Spine
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The failure strength of porcine spinal units was correlated with vertebral size and bone mineralization. The accuracy of the resulting predictive equations was tested with an independent sample of spinal units. ⋯ Measures of BMC/BMD did not enhance predictions of compressive strength and will not reduce errors in compressive load normalization in a porcine model. The poor correlations found between BMC and compressive strength may be due to the non-load-bearing anterior processes of the porcine cervical spine.
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Experimental study to describe lumbar spine and hip joint movements during sit-to-stand and stand-to-sit. ⋯ Back pain was related to changes in the kinematics and coordination of the lumbar spine and hips during sit-to-stand and stand-to-sit. Assessment of back pain patients should include kinematic analysis of the hips as well as the spine.
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This study examines changes in the production of extracellular matrix molecules as well as the induction of tissue degradation in in vitro formed nucleus pulposus (NP) tissues following incubation with tumor necrosis factor (TNF)alpha. ⋯ Because low levels of TNF-alpha, comparable to those present physiologically, induced NP tissue degradation, this suggests that TNF-alpha may contribute to the degenerative changes that occur in disc disease.
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A prospective study using magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) on a consecutive cohort of patients with cervical spine injuries. ⋯ The incidence of traumatically induced vertebral artery occlusion was 17.2%. The potential for blood flow restoration was higher in compressive injuries than in distractive injuries. The mechanism of occlusion in compressive injuries is likely to be vasospasm or minor artery dissection, which may cause reversible occlusion because vessels are subjected to relatively minor stretching in compressive injuries. Vertebral artery occlusion was rarely symptomatic because of sufficient collateral blood supply through not only contralateral vertebral artery but also the circle of Willis.
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To study the therapeutic efficacy of intradiscal injection of osteogenic protein-1 (OP-1) to reduce degeneration and associated discogenic pain. ⋯ OP-1 injection into degenerative intervertebral disc resulted in the enhancement of the extracellular matrix and the inhibition of pain-related behavior.