This study tested the effects of three alternative types of backpack on head posture and neck muscle electromyography (EMG) in children. Four loading conditions were tested: no pack; a backpack; a double pack; a modified double pack (designed with a backpack and a front pack weighing 10% and 5% of body weight, respectively). Dependent variables were neck muscle activity, forward head angle and forward head distance (the perpendicular distance from C7 to a vertical line through the tragus of the ear). Fifteen children were asked to walk at a speed of 0.8 m/s on a treadmill. The EMG activity of upper trapezius, sternocleidomastoid and midcervical paraspinals muscles and the forward head angle and forward head distance were all significantly higher when carrying a backpack than for the other conditions. When carrying a double pack, there was a backward head posture characterised by an increased negative forward head angle, decreased forward head distance, increased sternocleidomastoid EMG signal and decreased midcervical paraspinals EMG signal, compared to carrying no pack. When carrying a modified double pack, the forward head angle and forward head distance decreased when compared to carrying a backpack. These findings indicate that the modified double pack minimises postural deviation.

Prenatal treatment of dexamethasone, a synthetic stress hormone, leads to low birth weight and affects adult pathophysiology. Because fetal growth and survival are critically dependent on successful placental development, we aimed to investigate the effects of prenatal dexamethasone exposure on placental growth and function, particularly focusing on issues surrounding the time of stress exposure in a developmental context. Dexamethasone was administered at a dosage of 1 mg/kg BW (DEX1) or 10 mg/kg BW (DEX10) intraperitoneally at gestational d 7.5, 8.5, and 9.5 in pregnant mice. Placentas were then dissected at gestational d 11.5 and 18.5. Placental size and weight were reduced at d 11.5 in a dose-dependent manner (P = 0.11 for saline vs. DEX1 and P < 0.001 for DEX1 vs. DEX10 in size; P = 0.34 for saline vs. DEX1 and P < 0.01 for DEX1 vs. DEX10 in weight). In contrast, a considerable heterogeneity was shown at d 18.5, especially in DEX10-treated mice. Some placentas were small and malformed whereas some were enlarged with structural abnormalities in spongiotrophoblasts and labyrinth layers. Although placental overgrowth under such condition seemed to compromise fetal demand for nutrient supply, disorganized cell structure with reduced fetal vasculature observed in large placentas suggests that prenatal stress exposure during the early gestational period negatively affects placental development and efficiency.

The NAG-1 was expressed strongly in intestinal metaplasia and adenoma, and inversely correlated to tumor stages. This interesting finding may provide new targets for chemoprevention and future development of drugs.

BackgroundWe hypothesize that pain and brain responses are affected by changes in the presentation sequence of noxious stimuli that are, overall, identical in intensity and duration.MethodsDuring functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) scanning, 21 participants experienced three patterns of noxious stimulation: Up‐type (step‐up noxious stimulation, 15 s), Down‐type (step‐down noxious stimulation, 15 s), and Down–up‐type (decreasing and increasing pattern of noxious stimulation, 15 s). The total intensity and duration of the three noxious stimulation patterns were identical, but the stimulation sequences were different.ResultsPain and unpleasantness ratings in the Down‐ and Down–up‐type noxious stimulations were lower than in the Up‐type noxious stimulation. The left prefrontal cortex [(PFC, BA (Brodmann area) 10, (−45, 50, 1)] was more highly activated in the Down‐ and Down–up‐type noxious stimulations than in the Up‐type noxious stimulation. The S1, S2, insula, bilateral PFC (BA 46), and midcingulate cortex were more highly activated in the Up‐type noxious stimulation than in the Down‐type noxious stimulation. PFC BA 10 was located at an inferior level compared to the bilateral PFC BA 46 (Z axis = 1 for BA 10, compared to 22 and 25 for the right and left BA 46, respectively). When cortisol level was increased, the left hippocampal cortex, along with the left parahippocampal cortex, was greatly activated for the Up‐type noxious stimulation.ConclusionWhen pain cannot be avoided in clinical practice, noxious stimuli should be applied to patients in a step‐down pattern that delivers the most intense pain first and the least intense pain last.

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