Movement Dysfunction Research Articles

Atypical Trigger Finger: First Manifestation of Gout

Gout is a form of inflammatory arthritis caused by hyperuricemia characterized by painful, hot and swollen joints. However, tophi involving carpal tunnel with concomitant presence of finger movement dysfunction as the first presentation of gout is rare. This suggests the involvement of flexor tendon inside the carpal tunnel. Here, we report a case of infiltration of tophi at the flexor tendon of the hand presented as the first clinical manifestation of gout causing trigger finger like symptoms. Patient underwent surgery to confirm the diagnosis and improve flexor tendon excursion. Our patient’s finger movement improved dramatically after operation.

Neurotrophin Expression in Lymphocytes: a Powerful Indicator of Degeneration in Parkinson's Disease, Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis and Ataxia.

Deregulated neurotrophin is an etiological factor in the pathology of neurodegenerative diseases (ND) that are clinically different entities but characterised by similar limb dysfunction. Earlier validation of peripheral biomarkers can provide significant translational benefit to ND patients. We analysed brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF)-tropomyosin possessing tyrosine-related kinase (Trk B) and its key downstream proteins which are implicated in ND such as Parkinson's disease (PD), amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and ataxia. Blood from ND patients with PD, ALS and Ataxia with movement dysfunctions were obtained to analyse mRNA and protein expressions of the abovementioned factors in lymphocytes. The mRNA and protein expression of BDNF-TrkB and its key downstream molecules showed a significant variation when compared to control and among NDs. The study intends to show that on identifying the variation of these key molecules in the blood samples of patients with ND can serve as early diagnostic candidates. Thus by intervening, the neurotrophins and their pathways can help in early diagnosis and optimising levels of diagnostic certainty.

A Review of Chronic Pain and Cognitive, Mood, and Motor Dysfunction Following Mild Traumatic Brain Injury: Complex, Comorbid, and/or Overlapping Conditions?

Mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) is commonly encountered in clinical practice. While the cognitive ramifications of mTBI are frequently described in the literature, the impact of mTBI on emotional, sensory, and motor function is not as commonly discussed. Chronic pain is a phenomenon more prevalent among patients with mTBI compared to those with moderate or severe traumatic brain injury. Chronic pain can become a primary disorder of the central nervous system (CNS) expressed as widespread pain, and cognitive, mood, and movement dysfunction. Shared mechanisms across chronic pain conditions can account for how pain is generated and maintained in the CNS, irrespective of the underlying structural pathology. Herein, we review the impact of mTBI on cognitive, emotional, sensory, and motor domains, and the role of pain as an important confounding variable in patient recovery and dysfunction following mTBI.

THE HOW AND WHY OF THE MOVEMENT SYSTEM AS THE IDENTITY OF PHYSICAL THERAPY

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CORRELATION OF SELF-REPORTED OUTCOME MEASURES AND THE SELECTIVE FUNCTIONAL MOVEMENT ASSESSMENT (SFMA): AN EXPLORATION OF VALIDITY

The Selective Functional Movement Assessment (SFMA) is a clinical model used to assist diagnosis and treatment of musculoskeletal disorders by identifying dysfunctions in movement patterns. Based on the premise that addressing movement dysfunction is associated with an improvement in patient outcomes, the validity of the SFMA would be strengthened by observed improvement in self-reported function being associated with change in movement patterns. The purpose of this study was to explore the validity of the SFMA by determining if a correlation exists between a change in self-reported outcome measures and attributes of the assessment. Eighty-five clinical subjects (20.3 ± 1.6 years) were administered the Patient-Specific Functional Scale and one of four region-specific outcome measures followed by the SFMA top-tier movements. When deemed appropriate for discharge or following six weeks of therapy by an independent physical therapist, each subject repeated the outcome measures and was re-evaluated on the top-tier tests by the same initial assessor who was blinded to the subject's self-reported outcomes. Correlations between changes in outcome measures, number of painful movements and measures of movement quality (number of dysfunctional movements and criterion scores) were calculated with Spearman rank correlation coefficients. Subjects were analyzed as a consolidated group and by each region based on primary complaint. Fair to good positive correlations between improvements in self-reported outcomes and decreases in the number of painful patterns were noted for the complete dataset and for those with shoulder girdle and lumbopelvic complaints (rs = 0.28, 0.52, and 0.41, respectively). Subjects with lumbopelvic complaints demonstrated fair positive correlations with improvements in self-reported outcomes and decreases in the number of dysfunctional patterns (rs = 0.41 and 0.46). No correlations between changes in outcome measures and criterion score were observed. Improvements in self-reported outcome measures were associated with fewer painful movement patterns of the SFMA. Improvements in self-reported function were not related to changes in movement quality, except for subjects presenting with lumbopelvic complaints. 2b.

Huntington’s disease-like 2 with an expansion mutation of the Junctophilin-3 gene; first reported case from Botswana

Huntington’s disease-like 2 (HDL2) is a rare autosomal dominant progressive neurodegenerative disorder commonly seen in adults. It was first described in a large African-American family in the United States. HDL2 clinically resembles Huntington’s disease (HD) and causes adult-onset relentlessly progressive movement, emotional and cognitive dysfunction. Onset is usually in the fourth decade with slow progression to death.We present a 47-year-old male Botswana native, with a four-year-history of chorea, slurred speech, mood instability, cognitive impairment and weight loss. Genetic testing reveals normal HTT gene but a heterozygous expansion mutation at the JPH3 locus, confirmatory of HDL2.Though some cases of HDL2 have been reported from neighboring South Africa, this is the first instance from Botswana. This report draws attention to the fact that HDL2 exists among native Batswana, and even though clinically indistinguishable from HD, molecular testing can result in positive case identification.

Erythrocyte membrane in the evaluation of neurodegenerative disorders.

Neurodegenerative diseases have many similar pathological conditions, and very few studies exist which detail their molecular features. Proteins like Na+/K+-ATPase (NKA), α-spectrin (SPTA) and drebrin have been reported to be involved in the integrity of neuronal cell membrane and their functions. Furthermore, recent studies have highlighted their implication in neurodegeneration. In the current study, we wanted to identify the role of NKA, SPTA and drebrin in the erythrocyte membranes obtained from the blood of patients with neurodegenerative disorders (NDs) subjected to motor impairment such as Parkinson’s disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, ataxia and dementia. We have studied the activity of NKA and the expression of NKA, SPTA and drebrin in the erythrocyte membrane by quantitative real-time PCR and Western blot obtained from the blood samples of patients with NDs culminating in movement and memory dysfunction. We observed a significant reduction in the expressions of NKA, SPTA and drebrin when compared to control and significant variations among the recruited ND samples. On correlating, we found a significant relationship between the expressions and the clinical features such as bradykinesia. Thus, we suggest that the reduction in the expressions of NKA, SPTA and drebrin could function as tools of assessment and speculate the particular neurodegenerative condition.

The Effect of Clinical Pilates on Functional Movement in Recreational Runners.

Biomechanical imbalances and inefficient functional movements are considered contributing factors to running-related injuries. Clinical Pilates uses a series of exercises focused on retraining normal movement patterns. This study investigated whether a 6-week course of Clinical Pilates improves functional movement and thereby, potentially, reduces the risk of running-related injuries associated with movement dysfunction. A modified functional movement screen was used to analyze the functional movement ability of forty runners. Forty participants completed a 6-week course of Clinical Pilates delivered by a Clinical Pilates instructor. The movement screen was carried out 3 times for each runner: 6 weeks pre-intervention (baseline), within one week pre-intervention (pre) and within one week post-intervention (post). Repeated-measures analysis of variance and post-hoc tests found significant increases in scores between baseline and post (mean±SD; 13.4±2.4 vs. 17.0±1.7, p<0.01) and pre and post (mean±SD; 13.5±2.5 vs. 17.0±1.7, p<0.01), but no significant difference between baseline and pre (p=0.3). A 6-week course of Clinical Pilates significantly improves functional movement in recreational runners, and this may lead to a reduction in the risk of running-related injuries.

Evidence that eye-movement profiles do not explain slow binocular rivalry rate in bipolar disorder: support for a perceptual endophenotype.

Presenting conflicting images simultaneously, one to each eye, produces perceptual alternations known as binocular rivalry (BR). Slow BR rate has been proposed as an endophenotype for bipolar disorder (BD) for use in large-scale genome-wide association studies. However, the trait could conceivably reflect eye movement (EM) dysfunction in BD rather than anomalous perceptual processing per se. To address this question, we examined the relationship between EM profiles and BR rate for various stimulus types in BD and healthy subjects. We also examined differences in EM profiles between these groups. Employing a repeated-measures within-subjects design, 20 BD outpatients and 20 age- and sex-matched healthy controls completed EM tasks and separate BR tasks involving a range of stimuli with different drift speeds. The association between each EM measure and BR rate was examined with correlational analyses for all stimulus conditions in both groups. Between-group comparisons were performed to determine any differences in those EM measures. Corresponding Bayesian analyses were also conducted. There were no EM measures that showed a significant relationship with BR rate in either the BD group or the healthy group (P≥7.87×10-3 ), where those EM measures were also significantly different between the BD and healthy groups (P≥1.32×10-2 ). These findings were verified with Bayes factors. The results provide evidence that EM profiles do not explain the slow BR endophenotype for BD, thus indicating that the trait reflects anomalous perceptual processing per se. This perceptual trait can be employed in clinical, genetic, mechanistic and pathophysiological studies.

Neuropeptide Y and Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide in Cerebrospinal Fluid in Parkinson's Disease with Comorbid Depression versus Patients with Major Depressive Disorder.

Parkinson’s disease (PD) is the second most common neurodegenerative disease in the world. The diagnosis of PD is based on movement dysfunctions. Many patients also suffer from comorbid depression in spite of adequate treatment with dopamine replacement, indicating that also other non-dopaminergic mechanisms are involved. Indeed, neuropeptides are critically implicated in the pathophysiology of major depressive disorder (MDD). To increase our understanding of the biochemical basis of depression in PD patients, we examined the levels of neuropeptide Y (NPY) and calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) from PD patients, with or without comorbid depression, and compared them to the levels in patients with MDD. We also compared the levels of NPY and CGRP with 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid (5-HIAA), the major serotonin metabolite. Both NPY and CGRP were higher in PD patients with comorbid depression compared to MDD patients. No similar difference was found in 5-HIAA levels. Accordingly, there were no correlations between NPY and 5-HIAA or CGRP and 5-HIAA levels. The finding of higher NPY and CGRP CSF levels in PD patients with MDD raises the possibility that different pathophysiological processes may underlie depression in PD and MDD.

Performance in the Deep Squat Test and the risk of musculoskeletal injuries: a systematic review

Deep Squat Test (DS) is a functional test frequently used in risk classification protocols for musculoskeletal injuries in physical activities. Objective: To systematically evaluate the literature on the validity of DS as a predictor of musculoskeletal injuries. Method: A search without language or time filters was carried out on the Medical Literature Analysis and Retrievel System Online (MEDLINE), Scientific Electronic Library Online (SciELO), Physiotherapy Evidence Database (PEDro) and Virtual Health Library (BVS) databases with the following title words: injury prediction, injury risk and deep squat. We included prospective studies of DS as a risk classification test for musculoskeletal injuries during the practice of physical activities until December 2016. The participants' profile, sample size, classification of musculoskeletal injuries, follow-up time, study design and results were extracted from the studies. The bias risk analysis was performed with the Newgate-Ottawa Scale. Results: Five studies were included, using different analyzes, whose results varied. The odds ratio ranged from 1.21 to 2.59 (95% CI = 1.01 - 3.28). The relative risk was 1.68 (95% CI = 1.50 - 1.87), sensitivity from 3 to 24%, specificity from 90 to 99%, PPV from 42 to 63%, NPV from 72 to 75% and AUC from 51 to 58%. Conclusion: DS is a test whose presence of movement dysfunctions is a predictor of the risk of musculoskeletal injuries in individuals who practice physical activities. However, due to the methodological limitations presented, caution is suggested when interpreting such results.

TERAPI DIATERMI GELOMBANG MIKRO DAN TRAKSI TRANSLASI PENDERITA HEMIPLEGIA DENGAN GANGGUAN GERAK SENDI BAHU DI RUMAH SAKIT FATMAWATI JAKARTA TAHUN 2015

Delaying in caring restricted shoulder’s joint motion among haemiplegia patients lead to worsen conditions, which are characterized by the limitations of active and passive movement on the entire movement of the shoulder joint. This study aims to determine the effect of Diathermy Micro Wave therapy and translational traction on the changes in joint motion of shoulder hemiplegia with frozen shoulder. This research uses pre-experiment pre-posttest one group design. The study population was hemiplegic patients with frozen shoulder movement dysfunction. The sample was 15 the patiens in the population those chosed based onpurposive sampling consideration with 30 - 50 years aged. The result of statistical analisys showed that paired t-test for the extent of exorotation of the shoulder joint before and after MWD and traction-translation revealed significant differences with p = 0.014 &lt;α = 0.05; wilcoxone test for abduction before and after administration of MWD and traction-translation made significant different with value of p=0.046 &lt; α=0.05; and wilcoxon test for endorotation shoulder joint area before and after administration of Diathermy Microwaves and traction-translations showed significant differences (p = 0.001 &lt;α = 0.05). The conclusion of this research is the provision of Diathermy Micro Wave intervention and traction-translation can increase the distance of motion abduction, exorotation and endorotation of shoulder joints of Hemiplegia patients with shoulder joint disfunction.

Patterns of cervical and masticatory impairment in subgroups of people with temporomandibular disorders–an explorative approach based on factor analysis

Objectives: To identify clinical patterns of impairment affecting the cervical spine and masticatory systems in different subcategories of temporomandibular disorder (TMD) by an explorative data-driven approach.Methods: For this observational study, 144 subjects were subdivided according to Research Diagnostic Criteria for TMDs into: Healthy controls, temporomandibular joint (TMJ) signs without symptoms, TMJ affected, temporomandibular muscles affected, or TMJ and muscles affected. Factor analysis and linear regression were applied to cervical spine and masticatory data to identify and characterize clinical patterns in subgroups.Results: Factor analysis identified five clinical dimensions, which explained 59% of all variance: Mechanosensitivity, cervical movement, cervical and masticatory dysfunction, jaw movement, and upper cervical movement. Regression analysis identified different clinical dimensions in each TMD subgroup.Conclusion: Distinct clinical patterns of cervical spine and masticatory function were found among subgroups of TMD, which has clinical implications for therapeutic management.

Physical Therapy for a Patient with Essential Tremor and Prolonged Deep Brain Stimulation: A Case Report.

BackgroundThere is a lack of evidence examining the role of physical therapy (PT) to address movement dysfunction for individuals with essential tremor (ET).Case ReportA 61-year-old male with ET and prolonged bilateral deep brain stimulation (DBS) completed 14 sessions of outpatient PT that emphasized balance, functional movements, and proximal stability training with an integration of principles of body awareness training and visual motor coordination. Improvements were noted in all outcome measures.DiscussionThis report describes a novel PT approach that offers a promising means of improving functional mobility and balance while decreasing falls risk in patients with ET.

Functional Organization of Vestibulo-Ocular Responses in Abducens Motoneurons.

Vestibulo-ocular reflexes (VORs) are the dominating contributors to gaze stabilization in all vertebrates. During horizontal head movements, abducens motoneurons form the final element of the reflex arc that integrates visuovestibular inputs into temporally precise motor commands for the lateral rectus eye muscle. Here, we studied a possible differentiation of abducens motoneurons into subtypes by evaluating their morphology, discharge properties, and synaptic pharmacology in semi-intact in vitro preparations of larval Xenopus laevis Extracellular nerve recordings during sinusoidal head motion revealed a continuum of resting rates and activation thresholds during vestibular stimulation. Differences in the sensitivity to changing stimulus frequencies and velocities allowed subdividing abducens motoneurons into two subgroups, one encoding the frequency and velocity of head motion (Group I), and the other precisely encoding angular velocity independent of stimulus frequency (Group II). Computational modeling indicated that Group II motoneurons are the major contributor to actual eye movements over the tested stimulus range. The segregation into two functional subgroups coincides with a differential activation of glutamate receptor subtypes. Vestibular excitatory inputs in Group I motoneurons are mediated predominantly by NMDA receptors and to a lesser extent by AMPA receptors, whereas an AMPA receptor-mediated excitation prevails in Group II motoneurons. Furthermore, glycinergic ipsilateral vestibular inhibitory inputs are activated during the horizontal VOR, whereas the tonic GABAergic inhibition is presumably of extravestibular origin. These findings support the presence of physiologically and pharmacologically distinct functional subgroups of extraocular motoneurons that act in concert to mediate the large dynamic range of extraocular motor commands during gaze stabilization.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Outward-directed gaze-stabilizing eye movements are commanded by abducens motoneurons that combine different sensory inputs including signals from the vestibular system about ongoing head movements (vestibulo-ocular reflex). Using an amphibian model, this study investigates whether different types of abducens motoneurons exist that become active during different types of eye movements. The outcome of this study demonstrates the presence of specific motoneuronal populations with pharmacological profiles that match their response dynamics. The evolutionary conservation of the vestibulo-ocular circuitry makes it likely that a similar motoneuronal organization is also implemented in other vertebrates. Accordingly, the physiological and pharmacological understanding of specific motoneuronal contributions to eye movements might help in designing drug therapies for human eye movement dysfunctions such as abducens nerve palsy.

Motor synergies research in physical therapy: advantages of the uncontrolled manifold approach

ABSTRACT Movement is central to physical therapy identity and practice. Advances in the science of movement control, motor learning and development are thus inextricably tied to professional development and clinical activity. This paper aims to describe a prominent approach to motor control with potential to greatly advance the understanding of movement dysfunction: the uncontrolled manifold (UCM). An argument is formulated for incorporating this method of data analysis in rehabilitation research. It is a narrative review of the relevant literature. Research in physical therapy could greatly benefit from investigating synergies with the theory and methods of UCM. Research should seek connections between functioning in daily life tasks and the assembling of synergies to stabilize different performance variables, the UCM variability measures, the synergy strength indexes, and the anticipatory synergy adjustments. Changes in these synergy variables should also be quantified after rehabilitation interventions. UCM can offer one solid science-based approach to inform clinical decisions on whether synergies have to be broken, rebalanced, created, or reinforced in patients with movement dysfunction.

192 Sexual Dysfunction in the Western Men's Health Movement: Lessons from Traditional Chinese Medicine

192 Sexual Dysfunction in the Western Men's Health Movement: Lessons from Traditional Chinese Medicine

Challenging Beijing's Mandate of Heaven: Taiwan's Sunflower Movement and Hong Kong's Umbrella Movement by Ming-sho Ho

Reviewed by: Challenging Beijing's Mandate of Heaven: Taiwan's Sunflower Movement and Hong Kong's Umbrella Movement by Ming-sho Ho Kevin Wei Luo (bio) Ming-sho Ho. Challenging Beijing's Mandate of Heaven: Taiwan's Sunflower Movement and Hong Kong's Umbrella Movement. Philadelphia: Temple University Press, 2019. xvi, 269 pp. Paperback $39.95, isbn 978-1-4399-1707-7. How do we draw general lessons from exceptional historical events? This question is implicitly at the heart of Ming-sho Ho's path-breaking comparative study of Taiwan's Sunflower Movement and Hong Kong's Umbrella Movement, one of the first book-length projects of its kind since the tumultuous months of 2014. Brimming with rich empirical insights and ethnographic detail, the book takes a comparative angle to analyzing the "origins, processes, and outcomes" (p. 3) of the two movements, while seriously engaging with the broader literature of social movement theory. Ho sets out to address six puzzles in this book (pp. 8–10): 1. How radical movements emerged in seemingly conservative Confucian societies; 2. How both movements materialized not because of apparent political opportunities, but rather due to perceived threats; 3. How both movements were led by inexperienced student leaders; 4. How material resources did not seem to pre-determine the organizational capacity of the movements themselves; 5. How improvisation and "unsolicited" contributions played key roles in movement organization; 6. How the political fates of activist groups in Taiwan and Hong Kong diverged in the electoral arena in the aftermath of the protests. Successfully answering one central puzzle in a book monograph is already a tall order. Some of these questions—such as the movements' relationships with conservative Confucian political cultures and their impact on electoral outcomes post-2014—probably warrant entirely separate book-length projects down the road. Where Ho succeeds, however, is to embed the rest of the puzzles in three broader theoretical issues: organization and networks (primarily chapter 3, but also chapters 4–6), political opportunities and threats (chapters 4 and 5), and movement improvisation (chapter 6). This review aims to further highlight the immense theoretical and comparative potential of this [End Page 212] book, that should deserve more attention from scholars of political sociology and East Asian politics alike. Organization and Networks: The Strength of Weak Ties The networks of civic activist groups in Taiwan and Hong Kong played instrumental roles in explaining social movement mobilization for Ho. Counterintuitively, however, Taiwan's Sunflower movement emerged as relatively centralized and unified despite enjoying less financial support and lacking a strong leadership structure prior to mass mobilization. On the other hand, despite stronger institutionalization and resources possessed by the Hong Kong Federation of Students (HKFS) and the Occupy Central with Love and Peace (OCLP) campaign, the Umbrella Movement in Hong Kong suffered from internal dissent and lack of coordinated leadership (p. 144). From the conventional perspective of social movement theory this is certainly unexpected, as one would assume the prior level of institutionalization to be correlated with stronger capacities for movement coordination (pp. 138–140). Yet Taiwan's looser and overlapping ties among its student activist groups and NGOs (pp. 82–83) likely helped to generate more confidence in the ad hoc organizational structure of the Sunflower movement, and enabled more inclusive buy-in from movement participants. This is where the comparative research design of the book becomes indispensable. While critics had previously attributed Umbrella Movement's dysfunctions to the lack of organizational power, Ho shrewdly points out that prior organizational capacity in Hong Kong was fairly solid compared to that of Taiwan's, and thus cannot be the sole causal factor in explaining its leadership ineffectiveness (p. 144). Furthermore, while the Sunflower Movement did experience some ideological fragmentation among its ranks, fringe and militant elements within the movement still gave leaders the benefit of the doubt and did not seek to usurp movement leadership, primarily because of the strong levels of trust derived from overlapping social ties (pp. 170–172). Comparatively, activists in Hong Kong faced tougher obstacles in reconciling internal differences. Civic Passion—the militant wing of the movement—fervently challenged the legitimacy of the command center in Admiralty. Ho finds that this...

Third Annual Geneva R. Johnson Forum on Innovations in Physical Therapy Education: Formation of a Doctoring Professional: Are We Shying Away From Education that Really Matters in the Lives of Our Graduates?

INTRODUCTIONDr Geneva R. Johnson (Figure 1) continues to influence physical therapy education as an inspirational participant in the Third Annual Geneva R. Johnson Innovations in Physical Therapy Education Forum (GRJ Forum). Dr Johnson is recognized for her longstanding leadership and mentorship, having contributed to the advancement of physical therapy education, practice, and research for over 60 years. The GRJ Forum started in 2014 through the collaborative efforts of the Academic Council of Academic Physical Therapy (ACAPT) and the Physical Therapy Learning Institute (PTLI).3,12 Once again it was the keynote for the 2016 Education Leadership Conference (ELC) held in Phoenix, Arizona. As expected, the Forum continues to foster creative ideas for positive change to promote excellence in physical therapist education, a hallmark of Dr Johnson's legacy.As in previous years, the Forum set the stage for energy, enthusiasm, and excitement for conference participants as discussions evolved to explore new opportunities to promote excellence in education. The GRJ Forum design is like no other in our profession. Key to its success is provocative speakers who share personal perspectives, immediately followed by active engagement all participants. As Tschoepe shared in her recognition to Dr Johnson and the introduction of the Forum, many remember what has become known as "Dr Johnson's 3 Ps of strong leadership skills": passion, persistence, and perseverance. Illustrations of these, as well as other essential personal leadership skills, were explored throughout the Forum by many speakers at ELC 2016.THE GRJ FORUM: ORGANIZATION AND STRUCTUREThe GRJ Forum is designed to:* Create a safe environment for key stakeholders in physical therapy education to discuss the infinite possibilities of the future, rather than solving problems of the past.* Encourage vision, innovation, creativity, and provocative new ideas that can positively influence the future of physical therapy education.* Challenge educators to proactively advance physical therapy education to prepare graduates to meet projected societal and professional needs rather than merely react to external pressures.3The 2016 GRJ Forum featured Dr Emma Stokes, an international visionary leader and current World Confederation for Physical Therapy (WCPT) president, who energized the over-800 conference participants and set the stage for ongoing conversation and idea development throughout the conference. Her keynote was followed by 3 Ignite Talks from active leaders in physical therapy education in the United States - Dr Michael Majsak, Dr Bob Rowe, and Dr Chris Sebelski. Collectively, they shared individual perspectives of what each believed to be critical to foster graduate success in physical therapist practice that is entrepreneurial in spirit, illustrates personal ownership and accountability, and offers a unique value to the health care team to facilitate optimal, efficient, and effective individual-centered health promotion and management. Discussion by over 200 participants followed these speakers, and they more thoroughly explored the 13 themes presented, and discussed "how might we" or "wouldn't it be great if..." Participants had options to discuss 2 different themes, and table facilitators shared 3 possible highlights that might illustrate innovation and educational change to include education that really matters to better prepare physical therapist graduates for success in their future professional careersTHIRD ANNUAL GRJ FORUM HIGHLIGHTSKeynote Address - Walk With the DreamersEmma Stokes, PT, PhD, is deputy head of the Department of Physiotherapy and a fellow of Trinity College in Dublin, Ireland. She teaches in the university's entry to practice and PhD programs in Dublin and Singapore. Her research focuses on matters related to professional practice; particularly, leadership in the profession. She has received numerous awards and professional recognitions for her contributions to the physiotherapy profession and has been a board member of the World Confederation for Physical Therapy (WCPT) since 2007. …

Inhibition of mitochondrial calcium uptake 1 in Drosophila neurons.

The mitochondrial calcium uptake 1 (MICU1) is a regulatory subunit of the mitochondrial calcium uniporter that plays an important role in calcium sensing. It contains two EF-hand domains that are well conserved across diverse species from protozoa to plants and metazoans. The loss of MICU1 function in mammals is attributed to several neurological disorders that involve movement dysfunction. The CG4495 gene in Drosophila melanogaster was identified as a putative homolog of MICU1 in the HomoloGene database of the National Centre for Biotechnology Information (NCBI). In agreement with previous studies that have shown the development of neurological disorders and movement defects in MICU1 loss-of-function organisms, we attempted to identify the function of CG4495/MICU1 in Drosophila neurons. We analyzed survival and locomotor ability of these flies and additionally performed biometric analysis of the Drosophila developing eye. The inducible RNA interference-mediated inhibition of CG4495/MICU1 in the Ddc-Gal4-expressing neurons of Drosophila presented with reduction in survival coupled with a precocious loss of locomotor ability. Since the pro-survival Bcl-2 family genes have been shown to be protective towards mitochondria, and CG4495/MICU1 has a mitochondrial targeting sequence, we attempted to rescue the phenotypes resulting from the inhibition of CG4495/MICU1 by overexpressing Buffy, the sole Bcl-2 homologue in Drosophila. The co-expression of CG4495/MICU1-RNAi along with Buffy resulted in the suppression of the phenotypes induced by the inhibition of CG4495/MICU1. Subsequently, the inhibition of CG4495/MICU1 in the Drosophila developing eye, a neuron-rich organ, resulted in reduced number of ommatidia and a highly fused ommatidial array. These developmental eye defects were rescued by the overexpression of Buffy. Our study suggests an important role for MICU1 in the normal function of neurons in Drosophila.