A systematic review of the prevalence rates of chronic health conditions in populations of children with intellectual disability was provided. We identified 2,994 relevant studies by searching Medline, Cinahl, and PsycINFO databases from 1996 to 2008. We included the 31 studies that had sufficient methodological quality. The 6 most prevalent chronic health conditions in children with intellectual disability were epilepsy (22.0/100), cerebral palsy (19.8/100), any anxiety disorder (17.1/100), oppositional defiant disorder (12.4/100), Down syndrome (11.0/100), and autistic disorder (10.1/100). The reported prevalence rates of chronic health conditions in this population was much higher than in the general population. However, both the number of studies that were included and the number of chronic health conditions they reported about were limited. There is an urgent need for better evidence on the prevalence of chronic health conditions among children with intellectual disability.

The differences in individual test scores, based on gender and age, have implications for future strategy within the police force. From a viewpoint of 'same job, same standard' one has to accept that test-score differences may lead to the exclusion of certain staff. However, from a viewpoint of 'diversity as a business issue', one may have to accept that on average, both female and older police officers are physically less tailored to their jobs than their male and younger colleagues.

Glutamate microsensors form a promising analytical tool for monitoring neuronally derived glutamate directly in the brain. However, when a microsensor is implanted in brain tissue, many factors can diminish its performance. Consequently, a thorough characterization and evaluation of a microsensor is required concerning all factors that may possibly be encountered in vivo. The present report deals with the validation of a hydrogel-coated glutamate microsensor. This microsensor is constructed by coating a carbon fiber electrode (10-microm diameter; 300-500 microm long) with a five-component redox hydrogel, in which L-glutamate oxidase, horseradish peroxidase, and ascorbate oxidase are wired via poly(ethylene glycol) diglycidyl ether to an osmium-containing redox polymer. A thin Nafion coating completes the construction. Although this microsensor was previously used in vivo, information concerning its validation is limited. In the present study, attention was given to its selectivity, specificity, calibration, oxygen dependency, biofouling, operating potential dependency, and linear range. In addition, successful microsensor experiments in microdialysate, in vitro (in organotypic hippocampal slice cultures), and in vivo (in anesthesized rats) are shown.

Background  Adolescents with intellectual disability (ID) (ID‐adolescents) and adolescents with chronic diseases are both more likely to have emotional and behavioural problems. The aim of this study was to assess the association between chronic diseases in ID‐adolescents and emotional and behavioural problems in a large school‐based sample. Methods  We obtained data on 1044 ID‐adolescents, aged 12–18 years, attending secondary schools in the Netherlands. Parents of the adolescents completed the Dutch version of the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire and questions about chronic diseases in their child and about the background of the child. Results  Prevalence rates of emotional and behavioural problems were generally high in ID‐adolescents with chronic diseases (45%), compared with ID‐adolescents without chronic diseases (17%). The likelihood of emotional and behavioural problems was high in ID‐adolescents with two [odds ratios (OR) 4.47; 95% CI: 2.97–6.74] or more than two chronic diseases (OR 8.01; 95% CI: 5.18–12.39) and for ID‐adolescents with mental chronic diseases (OR 4.56; 95% CI: 3.21–6.47). Also ID‐adolescents with somatic chronic diseases had a high likelihood of emotional and behavioural problems (OR 1.99; 95% CI: 1.33–2.99), in particular in the combination of somatic and mental chronic diseases (OR 5.16; 95% CI: 3.46–7.71). Conclusions  The current study showed that chronic diseases in ID‐adolescents, in particular mental chronic diseases, largely increase the likelihood of emotional and behavioural problems. This should be taken in the provision and planning of care for ID‐adolescents.