Particle physics is a subject that can send shivers down the spines of students and educators alike--with visions of long mathematical equations and inscrutable ideas. This perception, along with a full curriculum, often leaves this topic the road less traveled until the latter years of school. Particle physics, including quarks, is typically not…

Spina bifida is the most common, permanently disabling birth defect in the United States. It is a birth defect that involves incomplete formation of the spine during the first month of pregnancy--often before a woman even knows she is pregnant. Everyday, an average of eight babies are born with spina bifida or a similar birth defect of the brain…

Study aim: To compare two exercise training modes on the physical fitness of 10 year-old children. Material and methods: A sample of 60 schoolboys aged 10 years were randomly divided into 3 groups: Traditional (TG), trained according to the Brazilian national curricular parameters, Maturational (MG), in which the degree of difficulty of the…

Hippotherapy (HPOT) is a therapy that uses horse movement. This pilot investigation objectively evaluated the efficacy of HPOT in improving head/trunk stability in children with cerebral palsy (CP). The participants were six children with spastic diplegia and six children without disability. Head and trunk stability was challenged by using a…

A recent study has revealed that fear memory may be vulnerable following retrieval, and is then reconsolidated in a protein synthesis-dependent manner. However, little is known about the molecular mechanisms of these processes. Activin [beta]A, a member of the TGF-[beta] superfamily, is increased in activated neuronal circuits and regulates…

Picture books for older readers present challenges for libraries in terms of how best to provide access to them. These books often have an "E" on the spine to indicate that they are "easy" or for "everybody," and share lower shelves with a far greater number of picture books geared for the preschool and primary grade audience. However, this…

Screening for spine deformities, particularly idiopathic adolescent scoliosis among children aged 10-13 in the Kansas schools, is outlined. (JMF)

The objective of this study was to evaluate a new intervention for chronic dysphonias, consisting of a 2-week outpatient treatment period using intensified voice therapy combined with elements of physical medicine, including physiotherapy (orthotherapy, detonisation and training of the trunk muscles, respiratory therapy and others), manual therapy…

Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is a potent modulator of synaptic transmission and plasticity in the CNS, acting both pre- and postsynaptically. We demonstrated recently that BDNF/TrkB signaling increases dendritic spine density in hippocampal CA1 pyramidal neurons. Here, we tested whether activation of the prominent ERK (MAPK) signaling…

This study attempted to use cervical spine magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to detect cord injury in 12 dead children with head injury from child abuse. Eighty percent of children autopsied had small cervical spine hemorrhages; MRI did not identify them and did not identify cord injury in any child studied, indicating that MRI scans are probably…

This dissertation provides a syntactic account for the Jarai noun phrase and for the three regions of the Jarai clause: the operator domain, the inflectional domain, and the theta domain. Within the noun phrase, I argue that demonstrative-final word order involves phrasal movement of the demonstrative's complement into Spec,D, where it…

The forces and torques experienced by the spine are examined to understand, and possibly avoid, low back pain. The structure, degrees of freedom, forces and torques when lifting objects, an experimental study, and other factors affecting the back are discussed. (KR)

The SPINE test (SPeech INtelligibility Evaluation), designed to measure speech intelligibility of severely to profoundly hearing-impaired children was administered to 30 hearing-impaired children (12-16 years old) to examine its validity. Results suggested that the SPINE test is a valid measure of speech intelligibility with hearing-impaired…

Background: The oligophrenin 1 gene ("OPHN1") is an Rho-GTPase-activating protein involved in the regulation of the G-protein cycle required for dendritic spine morphogenesis. Mutations in this gene are implicated in X-linked mental retardation (XLMR). Methods: We report a deletion spanning exons 21 and 22 of the "OPHN1" gene identified by a…

This report describes the pilot program for SPINES, a computerized system for collecting, selecting, analysing, and disseminating documents and factual data that have a direct bearing on policy-making, arrangement, transfer, and assessment in science and technology. This data is needed in developing policies for the advancement of science and…