Habilidades gnósico-práxicas relacionadas con dificultades del aprendizaje de la lectura y la escritura en individuos de 9 a 12 años / Gnosis-praxic Skills Related to Disabilities in Learning to Read and Write in Individuals Aged 9 to 12 Years

Resumen Las dificultades del aprendizaje constituyen una de las principales causas de fracaso escolar; su aparición temprana puede evidenciarse en las habilidades gnósico-práxicas que soportan los procesos de lectura y escritura. Objetivo: Describir las habilidades gnósicas y práxicas en niños escolares, de 9 a 12 años de edad, asociadas a la presencia o no de dificultades en la lectura y/o la escritura. Participantes: 53 niños de una institución pública del municipio de Sabaneta-Colombia, divididos en dos grupos, uno compuesto por 16 niños con dificultades en la lectura y/o escritura y, el otro, por 37 niños sin dificultades en estos procesos. Resultados: La comparación intergrupos evidenció diferencias estadísticas (valor p y tamaño del efecto) significativas en aspectos cruciales para el proceso de lectura y escritura: la formación de imágenes visoconstruccionales y la velocidad, la planeación y la coordinación motora, evaluadas a partir de las tareas gnósico-práxicas de Sucesión de números y letras (WISC-IV) y Tapping (BANETA). Adicionalmente, se hallaron diferencias estadísticas en las subpruebas de Esterognosia, y correlaciones significativas entre Tapping y la velocidad al escribir palabras (BANETA). Conclusión: Las habilidades gnósico-práxicas no son plenamente los procesos predominantes en las diferencias intergrupos, si bien las habilidades motoras se vinculan con los procesos de aprendizaje y las dificultades que en ellos puedan presentarse, como lo sugieren las correlaciones dadas entre la subprueba de velocidad motora y el proceso de escritura. Adicionalmente, la velocidad de procesamiento y la memoria operativa se presentan como procesos transversales a las habilidades gnósico-práxicas y de lectura y escritura.

Abstract Learning disabilities constitute one of the main causes of school failure; their early manifestation may be evidenced in the gnosis-praxis skills that support reading and writing processes. Objective: To describe the performance of gnosis-praxis skills in school children (aged from 9 to 12 years old), associated to the existence or not of reading and/or writing difficulties. Participants: 53 children of a public school in Sabaneta - Colombia, divided into two groups, one consisting of 16 children with difficulties in reading and/or writing and, the other, by 37 children without difficulties in these processes. Results: The intergroup comparison showed significant statistical differences , in crucial aspects for reading and writing process: the visoconstructional image formation, speed, planning and motor coordination, obtained from the gnosis - praxis tasks of Letter-Number Sequencing (WISC-IV) and Tapping (BANETA). Additionally, statistical differences were found in the subtests of Stereognosis (BANETA) and significant correlations between Tapping and the speed rate in writing words. Conclusion: Gnosis - praxis skills are not the predominant processes in intergroup differences, even though motor skills are linked to learning process and the difficulties they may arise, as suggested by the correlations given between the motor speed subtest and the writing process. In addition, processing speed and operational memory are shown as crosscutting processes in gnosis-praxis, reading and writing skills.

Identification of quality improvement areas in pediatric MRI from analysis of patient safety reports.

BACKGROUND: Analysis of safety reports has been utilized to guide practice improvement efforts in adult magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Data specific to pediatric MRI could help target areas of improvement in this population. OBJECTIVE: To estimate the incidence of safety reports in pediatric MRI and to determine associated risk factors. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In a retrospective HIPAA-compliant, institutional review board-approved study, a single-institution Radiology Information System was queried to identify MRI studies performed in pediatric patients (0-18 years old) from 1/1/2010 to 12/31/2015. The safety report database was queried for events matching the same demographic and dates. Data on patient age, gender, location (inpatient, outpatient, emergency room [ER]), and the use of sedation/general anesthesia were recorded. Safety reports were grouped into categories based on the cause and their severity. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize continuous variables. Chi-square analyses were performed for univariate determination of statistical significance of variables associated with safety report rates. A multivariate logistic regression was used to control for possible confounding effects. RESULTS: A total of 16,749 pediatric MRI studies and 88 safety reports were analyzed, yielding a rate of 0.52%. There were significant differences in the rate of safety reports between patients younger than 6 years (0.89%) and those older (0.41%) (P<0.01), sedated (0.8%) and awake children (0.45%) (P<0.01), and inpatients (1.1%) and outpatients (0.4%) (P<0.01). The use of sedation/general anesthesia is an independent risk factor for a safety report (P=0.02). The most common causes for safety reports were service coordination (34%), drug reactions (19%), and diagnostic test and ordering errors (11%). CONCLUSION: The overall rate of safety reports in pediatric MRI is 0.52%. Interventions should focus on vulnerable populations, such as younger patients, those requiring sedation, and those in need of acute medical attention.

Impact of low-energy CT imaging on selection of positive oral contrast media concentration.

OBJECTIVES: To determine to what extent low-energy CT imaging affects attenuation of gastrointestinal tract (GIT) opacified with positive oral contrast media (OCM). Second, to establish optimal OCM concentrations for low-energy diagnostic CT exams. METHODS: One hundred patients (38 men and 62 women; age 62 ± 11 years; BMI 26 ± 5) with positive OCM-enhanced 120-kVp single-energy CT (SECT), and follow-up 100-kVp acquisitions (group A; n = 50), or 40-70-keV reconstructions from rapid kV switching-single-source dual-energy CT (ssDECT) (group B; n = 50) were included. Luminal attenuation from different GIT segments was compared between exams. Standard dose of three OCM and diluted solutions (75%, 50%, and 25% concentrations) were introduced serially in a gastrointestinal phantom and scanned using SECT (120, 100, and 80 kVp) and DECT (80/140 kVp) acquisitions on a ssDECT scanner. Luminal attenuation was obtained on SECT and DECT images (40-70 keV), and compared to 120-kVp scans with standard OCM concentrations. RESULTS: Luminal attenuation was higher on 100-kVp (328 HU) and on 40-60-keV images (410-924 HU) in comparison to 120-kVp scans (298 HU) in groups A and B (p < 0.05). Phantom: There was an inverse correlation between luminal attenuation and X-ray energy, increasing up to 527 HU on low-kVp and 999 HU on low-keV images (p < 0.05). 25% and 50% diluted OCM solutions provided similar or higher attenuation than 120 kVp, at low kVp and keV, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Low-energy CT imaging increases the attenuation of GIT opacified with positive OCM, permitting reduction of 25%-75% OCM concentration.

Isolated giant cerebral varix - A diagnostic and therapeutic challenge: A case report.

BACKGROUND: Isolated giant cerebral varix (IGV) is an uncommon vascular lesion that represents a diagnostic challenge and requires dynamic vascular studies for its characterization. The IGV is considered a benign, low-flow venous lesion with very low risk of bleeding that might cause secondary symptoms mainly due to compression of the adjacent parenchyma. CASE DESCRIPTION: A 12-year-old female patient with non-contributory medical history presented with headache for the last 2 months. Upon admission, her neurological examination was unremarkable. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and computed tomography angiography (CTA) images demonstrated a large varicose dilation of the superficial Sylvian vein, located anterior to the left temporal pole, with no evidence of abnormal arteriovenous connections or tumoral lesions. This finding was considered incidental and unrelated to her symptoms. In this case, we considered that the combination of CTA and MRIs was enough to establish an accurate diagnosis, excluding the need to perform invasive imaging studies. Taking into account these considerations, the patient was managed with conservative treatment and has been followed up for 1 year, remaining asymptomatic. CONCLUSION: Cerebral IGVs are rare vascular lesions that are treated conservatively when asymptomatic and surgically in the case of rupture or compression of adjacent structures. Given our observation of a high unlikelihood of vascular connections to arteries, and the information obtained with non-invasive imaging techniques such as CTA and MRI was enough to make a clinical decision and avoid the evaluation with invasive procedures.

Canon de las proporciones humanas y el Hombre de Vitruvio / Canon of human proportions and the Vitruvian Man

El Hombre de Vitruvio es un estudio de las proporciones humanas que data del siglo I a.C y que fue redescubierto durante el Humanismo y difundido en el Renacimiento por Leonardo da Vinci. También conocido como "El hombre ideal" o "Canon de las proporciones", se lo considera una suma de arte y ciencia. Actualmente, su estudio continúa. El Hombre de Vitruvio es, hasta la fecha, la representación más famosa de la morfología y las medidas humanas.

The Vitruvian Man is a study of human proportions made in the 1st Century BC. It was rediscovered in the Humanist period and spread by Leonardo da Vinci during the Renaissance. Also known as "The ideal man" or "Canon of proportions" , it is considered to be a sum of art and science and it is still being studied. The Vitruvian Man is, so far, the most famous representation of human morphology and measures.