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PurposeThe purpose of our study was to investigate the effects of hippotherapy on gross motor function and functional performance in children with spastic cerebral palsy (CP).Materials and MethodsWe recruited 34 children (M:F=15:19, age: 3-12 years) with spastic CP who underwent hippotherapy for 45 minutes twice a week for 8 weeks. Twenty-one children with spastic CP were recruited for control group. The distribution of gross motor function classification system level and mean age were not significantly different between the two groups. Outcome measures, including the Gross Motor Function Measure (GMFM)-66, GMFM-88 and the Pediatric Evaluation of Disability Inventory: Functional Skills Scale (PEDI-FSS), were assessed before therapy and after the 8-weeks intervention as outcome measures.ResultsThere were no significant differences between intervention and control groups in mean baseline total scores of GMFM-66, GMFM-88 or PEDI-FSS. After the 8-weeks intervention, mean GMFM-66 and GMFM-88 scores were significantly improved in both groups. However, the hippotherapy group had significantly greater improvement in dimension E and GMFM-66 total score than the control group. The total PEDI-FSS score and the sub-scores of its 3 domains were significantly improved in the hippotherapy group, but not in the control group.ConclusionThe results of our study demonstrate the beneficial effects of hippotherapy on gross motor function and functional performance in children with CP compared to control group. The significant improvement in PEDI-FSS scores suggests that hippotherapy may be useful to maximize the functional performance of children with CP.

The outcome of Helicobacter pylori infection was analyzed in 114 dyspeptic patients treated with triple-drug therapy including clarithromycin. Clarithromycin resistance (in 20.2% of our isolates) was mainly caused by an A2142G mutation in the 23S rRNA gene of H. pylori. H. pylori eradication was obtained in all patients with clarithromycin-susceptible isolates but not in any patients with clarithromycin-resistant isolates (P ‫؍‬ 0.0001). Therefore, it would be useful to conduct H. pylori antimicrobial susceptibility testing of the first gastric biopsy culture before choosing the first three drugs for therapy of infected patients.

Isometric and isokinetic torques of bilateral quadriceps and hamstrings were measured with Isokinetic Rehabilitation and Testing System (Model No. Cybex 340) on 40 normal untrained subjects, 20 males and 20 females, ranging between the ages of 23 and 35 years. The mean peak isometric and isokinetic torque values of both muscle groups showed no significant differences between dominant (right) and nondominant (left) limbs in both sexes; however there were significant differences between the male and the female. As the angular velocity increased, the peak torque significantly decreased, and the point of peak torque output occurred significantly later in the range of motion for quadriceps and hamstrings (p less than 0.01). There were no significant changes in the hamstrings to quadriceps (H/Q) ratios as the angular velocity increased. However, there were significant differences of mean H/Q ratio between male and female (p less than 0.01). Height had significant positive correlation with peak isometric and isokinetic torques for both quadriceps and hamstrings (p less than 0.01). Weight was found to correlate significantly with peak isometric and isokinetic torques (p less than 0.01). The mean isometric torques were significantly higher than the mean isokinetic torques for any joint angles in both sexes (p less than .01).

The potential therapeutic effects of Helicobacter pylori-specific immunoglobulin (IgY-Hp) derived from egg yolk and identification of the immunodominant H. pylori proteins have previously been reported. In this study, the urease epitope that is recognized by IgY-Hp was identified and used as an immunogen to produce urease-specific IgY (IgY-HpU). Epitope regions were mapped and peptides of selected epitope regions were synthesized. The IgY-Hp titre against synthetic peptides was evaluated using ELISA analysis. Hens were immunized with synthetic peptides conjugated with BSA. Urease activity was quantified by measuring the optical density of an indicator dye. Of the five synthetic peptides assayed, a peptide representing 15 amino acid residues of UreB (UB-3; aa 396-410, DNDNFRIKRYLSKYT) was specifically recognized by the IgY-Hp. Immunization of hens with BSA-conjugated UB-3 resulted in the generation of IgY-HpU. IgY-HpU markedly reduced H. pylori urease activity by 80 % as compared to control IgY (IgY-BSA). The availability of the synthetic UreBderived peptide enabled the production of highly specific anti-urease IgY, which had a significant inhibitory effect on H. pylori urease activity. Therefore, specific IgY-HpU produced using the synthetic peptide may be an effective tool against infection by H. pylori.

Although fewer severe pain attacks occurred in summer, the mean NIH-CPSI scores did not differ across seasons. The pain from CP/CPPS had a greater impact on QoL during winter than it did in the other seasons. In addition, pain was a more significant determinant of QoL than urination symptoms during winter.

This study shows that RA depletion induces keratinizing squamous differentiation in NHMEE cell cultures. This finding supports the hypothesis that middle ear cholesteatoma originates from metaplastic middle ear mucosa.

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