Isotopic analysis (δC and δH) of lignin methoxy groups in forest soils to identify and quantify lignin sources.

The relative apportion of above and below ground carbon sources is known to be an important factor in soil organic matter formation. Although lignin is the most abundant aromatic plant material in the terrestrial biosphere, our understanding of lignin source contributions to soil organic matter (SOM) is limited due to the complex molecular structure and analysis of lignin. In this study, we novelly apply the dual isotopic analysis (δC and δH values) of lignin methoxy groups (LMeO) with the Bayesian mixing model, MixSIAR, to apportion lignin sources in two contrasting soil types, a podzol and a stagnosol.

Cross-sectional analysis of generational differences in pain attitudes and beliefs of patients receiving physical therapy care in outpatient clinics.

Background: Musculoskeletal pain is a common reason to seek outpatient physical therapy care. Generational differences regarding attitudes and beliefs have been found in many areas, but it has not been explored regarding pain.

Objectives: This study aimed to examine generational differences in attitudes and beliefs regarding pain and the potential differences between beneficial and non-beneficial treatment options in patients receiving care in outpatient physical therapy clinics.

Virtual McKenzie extension exercises for low back and leg pain: a prospective pilot exploratory case series.

Introduction: Current evidence supports the inclusion of directional preference exercises for a subgroup of patients with low back (LBP) and leg pain. Recent pain neuroscience strategies have suggested that cortical restructuring associated with movement activating the body map representation in the brain might account for the observed improvement with the directional preference approach.

Objectives: To explore whether or not a motor imagery directional preference approach would result in any changes in patients with LBP and leg pain.

The clinical impact of pain neuroscience continuing education on physical therapy outcomes for patients with low back and neck pain.

Objectives: Research suggests that attendance by physical therapists at continuing education (CE) targeting the management of low back pain (LBP) and neck pain does not result in positive impacts on clinical outcomes. The aim of this study was to determine if therapists attending a self-paced 3-hour online Pain Neuroscience Education (PNE) program was associated with any observed changes to patient outcomes and also clinical practice.

Methods: Participants were 25 different physical therapists who treated 3,705 patients with low back pain (LBP) or neck pain before and after they had completed an online PNE CE course.

A Case-Series of Dry Needling as an Immediate Sensory Integration Intervention.

Background: Chronic low back pain (CLBP) has been associated with altered cortical mapping in the primary somatosensory cortex. Various sensory discrimination treatments have been explored to positively influence CLBP by targeting cortical maps.

Objectives: To determine if dry needling (DN) applied to patients with CLBP would yield changes in two-point discrimination (TPD) and left-right judgment (LRJ) tasks for the low back.

Preoperative pain neuroscience education for shoulder surgery: A case series.

Background: Central sensitisation, in addition to high levels of fear-avoidance and pain catastrophisation may exist in a subgroup of patients with shoulder pain. Pain neuroscience education (PNE) has been shown to positively influence sensitivity of the nervous system, as well as reduce fear and catastrophisation prior to lumbar and total knee surgery. To date, no study has examined the application of PNE prior to shoulder surgery.

Evaluation is treatment for low back pain.

: To investigate the effect of the examination process (history taking and physical examination) on pain and function. : An observational cohort trial of patients presenting to outpatient physical therapy clinics for the first time with low back pain (n = 34, 57.7 ± 18.

Pain neuroscience education: Which pain neuroscience education metaphor worked best?

Background: The use of pain neuroscience education (PNE) has been shown to be effective in reducing pain, improving function and lowering fear and catastrophisation. Pain neuroscience education utilises various stories and metaphors to help patients reconceptualise their pain experience. To date no individualised study has looked at which stories and metaphors may be the most effective in achieving the positive outcomes found with the use of PNE.

Interdisciplinary Pain Neuroscience Continuing Education in the Veterans Affairs: Live Training and Live-Stream With 1-Year Follow-up.

Objective: Because of the pain and opioid epidemic in the United States, there is a need to update clinician's knowledge, attitudes, and beliefs regarding persistent pain across health care disciplines. The aim of this study was to determine if health care professionals can positively change their knowledge, attitudes, and beliefs regarding chronic pain, following a pain neuroscience education (PNE) lecture and 1 year follow-up.

Materials And Methods: A total of 270 health care providers at the Minneapolis Veterans Affairs Health Care System received a 3.

Neurodynamic mobilization in a collegiate long jumper with exercise-induced lateral leg and ankle pain: A case report.

Study Design: Case Report.

Background: The purpose of this case report is to describe nerve mobilization in the treatment of lower extremity neuropathic pain in a female collegiate long jumper.

Case Description: A 21 year-old long jumper presented 7 months after onset of ankle and leg pain.

An abbreviated therapeutic neuroscience education session improves pain knowledge in first-year physical therapy students but does not change attitudes or beliefs.

Objective: To determine if a 3-hour therapeutic neuroscience education session alters physical therapy student's knowledge of pain and effects their attitudes and beliefs regarding treating chronic pain.

Methods: Seventy-seven entry-level doctoral physical therapy students participated in the study. Following consent, demographic data were obtained and then the subjects completed the Neuroscience of Pain Questionnaire, the Health Care Provider's Pain and Impairment Relationship Scale and an additional questionnaire designed by the researchers.

The clinical implementation of pain neuroscience education: A survey study.

Pain neuroscience education (PNE) has gained considerable attention in research. Three systematic reviews have shown increasing efficacy of PNE decreasing pain, disability, pain catastrophization, movement restrictions, and healthcare utilization. In the development of any new therapeutic approach, it is proposed that there are three stages: development, validation, and implementation.

The experiences and beliefs of patients with complex regional pain syndrome: An exploratory survey study.

Objectives To determine the beliefs and describe the health care experiences of patients with complex regional pain syndrome. Methods A survey tool for patients with complex regional pain syndrome was designed for this study. The survey tool collected self-reported measures associated with pain, disability, health care experiences, education, beliefs, and treatments.

Treatment of patients with degenerative cervical radiculopathy using a multimodal conservative approach in a geriatric population: a case series.

Study Design: Retrospective clinical case series.

Objective: To describe the management of 10 patients with advanced cervical spondyloarthrosis with radiculopathy, using manual therapy, intermittent mechanical cervical traction, and home exercises.

Background: Predictors and short-term outcomes of cervical radiculopathy have been published.

Optic nerve axon number in mouse is regulated by PAX2.

Background: Papillorenal syndrome is an autosomal-dominant disease caused by mutations in the PAX2 transcription factor gene. Patients often exhibit congenital excavation of the optic nerve and a spectrum of congenital kidney abnormalities. Using a novel mouse model of this syndrome (C57BL/6J PAX2(A220G/+)), we investigated the effect of PAX2 haploinsufficiency on optic nerve axon number.

Magnetic resonance angiography and clinical evaluation of third nerve palsies and posterior communicating artery aneurysms.

Object: The authors conducted a study to determine the utility of the clinical profile and magnetic resonance (MR) angiography in evaluating patients with isolated third cranial nerve palsies or posterior communicating artery (PCoA) aneurysms.

Methods: Three-dimensional time-of-flight MR angiography was performed in a consecutive series of patients with isolated acute third cranial nerve palsy not due to a ruptured aneurysm and in patients with unruptured PCoA aneurysms. A neuroradiologist, masked to the identities of the patients, interpreted reformatted maximum intensity projection (MIP) and source images of the PCoAs and aneurysms.

Capsule staining as an adjunct to cataract surgery: a report from the American Academy of Ophthalmology.

Objective: This document evaluates currently available data in the published literature to answer the question of whether the use of dye such as indocyanine green or trypan blue to stain the lens capsule to improve visualization is safe and effective as an adjunct to cataract surgery.

Methods: Literature searches conducted in March 2003 and May 2004 retrieved 139 citations. The panel members reviewed the abstracts and selected 47 of possible clinical relevance for review.

Encapsulated cell-based intraocular delivery of ciliary neurotrophic factor in normal rabbit: dose-dependent effects on ERG and retinal histology.

Purpose: ERG and histologic changes were investigated in normal rabbits after intravitreal implantation of encapsulated cell technology (ECT) devices releasing ciliary neurotrophic factor (CNTF).

Methods: Fifteen adult New Zealand White albino rabbits had ECT devices secreting CNTF at 22, 5, or 0 ng/d implanted in the superior temporal quadrant of the left eye. The low dose has been shown to produce substantial rescue of photoreceptors in the rcd1 canine model of retinal degeneration.

Are patients with social developmental disorders prosopagnosic? Perceptual heterogeneity in the Asperger and socio-emotional processing disorders.

It has been hypothesized that social developmental disorders (SDD) like autism, Asperger's disorder and the social-emotional processing disorder may be associated with prosopagnosic-like deficits in face recognition. We studied the ability to recognize famous faces in 24 adults with a variety of SDD diagnoses. We also measured their ability to discriminate changes in internal facial configuration, a perceptual function that is important in face recognition, and their imagery for famous faces, an index of their facial memory stores.

Effects of aldose reductase inhibitors and galactose withdrawal on fluorescein angiographic lesions in galactose-fed dogs.

Objective: To assess the effect of aldose reductase inhibitor (ARI) M79175 (2-methyl-6-fluoro-spiro-chroman-4-5'-imidazolidine-2',4'-dione) administration and galactose withdrawal on the progression of retinal changes using fluorescein angiography in galactose-fed dogs.

Methods: Thirty male beagles were randomized into 4 groups. Three dogs were fed a normal control diet containing 30% nonnutritive fiber for 74 months (control group), 11 dogs a 30% galactose diet for 74 months (continuous galactose group), 8 dogs a 30% galactose diet for 36 months followed by replacement with a normal diet for 36 months (galactose withdrawal group), and 8 dogs a 30% galactose diet supplemented with M79175 for 34 months followed by replacement with a normal diet and removal of M79175 treatment for 38 months (ARI-treated galactose withdrawal group).

Tarsal-conjunctival disease associated with Wegener's granulomatosis.

Objective: To describe the clinical characteristics of tarsal-conjunctival disease in a cohort of patients with Wegener's granulomatosis (WG).

Design: Retrospective, case-controlled study.

Participants: The medical records of 82 consecutive WG patients who underwent an eye examination between January 1996 and June 2002 at the National Institutes of Health were reviewed.