Painful rib hump: a new clinical sign for detecting intraspinal rib displacement in scoliosis due to neurofibromatosis

BACKGROUND: Spinal cord compression and associate neurological impairment is rare in patients with scoliosis and neurofibromatosis. Common reasons are vertebral subluxation, dislocation, angulation and tumorous lesions around the spinal canal. Only twelve cases of intraspinal rib dislocation have been reported in the literature. The aim of this report is to present a case of rib penetration through neural foramen at the apex of a scoliotic curve in neurofibromatosis and to introduce a new clinical sign for its detection. METHODS: A 13-year-old girl was evaluated for progressive left thoracic kyphoscoliotic curve due to a type I neurofibromatosis. Clinical examination revealed multiple large thoracic and abdominal "cafe-au-lait" spots, neurological impairment of the lower limbs and the presence of a thoracic gibbous that was painful to pressure at the level of the left eighth rib (Painful Rib Hump). CT-scan showed detachment and translocation of the cephalic end of the left eighth rib into the adjacent enlarged neural foramen. The M.R.I. examination of the spine showed neither cord abnormality nor neurogenic tumor. RESULTS: The patient underwent resection of the intraspinal mobile eighth rib head and posterior spinal instrumentation and was neurologically fully recovered six months postoperatively. CONCLUSION: Spine surgeons should be aware of intraspinal rib displacement in scoliotic curves in neurofibromatosis. Painful rib hump is a valuable diagnostic tool for this rare clinical entity

Observation of an Exotic Baryon with S=+1 in Photoproduction from the Proton

The reaction $\gamma p \to \pi^+K^-K^+n$ was studied at Jefferson Lab using a tagged photon beam with an energy range of 3-5.47 GeV. A narrow baryon state with strangeness S=+1 and mass $M=1555\pm 10$ MeV/c$^2$ was observed in the $nK^+$ invariant mass spectrum. The peak's width is consistent with the CLAS resolution (FWHM=26 MeV/c$^2$), and its statistical significance is 7.8 $\pm$ 1.0 ~$\sigma$. A baryon with positive strangeness has exotic structure and cannot be described in the framework of the naive constituent quark model. The mass of the observed state is consistent with the mass predicted by a chiral soliton model for the $\Theta^+$ baryon. In addition, the $pK^+$ invariant mass distribution was analyzed in the reaction $\gamma p\to K^-K^+p$ with high statistics in search of doubly-charged exotic baryon states. No resonance structures were found in this spectrum.Comment: 5 pages, 5 figures, add reference

Exclusive Photoproduction of the Cascade (Xi) Hyperons

We report on the first measurement of exclusive Xi-(1321) hyperon photoproduction in gamma p --> K+ K+ Xi- for 3.2 < E(gamma) < 3.9 GeV. The final state is identified by the missing mass in p(gamma,K+ K+)X measured with the CLAS detector at Jefferson Laboratory. We have detected a significant number of the ground-state Xi-(1321)1/2+, and have estimated the total cross section for its production. We have also observed the first excited state Xi-(1530)3/2+. Photoproduction provides a copious source of Xi's. We discuss the possibilities of a search for the recently proposed Xi5-- and Xi5+ pentaquarks.Comment: submitted to Phys. Rev.

Nutritional profile and obesity: results from a random‑sample population‑based study in Córdoba, Argentina

Introduction Obesity is a chronic, heterogeneous, multifactorial disease, which has sharply increased in prevalence in both developed and developing countries. This study aimed to estimate the prevalence of obesity and to identify socio-demographic risk factors associated with it, with special emphasis on diet. Methods Nutritional status, demographic characteristics, lifestyle habits, and food consumption patterns derived from a Food Frequency Questionnaire were investigated. Exhaustive exploratory analyses were performed in order to describe dietary patterns, and logistic regression models were used for odds ratio estimation. Results The study included 4328 subjects, over 18 years old and resident in Cordoba city. The prevalence of overweight and obesity was 34 and 17 %, respectively, with 60 % in men and 45 % in women of BMI ≥ 25. Obesity risk factors were high intake of sodium, refined grains, starchy vegetables, and snacks. A lower risk of overweight and obesity was associated with an adequate, moderate intake of meats, eggs, alcoholic beverages, sugar and sweets, milk, yogurt, and pulses. Conclusions A high intake of snacks, refined grains, starchy vegetables and sodium and low intake of yogurt, milk, pulses, and whole grains seem to be associated with the emergence and high prevalence of obesity in Cordoba, Argentina.publishedVersionFil: Aballay, Laura Rosana. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Médicas. Escuela de Nutrición. Estadística y Bioestadística; ArgentinaFil: Aballay, Laura Rosana. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Instituto de Investigaciones en Ciencias de la Salud; Argentina.Fil: De la Quintana, Ana Gabriela. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Médicas. Escuela de Nutrición; Argentina.Fil: Díaz, María del Pilar. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Médicas. Escuela de Nutrición. Estadística y Bioestadística; Argentina.Fil: Díaz, María del Pilar. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Instituto de Investigaciones en Ciencias de la Salud; Argentina.Fil: Osella, Alberto R. Hospital Saverio de Bellis. Laboratorio de Epidemiologia y Bioestadística; Italia

A healthy mistrust: how worldview relates to attitudes about breast cancer screening in a cross-sectional survey of low-income women

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Perceived racial discrimination is one factor which may discourage ethnic minorities from using healthcare. However, existing research only partially explains why some persons do accept health promotion messages and use preventive care, while others do not. This analysis explores 1) the psychosocial characteristics of those, within disadvantaged groups, who identify their previous experiences as racially discriminatory, 2) the extent to which perceived racism is associated with broader perspectives on societal racism and powerlessness, and 3) how these views relate to disadvantaged groups' expectation of mistreatment in healthcare, feelings of mistrust, and motivation to use care.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Using survey data from 576 African-American women, we explored the prevalence and predictors of beliefs and experiences related to social disengagement, racial discrimination, desired and actual racial concordance with medical providers, and fear of medical research. We then used both sociodemographic characteristics, and experiences and attitudes about disadvantage, to model respondents' scores on an index of personal motivation to receive breast cancer screening, measuring screening knowledge, rejection of fatalistic explanatory models of cancer, and belief in early detection, and in collaborative models of patient-provider responsibility.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Age was associated with lower motivation to screen, as were depressive symptoms, anomie, and fear of medical research. Motivation was low among those more comfortable with African-American providers, regardless of current provider race. However, greater awareness of societal racism positively predicted motivation, as did talking to others when experiencing discrimination. Talking was most useful for women with depressive symptoms.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Supporting the Durkheimian concepts of both anomic and altruistic suicide, both disengagement (depression, anomie, vulnerability to victimization, and discomfort with non-Black physicians) as well as over-acceptance (low awareness of discrimination in society) predict poor health maintenance attitudes in disadvantaged women. Women who recognize their connection to other African-American women, and who talk about negative experiences, appear most motivated to protect their health.</p

Chronic Viral Infection and Primary Central Nervous System Malignancy

Primary central nervous system (CNS) tumors cause significant morbidity and mortality in both adults and children. While some of the genetic and molecular mechanisms of neuro-oncogenesis are known, much less is known about possible epigenetic contributions to disease pathophysiology. Over the last several decades, chronic viral infections have been associated with a number of human malignancies. In primary CNS malignancies, two families of viruses, namely polyomavirus and herpesvirus, have been detected with varied frequencies in a number of pediatric and adult histological tumor subtypes. However, establishing a link between chronic viral infection and primary CNS malignancy has been an area of considerable controversy, due in part to variations in detection frequencies and methodologies used among researchers. Since a latent viral neurotropism can be seen with a variety of viruses and a widespread seropositivity exists among the population, it has been difficult to establish an association between viral infection and CNS malignancy based on epidemiology alone. While direct evidence of a role of viruses in neuro-oncogenesis in humans is lacking, a more plausible hypothesis of neuro-oncomodulation has been proposed. The overall goals of this review are to summarize the many human investigations that have studied viral infection in primary CNS tumors, discuss potential neuro-oncomodulatory mechanisms of viral-associated CNS disease and propose future research directions to establish a more firm association between chronic viral infections and primary CNS malignancies

Mycorrhizas in South American Anthropic Environments

The agricultural expansion has leaded to increase the irrigated cropland area and the use of fertilizers, resulting in water degradation, increased energy use, and common pollution. Of particular concern is the increased interest to reduce the environmental impacts of high quantities of water dedicated to irrigation by agricultural activities We are now truly recognizing the importance of sustainable measures in agriculture such as conservation of the vegetation cover and management approach to understand surface and deep soil responses to global change. The agroecology management based on key processes from natural ecosystems can help to solve some agricultural difficulties. Increasing studies on the Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) has showed their importance for soil ecology and studies on their biodiversity have spread in some agro-ecosystems such as corn and soybean monocultures. Therefore, it is needed to deeply study the mycorrhizal functions under global change. In this chapter, we examine the major developments and advances on mycorrhizal fungi based on recent research from South American countries. New reports on the occurrence of mycorrhizas in Amazonian dark earth, as well as the inoculum production of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi native of soils under native forest covers, have resulted in a more detailed understanding of the soil biology from South America. Reports from Amazonian dark earth or “Terra preta do índio” soil has stimulated the use of biochar worldwide as a soil conditioner that can add value to non-harvested agricultural products and promote plant growth. Few reports from Brazil showed that the addition of inorganic fertilizer, compost and chicken manure resulted in increases in plant cover and plant species richness. In this sense, the biochar/mycorrhizae interactions also can be prioritized for sequestration of carbon in soils to contribute to climate change mitigation