The effect of unilateral brain lesion on reasoning

The results of the Four Card Problem and those of Perceptual Tests were compared in order to tease out the relevance of a "perceptual classification" deficit on reasoning. The prediction that right hemisphere brain lesions would facilitate insight into the problem was upheld. In addition all patients who had a specific perceptual classification deficit solved the problem.

A combinatorial biophysical approach; FTSA and SPR for identifying small molecule ligands and PAINs

Biophysical methods have emerged as attractive screening techniques in drug discovery both as primary hit finding methodologies, as in the case of weakly active compounds such as fragments, and as orthogonal methods for hit validation for compounds discovered through conventional biochemical or cellular assays. Here we describe a dual method employing fluorescent thermal shift assay (FTSA), also known as differential scanning fluorimetry (DSF) and surface plasmon resonance (SPR), to interrogate ligands of the kinase p38α as well as several known pan-assay interference compounds (PAINs) such as aggregators, redox cyclers, and fluorescence quenchers. This combinatorial approach allows for independent verification of several biophysical parameters such as KD, kon, koff, ΔG, ΔS, and ΔH, which may further guide chemical development of a ligand series. Affinity values obtained from FTSA curves allow for insight into compound binding compared with reporting shifts in melting temperature. Ligand-p38 interaction data were in good agreement with previous literature. Aggregators and fluorescence quenchers appeared to reduce fluorescence signal in the FTSAs, causing artificially high shifts in Tm values, whereas redox compounds caused either shifts in affinity that did not agree between FTSA and SPR or a depression of FTSA signal.

Similar incidence of K-ras mutations in lung carcinomas of FVB/N mice and FVB/N mice carrying a mutant p53 transgene

Mutated p53 genes are capable of complementing activated ras genes in the transformation of primary rat embryo fibroblasts in vitro. Mutations in both genes have also been found in several human cancers, including lung carcinomas. We generated transgenic mice containing a p53 construct with a missense mutation in exon 5 (ala135val) to study the role of p53 mutations in lung tumorigenesis, and to facilitate identification of other genetic events that might complement p53 mutations in mouse lung carcinogenesis. The p53 transgenic lines exhibited a higher frequency of lethal lung tumors than the parental FVB/N strain. We examined the spontaneously-arising lung carcinomas from mice expressing the mutated p53 transgene for K-ras mutations using single-stranded conformation polymorphism (SSCP) and/or direct sequencing approaches. Fifteen of 29 (52%) carcinomas contained mutations in the K-ras oncogene. Six of 15 of the K-ras mutations were in codon 61 and 9/15 were in codon 12. Subsequent analysis of spontaneous lung carcinomas from mice of the FVB/N parental strain showed that 9/12 (75%) carcinomas examined contained K-ras mutations. Two of these were in codon 12, one in codon 13, and 6 were in codon 61. These results demonstrate that the frequency of ras mutations does not differ between the p53 FVB/N transgenic mice and their parental FVB/N strain but suggest that a high frequency of mutations K-ras can be correlated with lung tumorigenesis in both groups of mice.

Continuous venovenous rewarming: results from a juvenile animal model

OBJECTIVE

To compare a standard and an experimental method of rewarming in 5-wk-old goats with induced moderate hypothermia.

DESIGN

Hypothermia was induced in ten juvenile Nubian goats. Five goats were randomly assigned to be rewarmed using standard techniques, and five were assigned to the experimental rewarming technique of a modified continuous venovenous hemofiltration circuit.

SETTING

Animal research facility, Greenville Hospital System/Clemson University Biomedical Cooperative, Clemson, S.C.

SUBJECTS

Ten 5-wk-old goats.

INTERVENTIONS

Hypothermia to a body temperature of 29.4 degrees C was induced in the goats. Each of the control group of five goats was rewarmed using standard methods. Each of the experimental group of five goats was rewarmed using a modified continuous venovenous hemofiltration circuit.

MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS

At 2 hrs, the median temperature increase in the experimental group was 6.5 degrees C, compared with an increase of only 1.5 degrees C in the control group (p=.02). The mean increase in core body temperature over time (from baseline to 150 mins) was also significantly greater in the experimental group (p=.006).

CONCLUSIONS

The use of a modified continuous venovenous hemofiltration circuit for rewarming in a juvenile goat model after induction of moderate hypothermia is more effective than are standard methods.

Inter-hemispheric differences in problem solving

Previous studies of a difficult reasoning problem have elicited inconsistent utterances. This study tested the hypothesis that the inconsistency is due to an asymmetrical encoding of the problem between the two hemispheres in the brain. The hypothesis was confirmed.

The meteoric stone seen to fall in the Mangwendi native reserve, Southern Rhodesia, on March 7, 1934

This is the first meteorite to be recorded from either Southern or Northern Rhodesia. It fell at about 12.45 p.m. on March 7, 1934, on the right bank of the Shawanoya river in the Mangwendi native reserve, about forty miles east of Salisbury. The latitude and longitude of the spot are 17° 39ʹ S., 31° 36ʹ E.

The recovery of the meteorite was made through the efforts of the Rev. F. J. Gits, S.J., who is in charge of St. Paul's Mission. Three loud detonations were heard from a direction north-east of the Mission Station followed by a loud rushing sound. Father Gits, who was out in the open at the time, involuntarily ducked his head. His inquiries failed at first to elucidate the cause of the explosions, which were also heard at Arcturus, Macheke, and Mtoko, that is, over a radius of at least fifty miles.

One- and Two-year Multidisciplinary Follow-Up of MIS-C at a Tertiary Hospital: A Retrospective Cohort Study

BACKGROUND

Although 6-month follow-up of patients with multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C) was reassuring, there is scant data on long-term sequelae, including whether changing variants affect clinical severity and outcomes.

METHODS

Children (<18 years of age) admitted to Great Ormond Street Hospital between April 4, 2020, and January 2023, meeting diagnostic criteria for MIS-C were included. Admission and follow-up data were categorized by the predominant SARS-CoV-2 circulating variant in the United Kingdom.

RESULTS

One hundred and sixty children [median age, 10.1 (interquartile range, 7.9-12.6) years] were included. There was no difference in the time of symptom onset to diagnosis between waves ( P =0.23) or hospitalization days across all waves ( P =0.32). Inflammatory markers were normal for up to 2 years in all patients except one. Eleven patients (6.9%) remain in follow-up: cardiology (n=5), gastroenterology (n=5) and nephrology (n=1). The main self-reported symptoms at 2 years were abdominal pain (n=5) and myalgia (n=2). Fatigue was present in approximately a quarter of patients at admission; this reduced to 14 (9%), (2%) and 1 (2%) at 6-month, 1-year and 2-year follow-ups, respectively. Chronic fatigue or long-COVID symptomatology was rare (n=1) even with high rates of concurrent Epstein-Barr virus positivity (49/134). All patients had sustained neurological recovery with no new neurological pathology observed.

CONCLUSIONS

Patients with MIS-C have a sustained recovery, which is reassuring for positive long-term outcomes. Across waves, time from symptom onset to diagnosis and treatment, symptomatology and length of stay were similar. Sustained recovery is reassuring for clinicians and parents alike. Differentiating long-COVID symptomatology from that of MIS-C is important in formulating an individualized treatment plan.

Paediatric Post-Traumatic Stress Risk for Young People and Parents following Acute Admission for Paediatric Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome: Retrospective Analysis of Psychological Screening and Support

BACKGROUND

Paediatric Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome (PIMS-TS) is a novel condition that was identified for the first time during the COVID-19 pandemic. Limited research exists that describes the psychological needs of children and young people (CYP) following an acute hospital admission for PIMS-TS.

METHODS

A retrospective cohort study was conducted to explore both psychological need and access to psychology services for CYP and their families who were admitted to a paediatric tertiary hospital in London, UK, for PIMS-TS between April 2020 and May 2021.

RESULTS

We included 121 CYP and a parent/caregiver for each. In total, 23.3% of the CYP were at risk of developing a traumatic stress response and 11.6% were at risk of experiencing emotional disturbance. Of the parents screened, 40.5% also scored above clinical cut-off for a trauma response. There was a significant relationship observed between CYP and parents identified as having a trauma risk.

CONCLUSIONS

The importance of proactive screening for both trauma and emotional distress in CYP and their parents/caregivers following acute hospital admission is highlighted. In addition, there is a need to think about a CYP as part of a system of care and to ensure that clinicians pay attention to parental wellbeing and mental health when understanding the psychological impact on a child.