Microscopic changes in the spinal extensor musculature in people with chronic spinal pain: a systematic review.

Chronic spinal pain is one the most common musculoskeletal disorders. Previous studies have observed microscopic structural changes in the spinal extensor muscles in people with chronic spinal pain. This systematic review synthesizes and analyses all the existing evidence of muscle microscopic changes in people with chronic spinal pain. To assess the microscopy of spinal extensor muscles including the fiber type composition, the area occupied by fiber types, fiber size/cross sectional area (CSA) and narrow diameter (ND) in people with and without chronic spinal pain. Further, to compare these outcome measures across different regions of the spine in people with chronic neck, thoracic and low back pain. Systematic review with meta-analysis METHODS: MEDLINE (Ovid Interface), Embase, PubMed, CINAHL Plus and Web of Science were searched from inception to October 2020. Key journals, conference proceedings, grey literature and hand searching of reference lists from eligible studies were also searched. Two independent reviewers were involved in the selection process. Only studies examining the muscle microscopy of the spinal extensor muscles (erector spinae (ES) and/or multifidus (MF)) between people with and without chronic spinal pain were selected. The risk of bias from the studies was assessed using modified Newcastle Ottawa Scale and the level of evidence was established using the GRADE approach. Data were synthesized based on homogeneity on the methodology and outcome measures of the studies for ES and MF muscles and only four studies were eligible for analysis. All the five studies included were related to chronic low back pain (CLBP). Meta-analysis (inverse variance method for random effect to calculate mean difference and 95% CI) was performed for the ES fiber type composition by numbers for both type I and type II fibers (I =43% and 0% respectively indicating homogeneity of studies) and showed no difference between the people with and without CLBP with an overall effect estimate Z= 1.49 (p=0.14) and Z=1.06 (p=0.29) respectively. Meta-analysis was performed for ES fiber CSA for both type I and type II fibers (I =0 for both) and showed no difference between people with and without CLBP with an overall effect estimate Z= 0.08 (p=0.43) and Z=0.75 (p=0.45) respectively. Analysis was not performed for ES area occupied by fiber types and ND due to heterogeneity of studies and lack of evidence respectively. Similarly, meta-analysis was not performed for MF fiber type composition by numbers due to heterogeneity of studies. MF analysis for area occupied by fiber type, fiber CSA and ND did not yield sufficient evidence. For the ES muscle, there was no difference in fiber type composition and fiber CSA between people with and without CLBP and no conclusions could be drawn for ND for the ES. For the MF, no conclusions could be drawn for any of the muscle microscopy outcome measures. Overall, the quality of evidence is very low and there is very low evidence that there are no differences in microscopic muscle features between people with and without CLBP. [Abstract copyright: Copyright © 2022. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Measurement properties of cervical joint position error in people with and without neck pain:a systematic review and narrative synthesis

INTRODUCTION: Proprioception can be impaired in people with neck pain. The cervical joint position sense test, which measures joint position error (JPE), is the most common test used to assess neck proprioception. The aim of this systematic review was to assess the measurement properties of this test for the assessment of people with and without neck pain.METHODS: This systematic review was registered prospectively on Prospero (CRD42020188715). It was designed using the COSMIN guidelines and reported in line with the PRISMA checklist. Two reviewers independently searched Medline, Embase, SportDiscus, and CINAHL Plus databases from inception to the 24th July 2022 with an update of the search conducted until 14th of October 2023. The COSMIN risk of bias checklist was used to assess the risk of bias in each study. The updated criteria for good measurement properties were used to rate individual studies and then the overall pooled results. The level of evidence was rated by two reviewers independently using a modified GRADE approach.RESULTS: Fifteen studies were included in this review, 13 reporting absolute JPE and 2 reporting constant JPE. The measurement properties assessed were reliability, measurement error, and validity. The measurement of JPE showed sufficient reliability and validity, however, the level of evidence was low/very low for both measurement properties, apart from convergent validity of the constant JPE, which was high.CONCLUSION: The measure of cervical JPE showed sufficient reliability and validity but with low/very low levels of evidence. Further studies are required to investigate the reliability and validity of this test as well as the responsiveness of the measure.</p

Estimating the scale of chronic hepatitis B virus infection among migrants in EU/EEA countries

Background: Chronic hepatitis B (CHB) related morbidity and mortality can be reduced through risk group screening, linkage to care and anti-viral treatment. This study estimates the number of CHB cases among foreign-born (migrants) in the European Union and European Economic Area (EU/EEA) countries in order to identify the most affected migrant populations. Methods: The CHB burden was estimated by combining: demographic data on migrant population size by country of birth in the EU/EEA, extracted from European statistical databases; and CHB prevalence in migrants' countries of birth and in EU/EEA countries, derived from a systematic literature search. The relative contribution of migrants from endemic countries to the total CHB burden in each country was also estimated. The reliability of using country of birth prevalence as a proxy for prevalence among migrants was assessed by comparing it to the prevalence found in studies among migrants in Europe. Results: An estimated 1-1.9 million CHB-infected migrants from endemic countries (prevalence ≥2%) reside in the EU/EEA. Migrants from endemic countries comprise 10.3% of the total EU/EEA population but account for 25% (15%-35%) of all CHB cases. Migrants born in China and Romania contribute the largest number of infections, with over 100,000 estimated CHB cases each, followed by migrants from Turkey, Albania and Russia, in descending order, with over 50,000 estimated CHB cases each. The CHB prevalence reported in studies among migrants in EU/EEA countries was lower than the country of birth prevalence in 9 of 14 studies. Conclusions: Migrants from endemic countries are disproportionately affected by CHB; their contribution however varies between EU/EEA countries. Migrant focused screening strategies would be most effective in countries with a high relative contribution of migrants and a low general population prevalence. In countries with a higher general population prevalence and a lower relative contribution of migrants, screening specific birth cohorts may be a more effective use of scarce resources. Quantifying the number of CHB infections among 50 different migrant groups residing in each of the 31 EU/EEA host countries helps to identify the most affected migrant communities who would benefit from targeted screening and linkage to care

Cost-effectiveness analysis of recombinant human follicle-stimulating hormone alfa(r-hFSH) and urinary highly purified menopausal gonadotropin (hMG) based on data from a large German registry

This was a retrospective real-world evidence analysis of the costs per live birth for reference recombinant human follicle-stimulating hormone alfa (r-hFSH-alfa) versus highly purified urinary human menopausal gonadotropin (hMG-HP), based on data from a German in vitro fertilization registry (RecDate). Pregnancy and live birth rates from the RecDate real-world evidence study over three complete assisted reproductive technology (ART) cycles using the same gonadotropin drug were used as clinical inputs. Costs related to ART treatment and to drugs were obtained from public sources. Treatment with r-hFSH-alfa resulted in higher adjusted cumulative live birth rates versus hMG-HP after one (25.3% vs. 22.3%), two (30.9% vs. 27.5%), and three (31.9% vs. 28.6%) ART cycles. Costs per live birth were lower with r-hFSH-alfa versus hMG-HP after one (\u20ac17,938 vs. \u20ac20,054), two (\u20ac18,251 vs. \u20ac20,437), and three (\u20ac18,473 vs. \u20ac20,680) ART cycles. r-hFSH-alfa was found to be a cost-effective strategy compared with hMG-HP over three cycles

Lower Neutrino Mass Bound from SN1987A Data and Quantum Geometry

A lower bound on the light neutrino mass $m_\nu$ is derived in the framework of a geometrical interpretation of quantum mechanics. Using this model and the time of flight delay data for neutrinos coming from SN1987A, we find that the neutrino masses are bounded from below by $m_\nu\gtrsim 10^{-4}-10^{-3}$eV, in agreement with the upper bound $m_\nu\lesssim$ $({\cal O}(0.1) - {\cal O} (1))$ eV currently available. When the model is applied to photons with effective mass, we obtain a lower limit on the electron density in intergalactic space that is compatible with recent baryon density measurements.Comment: 22 pages, 3 figure

Mechanical properties of friction stir spot welding in aluminum alloy AA6063-T5

En este trabajo se realizaron soldaduras de punto utilizando la técnica de fricción-agitación, SFAP, sobre láminas traslapadas de aleación de aluminio 6063-T5, de 2,8 mm de espesor y un área de traslape de 25,4 mm2. El proceso de soldadura SFAP se realizó en una fresadora universal en variadas condiciones de velocidad de rotación y tiempo de sostenimiento; se mantuvieron constantes tanto la velocidad y la profundidad de la penetración; para determinar las propiedades mecánicas óptimas de dureza y resistencia mecánica; se caracterizaron los puntos de soldadura mediante ensayos de tensión, barridos de microdureza y análisis metalográfico. Los resultados permitieron concluir que mediante este proceso de soldadura se pueden obtener soldaduras de puntos con buena apariencia, sanidad en el área transversal de la unión, resistencia mecánica y además una adecuada homogeneidad, lo que las hace una alternativa ventajosa frente a los procesos de soldadura convencionales aplicados sobre aluminio.Abstract: In this work spot welds were made using the friction stir spot welding technique, FSSW, in overlapping aluminum alloy 6063-T5 sheets, with 2.8 mm thick and an overlap area of 25.4 mm2. The FSSW process was performed on a universal milling machine under variable conditions of rotational speed and dwell time, the penetration rate and length were maintained constant, to determine the optimal mechanical properties of hardness and mechanical strength, welds were characterized by tension testing, microhardness scans, and metallographic analysis. The results let us to conclude that spot welds with good appearance in the cross-sectional area, very good mechanical resistance and excellent homogeneity, can be obtained by this welding process, which does it a favorable alternative compare with conventional welding processes applied on aluminum alloys

Ecological conflicts and valuation - mangroves vs. shrimp in the late 1990s

Shrimps are produced in two different ways. They are fished in the sea (sometimes at the cost of turtle destruction) or they are "farmed" in ponds in coastal areas. Such aquaculture is increasing around the world as shrimps become a valuable item of world trade. Mangrove forests are sacrificed for commercial shrimp farming. This paper considers the conflict between mangrove conservation and shrimp exports in different countries.Who has title to the mangroves, who wins and who loses in this tragedy of enclosures? Which languages of valuation are used by different actors in order to compare the increase in shrimp exports and the losses in livelihoods and in environmental services? The economic valuation of damages is only one of the possible languages of valuation which are relevant in practice. Who has the power to impose a particular language of valuation

Sphyrna tudes, Smalleye Hammerhead

The Smalleye Hammerhead (Sphyrna tudes) is a medium-sized (to 150 cm total length) shark that occurs in the Western Central and Southwest Atlantic from Colombia to the Rio de La Plata, Argentina. It inhabits inshore waters over the continental shelf at depths of 5–80 m. It is captured in intense and largely unmanaged commercial and artisanal beach seines, gillnets, longlines, and trawls throughout its geographic range. This shark is targeted or retained as bycatch for its meat, which is consumed or sold locally. There are few data on population reduction but these intensive unmanaged fisheries are suspected to have caused reductions and possibly local extinctions throughout this species' range. For example, in Brazil, this hammerhead has not been recorded in 35 years from Ceará state and it is considered by local fishers to be depleted in Bahia state. This shark is supposed to be strictly protected in Brazil, but it is clear that it is still landed and traded in various states. Overall, due to intense and largely unmanaged fisheries across its range, lack of refuge at depth, suspected declines in many areas and local extinctions suspected from an absence of records (despite continued sampling and observation), and its relatively unproductive life history, it is suspected that the Smalleye Hammerhead has undergone a population reduction of >80% over the past three generations (37 years), and it is assessed as Critically Endangered A2bd.Fil: Pollom, R.. University Fraser Simon; CanadáFil: Barreto, R.. Instituto Chico Mendes de Conservacao Da Biodiversidade; BrasilFil: Charvet, P.. Universidade Federal do Paraná; BrasilFil: Chiaramonte, Gustavo Enrique. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Parque Centenario. Museo Argentino de Ciencias Naturales "Bernardino Rivadavia". Estación Hidrobiológica de Puerto Quequén (sede Quequén); ArgentinaFil: Cuevas, J. M.. Wildlife Conservation Society; Estados UnidosFil: Faria, V.. Universidade Federal Do Ceara; BrasilFil: Herman, K.. Georgia Aquarium; Estados UnidosFil: Lasso Alcala, O.. Fundación la Salle de Ciencias Naturales; VenezuelaFil: Marcante, F.. Universidade Federal Do Rio Grande.; BrasilFil: Mejía Falla, P.A.. Wildlife Conservation Society; Estados UnidosFil: Montealegre Quijano, S.. Universidade Federal de Sao Paulo; BrasilFil: Motta, F.. Universidade Federal de Sao Paulo; BrasilFil: Navia, A. F.. Fundación Squalus; ColombiaFil: Nunes, J.. Universidade Federal Do Maranhao.; BrasilFil: Paesch, L.. Dirección Nacional de Recursos Acuáticos; UruguayFil: Rincon, G.. Universidade Federal Do Maranhao.; Brasi

Search for squarks and gluinos in events with isolated leptons, jets and missing transverse momentum at s√=8 TeV with the ATLAS detector

The results of a search for supersymmetry in final states containing at least one isolated lepton (electron or muon), jets and large missing transverse momentum with the ATLAS detector at the Large Hadron Collider are reported. The search is based on proton-proton collision data at a centre-of-mass energy s√=8 TeV collected in 2012, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 20 fb−1. No significant excess above the Standard Model expectation is observed. Limits are set on supersymmetric particle masses for various supersymmetric models. Depending on the model, the search excludes gluino masses up to 1.32 TeV and squark masses up to 840 GeV. Limits are also set on the parameters of a minimal universal extra dimension model, excluding a compactification radius of 1/R c = 950 GeV for a cut-off scale times radius (ΛR c) of approximately 30