Experimental Models for Cold Exposure of Muscle and .

Work in cold environments may have a significant impact on occupational health. In these and similar situations, cold exposure localized to the extremities may reduce the temperature of underlying tissues. To investigate the molecular effects of cold exposure in muscle, and since adequate methods were missing, we established two experimental cold exposure models: 1) exposure to cold (18°C) or control temperature (37°C) of cultured human skeletal muscle cells (myotubes); and 2) unilateral cold exposure of hind limb skeletal muscle in anesthetized rats (intramuscular temperature 18°C), with contralateral control (37°C).

A man in his forties with acute confusion.

Rapid and thorough assessment of acute neuropsychiatric symptoms is essential for effective treatment. Here we describe a patient with a distinctive but relatively rare disease.

Facet Arthropathy Following Disc Replacement Versus Rehabilitation: A Prospective Study With 8-Year Follow-Up.

Study Design: A prospective study of patients originally randomized to total disc replacement (TDR) or multidisciplinary rehabilitation.

Objective: To assess the long-term development of facet arthropathy (FA) after TDR versus nonoperative treatment, and to analyze the association between FA and clinical outcome.

Summary Of Background Data: FA may appear or increase following TDR, but the natural course of FA is unclear, and no previous study has evaluated the long-term development of FA following TDR compared with nonoperative treatment.

Posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome, a clinically diverse and challenging disorder.

The characterizing features of Posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome (PRES) are broad and diverse, making early recognition and diagnosis challenging tasks. To illustrate the heterogeneous nature of PRES, we present three cases and discuss their clinical and radiological presentation.

Facet arthropathy evaluation: CT or MRI?

Objective: To assess the reliability of lumbar facet arthropathy evaluation with computed tomography (CT) or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in patients with and without lumbar disc prosthesis and to estimate the reliability for individual CT and MRI findings indicating facet arthropathy.

Methods: Metal-artifact reducing CT and MRI protocols were performed at follow-up of 114 chronic back pain patients treated with (n = 66) or without (n = 48) lumbar disc prosthesis. Three experienced radiologists independently rated facet joint space narrowing, osteophyte/hypertrophy, erosions, subchondral cysts, and total grade facet arthropathy at each of the three lower lumbar levels on both CT and MRI, using Weishaupt et al's rating system.