Publications by authors named "Steinmetz M"

Purpose: This study aimed at comparing the costs of spinal fusion surgery between patients with and without diabetes.

Methods: Following PRISMA guidelines, a systematic search of four databases was conducted. A meta-analysis was performed on comparative studies examining diabetic versus non-diabetic adults undergoing cervical/lumbar fusion in terms of cost.

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Background: Both intraoperative hypotension and excessive fluid administration can lead to detrimental perioperative complications. However, how much fluid is considered excessive and how is intraoperative hypotension related to major postoperative complications?

Methods: We conducted a single-center retrospective cohort study in 6243 patients undergoing complex spine surgery at the Cleveland Clinic Foundation between 2012 and 2022 and studied the relationship between intraoperative net fluid administration and intraoperative hypotension with major postoperative complications. The primary outcome was a collapsed composite of postoperative complications including acute kidney injury (AKI), myocardial infarction (MI), stroke, and intensive care unit (ICU) admissions.

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Posterior approach interbody fusion techniques such as posterior lumbar interbody fusion and transforaminal interbody fusion are known as the workhorse procedures for lumbar spinal fusion. Over the years, advancements in procedural steps, technique, and technology have sought to improve patient outcomes. Within the last 2 decades, considerable emphasis has been placed upon minimally invasive techniques utilizing tubular retractors and conscious sedation.

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Background: Healthcare professionals face high levels of occupational stress, time pressure, workload, and poor organizational support. This makes them particularly vulnerable to burnout. The COVID-19 pandemic has further exacerbated this situation.

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Microtubule-targeting agents are an important class of anti-cancer drugs; their full potential is however not realized because of significant myelotoxicity and neurotoxicity. We here report 3-nitropyridine analogues as a novel group of microtubule-targeting agents with potent anti-cancer effects against a broad range of cancer types. We show that these 3-nitropyridines induce cell cycle arrest in the G2-M phase and inhibit tubulin polymerization by interacting with tubulin.

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A palladium capsule, made of three cavitands, namely ,-dichlorido{5,17-bis[5-(diphenylphosphanyl)-4(24),6(10),12(16),18(22)-tetramethylenedioxy-2,8,14,20-tetrapentylresorcin[4]arenyl-17-oxymthyl]-4(24),6(10),12(16),18(22)-tetramethylenedioxy-2,8,14,20-tetrapentylresorcin[4]arene}palladium(II) (), was synthetized by coordination of the corresponding diphosphinated ligand and the palladium precursor [PdCl(PhCN)] in 27% yield. The obtained ,-chelate complex was fully characterized by elemental analysis, NMR and mass spectrometry. Molecular dynamics simulations carried out on the metallo-capsule showed the structure made by the three cavitands was slightly distorted over the 1 μs of the simulation.

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Objective: Patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) are utilized to assess surgical success but are limited by data collection, response bias, and subjectivity. The large volume of digital healthcare data offers a new method to utilize healthcare utilization as a longitudinal, individualized, and objective proxy for health needs among surgical patients. This study aimed to design and evaluate a novel resource utilization in spine healthcare (RUSH) clustering method that complements PROMs in evaluating postoperative patient outcomes.

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We investigated the dehydrogenation reaction and the thermal robustness of the liquid organic hydrogen carrier (LOHC) couple benzaldehyde/cyclohexylmethanol on a Pt(111) model catalyst in situ in synchrotron radiation photoelectron spectroscopy- and complementary temperature-programmed desorption experiments. The system stores hydrogen in a cyclohexyl group and a primary alcohol functionality and achieves an attractive hydrogen storage capacity of 7.0 mass %.

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Article Synopsis
  • Healthcare professionals often feel very stressed at work, which can lead to burnout.
  • A study is testing a 9-week program called LAGOM to see if it helps reduce this stress and burnout in nurses and doctors.
  • If successful, LAGOM could help keep healthcare workers healthier and happier, making it a useful program for hospitals to implement.
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Background: Neurosurgery residency, known for its rigorous training, must adapt to evolving healthcare demands. Formal education should now encompass areas like quality improvement and patient safety, machine learning, career planning, research infrastructure, grant funding, and socioeconomics. We share our institution's experience with a yearlong enhanced didactics curriculum, complementing our traditional teaching.

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Azobenzene analogues of the tubulin polymerisation inhibitor combretastatin A4 (PSTs) were previously developed to optically control microtubule dynamics in living systems, with subsecond response time and single-cell spatial precision, by reversible photoswitching of their bioactivity with near-UV/visible light. First-generation PSTs were sufficiently potent and photoswitchable for use in live cells and embryos. However, the link between their seconds-scale and hours-scale bioactivity remained untested.

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  • This study investigates how different methods of assessing depression affect surgical outcomes in patients preparing for lumbar spine surgery, focusing on ecological momentary assessments (EMAs) compared to traditional methods like self-reported questionnaires (PHQ-9) and chart-based diagnoses.
  • The research involved 122 adult patients who recorded their depressive symptoms multiple times daily for three weeks before surgery, with results showing only weak correlations between EMA scores and past depression diagnoses, while EMA scores demonstrated stronger links to surgical outcomes after six months.
  • Findings revealed that patients awaiting spine surgery reported similar non-somatic symptoms of depression to the general population but had significantly more somatic symptoms; EMA assessments proved to be a more reliable indicator of
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  • This study analyzes the return-to-work (RTW) rates of patients who underwent surgery for cervical spondylotic myelopathy (CSM) as part of a larger clinical trial comparing different surgical methods.
  • Of the 163 patients studied, 68 were employed before surgery, with 66% successfully returning to work within 12 months; the time it took to return varied by surgical type, with laminoplasty (LP) being the quickest.
  • The analysis found that a longer hospital stay negatively impacted RTW likelihood, and patients undergoing posterior cervical decompression/fusion (PCDF) reported worse physical outcomes compared to those who had anterior cervical decompression/fusion (ACDF) and LP.
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Background And Objectives: Disruption of the spine's sagittal balance is associated with significant negative impacts on quality of life. Compared with other spinal osteotomies, pedicle subtraction osteotomy (PSO), which can potentially offer greater correction, is considered technically challenging and performed at lower rates. The aim of this study was to review the use of PSO to correct fixed sagittal imbalance and assess its efficacy and associated perioperative complications.

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Background: Bertolotti syndrome (BS) is characterized by chronic pain and functional impairment associated with lumbosacral transitional vertebrae (LSTVs). The study aimed to investigate the histologic characteristics of the pseudoarticulation between the enlarged transverse process and sacrum seen in Castellvi 2a LSTV and explore the involvement of nervous tissue in pain generation.

Methods: Immunohistochemical analysis using S100 protein staining was performed to assess the presence of nerve tissue.

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Microtubule-targeting agents (MTAs) have demonstrated remarkable efficacy as antitumor, antifungal, antiparasitic, and herbicidal agents, finding applications in the clinical, veterinary, and agrochemical industry. Recent advances in tubulin and microtubule structural biology have provided powerful tools that pave the way for the rational design of innovative small-molecule MTAs for future basic and applied life science applications. In this mini-review, we present the current status of the tubulin and microtubule structural biology field, the recent impact it had on the discovery and rational design of MTAs, and exciting avenues for future MTA research.

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Study Design: Retrospective quantitative analysis study.

Objectives: Pelvic incidence has been established as central radiographic marker which determines patient-specific correction goals during surgery for adult spinal deformity. In cases with sacral doming or sacral osteotomy where the PI cannot be calculated, reliable radiographic parameters need to be established to determine surgical goals.

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Cryptophycins are microtubule-targeting agents (MTAs) that belong to the most potent antimitotic compounds known to date; however, their exact molecular mechanism of action remains unclear. Here, we present the 2.2 Å resolution X-ray crystal structure of a potent cryptophycin derivative bound to the αβ-tubulin heterodimer.

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Background: The comparative effectiveness of decompression plus lumbar facet arthroplasty versus decompression plus instrumented lumbar spinal fusion in patients with lumbar spinal stenosis and grade-I degenerative spondylolisthesis is unknown.

Methods: In this randomized, controlled, Food and Drug Administration Investigational Device Exemption trial, we assigned patients who had single-level lumbar spinal stenosis and grade-I degenerative spondylolisthesis to undergo decompression plus lumbar facet arthroplasty (arthroplasty group) or decompression plus fusion (fusion group). The primary outcome was a predetermined composite clinical success score.

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Objective: The authors present a finite element analysis (FEA) evaluating the mechanical impact of C1-2 hypermobility on the spinal cord.

Methods: The Code_Aster program was used to perform an FEA to determine the mechanical impact of C1-2 hypermobility on the spinal cord. Normative values of Young's modulus were applied to the various components of the model, including bone, ligaments, and gray and white matter.

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Introduction: Expandable devices such as interbody cages, vertebral body reconstruction cages, and intravertebral body expansion devices are frequently utilized in spine surgery. Since the introduction of expandable implants in the early 2000s, the variety of mechanisms that drive expansion and implant materials have steadily increased. By examining expandable devices that have achieved commercial success and exploring emerging innovations, we aim to offer an in-depth evaluation of the different types of expandable cages used in spine surgery and the underlying mechanisms that drive their functionality.

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Background And Objectives: Neurosurgeons and hospitals devote tremendous resources to improving recovery from lumbar spine surgery. Current efforts to predict surgical recovery rely on one-time patient report and health record information. However, longitudinal mobile health (mHealth) assessments integrating symptom dynamics from ecological momentary assessment (EMA) and wearable biometric data may capture important influences on recovery.

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Article Synopsis
  • - The study investigates the link between surgical complications after lateral interbody fusion (LIF) and patients' previous abdominal surgeries, highlighting a gap in existing knowledge on this topic.
  • - A total of 250 patients over 18 years old who underwent LIF between 2011 and 2019 were analyzed, focusing on complications occurring during or within 90 days post-surgery, including readmission rates and length of hospital stay.
  • - Findings revealed that 62.8% of patients had previous abdominal surgeries, with the most frequent complication being transient thigh or groin pain following the procedure.
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