Current Therapeutic Management of Perinatal Stroke with a Focus on the Upper Limb: A Cross-Sectional Survey of UK Physiotherapists and Occupational Therapists.

AIM: To determine current UK pediatric physiotherapist (PT) and occupational therapist (OT) management of perinatal stroke. DESIGN: Web-based cross-sectional survey. METHODS: Participants were members of the Association of Paediatric Chartered Physiotherapists and Occupational Therapists specialist section: children young people and families working with infants. Items covered prioritization of referrals, assessments, therapy approaches aimed at the upper limb, and parental support. RESULTS: 179 therapists responded. 87.2% of PTs and 63.0% of OTs managed infants with perinatal stroke. Infants with clinical signs of motor dysfunction at referral were prioritized for early initial assessment. The most frequently used assessments were the Alberta Infant Motor Scale (AIMS) and Bayley Scales of Infant Development (BSID). Of PTs and OTs, 41.9 and 40.0% used no standardized assessments. Frequently used therapy interventions were Bobath/Neurodevelopmental Therapy (NDT), positioning aids and passive movements. 88.1% of therapists would choose a bilateral rather than unilateral (affected side) therapy approach for infants with perinatal stroke aged up to 6 months. Of PTs and OTs, 56.9 and 57.1% provided psychological support to families. CONCLUSIONS: Assessment and provision of therapy services following perinatal stroke is variable. Increased use of standardized assessments and centralized data collection regarding service provision for high-risk infants is recommended.

Emergent Applications of Machine Learning for Diagnosing and Managing Appendicitis: A State-of-the-Art Review.

Background: Appendicitis is an inflammatory condition that requires timely and effective intervention. Despite being one of the most common surgically treated diseases, the condition is difficult to diagnose because of atypical presentations. Ultrasound and computed tomography (CT) imaging improve the sensitivity and specificity of diagnoses, yet these tools bear the drawbacks of high operator dependency and radiation exposure, respectively. However, new artificial intelligence tools (such as machine learning) may be able to address these shortcomings. Methods: We conducted a state-of-the-art review to delineate the various use cases of emerging machine learning algorithms for diagnosing and managing appendicitis in recent literature. The query ("Appendectomy" OR "Appendicitis") AND ("Machine Learning" OR "Artificial Intelligence") was searched across three databases for publications ranging from 2012 to 2022. Upon filtering for duplicates and based on our predefined inclusion criteria, 39 relevant studies were identified. Results: The algorithms used in these studies performed with an average accuracy of 86% (18/39), a sensitivity of 81% (16/39), a specificity of 75% (16/39), and area under the receiver operating characteristic curves (AUROCs) of 0.82 (15/39) where reported. Based on accuracy alone, the optimal model was logistic regression in 18% of studies, an artificial neural network in 15%, a random forest in 13%, and a support vector machine in 10%. Conclusions: The identified studies suggest that machine learning may provide a novel solution for diagnosing appendicitis and preparing for patient-specific post-operative complications. However, further studies are warranted to assess the feasibility and advisability of implementing machine learning-based tools in clinical practice.

Racial disparities in complications following elective colon cancer resection: Impact of laparoscopic versus robotic approaches.

BACKGROUND: We sought to examine differences in outcomes for Black and White patients undergoing robotic or laparoscopic colectomy to assess the potential impact of technological advancement. METHODS: We queried the ACS-NSQIP database for elective robotic (RC) and laparoscopic (LC) colectomy for cancer from 2012 to 2020. Outcomes included 30-day mortality and complications. We analyzed the association between outcomes, operative approach, and race using multivariable logistic regression. RESULTS: We identified 64,460 patients, 80.9% laparoscopic and 19.1% robotic. RC patients were most frequently younger, male, and White, with fewer comorbidities (P â€‹< â€‹0.001). After adjustment, there was no difference in mortality by approach or race. Black patients who underwent LC had higher complications (OR 1.10, 95% CI 1.03-1.08, P â€‹= â€‹0.005) than their White LC counterparts and RC patients. CONCLUSIONS: Robotic colectomy was associated with lower rates of complications in minority patients. Further investigation is required to identify the causal pathway that leads to our finding.

Video-based Coaching: Current Status and Role in Surgical Practice, Part II- Practical Implementation and Risk Mitigation from the Society for Surgery of the Alimentary Tract, Health Care Quality and Outcomes Committee.

INTRODUCTION: Video-based surgical coaching is gaining traction within the surgical community. It has an increasing adoption rate and growing recognition of its utility, especially an advanced continuous professional growth tool, for continued educational purposes. This method offers instructional flexibility in real-time remote settings and asynchronous feedback scenarios. In our first paper, we delineated fundamental principles for video-based coaching, emphasizing the customization of feedback to suit individual surgeon's needs. METHOD: In this second part of the series, we review into practical applications of video-based coaching, focusing on quality improvements in a team-based setting, such as the trauma bay. Additionally, we address the potential risks associated with surgical video recording, storage, and distribution, particularly regarding medicolegal aspects. We propose a comprehensive framework to facilitate the implementation of video coaching within individual healthcare institutions. RESULTS: Our paper examines the legal and ethical framework and explores the potential benefits and challenges, offering insights into the real-world implications of this educational approach. CONCLUSION: This paper contributes to the discourse on integrating video-based coaching into continuous professional development. It aims to facilitate informed decision-making in healthcare institutions, considering the adoption of this innovative educational quality tool.

Matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry-guided visualization analysis of intestinal absorption of acylated anthocyanins in Sprague-Dawley rats.

It is unknown whether intestinal absorption of acylated anthocyanins occurs in their intact or metabolized form. In this study, with the aid of matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry (MALDI-MS) imaging, intestinal absorption of acylated anthocyanins was visually investigated. Anthocyanin extracts from purple carrots were orally administered to Sprague-Dawley rats. Acylated cyanidins were absorbed into portal and circulating blood systems in their intact form, and aglycon; cyanidin 3-O-(6-O-feruloyl-ß-d-glucopyranosyl)-(1 â†’ 6)-[ß-d-xylopyranosyl-(1 â†’ 2)]-ß-d-galactopyranoside (Cy3XFGG), and showed a high absorption of 39.3 ± 0.1 pmol/mL-plasma at 60 min after administration. MALDI-MS imaging analysis of the rat jejunum membranes showed that an organic anion transporting polypeptide (OATP) transporter was involved in Cy3XFGG transport, while deacylated anthocyanins were incorporated through both the glucose transporter 2 and OATP routes. In conclusion, acylated anthocyanin, Cy3XFGG, can be absorbed in its intact form through intestinal OATP.

Acylated anthocyanins derived from purple carrot (Daucus carota L.) induce elevation of blood flow in rat cremaster arteriole.

Acylated anthocyanins are more stable than monomeric anthocyanins, but little is known about their physiological effects. We evaluated the hemodynamic effects of single intragastric doses of purple carrot (Daucus carota L.) anthocyanin (PCA) and two monomeric anthocyanins, cyanidin 3-O-glycoside (C3G) and delphinidin 3-O-ruthenoside (D3R). PCA, C3G, or D3R was administered orally to rat and blood flow in the cremaster artery was measured for 60 min using a laser Doppler blood flow meter. After measurements, the aorta of the animal was removed and the extent of phosphorylation of aortic epithelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) and Akt were determined by western blotting. PCA (10 mg kg-1) or C3G (1 mg kg-1) significantly increased rat cremaster arteriole blood flow and phosphorylation of eNOS and Akt; D3G (1 mg kg-1) only slightly altered cremaster arteriole blood flow and did not affect the phosphorylation of eNOS and Akt in the aorta. These results suggest that hemodynamic alterations depend more on the chemical structure of anthocyanins, particularly the aglycon, than on the glycoside. In addition, increase of blood flow by a single oral dose of PCA was practically reduced with treatment of carvedilol (CR), a non-specific adrenaline blocker. Blood concentrations of cyanidin or its glycoside 15, 30, or 60 min after the administration of 10 mg kg-1 PCA were below the limit of detection. These hemodynamic changes may have been associated with an indirect adrenergic action induced following a single dose of PCA.