Language at rest: A longitudinal study of intrinsic functional connectivity in preterm children

AbstractBackgroundPreterm (PT) children show early cognitive and language deficits and display altered cortical connectivity for language compared to term (T) children. Developmentally, functional connectivity networks become more segregated and integrated, through the weakening of short-range and strengthening of long-range connections.MethodsLongitudinal intrinsic connectivity distribution (ICD) values were assessed in PT (n=13) compared to T children (n=12) at ages 8 vs. 16 using a Linear Mixed Effects model. Connectivity values in regions generated by the group×age interaction analysis were then correlated to scores on full IQ (FSIQ), verbal IQ (VIQ), verbal comprehension IQ (VCIQ), performance IQ (PIQ), Peabody picture vocabulary test—revised (PPVT­R), and Rapid Naming Composite (RDRL_Cmp).ResultsNine regions were generated by the group×age interaction analysis. PT connectivity significantly increased over time in all but two regions, and they ultimately displayed greater relative connectivity at age 16 than Ts in all areas except the left occipito-temporal cortex (OTC). PTs underwent significant connectivity reductions in the left OTC, which corresponded with worse performance on FSIQ, VIQ, and PIQ. These findings differed from Ts, who did not undergo any significant changes in connectivity over time.ConclusionsThese findings suggest that the developmental alterations in connectivity in PT children at adolescence are both pervasive and widespread. The persistent and worsening cognitive and language deficits noted in the PT subjects may be attributed to the loss of connections in the left OTC

The James Webb Space Telescope Mission

Twenty-six years ago a small committee report, building on earlier studies, expounded a compelling and poetic vision for the future of astronomy, calling for an infrared-optimized space telescope with an aperture of at least $4m$. With the support of their governments in the US, Europe, and Canada, 20,000 people realized that vision as the $6.5m$ James Webb Space Telescope. A generation of astronomers will celebrate their accomplishments for the life of the mission, potentially as long as 20 years, and beyond. This report and the scientific discoveries that follow are extended thank-you notes to the 20,000 team members. The telescope is working perfectly, with much better image quality than expected. In this and accompanying papers, we give a brief history, describe the observatory, outline its objectives and current observing program, and discuss the inventions and people who made it possible. We cite detailed reports on the design and the measured performance on orbit.Comment: Accepted by PASP for the special issue on The James Webb Space Telescope Overview, 29 pages, 4 figure

Posttraumatic Emphysema of the Optic Nerve Sheath

The authors describe the case of a 19-year-old female who suffered posttraumatic emphysema of the optic nerve sheath. She suffered massive head trauma requiring emergent neurosurgery and was incidentally found to have air in her optic nerve sheath on CT scan. At 6 weeks follow up, her visual acuity (20/25 uncorrected) and color perception in the affected eye were excellent. Her examination was notable for an afferent pupillary defect, mild disc pallor, and optic nerve atrophy on optical coherence tomography. This is a case of a patient with posttraumatic optic nerve sheath emphysema who recovered excellent visual function and received follow-up ophthalmic imaging

Topical Imiquimod in the Treatment of Conjunctival Actinic Keratosis

Conjunctival actinic keratosis is rare and difficult to treat, as recurrences are common. Imiquimod, an immune response modulator, is currently Food and Drug Administration-approved for cutaneous actinic keratosis and superficial basal cell carcinomas. Emerging reports have shown it to be effective in treating some periocular and conjunctival lesions. The authors present a case of a 68-year-old white man with recurrent actinic keratosis involving the pretarsal conjunctiva, which was successfully treated with 5% topical imiquimod following previous failure with cryotherapy and interferon alpha-2b. The patient had ocular irritation that resolved on cessation of treatment. To the authors' knowledge, this is the first report of conjunctival actinic keratosis being treated with and successfully eradicated by topical imiquimod

Total retinal detachments due to retinoblastoma: Outcomes following intra-arterial chemotherapy/ophthalmic artery chemosurgery

<div><p>Purpose</p><p>To report on the rate and timing of retinal reattachment and outcomes for retinoblastoma children who have total retinal detachments at presentation to our center and were treated with intra-arterial chemotherapy (ophthalmic artery chemosurgery, OAC).</p><p>Patients and methods</p><p>Single-center retrospective review of retinoblastoma patients who presented with total retinal detachments and were subsequently treated with OAC at MSKCC between May 2006 and July 2016. Endpoints were retinal detachment resolution, visual function, ERG amplitude, ocular survival, and patient survival from metastases.</p><p>Results</p><p>87 eyes of 84 retinoblastoma patients were included. Using a survival multistate model, by 36 months of follow-up, there was a 54% cumulative probability of complete retinal reattachment and a 76% probability of partial reattachment. 24% of eyes that completely reattached received only OAC without any prior or adjuvant treatments. Eyes that completely reattached were significantly more likely to have been diagnosed at a younger age (p<0.0001) and to have greater initial ERG values (p = 0.006). At final follow-up, 14% of eyes had gained at least 25 μV of ERG activity, and 8.0% had achieved hand motion vision or better, including one to 20/60. 13% of eyes were enucleated. No patient died from metastatic disease, and only one developed metastases.</p><p>Conclusion</p><p>OAC can successfully treat previously considered “non-salvageable” retinoblastoma eyes with total retinal detachments, promote retinal reattachment in the majority of eyes, and preserve ocular and patient survival.</p></div

Cumulative incidence of retinal reattachment by time (months).

<p>Cumulative incidence of retinal reattachment by time (months).</p