Spontaneous subarachnoid haemorrhage due to coarctation of aorta and intraspinal collaterals: a rare presentation

The occurrence of spontaneous subarachnoid haemorrhage (SAH) in association with coarctation of thoracic aorta and absence of intracranial aneurysm is a rare association. In spontaneous SAH, the predominant cause is intracranial aneurysmal rupture. This report describes a case of a 40 year-old male who presented with SAH and was incidentally diagnosed to have coarctation of aorta (CoA) with intraspinal collaterals on further work up. This case demonstrates the importance of detailed evaluation of patients with spontaneous SAH on whom common aetiologies have been ruled out.

Luxatio erecta of the hip

We present the case of a young male patient with inferior dislocation of the hip and postulate a possible mechanism for this extremely rare injury.

Constructing a DNA ladder Range for Lambda Phage by multiplex PCR

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES

DNA ladder contains DNA fragments of different length but with known size, used to determine the size of unknown DNA molecules. Different DNA ladders are available for expected DNA length. Conserved sequences were selected for design of primers to generate DNA fragments of known specific size.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

In this study, we describe a method by which DNA ladder was prepared based on multiplex PCR technique. Different lengths of DNA fragments were amplified using the primers designed according to the 1216-2136 sequence extent of lambda phage DNA. Target DNA fragments were amplified using multiplex PCR and extracted.

RESULTS

The results showed an amplified lambda phage DNA at particular target sites by using 1 forward and 6 different reverse primers (for 100, 200, 400, 600, 800, 1000bp) for the successful amplification.

CONCLUSION

This method would be more cost effective than commercial DNA molecular weight markers.

The effects of feedback and consequences on transitional cursive letter formation

Twelve first-grade students were employed to analyze the effects of (1) Verbal and Visual Feedback, (2) Verbal and Visual Feedback plus immediate rewriting of trained letters with one or more incorrect letter strokes, and (3) Potential Reinforcement on cursive letter strokes. Students practised both a set of trained and a set of untrained letters during each session. Feedback and reinforcement was administered only for trained letter strokes. The percentage of correct trained letter strokes increased during all conditions. Performance on the untrained but practiced and trained letter strokes followed the same general trend in response pattern. No consistent pattern of generalization was demonstrated with untrained and unpracticed letter strokes.

Assessment of caring and its effects in young people: development of the Multidimensional Assessment of Caring Activities Checklist (MACA-YC18) and the Positive and Negative Outcomes of Caring Questionnaire (PANOC-YC20) for young carers

BACKGROUND

Many children, adolescents and young people are involved in caring for parents, siblings, or other relatives who have an illness, disability, mental health problem or other need for care or supervision. The aim was to develop two new instruments for use in research with young carers to assess caring activities and their psychological effects.

METHOD

Two studies are reported. In study 1, 410 young carers were recruited via The Princess Royal Trust for Carers database of UK projects and asked to complete an initial item pool of 42 and 75 questionnaire items to assess caring activities and caring outcomes respectively. In study 2 a further 124 young carers were recruited.

RESULTS

Following exploratory principal components analysis in study 1, 18 items were chosen to compose the Multidimensional Assessment of Caring Activities Checklist (MACA-YC18), and 20 items chosen to compose the Positive and Negative Outcomes of Caring Scales (PANOC-YC20). In study 2, normative and convergent validity data on the two instruments are reported.

CONCLUSION

The MACA-YC18 is an 18-item self-report measure that can be used to provide an index of the total amount of caring activity undertaken by the young person, as well as six sub-scale scores for domestic tasks, household management, personal care, emotional care, sibling care and financial/practical care. The PANOC-YC20 is a 20-item self-report measure that can be used to provide an index of positive and negative outcomes of caring.