Search

Background: Scoliosis is a health problem that causes a side-to-side curvature in the spine. The curvature may have an “S” or “C” shape. To evaluate scoliosis, the Cobb angle has been commonly used. However, digital image processing allows the Cobb angle to be obtained easily and quickly, several researchers have determined that Cobb angle contains high variations (errors) in the measurements. Therefore, a more reproducible computer aided-method to evaluate scoliosis is presented. Material and Methods: In this analytical study, several polynomial curves were fitted to the spine curvature (4th to 8th order) of thirty plain films of scoliosis patients to obtain the Curvature-Length of the spine. Each plain film was evaluated by 3 physician observers. Curvature was measured twice using the Cobb method and the proposed Curvature-Length Technique (CLT). Data were analyzed by a paired-sample Student t-test and Pearson correlation method using SPSS Statistics 25. Results: The curve of 7th order polynomial had the best fit on the spine curvature and was also used for our proposed method (CLT) obtaining a significant positive correlation when compared to Cobb measurements (r=0.863, PConclusion: Based on results, it was concluded that CLT method is more reproducible than the Cobb method for measuring spinal curvature.

Introduction: Historically, prehospital care of trauma patients has included nearly universal use of a cervical collar (C-collar) and long spine board (LSB). Due to recent evidence demonstrating harm in using LSBs, implementation of new spinal motion restriction (SMR) protocols in the prehospital setting should reduce LSB use, even among patients with spinal cord injury. Our goal in this study was to evaluate the rates of and reasons for LSB use in high-risk patients—those with hospital-diagnosed spinal cord injury (SCI)—after statewide implementation of SMR protocols.Methods: Applying data from a state emergency medical services (EMS) registry to a state hospital discharge database, we identified cases in which a participating EMS agency provided care for a patient later diagnosed in the hospital with a SCI. Cases were then retrospectively reviewed to determine the prevalence of both LSB and C-collar use before and after agency adoption of a SMR protocol. We reviewed cases with LSB use after SMR protocol implementation to determine the motivations driving continued LSB use. We used simple descriptive statistics, odds ratios (OR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI) to describe the results.Results: We identified 52 EMS agencies in the state of Arizona with 417,979 encounters. There were 225 patients with SCI, of whom 74 were excluded. The LSBs were used in 52 pre-SMR (81%) and 49 post-SMR (56%) cases. The odds of LSB use after SMR protocol implementation was 70% lower than it had been before implementation (OR 0.297, 95% CI 0.139–0.643; P = 0.002). Use of a C-collar after SMR implementation was not significantly changed (OR 0.51, 95% CI 0.23–1.143; P = 0.10). In the 49 cases of LSB use after agency SMR implementation, the most common reasons for LSB placement were ease of lifting (63%), placement by non-transporting agency (18%), and extrication (16.3%). High suspicion of SCI was determined as the primary or secondary reason for not removing LSB after assessment in 63% of those with LSB placement, followed by multiple transfers required (20%), and critical illness (10%).Conclusion: Implementation of selective spinal motion restriction protocols was associated with a statistically significant decrease in the utilization of long spine boards among prehospital patients with acute traumatic spinal cord injury.

Defects in neural crest development have been implicated in many human disorders, but information about human neural crest formation mostly depends on extrapolation from model organisms. Human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs) can be differentiated into in vitro counterparts of the neural crest, and some of the signals known to induce neural crest formation in vivo are required during this process. However, the protocols in current use tend to produce variable results, and there is no consensus as to the precise signals required for optimal neural crest differentiation. Using a fully defined culture system, we have now found that the efficient differentiation of hPSCs to neural crest depends on precise levels of BMP signaling, which are vulnerable to fluctuations in endogenous BMP production. We present a method that controls for this phenomenon and could be applied to other systems where endogenous signaling can also affect the outcome of differentiation protocols.

The rabbit tick, Haemaphysalis leporispalustris Packard, is known for its association with Rickettsia rickettsii as it harbors both virulent and avirulent strains of this pathogen. In this manuscript we report findings and preliminary characterization of a novel spotted fever group rickettsia (SFGR) in rabbit ticks from California, USA. Rickettsia sp. CA6269 (proposed “ Candidatus Rickettsia lanei”) is most related to known R. rickettsii isolates but belongs to its own well-supported branch different from those of all R. rickettsii including strain Hlp2 and from Rickettsia sp. 364D (also known as R. philipii ) and R. peacockii. This SFGR probably exhibits both transovarial and transstadial survival since it was found in both questing larvae and nymphs. Although this rabbit tick does not frequently bite humans, its role in maintenance of other rickettsial agents and this novel SFGR warrant further investigation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND Discussions of cohabitation's place in family formation regimes frequently emphasize comparisons of reproductive behavior among married versus cohabiting couples. Many argue that the rise in cohabitation may have been fueled by availability of highly effective contraception, but that differences in contraceptive use between married and cohabiting couples should diminish as cohabitation becomes more established. OBJECTIVE We ask whether cohabiting women in the United States, Spain, and France are more likely than married women in these countries to use the most effective contraceptive methods and reversible methods. We also investigate whether the association between union status and contraceptive use has changed since the mid-1990s. METHODS Using data from the U.S. National Survey of Family Growth, the Spanish Fertility, Family and Values Survey, the French Gender and Generations Survey, and the Fertility and Family Surveys, we first descriptively compare contraceptive use patterns of cohabiting women to those of married women and then estimate regression models to adjust for group differences in key background factors. RESULTS Net of differences in age and parity, cohabitors were more likely than married women to use the most effective contraceptives in the mid-1990s' United States and France, yet notably not in Spain even when cohabitation was relatively uncommon. The case of Spain thus refutes the assumption that highly effective contraception is a necessary precursor for dramatic growth in cohabitation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Seasonal activity patterns of questing western black-legged ticks, Ixodes pacificus were investigated in northwestern California. Adult I. pacificus became active in the fall (late October/early November) and their appearance was associated with the first rain of the season. Following a peak in January, the abundance of adult ticks declined such that they were rare or absent by June/July. The nymphal tick activity season occurred from January through October, and larval activity occurred from April to June, but sometimes extended into October. Thus, potentially infectious ticks (nymphs and adults) present a year-round risk of Lyme disease transmission in northwestern California. The seasonality of Lyme disease cases in humans, based on the onset of erythema migrans, mirrored tick activity patterns and was year-round in cases infected in California. Peak incidence in humans occurs from May through July, and indicates that most disease transmission is from nymphal ticks. This study demonstrates that tick activity patterns are more extended than previously recognized in northwestern California. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses a study on the comparison between visual surveillance and flagging methods for the estimation of the abundance of host-seeking adult Ixodes pacificus ticks in northern California. The biases for temperature, humidity, wind and time of day between sampling techniques were eliminated by simultaneous visual and flagging surveys. The visual method produced higher estimates of ticks within a 45 square meter (m²) area than the flagging method. The visual method also identified more female ticks compared with the flagging method.

The western black-legged tick, Ixodes pacificus Cooley & Kohls, is an important parasite and vector of disease agents that affect human and animal health in the western United States. This paper presents a review of all published California host records for I. pacificus. Unpublished data from public health, academic, and vector control agencies and researchers were reviewed as well. Host species were identified for each active life stage (larvae, nymph and adult). A total of 108 vertebrate species in three classes (Mammalia, Aves, and Reptilia) were identified as hosts for at least one life stage of I. pacificus. Adult I. pacificus were recorded from 29 species of mammals, 2 species of birds, and 1 reptile species. Nymphal I. pacificus were recorded from 30 species of mammals, 38 species of birds, and 8 reptile species. Larval I. pacificus were recorded from 29 species of mammals, 43 species of birds, and 8 species of reptiles. A table depicting the taxonomic classification of host species is provided. This review adds eight new host records to the California list of recognized vertebrate host species for I. pacificus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]