Microsurgical management of midbrain gliomas: surgical results and long-term outcome in a large, single-surgeon, consecutive series

OBJECTIVE The authors report on a large, consecutive, single-surgeon series of patients undergoing microsurgical removal of midbrain gliomas. Emphasis is put on surgical indications, technique, and results as well as long-term oncological follow-up. METHODS A retrospective analysis was performed of prospectively collected data from a consecutive series of patients undergoing microneurosurgery for midbrain gliomas from March 2006 through June 2022 at the authors' institution. According to the growth pattern and location of the lesion in the midbrain (tegmentum, central mesencephalic structures, and tectum), one of the following approaches was chosen: transsylvian (TS), extreme anterior interhemispheric transcallosal (eAIT), posterior interhemispheric transtentorial subsplenial (PITS), paramedian supracerebellar transtentorial (PST), perimedian supracerebellar (PeS), perimedian contralateral supracerebellar (PeCS), and transuvulotonsillar fissure (TUTF). Clinical and radiological data were gathered according to a standard protocol and reported according to common descriptive statistics. The main outcomes were rate of gross-total resection; extent of resection; occurrence of any complications; variation in Karnofsky Performance Status score at discharge, 3 months, and last follow-up; progression-free survival (PFS); and overall survival (OS). RESULTS Fifty-four patients (28 of them pediatric) met the inclusion criteria (6 with high-grade and 48 with low-grade gliomas [LGGs]). Twenty-two tumors were in the tegmentum, 7 in the central mesencephalic structures, and 25 in the tectum. In no instance did the glioma originate in the cerebral peduncle. TS was performed in 2 patients, eAIT in 6, PITS in 23, PST in 16, PeS in 4, PeCS in 1, and TUTF in 2 patients. Gross-total resection was achieved in 39 patients (72%). The average extent of resection was 98.0% (median 100%, range 82%-100%). There were no deaths due to surgery. Nine patients experienced transient and 2 patients experienced permanent new neurological deficits. At a mean follow-up of 72 months (median 62, range 3-193 months), 49 of the 54 patients were still alive. All patients with LGGs (48/54) were alive with no decrease in their KPS score, whereas 42 showed improvement compared with their preoperative status. CONCLUSIONS Microneurosurgical removal of midbrain gliomas is feasible with good surgical results and long-term clinical outcomes, particularly in patients with LGGs. As such, microneurosurgery should be considered as the first therapeutic option. Adequate microsurgical technique and anesthesiological management, along with an accurate preoperative understanding of the tumor's exact topographic origin and growth pattern, is crucial for a good surgical outcome

Social achievement goals, needs satisfaction, and coping among adolescents

In a sample of Turkish adolescents (N = 1614), we investigated whether pursuing social demonstration-approach goals (to attain popularity), next to social development goals (to cultivate meaningful relationships), explains differences in need satisfaction and frustration and coping. Cluster analysis showed that students who favored social development over social demonstration-approach goals reported less need frustration and defensive coping than students who favored both goals. These results were replicated with a prospective analysis with part of the initial sample (N = 425) as students who endorsed both goals reported more defensive coping five months later than students who mainly favored social development goals over social demonstration-approach goals. © 2016 Elsevier Ltd

New applications and developments in the neutron shielding

Shielding neutrons involve three steps that are slowing neutrons, absorption of neutrons, and impregnation of gamma rays. Neutrons slow down with thermal energy by hydrogen, water, paraffin, plastic. Hydrogenated materials are also very effective for the absorption of neutrons. Gamma rays are produced by neutron (radiation) retention on the neutron shield, inelastic scattering, and degradation of activation products. If a source emits gamma rays at various energies, high-energy gamma rays sometimes specify shielding requirements. Multipurpose Materials for Neutron Shields; Concrete, especially with barium mixed in, can slow and absorb the neutrons, and shield the gamma rays. Plastic with boron is also a good multipurpose shielding material. In this study; new applications and developments in the area of neutron shielding will be discussed in terms of different materials

ANKOS publisher application system and its impact on the e-resource evaluation process

The Publisher Application System (PAS) is a Web-based archiving and online evaluation system developed by the Database Evaluation Group (DEG), one of the working groups formed within the Anatolian University Libraries Consortium (ANKOS). The DEG was formed in 2008 to inquire and evaluate e-resources suited to the needs of the consortium; to follow up similar consortial activities worldwide as well as developments in connection with the scientific publishing industry; and to determine, implement, and improve pricing models in accordance with the prevailing economic, legal, and academic system. Development of the PAS was essential to ensure standardization and sustainability towards a more detailed and effective analysis of e-resources qualifying for evaluation by ANKOS. The PAS played an important part not only in establishing and defining the workflow of the DEG, but also in creating an archive of both the e-resources submitted to the consortium and the applicant publishers/agents submitting these resources. This article outlines the process that started with the foundation of the DEG through the formation of the PAS as well as the present setup of the system. It is also hoped that this case study will have a positive contribution to the processes being followed by the persons and the groups engaged in similar activities.pre-prin

ANKOS publisher application system and its impact on the e-resource evaluation process

The Publisher Application System (PAS) is a Web-based archiving and online evaluation system developed by the Database Evaluation Group (DEG), one of the working groups formed within the Anatolian University Libraries Consortium (ANKOS). The DEG was formed in 2008 to inquire and evaluate e-resources suited to the needs of the consortium; to follow up similar consortial activities worldwide as well as developments in connection with the scientific publishing industry; and to determine, implement, and improve pricing models in accordance with the prevailing economic, legal, and academic system. Development of the PAS was essential to ensure standardization and sustainability towards a more detailed and effective analysis of e-resources qualifying for evaluation by ANKOS. The PAS played an important part not only in establishing and defining the workflow of the DEG, but also in creating an archive of both the e-resources submitted to the consortium and the applicant publishers/agents submitting these resources. This article outlines the process that started with the foundation of the DEG through the formation of the PAS as well as the present setup of the system. It is also hoped that this case study will have a positive contribution to the processes being followed by the persons and the groups engaged in similar activities.pre-prin

Time trends in diagnostic testing for primary ciliary dyskinesia in Europe

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Setting research priorities to improve global newborn health and prevent stillbirths by 2025

Acknowledgements: The authors thank the expert group for their time and effort in this priority–setting exercise, and the contribution of anonymous reviewers to the final version of this report. We acknowledge inputs from Dr Diane Morof from Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, USA. Funding: This work was supported by Save the Children.Peer reviewedPublisher PD

Exploring the design of interactive smart textiles for emotion regulation

The present study aims to investigate the design of interactive textiles for emotion regulation. In this work we proposed a design which allows users to visualize their physiological data and help regulate their emotions. We used the Research through Design method to explore how physiological data could be represented in four different interactive textiles and how movement-based interaction could be designed to support users’ understanding and regulation of their emotional state. After an initial user interview evaluation with several textile prototypes, light and vibration were selected as modalities within the biofeedback-based interaction. A smart interactive shawl that reacts to changes in emotional arousal was designed to help the users know their emotion and adjust it, if necessary, with the support of electrodermal activity sensor and pressure-based sensors. The results of the second study showed that the smart shawl could help the user to visualize their emotions and reduce their stress level by interacting with it. © 2020, Springer Nature Switzerland AG

A computational model of perception and action for cognitive robotics

Robots are increasingly expected to perform tasks in complex environments. To this end, engineers provide them with processing architectures that are based on models of human information processing. In contrast to traditional models, where information processing is typically set up in stages (i.e., from perception to cognition to action), it is increasingly acknowledged by psychologists and robot engineers that perception and action are parts of an interactive and integrated process. In this paper, we present HiTEC, a novel computational (cognitive) model that allows for direct interaction between perception and action as well as for cognitive control, demonstrated by task-related attentional influences. Simulation results show that key behavioral studies can be readily replicated. Three processing aspects of HiTEC are stressed for their importance for cognitive robotics: (1) ideomotor learning of action control, (2) the influence of task context and attention on perception, action planning, and learning, and (3) the interaction between perception and action planning. Implications for the design of cognitive robotics are discussed