EuroSpine Task Force on Research: support for spine researchers

In recognition of the value of research to the practice of spine care, Federico Balagué and Ferran Pellisé, at the time President and Secretary for EuroSpine, asked Margareta Nordin to set up a Task Force on Research (TFR) for EuroSpine during summer 2011. The concept was to stimulate and facilitate a research community within the society, through two main functions: (1) distribution of EuroSpine funds to researchers; (2) develop and deliver research training/education courses. What has the EuroSpine TFR accomplished since its inception

Rehabilitation following surgery for lumbar spinal stenosis: a Cochrane review

Study Design A systematic review of randomised controlled trials (RCTs) Objective To determine the effects of active rehabilitation on functional outcome following lumbar spinal stenosis surgery when compared with 'usual postoperative care'. Summary of background data Surgery rates for lumbar spinal stenosis have risen, yet outcomes remain suboptimal. Post-operative rehabilitation has been suggested as a tool to improve post-operative function but, to date, there is limited evidence to support its use. Methods CENTRAL (The Cochrane Library), the Cochrane Back Review Group Trials Register, MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL and PEDro electronic databases were searched. Randomised controlled trials (RCTs) comparing the effectiveness of active rehabilitation with usual care in adults with lumbar spinal stenosis who had undergone primary spinal decompression surgery were included. Two authors independently selected studies, assessed the risk of bias, and extracted the data in line with the recommendations of the Cochrane Back Review Group. Study results were pooled in a meta-analysis when appropriate using functional status as the primary outcome, with secondary outcomes including measures of leg pain, low back pain, and global improvement/general health. The GRADE approach was used to assess the quality of the evidence. Results Our searches yielded 1,726 articles, of which three studies (N = 373 participants) were suitable for inclusion in meta-analysis. All included studies were deemed to have low risk of bias; no study had unacceptably high dropout rates. There was moderate evidence suggesting that active rehabilitation was more effective than usual care in improving both short- and long-term functional status following surgery. Similar findings were noted for secondary outcomes, including short-term improvement in low back pain and long-term improvement in both low back pain and leg pain. Conclusions We obtained moderate-quality evidence indicating that postoperative active rehabilitation after decompression surgery for lumbar spinal stenosis is more effective than usual care. Further work is required particularly with respect to the cost effectiveness of such interventions

Prescribing or co-designing exercise in healthy adults? Effects on mental health and interoceptive awareness

Universal exercise recommendations for adults neglect individual preferences, changing constraints, and their potential impact on associated health benefits. A recent proposal suggests replacing the standardized World Health Organisation (WHO) exercise recommendations for healthy adults by co designed interventions where individuals participate actively in the decisions about the selected physical activities and the effort regulation. This study contrasts the effects on mental health and interoceptive awareness of a co designed and co-adapted exercise intervention with an exercise program based on the WHO recommendations for healthy adults. Twenty healthy adults (10 men and 10 women, 40-55 y.o.) participated voluntarily in the research. They were randomly assigned to a co-designed exercise intervention (CoD group) and a prescribed exercise program (WHO group). Supervised online by specialized personal trainers, both programs lasted 9 weeks and were equivalent in volume and intensity. The effects of the exercise intervention were tested through personal interviews, questionnaires (DASS 21 and MAIA) and a cardiorespiratory exercise test. Intragroup differences (pre post) were assessed using the Mann-Whitney Wilcoxon test and intergroup differences through Student's t-tests. Effect sizes were calculated through Cohen's d. Interviews were analyzed through thematic analysis. Eleven participants completed the intervention (CoD = 8, WHO = 5). Both groups improved, but non significantly, their cardiorespiratory testing results, and no differences were found between them post-intervention. Mental health was only enhanced in the CoD group (p < 0.001), and interoceptive awareness improved in seven of the eight scales in the CoD group (p < 0.001) and only in 3 scales in the WHO group (p < 0.01). In conclusion, the co-designed intervention was more effective for developing mental health, interoceptive awareness, autonomy, and exercise self-regulation than the WHO-based exercise program

Cardiorespiratory coordination during exercise in adults with Down syndrome

Introduction: Down syndrome (DS) is a chromosomal disorder affecting simultaneously cardiovascular and respiratory systems. There is no research studying the coupling between these systems during cardiorespiratory exercise testing in a population with DS. Cardiorespiratory coordination (CRC), evaluated through principal component analysis (PCA), measures the covariation of cardiorespiratory variables during exercise. Objective: to investigate and compare CRC in adults with and without DS during maximal cardiorespiratory exercise testing. Methods: fifteen adults with DS and 15 adults without disabilities performed a maximal cardiorespiratory exercise test on a treadmill. First, the slope, and afterward the velocity was increased regularly until participants reached exhaustion. The time series of six selected cardiorespiratory variables [ventilation per minute, an expired fraction of O2, the expired fraction of CO2, heart rate, systolic blood pressure (SBP), and diastolic blood pressure (DBP)] were extracted for the analysis. The number of principal components (PCs), the first PC eigenvalues (PC1), and the information entropy were computed for each group (non-DS and DS) and compared using a t-test or a Mann-Whitney U test. Results: two PCs in the non-DS group and three PCs in the DS group captured the variance of the studied cardiorespiratory variables. The formation of an additional PC in the DS group was the result of the shift of SBP and DBP fromthe PC1 cluster of variables. Eigenvalues of PC1 were higher in the non-DS (U = 30; p = 0.02; d = 1.47) than in the DS group, and the entropy measure was higher in the DS compared with the non-DS group (U = 37.5; p = 0.008; d = 0.70). Conclusion: adults with Down syndrome showed higher CRC dimensionality and a higher entropy measure than participants without disabilities. Both findings point toward a lower efficiency of the cardiorespiratory function during exercise in participants with DS. CRC appears as an alternative measure to investigate the cardiorespiratory function and its response to exercise in the DS population

Long-term patterns of an interconnected core marine microbiota

Background Ocean microbes constitute ~ 70% of the marine biomass, are responsible for ~ 50% of the Earth’s primary production and are crucial for global biogeochemical cycles. Marine microbiotas include core taxa that are usually key for ecosystem function. Despite their importance, core marine microbes are relatively unknown, which reflects the lack of consensus on how to identify them. So far, most core microbiotas have been defined based on species occurrence and abundance. Yet, species interactions are also important to identify core microbes, as communities include interacting species. Here, we investigate interconnected bacteria and small protists of the core pelagic microbiota populating a long-term marine-coastal observatory in the Mediterranean Sea over a decade. Results Core microbes were defined as those present in \u3e 30% of the monthly samples over 10 years, with the strongest associations. The core microbiota included 259 Operational Taxonomic Units (OTUs) including 182 bacteria, 77 protists, and 1411 strong and mostly positive (~ 95%) associations. Core bacteria tended to be associated with other bacteria, while core protists tended to be associated with bacteria. The richness and abundance of core OTUs varied annually, decreasing in stratified warmers waters and increasing in colder mixed waters. Most core OTUs had a preference for one season, mostly winter, which featured subnetworks with the highest connectivity. Groups of highly associated taxa tended to include protists and bacteria with predominance in the same season, particularly winter. A group of 13 highly-connected hub-OTUs, with potentially important ecological roles dominated in winter and spring. Similarly, 18 connector OTUs with a low degree but high centrality were mostly associated with summer or autumn and may represent transitions between seasonal communities. Conclusions We found a relatively small and dynamic interconnected core microbiota in a model temperate marine-coastal site, with potential interactions being more deterministic in winter than in other seasons. These core microbes would be essential for the functioning of this ecosystem over the year. Other non-core taxa may also carry out important functions but would be redundant and non-essential. Our work contributes to the understanding of the dynamics and potential interactions of core microbes possibly sustaining ocean ecosystem function

Long-term patterns of an interconnected core marine microbiota

Background Ocean microbes constitute ∼70% of the marine biomass, are responsible for ∼50% of the Earth’s primary production, and are crucial for global biogeochemical cycles. Marine microbiotas include core taxa that are usually key for ecosystem function. Despite their importance, core marine microbes are relatively unknown, which reflects the lack of consensus on how to identify them. So far, most core microbiotas have been defined based on species occurrence and abundance. Yet, species interactions are also important to identify core microbes, as communities include interacting species. Here, we investigate interconnected bacteria and small protists of the core pelagic microbiota populating a long-term marine-coastal observatory in the Mediterranean Sea over a decade. Results Core microbes were defined as those present in >30% of the monthly samples over 10 years, with the strongest associations. The core microbiota included 259 Operational Taxonomic Units (OTUs) including 182 bacteria, 77 protists, and 1,411 strong and mostly positive (∼95%) associations. Core bacteria tended to be associated with other bacteria, while core protists tended to be associated with bacteria. The richness and abundance of core OTUs varied annually, decreasing in stratified warmers waters and increasing in colder mixed waters. Most core OTUs had a preference for one season, mostly winter, which featured subnetworks with the highest connectivity. Groups of highly associated taxa tended to include protists and bacteria with predominance in the same season, particularly winter. A group of 13 highly-connected hub-OTUs, with potentially important ecological roles dominated in winter and spring. Similarly, 18 connector OTUs with a low degree but high centrality were mostly associated with summer or autumn and may represent transitions between seasonal communities. Conclusions We found a relatively small and dynamic interconnected core microbiota in a model temperate marine-coastal site, with potential interactions being more deterministic in winter than in other seasons. These core microbes would be essential for the functioning of this ecosystem over the year. Other non-core taxa may also carry out important functions but would be redundant and non-essential. Our work contributes to the understanding of the dynamics and potential interactions of core microbes possibly sustaining ocean ecosystem function.Preprin

Intravascular Large B-Cell Lymphoma Genomic Profile Is Characterized by Alterations in Genes Regulating NF-κB and Immune Checkpoints.

Intravascular large B-cell lymphoma (IVLBCL) is an uncommon lymphoma with an aggressive clinical course characterized by selective growth of tumor cells within the vessels. Its pathogenesis is still uncertain and there is little information on the underlying genomic alterations. In this study, we performed a clinicopathologic and next-generation sequencing analysis of 15 cases of IVLBCL using a custom panel for the detection of alterations in 68 recurrently mutated genes in B-cell lymphomagenesis. Six patients had evidence of hemophagocytic syndrome. Four patients presented concomitantly a solid malignancy. Tumor cells outside the vessels were observed in 7 cases, 2 with an overt diffuse large B-cell cell lymphoma. In 4 samples, tumor cells infiltrated lymphatic vessel in addition to blood capillaries. Programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) was positive in tumor cells in 4 of 11 evaluable samples and in macrophages intermingled with tumor cells in 8. PD-L1 copy number gains were identified in a higher proportion of cases expressing PD-L1 than in negative tumors. The most frequently mutated gene was PIM1 (9/15, 60%), followed by MYD88L265P and CD79B (8/15, 53% each). In 6 cases, MYD88L265P and CD79B mutations were detected concomitantly. We also identified recurrent mutations in IRF4 , TMEM30A , BTG2 , and ETV6 loci (4/15, 27% each) and novel driver mutations in NOTCH2 , CCND3 , and GNA13 , and an IRF4 translocation in 1 case each. The mutational profile was similar in patients with and without evidence of hemophagocytic syndrome and in cases with or without dissemination of tumor cells outside the vessels. Our results confirm the relevance of mutations in B-cell receptor/nuclear factor-κB signaling and immune escape pathways in IVLBCL and identify novel driver alterations. The similar mutational profile in tumors with extravascular dissemination suggests that these cases may also be considered in the spectrum of IVLBCL

The translation, validity and reliability of the German version of the Fremantle Back Awareness Questionnaire

Background: The Fremantle Back Awareness Questionnaire (FreBAQ) claims to assess disrupted self-perception of the back. The aim of this study was to develop a German version of the Fre-BAQ (FreBAQ-G) and assess its test-retest reliability, its known-groups validity and its convergent validity with another purported measure of back perception. Methods: The FreBaQ-G was translated following international guidelines for the transcultural adaptation of questionnaires. Thirty-five patients with non-specific CLBP and 48 healthy participants were recruited. Assessor one administered the FreBAQ-G to each patient with CLBP on two separate days to quantify intra-observer reliability. Assessor two administered the FreBaQ-G to each patient on day 1. The scores were compared to those obtained by assessor one on day 1 to assess inter-observer reliability. Known-groups validity was quantified by comparing the FreBAQ-G score between patients and healthy controls. To assess convergent validity, patient\u27s FreBAQ-G scores were correlated to their two-point discrimination (TPD) scores. Results: Intra- and Inter-observer reliability were both moderate with ICC3.1 = 0.88 (95%CI: 0.77 to 0.94) and 0.89 (95%CI: 0.79 to 0.94), respectively. Intra- and inter-observer limits of agreement (LoA) were 6.2 (95%CI: 5.0±8.1) and 6.0 (4.8±7.8), respectively. The adjusted mean difference between patients and controls was 5.4 (95%CI: 3.0 to 7.8, p\u3c0.01). Patient\u27s FreBAQ-G scores were not associated with TPD thresholds (Pearson\u27s r = -0.05, p = 0.79). Conclusions: The FreBAQ-G demonstrated a degree of reliability and known-groups validity. Interpretation of patient level data should be performed with caution because the LoA were substantial. It did not demonstrate convergent validity against TPD. Floor effects of some items of the FreBAQ-G may have influenced the validity and reliability results. The clinimetric properties of the FreBAQ-G require further investigation as a simple measure of disrupted self-perception of the back before firm recommendations on its use can be made

Despertar la curiosidad por la química desde la Universidad

En este trabajo se presentará la experiencia realizada a partir de la visita a la exposición “¿Dónde está la química?”, por parte de estudiantes de secundaria, ciclos formativos y bachillerato. Esta exposición se ha programado desde la Escola Universitària Politècnica de Manresa de la Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya, con el objetivo de acercar a los estudiantes de este nivel al conocimiento y, más que nada, a la curiosidad por el mundo de la química. Se expondrá en primer lugar el material que se presenta en la exposición, así como los resultados obtenidos en una encuesta realizada a los asistentes una vez concluida la visita, y en segundo lugar se presentarán las conclusiones obtenidas de la valoración indicada.Peer ReviewedPostprint (published version

Cardiorespiratory Coordination after Training and Detraining. A Principal Component Analysis Approach

Our purpose was to study the effects of different training modalities and detraining on cardiorespiratory coordination (CRC). Thirty-two young males were randomly assigned to four training groups: aerobic (AT), resistance (RT), aerobic plus resistance (AT + RT), and control (C). They were assessed before training, after training (6 weeks) and after detraining (3 weeks) by means of a graded maximal test. A principal component (PC) analysis of selected cardiovascular and cardiorespiratory variables was performed to evaluate CRC. The first PC (PC1) coefficient of congruence in the three conditions (before training, after training and after detraining) was compared between groups. Two PCs were identified in 81% of participants before the training period. After this period the number of PCs and the projection of the selected variables onto them changed only in the groups subject to a training programme. The PC1 coefficient of congruence was significantly lower in the training groups compared with the C group [H (3, N=32) = 11.28; p = 0.01]. In conclusion, training produced changes in CRC, reflected by the change in the number of PCs and the congruence values of PC1. These changes may be more sensitive than the usually explored cardiorespiratory reserve, and they probably precede it