Ten-Year Heterogeneity of Minimal Important Change and Patient Acceptable Symptom State After Lumbar Fusions.

Study Design: Cohort study.

Objective: To evaluate heterogeneity (fluctuation) in minimal important change (MIC) and patient-acceptable symptom state (PASS) for patient-reported outcomes (PROMs) through 10 years after lumbar fusion.

Summary Of Background Data: PROMs have become key determinants in spine surgery outcomes studies.

Preferences and Avoidance of Sleeping Positions Among Patients With Chronic Low Back Pain: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Background Chronic low back pain (CLBP) is a common issue among the working-age population. Sleeping position may affect CLBP, with the prone position commonly suggested to be avoided. This study aims to examine the relationship between preferred and avoided sleeping positions and to explore the frequency of increased pain in various sleeping positions among patients with nonspecific CLBP and pain and disability levels.

Nonlinear Effect of Preexisting Cranial Adjacent Disc Degeneration on Cumulative 12-Year Revision Risk Following Lumbar Fusions.

Study Design: Retrospective analysis of prospectively collected data.

Objective: To evaluate how preexisting adjacent segment degeneration status impacts revision risk for adjacent segment disease (ASD) after lumbar fusions.

Summary Of Background Data: ASD incurs late reoperations after lumbar fusion surgeries.

Stress hormone response to instrumented elective lumbar spine fusion surgery.

Purpose: To understand the systemic effect of major spine surgery, we investigated stress, anabolic and catabolic hormonal levels and their association with interleukin 6 (IL-6) in patients undergoing elective lumbar spine fusion surgery.

Methods: Blood samples were collected preoperatively, and at 1, 3, 42, 90 days postoperatively (POD) from 49 patients who underwent elective lumbar spine fusion surgery.

Results: Serum concentration of cortisol was below the preoperative value at POD 1 but did not differ from the baseline values thereafter.

Benefits of lumbar spine fusion surgery reach 10 years with various surgical indications.

Background Context: Lumbar spine fusion (LSF) surgery is a viable form of treatment for several spinal disorders. Treatment effects are preferably to be endorsed in real-life settings.

Methods: This prospective study evaluated the 10-year outcomes of LSF.

Simultaneous adsorption of Cu(II), Zn(II), Cd(II) and Pb(II) from synthetic wastewater using NaP and LTA zeolites prepared from biomass fly ash.

Herein, NaP and LTA zeolites were successfully synthesised from woody biomass ash with alkali fusion-assisted hydrothermal method by altering the NaOH/ash ratio, crystallisation time and crystallisation temperature. In order to reduce the synthesis costs, NaP zeolite was synthesised with no additional source of aluminium and silicon. The synthesised zeolites were utilized for the monocomponent and simultaneous adsorption of Cu(II), Cd(II), Pb(II) and Zn(II) ions.

The McKenzie Method versus guideline-based advice in the treatment of sciatica: 24-month outcomes of a randomised clinical trial.

Objective: To compare the effectiveness of a McKenzie Method intervention in patients with sciatica with guideline-based patient education.

Design: Multi-centre, assessor-blinded, parallel-group, randomised trial.

Setting: Two tertiary hospitals providing operative spinal care.

Current concepts, advances, and challenges in deciphering the human microbiota with metatranscriptomics.

Metatranscriptomics refers to the analysis of the collective microbial transcriptome of a sample. Its increased utilization for the characterization of human-associated microbial communities has enabled the discovery of many disease-state related microbial activities. Here, we review the principles of metatranscriptomics-based analysis of human-associated microbial samples.

Neck-Shoulder Region Training for Chronic Headache in Women: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

Objectives: We investigated whether a specific exercise program for the neck-shoulder region reduces headache intensity, frequency, and duration, and how it influences neck disability among women with chronic headache compared to a control group.

Design: Two-center randomized controlled trial.

Subjects: 116 working-age women.

Comparison of magnetic resonance imaging findings among sciatica patients classified as centralizers or non-centralizers.

Objective: To compare if the degenerative findings from MRI differ between the sciatica patients classified as centralizers (CEN) and non-centralizers (Non-CEN) according to the McKenzie Method of mechanical diagnosis and therapy.

Study Design: A cross-sectional study.

Methods: Patients ( = 100) referred to a spine clinic of a single tertiary hospital for specialist consultation for sciatica.

Cross-cultural adaptation and validation of the Kerlan-Jobe Orthopaedic Clinic shoulder and elbow score in Finnish-speaking overhead athletes.

Background: The Kerlan-Jobe Orthopaedic Clinic Shoulder and Elbow score (KJOC) is developed to evaluate the shoulder and elbow function in overhead athletes. To date, the score has not been adapted into Finnish language. The aim of this study was to perform a cross-cultural adaptation of the Kerlan-Jobe Orthopaedic Clinic Shoulder and Elbow score (KJOC) into Finnish language and evaluate its validity, reliability, and responsiveness in overhead athletes.

Physical fitness characteristics and neck and shoulder pain incidence in school-aged children-A 2-year follow-up.

Background And Aims: Neck and shoulder pain (NSP) is common in school age, but preventative factors have not been identified. The purpose was to study whether a fitness test could be used to predict the incidence of NSP and determine whether good physical fitness characters would be associated with lower NSP incidence in school-aged children at 2-year follow-up.

Methods: After the invitation to nine schools, 970 children (10-15 years old) agreed to participate.

The transcription factor network of E. coli steers global responses to shifts in RNAP concentration.

The robustness and sensitivity of gene networks to environmental changes is critical for cell survival. How gene networks produce specific, chronologically ordered responses to genome-wide perturbations, while robustly maintaining homeostasis, remains an open question. We analysed if short- and mid-term genome-wide responses to shifts in RNA polymerase (RNAP) concentration are influenced by the known topology and logic of the transcription factor network (TFN) of Escherichia coli.

Physical activity, screen time and the incidence of neck and shoulder pain in school-aged children.

This study investigated the associations of accelerometer-measured physical activity, sedentary time and screen time with the incidence of neck and shoulder pain in school-aged children over a two-year follow-up. Children (aged 10-15) were measured at baseline 2013 (T0) (n = 970) and at follow-ups 2014 (T1) and 2015 (T2). Neck and shoulder pain frequency and screen time were determined with a web-based questionnaire.

Effects of Upper Body Eccentric versus Concentric Strength Training and Detraining on Maximal Force, Muscle Activation, Hypertrophy and Serum Hormones in Women.

Effects of eccentric (ECC) versus concentric (CON) strength training of the upper body performed twice a week for 10 weeks followed by detraining for five weeks on maximal force, muscle activation, muscle mass and serum hormone concentrations were investigated in young women (n = 11 and n = 12). One-repetition bench press (1RM), maximal isometric force and surface electromyography (EMG) of triceps brachii (TB), anterior deltoid (AD) and pectoralis major (PM), cross-sectional area (CSA) of TB (Long (LoH) and Lateral Head (LaH)) and thickness of PM, as well as serum concentrations of free testosterone, cortisol, follicle-stimulating hormone, estradiol and sex hormone-binding globulin were measured. ECC and CON training led to increases of 17.

Self-reported Reasons for Changes in Performance of Daily Activities During a 2-Year Multidisciplinary Multiple Sclerosis Rehabilitation.

Background: Few multidisciplinary rehabilitation studies with a heterogeneous design have focused on individuals with multiple sclerosis (MS). This study compared subjective-reported changes in performance and satisfaction with daily activities among moderately and severely disabled individuals with MS during a 2-year, multidisciplinary, group-based, outpatient rehabilitation program comprising education in self-management and compensatory techniques, exercise, and guided peer support.

Methods: Thirty-eight adults with moderate disability (Expanded Disability Status Scale [EDSS] score of 4.

Psychometric Properties of the Scoliosis Research Society Questionnaire (Version 22r) Domains Among Adults With Spinal Deformity: A Rasch Measurement Theory Analysis.

Objective: Adult spinal deformity (ASD) have lower health-related quality of life (HRQoL) compared to the general population. Applying Rasch measurement theory (RMT), this study tested the revised Scoliosis Research Society-22 (SRS-22r) HRQoL instrument among symptomatic adult patients with degenerative spinal disorders and varying degrees of ASD.

Methods: SRS-22r data from 637 outpatient spine clinic patients with degenerative spine conditions were investigated for unidimensionality, item/scale fit, differential item functioning (DIF), scale coverage/targeting, and person separation index (PSI) using RMT.

High-intensity versus low-intensity resistance training in patients with knee osteoarthritis: A randomized controlled trial.

Objectives: To assess whether (i) high-intensity resistance training (RT) leads to increased muscle strength compared to low-intensity RT in patients with knee osteoarthritis (OA); and (ii) RT with vitamin D supplementation leads to increased muscle strength compared to placebo in a subgroup with vitamin D deficiency.

Design: Randomized controlled trial.

Setting: Outpatient rehabilitation centre.

Lower thoracic spine extension mobility is associated with higher intensity of thoracic spine pain.

Objectives: To evaluate the association of thoracic spine (TS) posture and mobility with TS pain.

Methods: Participants with TS pain reported maximum, average, and night pain in TS area, and pain summary score was calculated. Upright and sitting TS postures were evaluated by inspection.