Couple Conflict and Intimate Partner Violence during the Early Lockdown of the Pandemic: The Good, the Bad, or Is It Just the Same in a North Carolina, Low-Resource Population?

The COVID-19 pandemic has forced couples to navigate illness-related stressors and unique public health responses, including extended lockdowns. This study focused on under-resourced North Carolina residents ( = 107) who self-reported changes in relationship conflict (Increased, Decreased, Stayed the Same) and intimate partner violence (IPV) during the pandemic. We expected high rates of increased conflict and IPV since the start of the pandemic.

What Is the Impact of Smoking on Patient-Reported Outcomes Following Posterior Cervical Decompression and Fusion?

Objective: The purpose of this retrospective cohort study was to investigate the impact of smoking on patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) following elective posterior cervical decompression and fusion (PCF).

Methods: Electronic medical records at a single institution were reviewed for patients undergoing elective PCF. Patients were grouped based on smoking history: current smokers, former smokers, and never smokers.

Workers' Compensation Status and Outcomes Following Lumbar Surgery.

Objective: To determine the influence of preoperative workers' compensation (WC) status on patient-reported outcome measures following lumbar decompression with or without fusion.

Methods: All patients undergoing lumbar decompression with or without fusion at a single academic institution between 2013 and 2017 were identified. Patients were split into groups based on WC status: no workers' compensation (NWC), WC), or retired.

Glycosylating Effectors of Finding the Sweet Spots for Host Cell Subversion.

Work over the past two decades clearly defined a significant role of glycosyltransferase effectors in the infection strategy of the Gram-negative, respiratory pathogen . Identification of the glucosyltransferase effectors Lgt1-3, specifically modifying elongation factor eEF1A, disclosed a novel mechanism of host protein synthesis manipulation by pathogens and illuminated its impact on the physiological state of the target cell, in particular cell cycle progression and immune and stress responses. Recent characterization of SetA as a general O-glucosyltransferase with a wide range of targets including the proteins Rab1 and Snx1, mediators of membrane transport processes, and the discovery of new types of glycosyltransferases such as LtpM and SidI indicate that the vast effector arsenal might still hold more so-far unrecognized family members with new catalytic features and substrates.

Anatomical and Technical Considerations of Robot-Assisted Cervical Pedicle Screw Placement: A Cadaveric Study.

Study Design: Cadaver study.

Objectives: Assess the feasibility of robot-assisted cervical pedicle screw (RA-CPS) placement and understand the anatomical considerations of this technique.

Methods: Four cadaver specimens free from bony pathology were acquired.

Lumbo-sacral Junction Instability by Traumatic Sacral Fractures: Isler's Classification Revisited - A Narrative Review.

Study Design: Narrative review.

Objectives: Multiple classifications have been proposed for sacral fractures since the last century. While initial classifications focussed on vertical and transverse fractures, the recent fracture classifications encompass all injury patterns.

Influence of the preparation design on the survival probability of occlusal veneers.

Objectives: The fracture resistance of ultrathin computer-aided design and computer-aided manufacturing (CAD/CAM) occlusal veneers with different preparation designs was investigated under cycling mechanical loading and via finite element analysis (FEA).

Methods: Eighty molars were prepared with a circular enamel ring until complete exposure of the occlusal dentin occurred. Forty were prepared via additional circular chamfer preparation.

Synthesis and Evaluation of Novel Tetrahydronaphthyridine CXCR4 Antagonists with Improved Drug-like Profiles.

Our first-generation CXCR4 antagonist TIQ15 was rationally modified to improve drug-like properties. Introducing a nitrogen atom into the aromatic portion of the tetrahydroisoquinoline ring led to several heterocyclic variants including the 5,6,7,8-tetrahydro-1,6-naphthyridine series, greatly reducing the inhibition of the CYP 2D6 enzyme. Compound demonstrated the best overall properties after profiling a series of isomeric tetrahydronaphthyridine analogues in a battery of biochemical assays including CXCR4 antagonism, CYP 2D6 inhibition, metabolic stability, and permeability.

The impact of case order and intraoperative staff changes on spine surgical efficiency.

Background Context: Despite concerted efforts toward quality improvement in high-volume spine surgery, there remains concern that increases in case load may compromise the efficient and safe delivery of surgical care. There is a paucity of evidence to describe the effects of spine case order and operating room (OR) team structure on measures of intraoperative timing and OR efficiency.

Purpose: This study aims to determine if intraoperative staff changes and surgical case order independently predict extensions in intraoperative timing after spinal surgery for spondylotic diseases.

Fluctuations in EEG band power at subject-specific timescales over minutes to days explain changes in seizure evolutions.

Epilepsy is recognised as a dynamic disease, where both seizure susceptibility and seizure characteristics themselves change over time. Specifically, we recently quantified the variable electrographic spatio-temporal seizure evolutions that exist within individual patients. This variability appears to follow subject-specific circadian, or longer, timescale modulations.

Discovery of Non-Nucleotide Small-Molecule STING Agonists Chemotype Hybridization.

The identification of agonists of the stimulator of interferon genes (STING) pathway has been an area of intense research due to their potential to enhance innate immune response and tumor immunogenicity in the context of immuno-oncology therapy. Initial efforts to identify STING agonists focused on the modification of 2',3'-cGAMP () (an endogenous STING activator ligand) and other closely related cyclic dinucleotides (CDNs). While these efforts have successfully identified novel CDNs that have progressed into the clinic, their utility is currently limited to patients with solid tumors that STING agonists can be delivered to intratumorally.

Does Cervical Spondylolisthesis Influence Patient-Reported Outcomes After Anterior Cervical Discectomy and Fusion Surgery?

Background: No prior work has explored whether the presence of degenerative spondylolisthesis impacts patient-reported outcome measurements (PROMs) after an anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF); therefore, the goal of the current study was to determine whether the presence of a spondylolisthesis affects PROMs after an ACDF.

Methods: A retrospective cohort study was conducted on patients over the age of 18 who underwent a 1- or 2-level ACDF. All patients received preoperative standing lateral x-rays and were placed into 1 of 2 groups based on the presence of cervical spondylolisthesis from C2-T1: (1) no spondylolisthesis (NS) group or (2) spondylolisthesis (S) group.

Normative brain mapping of interictal intracranial EEG to localize epileptogenic tissue.

The identification of abnormal electrographic activity is important in a wide range of neurological disorders, including epilepsy for localizing epileptogenic tissue. However, this identification may be challenging during non-seizure (interictal) periods, especially if abnormalities are subtle compared to the repertoire of possible healthy brain dynamics. Here, we investigate if such interictal abnormalities become more salient by quantitatively accounting for the range of healthy brain dynamics in a location-specific manner.

Risk Factors for 30-day and 90-day Readmission After Lumbar Decompression.

Study Design: Retrospective cohort study.

Objective: To assess readmission rates and risk factors for 30-day and 90-day readmission after elective lumbar decompression at a single institution.

Summary Of Background Data: Hospital readmission is an undesirable aspect of interventional treatment.

A small RNA that cooperatively senses two stacked metabolites in one pocket for gene control.

Riboswitches are structured non-coding RNAs often located upstream of essential genes in bacterial messenger RNAs. Such RNAs regulate expression of downstream genes by recognizing a specific cellular effector. Although nearly 50 riboswitch classes are known, only a handful recognize multiple effectors.

The Influence of Regional Differences on the Reliability of the AO Spine Sacral Injury Classification System.

Study Design: Global cross-sectional survey.

Objective: To explore the influence of geographic region on the AO Spine Sacral Classification System.

Methods: A total of 158 AO Spine and AO Trauma members from 6 AO world regions (Africa, Asia, Europe, Latin and South America, Middle East, and North America) participated in a live webinar to assess the reliability, reproducibility, and accuracy of classifying sacral fractures using the AO Spine Sacral Classification System.

The Effect of L5-S1 Degenerative Disc Disease on Outcomes of L4-L5 Fusion.

Study Design: Retrospective cohort study.

Objective: The aim was to investigate the clinical relevance of preoperative caudal adjacent segment degeneration (ASD) in patients undergoing isolated L4-5 fusion to determine a threshold of degeneration at which a primary L4-S1 fusion would be warranted.

Summary Of Background Data: Increased motion and biomechanical forces across the adjacent caudal segment in isolated L4-L5 fusion leads to concerns regarding the increased incidence of revision surgery because of the development of ASD.

Symptomatic Postoperative Epidural Hematoma in the Lumbar Spine.

A symptomatic postoperative epidural hematoma (SPEH) in the lumbar spine is a complication with variable presentation and the potential to rapidly cause an irrecoverable neurological injury. Significant heterogeneity exists among current case series reporting SPEH in the literature. This review attempts to clarify the known incidence, risk factors, and management pearls.

Effect of a Mandatory Prescription Drug Monitoring Program on Patient-initiated Phone Calls After Spine Surgery.

Study Design: This was a retrospective cohort study.

Objective: The objective of this study was to determine the effect of a statewide, government-mandated prescription drug monitoring program (PDMP) on patient-initiated phone calls after lumbar and cervical spinal surgery.

Summary Of Background Data: Prior studies have examined the most common reasons for a postoperative phone calls, most of which pertain to pain or prescription medications.

Patients With Preoperative Cervical Deformity Experience Similar Clinical Outcomes to Those Without Deformity Following 1-3 Level Anterior Cervical Decompression and Fusion.

Study Design: Retrospective cohort study.

Objective: The aim was to compare the outcomes of patients with incompletely corrected cervical deformity against those without deformity following short-segment anterior cervical decompression and fusion for clinically significant radiculopathy or myelopathy.

Summary Of Background Data: Cervical deformity has increasingly been recognized as a driver of disability and has been linked to worse patient-reported outcomes measures (PROMs) after surgery.

The Impact of the Affordable Care Act on Outpatient Spine Trauma Consult Follow-up.

Study Design: This was a retrospective cohort study.

Objective: The objective of this study was to assess the impact of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) on spine trauma patient follow-up.

Summary Of Background Data: Although damage to the spinal column accounts for a small proportion of all traumatic injuries, it results in a significant burden on the patient, provider, and health care system.

Cervical Alignment and Proximal and Distal Junctional Failure in Posterior Cervical Fusion: A Multicenter Comparison of 2 Surgical Approaches.

Study Design: This was a multicenter retrospective cohort study.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to compare the surgical and radiographic outcomes of patients undergoing posterior cervical fusion (PCF) with constructs extending from C2 to T2 to patients with constructs extending from C3 to T1.

Summary Of Background Data: Limited evidence exists regarding the appropriate level of proximal and distal extension of PCF constructs.

Clinical Outcomes of Robotic Versus Freehand Pedicle Screw Placement After One-to Three-Level Lumbar Fusion.

Study Design: Retrospective cohort study.

Objectives: The purpose of this study is to compare patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) for patients undergoing one-to three-level lumbar fusion using robotically assisted vs freehand pedicle screw placement.

Methods: Patients who underwent either robotically assisted or freehand pedicle screw placement for one-to three-level lumbar fusion surgery from January 1, 2014 to August 31, 2020 at a single academic institution were identified.

Impact of the Affordable Care Act on Insurance Status of Spine Patients Presenting to the Emergency Department.

Although the Affordable Care Act (ACA) has been shown to broadly affect access to care, there is little data examining the change in insurance status with regard to nonelective spinal trauma, infection, and tumor patients. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the changes in insurance status before and after implementation of the ACA in patients who present to the emergency room of a single, level 1 trauma and regional spinal cord injury center. Patient demographic and hospital course information were derived from consult notes and electronic medical record review.