ABSTRACT
Objective@#To assess plantar arch index (AI) and prevalence of flat feet in school-age children (7-12 years old) in Shanghai and evaluate the relationship between flat feet with age, gender, weight status (BMI) and occurring sides, and to provide a reference for the prevention of flatfeet.@*Methods@#Three-dimensional foot measuring instruments were used to measure bilateral foot length, medial arch height, AI and arch height ratio (AHR) in school-age children in Shanghai. Statistical analysis of these foot parameters was performed.@*Results@#A total of 3 226 children between aged 7 and 12 in Shanghai were measured with AI of (0.27±0.05) and AHR of (3.02±1.89). Prevalence of flat feet in the group of 7 to 12 year old children was 56.1%. Prevalence of flatfeet decreased significantly with age: 72.6% at 7 years old and 37.9% at 12 years old. Boys had a significantly greater risk for flat feet than girls: the prevalence of flat feet was 62.9% for boys and 47.8% for girls (OR=1.81, 95%CI=1.57-2.10). This risk was independent of age but related to gender. The risk of flat feet in boys was always higher than that in girls at every age. For children aged 7-8, being overweight was not significantly related to the occurrence of flat feet. However, for children aged 9-12 who were overweight were more likely to have flat feet than those of normal weight. The OR increased with age: from 1.44 (95%CI=1.03-2.03) at 9 to 2.96 (95%CI=1.68-5.23) at 12. There was no difference on which side flat feet would occur (χ2=0.95，P=0.33).@*Conclusion@#This finding shows that prevalence of flat feet is influenced by age, gender and weight status. AI and prevalence of flat feet in children aged 7-12 decreases with age, and boys have significantly higher prevalence of flat feet than girls. Overweight children aged 9 or older have a higher risk of flat feet.
ABSTRACT
Drosophila dEAAT2, a member of the excitatory amino-acid transporter (EAAT) family, has been described as mediating the high-affinity transport of taurine, which is a free amino-acid abundant in both insects and mammals. However, the role of taurine and its transporter in hearing is not clear. Here, we report that dEAAT2 is required for the larval startle response to sound stimuli. dEAAT2 was found to be enriched in the distal region of chordotonal neurons where sound transduction occurs. The Ca imaging and electrophysiological results showed that disrupted dEAAT2 expression significantly reduced the response of chordotonal neurons to sound. More importantly, expressing dEAAT2 in the chordotonal neurons rescued these mutant phenotypes. Taken together, these findings indicate a critical role for Drosophila dEAAT2 in sound transduction by chordotonal neurons.