Ετικέτες

Παρασκευή 27 Ιουλίου 2018

Comparison of glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor (GLP-1R) PET/CT, SPECT/CT and 3T MRI for the localisation of occult insulinomas: evaluation of diagnostic accuracy in a prospective crossover imaging study

Abstract

Purpose

Benign insulinomas are the most prevalent cause of endogenous hyperinsulinaemic hypoglycaemia (EHH) in adults, and because of their small size are difficult to localise. The purpose of the study was to test the diagnostic accuracy and clinical impact of glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor (GLP-1R) PET/CT using 68Ga-DOTA-exendin-4 in consecutive adult patients referred for localisation of insulinomas. The results were compared with 111In-DOTA-exendin-4 SPECT/CT, study-MRI and previously performed external CT and/or MRI (prior external CT/MRI).

Methods

We prospectively enrolled patients with neuroglycopenic symptoms due to EHH. GLP-1R PET/CT, SPECT/CT and study-MRI were performed in a randomised, crossover order within 3–4 days. The reference standard was surgery with histology and treatment outcome.

Results

From January 2014 until March 2017, 52 patients were recruited. All imaging and invasive procedures before recruitment identified suspicious lesions in 46.2% of patients. GLP-1R PET/CT, SPECT/CT and study-MRI detected suspicious lesions in 78.8%, 63.5% and 63.4% of patients, respectively. In 38 patients, conclusive histology was available for final analysis.

Accuracy (95% confidence interval) for PET/CT, SPECT/CT, study-MRI and prior external CT/MRI was 93.9% (87.8–97.5%), 67.5% (58.1–76.0%), 67.6% (58.0–76.1%) and 40.0% (23.9–57.9%), respectively (all P values < 0.01, except comparison of SPECT/CT and study-MRI with a P value = 1.0). Impact on clinical management was 42.3%, 32.7% and 33.3% for PET/CT, SPECT/CT and study-MRI, respectively. Percentage reading agreement was 89.5%, 75.7%, and 71.1% for PET/CT, SPECT/CT and study-MRI, respectively.

Conclusion

68Ga-DOTA-exendin-4 PET/CT performed significantly better than 111In-DOTA-exendin-4 SPECT/CT and MRI in the localisation of benign insulinomas and should be considered in patients where localisation fails with CT/MRI (ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT02127541).



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Two siblings with metachromatic leukodystrophy caused by a novel identified homozygous mutation in the ARSA gene

Journal Name: Journal of Pediatric Endocrinology and Metabolism
Issue: Ahead of print


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Resistance exercise alone improves muscle strength in growth hormone deficient males in the transition phase

Journal Name: Journal of Pediatric Endocrinology and Metabolism
Issue: Ahead of print


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Prepubertal gynaecomastia in a boy with Peutz-Jeghers syndrome: managing the aromatase overexpression

Journal Name: Journal of Pediatric Endocrinology and Metabolism
Issue: Ahead of print


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Maternal iodine excess: an uncommon cause of acquired neonatal hypothyroidism

Journal Name: Journal of Pediatric Endocrinology and Metabolism
Issue: Ahead of print


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Intracranial pathologies associated with central diabetes insipidus in infants

Journal Name: Journal of Pediatric Endocrinology and Metabolism
Issue: Ahead of print


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Foxa1 and Foxa2 in thymic epithelial cells (TEC) regulate medullary TEC and regulatory T-cell maturation

Publication date: Available online 27 July 2018

Source: Journal of Autoimmunity

Author(s): Ching-In Lau, Diana C. Yánez, Anisha Solanki, Eleftheria Papaioannou, José Ignacio Saldaña, Tessa Crompton

Abstract

The Foxa1 and Foxa2 transcription factors are essential for mouse development. Here we show that they are expressed in thymic epithelial cells (TEC) where they regulate TEC development and function, with important consequences for T-cell development. TEC are essential for T-cell differentiation, lineage decisions and repertoire selection. Conditional deletion of Foxa1 and Foxa2 from murine TEC led to a smaller thymus with a greater proportion of TEC and a greater ratio of medullary to cortical TEC. Cell-surface MHCI expression was increased on cortical TEC in the conditional Foxa1Foxa2 knockout thymus, and MHCII expression was reduced on both cortical and medullary TEC populations. These changes in TEC differentiation and MHC expression led to a significant reduction in thymocyte numbers, reduced positive selection of CD4+CD8+ cells to the CD4 lineage, and increased CD8 cell differentiation. Conditional deletion of Foxa1 and Foxa2 from TEC also caused an increase in the medullary TEC population, and increased expression of Aire, but lower cell surface MHCII expression on Aire-expressing mTEC, and increased production of regulatory T-cells. Thus, Foxa1 and Foxa2 in TEC promote positive selection of CD4SP T-cells and modulate regulatory T-cell production and activity, of importance to autoimmunity.



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Prognostic significance of normalized FDG-PET parameters in patients with multiple myeloma undergoing induction chemotherapy and autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation: a retrospective single-center evaluation

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this study was to determine retrospectively, through a single-center evaluation, whether FDG PET-CT normalized semi-quantitative parameters may predict response to induction chemotherapy (iChT) and hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT), as well as disease progression and progression-free survival in multiple myeloma (MM) patients, thus becoming a tool of personalized medicine.

Methods

Patients undergoing iChT and HSCT with baseline and post-treatment FDG PET-CTs from January 2008 to July 2015 were included. The following baseline and post-treatment parameters were obtained: SUVmax, SUVmean, SUVpeak, MTVsum, TLGsum, rPET (lesion SUVmax/liver SUVmax) and qPET (lesion SUVpeak/liver SUVmean). Baseline-to-post-treatment changes (Δ) were also calculated. Metabolic and clinical laboratory progression or response at follow-up were noted; time-to-metabolic-progression (TMP) was defined as the interval from post-treatment scan to eventual progression at follow-up FDG PET-CTs. Possible association between each functional parameter and metabolic/clinical-laboratory progression or response was determined. Kaplan-Meier curves allowed to depict the TMP trend according to FDG PET-CT parameters.

Results

Twenty-eight patients were included. Significantly higher ΔrPET and ΔqPET values were observed in ten patients with "metabolic response", with respect to 18 patients having "metabolic progression" (median 0.62 [IQR 0.32 – 1.34] vs median 0.00 [IQR -0.25 – 0.49] for ΔrPET; P = 0.045; median 0.51 [IQR 0.32 – 1.13] vs median 0.00 [IQR -0.31 – 0.67] for ΔqPET; P = 0.035). Neither normalized nor non normalized parameters differed significantly between the 20 patients with "clinical-laboratory response" and the eight patients with "clinical-laboratory progression". ΔrPET value lower than 0.38 and ΔqPET value lower than 0.27 predicted a significantly shorter TMP (P = 0.003 and P = 0.005, respectively).

Conclusions

Normalized semi-quantitative parameters are effective in predicting persistent response to treatment and shorter TMP in patients with MM undergoing iChT and HSCT.



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mTOR pathway activation in large vessel vasculitis

Publication date: Available online 27 July 2018

Source: Journal of Autoimmunity

Author(s): A. Maciejewski-Duval, C. Comarmond, A. Leroyer, M. Zaidan, A. Le Joncour, A.C. Desbois, J.P. Fouret, F. Koskas, P. Cluzel, M. Garrido, P. Cacoub, D. Saadoun

Abstract
Background

Mammalian target of rapamycin complex 1 (mTORC 1) drives the proinflammatory expansion of T helper (TH) type 1, TH17 cells and controls fibroblast proliferation, typical features of large vessel vasculitis (LVV) pathogenesis. Molecular pathways involved in arterial lesions of LVV are unknown.

Methods

We evaluate mTORC pathway activation in vascular aorta lesions and in T cell homeostasis of patients with LVV.

Results

Proliferation of both endothelial cells and vascular smooth-muscle cells was shown in vascular lesions in LVV. The vascular endothelium of proliferating aorta vessels from patients with LVV showed indications of activation of the mTORC1 pathway (S6RP phosphorylation). In cultured vascular endothelial cells, sera from patients with LVV stimulated mTORC1 through the phosphorylation of S6RP. mTORC1 activation was found also in Th1 and Th17 cells both systemically and in inflamed vessels. Patients with LVV exhibited a diminished S6RP phosphorylation in Tregs. Inhibition of mTORC1 pathway with rapamycin, increase Tregs and decrease effector CD4+IFNγ+, CD4+IL17+ and CD4+IL21+ T cells in patients with LVV.

Conclusions

We provided evidence that mTORC1 pathway has a central role in driving T cell inflammation and vascular lesions in LVV. Targeting mTORC pathway may represent a new therapeutic option in patients with LVV.



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Scholar : These new articles for Advances in Mental Health are available online

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Original Articles

Support for people bereaved or affected by suicide and for their careers in Queensland: quality of resources and a classification framework
Karolina Krysinska, Laura Finlayson-Short, Sarah Hetrick, Meredith Harris, Caroline Salom, Eleanor Bailey & Jo Robinson
Pages: 1-18 | DOI: 10.1080/18387357.2018.1502614


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A Study on the In-Situ Melt Pool Size Estimation Method for Directed-Energy Additive Manufacturing Based on Modal Parameters

3D Printing and Additive Manufacturing, Ahead of Print.


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Scholar : These new articles for Archives and Manuscripts are available online

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Book Review

Australian society of archivists, diverse worlds, annual conference
Mark Crookston
Pages: 1-2 | DOI: 10.1080/01576895.2018.1464244


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Robot-assisted laparoscopic surgery using DROP-IN radioguidance: first-in-human translation

Abstract

Purpose

Radioguided surgery has been widely used for clinical procedures such as sentinel node resections. In the (robot-assisted) laparoscopic setting radioguidance is realized using laparoscopic gamma probes, which have limited maneuverability. To increase the rotational freedom, a tethered DROP-IN gamma probe was designed. Here we present the first in vivo feasibility study of this technology in prostate cancer patients.

Methods

Ten patients scheduled for a sentinel node procedure received four injections into the prostate with (indocyanine green-)99mTechnetium-nanocolloid and underwent preoperative imaging (lymphoscintigraphy and SPECT/CT). The DROP-IN probe was inserted via the assistant port, still permitting the insertion and usage of additional laparoscopic tools.

Results

The sentinel nodes were resected using the da Vinci® Si robot under guidance of DROP-IN gamma tracing and fluorescence imaging. The surgeon was able to independently maneuver the DROP-IN probe using the ProGrasp® forceps of the da Vinci® robot and distinguish sentinel nodes from background signal (such as the injection site).

Conclusions

Overall the DROP-IN design proves to be a valuable tool for robot-assisted radioguided surgery approaches.



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Thyroid® High-Impact Articles

thyroid-cover-july-2018.png

FREE ACCESS through August 9, 2018.
Read now:

Latest Impact Factor: 7.557
The Official Journal of: American Thyroid Association®

American Thyroid Association Statement on Postoperative Hypoparathyroidism: Diagnosis, Prevention, and Management in Adults
Lisa A. Orloff, Sam M. Wiseman, Victor J. Bernet, Thomas J. FaheyIII, Ashok R. Shaha, Maisie L. Shindo, Samuel K. Snyder, Brendan C. StackJr., John B. Sunwoo, and Marilene B. Wang

Does Reverse Triiodothyronine Testing Have Clinical Utility? An Analysis of Practice Variation Based on Order Data from a National Reference Laboratory
Robert L. Schmidt, Jonathan S. LoPresti, Michael T. McDermott, Suzanna M. Zick, and Joely A. Straseski

Needle Biopsy of Routine Thyroid Nodules Should Be Performed Using a Capillary Action Technique with 24- to 27-Gauge Needles: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
William J. Moss, Andrey Finegersh, John Pang, Joseph A. Califano, Charles S. Coffey, Ryan K. Orosco, and Kevin T. Brumund

Changing Trend of Thyroglobulin Antibodies in Patients With Differentiated Thyroid Cancer Treated With Total Thyroidectomy Without 131I Ablation
Antonio Matrone, Francesco Latrofa, Liborio Torregrossa, Paolo Piaggi, Carla Gambale, Alessio Faranda, Debora Ricci, Laura Agate, Eleonora Molinaro, Fulvio Basolo, Paolo Vitti, and Rossella Elisei

Neoadjuvant BRAF- and Immune-Directed Therapy for Anaplastic Thyroid Carcinoma
Maria E. Cabanillas, Renata Ferrarotto, Adam S. Garden, Salmaan Ahmed, Naifa L. Busaidy, Ramona Dadu, Michelle D. Williams, Heath Skinner, G. Brandon Gunn, Horiana Grosu, Priyanka Iyer, Marie Claude Hofmann, and Mark Zafereo

The post <i>Thyroid<sup>®</sup></i> High-Impact Articles appeared first on American Thyroid Association.



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Scholar : These new articles for Annals of GIS are available online

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New for Annals of GIS and online now on Taylor & Francis Online:

Reviews

The representativeness and spatial bias of volunteered geographic information: a review
Guiming Zhang & A-Xing Zhu
Pages: 1-12 | DOI: 10.1080/19475683.2018.1501607


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SHR-1210 in Combination With Apatinib and Chemotherapy in Patients With Advanced Esophageal Squamous Cell Cancer

Condition:   Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma
Interventions:   Drug: SHR-1210;   Drug: Apatinib;   Drug: Irinotecan Injection;   Drug: Paclitaxel liposome;   Drug: Nedaplatin
Sponsor:   Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences
Not yet recruiting

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SUV Accuracy of PET/MR

Condition:   Positron Emission Tomography-Magnetic Resonance (PET-MR)
Interventions:   Diagnostic Test: Positron Emission Test / Magnetic Resonance (PET/MR);   Diagnostic Test: Positron Emission Test / Computed Tomography (PET/CT)
Sponsors:   Case Comprehensive Cancer Center;   National Institutes of Health (NIH)
Not yet recruiting

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A Comparison of NETSPOT Imaging Versus F-FDG-PET in Head and Neck Cancer Patients

Condition:   Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma
Intervention:   Drug: The isotope 68Ga, NETSPOT and 18F-FDG-PET/CT
Sponsor:   West Virginia University
Not yet recruiting

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Pembrolizumab in Treating Participants With Leukoplakia

Conditions:   Erythroleukoplakia;   Leukoplakia;   Verrucous Oral Leukoplakia
Intervention:   Biological: Pembrolizumab
Sponsors:   Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center;   National Cancer Institute (NCI);   Merck Sharp & Dohme Corp.
Not yet recruiting

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Evaluation of HPV OncoTect ™ for the Etiological Diagnosis of HPV-induced Oropharyngeal Cancers

Condition:   Oropharyngeal Cancer
Intervention:   Diagnostic Test: HPV OncoTect™
Sponsor:   Gustave Roussy, Cancer Campus, Grand Paris
Recruiting

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Scholar : Philosophical Magazine, Volume 98, Issue 25, September 2018 is now available online on Taylor & Francis Online

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Philosophical Magazine, Volume 98, Issue 25, September 2018 is now available online on Taylor & Francis Online.



This new issue contains the following articles:

Part A: Materials Science

Generation and accumulation of atomic vacancies due to dislocation movement and pair annihilation | Open Access
Tetsuya Ohashi
Pages: 2275-2295 | DOI: 10.1080/14786435.2018.1478142


Enhancement in age hardenability of sintered Ti–5Fe alloy by Zr addition processed by pulsed electric current sintering
Tomoyuki Homma & Hiroaki Takano
Pages: 2296-2310 | DOI: 10.1080/14786435.2018.1482430


Interactions between clusters of self-interstitial atoms via a conservative climb in BCC–Fe
Sho Hayakawa, Taira Okita, Mitsuhiro Itakura, Masaatsu Aichi & Katsuyuki Suzuki
Pages: 2311-2325 | DOI: 10.1080/14786435.2018.1486047


Deformation field in deep flat punch indentation and the persistence of dead-metal zones
Narayan K. Sundaram
Pages: 2326-2344 | DOI: 10.1080/14786435.2018.1486048


Local stress analysis of partial dislocation interactions with symmetrical-tilt grain boundaries containing E-structural units
Sivasakthya Mohan, Ruizhi Li & Huck Beng Chew
Pages: 2345-2366 | DOI: 10.1080/14786435.2018.1486049


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Pilonidal disease, hidradenitis suppurativa and follicular occlusion syndrome: a diagnostic challenge

L'articolo Pilonidal disease, hidradenitis suppurativa and follicular occlusion syndrome: a diagnostic challenge sembra essere il primo su European Review.



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Editorial Board

Publication date: August 2018

Source: Cortex, Volume 105

Author(s):



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What we ‘see’ when we read: Visualization and vividness in reading fictional narratives

Publication date: August 2018

Source: Cortex, Volume 105

Author(s): Renate Brosch

Abstract

Visualization is defined as the production of mental images in the process of reading (Esrock 2005: 633). This article is concerned with varieties of visualization during an absorbing reading of a fictional narrative, the mental images that range from an indistinct and largely automatic default visualization to the much more vivid images that occur at significant stages in the narrative. Neuroscientific studies of vision have collected a large and impressively varied body of experimental evidence for two major processing streams – the dorsal and the ventral-specialized for vision-for-action and vision for-perception respectively. Further experiments distinguish different dispositional specializations: visualizers with a high spatial visualizing ability demonstrating a more efficient use of resources in the dorsal pathway, and those with a high object visualization and more efficient use of the ventral pathway (Kozhevnikov et al., 2010: 29). We can assume that both types of mental processing will be prompted in fictional narratives with differences in prominence depending on their authors' inclinations and the design and purpose of the narrative text. According to Amedeo D'Angiulli (2013: 7), who conducted elaborate tests of vividness in mental imagery using written descriptive passages as stimulus, dynamic imagery was significantly less vivid than static imagery. These results confirm traditional literary criticism based on introspection which argues that detailed description of static objects elicits an especially lively imagination. However, narratives can provoke even stronger visualizations by rendering subjective moments of seeing in which a fictional character is emotionally involved. In encouraging readers to shift now and then from the default mode of motion-oriented visualizing to a more affective and more conscious object visualization, literary fictions exercise their power to evoke imaginings that one would not generate by oneself. This may indicate that literary narratives can prove a training ground for expanding one's visualizing capacities.



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Multimodal mental imagery

Publication date: August 2018

Source: Cortex, Volume 105

Author(s): Bence Nanay

Abstract

When I am looking at my coffee machine that makes funny noises, this is an instance of multisensory perception – I perceive this event by means of both vision and audition. But very often we only receive sensory stimulation from a multisensory event by means of one sense modality, for example, when I hear the noisy coffee machine in the next room, that is, without seeing it. The aim of this paper is to bring together empirical findings about multimodal perception and empirical findings about (visual, auditory, tactile) mental imagery and argue that on occasions like this, we have multimodal mental imagery: perceptual processing in one sense modality (here: vision) that is triggered by sensory stimulation in another sense modality (here: audition). Multimodal mental imagery is not a rare and obscure phenomenon. The vast majority of what we perceive are multisensory events: events that can be perceived in more than one sense modality – like the noisy coffee machine. And most of the time we are only acquainted with these multisensory events via a subset of the sense modalities involved – all the other aspects of these multisensory events are represented by means of multisensory mental imagery. This means that multisensory mental imagery is a crucial element of almost all instances of everyday perception.



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The role of mental imagery in mood amplification: An investigation across subclinical features of bipolar disorders

Publication date: August 2018

Source: Cortex, Volume 105

Author(s): Caitlin O'Donnell, Martina Di Simplicio, Randi Brown, Emily A. Holmes, Stephanie Burnett Heyes

Abstract

Vivid emotional mental imagery has been identified across a range of mental disorders. In bipolar spectrum disorders – psychopathologies characterized by mood swings that alternate between depression and mania, and include irritability and mixed affect states – mental imagery has been proposed to drive instability in both 'positive' and 'negative' mood. That is, mental imagery can act as an "emotional amplifier". The current experimental study tested this hypothesis and investigated imagery characteristics associated with mood amplification using a spectrum approach to psychopathology. Young adults (N = 42) with low, medium and high scores on a measure of subclinical features of bipolar disorder (BD), i.e., hypomanic-like experiences such as overly 'positive' mood, excitement and hyperactivity, completed a mental imagery generation training task using positive picture-word cues. Results indicate that (1) mood amplification levels were dependent on self-reported hypomanic-like experiences. In particular, (2) engaging in positive mental imagery led to mood amplification of both positive and negative mood in those participants higher in hypomanic-like experiences. Further, (3) in participants scoring high for hypomanic-like experiences, greater vividness of mental imagery during the experimental task was associated with greater amplification of positive mood. Thus, for individuals with high levels of hypomanic-like experiences, the generation of emotional mental imagery may play a causal role in their mood changes. This finding has implications for understanding mechanisms driving mood amplification in bipolar spectrum disorders, such as targeting imagery vividness in therapeutic interventions.



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Art, the visual imagination and neuroscience: The Chauvet Cave, Mona Lisa's smile and Michelangelo's terribilitá

Publication date: August 2018

Source: Cortex, Volume 105

Author(s): John Onians

Abstract

This paper considers several types of imagination relevant to art historical enquiry. These are exemplified in artistic expressions ranging from palaeolithic paintings in the Chauvet Cave, to drawings, sculptures and buildings designed by Michelangelo and drawings and paintings by Leonardo, and are related to recent neuroscientific discoveries. From this it emerges that important types of imagination cannot be understood without an appreciation of the neural processes that underlie them and especially without an acknowledgement of the importance of neurochemistry.



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The functional effects of prior motion imagery and motion perception

Publication date: August 2018

Source: Cortex, Volume 105

Author(s): Shuai Chang, Joel Pearson

Abstract

The functional sensory effects and commonalties between mental imagery of different visual features such as color, form or motion remains largely unknown. Mental imagery of static visual features, including color and orientation, can have a facilitative, priming effect on subsequent perception. However, whether motion imagery can have a similar effect remains unknown. Here we used the binocular rivalry method as a measure of motion mental imagery. After imagining or viewing motion of a particular direction, participants were required to report the dominant motion direction in a brief motion rivalry stimulus. We found that motion imagery can have a facilitative priming effect on subsequent motion rivalry perception, and this effect can be attenuated by concurrent expanding and contracting perceptual motion, but not by static or flickering uniform luminance. Unlike color or orientation imagery, the effect of motion imagery on subsequent rivalry was location independent. We also observed this facilitative priming effect with prior low-contrast perceptual motion, but prior high-contrast motion induced a suppressive effect. Simultaneous imagery and perceptual motion in opposite directions induced priming, while congruent directions did not. Counter to prior findings, these results suggest motion imagery can have a priming effect on perception and that the rivalry method can be used to assess visual motion imagery. These results provide evidence for visual imagery as a multi-feature structure.



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Personality predicts the vibrancy of colour imagery: The case of synaesthesia

Publication date: August 2018

Source: Cortex, Volume 105

Author(s): Shyla R. Hossain, Julia Simner, Alberta Ipser

Abstract

In this study we show that personality traits predict the physical qualities of mentally generated colours, using the case of synaesthesia. Developmental grapheme-colour synaesthetes have the automatic lifelong association of colours paired to letters or digits. Although these colours are internal mental constructs, they can be measured along physical dimensions such as saturation and luminance. The personality of synaesthetes can also be quantified using self-report questionnaires relating, for example, to the five major traits of Conscientiousness, Extraversion, Agreeableness, Neuroticism, and Openness to Experience. In this paper, we bring together both types of quality by examining whether the personality of individual synaesthetes predicts their synaesthetic colours. Twenty grapheme-colour synaesthetes were tested with the Big Five Inventory (BFI) personality questionnaire. Their synaesthesia was also tested in terms of consistency and average colour saturation and luminance. Two major results were found: although personality did not influence the overall robustness (i.e., consistency) of synaesthesia, it predicted the nature of synaesthetes' colours: the trait of Openness was positively correlated with the saturation of synaesthetic colours. Our study provides evidence that personality and internal perception are intertwined, and suggests future avenues of research for investigating the associations between the two.



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The blind mind: No sensory visual imagery in aphantasia

Publication date: August 2018

Source: Cortex, Volume 105

Author(s): Rebecca Keogh, Joel Pearson

Abstract

For most people the use of visual imagery is pervasive in daily life, but for a small group of people the experience of visual imagery is entirely unknown. Research based on subjective phenomenology indicates that otherwise healthy people can completely lack the experience of visual imagery, a condition now referred to as aphantasia. As congenital aphantasia has thus far been based on subjective reports, it remains unclear whether individuals are really unable to imagine visually, or if they have very poor metacognition – they have images in their mind, but are blind to them. Here we measured sensory imagery in subjectively self-diagnosed aphantasics, using the binocular rivalry paradigm, as well as measuring their self-rated object and spatial imagery with multiple questionnaires (VVIQ, SUIS and OSIQ). Unlike, the general population, experimentally naive aphantasics showed almost no imagery-based rivalry priming. Aphantasic participants' self-rated visual object imagery was significantly below average, however their spatial imagery scores were above average. These data suggest that aphantasia is a condition involving a lack of sensory and phenomenal imagery, and not a lack of metacognition. The possible underlying neurological cause of aphantasia is discussed as well as future research directions.



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The neural correlates of visual imagery vividness – An fMRI study and literature review

Publication date: August 2018

Source: Cortex, Volume 105

Author(s): Jon Fulford, Fraser Milton, David Salas, Alicia Smith, Amber Simler, Crawford Winlove, Adam Zeman

Abstract

Using the Vividness of Visual Imagery Questionnaire we selected 14 high-scoring and 15 low-scoring healthy participants from an initial sample of 111 undergraduates. The two groups were matched on measures of age, IQ, memory and mood but differed significantly in imagery vividness. We used fMRI to examine brain activation while participants looked at, or later imagined, famous faces and famous buildings. Group comparison revealed that the low-vividness group activated a more widespread set of brain regions while visualising than the high-vividness group. Parametric analysis of brain activation in relation to imagery vividness across the entire group of participants revealed distinct patterns of positive and negative correlation. In particular, several posterior cortical regions show a positive correlation with imagery vividness: regions of the fusiform gyrus, posterior cingulate and parahippocampal gyri (BAs 19, 29, 31 and 36) displayed exclusively positive correlations. By contrast several frontal regions including parts of anterior cingulate cortex (BA 24) and inferior frontal gyrus (BAs 44 and 47), as well as the insula (BA 13), auditory cortex (BA 41) and early visual cortices (BAs 17 and 18) displayed exclusively negative correlations. We discuss these results in relation to a previous, functional imaging study of a clinical case of 'blind imagination', and to the existing literature on the functional imaging correlates of imagery vividness and related phenomena in visual and other domains.



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Eying the future: Eye movement in past and future thinking

Publication date: August 2018

Source: Cortex, Volume 105

Author(s): Mohamad El Haj, Quentin Lenoble

Abstract

We investigated eye movement during past and future thinking. Participants were invited to retrieve past events and to imagine future events while their scan path was recorded by an eye-tracker. Past thinking triggered more fixation (p < .05), and saccade counts (p < .05) than future thinking. Past and future thinking triggered a similar duration of fixations and saccades, as well as a similar amplitude of saccades. Interestingly, participants rated past thinking as more vivid than future thinking (p < .01). Therefore, the vividness of past thinking seems to be accompanied by an increased number of fixations and saccades. Fixations and saccades in past thinking can be interpreted as an attempt by the visual system to find (through saccades) and activate (through fixations) stored memory representations. The same interpretation can be applied to future thinking as this ability requires activation of past experiences. However, future thinking triggers fewer fixations and saccades than past thinking: this may be due to its decreased demand on visual imagery, but could also be related to a potentially deleterious effect of eye movements on spatial imagery required for future thinking.



https://ift.tt/2LFZwPC

Does apraxia support spatial and kinematic or mirror neuron approaches to social interaction? A commentary on Binder et al. (2017)

Publication date: Available online 2 November 2017

Source: Cortex

Author(s): Arran T. Reader, Matteo Candidi



https://ift.tt/2NQuzpb

An autistic-like profile of attention and perception in synaesthesia

Publication date: Available online 25 October 2017

Source: Cortex

Author(s): Jamie Ward, Paris Brown, Jasmine Sherwood, Julia Simner

Abstract

Synaesthesia and autism are two neurodevelopmental conditions that have been shown to co-occur more than expected by chance. The studies reported here test the hypothesis that increased sensory sensitivity and enhanced Attention-to-detail are core cognitive features that are shared between them. In Study 1, we administer self-report measures of sensory sensitivity and autistic traits (the Autism Spectrum Quotient, AQ) to a large heterogeneous sample of synaesthetes. Both sensory sensitivity and the Attention-to-detail subscale of the AQ show a "dose-like" relationship with synaesthesia: namely, more kinds of synaesthesia is related to a greater shift up the autistic spectrum. Study 2 uses two objective measures of visual perception/attention linked to autistic traits: Change Blindness and detection of local embedded figures. Both measures are shown here to be sensitive to the Attention-to-detail subscale of the AQ, and synaesthetes outperformed controls on both tasks. Synaesthetes appear to occupy a specific cognitive niche of having autistic-like traits linked to enhanced perception and attention. Whilst these typically occur in the absence of the traditional impairments that define autism, they may carry the cost of increased vulnerability to clinical levels of autism (Odds Ratio = 2.07).



https://ift.tt/2uWtsgy

Testing the effectiveness of cognitive interventions in alleviating accelerated long term forgetting (ALF)

Publication date: Available online 23 October 2017

Source: Cortex

Author(s): Monica Ricci, Toh Wong, Armin Nikpour, Laurie A. Miller

Abstract

It is well established that when retrieval or other forms of testing follow shortly after the acquisition of new information, long-term memory is improved in healthy subjects (Roediger & Karpicke, 2006). It is not known whether such early interventions would alleviate ALF, a condition in which early retention is normal, but there is a steep decline over longer intervals. A different behavioral intervention (i.e., an interposed recall of a story after a longer delay) was found to prevent subsequent memory loss in a single case with ALF (Jansari, Davis, McGibbon, Firminger, & Kapur, 2010; McGibbon & Jansari, 2013), but this has yet to be replicated. In the present study, we sought to test the effectiveness of early rehearsal as well as a later interposed recall on long term memory. Three men with ALF and 10 matched, healthy males (mean age = 67 yr; mean education = 15 yr) were compared for story recall following 3 early intervention conditions. There were two early rehearsal conditions: Repeated-Recall (2 additional recalls were requested in the initial 30 min interval) and Repeated Recall With Discussion (2 additional recalls plus discussion occurred in the initial 30 min interval) as well as a Control condition, in which there was no additional rehearsal in the first 30 min. Memory for 6 stories (2 in each condition) was tested at 0 min, 30 min, 1 day, 1 week and 4 weeks. In addition, to evaluate the possible sustaining effect of an additional retrieval ("booster recall") between 1 wk and 4 wk delays, 1 story from each of the early intervention conditions was recalled at 2 weeks' delay. Consistent with the profile characteristic of ALF, nonparametric statistics revealed no group differences at 0 or 30 min recalls. For Control stories, the ALF group's recall was impaired by 24 h delay. For stories in either of the early rehearsal conditions, the patients showed better retention, performing within normal limits until the 4 week recall. The "booster recall" session at 2 weeks benefitted the patients' retention at 4 weeks, with patients' mean recall remaining within normal limits only for those stories recalled at 2 weeks. These results indicate that behavioral interventions including early rehearsal in the first several min and a booster recall at a much later time point help to prevent ALF. Confirmation of the usefulness of these interventions in other cases and investigating whether these cognitive techniques can be extended to "real world" applications are the logical next steps.



https://ift.tt/2NJZQKg

The evolution of accelerated long-term forgetting: Evidence from the TIME study

Publication date: Available online 6 October 2017

Source: Cortex

Author(s): Sharon Savage, Serge Hoefeijzers, Fraser Milton, Claire Streatfield, Michaela Dewar, Adam Zeman

Abstract
Objective

Accelerated long-term forgetting (ALF) occurs when newly learned information decays faster than normal over extended delays. It has been recognised most frequently in temporal lobe epilepsy, including Transient Epileptic Amnesia (TEA), but can also be drug-induced. Little is known about the evolution of ALF over time and its impacts upon other memory functions, such as autobiographical memory (ABM). Here we investigate the long-term outcome of ALF and ABM in a group of patients with TEA and a single case of baclofen-induced ALF.

Methods

Study 1 involved a longitudinal follow-up of 14 patients with TEA over a 10-year period. Patients repeated a neuropsychological battery, three ALF measures (with free recall probed at 30-min and 1-week), and a modified Autobiographical Memory Interview (MAMI). Performance was compared with a group of healthy age-matched controls. In Study 2, patient CS, who previously experienced baclofen-induced ALF, was followed over 4 years, and re-tested now, 18 months after ceasing baclofen. CS repeated a neuropsychological battery, three ALF experimental tasks (each probed after 30 min and 1 week), and a modified autobiographical interview (AI). Her performance was compared with healthy age-matched controls.

Results

On ALF measures, the TEA group performed significantly below controls, but when analysed individually, 4 of the 7 patients who originally showed ALF no longer did so. In two, this was accompanied by improvements in ABM for recent but not remote memory. Patient CS no longer demonstrated ALF on standard lab-based tests and now appeared to retain new episodic autobiographical events with a similar degree of episodic richness as controls.

Conclusion

Long-term follow up suggests that ALF can resolve, with improvements translating to recent ABM in some cases.



https://ift.tt/2uWuZDm

Beyond time and space: The effect of a lateralized sustained attention task and brain stimulation on spatial and selective attention

Publication date: Available online 3 October 2017

Source: Cortex

Author(s): Nir Shalev, Linde De Wandel, Paul Dockree, Nele Demeyere, Magdalena Chechlacz

Abstract

The Theory of Visual Attention (TVA) provides a mathematical formalisation of the "biased competition" account of visual attention. Applying this model to individual performance in a free recall task allows the estimation of 5 independent attentional parameters: visual short-term memory (VSTM) capacity, speed of information processing, perceptual threshold of visual detection; attentional weights representing spatial distribution of attention (spatial bias), and the top-down selectivity index. While the TVA focuses on selection in space, complementary accounts of attention describe how attention is maintained over time, and how temporal processes interact with selection. A growing body of evidence indicates that different facets of attention interact and share common neural substrates. The aim of the current study was to modulate a spatial attentional bias via transfer effects, based on a mechanistic understanding of the interplay between spatial, selective and temporal aspects of attention. Specifically, we examined here: (i) whether a single administration of a lateralized sustained attention task could prime spatial orienting and lead to transferable changes in attentional weights (assigned to the left vs right hemi-field) and/or other attentional parameters assessed within the framework of TVA (Experiment 1); (ii) whether the effects of such spatial-priming on TVA parameters could be further enhanced by bi-parietal high frequency transcranial random noise stimulation (tRNS) (Experiment 2). Our results demonstrate that spatial attentional bias, as assessed within the TVA framework, was primed by sustaining attention towards the right hemi-field, but this spatial-priming effect did not occur when sustaining attention towards the left. Furthermore, we show that bi-parietal high-frequency tRNS combined with the rightward spatial-priming resulted in an increased attentional selectivity. To conclude, we present a novel, theory-driven method for attentional modulation providing important insights into how the spatial and temporal processes in attention interact with attentional selection.



https://ift.tt/2NOEP17

The potential of real-time fMRI neurofeedback for stroke rehabilitation: A systematic review

Publication date: Available online 18 September 2017

Source: Cortex

Author(s): Tianlu Wang, Dante Mantini, Celine R. Gillebert

Abstract

Real-time functional magnetic resonance imaging (rt-fMRI) neurofeedback aids the modulation of neural functions by training self-regulation of brain activity through operant conditioning. This technique has been applied to treat several neurodevelopmental and neuropsychiatric disorders, but its effectiveness for stroke rehabilitation has not been examined yet. Here, we systematically review the effectiveness of rt-fMRI neurofeedback training in modulating motor and cognitive processes that are often impaired after stroke. Based on predefined search criteria, we selected and examined 33 rt-fMRI neurofeedback studies, including 651 healthy individuals and 15 stroke patients in total. The results of our systematic review suggest that rt-fMRI neurofeedback training can lead to a learned modulation of brain signals, with associated changes at both the neural and the behavioural level. However, more research is needed to establish how its use can be optimized in the context of stroke rehabilitation.



https://ift.tt/2LEuIhZ

Longitudinal study of accelerated long-term forgetting in children with genetic generalized epilepsy: Evidence of ongoing deficits

Publication date: Available online 15 September 2017

Source: Cortex

Author(s): Jasmin Grayson-Collins, Michael B. Gascoigne, Belinda Barton, Richard Webster, Deepak Gill, Suncica Lah

Abstract

Accelerated long-term forgetting (ALF) is a recently described memory disorder characterised by adequate recall after short, but not long delays. Currently, the prevailing conceptualisation of ALF is of a seizure related phenomenon. The main aim of this study was to assess whether ALF subsides as epilepsy severity and seizures abate in children with genetic generalized epilepsy (GGE). Eighteen children with GGE were compared over time to 29 healthy controls on a range of cognitive measures. The primary outcome was a modified version of the California Verbal Learning Test for Children with a long delay (seven day) recall component. At approximately two years follow up, ALF was apparent, although epilepsy severity subsided and seizures resolved in many children. This result contrasts with the dominant conceptualisation of ALF being a seizure related phenomenon. Moreover, at follow-up, worse recall at the long delay was related to greater epilepsy severity at baseline and earlier age of seizure onset, but not to being seizure free at follow-up. While at follow-up worse recall at the long delay related to the worse baseline recall at the long delay, this recall did not relate to scores obtained on standardised memory tests at baseline. Our study suggests that ALF may not be seizure related and identifies factors associated with risk of ALF in children with GGE.



https://ift.tt/2NOEMSZ

Scholar : Journal of Natural History, Volume 52, Issue 27-28, July - July 2018 is now available online on Taylor & Francis Online

Taylor & Francis Online - The new journals and reference work platform for Taylor & Francis
The online platform for Taylor & Francis Online content

Journal of Natural History, Volume 52, Issue 27-28, July - July 2018 is now available online on Taylor & Francis Online.



This new issue contains the following articles:

Original Articles

New species of gnaphosid spiders (Araneae: Gnaphosidae) from the Western Ghats of India
Pradeep M. Sankaran & Pothalil A. Sebastian
Pages: 1733-1744 | DOI: 10.1080/00222933.2018.1478998


Life History of Western Ghats endemic and threatened Anuran – Matheran leaping frog, (Indirana leithii) with notes on its feeding preferences
Nikhil Modak, Hrishikesh Chunekar & Anand Padhye
Pages: 1745-1761 | DOI: 10.1080/00222933.2018.1488008


Reflection of the Neogene–Quaternary phylogeography in the recent distribution limiting climatic factors of eight Mediterranean Phlebotomus species (Diptera: Psychodidae)
A.J. Trájer, T. Hammer & J. Padisák
Pages: 1763-1784 | DOI: 10.1080/00222933.2018.1485981


The reproductive strategies of clausiliid land snails from Northern Vietnam (Gastropoda: Stylommatophora)
Anna Sulikowska-Drozd, Agata Chiżyńska & Tomasz K. Maltz
Pages: 1785-1799 | DOI: 10.1080/00222933.2018.1497211


Capybaras (Rodentia: Cavidae) in highlands: environmental variables related to distribution, and herbivory effects on a common plant species
Yan Gabriel Celli Ramos, Izar Araujo Aximoff & Clarissa Alves da Rosa
Pages: 1801-1815 | DOI: 10.1080/00222933.2018.1492749


First records of the Red Sea alien mollusc Haminoea cyanomarginata (Gastropoda: Heterobranchia: Cephalaspidea) in the Western Mediterranean
Robert Fernández-Vilert, Joan Giménez, Guillem Mas, Irene Figueroa & Juan Moles
Pages: 1817-1823 | DOI: 10.1080/00222933.2018.1497212


Freshwater ostracods (Crustacea) from Tiantong National Forest Park and Dongqian Lake, eastern China, with descriptions of two new species
Shunxin Ma & Na Yu
Pages: 1825-1868 | DOI: 10.1080/00222933.2018.1489085


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Safety issues and recommendations for successful pregnancy outcome in systemic lupus erythematosus

Publication date: Available online 27 July 2018

Source: Journal of Autoimmunity

Author(s): Simran Kaur Nahal, Carlo Selmi, M. Eric Gershwin

Abstract

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) primarily affects women of childbearing age. One of the major changes in SLE focuses on the timing of a successful pregnancy. In the past, pregnancy was strongly discouraged in SLE, especially in the presence of risk factors such as nephritis, use of immunosuppressive therapies, or positivity of specific autoantibodies such as anti-phospholipids and anti-Ro/SSA, La/SSBA. Thanks to our better knowledge on the disease and management, pregnancy success rates in SLE patients have significantly improved care by the a multidisciplinary team which fosters a successful pregnancy with minimal complications for the mother and fetus when the disease is inactive or in remission. This approach is based on a counseling phase before pregnancy, to assess SLE activity phase, specific medications, risk factors, and continues through pregnancy and lactation with significantly improved pregnancy outcomes. Further, we can now better define the risk of disease flares during pregnancy based on a better understanding of the changes in maternal immunity and its relationship with SLE-associated autoimmunity and chronic inflammation. There is wide consensus that women with SLE can have successful pregnancies as long as conception is planned in a phase of inactive disease, and when the patient is closely managed by a rheumatologist, high-risk OB/GYN, neonatologist, and other medical specialists as indicated. Preconception counseling is essential to assess the risk of both fetal and maternal complications as well as identify life-threatening contraindications. Particular attention should be used in those SLE cases that have nephritis, APS or positivity for aPL, pulmonary hypertension, and positive anti-Ro/SSA or anti-La/SSB antibodies. In conclusion, the use of specific guidelines on the management of SLE before and during pregnancy and lactation, and a better understanding of the use of immunosuppressive therapies have significantly increased pregnancy success.



https://ift.tt/2LpRESV

Successful Treatment of Acromegaly and Associated Hypogonadism with First-Line Clomiphene Therapy.

Related Articles

Successful Treatment of Acromegaly and Associated Hypogonadism with First-Line Clomiphene Therapy.

Case Rep Endocrinol. 2018;2018:7925019

Authors: Palacios JD, Komotar RJ, Kargi AY

Abstract
Clomiphene citrate (CC) has been reported as an effective add-on therapy to somatostatin analogs and dopamine agonists in patients with acromegaly accompanied by hypogonadism; its use as a single agent to treat acromegaly and associated hypogonadism following incomplete surgery has not been previously reported. We report the first case in which clomiphene was utilized as a single agent for the dual management of acromegaly and hypogonadism, not controlled by pituitary surgery alone. The treatment was well tolerated and proved to be effective after a process of treatment withdrawal and reintroduction. We propose that clomiphene may be considered as a cost-effective oral treatment option in select cases of hypogonadal acromegaly.

PMID: 30046497 [PubMed]



https://ift.tt/2mM0RX1

Wide Awake Hand Surgery: By Donald H. Lalonde. Pp 263. Thieme Medical Publishers Inc., New York, NY, 2011. Price $119.99.

No abstract available

https://ift.tt/2Acpky2

Microscopic and Macroscopic Fat Embolism (MIFE and MAFE): Solving the puzzle with cases reports .

Introduction: The frequency of fat embolism mortality after liposuction has increased. As the only dependable evidence for this problem is that available in the medical literature, a study of clinical case reports is warranted. Materials and Methods: We reviewed the medical literature by searching for case reports of fat embolism after liposuction in humans who manifested either of the variants of the condition: microscopic fat embolism (MIFE) or macroscopic fat embolism (MAFE). We performed a literature search of the PubMed and PubMed Central (PMC) databases from the first case of fat embolism syndrome associated with liposuction reported until March 2017; keywords FAT EMBOLISM (FAT EMBOLISM SYNDROME), LIPOSUCTION, and CASE (((fat embolism) AND liposuction) AND case) were used. A detailed analysis of the data contained in the clinical case reports was conducted. Results: In total, 39 and 98 articles were found in PubMed and PMC, respectively, using the keywords ((fat+embolism)+AND+liposuction)+AND+case). After analysis, only 15 reports corresponded to cases of MAFE or MIFE after liposuction, and the basic statistics of the two proposed variants were examined. Conclusion: This work provides relevant information regarding very important characteristics of MIFE and MAFE. Despite the diagnostic difficulty, clinical diagnosis remains the gold standard for identifying MIFE and MAFE. The establishment of a rapid and timely diagnosis is of great help for appropriate treatment. Financial Disclosure Statement: The authors have nothing to disclose. No funding was received for this article Corresponding author: Dr. Héctor Durán. Calle 54 Num. 365 Int. 317, Centro Médico de las Américas, Colonia Centro, Mérida Yucatán México, CP 97000, E mail : hcdv@hotmail.com ©2018American Society of Plastic Surgeons

https://ift.tt/2Ok1VxC

Role Models in Academic Medicine

No abstract available

https://ift.tt/2Acpe9E

A Critique of the Impact Factor and Ramifications of its Misuse in Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery: The Real Impact of the Impact Factor

The impact factor (IF) is used to compare the number of citations of a journal with its number of publications. Though first used to assess the significance of various journals, its very creator has stated it is an imperfect system. Presently, the IF overvalues the importance of large-readership journals and undervalues that of smaller more specialized journals. While no metric can serve as a perfect assessment of a journal's worth, it is vital when selecting journals for publication, resource allocation, funding, or citation to not only weigh the IF of a large-volume journal, but also the added value of lower IF but also effective specialized subspecialty journals. Financial Disclosure: None of the authors has a financial interest in any of the products, devices, or drugs mentioned in this manuscript. Corresponding Author: Oluwaseun A. Adetayo, MD FACS FAAP, Assistant Professor, Plastic Surgery, Section Chief, Pediatric Plastic Surgery, Director, Cleft-Craniofacial Center, Albany Medical Center & The Bernard & Millie Duker Children's Hospital at Albany Medical Center, 50 New Scotland Avenue, MC- 190, Albany, NY 12208, Phone: (518) 262-2229, Fax: (518) 262-6358, Email: Adetayo.md@gmail.com ©2018American Society of Plastic Surgeons

https://ift.tt/2OmkYaT

“Autologous Fat Grafting as a Novel Antiestrogen Vehicle for the Treatment of Breast Cancer: Advantages and Technical Drawbacks.”

No abstract available

https://ift.tt/2AaQLZ2

Spotlight in Plastic Surgery: October 2018

No abstract available

https://ift.tt/2mJ4KMe

Reproducibility of CBCT image analysis: a clinical study on intrapersonal and interpersonal errors in bone structure determination

Abstract

Objective

For correct implant planning based on cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT), the bone contour must be accurately determined. Identification of the contour is difficult in bones with incomplete mineralization. In this clinical study, we investigated the intrapersonal and interpersonal reproducibilities of manual bone contour determination on CBCT images using a semi-automated computerized process.

Methods

The bone surface level in the area of the socket in 20 patients who had undergone tooth extraction from the upper jaw at 10 ± 1 weeks previously was determined on CBCT images. Two investigators with different levels of experience determined the bone structure initially (T0) and repeated the procedure after 3 months (T1). The bone structure marked on CBCT images was converted into a surface data set. The resulting data sets were superimposed on one another. In the analyses, the shortest distances between the datasets were identified and measured. The average deviations were statistically evaluated.

Results

The intrapersonal evaluation resulted in an average deviation of 0.18 mm across both investigators. The interpersonal analysis comparing the two investigators resulted in average deviations of 0.15 mm at T0 and 0.26 mm at T1. Significant differences were not found.

Conclusions

The low intrapersonal deviation indicates that the procedure has satisfactory reproducibility. All deviations were within the range of the selected resolution of the CBCT device. Application of a semi-automated procedure to detect the bone border in areas with incomplete mineralization is a predictable process.

Trial registration

The study was registered in the German Clinical Trials Register and the International Clinical Trials Registry Platform of the WHO: DRKS00004769, date of registration: 28 February 2013; and DRKS00005978, date of registration: 09 November 2015.



https://ift.tt/2LCN2YS

Incidence of peri-operative paediatric cardiac arrest: Influence of a specialised paediatric anaesthesia team

BACKGROUND Peri-operative critical events are still a major problem in paediatric anaesthesia care. Access to more experienced healthcare teams might reduce the adverse event rate and improve outcomes. OBJECTIVE The current study analysed incidences of peri-operative paediatric cardiac arrest before and after implementation of a specialised paediatric anaesthesia team and training programme. DESIGN Retrospective cohort study with before-and-after analysis. SETTING Department of Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care Medicine, University Hospital of Cologne, Germany. PATIENTS A total of 36 243 paediatric anaesthetics (0 to 18 years) were administered between 2008 and 2016. INTERVENTION Implementation of a specialised paediatric anaesthesia team and training programme occurred in 2014 This included hands-on supervised training in all fields of paediatric anaesthesia, double staffing for critical paediatric cases and a 24/7 emergency team. A logistic regression analysis with risk factors (age, ASA physical status, emergency) was used to evaluate the impact of implementation of the specialised paediatric anaesthesia team. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Incidences of peri-operative paediatric cardiac arrest and anaesthesia-attributable cardiac arrest before and after the intervention. RESULTS Twelve of 25 paediatric cardiac arrests were classified as anaesthesia-attributable. The incidence of overall peri-operative paediatric cardiac arrest was 8.1/10 000 (95% CI 5.2 to 12.7) in the period 2008 to 2013 and decreased to 4.6/10 000 (95% CI 2.1 to 10.2) in 2014 to 2016. Likewise, the incidence of anaesthesia-attributable cardiac arrest was lower after 2013 [1.6/10 000 (95% CI 0.3 to 5.7) vs. 4.3/10 000 (95% CI 2.3 to 7.9)]. Using logistic regression, children anaesthetised after 2013 had nearly a 70% lower probability of anaesthesia-attributable cardiac arrest (odds ratio 0.306, 95% CI 0.067 to 1.397; P = 0.1263). For anaesthesia-attributable cardiac arrest, young age was the most contributory risk factor, whereas in overall paediatric cardiac arrest, ASA physical statuses 3 to 5 played a more important role. CONCLUSION In this study on incidences of peri-operative paediatric cardiac arrest from a European tertiary care university hospital, implementation of a specialised paediatric anaesthesia team and training programme was associated with lower incidences of peri-operative paediatric cardiac arrest and a reduced probability of anaesthesia-attributable cardiac arrest. Correspondence to Dr Andreas Hohn, MHBA, DESA, EDIC, Department of Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care Medicine, University Hospital of Cologne, Kerpener Str. 62, 50937 Cologne, Germany Tel: +49 221 478 82058; fax: +49 221 478 85574; e-mail: andreas.hohn@uk-koeln.de Supplemental digital content is available for this article. Direct URL citations appear in the printed text and are provided in the HTML and PDF versions of this article on the journal's Website (https://ift.tt/2ylyqmW). © 2018 European Society of Anaesthesiology

https://ift.tt/2vc07hx

Devitalisation of pathogens in stored pig slurry and potential risk related to its application to agricultural soil

Abstract

The study investigated the risks arising from application of pig slurry to soil in relation to viability of Salmonella typhimurium, Escherichia coli, total coliforms, faecal enterococci and eggs of Ascaris suum at different temperatures. Potential effect of changes in physico-chemical parameters, particularly dry matter (DM), pH and ammonia, were also investigated. Examination showed that S. typhimurium was devitalised after storage in the slurry for 115 days at 4 °C and after 90 days at 20 and 42 °C. Devitalization of E. coli and faecal entrerococci required more than 115 at temperature of 4 °C and faecal enterococci were recovered from slurry after 115 days of storage even at temperature of 20 °C. Total coliforms survived for 115 days at all investigated temperatures. Complete devitalization of A. suum eggs was not achieved even after 115 days at 42 °C. Our investigations indicated potential microbial and parasitic risk related to application of pig slurry to soil even after 115 days of storage.



https://ift.tt/2AdOvQP

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