Outcomes following resective and disconnective strategies in the treatment of epileptic spasms: a systematic review of the literature and individual patient data meta-analysis.

Epileptic spasms (ES) are a unique seizure type typically presenting in the form of infantile epileptic spasms syndrome (IESS) with characteristic hypsarrhythmia on scalp EEG and a preponderance with developmental delay or regression. While pharmacotherapy is the mainstay of treatment, surgical options, including disconnective or resective procedures, are increasingly recognized as viable therapeutic options for recurrent or persistent ES. However, limited data on safety, effectiveness, and prognostic factors hinder informed decision-making regarding surgery indications, timing, and intervention type.

Effectiveness of mRNA COVID-19 vaccines and hybrid immunity in preventing SARS-CoV-2 infection and symptomatic COVID-19 among adults in the United States.

Background: Understanding protection against SARS-CoV-2 infection by vaccine and hybrid immunity is important for informing public health strategies as new variants emerge.

Methods: We analyzed data from three cohort studies spanning September 1, 2022-July 31, 2023, to estimate COVID-19 vaccine effectiveness (VE) against SARS-CoV-2 infection and symptomatic COVID-19 among adults with and without prior infection in the United States. Participants collected weekly nasal swabs, irrespective of symptoms, annual blood draws, and completed periodic surveys, which included vaccination status and prior infection history.

Deep brain stimulation in pediatric populations: A scoping review of the clinical trial landscape.

Objective: There has been rapid advancement in the development of deep brain stimulation (DBS) as a treatment option for adults for neurological and neuropsychiatric conditions. Here, we present a scoping review of completed and ongoing clinical trials focused on DBS in pediatric populations, highlighting key knowledge gaps.

Methods: Three databases (PubMed, OVID, and Embase) and the clinicaltrials.

SARS-CoV-2 Diversity and Transmission on a University Campus across Two Academic Years during the Pandemic.

Background: Institutions of higher education (IHE) have been a focus of SARS-CoV-2 transmission studies but there is limited information on how viral diversity and transmission at IHE changed as the pandemic progressed.

Methods: Here we analyze 3606 viral genomes from unique COVID-19 episodes collected at a public university in Seattle, Washington from September 2020 to September 2022.

Results: Across the study period, we found evidence of frequent viral transmission among university affiliates with 60% (n = 2153) of viral genomes from campus specimens genetically identical to at least one other campus specimen.

PreVISE: an efficient virtual reality system for SEEG surgical planning.

Epilepsy is a neurological disorder characterized by recurring seizures that can cause a wide range of symptoms. Stereo-electroencephalography (SEEG) is a diagnostic procedure where multiple electrodes are stereotactically implanted within predefined brain regions to identify the seizure onset zone, which needs to be surgically removed or disconnected to achieve remission of focal epilepsy. This procedure is complex and challenging due to two main reasons.

Placebo and the law of identification.

Thousands of essays and studies have been published on placebo and nocebo. Yet, despite this plethora of information, we are not much closer to a comprehensive understanding of the fundamental mechanism producing placebo and nocebo effects than we were in 1946, when participants in the Cornell Conferences on Therapy speculated on the roles of authority, belief and expectancy. In this paper, we examine the weaknesses in current placebo and nocebo definitions and theories.

Investigation of adsorption parameters of saxitoxin onto loblolly pine-derived biochar synthesized at various pyrolysis temperature.

This study highlights the use of loblolly pine derived biochar for the removal of harmful algal bloom toxin, Saxitoxin (STX), from water. Biochar samples were prepared at varying pyrolysis temperatures (400, 600 and 800 °C) for 60 min. As pyrolysis temperature increases, enhancement in surface porosity was observed (S = 7.

Publication bias in studies on biologic therapy for children with inflammatory bowel disease.

Objective: The utilization of biologic drugs in children with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) surged following the publications of positive results in randomized controlled trials and real-world studies. We aimed to explore the extent of publication bias associated with these findings.

Methods: Two reviewers assessed all abstracts evaluating the efficacy or safety of biologics presented at the annual European Society for Pediatric Gastroenterology Hepatology and Nutrition and North American Society for Pediatric Gastroenterology conferences from 2015 to 2019.

Outcome of Surgery for Hypothalamic Hamartoma-Related Epilepsy: A Systematic Review and Individual Participant Data Meta-Analysis.

Background And Objectives: There is a paucity of data directly comparing the outcome of surgical techniques available for the treatment of hypothalamic hamartomas (HHs). This study aims to evaluate the safety and efficacy of commonly used surgical approaches in the treatment of HH-related epilepsy.

Methods: A systematic review and individual participant data (IPD) meta-analysis was conducted.

Clinical characteristics and outcome of central nervous system tumors harboring NTRK gene fusions.

Purpose: TRK fusions are detected in less than 2% of central nervous system tumors. There are limited data on the clinical course of affected patients.

Experimental Design: We conducted an international retrospective cohort study of patients with TRK fusion-driven CNS tumors.

Electroencephalographic and Cardiovascular Assessments of Isoflurane-Anesthetized Dogs.

This study investigated the use of frontal electroencephalography (EEG) to monitor varying levels of isoflurane anesthesia in dogs. The patient state index (PSI), burst suppression ratio (SR), and waveforms, were continuously recorded while mean arterial blood pressure (MBP), heart rate, responses to electric stimuli, and subjective anesthetic "depth" were assessed every 3 min. At deep anesthesia (2.

Brain Stiffness Correlates With Pathological Tissue in Patients With Drug-Resistant Epilepsy Due to Rasmussen Encephalitis and Focal Cortical Dysplasia.

Background And Objectives: Complete resection of epileptogenic zone is the single most important determinant of favorable seizure outcomes in resective surgery. However, identifying and resecting this zone is challenging in patients harboring diffuse; MRI-occult malformations of cortical development, such as focal cortical dysplasia; or acquired pathology, such as Rasmussen encephalitis. Intraoperative adjuncts that can aid in identifying the lesion and/or epileptogenic zone can optimize the extent of resection and seizure outcome.

Early Introductions of Candida auris Detected by Wastewater Surveillance, Utah, USA, 2022-2023.

Candida auris is considered a nosocomial pathogen of high concern and is currently spreading across the United States. Infection control measures for C. auris focus mainly on healthcare facilities, yet transmission levels may already be significant in the community before outbreaks are detected in healthcare settings.

A multi-centre, tolerability study of a cannabidiol-enriched Cannabis Herbal Extract for chronic headaches in adolescents: The CAN-CHA protocol.

Introduction: Cannabis products have been used in the management of headaches in adults and may play a role in pediatric chronic pain. Canadian pediatricians report increasing use of cannabis for the management of chronic headaches, despite no well-controlled studies to inform its dosing, safety, and effectiveness. The aim of our clinical trial is to determine the dosing and safety of a Cannabidiol (CBD)-enriched Cannabis Herbal Extract (CHE) for the treatment of chronic headaches in adolescents.

Immune landscape of oncohistone-mutant gliomas reveals diverse myeloid populations and tumor-promoting function.

Histone H3-mutant gliomas are deadly brain tumors characterized by a dysregulated epigenome and stalled differentiation. In contrast to the extensive datasets available on tumor cells, limited information exists on their tumor microenvironment (TME), particularly the immune infiltrate. Here, we characterize the immune TME of H3.