Κυριακή 6 Νοεμβρίου 2022

Testing different sources of environmental unpredictability on adolescent functioning: ancestral cue versus statistical learning and the role of temperament

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Background

The dimensional model of environmental adversity highlighted the effects of an unpredictable environment in promoting risky development. Toward gaining greater specificity in understanding, this multimethod, longitudinal study investigated the role of two sources of environmental unpredictability—ancestral cues versus statistical learning, and their interaction with dove temperament conceptualized within the evolutionary model of temperament, in shaping adolescent functioning.

Methods

Participants were 192 families with an adolescent (M age = 12.4) followed for two annual waves. We measured unpredictability within the ancestral-cue approach as incidents of disruptive family events, and statistical-learning unpredictability as the random variability in observed moment-to-moment maternal hostility during parent–child interaction. We focused on dove temperament, which characterizes strategies of cautious and inhibited behavior in novel contexts and persistence and intrinsic engagement in benign contexts.

Results

Findings indicated unique effects of ancestral-cue versus statistical-learning unpredictability—in interaction with dove temperament—in association with adolescent functioning. Ancestral-cue unpredictability interacted with dove temperament in association with vagal stress reactivity, and the interactive effects of statistical-learning unpredictability were only associated with set-shifting. Furthermore, the family instability-x-dove temperament interaction was linked to adolescent adjustment via vagal reactivity. Adolescents with lower dove temperament showed dampened vagal reactivity within the more unpredictable environments, which was in turn associated with a greater decrease in social withdrawal over time.

Conclusions

The findings highlighted the specificity in different sources of environmental unpredictability in shaping adolescent development.

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Soft tissue dimensional change following guided bone regeneration on peri‐implant defects using soft‐type block or particulate bone substitutes: 1‐year outcomes of a randomized controlled clinical trial

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Abstract

Objective

To compare the peri-implant soft-tissue dimensional changes following guided bone regeneration between particulate (particle group) and collagenated soft-block-type (block group) biphasic calcium phosphate (BCP).

Materials and Methods

This study investigated 35 subjects: 18 particle-group and 17 block-group patients. Cone-beam computed tomography obtained at 6 months post-surgery and optical impressions taken periodically (presurgery, 6 months post-surgery and 1 year post-surgery) were superimposed. The ridge contour changes over time and the peri-implant mucosal thicknesses were measured diagonally and horizontally, and analysed statistically.

Results

The increases in diagonal (1.12±0.78 mm) and horizontal (2.79±1.90 mm) ridge contour of the block group were significantly higher than the particle group during the first 6 months (p < 0.05), however, the contour hardly changed thereafter (diagonal: 0.07±0.75 mm; horizontal: -0.34±1.26 mm), resulting in the 1-year contour changes similar between the two groups. Regardless of the type of BCP, the ridge contour increased significantly over 1 year when the dehiscence defect had a contained configuration (p < 0.05).

Conclusion

The soft-tissue dimensional increases for 1 year were similar between the two groups. The mucosal contour increase was larger when the surgery was conducted in a more-contained defect, and this was not influenced by the type of BCP.

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Predictive Outcomes of Deep Learning Measurement of the Anterior Glottic Angle in Bilateral Vocal Fold Immobility

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Predictive Outcomes of Deep Learning Measurement of the Anterior Glottic Angle in Bilateral Vocal Fold Immobility

The objective of this research was to apply a computer vision tool for assessment of anterior glottic angle (AGA) in patients with bilateral vocal fold immobility (BVFI), and to compare the AGA in BVFI with that of unilateral vocal fold immobility (UVFI) and normal larynges (NL) as measured by the algorithm. The computer vision tool was able to quantitatively assessof the AGA from videolaryngoscopy, demonstrating ability to discriminate between patients with BVFI, UVFI, and normal controls, as well as to predict need for operative airway intervention. This tool may be useful for assessment of other neurological laryngeal conditions and may help guide decision-making in laryngeal surgery.


Objective

(1) To compare maximum glottic opening angle (anterior glottic angle, AGA) in patients with bilateral vocal fold immobility (BVFI), unilateral vocal fold immobility (UVFI) and normal larynges (NL), and (2) to correlate maximum AGA with patient-reported outcome measures.

Methods

Patients wisth BVFI, UVFI, and NL were retrospectively studied. An open-source deep learning-based computer vision tool for vocal fold tracking was used to analyze videolaryngoscopy. Minimum and maximum AGA were calculated and correlated with three patient-reported outcomes measures.

Results

Two hundred and fourteen patients were included. Mean maximum AGA was 29.91° (14.40° SD), 42.59° (12.37° SD), and 57.08° (11.14° SD) in BVFI (N = 70), UVFI (N = 70), and NL (N = 72) groups, respectively (p < 0.001). Patients requiring operative airway intervention for BVFI had an average maximum AGA of 24.94° (10.66° SD), statistically different from those not requiring intervention (p = 0.0001). There was moderate negative correlation between Dyspnea Index scores and AGA (Spearman r = −0.345, p = 0.0003). Maximum AGA demonstrated high discriminatory ability for BVFI diagnosis (AUC 0.92, 95% CI 0.81–0.97, p < 0.001) and moderate ability to predict need for operative airway intervention (AUC 0.77, 95% CI 0.64–0.89, p < 0.001).

Conclusions

A computer vision tool for quantitative assessment of the AGA from videolaryngoscopy demonstrated ability to discriminate between patients with BVFI, UVFI, and normal controls and predict need for operative airway intervention. This tool may be useful for assessment of other neurological laryngeal conditions and may help guide decision-making in laryngeal surgery.

Level of Evidence

III Laryngoscope, 2022

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Characteristics of Orbital Injuries Associated with Maxillofacial Trauma

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Introduction

The incidence of ocular injury associated with maxillofacial trauma remains poorly defined, with reported rates ranging from 0.8% to 92%. Our study aims to more accurately characterize ocular injuries associated with midface fractures.

Methods

We performed a retrospective review of 1677 patients from 2015 to 2020 with midface fractures at a Level I trauma center. Isolated nasal bone and frontal process of the maxilla fractures were excluded. Demographic information, mechanism of injury, need for surgery, and ophthalmologic findings were documented. Statistical analysis was conducted using SPSS.

Results

773 patients between the ages of 15 and 92 were identified. Trauma most commonly resulted from assault (63.8%). The association between the mechanism of injury and ocular injury was statistically significant (p = 0.003), with 78.6% of gunshot wounds and 44.3% of assault patients having an ocular injury. The Ophthalmology service evaluated 62.6% of cases preoperatively. Minor ocular injury occurred in 36% of patients, including 46.1% of isolated orbital floor, and 28.2% of zygomaticomaxillary complex fractures. Major ocular injury occurred in 10.5% of patients.

Conclusions

Over 10% of patients with midface fractures were found to have major ocular injuries. Ophthalmologic exams should be performed for all patients with midface fractures to guide clinical decision making and prevent further intraoperative ocular insults.

Level of Evidence

Level 4. This study represents a retrospective cohort study analyzing ocular injuries detected in patients presenting to a Level I trauma center with maxillofacial fractures between 2015 and 2020 Laryngoscope, 2022

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Improving Methods of Identifying Anaphylaxis for Medical Product Safety Surveillance Using Natural Language Processing and Machine Learning

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Abstract
We sought to determine whether machine learning and natural language processing (NLP) applied to electronic medical records could improve performance of automated healthcare claims-based algorithms to identify anaphylaxis events using data on 516 patients with outpatient, emergency department, or inpatient anaphylaxis diagnosis codes during 2015-2019 in two integrated healthcare institutions in the Northwest United States. We used one site's manually reviewed gold standard outcomes data for model development and the other's for external validation based on cross-validated (cv) area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (cv AUC), positive predictive value (PPV), and sensitivity. In the development site 154 (64%) of 239 potential events met adjudication criteria for anaphylaxis compared to 180 (65%) of 277 in the validation site. Logistic regression models using only structured claims data achieved a cv-AUC of 0.58 (95% CI: 0.54, 0. 63). Machine learning improved cv-AUC to 0.62 (0.58, 0.66); incorporating NLP-derived covariates further increased cv AUCs to 0.70 (0.66, 0.75) in development and 0.67 (0.63, 0.71) in external validation data. A classification threshold with cv-PPV of 79% and cv-sensitivity of 66% in development data had cv-PPV of 78% and cv-sensitivity of 56% in external data. Machine learning and NLP-derived data improved identification of validated anaphylaxis events.
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Update of the classification of midpalatal suture behaviour after surgically assisted rapid maxillary expansion using computed tomography

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The aim of this study was to update the midpalatal suture classification after surgically assisted rapid maxillary expansion (SARME) using computed tomography (CT). Thirty-five patients with a transverse maxillary deficiency and unilateral or bilateral posterior crossbite underwent SARME with osteotomy of the pterygoid apophysis of the sphenoid. CT was performed before installation of the Hyrax expander appliance and after the final activation. Opening of the midpalatal suture was classified into three types: type I, total midpalatal suture opening from anterior nasal spine (ANS) to posterior nasal spine (PNS); type II, partial midpalatal suture opening from ANS to the transverse palatine suture, with partial or non-existent opening of the midpalatal suture posterior to the transverse pala...
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Multiagent Chemotherapy Followed by Stereotactic Body Radiotherapy Versus Conventional Radiotherapy for Resected Pancreas Cancer

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imageBackground and Purpose: Chemotherapy followed by margin-negative resection (R0) is the treatment of choice for patients with localized pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). Neoadjuvant multiagent chemotherapy (MAC) or MAC then radiotherapy (RT) may optimize surgical candidacy. The purpose of this study was to compare pathologic outcomes of MAC followed by conventionally fractionated radiotherapy (CRT) versus stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) for patients with resected PDAC. Methods: Patients diagnosed with nonmetastatic PDAC between 2012 and 2017 and who received preoperative MAC or MAC+RT were identified in the National Cancer Database. Variables associated with R0 and overall survival were identified with logistic regression and Cox analysis (P
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Radiographic Response of Solitary Plasmacytomas After Conformal Radiotherapy May Be Delayed: Outcomes in the 3D Era

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imageObjective: Although recurrence rates after radiotherapy for solitary plasmacytoma (SP) are well established, little is known about how SP responds radiographically, as most historical patients were treated in the 2D era. We evaluated the response to radiotherapy among SP patients staged and treated with 3D techniques, including proton therapy, which has not yet been previously reported. Methods and Materials: Between 2007 and 2021, 15 SP patients (4 extramedullary, 11 bone) staged with 3D imaging and bone marrow evaluation were consecutively treated with definitive radiotherapy. The best response was categorized in 9 evaluable patients according to response evaluation criteria in solid tumors (RECIST) and positron emission tomography response criteria in solid tumors (PERCIST). Results: With a median follow-up of 34 months, 4 patients relapsed. The median time to the best response was ~2 years (26.6 mo RECIST, 25.4 mo PERCIST). Response rates differed based on response assessment criteria. PERCIST was associated with higher rates of complete (85.7%) or partial response (14.3%) compared with RECIST (16.7% complete, 33.3% partial). Two-year and 4-year PFS for extramedullary SP were 100% and 75%, compared with 91% and 55% for bone (P=0.75). Patients treated with proton therapy (n=5) did not appear to have different patterns of relapse (1 marginal, 1 distant) compared with those treated with photons or electrons (n=10; 2 distant). Conclusions: More conformal dose distribution with proton therapy does not appear to alter patterns of recurrence. Although response rates differ based on criteria by both RECIST and PERCIST assessments, the radiographic response may be slow and requires validation in other cohorts.
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Safety and outcome of ultrasound‐guided tunneled central venous catheter in children

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Abstract

Background

Central venous access devices (CVAD) are vital for cancer therapeutics in pediatric oncology. Tunneled vascular access devices (TVAD) are preferred in children for prolonged and frequent vascular access. Data on insertion, care, and complications of CVAD in children from low middle-income countries (LMIC) are scarce, heterogeneous, and retrospective.

Procedure

This prospective observational study on eligible children <12 years with pediatric malignancies requiring chemotherapy for minimum 6 months from diagnosis excluded children with mucosal bleeding, coagulopathy, and infections. TVAD insertion was ultrasound (USG) guided. Number of catheter-days, surgical and nonsurgical complications, and risk factors for catheter-related bloodstream infections (CRBSI) were noted TVAD removal due to complications, therapy completion, tumor progression, or death.

Results

Data from 61 of 86 eligible children with median age 42 months (range 1–144) were analyzed. Hematological malignancy and severe thrombocytopenia were seen in 37/61 (61%) and 18/61 (30%) children, respectively. First-attempt success rate was 74%. Surgical complications were seen in four of 61 (7%). Nonsurgical complications were seen in 33/61 (54%) children; CRBSI was commonest 24/61 (39%), causing removal of TVAD in 14/61 (23%). Incidence per 1000 catheter-days for CRBSI was 3.24. Antibiotic lock therapy could salvage nine of 24 TVAD with CRBSI. Thrombus and accidental removal was seen in six of 61 (10%) and four of 61 (7%). None of the studied risk factors were significantly associated with CRBSI. The mean insertion duration of TVAD was 121 ± 90 days.

Conclusion

USG-guided TVAD insertion is safe and reliable way for chemotherapy administration with acceptable complications in children with malignancies in LMIC, including children with severe thrombocytopenia.

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Transcriptional analysis of the mfa‐cluster genes in Porphyromonas gingivalis strains with one and two mfa5 genes

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Abstract

The Porphyromonas gingivalis Mfa1 fimbria is composed of the Mfa1 to Mfa5 proteins, encoded by the mfa1 to mfa5 genes, respectively, which are tandemly arranged on chromosomes. A recent study discovered that many P. gingivalis strains possess two mfa5 genes (called herein mfa5-1 and mfa5-2), which are also in tandem. This study examined the transcriptional unit and activity of mfa-cluster genes in strains with one (the ATCC 33277 and TDC60 strains) and two (the HG66 and A7436 strains) mfa5 genes. Complementary DNA was prepared from the total RNA extracted from the bacterial cells in the logarithmic growth phase using a random primer. PCR analysis for the intergenic regions from mfa1 to mfa5 or mfa5-2 showed that mfa1 to mfa5 or mfa5-2 formed a polycistronic gene cluster. Quantitative real-time PCR showed that the mfa1 transcription was 5–10 times higher than tha t of mfa2 in all the strains. However, mfa2 to mfa5 mostly showed a comparable expression. Both mfa5 genes were comparably transcribed in HG66 and A7436 strains. The transcriptional levels were almost consistent with the respective protein expression levels. In silico analysis identified a transcriptional terminator structure in the intergenic region between mfa1 and mfa2 that was probably responsible for the decreased transcription rate of mfa2 and the downstream genes.

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