Mature teratoma of conus medullaris: A case report and review of literature.

In conus medullaris, mature teratomas are rare. We report a case of a 40-year-old man who presented with urinary incontinence, low back pain, and muscle weakness. Magnetic resonance imaging revealed a mass in conus medullaris (T-L), further confirmed as a mature teratoma by pathological examination.

The Relationship Between Gastrointestinal Comorbidities, Clinical Presentation and Surgical Outcome in Patients with DCM: Analysis of a Global Cohort.

Degenerative cervical myelopathy (DCM) is the most common cause of spinal cord impairment in adults, presenting most frequently in patients 50 years or older. Gastrointestinal comorbidities (GICs) commonly occur in this group; however, their relationship with DCM has not been thoroughly investigated. It is the objective of the present study to investigate the difference between patients with or without GICs who are surgically treated for DCM.

Pesticide Exposure and Head and Neck Cancers: A Case-Control Study in an Agricultural Region.

Introduction: Causes of head and neck cancers (HNCs) are multifactorial, and few studies have investigated the association between chemical exposure and HNCs. The objective of this study was to investigate associations between HNCs, agricultural occupations, and pesticide exposure. The potential for the accumulation of pesticides in the adipose tissue of patients was also investigated.

Postoperative Resolution of Magnetic Resonance Imaging Signal Intensity Changes and the Associated Impact on Outcomes in Degenerative Cervical Myelopathy: Analysis of a Global Cohort of Patients.

Study Design: Subanalysis of the prospective AOSpine CSM North America and International studies.

Objective: To describe the postoperative changes in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) spinal cord signal intensity in degenerative cervical myelopathy (DCM) patients and to investigate the impact of its postoperative resolution on clinical outcomes.

Summary Of Background Data: When examining the spinal cord, hyperintensity found in MRI T2-weighted images and hypointensity in T1-weighted images are known to correlate with preoperative severity of DCM and to predict postoperative neurological recovery.

Influence of Magnetic Resonance Imaging Features on Surgical Decision-Making in Degenerative Cervical Myelopathy: Results from a Global Survey of AOSpine International Members.

Objective: We conducted a survey to understand how specific pathologic features on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) influence surgeons toward an anterior or posterior surgical approach in degenerative cervical myelopathy (DCM).

Methods: A questionnaire was sent out to 6179 AOSpine International members via e-mail. This included 18 questions on a 7-point Likert scale regarding how MRI features influence the respondent's decision to perform an anterior or posterior surgical approach.

MRI Analysis of the Combined Prospectively Collected AOSpine North America and International Data: The Prevalence and Spectrum of Pathologies in a Global Cohort of Patients With Degenerative Cervical Myelopathy.

Study Design: An ambispective analysis.

Objective: The aim of this study was to report the global prevalence of specific degenerative cervical pathologies in patients with degenerative cervical myelopathy (DCM) through detailed review of magnetic resonance imaging (MRIs).

Summary Of Background Data: DCM encompasses a spectrum of age-related conditions that result in progressive spinal cord injury.

Effect of Aspirin on Spinal Cord Injury: An Experimental Study.

Aspirin is an anti-inflammatory drug, peroxyl radical scavenger, and antioxidant agent that inhibits phospholipases, nitric oxide synthetases, and cyclooxygenase enzymes. The existing literature contains no studies on the effects of various doses of aspirin on spinal cord injury (SCI). Therefore, we sought to investigate the putative effects of aspirin on experimental SCI.

Induction of intervertebral disc cell apoptosis and degeneration by chronic unpredictable stress.

Object: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of chronic unpredictable stress on the intervertebral discs of rats.

Methods: The cellular events involved in injury- and stress-induced disc degeneration were investigated in male Wistar rats. Disc degeneration and apoptosis were evaluated using microscopic (light and electron) and molecular (immunoblotting and immunohistochemistry) methods.

Effects of pulsed electromagnetic field on intervertebral disc cell apoptosis in rats.

Despite numerous studies on pulsed electromagnetic field (PEMF) application, its effects of PEMF on intervertebral disc (IVD) have not yet been investigated in vivo. Accordingly, the effects of PEMF upon IVD in rats were evaluated through molecular surveys. Rats were divided into six groups: Group I and II were exposed to low and high frequency of PEMF (LF and HF, respectively).

Ventriculoperitoneal shunt migration and coiling: A report of two cases.

Migration of the proximal and distal catheters of the ventriculoperitoneal shunt is a very rare event. Here, we report two infants with hydrocephalus and ventriculoperitoneal shunt who presented later with shunt coiling and migration. The first infant was admitted with scalp swelling around proximal incision 3 months after shunt insertion and migration and coiling of both ventricular and peritoneal catheters occurred under the scalp at that point.

Effect of atorvastatin on angiogenesis in degenerated intervertebral disc in rat.

Study Design: An experimental study to measure the depth of penetration of new vessels in degenerated intervertebral disc in rat.

Objective: To evaluate the effects of atorvastatin on angiogenesis in experimental disc degeneration in rat.

Summary Of Background Data: Back pain is strongly associated with degenerated intervertebral disc and management of this condition is still empirical.

Effect of long-term axial spinal unloading on vertebral body height in adult thoracolumbar spine.

The human spine is influenced by mechanical loads. To our knowledge, this is the first study to assess the effect of long-term axial unloading on morphology of healthy vertebras in adults. The objective of this study is to quantify the effects of long-term relative axial unloading on thoracolumbar vertebral body height in adults.

Self-mutilation of the nose in a schizophrenic patient with Cotard syndrome.

Cotard syndrome is a rare condition, which its main symptom is nihilistic delusion. Self-mutilation of the nose is also a rare condition, which has not been seen in schizophrenic patients with Cotard syndrome. A single case is presented here.

The prevalence of complicated grief among Bam earthquake survivors in Iran.

Earthquake is a natural disaster, which causes many psychological problems in survivors. Complicated grief is one of these sequelae. A devastating earthquake with a magnitude of 6.

Removal of lead, cadmium, zinc, and copper from industrial wastewater by carbon developed from walnut, hazelnut, almond, pistachio shell, and apricot stone.

In this work, adsorption of copper (Cu), zinc (Zn), lead (Pb), and cadmium (Cd) that exist in industrial wastewater onto the carbon produced from nutshells of walnut, hazelnut, pistachio, almond, and apricot stone has been investigated. All the agricultural shell or stone used were ground, sieved to a defined size range, and carbonized in an oven. Time and temperature of heating were optimized at 15 min and 800 degrees C, respectively, to reach maximum removal efficiency.

The influence of experimental spinal cord injury on carbamazepine pharmacokinetics.

Background: Previous studies have demonstrated that pharmacokinetic behavior of several drugs such as paracetamol, theophylline, and aminoglycosides are significantly altered in patients with spinal cord injury. So far, no study on pharmacokinetics of carbamazepine has been performed in patients or experimental models with spinal cord injury. The present study was designed to find the influence of experimental spinal cord injury on carbamazepine pharmacokinetics.

Correlation of clinical presentation with intraoperative level diagnosis in lower lumbar disc herniation.

Background: Little evidence exists on the diagnostic values of concomitant symptoms and signs in the level diagnosis of patients with lower lumbar disc herniation. We assessed the diagnostic value of the clinical presentation of fifth lumbar and first sacral root dysfunction due to disc herniation.

Methods: We examined 139 consecutive candidates for lower lumbar discectomy.