Staging and Restaging Pediatric Abdominal and Pelvic Tumors: A Practical Guide.

The most common abdominal malignancies diagnosed in the pediatric population include neuroblastoma, Wilms tumor, hepatoblastoma, lymphoma, germ cell tumor, and rhabdomyosarcoma. There are distinctive imaging findings and patterns of spread for each of these tumors that radiologists must know for diagnosis and staging and for monitoring the patient's response to treatment. The multidisciplinary treatment group that includes oncologists, surgeons, and radiation oncologists relies heavily on imaging evaluation to identify the best treatment course and prognostication of imaging findings, such as the image-defined risk factors for neuroblastomas, the PRETreatment EXtent of Disease staging system for hepatoblastoma, and the Ann Arbor staging system for lymphomas. It is imperative for radiologists to be able to correctly indicate the best imaging methods for diagnosis, staging, and restaging of each of these most prevalent tumors to avoid inconclusive or unnecessary examinations. The authors review in a practical manner the most updated key points in diagnosing and staging disease and assessing response to treatment of the most common pediatric abdominal tumors. ©RSNA, 2024 Supplemental material is available for this article.

Stability of gut microbiome after COVID-19 vaccination in healthy and immuno-compromised individuals.

Bidirectional interactions between the immune system and the gut microbiota are key contributors to various physiological functions. Immune-associated diseases such as cancer and autoimmunity, and efficacy of immunomodulatory therapies, have been linked to microbiome variation. Although COVID-19 infection has been shown to cause microbial dysbiosis, it remains understudied whether the inflammatory response associated with vaccination also impacts the microbiota. Here, we investigate the temporal impact of COVID-19 vaccination on the gut microbiome in healthy and immuno-compromised individuals; the latter included patients with primary immunodeficiency and cancer patients on immunomodulating therapies. We find that the gut microbiome remained remarkably stable post-vaccination irrespective of diverse immune status, vaccine response, and microbial composition spanned by the cohort. The stability is evident at all evaluated levels including diversity, phylum, species, and functional capacity. Our results indicate the resilience of the gut microbiome to host immune changes triggered by COVID-19 vaccination and suggest minimal, if any, impact on microbiome-mediated processes. These findings encourage vaccine acceptance, particularly when contrasted with the significant microbiome shifts observed during COVID-19 infection.

Liver Surgery: Important Considerations for Pre- and Postoperative Imaging.

Liver surgery may be a curative treatment option not only for primary liver neoplasms but also for liver metastases in selected patients. The number of liver surgeries performed worldwide has increased, but surgical morbidity associated with these surgeries remains significant. Therefore, radiologists need to understand the terminology, surgical techniques, resectability and unresectability criteria, and possible postoperative complications as these are part of the decision-making process. Because vascular and biliary variations are common, an adequate preoperative anatomic evaluation determines the best surgical technique, helps identify patients in whom additional surgical steps will be required, and reduces the risk of inadvertent injury. The surgeon must ensure that the future liver remnant is sufficient to maintain adequate function, aided by the radiologist who can provide valuable information such as the presence of steatosis, biliary dilatation, signs of cirrhosis, and portal hypertension, in addition to the volume of the future liver remnant. Postoperative complications must also be understood and evaluated. The most common postoperative complications are vascular (bleeding, thrombosis, and ischemia), biliary (fistulas, bilomas, and strictures), infectious (incisional or deep), those related to liver failure, and even tumor recurrence. An invited commentary by Winslow is available online. Online supplemental material is available for this article. ©RSNA, 2022.

Long-term complete remission of large hepatocellular adenoma after bariatric surgery.

We report the case of an obese woman with a large hepatocellular adenoma (HCA) of 8.0 cm in diameter, followed for 5 years after Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass, with a complete radiologic remission of the liver mass. Four other cases have been published with HCA regression after bariatric surgery, but none with long-term follow-up. As the association between obesity and HCA has been increasingly described, bariatric surgery should be considered a therapeutic option for stage 2 obese patients.

Soft tissue calcifications: a pictorial essay.

Soft-tissue calcifications are extremely common. Because the imaging findings are nonspecific, soft-tissue calcifications are often problematic for radiologists, sometimes prompting unnecessary interventions. In addition, the nomenclature is quite confusing. Classically, soft-tissue calcifications are divided into four categories, by mechanism of formation-dystrophic, iatrogenic, metastatic, and idiopathic-depending on the clinical and biochemical correlation. However, it is also possible to classify such calcifications by compartment, and that classification can be quite useful in the radiological diagnostic assessment. In this article, we illustrate the main causes of soft-tissue calcifications, organizing them according to their anatomical and pathophysiological aspects, thus narrowing the differential diagnosis.

Calcificações de partes moles são achados extremamente comuns e inespecíficos nos exames de imagem e, por isso, frequentemente são fonte de confusão por parte dos radiologistas, desencadeando, por vezes, intervenções desnecessárias. Além disso, a nomenclatura atribuída é muito confusa. Classicamente, dividem-se as calcificações de partes moles, conforme seu mecanismo de formação, em calcificações distróficas, iatrogênicas, metastáticas e idiopáticas, dependendo de correlação clinicolaboratorial, porém, também é possível uma classificação compartimental das calcificações, que pode ser muito útil na propedêutica radiológica. Neste trabalho, ilustramos didaticamente as principais causas de calcificações de partes moles organizando-as de acordo com aspectos anatômicos e fisiopatológicos, estreitando os diagnósticos diferenciais.

Post-esophagectomy Symptomatic Dunbar Syndrome: A rare diagnosis of abdominal pain after surgery.

INTRODUCTION: Dunbar syndrome is a rare anatomical abnormality characterized by the extrinsic compression of the celiac trunk by the median arcuate ligament (MAL). Though it is rarely misdiagnosed, the clinical diagnosis may be difficult, especially after complex visceral surgery such as esophagectomy. PRESENTATION OF CASE: A 62-year-old male patient with a squamous cell carcinoma of the distal esophagus, placed under trimodal treatment (chemotherapy, radiotherapy followed by hybrid minimal invasive 2-field esophagectomy) presented with abdominal pain refractory to analgesics, anti-spasmodic, opioids, and neuronal celiac plexus ablation in the late post-operative period. He was diagnosed with extrinsic celiac trunk compression based on abdominal angiotomography findings. Retrospectively, similar images were found in conventional abdominal tomography at pre-operative staging, but this time, the patient had only dysphagia. After surgical treatment of MAL, the patient had total relief of pain and symptoms. DISCUSSION: Abdominal pain after complex surgical procedures is very frequent and its investigation is mandatory, even more after refractory clinical management. Dunbar syndrome is related to ambiguous abdominal pain. It is uncommon and its diagnosis with angiotomography is accessible. CONCLUSION: Vascular disorders should be investigated in cases of abdominal pain after complex surgical procedures.

Concepções Pessoais de Competência e Rendimento Acadêmico: Estudo Longitudinal no Ensino Secundário Português / Personal Conceptions of Competence and Academic Achievement: Longitudinal Study in Portuguese Secondary School

Resumo As concepções pessoais de competência (CPC) influenciam o rendimento escolar e/ou o contrário? Com base nesse questionamento, neste estudo pretendeu-se analisar a relação entre CPC (concepções pessoais de inteligência, atribuições causais, autoconceito, autoeficácia e competência emocional) e o rendimento escolar ao longo do ensino secundário, especificamente em Português. Com esse objetivo, administrou-se o Questionário Compósito de Competência Percebida (162 itens) para 433 alunos, entre os quais estão 52,8% de meninas com idade entre 14 e 18 anos (M=15,3; DP=0,63), num desenho longitudinal com três momentos separados por um ano de intervalo. Globalmente, os resultados revelaram relações recíprocas: o rendimento de um ano influenciou as CPC no ano seguinte e o autoconceito e a autoeficácia foram os principais preditores do rendimento escolar.

Abstract Do personal conceptions of competence (PCC) influence academic achievement and/or academic achievement influences PCC? In this context we sought to examine the relationship between PCC (personal conceptions of intelligence, causal attributions, self-concept, self-efficacy and emotional competence) and academic achievement throughout secondary school in Portugal. With this aim, the Composite Questionnaire of Perceived Competence (162 items) was administered to a sample of 433 students, 52.8% girls, aged between 14 and 18 years (M=15.3; SD=.63), in a three-wave longitudinal design separated by a gap of one year. Overall, the results evidenced reciprocal relationships: the achievement in the first year influenced PCC in the following year and self-concept and self-efficacy were the main predictors of academic achievement.

Parenting and Parental Involvement in Secondary School: Focus Groups with Adolescents' Parents / Parentalidade e Envolvimento Parental no Ensino Secundário: Grupos Focais com Pais de Adolescentes / Responsabilidad Parental e Envolvimiento Parental en la Educación Secundaria: Grupos Focales con Padres de Adolescentes

Abstract: Parental role in the adolescents' development is widely described as challenging, particularly regarding their involvement in school education. With the aim of examining parents' perceptions about parenting role, parental involvement and family-school partnership in the secondary school, two focus groups were conducted with parents in two public schools. Results, overall, indicate that the establishment of rules, monitoring and support were very challenging and important to the adolescents' development. Parental involvement change throughout school and several reasons were pointed out to the changes observed in secondary school: the demands of the level of education, the lack of time, adolescents' autonomy, , and teachers' communication style. Regarding family-school relations, the parents shared different experiences about the way the partnership was promoted and developed.

Resumo: O papel dos pais no desenvolvimento dos adolescentes é amplamente descrito como sendo desafiante, em particular quanto ao seu envolvimento na educação escolar. Com o objetivo de analisar as perceções de pais de adolescentes sobre o papel parental, o envolvimento parental e a parceria família-escola no ensino secundário foram conduzidos dois grupos focais em duas escolas públicas. Os resultados, globalmente, indicam que o estabelecimento de regras, a monitorização e o apoio são funções parentais desafiantes e importantes no desenvolvimento dos adolescentes. O envolvimento parental altera-se durante a escolaridade e várias razões foram apontadas para as mudanças no ensino secundário: as exigências deste nível de escolaridade, a falta de tempo, a autonomização dos adolescentes e o estilo de comunicação dos professores. Quanto às relações família-escola, os pais partilharam experiências diferenciadas sobre a promoção e desenvolvimento desta parceria.

Resumen: El papel de los padres en el desarrollo de los adolescentes es ampliamente descrito como desafiante, especialmente su participación en la educación escolar. Con objeto de analizar la percepción de los padres sobre la responsabilidad parental, el envolvimiento de los padres y la colaboración familia-escuela en la educación secundaria, se realizaron dos grupos focales en dos escuelas publicas. Los resultados globalmente indican que el establecimiento de normas, la supervisión y el apoyo son funciones parentales desafiantes e importantes en el desarrollo de los adolescentes. El involucramiento parental se altera durante la escolarización y varias razones fueron apuntadas para los cambios en la educación secundaria: las exigencias de este nivel de educación, la falta de tiempo, la autonomía de los adolescentes y el estilo de comunicación de los profesores. Respecto a las relaciones familia-escuela, los padres compartieron diferentes experiencias en la promoción y desarrollo de esta alianza.

Avaliação da inteligência emocional: a relação entre medidas de desempenho e de autorrelato / Assessment of emotional intelligence: the relation of ability-based and self-report measures

Apresenta-se a adaptação e validação do Teste de Vocabulário Emocional (TVE) ao contexto português, uma medida de desempenho de inteligência emocional, explorando as suas qualidades psicométricas e a validade de critério e convergente com uma medida de autorrelato, o Questionário de Competência Emocional - Revisto (QCE-R). O TVE, com 35 itens, desenvolvido por Takšic, Herambasic e Velemir (2003) no contexto croata, mede a capacidade para compreender emoções. A amostra incluiu 682 alunos do 10.º ano, entre 14 e 21 anos (M = 15,5; DP = 0,77) de diferentes cursos científico-humanísticos. Genericamente, o TVE revelou boas qualidades psicométricas, tendo-se correlacionado positivamente com o rendimento académico e evidenciado maior capacidade para o predizer do que o QCE-R, com o qual não estabeleceu qualquer associação...

This study presents the adaptation and validation to the Portuguese context of the Vocabulary Emotions Test (VET), an ability measure of Emotional Intelligence, particularly exploring their psychometrics properties and the criterion and convergent validity with a self-report measure, the Emotional Skills and Competence Questionnaire - Reviewed (ESCQ-R). Consisting of 35 items, the VET was constructed in Croatian settings by Takšic, Herambasic and Velemir (2003), and was developed to measure the ability to understand emotions. This study involved 682 10th graders, with ages between 14 and 21 years (M = 15.5; SD = .77) from several courses. The VET revealed good psychometric properties, showed positive correlations with academic achievement and evidenced better predictive validity than the ESCQ-R, with which no association was found...

Desenvolvimento intraindividual das concepções pessoais de competência ao longo do ensino secundário / Intra-individual development of personal conceptions of competence throughout the secondary school

Considerando a relação entre concepções pessoais de competência e motivação, o papel que desempenham no sucesso escolar e a necessidade de as conceber de forma multidimensional, avaliou-se no contexto português o Modelo de Concepções Pessoais de Competência com cinco dimensões - concepções pessoais de inteligência (CPI), atribuições e dimensões causais, autoconceito e autoeficácia académicos e competência emocional -, usando o Questionário Compósito de Competência Percebida, com 1137 itens. Pretendeu-se analisar a evolução intra e interindividual destas variáveis ao longo do ensino secundário, com uma amostra de 433 alunos, 52,8% meninas, com idades entre 14 e 18 anos (M=15,3; DP=0,63), num design longitudinal com três momentos separados por um ano de intervalo. Globalmente, os resultados revelam que o tempo e o género são fatores diferenciadores da evolução do autoconceito e da autoeficácia, e que as CPI, as atribuições e dimensões causais e a competência emocional parecem manter-se estáveis neste ciclo de ensino.

Considering the relationship between personal conceptions of competence and motivation, their role on academic success and the need to conceive them in a multidimensional perspective, we evaluated the Personal Conceptions of Competence Model embracing five dimensions - personal conceptions of intelligence (PCI), causal attributions and dimensions, academic self-concept, academic self-efficacy and emotional competence -, using the Composite Questionnaire of Perceived Competence, with 1137 items. We aimed to analyze the intra and inter-individual development of these variables throughout middle school, with a sample of 433 students, 52.8% girls, with ages between 14 and 18 years (M=15.3; SD=.63), in a three-wave longitudinal design separated by a year interval. The results evidenced that time and gender were globally differentiating factors of self-concept and self-efficacy evolution, and that PCI, causal attributions and dimensions and emotional competence appeared to remain stable throughout this education cycle.

Estudo comparativo sobre percepções de características sócio-profissionais de trabalhadores em geral e de imigrantes negros dos PALOP africanos em Portugal / Comparative study about perceptions of socio-professional characteristics from ordinary workers and african PALOP immigrants in Portugal

Neste artigo apresenta-se um estudo comparativo sobre as percepções de características sócio-profissionais (positivas e negativas) de trabalhadores em geral e trabalhadores negros africanos, imigrantes de países de língua oficial portuguesa (PALOP), vistas por estes e por portugueses brancos que trabalham com imigrantes negros, numa amostra de 200 residentes de Lisboa, 100 de etnia branca e 100 de negra, de ambos os sexos, desempenhando funções de executante. Para a coleta de dados foi construído um questionário específico, administrado individual e colectivamente no local de trabalho dos participantes.Os resultados obtidos mostram que urge transformar e melhorar as condições sócio-laborais destes imigrantes - tornando mais céleres e transparentes suas condições de legalização e permanência em Portugal, responsabilizando empregadores em particular e, cidadãos em geral, pela denúncia de situações de exploração e ilegalidade - pois a integração social deverá ser sinônimo de convivência e respeito e não de assimilação.

This paper presents a comparative study about the perceptions of socio-professional characteristics (positive and negative) from ordinary workers and African workers from Portuguese expression countries (PALOP) perceived by those immigrants and also by Caucasian Portugueses working with them, a sample of almost 200 workers from Lisbon and surroundings, 100 Caucasian and 100 Afro-Descendents, from both genders. A specific questionnaire was built (based on previous interviews), collectively and individually administered in the subjects work place. The results allow one to conclude the need to transform and improve the immigrants socio-labor conditions, by making their conditions of legalization and permanence in Portugal quicker and transparent, and also by promoting the responsibility of employers in particular and of citizens in general for denouncing the situations of exploration and illegality, due to their social integration should be a signal of conviviality and of respect instead of assimilation.