Group eye movement desensitization and reprocessing interventions in adults and children: A systematic review of randomized and nonrandomized trials

This review systematically synthesized existing literature on group protocols of eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) therapy for treating a range of mental health difficulties in adults and children. We conducted database searches on PsychINFO, EMBASE, MEDLINE, Web of Science, The Cochrane Library and Francine Shapiro Library up to May 2020, using PRISMA guidelines. Studies were included if they used at least one standardized outcome measure, if they present a quantitative data on the effect of group EMDR protocols on mental health difficulties and if they were published in English. Twenty-two studies with 1739 participants were included. Thirteen studies examined EMDR Integrative Group Treatment Protocol (IGTP), four studies examined EMDR Group Traumatic Episode Protocol (G-TEP), four studies EMDR Integrative Group Treatment Protocol for Ongoing Traumatic Stress and one study considered EMDR Group Protocol with Children. Of the 22 studies included, 12 were one-arm trials and 10 were two-arm trials. We assessed risk of bias using a revised Tool to Assess Risk of Bias in Randomized Trials (ROB 2) and Risk of Bias in Nonrandomized Studies of Interventions (ROBINS-I). Overall, the results suggested that Group EMDR protocols might be an effective tool in improving a wide range of mental health-related outcomes including posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression and anxiety. However, the included studies are limited to methodological challenges. The limitations and future directions are discussed.     

Retention forces between primary and secondary CAD/CAM manufactured telescopic crowns: an in vitro comparison of common material combinations

Clinical Oral Investigations - To analyze the retention forces between primary and secondary telescopic crowns milled from various materials and to compare them with the retention forces between...     

Cognitive neuroscience of hemispatial neglect

Introduction. Patients with neglect often fail to be aware of stimuli located on their contralesional side - the side of space opposite their brain damage. Some patients show impairments in extrapersonal space; others within personal (body) space; and some in both. Although the neglect syndrome may be associated with a distorted perception of extrapersonal or personal space, recent investigations suggest that attentional, memory and motor deficits may be important additional components. Conclusion. Better understanding of these cognitive impairments holds the key to offering effective treatment for neglect, as well as providing important insights into normal brain function.     

Conformational dynamics of superoxide dismutase (SOD1) in osmolytes: a molecular dynamics simulation study

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a progressive neurodegenerative disease caused by the misfolding of Cu, Zn superoxide dismutase (SOD1). Several earlier studies have shown that monomeric apo SOD1 undergoes significant local unfolding dynamics and is the predecessor for aggregation. Here, we have employed atomistic molecular dynamics (MD) simulations to study the structure and dynamics of monomeric apo and holo SOD1 in water, aqueous urea and aqueous urea–TMAO (trimethylamine oxide) solutions. Loop IV (zinc-binding loop) and loop VII (electrostatic loop) of holo SOD1 are considered as functionally important loops as they are responsible for the structural stability of holo SOD1. We found larger local unfolding of loop IV and VII of apo SOD1 as compared to holo SOD1 in water. Urea induced more unfolding in holo SOD1 than apo SOD1, whereas the stabilization of both the form of SOD1 was observed in ternary solution (i.e. water/urea/TMAO solution) but the extent of stabilization was higher in holo SOD1 than apo SOD1. The partially unfolded structures of apo SOD1 in water, urea and holo SOD1 in urea were identified by the exposure of the hydrophobic cores, which are highly dynamic and these may be the initial events of aggregation in SOD1. Our simulation studies support the formation of aggregates by means of the local unfolding of monomeric apo SOD1 as compared to holo SOD1 in water.

Change in conformations of apo and holo SOD1 in water and in osmolytes in terms of configurational entropy (S).     

Large multicystic pulmonary chondroid hamartoma in a child presenting as pneumothorax

We describe a 10-year-old boy with a rare large multicystic pulmonary chondroid hamartoma in the right lower lobe presenting with severe respiratory distress. The radiological evaluation showed a large multicystic lesion in the right lower lobe with pneumothorax. Commonly, pulmonary hamartomas are asymptomatic, small in size, and are diagnosed incidentally in adults. Our case is highly unusual due to its young age, prominent clinical symptoms of severe respiratory distress with pneumothorax at presentation, very large size, and prominent cystic change. The lesion was surgically excised, and histopathological features were compatible with a multicystic chondroid hamartoma.Hamartomas are an abnormal proliferation of a mixture of tissue elements that are normally present in that organ. Pulmonary hamartomas (PH), also known as chondroid hamartomas, are the most common benign tumors of the lung in adults.1 They are slow growing, non-infiltrative, and nodular. Histologically, they show a mixture of mature mesenchymal tissue like adipose tissue, cartilage, bone, smooth muscle bundles, and fibromyxoid tissue in varying proportions.2 In addition, cleft-like spaces lined by respiratory epithelium are common. Males are 4 times more affected than females. The PHs are common in the fifth and sixth decade of life, and they tend to occur in the peripheral lung fields. Radiologically, they are typically described as coin lesions due to their smooth, sharply demarcated outline, and round shape. Identification of ‘popcorn-like’ calcification on plain radiograph is diagnostic when present. The PHs are mostly asymptomatic, diagnosed incidentally, measuring less than 4 cms in diameter, and they rarely show extensive cyst formation. We report a case of a large multilocular cystic chondroid pulmonary hamartoma in a 10-year-old boy. Our objective in presenting this particular case is to highlight the highly unusual pediatric age group, unique clinical and radiological findings, prominent cystic change, and very large size.