Movement Difficulties Research Articles

Movement Assessment Battery for Children-Second Edition (MABC2): Cross-Cultural Validity, Content Validity, and Interrater Reliability in Thai Children.

Introduction The Movement Assessment Battery for Children-Second Edition (MABC2) is a standardized test for detecting children with movement difficulty. It was established and is used widely in Western countries. Studying cross-cultural validity and reliability was necessary before using the MABC2 with Thai children. Purposes To study cross-cultural validity, content validity, and interrater reliability of the MABC2. Method The MABC2-Age Band 2 (AB2: children aged 7-10 years) was translated into Thai from the source version of the MABC2 by using the following steps: forward translation, backward translation, panel discussion, and testing of the prefinal version of the Thai-MABC2-AB2. Five occupational therapists checked the content validity of the test. Twenty-nine children, aged 7-10 years, were examined by two testers in order to establish interrater reliability. Results This cross-cultural study demonstrated validity in the Thai context. Content validity was good with an item-objective congruence (IOC) range from 0.73 to 0.95. The intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) of interrater reliability ranged from 0.71 to 1.00. Conclusion The Thai-MABC2-AB2 is a good fit for use in a clinical and Thai cultural setting. Interrater reliability was moderate to good, which meant results between testers were consistent.

Adaptation of Leopold Matrix for Assessment of Environmental Impacts Caused by the Flower Avenue Project in Manaus City - Amazonas

This study aims to describe the effects generated by the construction of Avenida das Flores, has the objective of evaluating the effects caused by an urban mobility project, located in Manaus-AM, and the use of some neighborhoods of the city is prohibited. . Through this process of urban expansion, it is necessary to search for alternatives to urban problems, in addition to seeking solutions for the traffic disorder, a lack of urban mobility due to the difficulty of movement of people living in the more remote neighborhoods of central Manaus. . In this context, formulate the Matrix method of use based and adapted in the Leopold Interaction, which par excellence is dedicated to making relationships, noting the most relevant impacts. The survey allowed to obtain results that could indicate the negative effects caused by the environment in compartments such as: alteration (soil quality, area and microclimate), biotic reduction (reduction of endemic species and forest areas) and social (increase of vehicle circulation, attraction of new constructions and services, serving as a source of decision making, allowing to identify the most relevant effects for the use of instrument in decision making.

Gallbladder cancer accompanied by uncontrollable eosinophilia: report of a case.

A 48-year-old male was referred to our hospital for evaluation of motor speech disorders and difficulty in the movement of both the hands. The clinical diagnosis was Trousseau's syndrome due to advanced gallbladder cancer (cT3aN1M0). The patient received anticoagulation therapy and systemic chemotherapy (gemcitabine and cisplatin). Motor speech disorders and difficulty in movement of both hands were recovered. After 2 courses of chemotherapy, the primary tumor developed a massive hepatic invasion and the peripheral blood eosinophils increased gradually. The patient was admitted to our hospital for abdominal distension, fever, right upper quadrant pain, systemic edema, loss of appetite, and general malaise. The peripheral blood eosinophil count was markedly elevated to 45,900/μl (90.3%). The serum level of GM-CSF was high and there was no evidence of leukemia, allergic status and other diseases. The patient was diagnosed as paraneoplastic eosinophilia with advanced gallbladder cancer, which was suspected to produce GM-CSF. The patient received palliative support and died of disseminated intravascular coagulation 15days after admission. We herein reported a fatal case of gallbladder cancer suspected of producing GM-CSF.

Intermediating the Effect of Inter-Stimuli Interval in Repetition Suppression of Face Images among Adults with High and Low Levels of Autistic-Like Traits

Purpose: Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder, characterized by pervasive symptoms, as in DSM-V. It is identified and associated with a number of atypicalities, including difficulties in face memory, centralized interest, and abnormal body movements. Individuals high in ASD show problems in face processing, gaze, and expression that arise from inappropriate brain functioning in social behaviors and communication skills. When a sensory stimulus is repeated, the excited neural signal is always smaller than its first observation. This phenomenon has been observed for many sensory states and stimuli using different methods. Materials and Methods: The present study was conducted to investigate the repression of facial image reproduction with the mediating role of time in adults with low and high autism-like traits. This research was carried out with a quantitative method approach in the form of a descriptive design in two groups with low and high ASD. For this purpose, the autism spectrum quotient, cognitive task for suppressing repetitive face images, and EEG were used. The sample consisted of 30 male undergraduate and postgraduate students aged between 18 and 35. Results: As a result, the research findings showed a significant statistical difference between the two groups with low and high ASD in terms of cognitive and EEG correlates in suppressing the repetition of facial images. Specifically, an interactive effect of time (short or long intervals), consistency of stimuli (repeated or not), and autism spectrum (high or low) was significant (F1, 28 = 4.53, p = 0.04). This was indexed by a lack of N2 and P3 in those with high compared to low ASD. Conclusion: The possible insensitivities to repetition might be due to unused extra neural resources in high ASD, close to brain areas involved in face processing.

The effect of parental logistic support on physical activity in children with, or at risk of, movement difficulties

ObjectivesIn a sample of children with, or at risk of, movement difficulties, (1) To test the direct effects of children’s perceptions of parents’ logistic support for physical activity on children’s physical activity-related self-perceptions and on children’s physical activity levels, and (2) To explore the indirect relationship between children’s perceptions of parents’ logistic support for physical activity and children’s physical activity levels through children’s physical activity-related self-perceptions. DesignCross-sectional observation study. MethodsData were collected from 120 children aged 6 to 12 years; movement proficiency levels were determined using the movement assessment battery for children-2 test. Children’s perspectives of parental support for physical activity were captured using the Activity Support Scale for Multiple Groups child report. Children’s self-perceptions towards physical activity were reported with the Children’s Self- perceptions of Adequacy in and Predilections for physical activity, and time spent in physical activity were measured using accelerometers. ResultsThere was no significant direct effect between perceived levels of parents’ logistic support for physical activity and children’s physical activity. A significant indirect relationship between these variables was discovered, with higher perceived levels of parent logistical support for physical activity predicting stronger perceptions of adequacy (i.e., confidence) toward physical activity participation among children, which in turn was associated with increased physical activity minutes. ConclusionsThe results demonstrate that irrespective of a child’s movement ability, children’s perceptions of parents’ logistic support for physical activity indirectly and positively predicts children’s physical activity levels, via children’s confidence for physical activity.

Microsurgical Gross Total Resection of Foramen Magnum Meningioma via Far Lateral Approach.

Foramen magnum meningiomas are one of the most challenging tumors for skull base neurosurgeons due to their proximity to critical neurovascular structures. The far-lateral approach demonstrated here facilitates access to lesions involving the anterior portion of the foramen magnum.In this video, we present a 62-year-old woman with hand numbness and weakness. The patient had significant difficulty in fine motor movements of both hands. In the neurological examination, she had a significant right-hand intrinsic muscle weakness and mild quadriparesis.Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) showed a dural-based homogeneously enhancing extra-axial mass in the anterior foramen magnum with a significant mass effect on the brain stem and the upper cervical cord. The decision was made to proceed with a far lateral transcondylar skull base approach including partial C1 laminectomy.The surgery and postoperative course were uneventful. The postoperative MRI showed gross total resection of the mass. The histopathology indicated a WHO (World health Organization) grade-I meningioma. The patient's postoperative course was uneventful. She improved to normal neurological function within several weeks and continues to do well without recurrence at 20 months' follow-up.In this video, we demonstrated important steps for the microsurgical resection of these challenging lesions. The link to the video can be found at: https://youtu.be/_nuX2Y7YU9w .

Development of an Oral and Maxillofacial Frailty Index: A preliminary study.

The purpose of this study is to develop an index to measure oral and maxillofacial frailty in older adults as an acceptable screening tool. Three hundred adults (aged≥50years) participated in this study by telephone interview. Ten candidate items for the Oral and Maxillofacial Frailty Index (OMFI) and 20 matched detailed items for oral and maxillofacial functions were asked. Information about sociodemographic and oral health-related variables was also obtained. The test-retest reliability of the 10 candidate items was determined. Correlations of the 10 candidate items with the 20 detailed items or sociodemographic and oral health-related variables were analysed to test the validity of the candidate items. To suggest optimal items for the OMFI, five different models with different numbers of items were constructed and evaluated based on their associations with main variables. The overall internal consistency of the 10 candidate items was .704, and the Cronbach's alpha value of each item was .23-.55. The test-retest reliability was excellent. There were significant correlations between the 10 candidate and 20 matched detailed items. The score of the 10 candidate items was significantly different according to gender, education level and oral health-related variables. The final five items for the OMFI were difficulties in chewing, the necessity of water when eating dry food, difficulties in jaw or tongue movements, difficulties in speaking or pronunciation and difficulties in facial expression. The five items could be used as a screening tool for evaluating oral and maxillofacial frailty in older adults.

علاج القولون العصبي باستخدام خميرة البيرة

هدفت هذه الدراسة إلى تقييم فاعلية خميرة البيرة على مرضى القولون العصبي عن طريق دراسة إكلينيكية عشوائية مزدوجة. الطريقة: تم إجراء الدراسة على 347 شخصاً من مرضى القولون العصبي تم اختيار 177 منهم عشوائيا للعلاج بواسطة خمائر البيرة بجرعة 1000 ملغم مرتين يوميا لمدة شهر بينما تم إعطاء المجموعة الأخرى وعددهم 170 مريضاً علاجاً وهمياً وهو حبوب الكالسيوم بجرعة 500 ملغ يوميا لمدة شهر. خلال هذه الفترة تم تقييم أعراض القولون العصبي من حيث (آلام البطن/ عدم الارتياح وغازات البطن، وحركة الأمعاء) وتغير عدد مرات الإخراج وطبيعته. النتيجة: لوحظ تحسن عند مرضى المجموعة في جميع أعراض القولون العصبي حيث (آلام البطن/ عدم الارتياح وغازات البطن، وحركة الأمعاء) وتغير عدد مرات الإخراج وطبيعته. حيث إن القيمة الاحتمالية بلغت أقل من0.001 والنسب بين المجموعتين (73.4% و27.6%.) الاستنتاج: خميرة البيرة تعالج أعراض تهيج القولون وليس لها أي أعراض جانبية.

The Novel Small Molecule TRVA242 Stabilizes Neuromuscular Junction Defects in Multiple Animal Models of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis.

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a debilitating neurodegenerative disorder in which the neuromuscular junction progressively degenerates, leading to movement difficulties, paralysis, and eventually death. ALS is currently being treated by only two FDA-approved drugs with modest efficacy in slowing disease progression. Often, the translation of preclinical findings to bedside terminates prematurely as the evaluation of potential therapeutic compounds focuses on a single study or a single animal model. To circumscribe these issues, we screened 3,765 novel small molecule derivatives of pimozide, a recently identified repurposed neuroleptic for ALS, in Caenorhabditis elegans, confirmed the hits in zebrafish and validated the most active compounds in mouse genetic models. Out of the 27 small molecules identified from the high-throughput screen in worms, 4 were found to recover locomotor defects in C. elegans and genetic zebrafish models of ALS. TRVA242 was identified as the most potent compound as it significantly improved efficiency in rescuing locomotor, motorneuron, and neuromuscular junction synaptic deficits in a C. elegans TDP-43 model and in multiple zebrafish genetic (TDP-43, SOD1, and C9ORF72) models of ALS. The actions of TRVA242 were also conserved in a mammalian model as it also stabilized neuromuscular junction deficits in a mouse SOD1 model of ALS. Compounds such as TRVA242 therefore represent new potential therapeutics for the treatment of ALS.

Causes of mortality of seabirds stranded at the Northeastern coast of Brazil

ABSTRACT: The aim of this work was to determine the main species of stranded seabirds at the Northeastern coast of Brazil in addition to the most frequent causes of stranding and mortality. The study was conducted in a monitored area for three years (2012-2014), from the coastline of south Alagoas through north coast of Bahia encompassing 254km of coast. The seabirds found alive during the monitoring were sent to rehabilitation, clinically examined and the carcasses were removed, necropsied and histopathologically analyzed. A total of 1.347 seabirds were found stranded. Of these, 378 were found alive and sent to rehabilitation. From the 969 dead seabirds 806 were unsuitable for necropsy, being only 163 submitted to necropsy and histopathological analysis. Calonectris borealis, Puffinus gravis and Puffinus puffinus were the main seabirds stranded in the studied area. Most stranding occurred from March to June with an increase during April and May for the most species of seabirds. The main clinical signs of stranded seabirds consisted of inappetence, apathy, low body score, hypothermia, flying or movement difficulty and prolonged recumbency. Natural causes followed by infectious diseases and anthropogenic environmental factors were the main causes of death of seabirds stranded on the Northeastern coast of Brazil.

The physical and occupational activity of patients with multiple sclerosis depending on the form of clinical disease

<br/><b>Introduction:</b> The progressive nature of multiple sclerosis (MS) is associated with numerous neurological deficits, leading gradually to deteriorating health and to disability. <br/><b>Purpose:</b> The aim of this study was a subjective assessment of the physical and occupational activity of individuals with MS depending on the clinical form of the disease. <br/><b>Materials and methods:</b> We used the original to conduct the research, with 28 closed questions. The study was carried out from December 1, 2018, to January 31, 2019, following approval by the Bioethics Committee of the Medical University of Bialystok, among persons belonging to the Association for Helping Sick People for Multiple Sclerosis in Białystok and patients of the Neurology Department of the University Clinical Hospital in Bialystok. The study sample comprised 50 people diagnosed with MS, 41 women and 9 men. <br/><b>Results:</b> The most frequently occurring clinical form of MS was relapsing-remitting (68%). In this form, most participants had good physical fitness (44%). In those with the progressive-recurrent form (50%), very poor physical fitness was subjectively noted. Of those with the relapsing-remitting type of MS, 50% were professionally active, while none of the participants with the progressive-recurrent form were. Both the physical and occupational activities of MS patients were frequently limited by fatigue, balance disturbances, and movement difficulties. Fatigue was the most common symptom for most individuals with MS (82%). <br/><b>Conclusion:</b> MS has a significant impact on both the physical activity and occupational functioning of patients. In the clinical form of MS, relapsing-remitting, patients’ physical fitness was better.

Motor performance of children with cerebral palsy in anterior reach

BackgroundChildren with cerebral palsy perform small displacements during the anterior reach movement from standing position without loss of balance. There are two possible reasons for their decreased performance: the difficulty to stabilize their lower limbs during forward body inclination to reach greater distances or to control the movement of forward reaching. The objective of this study is to identify and compare the motor performance of children with CP and typically developing children, during anterior reach. MethodsThis is a cross-sectional study, composed of 28 children, 14 with spastic cerebral palsy and 14 typical children, who were all evaluated by the Pediatric Reach Test and three-dimensional motion analysis. FindingsThe decreased performance was shown by the lower movement control by children with cerebral palsy. The bilateral and unilateral cerebral palsy children showed lower range of motion of shoulder and trunk than typical children. InterpretationChildren with cerebral palsy show lower anterior displacement and movement control and difficulty bending the trunk and flexing shoulders while reaching forward, suggesting poor postural balance.

Increased Functional Capacity For Adaptive Athletes Through High Intensity Functional Training (HIFT)

BACKGROUND: Individuals with adaptive needs (e.g., spinal cord injuries, cerebral palsy, amputations) encounter various barriers that limit their physical activity (PA). High intensity functional training (HIFT) programs have been developed to help those with adaptive needs improve their functional capacity. Adaptive HIFT programs allow for the preservation of a workout stimulus with exercise modifications or substitutions made for current physical conditions. However, research is lacking for adaptive HIFT programs. PURPOSE: To compare ratings for difficulty and confidence of functional movements before and after an adaptive HIFT intervention. METHODS: Participants included 13 adults (age = 38 ± 11 years, 75% male), and required the use of wheelchairs, limb braces, prosthesis, and crutches. The study consisted of an 8-week adaptive HIFT intervention with 2-3 60-minute supervised sessions per week. Participants completed a survey before and after the intervention that included the Outpatient Physical Therapy Improvement in Movement Assessment Log (OPTIMAL), which measured difficulty and confidence in performing 22 movements necessary to perform various functional activities (e.g., rolling over, squatting), on a 5-point scale (1 high, 5 low). All 13 participants completed the intervention. Due to differential survey completion (i.e., baseline n = 8, posttest n = 5; only 2 of those completed it at each time point), data were treated as cross-sectional and independent samples t-tests were performed via SPSS 25 to compare ratings for each time point. RESULTS: Difficulty ratings approached significance for lying flat, ΔM = 1.1 [-.01, 2.3], (N = 8, 5), t (7) = 2.3, p = .051, SE = .4; squatting, ΔM = 1.7 [-.1, .9], (N = 7, 5), t (10) = 2.1, p = .06, SE = .8; and walking long distances, ΔM = 1.7 [-.4, 3.7], (N = 7, 5), t (10)= 2.2, p = .6, SE = .8. Confidence ratings were significant for grasping, ΔM = .6 [.003, 1.2], (N = 8, 5), t (7) = 2.4, p = .05, SE = .3. No difficulty or confidence ratings had significantly lower scores at posttest. CONCLUSION: Adaptive HIFT programs show promise for addressing functional movement limitations for adaptive adults. This would allow for increased PA participation. Future studies should increase sample sizes and compare outcomes from HIFT programs to other types of PA for the adaptive population.

Rarely Seen Poland–Moebius Syndrome: A Comprehensive View with Perspective of Pediatric Neurology

Background Moebius syndrome is a rare congenital disorder characterized by a unilateral or bilateral congenital facial weakness with impairment of ocular movements. Poland syndrome is an occasional disease defined as the unilateral absence of pectoralis major muscle and ipsilateral syndactyly. As to, Poland–Moebius syndrome is a rare condition which consists of assembly components of Poland and Moebius syndromes. Patients and Methods Patient 1 is a 12-year-old male patient referred for evaluation of difficulties in eye movements to the hospital. On admission, facial, abducens, trochlear, and oculomotor cranial nerves involvement was determined in the neurological examination. His right pectoralis major muscle was hypoplastic in the examination. Patient 2 is a 4-month-old female patient who was admitted with restricted eye movements, weakness of crying, and difficulty in swallowing. Neurological examination indicated facial, abducens, trochlear, oculomotor, glossopharyngeal, and vagus cranial nerves involvement. Her physical examination demonstrated hypoplastic left pectoralis major muscle and hypoplastic left hand. Results The biochemical laboratory studies, creatinine kinase levels, and tests for inborn error of metabolism of both patients were normal. Chest X-ray studies revealed the lack of muscle tissue development in the left pectoral region. Cranial magnetic resonance imaging, echocardiography, and abdominal ultrasound were also normal. Conclusion This report highlights two cases of Poland–Moebius syndrome in two patients of varying age and clinical presentations, with a comprehensive review from the perspective of pediatric neurology.

Separación de la sínfisis púbica postparto

La separación de la sínfisis púbica después del parto vaginal normal es rara. La etiología no es clara y se asocia con multiparidad, macrosomía, debilitamiento fisiológico de la articulación y fuerza excesiva en el área púbica. Los síntomas incluyen dolor cerca de la articulación púbica, caderas, ingle, región inferior del abdomen y parte interna de los muslos, acompañado de sensibilidad del área. Los estudios con imágenes muestran la distancia entre los huesos púbicos. El manejo médico es variable y los resultados potenciales todavía son poco comprendidos. El retraso en el diagnóstico tiene graves consecuencias para la salud de la mujer en forma aguda y a largo plazo. Se presenta una paciente de 18 años con dolor lacerante en el área púbica durante el segundo día del puerperio. Tenía antecedentes de embarazo de evolución normal y parto vaginal espontáneo, a término, con recién nacido vivo y sin complicaciones. En el examen físico había dolor moderado en la región del pubis que interfería con la marcha y los movimientos activos de ambos miembros inferiores. La radiografía pélvica anteroposterior en posición supina mostró separación anormal de la sínfisis púbica de aproximadamente 25 milímetros de extensión, sin otras anomalías óseas o congénitas. Se recomendó tratamiento conservador con recuperación a los 3 meses.

An analysis of variations in body movement difficulty of 2016 Olympic Games rhythmic gymnast candidates

ABSTRACTThe aim of this study was to determine the use and the variety of body movement difficulty in the routines of individual rhythmic gymnasts aiming to compete in the 2016-Olympic Games, both those who qualified and those who did not. The research data was collected from the routines of 24 rhythmic gymnasts, from a total of 96 videos that were recorded during an Olympic qualification competition for the 34th Rhythmic Gymnastics World Championships of 2015 in Stuttgart/Germany. The gymnasts were divided into G11-15, the top 15 gymnasts, and G216-24, the remaining 9 gymnasts. The number of body movements (jumps/leaps, balances and rotations) and their comparative execution “difficulty” values were examined by quality and quantity. Penché rotation on a flat foot (79.2%), a jeté with a turn jump (66.67%) and balancing with a high back scale leg (57.29%) were the most frequently used body movements. The preferences of G1 gymnasts over G2 gymnasts for different types of static and dynamic difficulties across different movements even where there was not a wide variety. Rhythmic gymnasts at different performance levels generally tend to use the same body movement difficulties for all of their routines and this clearly indicates a lack of body difficulty variation.

Placebo and nocebo effects and operant pain-related avoidance learning.

Research on learning in placebo and nocebo has relied predominantly on Pavlovian conditioning procedures. Operant learning procedures may more accurately model learning in real-life situations in which placebo and nocebo effects occur. To investigate the development and persistence of placebo and nocebo effects using an operant avoidance learning task. Pain-free participants (n = 58) could learn to avoid pain by performing movements that differed in difficulty and intensity of painful stimulation. Participants performed movements in 2 contexts. In the high cost of avoidance context, pain stimulus intensity reduced with increasing movement difficulty. In the low cost of avoidance context, contingencies were reversed. Participants rated pain expectations and pain intensity. During test, movement difficulties were unchanged, but participants always received a medium-intensity pain stimulus. Placebo and nocebo effects were defined as lower/higher pain intensity ratings for trajectories that previously resulted in low/high-intensity compared with medium-intensity stimulation. As expected, participants acquired differential movement-pain expectations and differential movement choices. Testing with a medium-intensity pain stimulus quickly erased differences in movement choice across contexts, but differences in pain expectations were maintained. Pain modulation across context was in line with movement-pain expectations. However, we only observed placebo effects within the low cost of avoidance context and found no evidence of nocebo effects. Operant learning can change pain expectations, pain modulation, and pain-related avoidance behavior. Persisting pain expectations suggest that acquired pain beliefs may be resistant to disconfirmation, despite self-initiated experience with novel pain-movement contingencies.

A pilot study of fascia Bowen therapy for 8-11 year-old boys with developmental coordination disorder

BackgroundDevelopmental coordination disorder (DCD), also known as dyspraxia, is a disorder emerging in childhood characterised by motor skill impairments. The motor difficulties often produce negative effects in other areas of life, such as poor self-esteem and reduced social interactions. One treatment used for DCD is fascia Bowen therapy, which involves stimulating the fascia tissues of the body using finger and thumb rolling movements over the skin to improve overall muscle movement. However, no studies to date have been reported testing the effectiveness of fascia Bowen in DCD. MethodsThe present pilot study tested the effectiveness of 6 weeks of fascia Bowen in 10 boys aged 8–11 years with DCD. None of the boys had ever received treatment in any form before this study. Motor skills were assessed using the Movement Assessment Battery for Children-2 (MABC-2) and the DCD questionnaire, and psycho-social functioning was measured using the Self-Perception Profile, Spence Social Skills Questionnaire, and Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire. All measures of interest were assessed before and after the therapy. ResultsResults showed significant improvement in motor function post-intervention, with 60% of the children no longer clinically being classified as having a movement difficulty on the MABC-2. However, no significant improvements were seen in psycho-social measures, at least within the short time-frame of the therapy in the current study. ConclusionsThe current pilot study revealed improvements in motor functioning after fascia Bowen therapy, across both performance and questionnaire measures, but that these improvements did not extend to wider areas of life. Further research in DCD is needed to test the effectiveness of fascia Bowen in larger studies with expanded ages and both genders over longer periods, including the generalisation of results of these longer interventions to different areas of life beyond motor ability.

Space Use by Eastern Hoolock Gibbons (Hoolock leuconedys) in Nankang, Mt. Gaoligong, Southwest Yunnan, China

To understand the differences in space use by eastern hoolock gibbons (Hoolock leuconedys) for meeting different behavioural needs and adapting to a disturbed environment, an eastern hoolock gibbon family in Nankang, Mt. Gaoligong, China, was observed, and data on their behaviour, spatial position and substrate use were collected through instantaneous scanning from October 2, 2010, to September 15, 2011. Our results suggested that connectivity was a primary factor influencing the movements of eastern hoolock gibbons. However, there were differences between spatial location and substrate use with different behaviours. Sitting and hanging were the main resting behaviours, but spatial position and substrate use for these two postures were different. Because tsaoko cultivation in this area has made understory plants rare, gibbons primarily used long, thin, horizontal branches in the first and second layers of the tree canopy for their movement. Although gibbons can selectively use the habitat and alter their spatial utilisation pattern accordingly, they are facing increased difficulty in movement and risk falling because of increased human disturbance and spread of tsaoko plantations. Therefore, it is important to limit the scope of tsaoko plantation to maintain a suitable habitat for Nankang gibbons.

A homozygous missense variant in the alkaline phosphatase gene ALPL is associated with a severe form of canine hypophosphatasia

Inherited skeletal disorders affect both humans and animals. In the current study, we have performed series of clinical, pathological and genetic examinations to characterize a previously unreported skeletal disease in the Karelian Bear Dog (KBD) breed. The disease was recognized in seven KBD puppies with a variable presentation of skeletal hypomineralization, growth retardation, seizures and movement difficulties. Exome sequencing of one affected dog revealed a homozygous missense variant (c.1301T > G; p.V434G) in the tissue non-specific alkaline phosphatase gene, ALPL. The identified recessive variant showed full segregation with the disease in a cohort of 509 KBDs with a carrier frequency of 0.17 and was absent from 303 dogs from control breeds. In humans, recessive and dominant ALPL mutations cause hypophosphatasia (HPP), a metabolic bone disease with highly heterogeneous clinical manifestations, ranging from lethal perinatal hypomineralization to a relatively mild dental disease. Our study reports the first naturally occurring HPP in animals, resembling the human infantile form. The canine HPP model may serve as a preclinical model while a genetic test will assist in breeding programs.