APOE genotyping: comparison of three methods

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The influence of obesity on the outcome of treatment of lumbar disc herniation: analysis of the Spine Patient Outcomes Research Trial (SPORT).

BACKGROUND: Questions remain as to the effect that obesity has on patients managed for symptomatic lumbar disc herniation. The purpose of this study was to determine if obesity affects outcomes following the treatment of symptomatic lumbar disc herniation. METHODS: An as-treated analysis was performed on patients enrolled in the Spine Patient Outcomes Research Trial for the treatment of lumbar disc herniation. A comparison was made between patients with a body mass index of/m² (nonobese) (n = 854) and those with a body mass index of ≥30 kg/m² (obese) (n = 336). Baseline patient demographic and clinical characteristics were documented. Primary and secondary outcomes were measured at baseline and at regular follow-up time intervals up to four years. The difference in improvement from baseline between operative and nonoperative treatment was determined at each follow-up period for both groups. RESULTS: At the time of the four-year follow-up evaluation, improvements over baseline in primary outcome measures were significantly less for obese patients as compared with nonobese patients in both the operative treatment group (Short Form-36 physical function, 37.3 compared with 47.7 points [p \u3c 0.001], Short Form-36 bodily pain, 44.2 compared with 50.0 points [p = 0.005], and Oswestry Disability Index, -33.7 compared with -40.1 points [p \u3c 0.001]) and the nonoperative treatment group (Short Form-36 physical function, 23.1 compared with 32.0 points [p \u3c 0.001] and Oswestry Disability Index, -21.4 compared with -26.1 points [p \u3c 0.001]). The one exception was that the change from baseline in terms of the Short Form-36 bodily pain score was statistically similar for obese and nonobese patients in the nonoperative treatment group (30.9 compared with 33.4 points [p = 0.39]). At the time of the four-year follow-up evaluation, when compared with nonobese patients who had been managed operatively, obese patients who had been managed operatively had significantly less improvement in the Sciatica Bothersomeness Index and the Low Back Pain Bothersomeness Index, but had no significant difference in patient satisfaction or self-rated improvement. In the present study, 77.5% of obese patients and 86.9% of nonobese patients who had been managed operatively were working a full or part-time job. No significant differences were observed in the secondary outcome measures between obese and nonobese patients who had been managed nonoperatively. The benefit of surgery over nonoperative treatment was not affected by body mass index. CONCLUSIONS: Obese patients realized less clinical benefit from both operative and nonoperative treatment of lumbar disc herniation. Surgery provided similar benefit over nonoperative treatment in obese and nonobese patients

A tailored hybrid BODIPY–oligothiophene donor for molecular bulk heterojunction solar cells with improved performances

Fixation of a 5-hexyl-2,2′-bithienyl unit on a conjugated BODIPY donor increases the conversion efficiency of the resulting molecular bulk heterojunction solar cells from 1.30 to 2.20%

Effectiveness of Surgery for Lumbar Stenosis and Degenerative Spondylolisthesis in the Octogenarian Population: Analysis of the Spine Patient Outcomes Research Trial (SPORT) Data.

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to determine whether surgery is an effective option for the treatment of stenosis of the lumbar spine and degenerative spondylolisthesis in the octogenarian population. METHODS: An as-treated analysis of patients with lumbar stenosis and degenerative spondylolisthesis enrolled in the Spine Patient Outcomes Research Trial (SPORT) was performed. Patients who were at least eighty years of age (n = 105) were compared with those younger than eighty years (n = 1130). Baseline patient and clinical characteristics were noted, and the difference in improvement from baseline between operative and nonoperative treatment was determined for each group at each follow-up time period up to four years. RESULTS: There were no significant baseline differences in the primary or secondary patient-reported clinical outcome measures between the two patient age groups. Patients at least eighty years of age had higher prevalences of multilevel stenosis, severe stenosis, and asymmetric motor weakness. Patients at least eighty years of age also had higher prevalences of hypertension, heart disease, osteoporosis, and joint problems at baseline, but they had a lower body mass index and lower prevalences of depression and smoking. Fifty-eight of the 105 patients at least eighty years of age and 749 of the 1130 younger patients underwent operative management. There were no differences in the rates of intraoperative or postoperative complications, reoperation, or postoperative mortality between the older and younger groups. Averaged over a four-year follow-up period, operatively treated patients at least eighty years of age had significantly greater improvement in all primary and secondary outcome measures compared with nonoperatively treated patients. The treatment effects in patients at least eighty years of age were similar to those in younger patients for all primary and secondary measures except the SF-36 (Short Form-36) bodily pain domain and the percentage who self-rated their progress as a major improvement, in both of which the treatment effect was significantly smaller. CONCLUSIONS: Operative treatment of lumbar stenosis and degenerative spondylolisthesis offered a significant benefit over nonoperative treatment in patients at least eighty years of age (p \u3c 0.05). There were no significant increases in the complication and mortality rates following surgery in this patient population compared with younger patients (p \u3e 0.05). LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Prognostic Level II. See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence

Semi-conducteurs Isotropes et Stables pour Cellules solaires Organiques

Date du colloque : 03/2011</p

Interferon-stimulated gene (ISG)-expression screening reveals the specific antibunyaviral activity of ISG20

Bunyaviruses pose a significant threat to human health, prosperity and food security. In response to viral infections, interferons (IFNs) upregulate the expression of hundreds of interferon stimulated genes (ISGs) whose cumulative action can potently inhibit the replication of bunyaviruses. We used a flow cytometry-based method to screen the ability of ∼500 unique ISGs from humans and rhesus macaques to inhibit the replication of Bunyamwera orthobunyavirus (BUNV), the prototype of both the Peribunyaviridae family and Bunyavirales order. Candidates possessing antibunyaviral activity were further examined using a panel of divergent bunyaviruses. Interestingly, one candidate, ISG20, exhibited potent antibunyaviral activity against most viruses examined from the Peribunyaviridae, Hantaviridae and Nairoviridae families, whereas phleboviruses (Phenuiviridae) largely escaped inhibition. Similar to other viruses known to be targeted by ISG20, the antibunyaviral activity of ISG20 is dependent upon its functional ribonuclease activity. Through use of an infectious VLP assay (based on the BUNV minigenome system), we confirmed that gene expression from all 3 viral segments is strongly inhibited by ISG20. Using in vitro evolution, we generated a substantially ISG20-resistant BUNV and mapped the determinants of ISG20 sensitivity/resistance. Taken together, we report that ISG20 is a broad and potent antibunyaviral factor yet some bunyaviruses are remarkably ISG20 resistant. Thus, ISG20 sensitivity/resistance could influence the pathogenesis of bunyaviruses, many of which are emerging viruses of clinical or veterinary significance

Perceptions and Socioeconomic Status Influence Purchases of Native Plants

Plants native to the United States, defined as those being present before European settlement, have aesthetic and environmental benefits. In 2018, only 10% of plant sales were native plants, a plant category that tends to be underrepresented in many residential and commercial landscapes. Although earlier research indicated that consumers find native plants less aesthetically appealing relative to introduced species, more recent research reported a growing demand for native plants. Thus, a better understanding of consumer perceptions would facilitate their marketing. We used an online survey of 1824 participants representing five geographic regions (West, Southwest, Midwest, Southeast, and Northwest) to classify adopters based on their purchase of native plants. A double-hurdle model was used to estimate factors influencing purchasing native plants among US homeowners, and the factors influencing the amount spent on native plants in 2021. Demographically, metropolitan, college-educated, and younger participants were more likely to be native plant adopters; they also spent 80% more on plants compared with nonnative plant adopters. More native plant adopters agreed that native plants were better for the environment than exotic plants (68%), are readily available in their area (67%), and are better adapted to difficult sites (75%). Marketing efforts should capitalize on the environmental benefits to stimulate purchases

Does the load-sharing classification predict ligamentous injury, neurological injury, and the need for surgery in patients with thoracolumbar burst fractures?: Clinical article.

OBJECT: The load-sharing score (LSS) of vertebral body comminution is predictive of results after short-segment posterior instrumentation of thoracolumbar burst fractures. Some authors have posited that an LSS \u3e 6 is predictive of neurological injury, ligamentous injury, and the need for surgical intervention. However, the authors of the present study hypothesized that the LSS does not predict ligamentous or neurological injury. METHODS: The prospectively collected spinal cord injury database from a single institution was queried for thoracolumbar burst fractures. Study inclusion criteria were acute (\u3c 24 hours) burst fractures between T-10 and L-2 with preoperative CT and MRI. Flexion-distraction injuries and pathological fractures were excluded. Four experienced spine surgeons determined the LSS and posterior ligamentous complex (PLC) integrity. Neurological status was assessed from a review of the medical records. RESULTS: Forty-four patients were included in the study. There were 4 patients for whom all observers assigned an LSS \u3e 6, recommending operative treatment. Eleven patients had LSSs ≤ 6 across all observers, suggesting that nonoperative treatment would be appropriate. There was moderate interobserver agreement (0.43) for the overall LSS and fair agreement (0.24) for an LSS \u3e 6. Correlations between the LSS and the PLC score averaged 0.18 across all observers (range -0.02 to 0.34, p value range 0.02-0.89). Correlations between the LSS and the American Spinal Injury Association motor score averaged -0.12 across all observers (range -0.25 to -0.03, p value range 0.1-0.87). Correlations describing the relationship between an LSS \u3e 6 and the treating physician\u27s decision to operate averaged 0.17 across all observers (range 0.11-0.24, p value range 0.12-0.47). CONCLUSIONS: The LSS does not uniformly correlate with the PLC injury, neurological status, or empirical clinical decision making. The LSSs of only one observer correlated significantly with PLC injury. There were no significant correlations between the LSS as determined by any observer and neurological status or clinical decision making

Anatomical relationships of the anterior blood vessels to the lower lumbar intervertebral discs: analysis based on magnetic resonance imaging of patients in the prone position.

BACKGROUND: Intra-abdominal vascular injuries are rare during posterior lumbar spinal surgery, but they can result in major morbidity or mortality when they do occur. We are aware of no prior studies that have used prone patient positioning during magnetic resonance imaging for the purpose of characterizing the retroperitoneal iliac vasculature with respect to the intervertebral disc. The purpose of this study was to define the vascular anatomy adjacent to the lower lumbar spine with use of supine and prone magnetic resonance imaging. METHODS: A prospective observational study included thirty patients without spinal abnormality who underwent supine and prone magnetic resonance imaging without abdominal compression. The spinal levels of the aortic bifurcation and confluence of the common iliac veins were identified. The proximity of the anterior iliac vessels to the anterior and posterior aspects of the anulus fibrosus in sagittal and coronal planes was measured by two observers, and interobserver reliability was calculated. RESULTS: The aortic bifurcation and confluence of the common iliac veins were most commonly at the level of the L4 vertebral body and migrated cranially with prone positioning. The common iliac vessels were closer to the anterior aspect of the intervertebral disc and to the midline at L4-L5 as compared with L5-S1, consistent with the bifurcation at the L4 vertebral body. Prone positioning resulted in greater distances between the disc and iliac vessels at L4-L5 and L5-S1 by an average of 3 mm. The position of the anterior aspect of the anulus with respect to each iliac vessel demonstrated substantial variation between subjects. The intraclass correlation coefficient for measurement of vessel position exceeded 0.9, demonstrating excellent interobserver reliability. CONCLUSIONS: This study confirmed the L4 level of the aortic bifurcation and iliac vein coalescence but also demonstrated substantial mobility of the great vessels with positioning. Supine magnetic resonance imaging will underestimate the proximity of the vessels to the intervertebral disc. Large interindividual variation in the location of vasculature was noted, emphasizing the importance of careful study of the location of the retroperitoneal vessels on a case-by-case basis. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Anatomic relationships between vessels and intervertebral discs on supine magnetic resonance imaging may differ from relationships during surgery with the patient in a prone position