Traditional Versus Digital Media-Based Hand Therapy After Distal Radius Fracture.

Purpose: Distal radius fractures (DRFs) are common injuries with a rising incidence. A substantial portion of the cost of care is attributable to therapy services. Our purpose was to evaluate the effectiveness of a self-directed hand therapy program guided by digital media compared with that of traditional therapy.

Does Resident Participation in the Surgical Fixation of Hip Fractures Increase Operative Time or Affect Outcomes?

Background: Surgical fixation of hip fractures is a common procedure at teaching hospitals with resident support and in community hospitals.

Objective: We evaluated to what extent participation by residents in hip fracture fixation affects operative times or outcomes.

Setting: Operations were performed by three surgeons who operate at a teaching hospital with resident support, and at a community hospital without residents in the same metropolitan area.

Selecting caudal fusion levels: 2 year functional and stiffness outcomes with matched pairs analysis in multilevel fusion to L5 versus S1.

Purpose: Controversy persists as to whether to end multilevel thoracolumbar fusions caudally at L5 or S1. Some argue that stopping at L5 may preserve greater function, but there are few data comparing functional limitations due to lumbar stiffness in patients with fusion to L5 versus S1. The aim of this study was to evaluate whether patients undergoing multilevel thoracolumbar fusions with an L5 caudal endpoint have a better lumbosacral function than patients with an S1 caudal endpoint.

Functional limitations due to stiffness as a collateral impact of instrumented arthrodesis of the lumbar spine.

Study Design: Prospective cohort study.

Objective: To understand whether patients actually perceive increased limitations as compared with their preoperative state due to stiffness after lumbar arthrodesis.

Summary Of Background Data: Lumbar arthrodesis by intention eliminates spinal motion in an attempt to decrease pain, deformity, and instability.

Traditional threshold for retropharyngeal soft-tissue swelling is poorly sensitive for the detection of cervical spine injury on computed tomography in adult trauma patients.

Study Design: Retrospective cohort study.

Objective: To examine the diagnostic value of prevertebral soft-tissue swelling in the setting of cervical spine trauma.

Summary Of Background Data: In adult patients with trauma, an increase in the thickness of the retropharyngeal soft tissues is commonly used as a potential indicator of occult injury, but no studies have examined this parameter using computed tomography (CT) as a screening modality.

Succinate dehydrogenase gene arrangement and expression in Anaplasma phagocytophilum.

DNA sequencing of the region directly downstream of the Anaplasma phagocytophilum (strain MRK) 16S rRNA gene identified homologues of sdhC and sdhD; however, further sequencing by gene walking failed to identify additional sdh gene homologues. The sequence downstream of sdhD identified a partial gene, pep1, predicted to encode a protein >35.3 kDa with 26.

Chronic lymphocytic leukemia radiogenicity: a systematic review.

Objective: Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) is generally considered to be non-radiogenic and is excluded from several programs that compensate workers for illnesses resulting from occupational exposures. Questions about whether this exclusion is justified prompted a Congressional mandate to the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) to, further, examine the radiogenicity of CLL. This study revisits the question of CLL radiogenicity by examining epidemiologic evidence from occupationally and medically-exposed populations.

Anaplasma phagocytophilum in white-tailed deer.

We examined the reservoir potential of white-tailed deer for Anaplasma phagocytophilum. Results suggest that white-tailed deer harbor a variant strain not associated with human infection, but contrary to published reports, white-tailed deer are not a reservoir for strains that cause human disease. These results will affect surveillance studies of vector and reservoir populations.