Spine Injury Prevention.

Spinal injury and back pain are a common problem facing patients seeking medical care including athletes, which can lead to significant disability, medical costs, and impaired performance for these patients. Rehabilitation including core muscle stabilization, Kinesio taping, and flexibility have been shown to help with treatment and prevention. Critical factors such as equipment, technique, and rule changes can also be an important part of spine injury prevention.

Publication Rate of Podium Presentations From the North American Spine Society Annual Meetings.

STUDY DESIGN: Observational study. OBJECTIVES: To determine the publication rate of podium presentations from the North American Spine Society (NASS) annual meetings from the years 2009 to 2011. METHODS: In April 2015, a PubMed search was conducted using titles from the paper presentations as well as the authors. Of the search results that were found, the specific scientific journal in which the article was published was recorded. We analyzed further the top 4 destination journals and trends in publications in these journals over the study period. No study funding was obtained for this research, and there are no potential conflicts of interest or associated biases. RESULTS: Over the study period, 671 paper presentations were available and 342 were published (51% publication rate). The highest publication rate was from the 2011 annual meeting, with 55.3%, and the lowest year was 2010, with a rate of 46.43%. Spine (32.75%), The Spine Journal (19.01%), Journal of Neurosurgery Spine (7.31%), and European Spine Journal (6.73%) were the top 4 destination journals. Over the study period, we found a significant decrease in publication rate in Spine (P = .001) and a significant increase in publication rate in The Spine Journal (P = .003). There were no significant difference in publication rate over the study period in Journal of Neurosurgery Spine (P = .15) or European Spine Journal (P = .23). CONCLUSIONS: This is the first study to our knowledge evaluating the publication rate of podium presentations from recent North American Spine Society annual meetings. We found an overall publication rate of 51%.

Upper Cervical Epidural Abscess in a Patient With Parkinson Disease: A Case Report and Review.

To our knowledge, there are no reports in the literature of patients with Parkinson disease (PD) developing upper cervical spine infections. Our objective is to present a case of upper cervical epidural abscess in a patient with PD and to review upper cervical spine infection. We present the patient's presentation, physical examination, imaging findings, and management as well a review of the literature. A 66-year-old male with PD presented to the emergency department (ED) following referral by a neurologist for a presumed C2 fracture. The preceding history was 1 week of severe neck pain requiring a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), which was initially interpreted as a C2 fracture. On admission from the ED, further review of the MRI appeared to show anterior prevertebral abscess and an epidural abscess. The patient's neurological examination was at baseline. In the span of 2 days, the patient developed significant motor weakness. A repeat MRI demonstrated expansion of the epidural collection and spinal cord compression. Surgical management consisting of C1 and C2 laminectomy, irrigation, and debridement from anterior and posterior approaches was performed. Postoperatively, the patient did not recover any motor strength and elected to withdraw care and died. Spinal epidural abscess requires a high index of suspicion and needs prompt recognition to prevent neurological impairment. Upper cervical spine infections are rare but can lead to lethal consequences.

Online reviews of orthopedic surgeons: an emerging trend.

Various websites are dedicated to rating physicians. The goals of this study were to: (1) evaluate the prevalence of orthopedic surgeon ratings on physician rating websites in the United States and (2) evaluate factors that may affect ratings, such as sex, practice sector (academic or private), years of practice, and geographic location. A total of 557 orthopedic surgeons selected from the 30 most populated US cities were enrolled. The study period was June 1 to July 31, 2013. Practice type (academic vs private), sex, geographic location, and years since completion of training were evaluated. For each orthopedic surgeon, numeric ratings from 7 physician rating websites were collected. The ratings were standardized on a scale of 0 to 100. Written reviews were also collected and categorized as positive or negative. Of the 557 orthopedic surgeons, 525 (94.3%) were rated at least once on 1 of the physician rating websites. The average rating was 71.4. The study included 39 female physicians (7.4%) and 486 male physicians (92.6%). There were 204 (38.9%) physicians in academic practice and 321 (61.1%) in private practice. The greatest number of physicians, 281 (50.4%), practiced in the South and Southeast, whereas 276 (49.6%) practiced in the West, Midwest, and Northeast. Those in academic practice had significantly higher ratings (74.4 vs 71.1; P<.007). No significant difference based on sex (72.5 male physicians vs 70.2 female physicians; P=.17) or geographic location (P=.11) were noted. Most comments (64.6%) were positive or extremely positive. Physicians who were in practice for 6 to 10 years had significantly higher ratings (76.9, P<.01) than those in practice for 0 to 5 years (70.5) or for 21 or more years (70.7).

Publication rate of paper presentations from the Cervical Spine Research Society annual meeting.

STUDY DESIGN: Observational study. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the publication rate of podium presentations from the Cervical Spine Research Society (CSRS) annual meeting and to evaluate the publication rate of award-winning papers from the CSRS annual meeting. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: Although various publication rates from Orthopaedic meetings have been reported, the publication rates from the CSRS annual meetings are not known. METHODS: Paper presentations and award-winning papers from the 2007 to 2011 annual CSRS meeting were identified. Using PubMed, we searched for publications with a title of the paper presentations or containing the same authors. The publication rate of the award-winning papers was evaluated in the same manner. We collected the title of the journals the papers were published in and identified the most common journals. RESULTS: Of the 321 podium presentations, 211 were published (65.7%). The publication rate was highest for 2007 abstracts (77.8%), followed by 2008 and 2011 (68.5%) and lowest for 2009 (58.5%). Of the 45 award-winning papers, 35 were published (77.8%), which was significantly different compared with the non-award-winning papers (63.8%, P=0.046). Spine, The Spine Journal, and Journal of Neurosurgery: Spine were the most common publication journals for the papers. CONCLUSION: In one of the first studies evaluating the publication rate of podium presentation from the CSRS annual meetings, we found an overall publication rate of 65.8% and 77.8% for award-winning papers. This high publication rate indicates the quality of papers presented at the CSRS annual meeting. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: 4.

The Publication Rate of Presentations at Two International Spine Meetings: Scoliosis Research Society and International Meeting of Advanced Spinal Techniques.

STUDY DESIGN: Observational Study. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the publication rate of podium presentations from the Scoliosis Research Society (SRS) and the International Meeting of Advanced Spinal Techniques (IMAST) annuals meeting and to compare the publication rate of SRS/IMAST meetings to other orthopedic and spine meetings. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: Although various publication rates from orthopedic meetings have been reported, recent publication rates from the SRS and IMAST annual meetings are not known. METHODS: Paper presentations and award-nominated papers from the 2009 to 2011 annual SRS and IMAST meetings were identified. Using PubMed, we searched for publications with a title of the paper presentations or containing the same authors. The publication rate of the award-nominated papers were evaluated in the same manner. We also identified the destination journals of the papers. RESULTS: A total of 764 podium presentations were presented at SRS and IMAST from 2009 to 2011. Of these 764 abstracts, 339 were published in peer-reviewed journals, with an overall publication rate of 44.37%. The publication rates for the two different meetings (SRS and IMAST) were significantly different, 47.83% (SRS) and 41.53% (IMAST), p = .03. Award-nominated abstracts had a publication rate of 63.64% (49/77) significantly different than nonnominated abstracts, 42.4% (290/684); p = .0004. There was a significant difference in publication rates between the SRS award-nominated abstracts (72.97%, 27/37) and the nonnominated abstracts (45.25%; 138/305), p = .0001. There was no difference in publication rates for IMAST award-nominated abstracts 55% (21/40) and nonnominated abstracts (40.1%, 152/379), p = .27. The publication rate was highest for 2010 abstracts (45.78%), followed by 2009 (43.94%), and lowest for 2011 (43.43%). Spine was the most common publication journal for the two meetings. CONCLUSION: In one of the first studies evaluating the publication rate of podium presentation from the SRS and IMAST annual meetings, we found an overall publication rate of 44.37% (47.83% SRS, 41.53% IMAST) and 63.64% for award-nominated papers.

Cardiac hormones target nuclear oncogenes c-Fos and c-Jun in carcinoma cells.

BACKGROUND: c-Fos is a cellular proto-oncogene which dimerizes with c-Jun proto-oncogene to form AP-1 transcription factor, which upregulates transcription of genes involved in proliferation and cancer formation. Four cardiac hormones, that is, long-acting natriuretic peptide (LANP), vessel dilator, kaliuretic peptide (KP) and atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) with anticancer effects in vivo are potent inhibitors of the Ras-MEK 1/2-ERK 1/2 kinase cascade and signal transducer and activator of transcription-3 (STAT-3) that activate c-Fos and c-Jun. These four cardiac hormones were investigated for their effects on proto-oncogenes c-Fos and c-Jun within the nucleus of cancer cells. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Four cardiac hormones were evaluated for their ability to decrease proto-oncogenes c-Fos and c-Jun, measured by ELISA in extracted nuclei of three human cancer cell lines. RESULTS: Vessel dilator, LANP, KP and ANP over a concentration range of 100 pM-10 µM, maximally decreased c-Fos by 61%, 60%, 61% and 59% in human hepatocellular cancer cells, by 82%, 74%, 78% and 74% in small-cell lung cancer cells, and by 82%, 73%, 78% and 74% in human renal adenocarcinoma cells. c-Jun was maximally reduced by vessel dilator, LANP, KP and ANP by 43%, 31%, 61% and 35% in hepatocellular cancer cells, by 65%, 49%, 59% and 40% in small-cell lung cancer cells, and by 47%, 43%, 57% and 49% in renal cancer cells. CONCLUSION: Four cardiac hormones are potent inhibitors of c-Fos and c-Jun proto-oncogenes within the nucleus of cancer cells.

Potent selective inhibition of STAT 3 versus STAT 1 by cardiac hormones.

Signal transducers and activators of transcription (STATs) are the final "switches" that activate gene expression patterns that lead to human malignancy. Extracellular signal-regulated kinases (ERK 1/2) activate STAT 3; four cardiovascular hormones inhibit ERK 1/2 kinases, leading to the hypothesis that they may also inhibit STATs. These four cardiac hormones, i.e., vessel dilator, long-acting natriuretic peptide (LANP), kaliuretic peptide, and atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP), eliminate human cancers growing in mice. These four cardiac hormones' effects on STATs 1 and 3 were examined in human small-cell lung cancer and human pancreatic adenocarcinoma cells. Vessel dilator, LANP, kaliuretic peptide, and ANP maximally decreased STAT 3 by 88, 54, 55, and 65 %, respectively, at their 1 µM concentrations in human small-cell lung cancer cells and STAT 3 by 66, 57, 70, and 77 % in human pancreatic adenocarcinoma cells, respectively. The cardiac hormones (except LANP) also significantly decreased STAT 3 measured by Western blots. These cardiac hormones did not decrease STAT 1 in either human small-cell lung cancer or pancreatic adenocarcinoma cells. We conclude that these four cardiac hormones are significant inhibitors of STAT 3, but not STAT 1, in human small-cell lung cancer and pancreatic adenocarcinoma cells, which suggests a specificity for these hormones' anticancer mechanism(s) of action enzymology in human cancer cells.

Novel dual inhibitors of vascular endothelial growth factor and VEGFR2 receptor.

BACKGROUND: Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) helps control tumour growth via causing new capillaries growth in tumours. Four cardiac hormones [i.e. vessel dilator, long-acting natriuretic peptide (LANP), kaliuretic peptide (KP) and atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP)] that eliminate up to up to 86% of human small-cell lung cancers growing in mice were investigated for their effects on VEGF and the VEGFR2/KDR/Flk-1 receptor. The VEGFR2 receptor is the main receptor mediating VEGF's cancer-enhancing effects. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Four cardiac hormones were evaluated for their ability to decrease VEGF/VEGFR2 measured by ELISAs in three human cancer cell lines. RESULTS: Vessel dilator, LANP, KP and ANP, over a concentration range of 100 pM to 10 µM, maximally decreased the VEGFR2 receptor in human pancreatic adenocarcinoma cells by 48%, 49%, 74% and 83%. Vessel dilator, LANP, KP and ANP decreased the VEGFR2 receptor by 77%, 89%, 88% and 67% in human small-cell lung cancer cells and by 48%, 92%, 64% and 71% in human prostate cancer cells. These results were confirmed with the cardiac hormones also decreasing the VEGFR2 receptor measured by Western blots. VEGF itself in pancreatic carcinoma cells was decreased by 42%, 58%, 36% and 40% by vessel dilator, LANP, KP and ANP. VEGF levels were decreased 25%, 23%, 17% and 23% in small-cell lung cancer cells and decreased by 24%, 20%, 23% and 24% in prostate cancer cells by vessel dilator, LANP, KP and ANP. CONCLUSION: Four cardiac hormones are the first dual inhibitors of VEGF and the VEGFR2/KDR/Flk-1 receptor.

Cardiac hormones are c-Jun-N-terminal kinase 2-inhibiting peptides.

BACKGROUND: Four cardiac peptide hormones, namely vessel dilator, long-acting natriuretic peptide (LANP), kaliuretic peptide, and atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) have anticancer effects. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The effects of these four cardiac hormones on human c-Jun-N-terminal kinase 2 (JNK2) were examined in human small cell lung cancer and human prostate cancer cells. RESULTS: Vessel dilator, LANP, kaliuretic peptide and ANP maximally reduced expression of JNK2 by 89%, 56%, 45%, and 28%, respectively (each at p<0.0001) in human small cell lung cancer cells. In human prostate adenocarcinoma cells, JNK2 was maximally decreased 76%, 56%, 45%, (each at p<0.0001), and 28% (p<0.01) secondary to vessel dilator, LANP, kaliuretic peptide and ANP, respectively. CONCLUSION: These results indicate that four cardiac hormones are significant inhibitors (by up to 89%) of JNK2 in human small cell lung cancer cells and up to 76% in human prostate adenocarcinoma cells as part of their anticancer mechanism(s) of action.