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Purpose: The importance of considering the influence of spinal alignment on the pathology of the hip joint has been widely accepted. The primary objective of this study is to give a comprehensive view of recent findings on the influence of sagittal spinopelvic alignment on hip osteoarthritis (HOA) and total hip arthroplasty (THA). Methods: An English-language literature search was performed with PubMed and Medline databases to identify peer-reviewed studies published within the last 5 years (2017–2022) on the topic of hip disorders and spinopelvic alignment. Results and conclusions: It was reported that the risk of developing primary HOA may increase in patients with high sacral slope (SS) and low pelvic tilt (PT), whereas that of secondary HOA based on acetabular dysplasia (AD) may increase in patients with high lumbar lordosis (LL), SS, and pelvic incidence (PI). In addition, surgeons need to consider that the hip–spine motion may change from the preoperative one owing to changes in some spinopelvic parameters following THA. However, the significance of these changes is not consistent across the studies. Since low PI, PI-LL mismatch, and low SS during sitting and standing may contribute to the risk of prosthetic impingement followed by dislocation, great care should be taken regarding the loss of spinopelvic mobility after spinal fusion surgery.

Willow is a promising biomass resource for addressing the challenges of securing stable domestic biomass fuels in Japan and utilising abandoned agricultural land. Among the willow species, Salix pet-susu Kimura KKD (known as ezonokinu willow, EW) stands out for its growth, high production, storage stability, production stability, and business stability. Previous studies have investigated fuel characterisation through gasification (co-gasification) of various biomass mixtures to enhance feedstock flexibility for gasifier commercialisation. However, the synergistic effects of co-gasification using fuels containing EW blended with Japanese cedar, a commonly planted forest species in Japan, remain unexplored. Therefore, this study explored CO2 co-gasification with different blend ratios of EW/cedar blended char and evaluated the fuel characteristics for each blend ratio to elucidate the synergistic effects. The prepared char samples were utilised in the CO2 gasification test with TG-DTA as the analyser. The results suggest that in the initial stages of the willow/cedar blended char co-gasification reaction, pore size and specific surface area significantly influence the reaction rate. Subsequent stages of the reaction are influenced by the promoting and inhibiting effects of inorganic components, which impact co-gasification. The synergy factor results for the willow/cedar blended char co-gasification suggest a reaction pathway.

Abstract Background Dropped head syndrome (DHS) is a rare specific abnormal posture known to develop in Parkinson’s disease (PD). This case series study aimed to characterize DHS by analyzing the characteristics of sagittal spinopelvic alignment in patients with PD/DHS. Methods The study included eight patients with PD/DHS (men = 3, women = 5; mean age, 68.1 ± 6.4 years). Sagittal spinopelvic alignment was evaluated using 10 parameters on whole-spine lateral radiographs. Results The time from the onset of PD to that of DHS varied among the patients from 0 to 15.3 years. In three patients, DHS appeared before the diagnosis of PD. The severity of motor symptoms at DHS onset varied from modified Hoehn and Yahr stage 1 to 4 among the patients. Although the spinopelvic parameters differed among PD/DHS individuals, all patients exhibited cervical kyphosis (cervical lordosis

Abstract Background To date, the histopathologic characteristics of dropped head syndrome (DHS) have not been reported sufficiently. The present study investigates the histopathology of biopsy specimens from the cervical paravertebral region in patients with DHS. Methods Histopathological parameters were evaluated in biopsy specimens of the cervical paravertebral soft tissue from 15 patients with DHS. Results Among the 15 cases of DHS examined, skeletal muscle was identified in 7 cases, all of which showed necrosis, microvessel proliferation and atrophy. The ligament was identified in 12 cases, 8 of which showed degeneration. The lag time between the onset of symptoms and the performance of a biopsy in all 8 cases, which showed degeneration was over 3 months. Microvessel proliferation in the ligament was observed in 1 of the 4 cases, in which the lag time between the onset of symptoms and the performance of a biopsy was less than 3 months (acute or subacute phase), and in 7 of the 8 cases, in which the lag time between the symptoms and the performance of a biopsy was over 3 months (chronic phase). Chronic inflammation in the ligament was identified in 1 of the 12 cases. Conclusions The identification of necrosis, microvessel proliferation, and atrophy in the skeletal muscle of patients with DHS and the presence of ligament degeneration and microvessel proliferation in the chronic but not acute or subacute phases may suggest that persistent skeletal muscle damage of the cervical paravertebral region causes subsequent ligament damage in patients with DHS.

Abstract Cervical ossification of the posterior longitudinal ligament (OPLL) is a contributing factor to spinal cord injury or trauma-induced myelopathy in the elderly. To reduce the incidence of these traumas, it is essential to diagnose OPLL at an early stage and to educate patients how to prevent falls. We thus evaluated the ability of our convolutional neural network (CNN) to differentially diagnose cervical spondylosis and cervical OPLL. We enrolled 250 patients with cervical spondylosis, 250 patients with cervical OPLL, and 180 radiographically normal controls. We evaluated the ability of our CNN model to distinguish cervical spondylosis, cervical OPLL, and controls, and the diagnostic accuracy was compared to that of 5 board-certified spine surgeons. The accuracy, average recall, precision, and F1 score of the CNN for classification of lateral cervical spine radiographs were 0.86, 0.86, 0.87, and 0.87, respectively. The accuracy was higher for CNN compared to any expert spine surgeon, and was statistically equal to 4 of the 5 experts and significantly higher than that of 1 expert. We demonstrated that the performance of the CNN was equal or superior to that of spine surgeons.

Abstract Background Degenerative cervical myelopathy (DCM) can significantly impair a patient’s quality of life (QOL). In this study, we aimed to identify predictors associated with QOL improvement after surgery for DCM. Methods This study included 148 patients who underwent surgery for DCM. The European QOL-5 Dimension (EQ-5D) score, the Japanese Orthopedic Association for the assessment of cervical myelopathy (C-JOA) score, and the Nurick grade were used as outcome measures. Radiographic examinations were performed at enrollment. The associations of baseline variables with changes in EQ-5D scores from preoperative to 1-year postoperative assessment were investigated using a multivariable linear regression model. Results The EQ-5D and C-JOA scores and the Nurick grade improved after surgery (P

Objective: To evaluate the employment outcomes and changes in cognitive and social functioning of people with mental disorders using an employment support program in collaboration with psychiatric day care and the public employment service. Methods: This was a prospective, open-label, single-arm preliminary study. The employment support program was conducted 6 hours at a time, five times per week for 3 months. Participants’ employment rates within 6 months after the program ended and competitive employment in supported employment service 1 year later were calculated. The brief assessment of cognition in schizophrenia (BACS), Global Assessment of Functioning (GAF), and Life Assessment Scale for the Mentally Ill (LASMI) were measured before and after the program. Results: Forty-one (74.5%) of the 55 participants worked within 6 months of completing the program. Of the 30 employees who had been working for 1 year, 23 (76.7%) had settled in the workplace, with an average of over 80 monthly working hours and more than ＄660 monthly income. BACS Composite score (p

Purpose Although the understanding of the mechanisms of low back pain due to spinopelvic sagittal imbalance has strengthened, the understanding of the mechanisms of neck pain remains insufficient. Thus, this study aimed to identify the factors associated with preoperative and postoperative neck pain in patients with degenerative cervical myelopathy who underwent laminoplasty. Methods In this prospective multicenter study, we prospectively enrolled patients who were scheduled for laminoplasty for degenerative cervical myelopathy. The associations between different variables and the Numerical Pain Rating Scale (NRS) scores for neck pain were investigated using univariate and multiple linear regression models. Results In total, 92 patients were included in the current study. The univariate analysis showed that age, sex, cervical lordosis in neutral and extension, and thoracic kyphosis were significantly associated with the preoperative NRS score for neck pain; moreover, preoperative cervical lordosis in extension and range of motion and postoperative cervical lordosis in neutral, flexion, and extension were significantly associated with the postoperative NRS Scale score for neck pain. Stepwise multiple regression analysis showed that the independent factors contributing to preoperative neck pain were preoperative cervical lordosis in extension, sex, and age. The independent preoperative predictor and contributor to postoperative neck pain were preoperative cervical lordosis in extension and postoperative cervical lordosis in extension, respectively. Conclusions Cervical lordosis in extension showed significant association with neck pain in patients with degenerative cervical myelopathy. Therefore, when performing laminoplasty for patients with a low cervical lordosis in extension, attention should be paid to residual postoperative neck pain.

IntroductionMetacognitive training (MCT) is a group program for improving cognitive bias in patients with schizophrenia. MCT has a reported positive effect on psychiatric symptoms and cognitive bias in patients with schizophrenia, but the effect of the intervention on patients with schizophrenia in the early recovery stage during hospitalization is not comprehensible. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the efficacy of MCT in the early recovery stage of patients with schizophrenia in a Japanese emergency psychiatric ward.MethodThis unblinded, pilot randomized controlled trial recruited 24 patients with schizophrenia aged 20–65 years. Patients were randomly divided into two groups: occupational therapy (OT) + MCT group and OT-only group. Using the two-way repeated-measures analysis of variance (ANOVA), changes in cognitive function, psychiatric symptoms, cognitive insight, and intrinsic motivation were compared between those at baseline and post-intervention and between the two groups. Furthermore, patient readmission during the year after discharge was compared between the groups.ResultsThe final analysis included eight patients in each group, owing to the withdrawal of some patients from the study. The two-way repeated-measures analysis of variance revealed significant differences in cognitive function in several domains within subjects. However, no significant differences between subjects were observed. Psychiatric symptoms showed significant within-subject improvement, and interaction was found for general psychopathology (p = 0.03). The variable of cognitive insight and self-reflectiveness was significantly different between subjects (p = 0.03). There was no significant difference in intrinsic motivation. Readmission within a year was significantly lower in the OT + MCT group than in the OT-only group (2 [25%] vs. 6 [75%]; p = 0.046).ConclusionIn a Japanese emergency psychiatric ward, this pilot randomized controlled study was the first attempt to investigate the efficacy of MCT in patients with schizophrenia suggesting that MCT may be effective in preventing psychiatric symptoms, poor self-reflectiveness, and readmissions.The study was registered in the University Hospital Medical Information Network Clinical Trials Registry (UMIN-CTR; UMIN000034106).

Abstract Background Anterior decompression with fusion (ADF) has often been performed for degenerative cervical myelopathy (DCM) in patients with poor cervical spine alignment and/or anterior cord compression. We aimed to identify clinical and radiological predictors associated with neurological recovery after ADF. Methods This post-hoc analysis from a prospective multicenter study included patients who were scheduled for ADF for DCM. The patients who received other surgeries (laminoplasty, posterior decompression and fusion) were excluded. The associations between baseline clinical and radiographic variables (age, sex, body mass index, etiology, cervical lordosis, range of motion, C7 slope, C2-7 sagittal vertical axis [SVA], thoracic kyphosis [TK], lumbar lordosis, sacral slope, SVA, pelvic tilt, T1 pelvic angle [TPA], the Japanese Orthopedic Association score for the assessment of cervical myelopathy [C-JOA], European Quality of Life Five Dimensions Scale [EQ-5D], Neck Disability Index [NDI], Physical Component Summary of the SF-36 [PCS], and Mental Component Summary of the SF-36) and the recovery rates as the outcome variables were investigated in the univariate regression analysis. Then, the independent predictors for increased recovery rates were evaluated using a stepwise multiple regression analysis. Results In total, 37 patients completed the 1 year follow-up. The recovery rate was significantly correlated with SVA (p = 0.001) and TPA (p = 0.03). Univariate regression analyses showed that age (Regression coefficient = − 0.92, p = 0.049), SVA (Regression coefficient = − 0.57, p = 0.004) and PCS (Regression coefficient = 0.80, p = 0.03) score were significantly associated with recovery rate. Then, a stepwise multiple regression analysis identified the independent predictors of recovery rate after ADF as TK (p = 0.01), PCS (p = 0.03), and SVA (p = 0.03). According to this prediction model, the following equation was obtained: recovery rate = − 8.26 + 1.17 × (TK) − 0.45 × (SVA) + 0.85 × (PCS) (p = 0.002, R 2 = 0.44). Conclusion Patients with lower TK, lower PCS score, and higher SVA were more likely to have poor neurological recovery after ADF. Therefore, patients with DCM and these predictors who undergo ADF should be warned about poor recovery and be required to provide adequate informed consent.

Abstract Background Most of the previous studies about the surgical treatment of dropped head syndrome (DHS) are small case series, and their primary outcome measures were cervical alignment parameters. Therefore, little is known about the associations between pre- and postoperative global sagittal alignment in the whole spine and the clinical outcomes of the surgical treatment of DHS. In this study, we investigated the surgical outcomes of DHS, including correction of cervical and global spinal sagittal alignment. Methods This study was a retrospective observational study. Fifteen patients with DHS who had undergone correction surgery were enrolled. Surgical outcomes, including complications and implant failures, were investigated. We assessed cervical alignment parameters as well as spinopelvic global alignment parameters, including pelvic incidence (PI), lumbar lordosis (LL), and C7-sacral sagittal vertical axis (SVA). We examined the changes in these parameters using pre- and posoperative whole spine lateral radiographs. The parameters were compared between the failure and nonfailure groups. Results Recurrence of sagittal imbalance and horizontal gaze difficulty was observed in 6 cases (40%). In all, 3 cases (20%) exhibited a distal junctional failure and required multiple surgeries with extension of fusion. Of all the radiographic parameters compared between the failure and nonfailure groups, significant differences were only observed in pre and postoperative SVA and PI-LL. Conclusions Our results suggest that the global sagittal alignment parameters, including PI-LL and SVA, were different between the patients with failure and non failure, and these parameters might have notable impacts on surgical outcomes. Surgeons should consider PI-LL and SVA while determining the surgical course for patients with DHS.

Abstract Background The application of cryopreservation and artificial insemination technology have contributed to the advancement of animal reproduction. However, a substantial proportion of spermatozoa undergoes alterations and loses their fertility during cryopreservation, rendering the frozen-thawed semen impractical for routine use. Cryopreservation is known to reduce sperm lifespan and fertility. Variation in cryosurvival of spermatozoa from different sires and even with the individual sire is common in artificial insemination (AI) centers. Our goal is to improve post-thawed semen quality by optimization of cryopreservation technique through sperm selection prior to cryopreservation process. Results Our strategy of sperm selection based on rheotaxis and thermotaxis (SSRT) on macrosale in a rotating fluid flow demonstrated the ability to maintain the original pre-freezing structural integrity, viability and biological function related to fertilization competence. This strategy has a positive effect on the cryosurvival and fertilizing abilities of spermatozoa as supported by the improvement on pregnancy rate of Japanese Black heifers and Holstein repeat breeders. This technique protected further sublethal damage to bovine spermatozoa (higher % cryosurvival than the control) and resulted in the improvement of DNA integrity. Prefreeze selected spermatozoa demonstrated slower and controlled capacitation than unprocessed control which is thought to be related to sperm longevity and consequently to appropriate timing during in vivo fertilization. Conclusions These results provide solid evidence that improvement of post-thawed semen quality by SSRT method is beneficial in terms of cryosurvival, longevity of post-thawed sperm, and optimization of in vivo fertilization, embryo development and calving as supported by the favorable results of field fertility study.

Purpose: Gait and posture disorder severely impedes the quality of life of affected patients with lumbar spinal canal stenosis (LSCS). Despite the major health concern, there is a paucity of literature about the relationships among spatiotemporal gait parameters and spinal sagittal parameters. This is a cross sectional study performed in a single tertiary referral center to determine the relationships among spatiotemporal gait parameters and spinal sagittal parameters in patients with LSCS. Methods: A total of 164 consecutive patients with LSCS, 87 men and 77 women with mean age of 70.7 years, were enrolled. Spatiotemporal gait parameters were studied using a gait analysis system. Spinal sagittal parameters were studied including sagittal vertical axis (SVA), thoracic kyphosis (TK), lumbar lordosis (LL), sacral slope (SS), pelvic inclination (PI), and pelvic tilt (PT) both in the neutral and stepped positions. Results: SVA was significantly larger in the stepped position than in the neutral position (neutral position, 72.5 mm; stepped position, 96.8 mm; p = 0.003). Parameters regarding the pelvis exhibited significant differences, which could represent pelvic anteversion in the stepped position. By stepwise multiple regression analysis, the prediction models, containing SVA (neutral) and PT (stepped) for double supporting phase, exhibited statistical significance, and accounted for approximately 50% of the variance. Conclusions: The present study provides statistically established evidence of correlation among spatiotemporal gait parameters and spinal sagittal parameters. Differences between sagittal parameters in neutral and stepped position may stand for the postural control during gait cycle, and increased SVA in neutral position and increased PT in stepped position may correlate with prolonged double supporting phase.

This was a study of the case of a 60-year-old woman who presented with a six-month history of headache and numbness radiating to the right arm. MRI revealed a fusiform intramedullary spinal tumor spanning C2 to C5 at the hospital where she first presented. As her right upper limb weakness had presented gradually, she visited our hospital after one and a half years. Neurological examination revealed muscle weakness in the right deltoid, but no sensory disturbance. The patient underwent a C2-C6 total laminectomy and posterior midline myelotomy from the posterior median fissure of the spinal cord. The intraoperative histological diagnosis was glioma. Pathological findings in low magnification demonstrated clusters of small uniform nuclei embedded in a dense and fibrillary matrix in hematoxylin-eosin staining (H.E.). On immunohistochemical staining, the tumor cells were weakly positive for glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), but negative for the epithelial membrane antigen (EMA). The histopathological findings were consistent with the diagnosis of a subependymoma. However, the MIB-1 labeling index was of moderately high level up to approximately 8%. In this case, we performed total resection because the tumor had rapidly increased in size and was of atypical form in histological findings. It should be minded that some of subependymomas have a possibility of rapidly increasing in size with progressing neurological deficits.

Introduction: Most people in modern societies spend the majority of their time sitting. However, sagittal spinal alignment is usually analyzed in the standing position. For understanding the symptoms associated with postural changes, this alignment is better to be analyzed in various positions. The purpose of this study was to investigate lumbo-pelvic relationships between standing up and sitting (sit-to-stand) motion. Methods: The study subjects were 25 healthy young adult volunteers without any spinal symptoms. The following parameters were measured, namely, intervertebral range of motion (IV ROM), lumbar lordotic angle (L1L5), sacral slope (SS), pelvic tilt (PT), and pelvic incidence (PI), on lateral whole-spine radiographs while sitting upright, sitting anterior flexed (anteflexed), standing anteflexed, and standing upright. Results: The measurements of spinopelvic parameters during sit-to-stand motion (sitting upright, sitting anteflexed, standing anteflexed, standing upright, respectively) were as follows: L1L5 (7.9, −4.4, 3.1, 31.9) and PT (31.5, 26.5, 11.9, 7.7). Regarding IV ROM, the lumbar segmental ROM after seat-off was wider than before seat-off (sitting anteflexed). In particular, the L4-L5 segments had a wide ROM from standing anteflexed to standing upright. Conclusions: The pelvis was retroverted in the sitting upright position and gradually anteverted during sit-to-stand motion. Lumbar lordosis decreased in the sitting upright position, temporarily decreased further (sitting anteflexed), and then increased in the standing position (standing anteflexed and standing upright). The mechanical loads on lumbosacral segments were greater after seat-off due to the reverse movement between upper lumbar and pelvic segments.

Background: Dropped head syndrome (DHS) can be divided into two types, the positive sagittal vertical axis (SVA) type and the negative SVA type. However, the cervical sagittal alignment of DHS including global sagittal spinal alignment and the typical cervical alignment of the types of DHS is still unclear. The purpose of this study was to clarify the character of cervical sagittal alignment of DHS and analyze the relationship between cervical sagittal alignment and global sagittal spinal alignment. Methods: The subjects were 35 DHS patients (10 men, 25 women, mean 71.1 years old). They were divided into two groups: negative DHS (N-DHS group, SVA < 0 mm) and positive DHS group (P-DHS group, SVA ≥ 0 mm). As control, 28 age-matched cervical spondylosis patients (CS, 21 men, 7 women, mean 67.4 years old) were analyzed. The following parameters were measured on lateral global-spine standing radiographs: cervical SVA (C2-C7SVA), O-C2A (O-C2 angle), C2 slope (C2S), C2-7A (C2-7 angle), T1 slope (T1S) and C7SVA. Results: The results of measurements of each of the averaged sagittal alignment parameters were (CS, P-DHS, N-DHS): C2-7SVA(26.2 mm, 47.3 mm, 44.5 mm), O-C2 angle (35.0°, 37.1°, 39.3°), C2S (16.5°, 31.4°, 33.8°), C2-7A (9.3°, 9.9°, −16.6°), T1S (22.9°, 39.7°, 25.7°), C7SVA (35.3 mm, 51.0 mm, −43.1 mm). C2-C7SVA and C2S were significantly larger in both types of DHS compared to CS. Comparing P-DHS with N-DHS, C2-C7A and T1S were significantly smaller in N-DHS. Conclusions: O-C2A did not differ significantly among CS, P-DHS and N-DHS. In DHS patients, C2-7SVA and C2S were significantly larger than those of CS regardless of the type of DHS. The typical cervical sagittal alignment of DHS was different between P-DHS and N-DHS. In P-DHS, C2-7A and T1S were larger than those in N-DHS and the imbalance of thoraco-lumbar alignment should be noted.

Introduction: Cervical ossification of the anterior longitudinal ligament (OALL) occasionally leads to dysphagia by the anterior osteophyte. A recent report explained that the dysphagia after an occipito-cervical fusion is caused by the narrowing of pharyngeal space due to the cranio-cervical malalignment. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the cranio-cervical alignment in patients with OALL complaining of the dysphagia. Subjects and methods: The subjects were 11 cases with complaining of dysphagia due to cervical OALL who underwent anterior cervical OALL resection and as control, age-matched 12 cases without dysphagia who have diffuse idiopathic skeletal hyperostosis in cervical spine. All subjects were male, and the mean age was 59.5 ± 9.1 years. The subjects were divided into two groups according to the symptoms of dysphagia (dysphagia, group A; control, group B). The O–C2 angle, C2–C7 angle, and the maximum thickness of OALL and the cranio-cervical alignment (pharyngeal inlet angle; PIA) and swallowing line (S-line) were measured before and after the operation on the lateral cervical radiogram at the sitting position. Results: Group A showed significantly large maximum thickness of OALL, small cervical range of motion, small O–C2 angle, large C2–C7 angle, and small PIA. The S-line crossed the anterior apex of cervical osteophyte in group A. After OALL resection, dysphagia had improved, PIA had increased, and the S-line uncrossed the apex of cervical vertebrae in all cases. Conclusion: The prevalence of dysphagia in patients with cervical OALL was influenced by the thickness of osteophyte, cervical mobility, and cranio-cervical alignment.

Purpose: Dropped head syndrome (DHS) is characterized by the passively correctable chin-on-chest deformity. The characteristic feature is emphasized in the cervical flexion position. The purpose of this study was to analyze the influence of cervical flexion on sagittal spinal alignment in patients with DHS. Methods: The study included 15 DHS subjects and 55 cervical spondylosis (CS) subjects as the control group. The following parameters were analyzed: cervical sagittal vertical axis (C-SVA), occipitoaxial angle (O–C2A), C2 slope (C2S), C2–C7 angle (C2–C7A), T1 slope (T1S), sagittal vertical axis, T1–T4 angle (T1–T4A), T5–T8 angle (T5–T8A), T9–T12 angle, lumbar lordosis, sacral slope, and pelvic tilt, in cervical flexion and neutral positions. Results: The values of C-SVA, O–C2A, C2S, and T1S were significantly different between CS and DHS at cervical neutral and flexion positions. C2–C7A showed significant difference in cervical neutral position, but the difference disappeared in flexion position. T1–T4A did not present a significant difference, but T5–T8A showed a difference in neutral and flexion positions. Conclusions: Malalignment of DHS extended not only to cervical spine but also to cranio-cervical junction and thoracic spine, except T1–T4. It is known that global sagittal spinal alignment is correlated with adjacent parameters, although in DHS the reciprocal change was lost from cranio-cervical junction to the middle part of thoracic spine at cervical flexion.

Purpose: The initial treatment of dropped head syndrome (DHS) is basically nonsurgical, but the mode of onset of DHS and efficacy of conservative treatment have not been fully clarified. Methods: The subjects were 38 DHS patients without neuromuscular disease (11 men and 27 women, average age 74.5 years). Cervical collar, physical therapy, and temporary medication for cervical pain were provided for all DHS patients. The following parameters were measured on lateral global spine standing radiographs: sagittal vertical axis (SVA), cervical sagittal vertical axis, C2–C7 angle, first thoracic slope, thoracic kyphosis, lumbar lordosis, sacral slope, pelvic tilt, and pelvic incidence. According to the mode of onset of DHS, the subjects were classified into acute-onset group (

Background: It is important to understand postoperative global sagittal spinal alignment after total hip arthroplasty (THA) to prevent not only the following hip complications but also progressing lumbar degeneration. The purpose of this study was to progress the analysis of the global sagittal spinal alignment between before and after THA in patients without large lower limbs discrepancy. Subjects and methods: The subjects were 87 patients with bilateral hip osteoarthritis (OA) before unilateral primary THA. We measured sagittal vertical axis (SVA), lumbar lordotic angle, sacral slope, pelvic tilt (PT), and pelvic incidence (PI) and compared the postoperative change of those parameters. Excluded criteria were Crowe classification types II, III, and IV and more than 10 mm of leg length difference, spinal scoliosis (Cobb angle > 25°), and lumbar kyphosis. Results: The correlation coefficient between preoperative factors and postoperative sagittal alignments revealed that postoperative SVA has correlation with age ( r = 0.46, p < 0.008) and preoperative PT ( r = 0.42, p = 0.015). Postoperative PT had a correlation with preoperative PI ( r = 0.46, p = 0.007). The change of PT after operation had negative correlation to preoperative PT ( r = −0.47, p < 0.01) and PI ( r = −0.38, p = 0.03). Multiple regression analysis revealed that the change of PT = 4.979 − 0.235 × preoperative PT ( p < 0.05). Therefore, when preoperative PT was less than 20°, the postoperative PT would become larger than the preoperative one. Conclusion: (1) In patient with hip OA without large lower limbs discrepancy, the postoperative PT after THA correlated with PI. (2) The postoperative change of PT was influenced by preoperative PT.

Background: Malignant solitary fibrous tumor (MSFT) arising from the spinal cord is extremely rare and poorly understood mesenchymal neoplasms: only a few MSFT in the spinal canal has been described. We describe the clinical course of the patient with MSFT arising from the thoracic spinal cord. Case report: We describe the clinical course of the patient and the radiological and pathological findings of the tumor. The tumor had been resected by microscopic posterior approach and video-assisted thoracic surgery, but local recurrence was observed by MRI at 1-year follow-up period. No metastatic lesion was confirmed. Then, carbon ion radiotherapy (CIRT) was administered to the recurrent lesion. Local suppression has been observed for 40 months after irradiation. Conclusion: Dumbbell-shaped MSFT arising from thoracic spinal cord is a highly unusual presentation. CIRT might be effective for treatment of recurrent tumors.

Study Design Retrospective study. Purpose To investigate the relationship between preoperative total spinal sagittal alignment and the early onset of adjacent segment degeneration (ASD) after single-level posterior lumbar interbody fusion (PLIF) in patients with normal sagittal spinal alignment. Overview of Literature Postoperative early-onset ASD is one of the complications after L4–L5 PLIF, a common surgical procedure for lumbar degenerative disease in patents without severe sagittal imbalance. A better understanding of the preoperative characteristics of total spinal sagittal alignment associated with early-onset ASD could help prevent the condition. Methods The study included 70 consecutive patients diagnosed with lumbar degenerative disease who underwent single-level L4–L5 PLIF between 2011 and 2015. They were divided into two groups based on the radiographic progression of L3–L4 degeneration after 1-year follow-up: the ASD and the non-ASD (NASD) group. The following radiographic parameters were preoperatively and postoperatively measured: sagittal vertebral axis (SVA), thoracic kyphosis (TK), lumbar lordosis, pelvic tilt, and pelvic incidence (PI). Results Eight of the 70 patients (11%) experienced ASD after PLIF (three males and five females; age, 64.4±7.7 years). The NASD group comprised 20 males and 42 females (age, 67.7±9.3 years). Six patients of the ASD group showed decreased L3–L4 disc height, one had L3–L4 local kyphosis, and one showed both changes. Preoperative SVA, PI, and TK were significantly smaller in the ASD group than in the NASD group (p

Purpose: Global sagittal spinal alignment undergoes changes on the basis of sagittal malalignment (trunk inclined forward) in natural degenerative progression. We hypothesized that this change would associate with the disease state of the degenerative lumbar spondylolisthesis (DS). This study aimed to evaluate the global sagittal spinal alignment of low-grade DS by classifying in accordance with sagittal vertical axis (SVA). Methods: The DS group was classified into three types according to the adult spinal deformity classification: type 1, SVA < 40 mm; type 2, 40 mm ≤ SVA < 95 mm; and type 3, 95 mm ≤ SVA. Age and sagittal spinal parameters (thoracic kyphosis, lumbar lordosis (LL), sacral slope (SS), pelvic tilt (PT), and pelvic incidence (PI)) were compared among three types. Results: There were statistically significant differences in age, LL, PI, and PT among the three types. In comparison between two types, there was a statistically significant difference between type 1 and type 2 and between type 1 and type 3, but not between type 2 and type 3 in these parameters. PI tended to increase as the type increases. Furthermore, there was significant difference between types 1 and 3. Conclusion: We evaluated the features of the DS types classified by sagittal alignment. Large PI is one of the risk factors for SVA deterioration of DS. PI may be involved in the onset and progression of DS.

Background: Preoperative cervico-thoracic kyphosis and cervical regional positive imbalance are the risk factors for postoperative cervical kyphosis after expansive laminoplasty (ELAP). However, the relationship between preoperative global sagittal spinal alignment and postoperative cervical kyphosis in patients with cervical ossification of the posterior longitudinal ligament (OPLL) is unclear. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between the onset of postoperative cervical kyphosis after ELAP and the preoperative global spinal sagittal alignment in patients with OPLL with normal sagittal spinal alignment. Methods: Sixty-nine consecutive patients without preoperative cervical kyphosis who underwent ELAP for OPLL and cervical spondylotic myelopathy (CSM) were enrolled. The global sagittal alignment radiography preoperatively and 1 year postoperatively were examined. The subjects were divided into a postoperative cervical lordosis group (LG) or a kyphosis group (KG) at 1 year postoperatively. The preoperative global sagittal spinal alignment between LG and KG in CSM and OPLL was compared. Results: The occurrence of cervical kyphosis after ELAP was 7 of 27 cases (25.9%) in OPLL and 13 of 42 cases (31.0%) in CSM. In patients with CSM in the KG, C7 the sagittal vertical axis (SVA) was smaller than in the LG. In patients with cervical OPLL in the KG, C2-C7 angle, C2-C7 SVA, and thoracic kyphosis (TK) were smaller than those in the LG. In OPLL, the age of the KG was younger than that of LG; however, this was not a significant difference in CSM. Conclusion: In patients with cervical OPLL without preoperative global spinal sagittal imbalance, preoperative small C2-C7 angle, C2-C7 SVA, TK, and younger age were typical characteristics of postoperative cervical kyphosis after ELAP.

Introduction: The cervical spine has the largest sagittal motion in the whole spine, and cervical alignment affects the thoracic sagittal alignment. However, the effects of cervical flexion and extension on thoracic sagittal alignment have not been investigated in detail. The purpose of this study was to analyze the change of thoracic sagittal alignment following cervical flexion and extension. Subjects and methods: A total of 55 consecutive patients (42 men and 13 women; average age 49.1 years) who presented to our department with spinal degenerative disease between January 2016 and September 2017 were enrolled in our study. Subjects with a history of trauma, infection, tumor, inflammatory disease, ossification, or cervical deformities, and those who had undergone spinal surgery were excluded. The following parameters were analyzed: occipito-axial angle (O–C2), C2 slope (C2S), C2–C7 angle, T1 slope (T1S), thoracic kyphosis, T1–T4 angle, T5–T8 angle, T9–T12 angle, lumbar lordosis, sacral slope, pelvic tilt in cervical flexion, neutral, and extension. Results: Cervical flexion significantly decreased O–C2, C2–C7 angles and T1S, and increased C2S. Cervical extension conversely changed these parameters. At cervical flexion, the correlation of C2–C7 angle with thoracic parameters was maintained, except for the T1–T4 angle. At cervical extension, the correlation was observed with T1S and T1–T4 angle. Conclusion: Cervical flexion affects the T1S and T5–T8 angle, but there is no significant change in T1–T4 and T9 and lower spino-pelvic columns. This study suggests that T2–T4 can be considered as a stable distal end when cervical long fixation for corrective surgery is performed.

Abstract Background Although intravesical bacille Calmette-Guérin (BCG) therapy is accepted as an effective treatment for bladder cancer, serious complications may occur in rare cases. To date, only 4 cases have been reported in which the patient developed a combination of mycotic aortic aneurysm and BCG spondylitis. Accurate diagnosis of BCG spondylitis is important because it is an iatrogenic disease, and its treatment is different from usual tuberculous spondylitis. However, distinguishing BCG spondylitis from usual tuberculous spondylitis is very difficult and takes a long time. In this study, we were able to suspect BCG spondylitis at an early stage from the result of the interferon-gamma release assay (IGRA). Case presentation We encountered a case of BCG spondylitis with adjacent mycotic aortic aneurysm after intravesical BCG therapy in a 76-year-old man. We performed a 2-stage operation to obtain spine stabilization and replace the aneurysm with a synthetic graft. We started multidrug therapy with antituberculosis medication, excluding pyrazinamide, because the patient’s history of BCG therapy, negative IGRA, and positive of tuberculosis-polymerase chain reaction (Tb-PCR) suggested that the pathogenic bacteria of the spondylitis was BCG. Eventually the bacterial strain was identified as BCG by PCR-based genomic deletion analysis. Conclusions BCG infection should be considered in patients who have been treated with BCG therapy, even if the treatment was performed several months to several years previously. In the case of a patient with a history of BCG therapy, a positive Tb-PCR result and negative IGRA result probably suggest BCG infections, if the possibility of false-negative IGRA result can be excluded.

The molecular mechanism of discogenic low back pain (LBP) involves nonphysiological nerve invasion into a degenerated intervertebral disc (IVD), induced by nerve growth factor (NGF). Selective cyclooxygenase (COX)-2 inhibitors are mainly used in the treatment of LBP, and act by suppressing the inflammatory mediator prostaglandin E2 (PGE2), which is induced by inflammatory stimuli, such as interleukin-1β (IL-1β). However, in our previous in vitro study using cultured human IVD cells, we demonstrated that the induction of NGF by IL-1β is augmented by a selective COX-2 inhibitor, and that PGE2 and PGE1 suppress NGF expression. Therefore, in this study, to elucidate the mechanism of NGF suppression by PGE2 and PGE1, we focused on mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) and its phosphatase, dual-specificity phosphatase (DUSP)-1. IL-1β-induced NGF expression was altered in human IVD cells by MAPK pathway inhibitors. PGE2 and PGE1 enhanced IL-1β-induced DUSP-1 expression, and suppressed the phosphorylation of MAPKs in human IVD cells. In DUSP-1 knockdown cells established using small interfering RNA, IL-1β-induced phosphorylation of MAPKs was enhanced and prolonged, and NGF expression was significantly enhanced. These results suggest that PGE2 and PGE1 suppress IL-1β-induced NGF expression by suppression of the MAPK signaling pathway, accompanied by increased DUSP-1 expression.

Introduction: With an aging population, the proportion of patients aged 80 years requiring cervical surgery is increasing. Surgeons are concerned with the high incidence of complications in this population, because “age” itself has been reported as a strong risk factor for complications. However, it is still unknown which factors represent higher risk among these elderly patients. Therefore, this study was conducted to identify the risk factors related to surgical complications specific to elderly patients by analyzing the registry data of patients aged 80 years who underwent cervical surgery. Methods: We retrospectively studied multicenter collected registry data using multivariate analysis. Sixty-six patients aged 80 years who underwent cervical surgery and were followed up for more than one year were included in this study. Preoperative patient demographic data, including comorbidities and postoperative complications, were collected from multicenter registry data. Complications were considered as major if they required invasive intervention, caused prolonged morbidity, or resulted in prolongation of hospital stay. Logistic regression analysis was performed to analyze the risk factors for complications. A p-value of

Study DesignGait analysis of patients with cervical spondylotic myelopathy (CSM) by using a sheet-type gait analysis system.PurposeThe aim of this study was to compare the gait patterns of patients with CSM, evaluated by the Nurick grades, and to determine the threshold values of gait parameters predicting the occurrence of a fall by using a gait recorder.Overview of LiteratureGait disorder due to CSM may progress to severe paraplegia, following even a minor trauma such as a fall. The indications for the surgery of CSM without severe paralysis remain controversial. The quantitative gait analysis and the decision for decompressive surgery in patients with CSM are important in order to prevent severe paraplegia from a fall.MethodsOne hundred thirty-two subjects (normal, 34; CSM, 98) underwent gait analysis by using a sensor sheet. Measurements of gait cycle parameters included the step and stride length, step width, foot angle, swing phase, and stance phase. CSM was assessed by Nurick grade.ResultsAlthough the clinical symptoms were lacking, Nurick grade 1 had significant abnormalities in the parameters of velocity, step length, and step angle (p

Study DesignNormal cervical sagittal length patterns were measured by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).PurposeThe aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship of sagittal length patterns between the cervical cord and the cervical canal in flexion-extension kinematics.Overview of LiteratureCervical dynamic factors sometimes cause a cervical spondylotic myelopathy in elderly subjects and an overstretching myelopathy in juvenile subjects. Previous studies showed the length changing of the cervical cord in flexion and extension. However, there is no detailed literature about the relationship between cervical vertebral motion and cord distortion yet.MethodsSixty-two normal subjects (28 male and 34 female, 42.1±8.5 years old) without neck motion disturbances and abnormalities on cervical X-ray and MRI were enrolled in this study.ResultsThe cervical cord length was significantly longer in flexion and significantly shorter in extension in all cervical cord sagittal lines. The cervical canal length pattern was also the same as the cervical cord. The elongation of the cervical cord and canal was the largest at the site of the posterior cervical canal and the shortest at the anterior canal site. The positions of the cerebellar tonsils were verified at each neck position.ConclusionsThe posterior elements of the cervical canal were most affected by neck motion. Movement directions of the upper cervical cord were verified among the various neck positions.

Study DesignRadiological analysis of normal patterns of sagittal alignment of the spine.PurposeThis study aimed to clarify the characteristics of normal sagittal spino-pelvic alignment in Asian people.Overview of LiteratureIt is known that there are differences in these parameters based on age, gender, and race. In order to properly plan for surgical correction of the spine for Asian patients, it is necessary to understand the normal spino-pelvic alignment parameters for this population.MethodsThis study analyzed 86 Japanese healthy young adult volunteers (48 men and 38 women; age 35.9±11.1 (mean±standard deviation [SD]). The following parameters were measured on lateral standing radiographs of the entire spine: sagittal vertical axis (SVA), horizontal distance between the C7 plumb line and the posterior superior corner of the superior margin of S1, thoracic kyphotic angle (TK), lumbar lordotic angle (LLA), sacral slope (SS), pelvic tilt (PT), and pelvic incidence (PI).ResultsThe values (mean±SD) of SVA, TK, LLA, SS, PT, and PI were 8.45±25.7 mm, 27.5±9.6°, 43.4±14.6°, 34.6±7.8°, 13.2±8.2°, and 46.7±8.9°, respectively. The Japanese young adults evaluated in this study tended to have a smaller PI, LLA, TK, and SVA than most Caucasian people. Regarding gender differences, SVA was significantly longer and TK was significantly smaller in men; however, there was no statistically significant difference in LLA, SS, PA, and PI.ConclusionsJapanese young adults apparently have smaller PI and LLA values than Caucasian people. When making decisions for optimal sagittal spinal alignment, racial differences should be considered.

Infrared (IR) transmittance tunable metal-insulator conversion was demonstrated on a glass substrate by using thermochromic vanadium dioxide (VO2) as the active layer in a three-terminal thin-film-transistor-type device with water-infiltrated glass as the gate insulator. Alternative positive/negative gate-voltage applications induce the reversible protonation/deprotonation of a VO2 channel, and two-orders of magnitude modulation of sheet-resistance and 49% modulation of IR-transmittance were simultaneously demonstrated at room temperature by the metal-insulator phase conversion of VO2 in a non-volatile manner. The present device is operable by the room-temperature protonation in an all-solid-state structure, and thus it will provide a new gateway to future energy-saving technology as an advanced smart window.

Vertebral bone bruise (VBB) in children commonly occurs following a fall from a height, and more than one vertebral body may be affected. We encountered 6 children each with a single VBB caused by mild physical activity. All the children had tenderness on the corresponding spinous process with no neurologic findings. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) showed typical findings of VBB in all cases. The children were treated conservatively with a soft thoracolumbar brace and instructed to rest with no physical activity for a month. At follow-up 1 month later, the back pain had diminished, and the signal changes seen on MRI had disappeared in all cases. We conclude that mild physical activity may be a cause of VBB in children and good clinical results can be achieved by using a soft thoracolumbar brace and rest.

Purpose. To evaluate the association between cervical sagittal alignment and thoracic/lumbopelvic sagittal alignment in healthy Japanese adults. Methods. 30 male and 22 female healthy adults aged 22 to 50 years were recruited. Spinal parameters were measured on radiographs, including the cervical sagittal vertical axis, sagittal vertical axis, C7 tilt angle, Ishihara index for cervical lordosis, thoracic kyphosis, lumbar lordosis, sacral slope, pelvic tilt, and pelvic incidence. Results. The C7 tilt angle positively correlated with the Ishihara index ( r =0.52, p

Study Design. This is a retrospective study of a consecutive case series of dropped head syndrome (DHS). Objective. To identify the characteristic features of contrastenhanced magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in DHS patients. Summary of background data. Isolated neck extensor myopathy DHS is thought to be caused by severe cervical extensor muscle weakness from age-related loss of elasticity. However, the MRI findings of the cervical extensor muscles in DHS patients have not yet been characterized. Materials and Methods. The subjects were 34 patients with isolated neck extensor myopathy DHS who underwent contrastenhanced MRI within seven months after onset and 32 patients with age-matched cervical spondylosis or cervical soft-tissue tumor as controls. The presence of enhanced findings in the cervical extensor muscles, the involved cervical levels, and the characteristically enhanced shape of those muscles were evaluated using contrast-enhanced MRI. Results. In the DHS group, the contrast-enhanced MRI showed pronounced enhancement at splenius capitis in 34 cases, rhomboid in 23 cases, semispinalis cervicis in seven cases, and levator scapulae in three cases. In the non-DHS group, none of those extensor muscles were enhanced. The enhanced pattern was butterfly shaped in 29 cases (85.3%) and linear in five cases (14.7%). All were located at the spinous process attachment at C6 or C7 in the DHS group. In the non-DHS group, seven cases presented an enhanced image of the spinous process, with C5-6 in one case, C6 in five cases, and C7 in one case. Conclusions. In DHS, contrast-enhanced MRI showed intramuscular enhancement of the cervical extensor muscles, which was not present in non-DHS cases. The enhanced muscles included the splenius capitis muscle in all cases. These findings may be useful for developing a strategy for DHS treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]