Intermediate Age Research Articles

Optimal Period for Surgery for Congenital Muscular Torticollis Following the Failure of Physiotherapy.

Congenital muscular torticollis is the third most common cause of orthopedic deformity. It is a risk factor for plagiocephaly. Physiotherapy is the preferred treatment. However, if it fails, surgery is recommended. This study examined the surgical results of congenital muscular torticollis in association with age. A retrospective descriptive study of patients who underwent surgery (tenotomy of the sternocleidomastoid muscle) for congenital muscular torticollis at a single center between 2000 and 2022 was, accordingly, performed. Clinical results (excellent, good, or poor) were examined in the following 3 age groups: younger than 18 months, older than 4 years, and an intermediate age. Surgical results were evaluated for at least 12 months of follow-up. During the study period, 96 cases of congenital muscular torticollis were surgically treated, and 75 records met the inclusion criteria. Initial physiotherapy was administered to all patients for an average of 16.9 months. Excellent and good results were better in the below 18-month group (mean: 13.4 mo) without recurrence. The results were poor in 22.8% of intermediate-age patients and in 13.0% of those older than 4 years. Thus, surgery for congenital muscular torticollis, after the failure of physiotherapy, achieved an overall success rate of 85.6% (excellent or good). Bipolar tenotomy should, therefore, be performed if congenital muscular torticollis is resistant to physiotherapy. The optimal period is between 12 and 18 months of age. In cases of neglected torticollis, better results are obtained if surgery is postponed until after the child is 4 years old. Level of evidence: level III.

A Tomb from the Intermediate Bronze Age near the Village of Ibtin, in the Zevulun Valley

A Tomb from the Intermediate Bronze Age near the Village of Ibtin, in the Zevulun Valley

Settlement Remains from the Intermediate Bronze Age at ShelomitT

Settlement Remains from the Intermediate Bronze Age at ShelomitT

Rock-Cut Shaft Tombs from the Intermediate Bronze Age near the Holyland Hotel, Jerusalem

Rock-Cut Shaft Tombs from the Intermediate Bronze Age near the Holyland Hotel, Jerusalem

Signatures of Atmospheric Mass Loss and Planet Migration in the Time Evolution of Short-period Transiting Exoplanets

Abstract Comparative studies of young and old exoplanet populations offer a glimpse into how planets may form and evolve with time. We present an occurrence rate study of short-period (<12 days) planets between 1.8 and 10 R ⊕ around 1374 FGK stars in nearby (200 pc) young clusters (<1 Gyr), utilizing data from the Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite mission. These planets represent a population closer to their primordial state. We find that the occurrence rate of young planets is higher ( 6 4 − 22 + 32 %) compared to the Gyr-old population observed by Kepler ( 7.9 8 − 0.35 + 0.37 %). Dividing our sample into bins of young (10–100 Myr) and intermediate (100 Myr–1 Gyr) ages, we also find that the occurrence distribution in orbital period remains unchanged, while the distribution in planet radius changes with time. Specifically, the radius distribution steepens with age, indicative of a larger planet population shrinking due to the atmospheric thermal cooling and mass loss. We also find evidence for an increase (1.9σ) in occurrence after 100 Myr, possibly due to tidal migration driving planets inside of 12 days. While evidence suggests that postdisk migration and atmospheric mass loss shape the population of short-period planets, more detections of young planets are needed to improve statistical comparisons with older planets. Detecting long-period young planets and planets <1.8 R ⊕ will help us understand these processes better. Additionally, studying young planetary atmospheres provides insights into planet formation and the efficiency of atmospheric mass-loss mechanisms on the evolution of planetary systems.

An Intermediate Bronze Age Bead Assemblage from a Burial Cave at Givʿat Reḥelim (Tell es-Safa) in Northern Israel

An Intermediate Bronze Age Bead Assemblage from a Burial Cave at Givʿat Reḥelim (Tell es-Safa) in Northern Israel

CLN6-related continuum phenotype caused by aberrant splicing.

Neuronal ceroid lipofuscinoses (NCLs) are genetically heterogeneous neurodegenerative disorders, characterized by progressive cognitive and motor decline, epilepsy, visual impairment, and shortened life-expectancy. CLN6-related NCLs include both late-infantile and adult myoclonic form. We report a 21-year-old patient, with mild developmental delay, who developed occipital seizures at 14 years, and subsequently cognitive decline, cortical myoclonus, and photosensitivity at low and higher frequencies. Overall, the picture suited progressive myoclonus epilepsy. Electroretinogram was normal. A skin biopsy revealed a mixed storage of curvilinear and fingerprint profiles. A brain MRI showed severe cortical atrophy. Performing genetic analyses, two biallelic variants were identified in the CLN6 gene, each inherited from one of the healthy parents, one c.722T>C, p.(Met241Thr) already described in the late-infantile form and the other one c.486+28T>C, intronic and novel, causing aberrant splicing. In the patient, the expression of the allele containing c.722T>C variant was increased, in comparison with the carrier parent. The peculiar genetic pattern observed in the patient could explain a milder clinical picture when compared with late-infantile form, since CLN6expression was partially preserved. However, the presence of a delay, and the early cognitive decline suggested a continuum phenotype connecting late-infantile and adult CLN6-related forms. PLAIN LANGUAGE SUMMARY: We report a patient with CLN6 disease who developed symptoms at an intermediate age: 9 years for mild intellectual disability and 14 years for occipital seizures and progressive myoclonus epilepsy, without visual impairment. The patient is compound heterozygous for a CLN6 missense variant c.722T>C, p.(Met241Thr) already described in the late-infantile form and for a novel intronic variant c.486+28T>C, causing aberrant splicing. In the patient, the expression of the allele containing c.722T>C variant was increased, compared with the carrier parent. The splice site variant had a milder effect. The peculiar genetic pattern may explain the continuum phenotype between late-infantile and adult forms.

A study of the frequency and characteristics of stellar companions and Jupiter-like planets in nearby open clusters

Context. Observations of companions of solar-type stars in nearby young moving groups (NYMGs) show that they split into two groups: stellar and brown dwarf companions (mass ratio q > 0.05) and Jupiter-like (JL) planets (q < 0.02). The frequency of JL planets in NYMGs appears to be higher than that obtained from radial velocity (RV) surveys. Aims. We extended the search for companions to three nearby clusters of intermediate age: Hyades, Coma Berenices, and Ursa Major. They are older and formed in more massive events than the NYMGs. Methods. The sample of host stars is complete for the core of the clusters, while we considered only a fraction of the tidal tails. We used the same methods considered for the members of NYMGs. Results. We obtained a fairly complete sample of stellar companions and detected six massive JL planets. We found a lower frequency of equal-mass companions than in the NYMGs; this might be related to how binaries form in these environments. We also observed a concentration of stellar binaries in the cores of Ursa Major and Coma Berenices; we attribute this to the selective loss of low-mass systems. The observed scarcity of wide companions in Hyades can be due to the destruction of binaries in close encounters. The frequency of JL planets is lower than in the NYMGs but similar to that obtained from RV surveys. This extends the correlation with age and mass previously found for NYMGs. Conclusions. Results of this study alone do not indicate whether age or mass are the factors driving the observed correlation. A comparison of the frequencies of free-floating planets from microlenses and in young associations favours mass as the main driving parameter. Once the initial cluster mass function is considered, the frequency of JL planets in NYMGs is consistent with the results obtained using RVs.

An Intermediate Bronze Age Presence at Tel Yizra‘’el (with a contribution by Ofer Marder and Howard Smithline) (pp. 1–16)

An Intermediate Bronze Age Presence at Tel Yizra‘’el (with a contribution by Ofer Marder and Howard Smithline) (pp. 1–16)

Intermediate and Middle Bronze Age Burial Cave 900 in Naḥal Refa’im, Jerusalem (pp. 17–32)

Intermediate and Middle Bronze Age Burial Cave 900 in Naḥal Refa’im, Jerusalem (pp. 17–32)

Murhan: An Intermediate Bronze Age Site in the Harod Valley (pp. 13–28)

Murhan: An Intermediate Bronze Age Site in the Harod Valley (pp. 13–28)

Petrographic Examination of Intermediate Bronze Age StorageVessels from Murhan, a Site in the Harod Valley (pp. 29–34)

Petrographic Examination of Intermediate Bronze Age StorageVessels from Murhan, a Site in the Harod Valley (pp. 29–34)

Burial Caves from the Intermediate Bronze, Middle Bronze and Iron Ages at Nazareth (pp. 1–44)

Burial Caves from the Intermediate Bronze, Middle Bronze and Iron Ages at Nazareth (pp. 1–44)

An Intermediate Bronze Age Cemetery at Qanat el-Ja‘’ar, near ‘En Ha-Naziv (Hebrew, pp. 57*–86*; English summary, p. 108)

An Intermediate Bronze Age Cemetery at Qanat el-Ja‘’ar, near ‘En Ha-Naziv (Hebrew, pp. 57*–86*; English summary, p. 108)

A Burial Cave from the Intermediate Bronze Age and the Middle Bronze Age West of Tel Hazor (Hebrew, pp. 1*–11*; English summary, pp. 119–120)

A Burial Cave from the Intermediate Bronze Age and the Middle Bronze Age West of Tel Hazor (Hebrew, pp. 1*–11*; English summary, pp. 119–120)

Remains of the Wadi Rabah Culture, Early Bronze Age IB and the Intermediate Bronze Age at ‘En Esur (‘Ein Assawir), Area J (Hebrew, pp. 23*–43*; English summary, pp. 104–106)

Remains of the Wadi Rabah Culture, Early Bronze Age IB and the Intermediate Bronze Age at ‘En Esur (‘Ein Assawir), Area J (Hebrew, pp. 23*–43*; English summary, pp. 104–106)

A Tomb from the Early Bronze Age I and the Intermediate Bronze Age at Azor (Hebrew, pp. 1*–8*; English summary, p. 255)

A Tomb from the Early Bronze Age I and the Intermediate Bronze Age at Azor (Hebrew, pp. 1*–8*; English summary, p. 255)

A Burial Cave from the Intermediate Bronze Age and Middle Bronze Age IIC near the Village of Ras ‘Ali, in Naḥal Zippori (Hebrew, pp. 1*–11*; English summary, p. 161)

A Burial Cave from the Intermediate Bronze Age and Middle Bronze Age IIC near the Village of Ras ‘Ali, in Naḥal Zippori (Hebrew, pp. 1*–11*; English summary, p. 161)

An Intermediate Bronze Age Settlement and a Middle Bronze Age II Cemetery at the ‘Third Mile Estate’, Ashqelon (pp. 143–165)

An Intermediate Bronze Age Settlement and a Middle Bronze Age II Cemetery at the ‘Third Mile Estate’, Ashqelon (pp. 143–165)

A Rock-Cut Burial Cave from the Early, Intermediate and Late Bronze Ages near Ḥorbat Zelef (pp. 1–46)

A Rock-Cut Burial Cave from the Early, Intermediate and Late Bronze Ages near Ḥorbat Zelef (pp. 1–46)