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Copyright of Canadian Journal of Ophthalmology is the property of Elsevier B.V. and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Premature peripheral arterial disease (PAD) (age ≤50 years) has been shown to negatively impact the outcomes of lower extremity revascularization (LER). Patients with premature PAD have an increased risk of major amputation compared with older patients. The primary goal of this study is to compare the frequency of reinterventions after LER in patients with premature PAD to their older counterparts with common age of presentation (ie, 60-80 years). A retrospective review of consecutive patients undergoing LER for PAD in a single center was performed. Clinical, procedural, and socioeconomic characteristics were compared between patients with premature PAD and the older group. Perioperative and long-term outcomes were captured and compared including mortality, major amputation, reintervention rate and frequency, as well as major adverse limb events. There were 1274 patients who underwent LER (4.3% premature, 61.8% age 60-80). Patients with premature PAD were more likely to be females of racial minorities. Notably, the mean Distressed Communities Index score was significantly higher in the premature PAD group compared with the older patients. Patients with premature PAD were significantly more likely to have end-stage renal disease but less likely to have hypertension, hyperlipidemia, and coronary artery disease compared with older patients. There was no significant difference in perioperative complications. After a mean follow-up of 5 years, patients with premature PAD were significantly more likely to undergo more frequent reinterventions compared with older patients. Kaplan-Meier curves showed similar overall survival and major adverse limb event-free survival between the two groups. Patients with premature PAD are likely to undergo more frequent reinterventions after initial LER and have similar 5-year survival curves compared with patients at least 20 years older. Demographic and socioeconomic differences impacting patients with premature PAD, even in this relatively underpowered institutional experience, are striking and warrant further investigation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Superior sinus venosus defects (SVD) are interatrial communications located above the confines of the oval fossa, where unroofing of the right upper pulmonary vein leads to its anomalous drainage to the superior venacava. Recent emergence of transcatheter closure of these defects using covered stents is an attractive alternative option especially in adults with additional comorbidities. This article focuses on various aspects of non-surgical closure of SVD, including patient selection, appropriate hardware options, step-by-step procedural details, evolution and modifications in the techniques over the last decade, protocols for follow-up evaluation, and potential complications associated with this intervention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Enamelin is the largest enamel matrix protein encoded by the ENAM gene. The primary purpose of this study was to identify genetic variants in ENAM exon 10 that can alter susceptibility to early childhood caries (ECC). This case-control study included 248 children aged 3–6 years, with 124 children diagnosed with ECC in the case group and 124 children without caries in the control group. Questionnaires were used to record demographic data, socioeconomic status, hygienic practices, and feeding practices, and a 24-h diet diary was kept. Seven polymorphisms (rs7671281, rs1738668322, rs3796703, rs3796704, rs759376039, rs775159311, and rs1738678483) in ENAM exon 10 were sequenced. The heterozygous CT genotype of rs7671281 was significantly more common in the case group compared to the control group (odds ratio [OR], 6.1765; 95% confidence interval [CI], 2.05–18.58; P = 0.0006). Under the dominant model, the TT genotype of rs7671281 was significantly more common in the control group (OR, 6.47; 95% CI, 2.15–19.39; P < 0.001). The AG genotype of rs3796704 was significantly more common in the case group than in the control group (OR, 5.705; 95% CI, 1.60–20.25; P = 0.006). Under the dominant model, the GG genotype of rs3796704 was significantly more common in children without caries than in children with caries (OR, 6.84; 95% CI, 1.96–23.90; P < 0.001). The C allele of rs7671281 and the A allele of rs3796704 can increase susceptibility to ECC. • Genetic variants of ENAM may modify the predisposition to dental decay. • C allele of rs7671281 is more common in children with caries suggesting that it may increase susceptibility to caries. • G allele of rs3796704 is higher in children without caries suggesting that it may confer resistance to dental decay. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Vascular anomalies are vascular lesions that are present from childhood. They are classified into tumours or malformations based on clinical and histological features. Benign infantile haemangiomas are the most common vascular tumour and have a predictable self-limiting course. Rarer vascular tumours exist, and some may cause platelet consumption. Management is usually conservative, with active treatment reserved for functional or cosmetic complications (ulceration, or obstruction and distortion of vital structures). Oral propranolol is useful for troublesome lesions. Vascular malformations are structural anomalies of vascular morphogenesis present at birth without cellular proliferation that, in general, grow with the patient. They are sub-classified by vessel type as 'low flow' (capillary, lymphatic and venous) and 'high flow' (arteriovenous) or lesions with a combination of vessel type. They become problematic under certain circumstances, usually puberty and also pregnancy. The most troublesome are extensive lesions, especially venous and arteriovenous. Their effects may be cosmetic, those of a space-occupying lesion, infection, bleeding, pain or coagulopathy. Venous lesions cause consumptive coagulopathy, sometimes with life-threatening risks. Treatment options include medication and symptom control with antibiotics, analgesia, control of menses, compression garments and intervention with laser (capillary type), sclerotherapy, embolization and/or surgical excision. Patients with complex lesions are best managed by a multidisciplinary team and all surgical sub-specialties may be involved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To provide a biomechanical comparison of dorsal plating, lateral plating and intramedullary screw [IMS] fixation for extra-articular proximal phalangeal fractures. Midshaft osteotomies were performed on 36 cadaveric proximal phalanges. The phalanges were fixed by dorsal plating, lateral plating or IMS fixation, and subjected to a four-point bending force. Force was applied to achieve displacement of 1 mm/s, until construct failure or to a maximum of 10 mm of displacement. Clinical failure was defined as 2 mm of displacement, and force required to result in 1 mm and 2 mm of displacement was recorded, as was mode of failure. Dorsal plating [127.5 N ± 52.6; 46.51–229.17] and lateral plating [77.1 N ± 25.1; 48.3–113.8] required significantly greater force to achieve 1 mm of displacement when compared to IMS [41.2 N ± 12.4; 20.6–62.3]. Dorsal plating [339.2 N ± 91.8; 158.5–538.6] required significantly greater force than lateral plating [154.5 N ± 33.8; 99.0 –204.4] and intramedullary screw fixation [110.0 ± 38.6; 51.1–189.3] to result in 2 mm of displacement. Lateral and dorsal plating constructs failed through plate bending, screw cut-out or plate failure, whilst IMS failed via implant deformity. All three constructs required greater force to result in even 1 mm of displacement than what is likely subjected through rehabilitation via active motion. Lateral plating and IMS fixation offer sufficient stiffness to withstand the likely forces subjected via early active motion without displacement. Dorsal plating required significantly greater force than lateral plating and intramedullary screw fixation to achieve 1 mm of displacement when used in extra-articular proximal phalangeal fractures in an in vitro setting. However, all three modalities confer enough stability to likely withstand the forces associated with active range of motion [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Webinar increased insight into neurosurgery and the path to become a neurosurgeon. • There is a substantial appetite for virtual content related to neurosurgery. • USMSs, IMSs, and undergraduates have different motivations for webinar attendance. • Webinar format may effectively provide international exposure to neurosurgery. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the American Association of Neurological Surgeons (AANS) Young Neurosurgeons Committee (YNC) and Neurosurgery Research & Education Foundation (NREF) launched the YNC-NREF Webinar Series to provide young and aspiring neurosurgeons with timely information, education, and inspiration in the absence of in-person programming. Five 90-minute Zoom webinars were evaluated, each including 1–2 keynote speakers, a panel discussion, and an audience question-and-answer section. Topics included overviews of neurosurgery, the match, subspecialties, and inspirational career stories. Optional pre- and post-webinar surveys with 11-point Likert-type scores were distributed to attendees. We compared groups using chi-squared and Kruskal-Willis tests, and perceptions pre- and post-webinar using Mann-Whitney tests. The webinars were live using Zoom, and the recordings were published on NREF's YouTube channel. The webinar series targeted young neurosurgeons. The first five episodes had a particular focus on medical students and undergraduates. A total of 673 unique participants attended the webinar series; 257 (38%) and 78 (11%) attendees completed the pre- and post-webinar survey, respectively. Respondents had high baseline interest in neurosurgery and were motivated to learn about the match and training in the US, understand neurosurgeons' day-to-day lives, and ask questions. There were significant differences in perceptions between USMSs, IMSs, and undergraduate students. The webinar improved attendees' knowledge about neurosurgical specialties, the match, and US neurosurgery training. The YNC and NREF effectively engaged a large, diverse audience through an online webinar series, building a foundation for future virtual programming by organized neurosurgery. ACGME competencies. 1. Medical Knowledge. 2. Professionalism. 3. Interpersonal Skills and Communication. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bariatric surgery is effective for patients with severe obesity, but relatively little is known about long-term functional outcomes. To describe physical fitness and activity changes among bariatric surgery patients in a clinical trial of physical activity interventions through 5 years postoperatively. Large bariatric center in the midwestern United States. Preoperatively, 6 months, and 5 years after surgery, 42 bariatric surgery patients wore an accelerometer to track activity and completed strength and cardiovascular endurance testing via treadmill, where estimated metabolic equivalents (METs) and ratings of perceived exertion (RPEs) were obtained. Preoperatively, 25% of patients reported exertion of <3 METs (equivalent to walking 2.5 mi/hr) as an RPE of 16 ("hard to very hard"). This decreased significantly to approximately 5% of patients 6 months and 5 years after surgery. Before surgery, 7.5% achieved ≥6 METs (vigorous activity) at an RPE of 16. This increased significantly to 36.6% at 6 months and 42.1% at 5 years after surgery. Body mass index and age, but no physical activity measure, predicted functional ability over time. The steps/d and exercise bout min/wk increased significantly from before surgery to 6 months postoperatively (4886.5 to 5948.5 steps and 23.8 to 66.6 bout min), but increases were not maintained at 5 years (5677.7 steps and 41.4 bout min). Conversely, moderate to vigorous min/ d increased progressively from before surgery (17.4) to 6 months (32.3) and 5 years (48.1) postoperatively. Functional abilities of bariatric surgery patients increased postoperatively and were maintained over 5 years. However, treadmill testing suggests that most patients are still unable to perform sustained activities of 6 METs (vigorous) or greater. Research is needed on bariatric patients' long-term function- and intervention- optimizing outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Platelet-rich plasma is considered an effective modality to promote bone regeneration, improve hard and soft tissue healing in surgical procedures including sinus augmentation. However, the survival of dental implants in sinus augmented sites with platelet-rich plasma has shown equivocal results in recent studies. In this systematic review, data on dental implants' survival in sinus augmentation sites with platelet-rich plasma were examined. Randomized controlled trials on the topic with a minimum mean follow-up of 6 months with no language restriction were considered. Other study designs on the topic were excluded. Accordingly, relevant articles were searched in Clinicaltrials.gov , Cochrane databases, PubMed/Medline, and Scopus up to April 2021. Using the Cochrane risk of bias assessment tool, the listed studies' risk of bias was evaluated. From the included studies, the pertinent information was taken and pooled for qualitative and quantitative analysis using R software 4.1.1. Six randomized controlled trials involving 188 patients who underwent sinus augmentation with and without platelet-rich plasma, and 781 implants were included for qualitative and quantitative analysis. Four hundred and eleven implants were placed in the intervention group (with platelet-rich plasma) and 370 implants were placed in the control group (without platelet-rich plasma). The pooled estimate (OR 0.84, 95% CI 0.37 to 1.91; I2 = 0%) indicated that there was no statistically significant difference observed between the groups. The test for subgroup differences showed no statistically significant differences between the subgroups (p = 0.45) with no heterogeneity (I2 = 0%). The bias associated with selective reporting of outcome data was considered as some concern for bias. This systematic review revealed that the effect of platelet-rich plasma is uncertain on the survival of dental implants. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Power electronic converters are becoming more critical as renewable energy sources are linked to distributed generation systems. In this study, a "Two-Tier Converter" for high voltage gain with a low duty ratio, low voltage stress for the given voltage gain, continuous input current, and a grounded load arrangement have been made from two stages of a conventional boost converter. The analysis, modes of operation, and effects of the inductors' internal resistances on voltage gain have been discussed. The advantages of the two-tier converter have also been established by comparison studies with other modern high-gain converters. The suggested converter has also been evaluated using stability analysis, PI, and super-twisting sliding mode control (STSMC) to regulate the output voltage at a constant value. The effectiveness of the suggested configuration with the suggested control approach has been demonstrated through simulation and experimental investigation. • Proposing a Two-Tier Converter derived from two stages of classical boost converter. • Analyzing of different operational modes on voltage gain for the proposed converter. • Study the effects of inductors' parasitic resistances on voltage gain. • Comparison of two-tier converter with recent high gain converters • Proposing both PI and super-twisting sliding mode control with stability analysis • Validating the control technique performance using simulation and hardware studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study aimed to develop cisplatin-loaded PEGylated chitosan nanoparticles. The optimal batch of cisplatin-loaded PEGylated chitosan nanoparticles had a + 49.9 mV zeta potential, PDI of 0.347, and % PDI of 58.9. Nanoparticle zeta size was 741.4 z. d.nm, the size in diameter was 866.7 ± 470.5 nm, and nanoparticle conductivity in colloidal solution was 0.739 mS/cm. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) revealed that cisplatin-loaded PEGylated chitosan nanoparticles had sharp endothermic peaks at temperatures at 168.6 °C. The thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) showed the weight loss of cisplatin-loaded PEGylated chitosan nanoparticles, which was observed as 95% at 262.76 °C. XRD investigation on cisplatin-loaded PEGylated chitosan nanoparticles exhibited distinct peaks at 2θ as 9.7°, 20.4°, 22.1°, 25.3°, 36.1°, 38.1°, 39.5°, 44.3°, and 64.5°, confirming crystalline structure. The 1H NMR analysis showed the fingerprint region of cisplatin-loaded PEGylated chitosan nanoparticles as 0.85, 1.73, and 1.00 ppm in the proton dimension and de-shielded proton peaks appeared at 3.57, 3.58, 3.58, 3.59, 3.65, 3.67, 3,67, 3,67, 3.70, 3.71, 3.77, 3.78 and 4.71 ppm. The 13C NMR spectrum showed specified peaks at 63.18, 69.20, and 70.77 ppm. The FT-IR spectra of cisplatin loaded PEGylated nanoparticles show the existence of many fingerprint regions at 3186.52, 2931.68, 1453.19, 1333.98, 1253.71, 1085.19, 1019.60, 969.98, 929.53, 888.80, 706.13, and 623.67 cm−1. The drug release kinetics of cisplatin loaded PEGylated chitosan nanoparticles showed zero order kinetics with 48% of drug release linearity fashion which has R2 value of 0.9778. Studies on the MCF-7 ATCC human breast cancer cell line in vitro revealed that the IC50 value 82.08 µg /mL. Injectable nanoparticles had good physicochemical and cytotoxic properties. This method is novel since the application of the PEGylation processes leads to an increased solubility of chitosan nanoparticles at near neutral pH. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Central neuraxial blocks (CNBs), which include spinal, epidural, and combined spinal epidural injections, are indispensable techniques in the anesthesiologist's armamentarium. Indeed, in scenarios such as when dealing with the obstetric population, patients with obesity, or patients having respiratory compromise (e.g., lung disease or scoliosis), CNBs are the mainstay for anesthesia and/or analgesia. Traditionally, CNBs are performed using anatomical landmarks, which are simple, easy to master, and exceptionally successful in most cases. Nevertheless, there are notable limitations with this approach, especially in scenarios where CNBs are considered mandatory and vital. Any limitation of an anatomic landmark-based approach is an opportunity for an ultrasound-guided (USG) technique. This has become particularly true for CNBs, where recent advances in ultrasound technology and research data have addressed many of the shortcomings of the traditional anatomic landmark-based approaches. This article reviews the ultrasound imaging of the lumbosacral spine and its application for CNBs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Crestal bone preservation around the dental implant for aesthetic and functional success is widely researched and documented over a decade. Several etiological factors were put forth for crestal bone loss; of which biofilm plays a major role. Biofilm is formed by the colonization of wide spectra of bacteria inhabited around dental implants. Bacterial adherence affects the regulators of bone growth and an early intervention preserves the peri-implant bone. Primary modes of therapy stated in early literature were either prevention or treatment of infection caused by biofilm. This narrative review overviews the microbiome during different stages of peri-implant health, the mechanism of bone destruction, and the expression of the biomarkers at each stage. Microbial contamination and the associated biomarkers varied depending on the stage of peri-implant infection. The comprehensive review helps in formulating a research plan, both in diagnostics and treatment aspects in improving peri-implant health. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Acute disruptions of the terminal extensor tendon are common and can result in significant dysfunction if not recognized and treated appropriately. This article provides a topical review of the contemporary literature concerning acute mallet finger injuries. It also proposes a modification to the Doyle classification to make it more encompassing and less prone to interobserver error. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Taibah University Medical Sciences is the property of Elsevier B.V. and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Crop growth and the agricultural ecosystem are both affected by inappropriate soil fertility ranges. Soil fertility management practices help to efficient use of fertilizer and organic compost and selecting appropriate crops based on soil conditions. But, farmers randomly applied fertilizers without analysing their soil nutrients status. These unbalanced agrochemical inputs contaminate agricultural resources. Laboratory soil analysis procedures help to track soil fertility status. However, the laboratory soil analysis practices are insufficient for Indian farmers. Recent research and development show an On-field soil property monitoring system. Furthermore, internet-based soil fertility monitoring aids farmers in increasing productivity and optimizing resources. This paper presents the prototype based on a smart soil fertility prediction system based on the Internet of Things (IoT). The prototype model was tested and analysed on home gardening application and monitoring the spinach crop growth. This soil fertility prediction system encourages cost-effective direct field measurement in agriculture. To test the accuracy of the prototype, the sensor result was compared with the laboratory analysis result. For soil pH measurements the sensor result is 6 and the laboratory test result is 6.7. similarly, for soil EC measurement the sensor value is 0.48 and the laboratory result is 0.64. The soil pH and EC comparison results show that only a slight variation is present between the sensor and laboratory value i.e for pH 0.7 % and EC 0.16% difference are present. The analysed result shows that the proposed prototype model is efficient for on-field monitoring in gardening. Further, the measured data are stored in the cloudMQTT server, and they can be utilized for ago decision-making applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Object detection and Tracking are important tasks in both moving and static camera applications like unmanned vehicles, human-assisted vehicles, product parts inspection, video surveillance, and many more. These applications are required to detect moving objects and track static and dynamic cameras. It also needed to process these tasks with rate and lesser time. Many computer vision applications are always used to read the image/frame pixels one by one from row by column or column by row pattern. Reading pixels one by one from the image/frame took more time in real-time applications. In this proposed method we used to read the pixels from the entire image/frame in parallel using Parallel. For utilities and process these pixels in parallel. In the proposed work we used the background subtraction model for object detection and tracking and noted the difference in both sequential and parallel processes and compared the output with the existing background subtraction model. In this work analyzed the time taken to read the entire image using various tools and languages. The work was implemented using C#.NET parallel. For other thread-based functions to minimize the pixel reading time and processing time for object detection and tracking. Finally, the proposed work gave a considerable performance and compared with the existing system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cystic fibrosis (CF) is a genetic disease that affects the exocrine glands and is caused by cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator gene (CFTR) mutations. Lung disease is the leading cause of morbidity in patients. Target-specific treatment of CF has been achieved using monoclonal antibodies (mAbs). The purpose of this article is to discuss the possibility of treating CF with mAbs through their significant target specificity. We searched electronic databases in Web of Science, PubMed, EMBASE, Scopus, and Google Scholar from 1984 to 2021. We discussed the critical role of targeted therapy in cystic fibrosis, as it will be more effective at suppressing the molecular networks. After conducting a critical review of the available literature, we concluded that it is critical to understand the fundamental molecular mechanisms underlying CF prior to incorporating biologics into the therapy regimen. Omalizumab, Mepolizumab, Benralizumab, Dupilumab and KB001-A have been successfully screened for asthma-complicated CF, and their efficacies have been well reported. Despite the availability of effective targeted biologics, treating CF has remained a difficult task, particularly when it comes to reduction of secondary inflammatory mediators. This review emphasizes the overall views on CF, the immunological mechanism of CF, and the prospective therapeutic use of mAbs as potential targeted biologics for enhancing the overall status of human health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]