Analysis of middle meningeal artery embolization for the treatment of chronic, acute on chronic, and subacute subdural hematomas.

Background: Chronic subdural hematoma (cSDH) is a common sequela of traumatic brain injury. Middle meningeal artery embolization (MMAE) has shown promising results as an emerging minimally invasive alternative treatment. The purpose of this study is to examine the safety and efficacy of MMAE performed in patients with cSDH, acute-on-chronic, and subacute SDH with a traumatic etiology.

Automated classification of fat-infiltrated axillary lymph nodes on screening mammograms.

Objective: Fat-infiltrated axillary lymph nodes (LNs) are unique sites for ectopic fat deposition. Early studies showed a strong correlation between fatty LNs and obesity-related diseases. Confirming this correlation requires large-scale studies, hindered by scarce labeled data.

Linking specific biological signatures to different childhood adversities: findings from the HERO project.

Background: Although investigations have begun to differentiate biological and neurobiological responses to a variety of adversities, studies considering both endocrine and immune function in the same datasets are limited.

Methods: Associations between proximal (family functioning, caregiver depression, and anxiety) and distal (SES-D; socioeconomic disadvantage) early-life adversities with salivary inflammatory biomarkers (IL-1β, IL-6, IL-8, and TNF-α) and hair HPA markers (cortisol, cortisone, and dehydroepiandrosterone) were examined in two samples of young U.S.

Developing an HIV and Faith Ambassador Program in North Carolina.

This report from the field describes the development of the HIV & Faith Ambassadors Program to cultivate a cohort of Black faith leaders/communities and Black medical providers to address HIV-related stigma in African American faith communities in North Carolina.

Traumatic carotid-cavernous fistula: A case report.

Direct carotid-cavernous fistulas are a rare complication of craniofacial trauma that often presents with proptosis, chemosis, and other visual symptoms. Disruption of blood flow from a carotid-cavernous fistula can cause cortical and cranial nerve ischemia which requires emergent intervention. Upon clinical suspicion of a carotid-cavernous fistula, patients should undergo computed tomography angiography (CTA) or magnetic resonance angiography (MRA), and digital subtraction angiography (DSA) if no other etiology is suspected.

Optimality and Limitations of Audio-Visual Integration for Cognitive Systems.

Multimodal integration is an important process in perceptual decision-making. In humans, this process has often been shown to be statistically optimal, or near optimal: sensory information is combined in a fashion that minimizes the average error in perceptual representation of stimuli. However, sometimes there are costs that come with the optimization, manifesting as illusory percepts.

Evidence for discrete profiles of children's physiological activity across three neurobiological system and their transitions over time.

The conceptualization of stress-responsive physiological systems as operating in an integrated manner is evident in several theoretical models of cross-system functioning. However, limited empirical research has modeled the complexity of multisystem activity. Moreover few studies have explored developmentally regulated changes in multisystem activity during early childhood when plasticity is particularly pronounced.

Socioeconomic Adversity, Negativity in the Parent Child-Relationship, and Physiological Reactivity: An Examination of Pathways and Interactive Processes Affecting Young Children's Physical Health.

Objective: We tested the hypothesis that socioeconomic status (SES) would predict children's physical health problems at the end of kindergarten among children whose parent reported greater parent-child relationship (PCR) negativity and/or who exhibited greater parasympathetic (RSA) reactivity. We also tested whether RSA and PCR negativity mediated the SES-health association.

Methods: Data were collected from 338 children (mean [SD] age, 5.

Welfare state regimes, health and health inequalities in adolescence: a multilevel study in 32 countries.

Comparative research on health and health inequalities has recently started to establish a welfare regime perspective. The objective of this study was to determine whether different welfare regimes are associated with health and health inequalities among adolescents. Data were collected from the 'Health Behaviour in School-aged Children' study in 2006, including 11- to 15-year-old students from 32 countries (N = 141,091).

Social capital reduces socio-economic differences in child health: evidence from the Canadian Health Behaviour in School-Aged Children study.

Objective: To examine whether adolescents' exposure to neighbourhood social capital, which is defined as levels of trust, cohesion and cooperation, reduces socio-economic differences in physical and psychological health outcomes.

Methods: Survey data were collected from the 9717 Canadian youths in grades 6 to 10 participating in the 2006 Health Behaviour of School-aged Children study. Data analyses tested interaction effects of socio-economic status (SES) and social capital on five outcomes: psychological symptoms, somatic symptoms, injuries, fighting and life satisfaction.

Hybrid convolution kernel: optimized CT of the head, neck, and spine.

Objective: Conventional CT requires generation of separate images utilizing different convolution kernels to optimize lesion detection. Our goal was to develop and test a hybrid CT algorithm to simultaneously optimize bone and soft-tissue characterization, potentially halving the number of images that need to be stored, transmitted, and reviewed.

Materials And Methods: CT images generated with separate high-pass (bone) and low-pass (soft tissue) kernels were retrospectively combined so that low-pass algorithm pixels less than -150 HU or greater than 150 HU are substituted with corresponding high-pass kernel reconstructed pixels.

Screen time and physical violence in 10 to 16-year-old Canadian youth.

Objectives: To examine the independent associations between television, computer, and video game use with physical violence in youth.

Methods: The study population consisted of a representative cross-sectional sample of 9,672 Canadian youth in grades 6-10 and a 1-year longitudinal sample of 1,861 youth in grades 9-10. The number of weekly hours watching television, playing video games, and using a computer was determined.

Income inequality and school bullying: multilevel study of adolescents in 37 countries.

Purpose: To examine the association between income inequality and school bullying in an international sample of preadolescents and to test for mediation of this association by the availability of social support from families, peers, and schools.

Methods: The study used economic data from the 2006 United Nations Development Program Human Development Report and survey data from the 2005/2006 Health Behavior in School-aged Children (HBSC) study which included 66,910 11-year-olds in 37 countries. Ecological correlations tested associations between income inequality and bullying among countries.

How well protected are sexually active 15-year olds? Cross-national patterns in condom and contraceptive pill use 2002-2006.

Objectives: To present comparative data on sexual initiation, and condom use and contraceptive pill use at last intercourse among adolescents in Europe, Israel and Canada.

Methods: Data were collected by self-report questionnaire from nationally representative samples of 15 year olds in school classrooms in two cross-national surveys undertaken in 24 countries in 2001/02 and 30 countries in 2005/06.

Results: In 2005/06 almost 27% of those surveyed had had sex and almost 86% reported using condoms or the contraceptive pill at last intercourse.

The role of behavioural factors in explaining socio-economic differences in adolescent health: a multilevel study in 33 countries.

Attempts to describe and explain socio-economic differences in health have mainly focused on adults. Little is known about the mechanisms of the relationship between socio-economic status (SES) and health in adolescence including inconsistent findings between SES and health among young people. Data were derived from representative samples of 13 and 15-year-old students in 33 European and North American countries (n=97,721) as part of the Health Behaviour in School-aged Children (HBSC) study 2001/2002.

Emotional health of Canadian and Finnish students with disabilities or chronic conditions.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the dimensions of emotional health in two population-based groups (Finland and Canada) of adolescents (ages 13 and 15 years) who self-identify as having a disability or chronic condition, as conceptualized by the WHO International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health. Data from the 2002 WHO Health Behaviour in School-aged Children survey were used to compare the prevalence of emotional health (items on feeling low, feeling nervous) within and between countries. Eighteen percent of the Canadian and Finnish samples indicated they had a long-time disability, illness or medical condition.

Patterns of adolescent physical activity, screen-based media use, and positive and negative health indicators in the U.S. and Canada.

Purpose: To examine: (1) how adolescent physical activity (PA) and screen-based media use (SBM) relate to physical and social health indicators, and (2) crossnational differences in these relationships.

Methods: Essentially identical questions and methodologies were used in the Health Behavior in School-Aged Children cross-sectional surveys of nationally representative samples of American (N = 14,818) and Canadian (N = 7266) students in grades 6 to 10. Items included questions about frequency of PA, SBM, positive health indicators (health status, self-image, quality of life, and quality of family and peer relationships), and negative health indicators (health complaints, physical aggression, smoking, drinking, and marijuana use).

Parental occupation, family affluence and adolescent health behaviour in 28 countries.

Objectives: We explored the association between socioeconomic position and four different aspects of adolescent health behavior in a wide range of European countries, the US, Canada and Israel.

Methods: Data were collected from the Health Behaviour in School-aged Children (HBSC) study in 2002. Representative samples of 13 and 15 year olds completed a standardised questionnaire during school hours in each country.

Associations between adolescent risk behaviors and injury: the modifying role of disability.

Background: Adolescents with disabilities are at risk for poor health outcomes including injury. The objective of this study was to examine if disability status modifies the association between risk behavior and injury among adolescents.

Methods: The cross-sectional Health Behavior in School-Aged Children Survey was administered to a representative sample of 7235 Canadian students (grades 6-10) in 2002.

Density and type of food retailers surrounding Canadian schools: variations across socioeconomic status.

Lower socioeconomic status (SES) neighbourhoods may have differential access to food retailers, potentially explaining the varying area-level obesity rates. The food retail environment around 188 schools across Canada was examined, including full-service restaurants, fast food restaurants, sub/sandwich retailers, donut/coffee shops, convenience stores, and grocery stores. School addresses were linked to census data to obtain area-level SES measures.

Association between the food retail environment surrounding schools and overweight in Canadian youth.

Introduction: There is growing interest in how the physical environment influences obesity. Few studies have considered how the food retail environment surrounding schools influences overweight in students.

Objective: To determine whether there is a relationship between food retailers surrounding schools and overweight among Canadian youth.

Television viewing, computer use and total screen time in Canadian youth.

Background: Research has linked excessive television viewing and computer use in children and adolescents to a variety of health and social problems. Current recommendations are that screen time in children and adolescents should be limited to no more than 2 h per day.

Objective: To determine the percentage of Canadian youth meeting the screen time guideline recommendations.

Success indicators for integrating mental health interventions with community-based rehabilitation projects.

Community interventions for people with physical disabilities and for people with mental illness have evolved following similar trajectories, although at different periods of time. This study develops and tests indicators for successful integration of community-based rehabilitation (CBR)-mental health and development (MHD) services. An in-depth study was conducted of two organizations in Sri Lanka and India that successfully integrated CBR and MHD services as well as two organizations in Nepal and Bangladesh, which were planning integration.