat T cells as a source of the enzyme. We observed the temperature-dependent substrate inhibition effect and determined the substrate (4-MU-β-d-galactopyranoside) concentration which should be used to determine acid β-galactosidase activity at 37 °C (0.8 mM) and at room temperature (0.6 mM). We proved that the sample incubation time may be significantly reduced to only a few minutes. We also showed that the amount of alkaline buffer used to stop the enzymatic reaction may be minimized and even, in some cases, eliminated. The presented results show how the sensitivity of the available methods to diagnose patients suffer from gangliosidosis GM1 or Morquio B disease can be improved. The proposed method may be easily implemented with microfluidic systems, which currently are promising tools for point-of-care applications.     

Sars-Cov2 Induced Biochemical Mechanisms in Liver Damage and Intestinal Lesions

Multiple pathogenic mechanisms are found in SARS-CoV2 systemic inflammation. Oxidative stress, altered proteolysis, hypercoagulation, and metabolic disorders are significant in virus-induced lesions.The study aimed to investigate the biochemical mechanism of virus-induced disorders and determine the biochemical features in SARS-CoV2-associated liver damage and intestine lesions.A retrospective case series of ninety-two patients diagnosed with COVID-19 pnemonia. The ACE, α1-proteinase inhibitor, trypsin-like proteinase, and elastase activity were measured. Nitrites level was detected in reaction with Griess reagent. The ELISA kit measured Troponin, C-peptide, leptin, adiponectin, PAR4, and neuropilin level.It was obtained an increase in ACE activity and nitrites ions content in SARS-CoV2 associated patients. The hyperglycemia and an increase in adipose tissue-derived hormones guided the virus-induced metabolic disorders. Proteolysis activation was revealed in SARS-CoV2 pneumonia patients. The found molecular event was accompanied by hyperglycemia induction. Multiorgan lesions manifest in in cardiac failure, which was detected in patients with ARDS. Moreover, high arterial blood pressure in patients with COVID-19 was associated with the hyperglycemia and increased ACE activity and NO ions level. Liver damage was specific for COVID-19-associated patients with severe ARDS and heart failure. Proteolysis overactivation resulting in vasoactive substances imbalance was detected in patients with the intestinal lesions. The obtained data shows the the neuropilin-dependent axis in damage prevalence in the intestine.Metabolic disorders resulting in the growth of adipose-derived tissue hormones, nitrites, and neuropilin levels was triggered by prolonged inflammation. So, the impaired metabolism and SARS-CoV2 associated hyperglycemia influence on SARS-CoV2 multiple mechanisms. Gastrointestinal manifestations in SARS-CoV2 infection was found to be related to various biochemical and molecular tools. ACE2 receptors axis is prevalent for liver damage, but NRP-1 protein (neuropilin), NO derivatives, and adipose tissue-derived hormones are essential for intestinal lesions.Supplementary InformationThe online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s12291-022-01089-x.     

The use of video-based instruction to promote independent performance of physical activity skills in students with developmental disabilities in a school and community setting

School psychologists are well-positioned to assist practitioners in engaging students in physical activity (PA) which can increase student access to improved well-being and associated health benefits. This may be of particular importance for adolescents with moderate to severe developmental disabilities (DD; autism and intellectual disability) who display various deficits in performing PA skills. Previous research suggests video-based instruction (VBI) effectively facilitated independence associated with PA skills in people with DD, however, additional research is warranted. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the degree a VBI impacted acquisition of skills in individuals with DD at school, and, subsequently, in a community setting. Multiple probe design was used to assess the effect of the intervention in four participants. The results indicate the intervention was effective in teaching three participants to perform the circuit in the school setting and transfer the skills to the community setting; however, maintenance was variable. Implications related to practice for school psychologists, teachers, and other practitioners, as well as, limitations and future research directions are discussed.     

Writing through retellings: an exploratory study of language-impaired and dyslexic populations

This study was designed to examine differences and similarities in the writing of 15 language-impaired, 17 dyslexic and 15 typically developing control subjects matched on chronological age. Subjects ranging in age from 11 to 21 years were required to produce a written language sample using an expository text-retell procedure. The writing of these groups was compared on eight variables across discourse, T-unit, sentence, and word levels. Control subjects performed better than language-impaired and dyslexic subjects on all writing variables. Dyslexic subjects showed better performance than the language-impaired subjects on several variables including, (a) number of T-units, (b) number of ideas, (c) total number of words, and (4) number of different words while showing comparable performance on percentage of spelling and production of grammatically correct sentences. These findings support Bishop and Snowling’s [Psychol. Bull. 130 (2004) 858] position that the differences between these two clinical populations exist in the non-phonological dimensions of language.     

Inclusive education for pupils with autistic spectrum disorders in secondary mainstream schools: teacher attitudes,experience and knowledge

The aim of the current study was to examine the experience, attitudes and knowledge of school staff in relation to inclusive education for pupils with autistic spectrum disorders (ASDs) in mainstream secondary schools. Fifty-three participants from 11 secondary schools in the north-west of England completed a survey that covered socio-demographic information and teaching experience, perceptions of inclusion within their school, experience and knowledge of ASDs, influences on integration of pupils with ASDs, ability to cope with behaviours associated with ASDs and benefits and problems associated with integration of pupils with ASD in mainstream schools. Respondents tended to indicate positive attitudes towards inclusion. Our analysis also showed that senior managers and Special Educational Needs Co-ordinators reported greater self-efficacy in teaching pupils with ASD and in coping with behaviours associated with ASD than did subject teachers. Finally, respondents reported social inclusion as both a potential benefit and challenge for pupils with ASD. The implications of these findings for future training and practice are discussed.     

菜用大豆食味品质及其与内含物关系研究

菜用大豆的食味品质分为甜味、质地、香味和鲜味，消费者一般喜欢有甜味、清香味、质地柔软的菜用大豆。研究表明菜用大豆的甜味与籽粒的蔗糖含量显著正相关；可用籽粒的硬度表示质地；菜用大豆的鲜味主要是由于菜用大豆含有大量的游离氨基酸，可用天冬氨酸和谷氨酸的含量作为评价菜用大豆鲜味的客观指标。研究还表明菜用大豆的营养与食味品质问存在着一定的矛盾，蛋白质的含量与籽粒硬度显著正相关。