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Brain Imaging and Behavior Oct 2021Knowing target regions undergoing strfuncti changes caused by behavioural interventions is paramount in evaluating the effectiveness of such practices. Here, using a... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis Review
Knowing target regions undergoing strfuncti changes caused by behavioural interventions is paramount in evaluating the effectiveness of such practices. Here, using a systematic review approach, we identified 25 peer-reviewed magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) studies demonstrating grey matter changes related to mindfulness meditation. An activation likelihood estimation (ALE) analysis (n = 16) revealed the right anterior ventral insula as the only significant region with consistent effect across studies, whilst an additional functional connectivity analysis indicates that both left and right insulae, and the anterior cingulate gyrus with adjacent paracingulate gyri should also be considered in future studies. Statistical meta-analyses suggest medium to strong effect sizes from Cohen's d ~ 0.8 in the right insula to ~ 1 using maxima across the whole brain. The systematic review revealed design issues with selection, information, attrition and confirmation biases, in addition to weak statistical power. In conclusion, our analyses show that mindfulness meditation practice does induce grey matter changes but also that improvements in methodology are needed to establish mindfulness as a therapeutic intervention.
Topics: Brain; Cerebral Cortex; Gray Matter; Humans; Magnetic Resonance Imaging; Mindfulness
PubMed: 33624219
DOI: 10.1007/s11682-021-00453-4 -
Neuropsychology Review Mar 2023The current systematic review examines the behavioral effects of TMS on reading. Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) to targeted nodes of the brain's reading network... (Review)
Review
The current systematic review examines the behavioral effects of TMS on reading. Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) to targeted nodes of the brain's reading network has been shown to impact reading. Extracted data included (a) study characteristics, (b) methodology, (c) targeted nodes, (d) control paradigm, (e) type of reading task, (f) adverse effects, and (g) main findings. Data was classified by type of reading task: 1) phonological processing, 2) semantic judgment, 3) lexical decision, 4) whole word reading, and 5) visual or text characteristics. Seventy records from 46 studies (n = 844) were identified. Results indicate that TMS modulates semantic judgments when focused in the anterior aspects of the reading circuit, phonological processes after stimulation within the dorsal circuit, and impacts single word recognition and contextual reading when administered to the ventral circuit. Findings suggest that changes in specific behavioral aspects of reading following TMS may contribute to identification of foci for use as part of reading interventions.
Topics: Humans; Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation; Brain Mapping; Magnetic Resonance Imaging; Semantics
PubMed: 35119625
DOI: 10.1007/s11065-022-09534-7 -
Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience 2022The midline and intralaminar nuclei of the thalamus form a major part of the "limbic thalamus;" that is, thalamic structures anatomically and functionally linked with...
The midline and intralaminar nuclei of the thalamus form a major part of the "limbic thalamus;" that is, thalamic structures anatomically and functionally linked with the limbic forebrain. The midline nuclei consist of the paraventricular (PV) and paratenial nuclei, dorsally and the rhomboid and nucleus reuniens (RE), ventrally. The rostral intralaminar nuclei (ILt) consist of the central medial (CM), paracentral (PC) and central lateral (CL) nuclei. We presently concentrate on RE, PV, CM and CL nuclei of the thalamus. The nucleus reuniens receives a diverse array of input from limbic-related sites, and predominantly projects to the hippocampus and to "limbic" cortices. The RE participates in various cognitive functions including spatial working memory, executive functions (attention, behavioral flexibility) and affect/fear behavior. The PV receives significant limbic-related afferents, particularly the hypothalamus, and mainly distributes to "affective" structures of the forebrain including the bed nucleus of stria terminalis, nucleus accumbens and the amygdala. Accordingly, PV serves a critical role in "motivated behaviors" such as arousal, feeding/consummatory behavior and drug addiction. The rostral ILt receives both limbic and sensorimotor-related input and distributes widely over limbic and motor regions of the frontal cortex-and throughout the dorsal striatum. The intralaminar thalamus is critical for maintaining consciousness and directly participates in various sensorimotor functions (visuospatial or reaction time tasks) and cognitive tasks involving striatal-cortical interactions. As discussed herein, while each of the midline and intralaminar nuclei are anatomically and functionally distinct, they collectively serve a vital role in several affective, cognitive and executive behaviors - as major components of a brainstem-diencephalic-thalamocortical circuitry.
PubMed: 36082310
DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2022.964644 -
Sexual Medicine Reviews Oct 2021The most common cause of patient dissatisfaction after penile prosthesis placement is penile shortening compared with one's memory of a natural erection. Surgical... (Review)
Review
INTRODUCTION
The most common cause of patient dissatisfaction after penile prosthesis placement is penile shortening compared with one's memory of a natural erection. Surgical techniques as well as preoperative and postoperative protocols have been reported to preserve and possibly enhance penile length in someone undergoing penile prosthesis surgery.
OBJECTIVES
This article presents a description of as well as the authors' experience with presurgical protocols, intraoperative techniques, and postsurgical protocols that allow for preservation or enhancement of penile length for patients who undergo inflatable penile prosthesis insertion.
METHODS
An extensive, systematic literature review was performed using PubMed searching for key terms including penile lengthening, inflatablepenile prosthesis, penile girth, buried penis, and penile enhancement. All articles with subjective and/or objective penile length outcomes were reviewed.
RESULTS
Several preoperative treatment protocols were found for penile length preservation and enhancement, which included use of a vacuum erection device as well as traction therapy. Intraoperative techniques included cavernosal sparing, channeling without dilatation, circumferential penile degloving, ventral phalloplasty, suprapubic lipectomy, liposuction, suspensory ligament release, sliding technique, modified sliding technique, multislice technique, and aggressive implant sizing. Postoperative protocols included early device inflation and cycling. Table 1 summarizes and compares the various preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative strategies identified during literature review with their corresponding reported length gain.
CONCLUSIONS
Many preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative surgical techniques can be performed by high-volume implanters to improve one's perceived or true penile length. In the hands of experienced, high-volume implanters, these techniques can be very meaningful for patients undergoing penile prosthesis insertion, particularly those who are concerned with penile length. Shah B, Kent M, Valenzuela R. Advanced Penile Length Restoration Techniques to Optimize Penile Prosthesis Placement Outcomes. Sex Med Rev 2021;9:641-649.
Topics: Humans; Male; Penile Erection; Penile Implantation; Penile Prosthesis; Penis; Sex Reassignment Surgery
PubMed: 32653404
DOI: 10.1016/j.sxmr.2020.05.007 -
Journal of Neuroinflammation May 2023Increasing pre-clinical evidence suggests that aerobic exercise positively modulates neuroimmune responses following traumatic nerve injury. However, meta-analyses on... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis Review
BACKGROUND
Increasing pre-clinical evidence suggests that aerobic exercise positively modulates neuroimmune responses following traumatic nerve injury. However, meta-analyses on neuroimmune outcomes are currently still lacking. This study aimed to synthesize the pre-clinical literature on the effects of aerobic exercise on neuroimmune responses following peripheral nerve injury.
METHODS
MEDLINE (via Pubmed), EMBASE and Web of Science were searched. Controlled experimental studies on the effect of aerobic exercise on neuroimmune responses in animals with a traumatically induced peripheral neuropathy were considered. Study selection, risk of bias assessment and data extraction were performed independently by two reviewers. Results were analyzed using random effects models and reported as standardized mean differences. Outcome measures were reported per anatomical location and per class of neuro-immune substance.
RESULTS
The literature search resulted in 14,590 records. Forty studies were included, reporting 139 comparisons of neuroimmune responses at various anatomical locations. All studies had an unclear risk of bias. Compared to non-exercised animals, meta-analyses showed the following main differences in exercised animals: (1) in the affected nerve, tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) levels were lower (p = 0.003), while insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) (p < 0.001) and Growth Associated Protein 43 (GAP43) (p = 0.01) levels were higher; (2) At the dorsal root ganglia, brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF)/BDNF mRNA levels (p = 0.004) and nerve growth factor (NGF)/NGF mRNA (p < 0.05) levels were lower; (3) in the spinal cord, BDNF levels (p = 0.006) were lower; at the dorsal horn, microglia (p < 0.001) and astrocyte (p = 0.005) marker levels were lower; at the ventral horn, astrocyte marker levels (p < 0.001) were higher, and several outcomes related to synaptic stripping were favorably altered; (4) brainstem 5-HT2A receptor levels were higher (p = 0.001); (5) in muscles, BDNF levels (p < 0.001) were higher and TNF-α levels lower (p < 0.05); (6) no significant differences were found for systemic neuroimmune responses in blood or serum.
CONCLUSION
This review revealed widespread positive modulatory effects of aerobic exercise on neuroimmune responses following traumatic peripheral nerve injury. These changes are in line with a beneficial influence on pro-inflammatory processes and increased anti-inflammatory responses. Given the small sample sizes and the unclear risk of bias of the studies, results should be interpreted with caution.
Topics: Animals; Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor; Nerve Growth Factor; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; Peripheral Nerve Injuries; Spinal Cord Dorsal Horn; Exercise; RNA, Messenger
PubMed: 37138291
DOI: 10.1186/s12974-023-02777-y -
Surgical Infections Feb 2016Repair of large ventral hernia defects is associated with high rates of surgical site occurrences (SSO), including surgical site infection (SSI), site dehiscence,... (Comparative Study)
Comparative Study Meta-Analysis Review
BACKGROUND
Repair of large ventral hernia defects is associated with high rates of surgical site occurrences (SSO), including surgical site infection (SSI), site dehiscence, seroma, hematoma, and site necrosis. Two common operative strategies exist: Component separation (CS) with primary fascial closure and mesh reinforcement (PFC-CS) and bridged repair (mesh spanning the hernia defect). We hypothesized that: (1) ventral hernia repair (VHR) of large defects with bridged repair is associated with more SSOs than is PFC, and (2) anterior CS is associated with more SSOs than is endoscopic, perforator-sparing, or posterior CS.
METHODS
Part I of this study was a review of a multi-center database of patients who underwent VHR of a defect ≥8 cm from 2010-2011 with at least one month of follow-up. The primary outcome was SSO. The secondary outcome was recurrence. Part II of this study was a systematic review and meta-analysis of studies comparing bridged repair with PFC and studies comparing different kinds of CS.
RESULTS
A total of 108 patients were followed for a median of 16 months (range 1-50 months), of whom 84 underwent PFC-CS and 24 had bridged repairs. Unadjusted results demonstrated no differences between the groups in SSO or recurrence; however, the study was underpowered for this purpose. On meta-analysis, PFC was associated with a lower risk of SSO (odds ratio [OR] = 0.569; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.34-0.94) and recurrence (OR = 0.138; 95% CI = 0.08-0.23) compared with bridged repair. On multiple-treatments meta-analysis, both endoscopic and perforator-sparing CS were most likely to be the treatments with the lowest risk of SSO and recurrence.
CONCLUSIONS
Bridged repair was associated with more SSOs than was PFC, and PFC should be used whenever feasible. Endoscopic and perforator-sparing CS were associated with the fewest complications; however, these conclusions are limited by heterogeneity between studies and poor methodological quality. These results should be used to guide future trials, which should compare the risks and benefits of each CS method to determine in which setting each technique will give the best results.
Topics: Adult; Aged; Female; Hernia, Ventral; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Postoperative Complications; Risk Assessment; Surgical Procedures, Operative; Treatment Outcome
PubMed: 26375422
DOI: 10.1089/sur.2015.124 -
Frontiers in Surgery 2022Ventral hernia repair is one of the most commonly performed surgical procedures worldwide. To reduce the risk of complications, pre- and intra-operative strategies have... (Review)
Review
BACKGROUND
Ventral hernia repair is one of the most commonly performed surgical procedures worldwide. To reduce the risk of complications, pre- and intra-operative strategies have received increasing focus in recent years. To assess possible preventive surgical strategies, this European Hernia Society endorsed project was launched. The aim of this review was to evaluate the current literature focusing on pre- and intra-operative strategies for surgical site occurrences (SSO) and specifically surgical site infection (SSI) in ventral hernia repair.
METHODS
A systematic review was conducted and reported in line with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses statement. Databases used were Pubmed and Web of Science. Original retrospective or prospective human adult studies describing at least one intra-operative intervention to reduce SSO after ventral hernia repair were considered eligible.
RESULTS
From a total of 4775 results, a total of 18 papers were considered suitable after full text reading. Prehospital chlorhexidine gluconate (CHG) scrub appears to increase the risk of SSO in patients undergoing ventral hernia repair, while there is no association between any type of surgical hat worn and the incidence of postoperative wound events. Intraoperative measures as prophylactic negative pressure therapy, surgical drain placement and the use of quilt sutures seem beneficial for decreasing the incidence of SSO and/or SSI. No positive effect has been shown for antibiotic soaking of a synthetic mesh, nor for the use of fibrin sealants.
CONCLUSION
This review identified a limited amount of literature describing specific preventive measures and techniques during ventral hernia repair. An advantage of prophylactic negative pressure therapy in prevention of SSI was observed, but different tools to decrease SSIs and SSOs continuously further need our full attention to improve patient outcomes and to lower overall costs.
PubMed: 35910469
DOI: 10.3389/fsurg.2022.847279 -
International Journal of Surgery... Jan 2022To evaluate the efficacy of prophylactic negative pressure wound therapy (pNPWT) in preventing surgical site infection (SSI), hernia recurrence and other wound... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis Review
PURPOSE
To evaluate the efficacy of prophylactic negative pressure wound therapy (pNPWT) in preventing surgical site infection (SSI), hernia recurrence and other wound complications following closed laparotomy incisions following ventral hernia repair (VHR).
METHODS
A comprehensive literature search of PubMed, the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Embase and ClinicalTrials.gov databases was performed from inception until June 30, 2021, to identify all online English publications comparing the use of pNPWT with standard dressing for closed laparotomy incision following VHR.
RESULTS
One RCT and eleven retrospective cohort studies involving 1355 patients satisfied the basic inclusion criteria. The use of pNPWT reduced SSI (OR = 0.39 [95% CI: 0.24-0.62] P < 0.0001) and surgical site occurrence (SSO) (OR = 0.51 [95% CI: 0.27-0.98] P = 0.04). No statistically significant difference was detected in the incidence of hernia recurrence (OR = 0.61 [95% CI: 0.30-1.26] P = 0.18), seroma (OR = 0.70 [95% CI: 0.48-1.03]P = 0.07), hematoma (OR = 0.77 [95% CI: 0.33-1.81]P = 0.55) and wound dehiscence (OR = 0.68 [95% CI: 0.43-1.08]P = 0.10).
CONCLUSION
Use of pNPWT for closed laparotomy incisions following ventral hernia repair can significantly reduce the rate of postoperative surgical site infection (especially for superficial SIS) and surgical site occurrences. The number needed to treat (NNT) for preventing one occurrence of SSI is 9 patients. However, further research and more high quality studies are required to assess the effectiveness and assist in clarifying the role of pNPWT for closed laparotomy incisions following ventral hernia repair, preferentially in high-risk populations of developing SSI.
Topics: Hernia, Ventral; Herniorrhaphy; Humans; Laparotomy; Negative-Pressure Wound Therapy; Retrospective Studies; Surgical Wound Infection
PubMed: 34990831
DOI: 10.1016/j.ijsu.2021.106216 -
Annals of Medicine and Surgery (2012) Mar 2021Given the risk of surgical site infection (SSI), the use of mesh in contaminated ventral hernia repair (VHR) is not standardized and still a clinical dilemma. This... (Review)
Review
BACKGROUND
Given the risk of surgical site infection (SSI), the use of mesh in contaminated ventral hernia repair (VHR) is not standardized and still a clinical dilemma. This meta-analysis aimed to assess whether mesh use increased the risk of SSI in patients following VHR in contaminated field.
METHODS
We performed a systematic review of published literature. Studies comparing the mesh repair and anatomic repair, the use of mesh in different Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) wound classes and mesh repair with synthetic mesh or other type of meshes to treat complicated and contaminated VHR were considered for analysis. The main outcome was SSI incidence.
RESULTS
Six studies compared mesh and suture repairs. No significant difference in SSI incidence was observed between patients with complicated VHR in the mesh and suture repair groups.Five studies analyzed mesh repair in patients by field contamination level. There was no significant difference between the use of mesh in clean-contaminated, contaminated and dirty field versus clean wound class. Moreover, there was no significant difference between the use of mesh in clean-contaminated and contaminated cases.Four studies compared mesh repair technique with synthetic mesh or other type of meshes were included. The incidence of SSI was significantly lower in the synthetic mesh group.
CONCLUSIONS
The use of mesh repair in the management of complicated VHR compared to suture repair is not associated with an increased incidence of SSI even in potentially contaminated fields.
PubMed: 33680450
DOI: 10.1016/j.amsu.2021.02.019 -
Cancers Dec 2022Background: Most of the knowledge on spinal meningiomas is extrapolated from their intracranial counterparts, even though they are considered separate entities. This... (Review)
Review
Background: Most of the knowledge on spinal meningiomas is extrapolated from their intracranial counterparts, even though they are considered separate entities. This review aimed to systematically summarize studies covering different aspects of spinal meningiomas and their management. Methods: Databases were searched for all studies concerning spinal meningiomas dating from 2000 and onwards. When possible, a meta-analysis was performed. Results: Neurological outcomes of surgery were consistently favorable across studies, with a complication rate of 7.9% and 78.9% of the patients demonstrating good postoperative neurological function (McCormick score 1−2). The most relevant predictors of unfavorable outcomes were poor preoperative status, longer time from diagnosis to surgery, and surgery of recurrent tumors. The recurrence rate after surgery was estimated at 6%. Meta-analysis and/or survival analysis revealed that higher WHO grade (p < 0.001), higher Simpson grade (p < 0.001), ventral tumor location (p = 0.02), and male sex (p = 0.014) were all associated with higher odds of recurrence. However, the meta-analysis did not show any difference between Simpson grade 1 and grade 2 with respect to the odds of recurrence (p = 0.94). Surgery provided immediate and durable health-related quality-of-life improvement, as well as a high frequency of return to work. Conclusion: Spinal meningioma surgery is a relatively safe procedure with a low risk of tumor recurrence and high likelihood of favorable postoperative outcomes.
PubMed: 36551706
DOI: 10.3390/cancers14246221