Pulsed Electromagnetic Fields for Cervical Spine Fusion in Patients with Risk Factors for Pseudarthrosis.

Background: Certain demographics and/or risk factors contribute to complications following cervical spinal surgery including pseudarthrosis, prolonged pain, and reduced quality of life (QoL). Pulsed electromagnetic field (PEMF) stimulation is a non-invasive therapy that may enhance fusion success in at-risk patients.

Objective: To evaluate the safety and efficacy of post-operative adjunctive PEMF therapy following cervical spinal surgery in subjects at risk for pseudarthrosis.

High Lumbar Spinal Fusion Rates Using Cellular Bone Allograft Irrespective of Surgical Approach.

Background: Mounting evidence demonstrates a promising safety and efficacy profile for spinal fusion procedures using cellular bone allograft (CBA). However, limited data exists on fusion outcomes stratified by surgical approach. The current study investigates the effectiveness of CBA in lumbar spinal fusion by surgical approach (ie, anterior, lateral, and posterior approaches).

Impact of surgical risk factors for non-union on lumbar spinal fusion outcomes using cellular bone allograft at 24-months follow-up.

Background: The current report investigates fusion rates and patient-reported outcomes following lumbar spinal surgery using cellular bone allograft (CBA) in patients with risk factors for non-union.

Methods: A prospective, open label study was conducted in subjects undergoing lumbar spinal fusion with CBA (NCT02969616) to assess fusion success rates and patient-reported outcomes in subjects with risk factors for non-union. Subjects were categorized into low-risk (≤ 1 risk factors) and high-risk (> 1 risk factors) groups.

Adjunctive Use of Bone Growth Stimulation Increases Cervical Spine Fusion Rates in Patients at Risk for Pseudarthrosis.

Study Design: A prospective multicenter clinical trial (NCT03177473) was conducted with a retrospective cohort used as a control arm.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to evaluate cervical spine fusion rates in subjects with risk factors for pseudarthrosis who received pulsed electromagnetic field (PEMF) treatment.

Summary Of Background Data: Certain risk factors predispose patients to pseudarthrosis, which is associated with prolonged pain, reduced function, and decreased quality of life.

Twenty-four-month interim results from a prospective, single-arm clinical trial evaluating the performance and safety of cellular bone allograft in patients undergoing lumbar spinal fusion.

Background: Autologous bone grafts are the gold standard for spinal fusion; however, harvesting autologous bone can result in donor site infection, hematomas, increased operative time, and prolonged pain. Cellular bone allografts (CBAs) are a viable alternative that avoids the need for bone harvesting and may increase fusion success alone or when used as an adjunct material. The present study examined the efficacy and safety of CBA when used as an adjunct graft material to lumbar arthrodesis.

Pulsed Electromagnetic Field Stimulation in Lumbar Spine Fusion for Patients With Risk Factors for Pseudarthrosis.

Background: Lumbar spinal fusion surgeries are increasing steadily due to an aging and ever-growing population. Patients undergoing lumbar spinal fusion surgery may present with risk factors that contribute to complications, pseudarthrosis, prolonged pain, and reduced quality of life. Pulsed electromagnetic field (PEMF) stimulation represents an adjunct noninvasive treatment intervention that has been shown to improve successful fusion and patient outcomes following spinal surgery.

Cost-effectiveness of general practitioner- versus surgeon-led colon cancer survivorship care: an economic evaluation alongside a randomised controlled trial.

Purpose: The aim of this study is to assess cost-effectiveness of general practitioner (GP) versus surgeon-led colon cancer survivorship care from a societal perspective.

Methods: We performed an economic evaluation alongside the I CARE study, which included 303 cancer patients (stages I-III) who were randomised to survivorship care by a GP or surgeon. Questionnaires were administered at baseline, 3-, 6-, 12-, 24- and 36-months.

Twelve-Month Results from a Prospective Clinical Study Evaluating the Efficacy and Safety of Cellular Bone Allograft in Subjects Undergoing Lumbar Spinal Fusion.

Background: While autologous bone grafts remain the gold standard for spinal fusion procedures, harvesting autologous bone is associated with significant complications, including donor site infection, hematomas, increased operative time, and prolonged pain. Cellular bone allograft (CBA) presents an alternative to autologous bone harvesting, with a favorable efficacy and safety profile. The current study further investigates CBA as an adjunct to lumbar spinal fusion procedures.

Symptoms and seeking supportive care and associations with quality of life after treatment for colon cancer: Results from the I CARE cohort study.

Objective: Patients treated for colon cancer report many symptoms that affect quality of life (QoL). Survivorship care aims at QoL improvement. In this study, we assess associations between symptoms and seeking supportive care and lower QoL and QoL changes overtime during survivorship care.

Acute Effects of Various Movement Noise in Differential Learning of Rope Skipping on Brain and Heart Recovery Analyzed by Means of Multiscale Fuzzy Measure Entropy.

In search of more detailed explanations for body-mind interactions in physical activity, neural and physiological effects, especially regarding more strenuous sports activities, increasingly attract interest. Little is known about the underlying manifold (neuro-)physiological impacts induced by different motor learning approaches. The various influences on brain or cardiac function are usually studied separately and modeled linearly.

Role of GPs in shared decision making with patients about palliative cancer treatment: a qualitative study in the Netherlands.

Background: GPs are well placed to enhance shared decision making (SDM) about treatment for patients with advanced cancer. However, to date, little is known about GPs' views about their contribution to SDM.

Aim: To explore GPs' perspectives on their role in SDM about palliative cancer treatment and the requirements they report to fulfil this role.

Sex-Specific Brain Responses to Imaginary Dance but Not Physical Dance: An Electroencephalography Study of Functional Connectivity and Electrical Brain Activity.

To date, most neurophysiological dance research has been conducted exclusively with female participants in observational studies (i.e., participants observe or imagine a dance choreography).

Recruitment challenges to the I CARE study: a randomised trial on general practitioner-led colon cancer survivorship care.

Objectives: The I CARE study (Improving Care After colon canceR treatment in the Netherlands) aims to compare surgeon-led to general practitioner (GP)-led colon cancer survivorship care. Recruitment to the trial took longer than expected. In this descriptive study, recruitment is critically reviewed.

Effect of general practitioner-led versus surgeon-led colon cancer survivorship care, with or without eHealth support, on quality of life (I CARE): an interim analysis of 1-year results of a randomised, controlled trial.

Background: Colon cancer is associated with an increased risk of physical and psychosocial morbidity, even after treatment. General practitioner (GP) care could be beneficial to help to reduce this morbidity. We aimed to assess quality of life (QOL) in patients who received GP-led survivorship care after treatment for colon cancer compared with those who received surgeon-led care.

The translabyrinthine approach in residency training. "Step by step" surgical anatomy from the dissection laboratory to the operative room.

Surgical anatomy training in a dedicated research laboratory and attendance to focused "hands-on" dissection courses are of high educational importance in order to acquire and maintain surgical expertise in skull base surgery, both for young and more experienced surgeons. Nevertheless, transitioning surgical skills and anatomic knowledge from the laboratory to the operative room it is not free of challenges, especially during skull base approaches where the three-dimensional surgical orientation can be quite complex. We present a "step-by-step" and "side-by-side" surgical anatomy report on a translabyrinthine approach that was practiced in the laboratory then performed in the operative room by the surgical team, and we compare surgical anatomy exposures while discussing intraoperative techniques, nuances and challenges, both in the laboratory and the operative room.

Resumption of Cardiac Activity after Withdrawal of Life-Sustaining Measures.

Background: The minimum duration of pulselessness required before organ donation after circulatory determination of death has not been well studied.

Methods: We conducted a prospective observational study of the incidence and timing of resumption of cardiac electrical and pulsatile activity in adults who died after planned withdrawal of life-sustaining measures in 20 intensive care units in three countries. Patients were intended to be monitored for 30 minutes after determination of death.

Electrical Brain Activity and Its Functional Connectivity in the Physical Execution of Modern Jazz Dance.

Besides the pure pleasure of watching a dance performance, dance as a whole-body movement is becoming increasingly popular for health-related interventions. However, the science-based evidence for improvements in health or well-being through dance is still ambiguous and little is known about the underlying neurophysiological mechanisms. This may be partly related to the fact that previous studies mostly examined the neurophysiological effects of imagination and observation of dance rather than the physical execution itself.

Lumbar Discectomy and Reoperation Among Workers' Compensation Cases in Florida and New York: Are Treatment Trends Similar to Other Payer Types?

Objective: The aim of this study was to better understand current treatment trends and revision rates for lumbar disc herniation (LDH) in the workers' compensation (WC) population compared with other payer types.

Methods: This was a retrospective analysis of outpatient claims data from Florida and New York during 2014 to 2016.

Results: WC patients were less likely to undergo discectomy in Florida (15% vs 19%; P < 0.

Acute Effects of an Incremental Exercise Test on Psychophysiological Variables and Their Interaction.

Besides neurophysiological effects, the potential influence of exercise induced strains in terms of peripheral physiology or subjectively perceived stress as well as their possible reciprocal relation is not clearly understood yet. This study aimed to analyze effects of increasing exercise intensity on brain activity (spontaneous EEG), heart rate variability (HRV) and rating of perceived exertion (RPE) by means of a graded exercise test (GXT). Fifteen participants performed an open-loop GXT on a bicycle ergometer beginning at 50W and an increment of 50W every three minutes.

Insights into Crystal Structure and Diffusion of Biphasic NaZnTeO.

The layered oxide NaZnTeO is a fast Na ion conductor and a suitable candidate for application as a solid-state electrolyte. We present a detailed study on how synthesis temperature and Na-content affect the crystal structure and thus the Na ion conductivity of NaZnTeO. Furthermore, we report for the first time an O'3-type phase for NaZnTeO.

Pseudo-ternary LiBH·LiCl·PS system as structurally disordered bulk electrolyte for all-solid-state lithium batteries.

The properties of the mixed system LiBH-LiCl-PS are studied with respect to all-solid-state batteries. The studied material undergoes an amorphization upon heating above 60 °C, accompanied with increased Li conductivity beneficial for battery electrolyte applications. The measured ionic conductivity is ∼10 S cm at room temperature with an activation energy of 0.

Preventing unwanted situations and gaining trust: a qualitative study of older people and families' experiences with advance care planning in the daily practice of primary care.

Background: Using advance care planning (ACP) to anticipate future decisions can increase compliance with people's end-of-life wishes, decrease inappropriate life-sustaining treatment and reduce stress, anxiety and depression. Despite this, only a minority of older people engage in ACP, partly because care professionals lack knowledge of approaches towards ACP with older people and their families.

Objective: To explore older people's and their families' experiences with ACP in primary care.

Introducing a time out consultation with the general practitioner between diagnosis and start of colorectal cancer treatment: Patient-reported outcomes.

Objective: To evaluate the introduction of a "time out consultation" with the general practitioner (GP) recommended to patients following the diagnosis of colorectal carcinoma (CRC) before start of treatment.

Methods: A prospective study using questionnaires to compare the number of GP consultations, with their content and outcomes before and after the introduction of an additional consultation with the GP to improve decision-making and adequate support.

Results: 72 patients before and 98 patients after the introduction of the "time out consultation" participated.

Information needs and information seeking behaviour of patients during follow-up of colorectal cancer in the Netherlands.

Purpose: Adequately informing patients is considered crucial in cancer care, but need for information and information seeking behaviour of colorectal cancer (CRC) patients in the Netherlands are currently not well known.

Methods: In a prospective study, patients participating in a specialty, hospital-based follow-up program completed three consecutive surveys over a 6-month period to analyse their information need and information seeking behaviour.

Results: Patients (n = 259) felt well informed about their treatment (86%), disease (84%), and follow-up program (80%), but less well informed about future expectations (49%), nutrition (43%), recommended physical activity (42%), and heredity of cancer (40%).