Peripheral DNA Methylation of Cortisol- and Serotonin-Related Genes Predicts Hippocampal Volume in a Pediatric Population.

Background: Hippocampal volume increases throughout early development and is an important indicator of cognitive abilities and mental health. However, hippocampal development is highly vulnerable to exposures during development, as seen by smaller hippocampal volume and differential epigenetic programming in genes implicated in mental health. However, few studies have investigated hippocampal volume in relation to the peripheral epigenome across development, and even less is known about potential genetic moderators.

A Longitudinal Examination of Autism Services, Child Adaptive Functioning, and Parent Quality of Life during the COVID-19 Pandemic.

The delivery of services to children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) was disrupted during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, which may have affected child functioning and caregiver quality of life (QoL). This study examined changes in service intensity, child adaptive functioning, and caregiver QoL during the COVID-19 pandemic. Participants were 146 caregivers (87% mothers) of children with ASD (M age = 8.

Twinned neuroimaging analysis contributes to improving the classification of young people with autism spectrum disorder.

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is diagnosed using comprehensive behavioral information. Neuroimaging offers additional information but lacks clinical utility for diagnosis. This study investigates whether multi-forms of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) contrast can be used individually and in combination to produce a categorical classification of young individuals with ASD.

Adapting the PEERS for Young Adults Program for Autistic Adults across the Lifespan.

The Program for the Education and Enrichment of Relational Skills (PEERS) is an evidence-based intervention developed for autistic individuals to support social communication, peer interactions, independence, and interpersonal relationships. Despite a demonstrated effectiveness for young autistic individuals in the US and several other countries, PEERS has yet to be modified to support the needs of autistic adults across the lifespan. The present study describes how our team sought autistic voices to adapt PEERS for adults of any age.

Intraductal papillary neoplasms of the bile ducts-what can be seen with ultrasound?

Intraductal papillary neoplasm of the bile ducts is a rare tumor. Characteristic features include bile duct dilatation, cystic lesions with communication to the bile ducts, and intraluminal solid nodules arising from the bile duct wall. As in pancreatic intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasia, intestinal, pancreaticobiliary, gastric, and oncocytic types are described.

Controversies in Endoscopic Ultrasound-Guided Biliary Drainage.

In this 14th document in a series of papers entitled "" we discuss various aspects of EUS-guided biliary drainage that are debated in the literature and in practice. Endoscopic retrograde cholangiography is still the reference technique for therapeutic biliary access, but EUS-guided techniques for biliary access and drainage have developed into safe and highly effective alternative options. However, EUS-guided biliary drainage techniques are technically demanding procedures for which few training models are currently available.

The peripheral epigenome predicts white matter volume contingent on developmental stage: An ECHO study.

Epigenetic processes, including DNA methylation, are emerging as key areas of interest for their potential roles as biomarkers and contributors to the risk of neurodevelopmental, psychiatric, and other brain-based disorders. Despite this growing focus, there remains a notable gap in our understanding of how DNA methylation correlates with individual variations in brain function and structure. Additionally, the dynamics of these relationships during developmental periods, which are critical windows during which many disorders first appear, are still largely unexplored.

How-I-do-it: laparoscopic intragastric submucosal dissection (LISD) for gastric and gastro-oesophageal junction early lesions.

Purpose: Laparoscopic intragastric submucosal dissection (LISD) is a novel approach to the resection of gastric lesion that are not amenable to conventional endoscopic approaches. The technique permits favourable access to lesions situated at the cardia and angular notch of the stomach, enables en-bloc resection of large areas of tissue, and can prevent the need of formal gastrectomy or oesophagectomy in selected patients.

Methods: All cases were deemed suitable for LISD by a multidisciplinary team panel following endoscopic assessment (using white light enhancement, chromoendoscopy and magnification endoscopy) that was integrated when needed with EUS, CT scan or PET scan.

Ultrasound-Guided Interventions in the Biliary System.

Ultrasound guidance in biliary interventions has become the standard tool to facilitate percutaneous biliary drainage as well as percutaneous gall bladder drainage. Monitoring of the needle tip whilst penetrating the tissue in real time using ultrasound allows precise manoeuvres and exact targeting without radiation exposure. Without the need for fluoroscopy, ultrasound-guided drainage procedures can be performed bedside as a sometimes life-saving procedure in patients with severe cholangitis/cholecystitis when they are critically ill in intensive care units and cannot be transported to a fluoroscopy suite.

Mixed-methods examination of attitudes and behaviors related to COVID-19 vaccines among parents of children with autism and autistic adults.

Increased risks associated with Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) among individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) combined with previous reports of heightened vaccine hesitancy among parents of children with ASD indicate the need for a better understanding of attitudes and behaviors related to COVID-19 vaccines among the ASD community. This study is the first to our knowledge to use a mixed-methods approach to understand attitudes toward COVID-19 vaccines among parents of children with ASD and autistic adults. Participants were 135 members of the ASD community residing in the state of Arizona (99 parents of children with ASD and 36 autistic adults) who responded to the third (Spring 2021) and fourth (Summer 2021) time points of a larger longitudinal online survey.

Mishaps with EUS-guided lumen-apposing metal stents in therapeutic pancreatic EUS: Management and prevention.

EUS-guided interventions have become widely accepted therapeutic management options for drainage of peripancreatic fluid collections. Apart from endosonographic skills, EUS interventions require knowledge of the endoscopic stenting techniques and familiarity with the available stents and deployment systems. Although generally safe and effective, technical failure of correct stent positioning or serious adverse events can occur, even in experts' hands.

ε4-Allele in Middle-Aged and Older Autistic Adults: Associations with Verbal Learning and Memory.

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disability and recent evidence suggests that autistic adults are more likely to develop Alzheimer's disease (Alz) and other dementias compared to neurotypical (NT) adults. The ε4-allele of the Apolipoprotein E () gene is the strongest genetic risk factor for Alz and negatively impacts cognition in middle-aged and older (MA+) adults. This study aimed to determine the impact of the ε4-allele on verbal learning and memory in MA+ autistic adults (ages 40-71 years) compared to matched NT adults.

App-based meditation habits maintain reductions in depression symptoms among autistic adults.

Existing research has identified an increased risk of depression among autistic adults, which can negatively impact their adaptive functioning abilities and socioeconomic outcomes. Mobile app-based meditation is a feasible, accessible, and effective self-care solution for depression among neurotypical adults, but there is limited evidence for the long-term benefits of app-based meditation among autistic adults. Habits are a key behavioral strategy for maintaining behavior change, and anchoring is one effective habit formation intervention that has yet to be tested among autistic adults.

Comments on and Illustrations of the EFSUMB CEUS Guidelines: Transabdominal and Endoscopic Ultrasound Features of Intrapancreatic Metastases and the Role of Multiparametric Imaging and EUS-Guided Sampling in Rare Pancreatic Tumors.

A definite pathologic diagnosis of intrapancreatic metastasis is crucial for the management decision, i.e., curative or palliative surgery versus chemotherapy or conservative/palliative therapy.

Pancreatic changes with lifestyle and age: What is normal and what is concerning?

During the aging process, typical morphological changes occur in the pancreas, which leads to a specific "patchy lobular fibrosis in the elderly." The aging process in the pancreas is associated with changes in volume, dimensions, contour, and increasing intrapancreatic fat deposition. Typical changes are seen in ultrasonography, computed tomography, endosonography, and magnetic resonance imaging.

Precision Medicine as a New Frontier in Speech-Language Pathology: How Applying Insights From Behavior Genomics Can Improve Outcomes in Communication Disorders.

Purpose: Precision medicine is an emerging intervention paradigm that leverages knowledge of risk factors such as genotypes, lifestyle, and environment toward proactive and personalized interventions. Regarding genetic risk factors, examples of interventions informed by the field of medical genomics are pharmacological interventions tailored to an individual's genotype and anticipatory guidance for children whose hearing impairment is predicted to be progressive. Here, we show how principles of precision medicine and insights from behavior genomics have relevance for novel management strategies of behaviorally expressed disorders, especially disorders of spoken language.

Secondary sclerosing cholangitis and IgG4-sclerosing cholangitis - A review of cholangiographic and ultrasound imaging.

Sclerosing cholangitis (SC) represents a spectrum of chronic progressive cholestatic diseases of the intrahepatic and/or extrahepatic biliary system characterized by patchy inflammation, fibrosis, and stricturing. Primary and secondary SC must be distinguished given the different treatment modalities, risks of malignancy, and progression to portal hypertension, cirrhosis, and hepatic failure. This review focuses on secondary SC and the pathogenic mechanisms, risk factors, clinical presentation, and novel imaging modalities that help to distinguish between these conditions.

Preliminary findings of accelerated visual memory decline and baseline brain correlates in middle-age and older adults with autism: The case for hippocampal free-water.

Research aimed at understanding cognitive and brain aging in adults with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is growing, but critical longitudinal work is scant. Adults with ASD struggle with tasks involving visual memory compared with neurotypical adults (NT). This may be related to differences in size or integrity of the hippocampus and its' primary structural connectivity pathway, the fornix.

How to perform EUS-guided biliary drainage.

EUS-guided biliary drainage (EUS-BD) has recently gained widespread acceptance as a minimally invasive alternative method for biliary drainage. Even in experienced endoscopy centers, ERCP may fail due to inaccessibility of the papillary region, altered anatomy (particularly postsurgical alterations), papillary obstruction, or neoplastic gastric outlet obstruction. Biliary cannulation fails at first attempt in 5%-10% of cases even in the absence of these factors.

Effects of age on the hippocampus and verbal memory in adults with autism spectrum disorder: Longitudinal versus cross-sectional findings.

Research studying aging in adults with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is growing, but longitudinal work is needed. Autistic adults have increased risk of dementia, altered hippocampal volumes and fornix integrity, and verbal memory difficulties compared with neurotypical (NT) adults. This study examined longitudinal aging in middle-age adults with ASD versus a matched NT group, and compared findings with cross-sectional age effects across a broad adult age range.