Dawes P, Cruickshanks KJ, Moore DR, Fortnum H, Edmondson-Jones M, McCormack A, Munro KJ. The Effect of Prenatal and Childhood Development on Hearing, Vision and Cognition in Adulthood. PLoS One. 2015 Aug 24;10(8):e0136590.
This is one of the first studies published using data from the UK Biobank resource that includes data from more than 400,000 individual subjects. Analysis of more than 37,000 data sets found a positive association between birth weight and sensory and cognitive function. These results suggest that adverse prenatal and childhood experiences are a risk for poorer sensory and cognitive function and earlier development of sensory and cognitive impairment in adulthood. This finding could have significant implications for preventing sensory and cognitive impairment in older age.
Horowitz-Kraus T, DiFrancesco M, Kay B, Wang Y, Holland SK. Increased resting-state functional connectivity of visual- and cognitive-control brain networks after training in children with reading difficulties. NeuroImage Clin. 2015 Jul 3;8:619-30.
Computerized reading-training has shown to improve reading fluency and comprehension in children with dyslexia. This paper demonstrates the effect of the computerized training on brain networks related to visual processing, executive functions, attention, memory, and language. It establishes the connection between the neurobiological impact of the treatment and improved reading skills in children.
Zwolski C, Schmitt LC, Quatman-Yates C, Thomas S, Hewett TE, Paterno MV. The Influence of Quadriceps Strength Asymmetry on Patient-Reported Function at Time of Return to Sport after Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction. Am J Sports Med. 2015 Sep;43(9):2242-49.
Based on the results of this study, a patient-reported measure of knee function may be able to serve as an easy to administer screening tool to indicate that quadriceps strength is sufficient to allow young athletes to return to playing sports after surgical reconstruction of the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL).
Tubbs-Cooley HL, Pickler RH, Simmons JM, Auger KA, Beck AF, Sauers-Ford HS, Sucharew H, Solan LG, White CM, Sherman SN, Statile AM, Shah SS. Testing a post-discharge nurse-led transitional home visit in acute care pediatrics: the Hospital-To-Home Outcomes (H2O) study protocol. J Adv Nurs. 2016 Apr;72(4):915–25.
Transition from impatient hospitalization to outpatient care is a vulnerable time for children and their families. Interventions to address transition difficulties can mitigate poor outcomes for children who are at risk. This work outlines a strategy for improving pediatric care transitions and associated post-discharge outcomes and is relevant health care funding policy making.
Ramsey LB, Janke LJ, Payton MA, Cai X, Paugh SW, Karol SE, Kamdem Kamdem L, Cheng C, Williams RT, Jeha S, Pui CH, Evans WE, Relling MV. Antileukemic Efficacy of Continuous vs Discontinuous Dexamethasone in Murine Models of Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia. PLoS One. 2015 Aug;7(10):e0135134.
Osteonecrosis is one of the most common, serious, toxicities resulting from the treatment of acute lymphoblastic leukemia. This study supports the use of discontinuous rather than continuous dexamethasone dosing in patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia to reduce the adverse side effect of bone loss while effectively treating the leukemia.