Clinical Outcomes for Workers' Compensation versus Commercially Insured Patients Following Ambulatory Lumbar Decompression: A Cohort Matched Analysis with Two-Year Follow-Up.

Objective: To evaluate outcomes for workers' compensation (WC) versus commercially insured (CI) patients undergoing lumbar decompression (LD) at an ambulatory surgical center (ASC).

Methods: This is a retrospective cohort study utilizing propensity score matched groups. Patients undergoing elective LD at an ASC with two-year follow-up were identified and grouped based on insurance type (WC or CI).

Validation of PROMIS-PI in a Lumbar Decompression Cohort Through Correlation to Established Pain and Disability Metrics.

Study Design: Retrospective review.

Objective: To validate using patient-reported outcome measurement information system-pain interference (PROMIS-PI) to assess outcomes in patients undergoing lumbar decompression surgery compared with well-established pain and disability measures.

Summary Of Background Data: PROMIS outcomes provide valuable information, but the PROMIS-PI measure has not been validated in lumbar decompression.

Comparing Patient-Reported Outcomes in Patients Undergoing Lumbar Fusion for Degenerative Spondylolisthesis With Predominant Back Pain Versus Predominant Leg Pain Symptoms.

Study Design: Retrospective review.

Objective: This study aims to compare postoperative patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) in predominant back pain (PBP) versus predominant leg pain (PLP) patients following lumbar fusion for degenerative spondylolisthesis (DS).

Summary Of Background Data: Prior studies comparing PROMs in patients undergoing lumbar fusion with PBP versus PLP symptoms have included heterogeneous spinal pathology and restricted analysis to posterior fusion techniques.

The Scarab Technique for Correction of Late-Presenting Sagittal Suture Craniosynostosis.

Introduction: Sagittal synostosis (SS) is the most prevalent form of craniosynostosis. It is the premature fusion of the sagittal suture, resulting in a "boat like" skull shape. Early surgical intervention is crucial to prevent complications, yet no standard procedure exists for patients over 12 months old.

Influence of Preoperative Disability on Outcomes Following Primary Surgical Treatment of Cervical Disc Herniation.

Study Design: Retrospective review.

Objective: To evaluate how preoperative disability influences patient-reported outcomes (PROs) following primary surgical intervention for cervical herniated disc.

Summary Of Background Data: The effect of baseline disability has been evaluated for various spinal surgeries, but not specifically for primary cervical herniated disc.

Electoral participation of people with and without disabilities in urban communities in Cameroon and Senegal.

Background: The right to participate in political processes is fundamental to democratic governance, economic development and human rights.

Objectives: We assessed participation in political processes and also explored factors associated with voting at the most recent election for people with and without disabilities.

Method: We conducted cross-sectional survey in four cities in Senegal and three in Cameroon in 2021.

Predictors of time to achieve clinically significant improvements following lateral lumbar interbody fusion.

Background: As lateral lumbar interbody fusions (LLIF) are increasingly performed, our understanding of postoperative clinical trajectories is important in informing preoperative patient expectations. While minimum clinically important difference (MCID) rates are widely utilized in spine surgery literature, there is less published on how long it takes for patients to achieve MCID following LLIF.

Objective: To evaluate the length of time it takes for patients to report MCID achievement for back pain, leg pain, disability, and physical function and evaluate predictors of time to achieve MCID.

Antibiotic-producing plant-associated bacteria, anti-virulence therapy and microbiome engineering: Integrated approaches in sustainable agriculture.

Plant health is crucial for maintaining the well-being of humans, animals and the environment. Plant pathogens pose significant challenges to agricultural production, global food security and ecosystem biodiversity. This problem is exacerbated by the impact of climate change, which is expected to alter the emergence and evolution of plant pathogens and their interaction with their plant hosts.

Effect of intrapartum azithromycin on gut microbiota development in early childhood: A post hoc analysis of a double-blind randomized trial.

Intrapartum azithromycin prophylaxis has shown the potential to reduce maternal infections but showed no effect on neonatal sepsis and mortality. Antibiotic exposure early in life may affect gut microbiota development, leading to undesired consequences. Therefore, we here assessed the impact of 2 g oral intrapartum azithromycin on gut microbiota development from birth to the age of 3 years, by 16S-rRNA gene profiling of rectal samples from 127 healthy Gambian infants selected from a double-blind randomized placebo-controlled clinical trial (PregnAnZI-2).

Genomic approach to determine sources of neonatal Staphylococcus aureus infection from carriage in the Gambia.

Staphylococcus aureus is a major cause of neonatal infections in various anatomical sites, resulting in high morbidity and mortality in The Gambia. These clinical infections are often preceded by nasal carriage of S. aureus, a known risk factor.

Exploring decision-making practices during coaching sessions in grassroots youth soccer: a mixed-methods study.

Decision-making ability in players during match-play is mostly acquired through practice activities with the same underlying structure as competition. However, researchers have not fully investigated how coaches design practice sessions at the participation level of the sport (i.e.

The influence of preoperative 12-item veterans rand physical component scores on outcomes following cervical disc replacement.

Purpose: To evaluate the influence of preoperative VR-12 physical component scores (PCS) on outcomes following cervical disc replacement (CDR).

Methods: Patients undergoing elective CDR were retrospectively identified. Patient-reported outcomes (PROs) of interest included VR-12 PCS/VR-12 Mental Component Score (MCS)/9-Item Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9)/Short Form-12 (SF-12) PCS and MCS/Patient-Reported Outcome Measurement Information System-Physical Function (PROMIS-PF)/Visual Analog Scale-Neck Pain (VAS-NP)/VAS-Arm Pain (VAS-AP)/Neck Disability Index (NDI).

Risk factors for extended hospital stay following minimally invasive transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion.

Background: Prior literature has examined predictors of length of stay (LOS) for lumbar fusion broadly, grouping multiple surgical approaches into one sample. Evaluating minimally invasive transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion (MIS-TLIF) specifically can reduce variability introduced by other approaches to effectively identify predictors of LOS. The purpose of this study is to evaluate preoperative predictors of extended LOS in patients undergoing MIS-TLIF.

Impact of preoperative back pain severity on PROMIS outcomes following minimally invasive lumbar decompression.

Purpose: To evaluate the effect of baseline back pain severity on PROMIS mental health outcomes following minimally invasive lumbar decompression (LD).

Methods: Patients undergoing elective, primary, single-level LD were retrospectively reviewed from a prospective single spine surgeon registry. Perioperative characteristics, demographics, and the following patient-reported outcomes (PROs) were extracted: Oswestry Disability Index (ODI)/Patient-Health Questionnaire-9 /PROMIS-Physical Function/Anxiety/Pain Interference/Sleep Disturbance (PROMIS-PF/A/PI/SD).

The PRECISE-DYAD Neurodevelopmental substudy protocol: neurodevelopmental risk in children of mothers with pregnancy complications.

Background: Over 250 million children are not reaching their developmental potential globally. The impact of prenatal factors and their interplay with postnatal environmental factors on child neurodevelopment, is still unclear-particularly in low- and middle-income settings. This study aims to understand the impact of pregnancy complications as well as environmental, psychosocial, and biological predictors on neurodevelopmental trajectories.

Correlation between anxiety, sleep disturbance and clinical outcomes in a lumbar decompression cohort.

Background: Patients with lumbar spinal pathology often suffer from anxiety and sleep disturbance, but correlations between anxiety and sleep disturbance and other patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) before and after surgical intervention have not been explored. The purpose of this study is to analyze the correlations between patient-reported anxiety, sleep disturbance, and PROMs before and after lumbar decompression.

Methods: All patients undergoing elective, primary, lumbar decompression were retrospectively queried from a prospectively-maintained single spine surgeon database.

Three-dimensional genome architecture persists in a 52,000-year-old woolly mammoth skin sample.

Analyses of ancient DNA typically involve sequencing the surviving short oligonucleotides and aligning to genome assemblies from related, modern species. Here, we report that skin from a female woolly mammoth (†Mammuthus primigenius) that died 52,000 years ago retained its ancient genome architecture. We use PaleoHi-C to map chromatin contacts and assemble its genome, yielding 28 chromosome-length scaffolds.

Effect of Preoperative Motor Weakness on Postoperative Clinical Outcomes in Patients Undergoing Cervical Disk Replacement.

Study Design: This is a retrospective review.

Objective: To examine the effect of preoperative motor weakness on clinical outcomes in patients undergoing cervical disk replacement (CDR).

Summary Of Background Data: Studies examining the effect of preoperative motor weakness on postoperative clinical outcomes in CDR are limited.

Worse Preoperative 12-Item Veterans Rand Physical Component Scores Prognosticate Inferior Outcomes Following Outpatient Lumbar Decompression.

Study Design: Retrospective Review.

Objective: Evaluate the influence of the 12-Item veterans Rand (VR-12) physical component score (PCS) on patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) in an outpatient lumbar decompression (LD) cohort.

Summary Of Background Data: The influence of baseline VR-12 PCS on postoperative clinical outcomes has not been evaluated in patients undergoing outpatient LD.

Impact of Early Depressive Burden on Patient-Reported Outcomes Following Minimally Invasive Transforaminal Lumbar Interbody Fusion.

Study Design: Retrospective review.

Objective: To evaluate mental health influence on minimally invasive transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion (MIS-TLIF) patients.

Summary Of Background Data: Poor mental health has been postulated to indicate inferior patient perceptions of surgical outcomes in spine literature.

Does Baseline Facet Arthropathy Influence Early Clinical and Radiographic Outcomes After Cervical Disc Replacement?

Background And Objectives: Severe facet arthropathy is generally a contraindication to undergoing cervical disc replacement (CDR) due to associated instability and potentially limited improvement in neck pain caused by arthropathy. This study evaluates the influence of facet arthropathy on radiographic/early clinical outcomes after CDR.

Methods: One/two-level CDR patients from a single surgeon's prospectively maintained database created 2 cohorts based on facet arthropathy: grade 0-1 or 2-3 (milder/moderate arthropathy).

The PRECISE-DYAD protocol: linking maternal and infant health trajectories in sub-Saharan Africa.

Background: PRECISE-DYAD is an observational cohort study of mother-child dyads running in urban and rural communities in The Gambia and Kenya. The cohort is being followed for two years and includes uncomplicated pregnancies and those that suffered pregnancy hypertension, fetal growth restriction, preterm birth, and/or stillbirth.

Methods: The PRECISE-DYAD study will follow up ~4200 women and their children recruited into the original PRECISE study.

Impact of Intrapartum Azithromycin on the Carriage and Antibiotic Resistance of Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae in Mothers and Their Newborns: A Substudy of a Randomized, Double-Blind Trial Conducted in The Gambia and Burkina Faso.

Background: Limited data exist on the effects of intrapartum azithromycin on the prevalence of carriage and antibiotic resistance of Enterobacterales.

Methods: We conducted a randomized trial in The Gambia and Burkina Faso where women received intrapartum azithromycin (2 g) or placebo. We determined the impact of treatment on the prevalence of carriage and antibiotic resistance of Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae by analyzing rectal swabs (RS), nasopharyngeal swabs (NPS), breast milk, and rectovaginal swabs (RVS).