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Distinctive Characteristics of Thoracolumbar Junction Region Stenosis
No full textStudy Design: Retrospective case series and systemic literature meta-analysis. Background: Thoracolumbar junction region stenosis produces spinal cord compression just above the conus and may manifest with symptoms that are not typical of either thoracic myelopathy or neurogenic claudication from lumbar stenosis. Objective: As few studies describe its specific pattern of presenting symptoms and neurological deficits, this investigation was designed to improve understanding of this pathology. Methods: A retrospective review assessed surgically treated cases of T10–L1 degenerative stenosis. Clinical outcomes were evaluated with the thoracic Japanese Orthopedic Association score. In addition, a systematic review and meta-analysis was performed in accordance with guidelines provided by the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA). Results: Of 1069 patients undergoing laminectomy at 1477 levels, 31 patients (16M/15F) were treated at T10–L1 a mean age 64.4 (SD = 11.8). Patients complained of lower extremity numbness in 29/31 (94%), urinary dysfunction 11/31 (35%), and back pain 11/ 31 (35%). All complained about gait difficulty and objective motor deficits were detected in 24 of 31 (77%). Weakness was most often seen in foot dorsiflexion 22/31 (71%). Deep tendon reflexes were increased in 10 (32%), decreased in 11 (35%), and normal 10 (32%); the Babinski sign was present 8/31 (26%). Mean thoracic Japanese Orthopedic Association scores improved from 6.4 (SD = 1.8) to 8.4 (SD = 1.8) (P \u3c 0.00001). Gait subjectively improved in 27/31 (87%) numbness improved in 26/ 30 (87%); but urinary function improved in only 4/11 (45%). Conclusions: Thoracolumbar junction stenosis produces distinctive neurological findings characterized by lower extremity numbness, weakness particularly in foot dorsiflexion, urinary dysfunction, and inconsistent reflex changes, a neurological pattern stemming from epiconus level compression and the myelomeres for the L5 roots. Surgery results in significant clinical improvement, with numbness and gait improving more than urinary dysfunction. Many patients with thoracolumbar junction stenosis are initially misdiagnosed as being symptomatic from lumbar stenosis, thus delaying definitive surgery
Profiling Salivary Mirna Expression Levels in Fanconi Anemia Patients – a Pilot Study
No full textThe overarching goal of this study is to predict the risk of developing oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) in Fanconi anemia (FA) patients. We have compared the microRNA (miRNA, miR) expression levels in saliva samples from FA patients (n = 50) who are at a low-moderate and/or high risk of developing OSCC to saliva samples from healthy controls (n = 16). The miRNA expression levels in saliva samples were quantified using qPCR. We observed that miR-744, miR-150-5P, and miR-146B-5P had the best discriminatory capacity between FA patients and controls, with an area under the curve (AUC) of 94.0%, 92.9% and 85.3%, respectively. Our data suggest that miR-1, miR-146B-5P, miR-150-5P, miR-155-5P, and miR-744 could be used as panel to predict the risk of developing OSCC in FA patients, with a 89.3% sensitivity and a 68.2% specificity (AUC = 81.5%). Our preliminary data support the notion that the expression levels of salivary miRNAs have the potential to predict the risk of developing OSCC in FA patients and in the future may reduce deaths associated with OSCC
Assessing Engagement in Rehabilitation: Development, Validity, Reliability, and Responsiveness to Change of the Rehabilitation Observation Measure of Engagement (ROME)
No full textPurpose: We describe the development of an observational video coding tool, the Rehabilitation Observation Measure of Engagement (ROME), to quantify engagement in rehabilitative settings at the person (internal state of an individual) and between-system (interaction between individuals) level. Methods: Forty-nine children with unilateral spastic cerebral palsy (29 males; Age: M = 9.28 yrs, SD = 3.08 yrs) and their interventionists were videotaped during different activities. Construct validity was examined by correlating the ROME with the Engagement vs. Disaffection with Learning Survey and the Pediatric Rehabilitation Intervention Measure of Engagement–Observation questionnaire. Inter- and intra-rater reliability were examined using two independent raters. The ROME’s responsiveness to change was examined by comparing scores across activities. Results: For construct validity, results showed a positive correlation for person-level engagement (r = 0.444, p = 0.003). No relationship was found between-system-level engagement. High intrarater (91.8%) and interrater (96.1%) reliability was found. The ROME’s responsiveness to change was supported by children exhibiting lower engagement scores during repetitive shaping activities. Conclusion: These findings provide evidence that the ROME is a reliable tool to objectively examine the construct of engagement within rehabilitation and is valid for quantifying person-level engagement. It provides information that cannot be extracted from questionnaires and can help guide intervention decisions
Cagrilintide: A Long-Acting Amylin Analog for the Treatment of Obesity
No full textDespite the worldwide epidemic of obesity, there remain few approved pharmacological treatment options to bridge the gap between lifestyle therapy and bariatric surgery. Cagrilintide is an amylin-analog, now being developed in combination with the GLP-1 agonist semaglutide to achieve sustained weight loss in persons with overweight and obesity. Amylin, released with insulin from beta cells in the pancreas, induces its satiating effect via both the homoeostatic and hedonic regions of the brain. Semaglutide, a GLP-1 receptor agonist, reduces appetite via GLP-1 receptors in the hypothalamus and increases the production of insulin, and reduces glucagon secretion, delaying gastric emptying. These separate, but related mechanisms of action of an amylin-analog and a GLP-1 receptor agonist appear to have an additive effect on appetite reduction. Given the heterogeneity and complex pathogenesis of obesity, combination therapy with multiple pathophysiological targets is a logical approach to increasing weight loss response with pharmacotherapy. Cagrilintide alone, as well as cagrilintide in combination with semaglutide have shown promising weight loss in clinical trials that supports the further development of this therapy for sustained weight management
A Novel Approach to Calcium Destruction in Coronary and Peripheral Blood Vessels: Intravascular Lithotripsy
No full textLithotripsy has been used for decades in the treatment of kidney stones and gallstones, in which ultrasound shock waves generated outside of the body are used to physically break up hardened masses. In the past decade, intravascular lithotripsy (IVL), a technology developed by Shockwave Medical Inc. (Santa Clara, CA), has emerged as a novel therapy for the treatment of vascular calcification. In the coronary blood vessels, IVL modifies arterial calcium and enables percutaneous coronary interventions to be performed in a safe and consistent manner, and in the peripheral blood vessels, IVL can be used as a standalone therapy in the treatment of calcified plaque in patients with peripheral artery disease (PAD). Due to the success of the Disrupt CAD and Disrupt PAD clinical trials, IVL is now FDA-approved in the United States for use in both patients with coronary artery disease (CAD) and PAD. The widespread adoption of IVL for PAD is likely to mirror the swift uptake seen in CAD. Although questions remain regarding IVL\u27s high cost and performance compared directly to other technologies such as atherectomy, its ease of use, speed, and safety makes its future extremely promising for the treatment of complex, heavily calcified lesions in both peripheral and coronary vessels. Despite this, more studies are certainly needed to determine in what clinical scenarios IVL should be considered as opposed to atherectomy and if there are types of calcified lesions where IVL is best utilized (ie, concentric vs eccentric)
Mitochondrial Dysfunction in Psychiatric Disorders
No full textPsychiatric disorders are a heterogeneous group of mental disorders with abnormal mental or behavioral patterns, which severely distress or disable affected individuals and can have a grave socioeconomic burden. Growing evidence indicates that mitochondrial function plays an important role in developing psychiatric disorders. This review discusses the neuropsychiatric consequences of mitochondrial abnormalities in both animal models and patients. We also discuss recent studies associated with compromised mitochondrial function in various psychiatric disorders, such as schizophrenia (SCZ), major depressive disorder (MD), and bipolar disorders (BD). These studies employ various approaches including postmortem studies, imaging studies, genetic studies, and induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) studies. We also summarize the evidence from animal models and clinical trials to support mitochondrial function as a potential therapeutic target to treat various psychiatric disorders. This review will contribute to furthering our understanding of the metabolic etiology of various psychiatric disorders, and help guide the development of optimal therapies
Artificial Intelligence in the Non-Invasive Detection of Melanoma
No full textSkin cancer is one of the most prevalent cancers worldwide, with increasing incidence. Skin cancer is typically classified as melanoma or non-melanoma skin cancer. Although melanoma is less common than basal or squamous cell carcinomas, it is the deadliest form of cancer, with nearly 8300 Americans expected to die from it each year. Biopsies are currently the gold standard in diagnosing melanoma; however, they can be invasive, expensive, and inaccessible to lower-income individuals. Currently, suspicious lesions are triaged with image-based technologies, such as dermoscopy and confocal microscopy. While these techniques are useful, there is wide inter-user variability and minimal training for dermatology residents on how to properly use these devices. The use of artificial intelligence (AI)-based technologies in dermatology has emerged in recent years to assist in the diagnosis of melanoma that may be more accessible to all patients and more accurate than current methods of screening. This review explores the current status of the application of AI-based algorithms in the detection of melanoma, underscoring its potential to aid dermatologists in clinical practice. We specifically focus on AI application in clinical imaging, dermoscopic evaluation, algorithms that can distinguish melanoma from non-melanoma skin cancers, and in vivo skin imaging devices
