Dose-response relationship of intermittent normobaric hypoxia to stimulate erythropoietin in the context of health promotion in young and old people

PURPOSE

Erythropoietin (EPO) has multifactorial positive effects on health and can be increased by intermittent normobaric hypoxia (IH). Recommendations about the intensity and duration of IH to increase EPO exist, but only for young people. Therefore, the aim of the study was to investigate the dose-response relationship regarding the duration of hypoxia until an EPO expression and the amount of EPO expression in old vs. young cohorts.

METHODS

56 young and 67 old people were assigned to two separate investigations with identical study designs (3-h hypoxic exposure) but with different approaches to adjust the intensity of hypoxia: (i) the fraction of inspired oxygen (FiO₂) was 13.5%; (ii) the FiO₂ was individually adjusted to an oxygen saturation of the blood of 80%. Age groups were randomly assigned to a hypoxia or control group (normoxic exposure). EPO was assessed before, during (90 and 180 min), and 30 min after the hypoxia.

RESULTS

EPO increased significantly after 180 min in both cohorts and in both investigations [old: (i) + 16%, p = 0.007 and (ii) + 14%, p < 0.001; young: (i) + 27%, p < 0.001 and (ii) + 45%, p = 0.007]. In investigation (i), EPO expression was significantly higher in young than in old people after 180 min of hypoxic exposure (p = 0.024) and 30 min afterwards (p = 0.001).

CONCLUSION

The results indicate that after a normobaric hypoxia of 180 min, EPO increases significantly in both age cohorts. The amount of EPO expression is significantly higher in young people during the same internal intensity of hypoxia than in old people.

Structural neural predictors of Farsi-English bilingualism

The neurobiology of bilingualism is hotly debated. The present study examines whether normalized cortical measurements can be used to reliably classify monolinguals versus bilinguals in a structural MRI dataset of Farsi-English bilinguals and English monolinguals. A decision tree classifier classified bilinguals with an average correct classification rate of 85%, and monolinguals with a rate of 71.4%. The most relevant regions for classification were the right supramarginal gyrus, left inferior temporal gyrus and left inferior frontal gyrus. Larger studies with carefully matched monolingual and bilingual samples are needed to confirm that features of these regions can reliably categorize monolingual and bilingual brains. Nonetheless, the present findings suggest that a single structural MRI scan, analyzed with measures readily available using default procedures in a free open-access software (Freesurfer), can be used to reliably predict an individual's language experience using a decision tree classifier, and that Farsi-English bilingualism implicates regions identified in previous group-level studies of bilingualism in other languages.

Abstract P4-06-09: Addition of a remote genetic counselor to the breast specialist's team improves clinical decision-making

Background: There is a shortage of trained genetic counselors (GC) and often long wait times for appointments, resulting in other specialists frequently ordering genetic testing. However, non-genetic specialists, including breast surgeons, find it difficult to stay current in genetics due to rapid advances in gene discovery, expanded panel offerings, and frequent changes to professional guidelines. We tested a novel model for hereditary cancer risk assessment where breast surgeons had “on demand” access to a remote laboratory-based genetic counselor for peer to peer consultation. In this study we sought to determine the impact this model has on breast surgeons' routinely ordering genetic testing including test identification, ordering patterns, and medical management.

Methods: An IRB approved multi-center prospective study involved 14 community-based breast cancer surgeons experienced with hereditary cancer risk assessment without a genetic counselor as part of their practice. Cases were all discussed with a remote Invitae GC to determine testing eligibility and selection. Physicians had the option to utilize remote GCs to discuss results or to refer to traditional genetic counseling services. Pre and post-test surveys were completed for each patient by the testing physician. To protect patient privacy, a unique case ID was used to link patient test data with identifying data.

Results: A total of 192 patients were evaluated with median age of 52. Risk assessment via BRCAPRO and the Hughes Risk model were performed on 98% of patients by the physicians. 65% of patients met NCCN guidelines for testing. Pathogenic mutations were found in 14% of patients. Breast surgeons changed their test selection 21% of the time after discussion with a GC. They called to discuss results in 47% of cases and medical management changes were incorporated in 15% of these cases based on discussion with a remote GC.

Conclusions: Remote GC provider support assisted physicians in facilitating customized test selection, aided in navigating challenging counseling cases, and impacted clinical management. This service may serve as a viable, effective model for 'on demand' genetic counseling support and may be a novel opportunity to expand genetic testing in a breast surgery setting.

Citation Format: Rosen B, O'Leary E, Shan Y, Pat W, Peter B. Addition of a remote genetic counselor to the breast specialist's team improves clinical decision-making [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 2017 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium; 2017 Dec 5-9; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2018;78(4 Suppl):Abstract nr P4-06-09.

A Team Approach to Response to Intervention for Speech Sound Errors in the School Setting

Purpose

Response to intervention (RTI) has been used within the school setting to support students at risk for a variety of communication disorders. Through RTI, these students can receive services prior to determining eligibility for special education, allowing students with speech sound errors (SSEs) to receive support from a speech-language pathologist speech-language pathologist support while still in the stage of speech sound development.

Method

This article discusses the implementation of a team-based RTI model spanning 6 years, which targeted three hundred eighty-nine 7- to 8.5-year-old students with SSEs.

Results

One hundred seventy-two students completed treatment through the RTI process, requiring an average of 6 therapy hours. One hundred eight RTI students needed an Individualized Education Program (IEP) to complete their treatment. Of these students, a subset of 32 who started treatment through RTI and finished through an IEP required an average of 53 therapy hours. This is significantly less than the average of 82 hours found through chart reviews of our own district IEPs.

Conclusion

An RTI process using individual therapy has the potential to reduce the overall treatment time needed for speech sound remediation. Advantages and drawbacks in using an RTI team model for SSEs and providing therapy through individual sessions are discussed.

Drug-induced inhibition of phosphorylation of STAT5 overrides drug resistance in neoplastic mast cells

Systemic mastocytosis (SM) is a mast cell (MC) neoplasm with complex pathology and a variable clinical course. In aggressive SM (ASM) and MC leukemia (MCL) responses to conventional drugs are poor and the prognosis is dismal. R763 is a multi-kinase inhibitor that blocks the activity of Aurora-kinase-A/B, ABL1, AKT and FLT3. We examined the effects of R763 on proliferation and survival of neoplastic MC. R763 produced dose-dependent inhibition of proliferation in the human MC lines HMC-1.1 (IC₅₀ 5-50 nM), HMC-1.2 (IC₅₀ 1-10 nM), ROSA^{KIT WT} (IC₅₀ 1-10 nM), ROSA^{KIT D816V} (IC₅₀ 50-500 nM) and MCPV-1.1 (IC₅₀ 100-1000 nM). Moreover, R763 induced growth inhibition in primary neoplastic MC in patients with ASM and MCL. Growth-inhibitory effects of R763 were accompanied by signs of apoptosis and a G2/M cell cycle arrest. R763 also inhibited phosphorylation of KIT, BTK, AKT and STAT5 in neoplastic MC. The most sensitive target appeared to be STAT5. In fact, tyrosine phosphorylation of STAT5 was inhibited by R763 at 10 nM. At this low concentration, R763 produced synergistic growth-inhibitory effects on neoplastic MC when combined with midostaurin or dasatinib. Together, R763 is a novel promising multi-kinase inhibitor that blocks STAT5 activation and thereby overrides drug-resistance in neoplastic MC.

Midostaurin: a magic bullet that blocks mast cell expansion and activation

Clinically relevant features in patients with systemic mastocytosis (SM) include the cosmetic burden of lesional skin, mediator-related symptoms, and organ damage resulting from mast cell (MC) infiltration in advanced forms of SM. Regardless of the SM variant, expansion of neoplastic MC in the skin and other organs is triggered by mutant forms of KIT, the most prevalent being D816V. Activation of MC with subsequent release of chemical mediators is often caused by IgE-dependent mechanisms in these patients. Midostaurin, also known as PKC412, blocks the kinase activity of wild-type KIT and KIT D816V, counteracts KIT-dependent growth of neoplastic MC, and inhibits IgE-dependent mediator secretion. Based on this activity-profile, the drug has been used for treatment of patients with advanced SM. Indeed, encouraging results have been obtained with the drug in a recent multi-center phase II trial in patients with advanced SM, with an overall response rate of 60% and a substantial decrease in the burden of neoplastic MC in various organs. Moreover, midostaurin improved the overall survival and relapse-free survival in patients with advanced SM compared with historical controls. In addition, midostaurin was found to improve mediator-related symptoms and quality of life, suggesting that the drug may also be useful in patients with indolent SM suffering from mediator-related symptoms resistant to conventional therapies or those with MC activation syndromes. Ongoing and future studies will determine the actual value of midostaurin-induced MC depletion and MC deactivation in these additional indications.

Sequential processing deficit as a shared persisting biomarker in dyslexia and childhood apraxia of speech

The purpose of this study was to investigate the hypothesis that individuals with dyslexia and individuals with childhood apraxia of speech share an underlying persisting deficit in processing sequential information. Levels of impairment (sensory encoding, memory, retrieval, and motor planning/programming) were also investigated. Participants were 22 adults with dyslexia, 10 adults with a probable history of childhood apraxia of speech (phCAS), and 22 typical controls. All participants completed nonword repetition, multisyllabic real word repetition, and nonword decoding tasks. Using phonological process analysis, errors were classified as sequence or substitution errors. Adults with dyslexia and adults with phCAS showed evidence of persisting nonword repetition deficits. In all three tasks, the adults in the two disorder groups produced more errors of both classes than the controls, but disproportionally more sequencing than substitution errors during the nonword repetition task. During the real word repetition task, the phCAS produced the most sequencing errors, whereas during the nonword decoding task, the dyslexia group produced the most sequencing errors. Performance during multisyllabic motor speech tasks, relative to monosyllabic conditions, was correlated with the sequencing error component during nonword repetition. The results provide evidence for a shared persisting sequential processing deficit in the dyslexia and phCAS groups during linguistic and motor speech tasks. Evidence for impairments in sensory encoding, short-term memory, and motor planning/programming was found in both disorder groups. Future studies should investigate clinical applications regarding preventative and targeted interventions towards cross-modal treatment effects.

The role of short-term memory impairment in nonword repetition, real word repetition, and nonword decoding: A case study

In a companion study, adults with dyslexia and adults with a probable history of childhood apraxia of speech showed evidence of difficulty with processing sequential information during nonword repetition, multisyllabic real word repetition and nonword decoding. Results suggested that some errors arose in visual encoding during nonword reading, all levels of processing but especially short-term memory storage/retrieval during nonword repetition, and motor planning and programming during complex real word repetition. To further investigate the role of short-term memory, a participant with short-term memory impairment (MI) was recruited. MI was confirmed with poor performance during a sentence repetition and three nonword repetition tasks, all of which have a high short-term memory load, whereas typical performance was observed during tests of reading, spelling, and static verbal knowledge, all with low short-term memory loads. Experimental results show error-free performance during multisyllabic real word repetition but high counts of sequence errors, especially migrations and assimilations, during nonword repetition, supporting short-term memory as a locus of sequential processing deficit during nonword repetition. Results are also consistent with the hypothesis that during complex real word repetition, short-term memory is bypassed as the word is recognized and retrieved from long-term memory prior to producing the word.

Neonatal risk mortality scores as predictors for health-related quality of life of infants treated in NICU: a prospective cross-sectional study

PURPOSE

To determine the relationship of Apgar scores, gestational age and neonatal risk mortality scores to health-related quality of life (HRQoL) for infants at the age of 8 months treated after birth in neonatal intensive care unit (NICU).

METHODS

All surviving infants treated in two-third level NICUs in Rijeka, Croatia (from August 2013 to August 2014) were included in this prospective, cross-sectional study. For all neonates, the Score for Neonatal Acute Physiology (SNAP), SNAP with Perinatal Extension (SNAP-PE) and their simplified modifications (SNAP II and SNAP-PE II) were calculated. At the corrected age of 8 months, the Pediatric Quality of Life Questionnaire (PedsQL)-infant scale-was completed by parents of surviving infants. Multiple regression analysis was performed in order to assess the value of neonatal risk mortality scores, Apgar scores and gestational age as possible predictors of HRQoL, measured by questionnaire score.

RESULTS

A strong correlation has been found between SNAP and 5-min Apgar scores to HRQoL. A positive correlation was also found between gestational age and HRQoL.

CONCLUSION

SNAP and 5-min Apgar scores are important outcome indicators, can aid clinicians' and parents' decision making on the benefits and burdens of acute medical interventions and help determine quantities of medical treatment. Educated medical staff, effective and efficient medical treatment and a high quality of care which prevent adverse events in the first minute of life should be a priority in efforts to improve the future quality of life.

Effect of intermittent normobaric hypoxia on aerobic capacity and cognitive function in older people

OBJECTIVES

Physical exercise, especially aerobic training, improves physical performance and cognitive function of older people. Furthermore, it has been speculated that age-associated deteriorations in physical performance and cognitive function could be counteracted through exposures to passive intermittent normobaric hypoxia (IH). Thus, the present investigation aimed at investigating the effect of passive IH combined with subsequent aerobic training on hematological parameters and aerobic physical performance (V˙O_2max) as well as peripheral levels of the neurotrophin brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and cognitive function.

DESIGN

Randomized controlled trial in a repeated measure design.

METHODS

34 older participants were randomly assigned to an intervention group (IG) or control group (CG). While IG was supplied with passive IH for 90min, CG breathed ambient air. Subsequently, both groups underwent 30min of aerobic training three times per week for four consecutive weeks. Aerobic physical performance and cognitive function was tested with spiroergometry and the Stroop test. Blood samples were taken to measure hematological parameters and the peripheral serum BDNF-level.

RESULTS

We found increases in the values of hematological parameters, the time to exhaustion in the load test and an augmented and sustainable improvement in cognitive function within the IG of the older people only. However, in both groups, the V˙O_2max and serum BDNF-level did not increase.

CONCLUSIONS

Based on these results, hypoxic training seems to be beneficial to enhance hematological parameters, physical performance and cognitive function in older people. The current hypoxic-dose was not able to enhance the serum BDNF-level or V˙O_2max.

Abstract P4-14-10: Pertuzumab overcomes chemotherapy/trastuzumab resistance in ER+/Her2+ tumors classified as luminal functional subtype by the 80-gene BluePrint assay in the prospective neo-adjuvant breast registry symphony trial (NBRST)

Background

The prospective Neo-adjuvant Breast Registry Symphony Trial (NBRST) enrolled over 1000 US patients between June 2011 and December 2014. The aim of NBRST study is to compare chemosensitivity as defined by pathological Complete Response (pCR) using the 80-gene BluePrint functional subtype profile vs. conventional IHC/FISH subtyping. Treatment was at the discretion of the physician utilizing standard NCCN regimens. Pertuzumab, a monoclonal antibody, inhibits the dimerization of HER2 with other HER receptors. Pertuzumab received US FDA approval for the neo-adjuvant treatment of HER2-positive breast cancer in September 2013. Essentially all patients with HER2 positive cancers were treated with chemotherapy + trastuzumab and after this date pertuzumab was added, creating 2 distinct groups of Her2 treated patients.

The aim of the current analysis is to compare the pCR rate of trastuzumab (H) vs trastuzumab and pertuzumab (H + P) by conventional and BluePrint functional subtype.

Methods

The current analysis includes women from the NBRST study, with histologically proven breast cancer, who received neo-adjuvant chemotherapy plus H or H + P and who provided written informed consent. Pathological assessment of Her2 was done according to ASCO CAP guidelines at the time of diagnosis. BluePrint (BP) classifies patients into Luminal, HER2 or Basal-type. pCR is defined as T0/isN0. All pCRs were verified with a de-identified copy of the surgical pathology report. Fisher's exact test was used to compare pCR rates within different subgroups.

Results

252 IHC/FISH Her2+ patients received H (166) or H + P (86). The median age was 53 (range 23-81). 8% was stage I, 68% stage II and 24% stage III. 65% were ER positive.

BP classified 55% of patients as HER2, 32% as Luminal, and 14% as Basal-type.

The pCR rates and p-values within different subgroups of clinical Her2+ patients are provided in the table below.

pCR rates and p-values within different subgroups of clinical Her2+ patients(n)H (pCR rate)H + P (pCR rate)p-valueTotal (n=252)40%59%0.005IHC/FISH Her2+/ER+ (163)30%57%0.001IHC/FISH Her2+/ER- (89)69%63%0.82BP HER2 (138)57%78%0.01BP Luminal (80)4%38%0.0002BP Basal (34)47%38%0.69

Conclusions

Addition of pertuzumab to trastuzumab significantly increased response rate in ER+/Her2+, BP HER2 and BP Luminal patients but not in ER-negative and BP Basal patients.

Pertuzumab overcame resistance to NCT/trastuzumab in a substantial proportion of the IHC/FISH Her2+/BP Luminal subgroup; indicated by a significantly increased pCR rate.

Citation Format: Peter B, Pat W, Paul B, Jennifer B, Pellicane JV, Murray MK, Dul CL, Mislowsky AM, Nash CH, Richards PD, Lee LL, Stork-Sloots L, de Snoo F, Untch S, Gittleman M, Akbari S, Rotkis MC. Pertuzumab overcomes chemotherapy/trastuzumab resistance in ER+/Her2+ tumors classified as luminal functional subtype by the 80-gene BluePrint assay in the prospective neo-adjuvant breast registry symphony trial (NBRST). [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the Thirty-Eighth Annual CTRC-AACR San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium: 2015 Dec 8-12; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2016;76(4 Suppl):Abstract nr P4-14-10.

Direct and octave-shifted pitch matching during nonword imitations in men, women, and children

OBJECTIVES

To evaluate whether children, women, and men match the speaker's fundamental frequency (F0) during nonword imitation directly when the target F0 is within the responders' vocal ranges and at octave-shifted levels when the target is outside their vocal ranges, and to evaluate the role of a history of speech sound disorder (SSD) in the adult participants.

STUDY DESIGN

Observational.

METHODS

Nonword sets spoken by a man and a woman were imitated by 14 men, 21 women, and 19 children. Approximately half of the adults and two-thirds of the children had a history of SSD. F0 in the imitations was compared with that in the targets and in the participants' nonimitated control word productions.

RESULTS

When the target F0 was within the responders' vocal ranges, the imitations approximated the target F0. Men imitating a woman's voice approximated F0 levels one octave below the target F0. Children imitating a man's voice approximated F0 levels one octave above the target F0. Women imitating a man's voice approximated the target F0 at a ratio of 1.5 known as the perfect fifth in music. A history of SSD did not influence the results.

CONCLUSIONS

This study replicates previous findings showing that target F0 was a salient aspect of the stimuli that was imitated along with the targets' segmental and prosodic components without explicit prompting. It is the first to show F0 convergence not only directly but also at relevant target/imitation intervals including the octave interval.

Messung und Berechnung der CD-Spektren der Biaryl-Alkaloide Ancistrocladein und Dioncophyllein A [1] / Detection and Calculation of the CD Spectra from the Biaryl Alkaloids Ancistrocladeine and Dioncophylleine A [1]

The circular dichroism (CD) of the biaryls ancistrocladeine and dioncophylleine A has been studied. The CNDO/S method in combination with a Boltzmann weighting o f different structures using AM 1 energies has been applied to reproduce the experimental CD spectra o f the two alkaloids with known absolute configuration at with those o f the exciton chirality method.

De novo microdeletion of BCL11A is associated with severe speech sound disorder

In 10 cases of 2p15p16.1 microdeletions reported worldwide to date, shared phenotypes included growth retardation, craniofacial and skeletal dysmorphic traits, internal organ defects, intellectual disability, nonverbal or low verbal status, abnormal muscle tone, and gross motor delays. The size of the deletions ranged from 0.3 to 5.7 Mb, where the smallest deletion involved the BCL11A, PAPOLG, and REL genes. Here we report on an 11-year-old male with a heterozygous de novo 0.2 Mb deletion containing a single gene, BCL11A, and a phenotype characterized by childhood apraxia of speech and dysarthria in the presence of general oral and gross motor dyspraxia and hypotonia as well as expressive language and mild intellectual delays. BCL11A is situated within the dyslexia susceptibility candidate region 3 (DYX3) candidate region on chromosome 2. The present case is the first to involve a single gene within the microdeletion region and a phenotype restricted to a subset of the traits observed in other cases with more extensive deletions.

Effects of intermittent hypoxia on cognitive performance and quality of life in elderly adults: a pilot study

BACKGROUND

Physical exercise has a positive effect on cognitive performance and quality of life (QoL). One reason for this is the upregulation of brain-derived neurotrophic factor, which improves brain plasticity. Intermittent hypoxia promotes first the proliferation of endogenous neuroprogenitors which leads to an increased number of newborn neurons and second the expression of brain-derived neurotrophic factor in the adult hippocampus. Intermittent hypoxia may, therefore, support synaptic plasticity, the process of learning and provoke antidepressant-like effects. Hence, intermittent hypoxia might also lead to improved cognitive functioning and QoL.

OBJECTIVE

This study aims to evaluate to what extent physical activity with preceded intermittent hypoxic training is more effective than solely strength-endurance training on cognitive performance and QoL.

METHODS

34 retired people aged between 60 and 70 years were randomly assigned to a control group or intervention group. Contrarily to the control group, which was supplied with a placebo air mixture, the intervention group was supplied with an intermittent hypoxic training prior to a strength-endurance exercise program. The cognitive performance of individuals was examined using the d2 test and the Number Combination Test (ZVT) both before and after the exercise program. We assessed QoL with the Medical Outcomes Study Short-Form 36-Item Health Survey (SF-12) and Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) and the strength-endurance capacity using the Spring test.

RESULTS

Regarding the d2 test, a time × group effect was observed. Speed of cognitive performance in seconds was measured using ZVT. Here, no interaction effect was discovered. An interaction effect was not found in the Physical Component Summary scores (SF-12). Regarding the Mental Component Summary, an interaction effect just failed to become statistically significant. Furthermore, we determined sleep quality with the PSQI. Here, an interaction effect was observed. The analysis of the strength-endurance test revealed no interaction effects.

CONCLUSION

The data of the current study suggest that an additional intermittent hypoxic training combined with physical exercise augments the positive effects of exercise on cognitive performance and QoL in elderly humans.

Motor sequencing deficit as an endophenotype of speech sound disorder: a genome-wide linkage analysis in a multigenerational family

OBJECTIVES

The aim of this pilot study was to investigate a measure of motor sequencing deficit as a potential endophenotype of speech sound disorder (SSD) in a multigenerational family with evidence of familial SSD.

METHODS

In a multigenerational family with evidence of a familial motor-based SSD, affectation status and a measure of motor sequencing during oral motor testing were obtained. To further investigate the role of motor sequencing as an endophenotype for genetic studies, parametric and nonparametric linkage analyses were carried out using a genome-wide panel of 404 microsatellites.

RESULTS

In seven of the 10 family members with available data, SSD affectation status and motor sequencing status coincided. Linkage analysis revealed four regions of interest, 6p21, 7q32, 7q36, and 8q24, primarily identified with the measure of motor sequencing ability. The 6p21 region overlaps with a locus implicated in rapid alternating naming in a recent genome-wide dyslexia linkage study. The 7q32 locus contains a locus implicated in dyslexia. The 7q36 locus borders on a gene known to affect the component traits of language impairment.

CONCLUSION

The results are consistent with a motor-based endophenotype of SSD that would be informative for genetic studies. The linkage results in this first genome-wide study in a multigenerational family with SSD warrant follow-up in additional families and with fine mapping or next-generation approaches to gene identification.

Associations among measures of sequential processing in motor and linguistics tasks in adults with and without a family history of childhood apraxia of speech: a replication study

The purpose of this study was to address the hypothesis that childhood apraxia of speech (CAS) is influenced by an underlying deficit in sequential processing that is also expressed in other modalities. In a sample of 21 adults from five multigenerational families, 11 with histories of various familial speech sound disorders, 3 biologically related adults from a family with familial CAS showed motor sequencing deficits in an alternating motor speech task. Compared with the other adults, these three participants showed deficits in tasks requiring high loads of sequential processing, including nonword imitation, nonword reading and spelling. Qualitative error analyses in real word and nonword imitations revealed group differences in phoneme sequencing errors. Motor sequencing ability was correlated with phoneme sequencing errors during real word and nonword imitation, reading and spelling. Correlations were characterized by extremely high scores in one family and extremely low scores in another. Results are consistent with a central deficit in sequential processing in CAS of familial origin.

Deficits in sequential processing manifest in motor and linguistic tasks in a multigenerational family with childhood apraxia of speech

The purpose of this study was to evaluate a global deficit in sequential processing as candidate endophenotypein a family with familial childhood apraxia of speech (CAS). Of 10 adults and 13 children in a three-generational family with speech sound disorder (SSD) consistent with CAS, 3 adults and 6 children had past or present SSD diagnoses. Two preschoolers with unremediated CAS showed a high number of sequencing errors during single-word production. Performance on tasks with high sequential processing loads differentiated between the affected and unaffected family members, whereas there were no group differences in tasks with low processing loads. Adults with a history of SSD produced more sequencing errors during nonword and multisyllabic real word imitation, compared to those without such a history. Results are consistent with a global deficit in sequential processing that influences speech development as well as cognitive and linguistic processing.

The genetics of reading disabilities: from phenotypes to candidate genes

This article provides an overview of (a) issues in definition and diagnosis of specific reading disabilities at the behavioral level that may occur in different constellations of developmental and phenotypic profiles (patterns); (b) rapidly expanding research on genetic heterogeneity and gene candidates for dyslexia and other reading disabilities; (c) emerging research on gene-brain relationships; and (d) current understanding of epigenetic mechanisms whereby environmental events may alter behavioral expression of genetic variations. A glossary of genetic terms (denoted by bold font) is provided for readers not familiar with the technical terms.

Oral and hand movement speeds are associated with expressive language ability in children with speech sound disorder

This study tested the hypothesis that children with speech sound disorder have generalized slowed motor speeds. It evaluated associations among oral and hand motor speeds and measures of speech (articulation and phonology) and language (receptive vocabulary, sentence comprehension, sentence imitation), in 11 children with moderate to severe SSD and 11 controls. Syllable durations from a syllable repetition task served as an estimate of maximal oral movement speed. In two imitation tasks, nonwords and clapped rhythms, unstressed vowel durations and quarter-note clap intervals served as estimates of oral and hand movement speed, respectively. Syllable durations were significantly correlated with vowel durations and hand clap intervals. Sentence imitation was correlated with all three timed movement measures. Clustering on syllable repetition durations produced three clusters that also differed in sentence imitation scores. Results are consistent with limited movement speeds across motor systems and SSD subtypes defined by motor speeds as a corollary of expressive language abilities.

NI-1: a novel canine mastocytoma model for studying drug resistance and IgER-dependent mast cell activation

BACKGROUND

Advanced mast cell (MC) disorders are characterized by uncontrolled growth of neoplastic MC in various organs, mediator-related symptoms, and a poor prognosis. Kit mutations supposedly contribute to abnormal growth and drug resistance in these patients.

METHODS

We established a novel canine mastocytoma cell line, NI-1, from a patient suffering from MC leukemia.

RESULTS

NI-1 cells were found to form mastocytoma lesions in NOD/SCID IL-2Rgamma(null) mice and to harbor several homozygous Kit mutations, including missense mutations at nucleotides 107(C→T) and 1187(A→G), a 12-bp duplication (nucleotide 1263), and a 12-bp deletion (nucleotide 1550). NI-1 cells expressed several MC differentiation antigens, including tryptase, Kit, and a functional IgE receptor. Compared to the C2 mastocytoma cell line harboring a Kit exon 11 mutation, NI-1 cells were found to be less responsive against the Kit tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKI) masitinib and imatinib, but were even more sensitive against proliferation-inhibitory effects of the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) blocker RAD001 and PI3-kinase/mTOR blocker NVP-BEZ235. The Kit-targeting multikinase inhibitors PKC412 and dasatinib were also found to override TKI resistance in NI-1 cells, and produced growth inhibition with reasonable IC(50) values (<0.1 μM).

CONCLUSION

NI-1 may serve as a useful tool to investigate IgE-dependent reactions and mechanisms of abnormal growth and drug resistance in neoplastic MC in advanced mastocytosis.

Global processing speed in children with low reading ability and in children and adults with typical reading ability: exploratory factor analytic models

PURPOSE

To investigate processing speed as a latent dimension in children with dyslexia and children and adults with typical reading skills.

METHOD

Exploratory factor analysis (FA) was based on a sample of multigenerational families, each ascertained through a child with dyslexia. Eleven measures--6 of them timed--represented verbal and nonverbal processes, alphabet writing, and motor sequencing in the hand and oral motor system. FA was conducted in 4 cohorts (all children, a subset of children with low reading scores, a subset of children with typical reading scores, and adults with typical reading scores; total N = 829).

RESULTS

Processing speed formed the first factor in all cohorts. Both measures of motor sequencing speed loaded on the speed factor with the other timed variables. Children with poor reading scores showed lower speed factor scores than did typical peers. The speed factor was negatively correlated with age in the adults.

CONCLUSIONS

The speed dimension was observed independently of participant cohort, gender, and reading ability. Results are consistent with a unified theory of processing speed as a quadratic function of age in typical development and with slowed processing in poor readers.