Is discrimination widespread? Testing assumptions about bias on a university campus.

Discrimination has persisted in our society despite steady improvements in explicit attitudes toward marginalized social groups. The most common explanation for this apparent paradox is that due to implicit biases, most individuals behave in slightly discriminatory ways outside of their own awareness (the dispersed discrimination account). Another explanation holds that a numerical minority of individuals who are moderately or highly biased are responsible for most observed discriminatory behaviors (the concentrated discrimination account).

Exposure to peers' pro-diversity attitudes increases inclusion and reduces the achievement gap.

There is a dearth of empirically validated pro-diversity methods that effectively create a more inclusive social climate. We developed two scalable interventions that target people's perceptions of social norms by communicating to them that their peers hold pro-diversity attitudes and engage in inclusive behaviours. We tested the interventions in six randomized controlled trials at a large public university in the United States (total n = 2,490).

Incorporating Social-Marketing Insights Into Prejudice Research: Advancing Theory and Demonstrating Real-World Applications.

Prejudice researchers have proposed a number of methods to reduce prejudice, drawing on and, in turn, contributing to our theoretical understanding of prejudice. Despite this progress, relatively few of these methods have been shown to reliably improve intergroup relations in real-world settings, resulting in a gap between our theoretical understanding of prejudice and real-world applications of prejudice-reduction methods. In this article, we suggest that incorporating principles from another field, social marketing, into prejudice research can help address this gap.

Instrumented open-door laminoplasty as treatment for cervical myelopathy in 104 patients.

Treatment of multilevel cervical myelopathy remains a challenge. We report on a large series of cervical myelopathy patients treated with instrumented open-door laminoplasty. We retrospectively examined the medical records of 104 patients who had undergone instrumented open-door laminoplasty (titanium plate) for cervical myelopathy (minimum follow-up, 24 months).

Perioperative complications of recombinant human bone morphogenetic protein-2 on an absorbable collagen sponge versus iliac crest bone graft for posterior cervical arthrodesis.

Study Design: Retrospective evaluation of perioperative complications with recombinant human bone morphogenetic protein-2 on an absorbable collagen sponge (rhBMP-2/ACS) versus iliac crest bone graft (ICBG) for instrumented posterior cervical fusion.

Objective: To determine the risk of perioperative complications using rhBMP-2/ACS for posterior cervical fusion compared with ICBG.

Summary Of Background Data: There is substantial use of rhBMP-2/ACS as a bone graft substitute for spine fusions outside the Food and Drug Administration-approved indication of anterior lumbar interbody fusion.

Are preoperative health-related quality of life scores predictive of clinical outcomes after lumbar fusion?

Study Design: Prospective longitudinal cohort.

Objective: This study evaluated the effect of preoperative Mental Component Summary (MCS), preoperative Physical Component Summary (PCS), preoperative Oswestry Disability Index (ODI), back pain predominance, body mass index (BMI), age, smoking status, and workers' compensation on health-related quality of life after lumbar fusion. These factors were selected as they are readily available and may influence a surgeon's decision-making process.

RhBMP-2 versus iliac crest bone graft for lumbar spine fusion in patients over 60 years of age: a cost-utility study.

Study Design: Randomized clinical trial.

Objective: To perform a cost-utility analysis using actual cost data from a randomized clinical trial of patients over 60 years old who underwent posterolateral fusion using either rhBMP-2/ACS or iliac crest bone graft (ICBG).

Summary Background Data: Bone morphogenetic protein has been shown to be an effective bone graft substitute for spine fusion.

RhBMP-2 versus iliac crest bone graft for lumbar spine fusion: a randomized, controlled trial in patients over sixty years of age.

Study Design: Prospective randomized controlled trial of rhBMP-2/ACS (Infuse bone graft) versus iliac crest bone graft (ICBG) for lumbar spine fusion in patients over 60 years of age.

Objective: To report on clinical, radiographic, and economic outcomes, at 2-year follow-up, in patients treated by posterolateral lumbar fusion with rhBMP-2/ACS versus ICBG.

Summary Of Background Data: RhBMP-2/ACS is widely used "off-label" for posterolateral spinal fusion.

Lumbar fusion outcomes stratified by specific diagnostic indication.

Background: One of the primary difficulties in evaluating the effectiveness of lumbar fusion is that, with the exception of spondylolisthesis, specific diagnostic indications for surgery are poorly defined. Diagnostic specificity beyond the symptom of low back pain or the presence of lumbar degeneration needs to be delineated such that outcomes data can be effectively translated into clinical decision making or evidence-based guidelines.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to report on prospectively collected clinical outcome measures, stratified by diagnosis, among a series of patients with lumbar degenerative disease whose treatment included lumbar spine fusion.

Surgical management of severely displaced pediatric seat-belt fracture-dislocations of the lumbar spine associated with occlusion of the abdominal aorta and avulsion of the cauda equina: a report of two cases.

Study Design: Case report.

Objective: To present 2 cases of fracture-dislocations of the lumbar spine associated with injury to the aorta and avulsion of the cauda equina and present recommendations regarding urgent management of these injuries.

Summary Of Background Data: The "seat-belt syndrome" was first described by Garrett and Braunstein in 1962 to describe intraabdominal visceral injuries with fractures of the lumbar spine.

Clinical outcomes in older patients after posterolateral lumbar fusion.

Background Context: Older patients are often advised that their age is a contraindication to lumbar fusion surgery. There is, however, limited available data to support or contradict this assertion. Although prior studies of surgical treatment for lumbar degenerative disease suggest that older patients obtain symptomatic pain relief, an evaluation of fusion outcomes based on modern Health-Related Quality of Life (HRQOL) measures is lacking.

The perioperative cost of Infuse bone graft in posterolateral lumbar spine fusion.

Background Context: There is mounting evidence supporting the efficacy of bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) for both anterior interbody and posterolateral lumbar fusion. However, the relative cost of BMP remains an important concern for physicians, hospitals, and payers.

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to report on the perioperative costs for patients treated with rhBMP-2 as compared with an iliac crest bone graft (ICBG) supplemented with graft extenders.

Posterolateral lumbar spine fusion with INFUSE bone graft.

Background Context: INFUSE has been proven effective in conjunction with threaded cages and bone dowels for single-level anterior lumbar interbody fusion (ALIF). The published experience with posterolateral fusion, although encouraging, utilizes a significantly higher dose and concentration of recombinant human bone morphogenic protein-2 (rhBMP-2) and a different carrier than the commercially available INFUSE.

Purpose: To present an assessment of fusion rate for posterolateral spine fusion with INFUSE Bone Graft.

Lumbar degenerative classification study.

The purpose of this study was to develop and validate a classification of indications for fusion in lumbar degenerative disease. Nineteen spine surgeons reviewed a series of 32 case histories and selected the indication for fusion based on an outlined classification system. To determine the degree of interrater variability, K coefficients were calculated (K for all 32 cases, 0.

Treatment of anterior cervical pseudoarthrosis: posterior fusion versus anterior revision.

Background Context: Posterior fusion has been advocated as the most effective treatment of anterior cervical pseudoarthrosis. Authors cite the benefits of increased stability and avoiding the risk of dissection through anterior scar tissue. Despite these advantages, posterior fusion is a more extensive procedure from the standpoint of perioperative and postoperative recovery.

Adverse effects associated with high-dose recombinant human bone morphogenetic protein-2 use in anterior cervical spine fusion.

Study Design: A retrospective review of patients who underwent an anterior cervical fusion using recombinant human bone morphogenetic protein (rhBMP)-2 with an absorbable collagen sponge (INFUSE; Medtronic Sofamor Danek, Minneapolis, MN).

Objective: To ascertain the complication rate after the use of high-dose INFUSE in anterior cervical fusions.

Summary Of Background Data: The rhBMP-2 has been primarily investigated in lumbar spine fusions, where it has significantly enhanced the fusion rate and decreased the length of surgery, blood loss, and hospital stay.