Nevin Manimala

Neuroimage. 2021 Mar 28:117997. doi: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2021.117997. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Functional neuroimaging research in the non-human primate (NHP) has been advancing at a remarkable rate. The increase in available data establishes a need for robust analysis pipelines designed for NHP neuroimaging and accompanying template spaces to standardize the localization of neuroimaging results. Our group recently developed the NIMH Macaque Template (NMT), a high-resolution population average anatomical template and associated neuroimaging resources, providing researchers with a standard space for macaque neuroimaging (Seidlitz et al., 2018a). Here, we release NMT v2, which includes both symmetric and asymmetric templates in stereotaxic orientation, with improvements in spatial contrast, processing efficiency, and segmentation. We also introduce the Cortical Hierarchy Atlas of the Rhesus Macaque (CHARM), a hierarchical parcellation of the macaque cerebral cortex with varying degrees of detail. These tools have been integrated into the neuroimaging analysis software AFNI (Cox, 1996) to provide a comprehensive and robust pipeline for fMRI processing, visualization and analysis of NHP data. AFNI’s new @animal_warper program can be used to efficiently align anatomical scans to the NMT v2 space, and afni_proc.py integrates these results with full fMRI processing using macaque-specific parameters: from motion correction through regression modeling. Taken together, the NMT v2 and AFNI represent an all-in-one package for macaque functional neuroimaging analysis, as demonstrated with available demos for both task and resting state fMRI.

PMID:33789138 | DOI:10.1016/j.neuroimage.2021.117997

Neuroimage. 2021 Mar 28:117998. doi: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2021.117998. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

The pressing call to detect sensitive cognitive markers of frontal lobe epilepsy (FLE) remains poorly addressed. Standard frameworks prove nosologically unspecific (as they reveal deficits that also emerge across other epilepsy subtypes), possess low ecological validity, and are rarely supported by multimodal neuroimaging assessments. To bridge these gaps, we examined naturalistic action and non-action texts comprehension, combined with structural and functional connectivity measures, in 19 FLE patients, 19 healthy controls, and 20 posterior cortex epilepsy (PCE) patients. Our analyses integrated inferential statistics and data-driven machine-learning classifiers. FLE patients were selectively and specifically impaired in action comprehension, irrespective of their neuropsychological profile. These deficits selectively and specifically correlated with (a) reduced integrity of the anterior thalamic radiation, a subcortical structure underlying motoric and action-language processing as well as epileptic seizure spread in this subtype; and (b) hypoconnectivity between the primary motor cortex and the left-parietal/supramarginal regions, two putative substrates of action-language comprehension. Moreover, machine-learning classifiers based on the above neurocognitive measures yielded 75% accuracy rates in discriminating individual FLE patients from both controls and PCE patients. Briefly, action-text assessments, combined with structural and functional connectivity measures, seem to capture ecological cognitive deficits that are specific to FLE, opening new avenues for discriminatory characterizations among epilepsy types.

PMID:33789131 | DOI:10.1016/j.neuroimage.2021.117998

Can J Ophthalmol. 2021 Mar 28:S0008-4182(21)00088-0. doi: 10.1016/j.jcjo.2021.02.039. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

INTRODUCTION: As mandated by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME), residency programs are required to have parental leave policies. A lack of standardized requirements leads to a lack of uniformity among programs. We discuss resident and program director attitudes toward parental leave and examine the range of policies on parental leave and breastfeeding within ophthalmology residency programs.

METHODS: Two electronic surveys assessing perceptions toward parental leave during residency and breastfeeding on return to clinical duties were created individually for completion by ophthalmology residents or residency program directors, respectively, with responses collected over 4 weeks.

RESULTS: Of residents who took parental leave, 23 (87%) denied taking time off without pay. The most commonly reported effects on training by residents were missed surgical training and impact on research. Nearly 60% of residents (N = 26) reported receiving negative feedback or actions prior to or after the leave. The majority of residents felt program directors and coresidents were supportive (53.8%, 48.1%, respectively), but parental leave negatively affected their coresidents (46.2%). Twenty-five program directors reported that there are written parental leave policies in place at their institution. Gender disparities were noted, with program directors reporting more negative impacts on surgical training in female residents (p = 0.035). There was no statistically significant difference between program director attitudes on clinical training, well-being, or burnout by resident gender. All program directors were supportive of breastfeeding; half reported an institutional breastfeeding policy.

CONCLUSION: A national discussion on standardizing parental leave and breastfeeding policies over all ophthalmology residency programs is warranted.

PMID:33789088 | DOI:10.1016/j.jcjo.2021.02.039

Aust J Prim Health. 2021 Apr 1. doi: 10.1071/PY20262. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Health assessments (HAs) are available for community-dwelling older people to receive annually from general practitioners (GPs), but have low uptake. Little is known regarding the views of GPs and practice nurses (PNs) towards older person HAs and whether this might contribute to the low uptake. The objective of this study was to explore the attitudes of GPs and PNs towards older person HAs. Fifty-eight participant responses to an online questionnaire were analysed through descriptive statistics and content analysis. Most participants (77%) found older person HAs to be useful. Participants felt HAs identified health problems that may otherwise be missed (n=21). The main barriers to delivery of HAs were patient refusal (n=25) and insufficient practitioner time (n=19). The most requested change to HAs was increased patient education and public awareness regarding older person HAs (n=10). Health professionals felt increased patient education and public awareness, particularly to address patient misconceptions regarding older person HAs, may improve HA uptake.

PMID:33789076 | DOI:10.1071/PY20262

Appl Neuropsychol Adult. 2021 Mar 31:1-7. doi: 10.1080/23279095.2021.1900187. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

AIM: In this study, we aimed to establish Turkish normative data for two versions of The Pyramids and Palm Trees Test (PPTT), pictorial (PPTT-P), and verbal (PPTT-V) using Turkish culture-specific items.

METHODS: The study sample involves 181 participants stratified into three age groups and further stratified into three education levels and gender. The participants were given the PPTT versions along with a neuropsychological battery. Participants in the aged group were further screened for cognition and depression. The internal consistency, the convergent and discriminant validity of the PPTT versions, and predictors of the performance in the PPTT versions are statistically analyzed.

RESULTS: The Cronbach’s alpha coefficients for PPTT-P and PPTT-V were found as 0.48. and 0.42, respectively. Among the demographic variables, only education had an effect on the performances of both versions. Education level explained 21.2% of the variance in PPTT-P performance and 13.7% of the variance in PPTT-V performance. A cutoff score of 45 is proposed for the individuals with primary school education and 47 for those with higher education. Results suggested that both versions had moderate convergent but no discriminant validity.

CONCLUSIONS: Present findings suggest that PPTT is a useful neuropsychological instrument for assessing semantic memory in the Turkish population.

PMID:33789062 | DOI:10.1080/23279095.2021.1900187

J Phys Chem Lett. 2021 Mar 31:3449-3455. doi: 10.1021/acs.jpclett.1c00600. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

The interaction between flowing liquids and solid surfaces underpins many physical phenomena and technologies, such as the ability of an airfoil to generate lift and the mixing of liquids for industrial applications. These phenomena are often described using the Navier-Stokes equations and the no-slip boundary condition: the assumption that the liquid immediately adjacent to a solid surface does not move relative to the surface. Herein, we observe violation of the no-slip condition with strong enhancement of slip due to intrinsic viscoelasticity of the bulk liquid. This is achieved by measuring the 20 GHz acoustic vibrations of gold nanoparticles in glycerol/water mixtures, for which the underlying physics is explored using rigorous, theoretical models. The reported enhancement of slip revises current understanding of ultrafast liquid flows, with implications for technologies ranging from membrane filtration to nanofluidic devices and biomolecular sensing.

PMID:33789041 | DOI:10.1021/acs.jpclett.1c00600

Dent Med Probl. 2021 Mar 31. doi: 10.17219/dmp/127028. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Extractions of third molars constitute about 90% of the scheduled surgical procedures performed by oral surgeons. Wisdom tooth surgery is associated with complications, such as the lingual and inferior alveolar nerve damage, bleeding, tooth/jaw fractures, tooth displacement into the adjacent anatomical spaces, trismus, infections, and other.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of the study was to analyze complications after wisdom tooth extraction in patients treated at the Department of Oral Surgery of Jagiellonian University Medical College in Kraków, Poland, in the years 2016-2018.

MATERIAL AND METHODS: A retrospective analysis of the medical records of 339 patients treated in the outpatient setting was performed. The inclusion criterion comprised a single extraction of a third molar. The exclusion criteria were multiple extractions, comorbidities and pregnancy. No antibiotic prophylaxis was used. The incidence of post-extraction complications, such as oroantral communication, postoperative hematoma, acute inflammation of the surrounding tissues, trismus, and transient paresthesia in relation to patient gender and age, the developmental stage and location of the removed tooth as well as the type of surgery were studied.

RESULTS: Perioperative complications occurred in 51 (15.0%) cases, and comprised the acute inflammation of the surrounding tissues in 31 patients, trismus after the removal of 13 lower third molars, oroantral communication after the extraction of 5 upper wisdom teeth, and hematoma as well as a transient sensory alteration of the lingual nerve in 1 case each. Complications were more common in patients who had a surgical extraction of a wisdom tooth with root separation and in cases of lower third molar extractions. No statistically significant correlation was found between the patients’ age or gender, the developmental stage of the extracted tooth and the number of observed complications.

CONCLUSIONS: Lower third molars and the necessity of surgical extraction with root separation are risk factors for postoperative complications in patients who require wisdom tooth removal. Complications after the removal of third molars are most often inflammatory.

PMID:33789003 | DOI:10.17219/dmp/127028

Dent Med Probl. 2021 Mar 31. doi: 10.17219/dmp/130088. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: In the past 20 years, several studies and clinical trials have reported similar results for transmucosal implants as compared to submerged implants. Several advantages of immediate loading have been pointed out, such as the reduction of treatment time, trauma reduction, and immediate esthetic and functional improvements.

OBJECTIVES: The main objective of this study was to clinically evaluate the implant survival rate in patients with total rehabilitation via implants that underwent immediate loading in the past 5 years.

MATERIAL AND METHODS: A cross-sectional, descriptive, observational analysis was conducted. The implant survival rate for an edentulous maxilla or mandible was assessed with regard to the loading protocol by means of a questionnaire and clinical observation. The study included 103 patients with edentulous jaws rehabilitated with fixed prostheses on implants. Each patient received 4-6 implants. In total, 474 implants were placed. Factors such as the implant survival rate as well as biological and prosthetic complications were evaluated and analyzed statistically.

RESULTS: Of the 474 implants initially placed, 458 were considered osteointegrated and 16 were considered lost, which corresponds to a 96.62% implant survival rate. The most common types of failure were prosthetic fractures (46.2%), peri-implantitis (23.1%) and unscrewing (11.5%) in the first 5 years.

CONCLUSIONS: The rate of osseointegration for implants placed under immediate loading was extremely high, in accordance with the previously published studies, which led us to conclude that currently, this is a surgical procedure with a high rate of success and high predictability.

PMID:33789002 | DOI:10.17219/dmp/130088

Cancer Cytopathol. 2021 Mar 31. doi: 10.1002/cncy.22427. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: The salivary gland neoplasm of unknown malignant potential (SUMP) category reflects the cytomorphologic overlap and complexity of reporting salivary gland cytology in the Milan system. It includes neoplasms for which a diagnosis of a specific entity cannot be made and, more importantly, for which a carcinoma cannot be entirely excluded. For risk stratification, the subcategorization of SUMP based on the predominant cell type is recommended. This study was aimed at evaluating the risk of neoplasm (RON) and the risk of malignancy (ROM) of the basaloid and oncocytic subtypes of the SUMP category.

METHODS: A retrospective analysis of 482 salivary gland fine-needle aspirations from 2012 to 2019 resulted in 48 SUMP cases. The cytology of these cases was reviewed and reclassified as the basaloid or oncocytic subtype. Surgical follow-up was available for 36 cases. The RON and ROM for each subtype were calculated.

RESULTS: The RON and ROM were 100% and 23%, respectively, for monomorphic basaloid tumors and 88% and 58.8%, respectively, for monomorphic oncocytic tumors. The ROM for basaloid tumors was 8.3% without matrix/with minimal matrix and 60% with an nonfibrillary matrix. The ROM for oncocytic tumors was 50% without a cystic background and 60% with a cystic or mucinous background. The difference was not statistically significant for either of the subgroups.

CONCLUSIONS: Even though statistically not significant in our study, the differential ROMs within the oncocytic and basaloid subgroups help in the risk stratification of SUMP cases. Further subcategorization based on the stroma and background helps in limiting the differential diagnosis but does not necessarily add to the value of the risk stratification.

PMID:33788998 | DOI:10.1002/cncy.22427

Cardiovasc Res. 2021 Mar 31:cvab127. doi: 10.1093/cvr/cvab127. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

AIMS: Atrial fibrillation (AF) has been associated with intracellular calcium disturbances in human atrial myocytes, but little is known about the potential influence of sex and we here aimed to address this issue.

METHODS AND RESULTS: Alterations in calcium regulatory mechanisms were assessed in human atrial myocytes from patients without AF or with long-standing persistent or permanent AF. Patch-clamp measurements revealed that L-type calcium current (ICa) density was significantly smaller in males with than without AF (-1.15±0.37 vs. -2.06±0.29 pA/pF) but not in females with AF (-1.88±0.40 vs. -2.21±0.0.30 pA/pF). In contrast, transient inward currents (ITi) were more frequent in females with than without AF (1.92±0.36 vs. 1.10±0.19 events/min) but not in males with AF. Moreover, confocal calcium imaging showed that females with AF had more calcium spark sites than those without AF (9.8±1.8 vs. 2.2±1.9 sites/µm2) and sparks were wider (3.0±0.3 vs. 2.2±0.3 µm) and lasted longer (79±6 vs. 55±8 ms), favoring their fusion into calcium waves that triggers ITIs and afterdepolarizations. This was linked to higher ryanodine receptor phosphorylation at s2808 in women with AF, and inhibition of adenosine A2A or beta-adrenergic receptors that modulate s2808 phosphorylation was able to reduce the higher incidence of ITI in women with AF.

CONCLUSION: Perturbations of the calcium homeostasis in AF is sex-dependent, concurring with increased spontaneous SR calcium release-induced electrical activity in women but not in men, and with diminished ICa density in men only.

TRANSLATIONAL PERSPECTIVE: Statistical analysis taking into account confounding effects of concurrent disease, risk factors and treatments revealed differential sex-dependent alterations of the calcium homeostasis in AF. The analysis suggests that suppression of calcium release-induced membrane depolarizations with adenosine receptor antagonists may be efficient in women with AF only while therapies aiming to restore L-type calcium current may be more efficient in males with AF.

PMID:33788918 | DOI:10.1093/cvr/cvab127