Recent findings from developmental neuroimaging studies suggest that the enhancement of cognitive processes during development may be the result of a fine-tuning of the structural and functional ...organization of brain with maturation. However, the details regarding the developmental trajectory of large-scale structural brain networks are not yet understood. Here, we used graph theory to examine developmental changes in the organization of structural brain networks in 203 normally growing children and adolescents. Structural brain networks were constructed using interregional correlations in cortical thickness for 4 age groups (early childhood: 4.8-8.4 year; late childhood: 8.5-11.3 year; early adolescence: 11.4-14.7 year; late adolescence: 14.8-18.3 year). Late childhood showed prominent changes in topological properties, specifically a significant reduction in local efficiency, modularity, and increased global efficiency, suggesting a shift of topological organization toward a more random configuration. An increase in number and span of distribution of connector hubs was found in this age group. Finally, inter-regional connectivity analysis and graph-theoretic measures indicated early maturation of primary sensorimotor regions and protracted development of higher order association and paralimbic regions. Our finding reveals a time window of plasticity occurring during late childhood which may accommodate crucial changes during puberty and the new developmental tasks that an adolescent faces.
Background:
A distal biceps repair is performed after a rupture of the distal biceps tendon, an injury that typically affects the dominant arm of middle-aged men, resulting in weakness in supination ...and elbow flexion. A volar 2-incision technique minimizes skin incision length while optimizing exposure to anatomical structures through proper incision placement for acute repair and chronic reconstruction with graft.
Indications:
Retraction of the distal biceps away from its insertion on the proximal radius in the chronic setting can require a more extensile incision. Two transverse incisions are strategically placed on either side of the antecubital fossa to optimize exposure of the radial insertion site and proximally to retrieve the retracted tendon for either acute or chronic retracted distal biceps tears with or without graft reconstruction.
Technique Description:
A transverse incision is made in the forearm directly over the radial tuberosity. This facilitates direct exposure and drilling of a socket for placement of the distal biceps’ tendon with suture button and interference screw construct. A second proximal transverse incision is made to identify and retrieve the retracted tendon. The tendon is retrieved and prepared or reconstructed with graft for chronic cases with suture. The tendon and graft are tunneled under the skin bridge between the 2 incisions. The sutures are then loaded onto a titanium button, which is deployed onto the far cortex. The tendon is advanced into the tunnel, an interference screw is placed, and the sutures are tied.
Results:
Restoration of anatomy and correct placement of the 2 incisions is facilitated with this approach, restoring distal biceps function without requiring extensile volar exposure of the entirety of the length of the distal biceps tendon.
Discussion/Conclusion:
This technique mitigates the need for extensive dissection. It also facilitates improved visualization of relevant structures for cases with substantial tendon retraction, even in the case of chronic retracted tears requiring allograft reconstruction.
The author(s) attests that consent has been obtained from any patient(s) appearing in this publication. If the individual may be identifiable, the author(s) has included a statement of release or other written form of approval from the patient(s) with this submission for publication.
Graphical Abstract
This is a visual representation of the abstract.
Youth living with HIV (YLHIV) report that negative interactions with health care workers (HCWs) affects willingness to return to care. This stepped wedge randomized trial evaluated effectiveness of a ...standardized patient actor (SP) HCW training intervention on adolescent engagement in care in Kenya. HCWs caring for YLHIV at 24 clinics received training on adolescent care, values clarification, communication, and motivational interviewing, with 7 SP encounters followed by facilitated feedback of videotaped interactions. Facilities were randomized to timing of the intervention. The primary outcome was defined as return within 3 months after first visit (engagement) among YLHIV who were either newly enrolled or who returned to care after >3 months out of care. Visit data was abstracted from electronic medical records. Generalized linear mixed models adjusted for time, being newly enrolled, and clustering by facility. YLHIV were surveyed regarding satisfaction with care. Overall, 139 HCWs were trained, and medical records were abstracted for 4,595 YLHIV. Median YLHIV age was 21 (IQR 19-23); 82% were female, 77% were newly enrolled in care, and 75% returned within 3 months. Half (54%) of trained HCWs remained at their clinics 9 months post-training. YLHIV engagement improved over time (global Wald test, p = 0.10). In adjusted models, the intervention showed no significant effect on engagement adjusted Prevalence Ratio (aPR) = 0.95, 95% Confidence Interval (CI): 0.88-1.02. Newly enrolled YLHIV had significantly higher engagement than those with prior lapses in care (aPR = 1.18, 95%CI: 1.05-1.33). Continuous satisfaction with care scores were significantly higher by wave 3 compared to baseline (coefficient = 0.38, 95%CI: 0.19-0.58). Despite provider skill improvement, there was no effect of SP training on YLHIV engagement in care. This may be due to temporal improvements or turnover of trained HCWs. Strategies to retain SP-training benefits need to address HCW turnover. YLHIV with prior gaps in care may need more intensive support. Registration CT #: NCT02928900. https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02928900.
End-to-end anastomosis and extended end-to-end anastomosis are typically used as surgical approaches to coarctation of the aorta (CoAo) with access at the subclavian artery or an interposition graft. ...The objective of this study is to analyze the impact of surgical and anatomical characteristics and techniques on early outcomes after surgical treatment of CoAo without cardiopulmonary bypass through left thoracotomy.
This is a quantitative, observational, and cross-sectional analysis of patients who underwent repair of CoAo between July 1, 2010 and December 31, 2017. Seventy-two patients were divided into three groups according to age: 34 in group A (≤ 30 days), 24 in group B (31 days to one year), and 14 in group C (≥ 1 year to 18 years).
Aortic arch hypoplasia was associated in 30.8% of the cases, followed by ventricular septal defect (13.2%). The preductal location was more frequent in group A (73.5%), ductal in group B (41.7%), and postductal in group C (71.4%). Long coarcted segment was predominant in groups A and C (61.8% and 71.4%, respectively) and localized in group B (58.3%). Extended end-to-end anastomosis technique was prevalent (68%), mainly in group A (91.2%). Mortality in 30 days was 1.4%.
Most of the patients were children under one year of age, and extended end-to-end anastomosis was the most used technique, secondary to arch hypoplasia. Further, overall mortality was low in spite of moderate morbidity in the first 30 postoperative days.
Pulmonary functional magnetic resonance imaging provides a way to quantify ventilation and its heterogeneity-a hallmark finding in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Unfortunately, the ...etiology and physiological meaning of ventilation defects and their relationship to pulmonary function and symptoms in COPD are not well understood. Another biomarker of ventilation heterogeneity is provided by the "poorly communicating fraction" (PCF), and is calculated as the ratio of total lung capacity to alveolar volume made using whole-body plethysmography. Our objective was to compare ventilation heterogeneity using hyperpolarized (3)He magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and PCF measurements in elderly never-smokers and in ex-smokers with COPD.
One hundred forty-six participants (71 ± 8 years, range = 48-87 years) provided written informed consent including 45 elderly never-smokers (71 ± 6 years, range = 61-84 years) and 101 ex-smokers with COPD (71 ± 8 years, range = 48-87 years). During a single 2-hour visit, spirometry, plethysmography, and hyperpolarized (3)He MRI were acquired. The MRI-derived ventilation defect percent (VDP) and plethysmography measurements were acquired and PCF values were calculated. Linear regression, Pearson correlations, and Bland-Altman analysis were used to evaluate the relationships for PCF and MRI VDP.
PCF (P < 0.001) and VDP (P < 0.001) were significantly increased with increasing COPD severity. There was a significant relationship for VDP and PCF (r = 0.68, P < 0.001) in all subjects and COPD subjects alone (r = 0.61, P < 0.001). Bland-Altman analysis showed that PCF and VDP were significantly different (mean bias = 9.7, upper limit = 32, lower limit = -13, P < 0.001), and in severe-grade COPD, PCF overestimates of VDP were significantly greater.
In elderly never-smokers and in ex-smokers with COPD, PCF and VDP are moderately correlated estimates of COPD ventilation heterogeneity that may be reflecting similar pathophysiology.
: COPD biomarkers are urgently required for clinical trials of new therapies. We evaluated the longitudinal change and relationship of MRI and CT biomarkers of COPD with St. George's Respiratory ...Questionnaire (SGRO) and FEV
worsening over 30 months. Among imaging biomarkers, only the longitudinal change in MRI ventilation defect percent (VDP) was greater in ever-smoker (n=34/p<0.05) and COPD (n=48/p<0.0001) subgroups compared with never-smokers (n=42). Only the longitudinal change in VDP was correlated with change in SGRQ (r=0.26/p=0.03), and only baseline VDP predicted longitudinal change in SGRQ>minimum clinically important difference (p=0.047) in mild-to-moderate COPD. These data strongly support the use of MRI intermediate endpoints in COPD studies.
NCT02723474; Status: Recruiting.
Phosphoinositide-3-kinase δ (PI3Kδ) is a critical regulator of cell growth and transformation and has been explored as a therapeutic target for a range of diseases. Through the exploration of the ...thienopyrimidine scaffold, we have identified a ligand-efficient methylation that leads to remarkable selectivity for PI3Kδ over the closely related isoforms. Interrogation through the Free–Wilson analysis highlights the innate selectivity the thienopyrimidine scaffold has for PI3Kδ and provides a predictive model for the activity against the PI3K isoforms.
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