bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The functional traits and threats to the Borgou cattle breed as perceived by farmers in Benin
Authors: Worogo Hilaire S. S. , Hessa Célestin C. , Assani Alassan S. , Idrissou Rachidi , Alabi Cham D. A. , Idrissou Yaya , Adjassin Josias S. , Azalou Maximilien , Assogba Brice G. C. , Alkoiret Ibrahim T.
Published: March 2022

Benin has been facing the loss of its animal genetic heritage over the years. The aim of this study was to explore the reasons related to the progressive abandonment of the Borgou cattle breed. The assessment of threat level and functional traits related to the Borgou breed was therefore collected through semi-structured interviews from 105 cattle farmers using the Likert scale (1 to 5), and the scores recorded were compared within each group of farmers using the Kruskal–Wallis and the Mann–Whitney U tests. The results showed that depending on the types of farmers surveyed, the Borgou breed is much more threatened by the Zebu Goudali (p > 0.05), Yakana (p > 0.05) and Azawak (p < 0.05) with their medians ranging from 3.5 to 5. The lack of good breeding bulls and uncontrolled cross-breeding were considered to be the socio-environmental factors having more influence on the conservation of the Borgou breed (medians ranging from 3 to 4) according to the types of farmers (p > 0.05). Farmers appreciated its qualities such as adaptability, resistance to diseases, fertility, manure production, conformation, aptitude for draught and valorization of food resources (median: 3 to 5). However, scores recorded (medians 2 to 3) for the growth (p > 0.05), milk production (p > 0.05) and selling price (p < 0.01) of Borgou cattle indicated that these traits were unsatisfactory for farmers and reveal that the Borgou breed is mainly discarded in view of its low capacity to swiftly produce meat and its low milk productivity. This leads farmers to resort to cross-breeding through the use of other more productive breeds. This study will therefore allow to take into account farmers’ perceptions in the development of programmes and sustainable in situ conservation strategies of the Borgou cattle breed in Benin.
Sensory cells and the organization of the peripheral nervous system of the siboglinid Oligobrachia haakonmosbiensis Smirnov, 2000
Authors: Zaitseva Olga V. , Smirnov Roman V. , Starunova Zinaida I. , Vedenin Andrey A. , Starunov Viktor V.
Published: March 2022

Background

The nervous system of siboglinids has been studied mainly in Osedax and some Vestimentifera, while data in Frenulata – one of the four pogonophoran main branches – is still fragmentary. In most of the studies, the focus is almost always on the central nervous system, while the peripheral nervous system has traditionally received little attention. In contrast to other annelids, the structure and diversity of sensory structures in siboglinids are still quite undescribed. Meanwhile, the peripheral nervous system, as well as sensory elements, are extremely evolutionarily labile, and information about their organization is of high importance to understand lifestyles and behavior as well as main trends that lead siboglinids to their peculiar organization.

Results

The structure of the peripheric nervous system, sensory elements, and neuromuscular relationships of Oligobrachia haakonmosbiensis were studied using both scanning electron and confocal laser microscopy. A significant number of monociliary sensory cells, as well as sensory complexes located diffusely in the epithelium of the whole body were revealed. The latter include the cephalic tentacles, sensory cells accumulations along the dorsal furrow and ciliary band, areas of the openings of the tubiparous glands, and papillae. The oval ciliary spot located on the cephalic lobe at the base of the tentacles can also be regarded as a sensory organ. Most of the detected sensory cells show immunoreactivity to substance P and/or acetylated α-tubulin. FMRFamide- and serotonin-like immunoreactivity are manifested by neurons that mainly innervate tentacles, muscles, body wall epithelium, skin glands, tubiparous glands, and papillae. In the larva of O. haakonmosbiensis, monociliary sensory elements were revealed in the region of the apical organ, along the body, and on the pygidium.

Conclusions

The diversity of sensory structures in O. haakonmosbiensis comprises epidermal solitary sensory cells, sensory spots around tubiparous glands openings, and putative sensory organs such as cephalic tentacles, an oval ciliary spot on the cephalic lobe, the dorsal furrow, and papillae. Sensory structures associated with papillae and tubiparous glands play presumable mechanosensory functions and are associated with regulation of tube building as well as anchorage of the worm inside the tube. Sensory structures of the dorsal furrow are presumably engaged in the regulation of reproductive behavior. An overall low level of morphological differentiation of O. haakonmosbiensis peripheral nervous system is not typical even for annelids with the intraepithelial nervous system. This can be considered as a plesiomorphic feature of its peripheral plexus’s organization, or as evidence for the neotenic origin of Siboglinidae.
Intercropping young almond trees with snap bean under Nubaria region conditions
Authors: Abourayya Mahmoud Sami , Kaseem Nabila Elbadawy , Mahmoud Thanaa Shaban Mohamed , Marzouk Neama Mohamed , Rakha Amal Masoad
Published: March 2022

Background

Intercropping systems play an effective role in increasing the efficiency of land usage and improving the economic return. During the seasons of 2018 and 2019, the field experiment was conducted to evaluate the effects of snap bean intercropping on the growth and nutritional status of young almond trees. Examine the impact on snap bean plant growth, green and dry yields, and quality. In addition, evaluate the impact of snap bean incorporation in the soil on soil chemical characteristics. The snap bean Bronco cv. was planted in two rows between rows of 5 × 5 m almond trees, and after harvest, snap bean plants were incorporated (20 cm deep) into the soil and the chemical characteristics of the soil were examined after 60 days.

Results

The growth characteristics and leaf chemical constituents of almond young trees were significantly increased under the intercropping with snap bean plants. The highest growth, yield and pods quality of snap bean were recorded by intercropping with almond trees compared to the sole plants. Incorporation of the snap bean in the soil after harvest promoted a difference in pH and organic carbon content and increases the available contents of N, P and exchangeable elements of K, Ca and Mg in soil after 60 days incorporation compared with soil without incorporation.

Conclusions

Intercropping the snap bean Bronco cv. between the almond trees and incorporate it into the soil after harvesting to maximise the use of the land area and obtain the highest profit.
Upscaling acoustic wave equation using renormalization group theory
Authors: Malkoti Ajay , Hanasoge Shravan M. , Plessix René-Édouard
Published: March 2022

Seismic waves interact with a broad range of heterogeneities as they propagate through the earth. Simulating this full range of scales for wave propagation requires capturing heterogeneities of all scales, which can be computationally unaffordable. In such cases, we have relied on macroscopic representations of media obtained through an upscaling process that preserves the effects of small-scale heterogeneities (in comparison with the wavelengths of interest). Here, we discuss the application of the renormalization group (RG) theory-based upscaling to the 2D acoustic wave equation. RG-based upscaling requires constructing a special Fourier operator and is implemented using a domain decomposition in conjunction with an “expansion and truncation” method to mitigate edge effects. We test this upscaling method on several benchmark models and in the context of reverse time migration. The upscaled models obtained using this method indicate a good consistency for generated waveforms, whereas the runtime for simulations is reduced by at least an order of magnitude.
Viticulture in El Paso del Norte during the Colonial Period
Authors: Hendricks Rick
Published: March 2022

Imported grapes planted in El Paso del Norte around the middle of the seventeenth century grew to be substantial vineyards by the opening decades of the eighteenth century. Some growers had tens of thousands of vines under cultivation and produced wine and brandy that, according to contemporary accounts, rivaled the finest wines of Mexico or even Spain. As the century wore on, the fruits of the vine increased in importance in comparison with other agricultural products. In most years only maize competed with wine and brandy as the most valuable agricultural crop. So important were these commodities to the economy of El Paso that every year as many farmers grew grapes to produce wine and brandy as any other product. Traditionally, most of the annual production was consumed locally, although there was a brisk export trade south to Chihuahua and north to Albuquerque and Santa Fe. This trade continued until the annexation of Mexican territory north of the Rio Grande following the Mexican War in 1848. Wine continued to be produced on both sides of the river until the first decades of the twentieth century when the combination of population growth and salination of the soil ended an industry that had flourished for two and one half centuries.
Post and Rail Fences: Derivation, Development, and Demise of Rural Technology in Colonial Australia
Authors: Pickard John
Published: March 2022

Post and rail fences had a relatively minor role in England in the eighteenth century, primarily to protect young hedges. However, they rapidly became the most advanced form of fences in the new Australian colonies founded in 1788 and later. The key feature is that thinned tenons on the ends of rectangular split rails fit closely into mortises cut in the rectangular split posts. Post and rail fences were widespread but never common because of the high cost, lack of secure land tenure, and ubiquitous use of shepherds to guard against predatory dingoes. With the introduction of cheap iron wire in the mid-1850s, farmers and pastoralists gained many advantages from fencing their boundaries and paddocks. By 1900 post and rail fences were obsolete technologically, although farmers built decreasing numbers up to the 1960s. More recently, many people are relocating old post and rail fences onto peri-urban subdivisions and erecting new ones to create a rustic appearance. Post and rail fence use in advertisements and other media shows that they have achieved a new status as an icon of rural Australia.
Growing up Growing Sugar: Local Teenage Labor in the Sugar Beet Fields, 1958–1974
Authors: Norris Jim
Published: March 2022

The 1950s are often described as an anxious period in American history. Sometimes that anxiety was fed by fears about juvenile delinquency. In the Red River Valley of North Dakota and Minnesota, public apprehension was fueled also from an influx of Mexican people brought to the region by the rapidly expanding sugar beet industry. To address these perceived threats, state and local public officials, civic organizations, and the sugar industry launched a campaign to replace Mexican migrant laborers with local teenage workers. Hence, the number of Mexican people in the region would be reduced significantly, while teenagers were provided jobs that would keep them out of trouble. The Youth Beet Program (YBP) failed as a barrier to Mexican migrants; the teens simply could not produce as well as the migrants. The communities did believe the YBP helped discourage juvenile delinquent behavior. Therefore, the YBP functioned into the 1970s.
Eating and Remembering
Authors: Fitzgerald Deborah
Published: March 2022

Although most Americans enjoy a plethora of food choices, as well as an abundance of foods throughout the year, most of this food is processed and travels a long way to our tables. In exchange for plentiful food, evidently, we have given up local and regional sources and supplies of food. Since about 1930, the trend toward centralization, standardization, and specialization has discouraged local production in food, as it has discouraged local and regional production in other industries. This essay considers how this process occurred in perhaps the most archetypical agricultural state--Iowa--to understand how national trends played out on a small stage, and how Iowans responded to these pressures. In the last few years, local and regional food producers have begun to rebound in reaction to these trends.
“Abandoned Little by Little:” The 1914 Pima Adjudication Survey, Water Deprivation, and Farming on the Pima Reservation
Authors: Dejong David H.
Published: March 2022

In the first decade of the twentieth century, the United States Indian Irrigation Service attempted to quantify the amount of land currently and previously irrigated on the Pima Reservation. Using triangulation surveys, engineer Charles Southworth produced a series of maps that abetted the enactment of the Florence-Casa Grande Project of 1916. Using a combination of Pima voices and modern GIS analysis substantiates that the Pima were versatile in responding to severe water deprivation a century ago and adapted by scaling back the amount of land they cultivated, eliminating the least productive lands from cultivation, and relocating or abandoning villages. More critically, the Pima shifted their agrarian practices from waterintensive crops to less crops, such as small grains. Letting Pima voices speak for themselves gives credence to an indigenous perspective of these traumatic events. Thus, combining a Pima voice and modern technology illustrates the depth of hardship facing the Pima a century ago
The Decline of Agrarian Societies in the European Countryside: A Case Study of Spain in the Twentieth Century
Authors: Collantes Fernando
Published: March 2022

It is widely accepted that, in today’s developed countries, "rural" no longer equals "agricultural." However, few historical studies of modern occupational change in the countryside are available, especially for continental Europe. The transformation of rural Spain in the twentieth century is a case study in this broader history, reflecting upon the causes and implications of different paths of rural change. The decline of agriculture in the economy of rural Spain occurred mostly during the second half of the twentieth century and was closely related to out-migration and depopulation. Only some rural areas in the country’s more dynamic regions witnessed simultaneous occupational change and population growth. Most rural communities, on the contrary, had to face the erosive effect of depopulation on their social fabric.
Ethnicity in the Land: Lost Stories in California Agriculture
Authors: Ivey Linda L.
Published: March 2022

In California history, the contributions of ethnic and immigrant agriculturalists continue to be misrepresented and misunderstood. Rural California studies are just emerging out of the shadow cast by Carey McWilliams’s 1939 exposé Factories in the Field, which cemented a monolithic image of white, detached owners of large landholdings running industrial farms, while people of color toiled without power, safety, or a livable wage. McWilliams was not necessarily incorrect, but the reality is far more complex. The following article seeks to recover some of the stories obscured by broad brush strokes of California agricultural history by examining the local dynamics of ethnic participation and interethnic cooperation in one agricultural region. While this work does not necessarily dismiss the economic relations that have been described in previous literature, it does challenge the racial and ethnic categorization of those relations and reveals the truly multicultural nature of the development of California agriculture. The evidence also prompts a reconsideration of nativism in local settings, especially in tight-knit communities with integrated industry, where the manifestation of nativist activity or sentiment was often subdued or qualified.
“Nazis Hoe Cotton”: Planters, POWS, and the Future of Farm Labor in the Deep South
Authors: Ward Jason Morgan
Published: March 2022

During World War II, the POW labor program provided cotton planters in the lower Mississippi Valley with a temporary yet timely solution to an increasingly mobile local labor supply. While war prisoners worked in a variety of crops and non-agricultural industries, one of the greatest concentration of camps and captive workers devoted to a single crop occurred along the southern stretch of the Mississippi River. Cotton planters in Arkansas, Mississippi, and northern Louisiana secured over twelve thousand war prisoners from 1943 to 1946. German and Italian prisoners reinforced a labor system based on boundaries of color even as their presence in the fields revealed racial contradictions. Even as the inexperienced field hands undercut planter profits, exposed racial tensions, and undermined racialized notions of work, their presence helped to extend the life of an exploitative plantation economy. Despite the limited scope and dubious success rate of POW labor, cotton planters in the Deep South found a temporary workforce to hold a place on the plantation for African-American labor.
A Real-Time Trend Study of the Southern Vowel Shift in Kentuckiana
Authors: Jose Brian
Published: March 2022

This article examines both the front and back shifts of the Southern Vowel Shift (SVS) in a rural Kentuckiana (south-central Indiana) community through 50 years of real time, from the middle of the twentieth century to the early twenty-first century. Euclidean distance measurements between the pair of high front vowels /i/ and /I/ and between the pair of mid front vowels /e/ and /ε/ are subjected to analyses of variance (ANOVAs). The mid front vowels are found to be involved in the SVS and increasingly so through real time; the high front vowels, in contrast, not only are not participating in the SVS but have exhibited movements in non-SVS directions. Fronting of the back vowels is analyzed through linear mixed-effects regression analyses. Except for /℧/, which remains stable over time in this community, the other back vowels, /u/, /o/, and the nucleus of the /a℧/ diphthong all show real-time changes that are consistent with the SVS. Some of the real-time developments are at odds with profiles of change through apparent time, which underscores the value of real-time data when and where it is available.
Archaeology of a Medium: The (Agri)Cultural Techniques of a Paddy Film Farm
Authors: Bao Weihong
Published: March 2022

This essay explores a critical dialogue between methods and conceptions of cultural techniques—the second wave of media archaeology—and a case in contemporary Chinese documentary. I examine filmmaker Mao Chenyu, who is also an organic farmer, a critical thinker and writer, and a film exhibitor. Mao provides an intriguing case of how ethnography, ecology, and cosmology intertwine; how media art can take the form of media activism by redefining its boundaries and exhibition space; and how media art can be rethought by replacing its usual focus on media as object with a focus on media as space, community, and social process. By engaging Mao's film practice and critical writings, I test the promise and limits of cultural techniques to reopen the question of culture and public sphere without privileging the a priori of technical operations as the programmability of society.
Utopia in a Package? Digital Media Piracy and the Politics of Entertainment in Cuba
Authors: Humphreys Laura-Zoë
Published: March 2022

Following the 1959 revolution, the Cuban state nationalized media outlets on the island and has controlled them ever since. Since 2010, however, this monopoly has been threatened by the paquete (package), one terabyte of pirated digital media collected by independent Cuban entrepreneurs and circulated through informal distribution networks across the island using flash drives and hard drives. Combining archival and textual analysis with ethnographic research, this article analyzes how the legacy of state socialism gave distinctive shape to experiences and perceptions of digital media piracy. I show how the state's history of contravening international copyright provided justification for piracy and how cultural producers and consumers worked to reconcile revolutionary aspirations for socialist art with the influx of global entertainment and the rise of new forms of local cultural production, especially advertising, enabled by the paquete. In so doing, this research challenges media archaeology's Euro-American focus and shows how alternate media histories can lead to different understandings of key questions in media studies, including the links between copyright, entertainment, and modernity.
Monetary Authorities
Authors: Lumba Allan E. S.
Published: March 2022

In Monetary Authorities Allan E. S. Lumba explores how the United States used monetary policy and banking systems to justify racial and class hierarchies, enforce capitalist exploitation, and counter movements for decolonization in the American colonial Philippines. Lumba shows that colonial economic experts justified American imperial authority by claiming that Filipinos did not possess the racial capacities to properly manage money. Financial independence, then, became a key metric of racial capitalism by which Filipinos had to prove their ability to self-govern. At the same time, the colonial state used its monetary authority to police the economic activities of colonized subjects and to curb movements for decolonization. It later offered a conditional form of decolonization that left the Philippines reliant on U.S. financial institutions. By showing how imperial governance was entwined with the racialization and regulation of monetary systems in the Philippines, Lumba illuminates a key mechanism through which the United States securitized the imperial world order.
137 Utility of MMG (Mechanomyography) on Intraoperative Clinical Decision Making in Peripheral Nerve Surgery
Authors: Guerrero Jaime , Javeed Saad , Dibble Christopher , Ray Zack , Faraji Amir H.
Published: March 2022

INTRODUCTION:

Recent studies demonstrated the high sensitivity of mechanomyography (MMG) as a novel minimally invasive technique in detecting nerve function as compared to traditional electromyographic recording. MMG reflects the mechanical vibrations of single motor units detected via accelerometer sensors. We hypothesize that MMG will be a powerful intraoperative tool to supplement traditional nerve diagnostic and imaging methodologies.

METHODS:

We utilized the Sentio MMG system (Depuy-Synthes) to monitor nerve function during surgical decompression of chronic cubital tunnel and peroneal nerve entrapment. Accelerometer sensors were placed on target myotomes. Intraoperatively, the nerves were stimulated at a 0.1 mA threshold, with 0.1 mA increases until muscle activity was noted. The final threshold current was recorded prior to decompression and following decompression.

RESULTS:

A total of four patients were included in this initial report. Intraoperatively, MMG stimulus thresholds were recorded in all four patients prior to decompression at 1.5 ± 0.1 mA. Following proximal decompression, immediate improvements in MMG stimulus thresholds were noted. Following distal decompression, the final stimulus thresholds were noted at 0.5 ± 0.1 mA (p = 0.0001, one-way ANOVA). Postoperatively, all patients endorsed symptomatic improvement in pain and motor strength. This data is preliminary and continued enrollment and long term follow up is currently underway.

CONCLUSION:

MMG is a sensitive technique that is readily adoptable in standard workflows. Importantly, MMG stimulus thresholds may provide objective guidance within intraoperative decision making in determining the extent of surgical decompression. Future work should focus on validating normative values of MMG stimulus thresholds in various nerves and establishing clinical associations with functional outcomes.
171 Impact of Baseline Cervical Mal-Alignments on Proximal Junctional Kyphosis Following Thoraco-lumbar Corrective Surgery
Authors: Passias Peter G. , Passfall Lara , Lafage Virginie , Lafage Renaud , Smith Justin S. , Line Breton G. , Tretiakov BSME; Peter , Protopsaltis Themistocles , Daniels Alan H. , Kebaish Khaled , Gum Jeffrey L. , Koller Heiko , Hamilton D. Kojo , Hostin Richard A. , Gupta Munish C. , Anand Neel , Ames Christopher P. , Hart Robert A. , Burton Douglas C. , Schwab Frank , Shaffrey Christopher I. , Klineberg Eric , Kim Han J. , Bess Shay ,   International Spine Study Group
Published: March 2022

INTRODUCTION:

The regions of the spine are often referred to a chain of correlation, where malalignment in one aspect may cause compensatory changes in another area of the spine or lower extremities.

METHODS:

Included: operative ASD patients (Coronal Cobb = 20°, SVA = 50 mm, PT = 25°, or TK > 60°) >18 yrs with concurrent cervical deformity (C2-C7 kyphosis <-15°, TS-CL > 35°, cSVA > 4 cm, CBVA > 25°, McGregor’s slope >20°, or C2-T1 kyphosis >15° across any 3 vertebra). Patients with UIV above T1 or with preop PJK were excluded. Patients were grouped according to three deformity classification schemes: Ames CD modifiers, Kim et al. sagittal morphotypes, and Mizutani et al. head-trunk balance. Univariate analyses and logistic regression assessed the impact of these three deformity classifications on PJK and PJF rates by 2Y postop.

RESULTS:

708 patients with concurrent ASD and CD included (62 yrs, 71% F, 28.2 kg/m2, levels fused 10.1 ± 4.5). Sagittal morphotypes [flatneck(FN), focal deformity(FD) and cervicothoracic(CT)] were identified based on radiographic thresholds adapted from Virk et al.: 18 pts(2.5%) FN, 10(1.4%) FD, and 206(29.1%) were CT. Head-balance[HBal] was defined as SVA < 0, LL > PI, T1S < 20°, while trunk-balance[TBal] was SVA > 0, LL < PI, T1S > 20°. 14(2.0%) were HBal and 474(66.9%) were TBal. By Ames CD modifiers, the following had high deformity: cSVA 0%, TS-CL 45.6%, SVA 43.8%, and Horiz 21.8%. Overall, 301 pts (42.5%) developed PJK by by 2Y, and 73 pts (10.3%) had PJF. Regression analysis identified CD classification groups that were predictors of PJF: FD morphotype(OR: 7.6) and high Ames SVA deformity (OR: 1.8); both p < 0.05. These increased odds of PJF remained when controlling for use of PJK prophylaxis during index surgery.

CONCLUSION:

In patients with concurrent cervical and thoracolumbar deformities undergoing isolated thoracolumbar correction, the use of existing cervical deformity classification schemes can allow for preoperative assessment of PJK and PJF risk. Speficially, high deformity by Ames criteria and focal deformity morphotype had increased odds of PJF despite prophylaxis.
300 Stereotactic Radiosurgery With Versus Without Embolization for Brain Arteriovenous Malformations
Authors: Chen Ching-Jen , Ding Dale , Lee Cheng-chia , Kearns Kathryn , Pomeraniec Isaac J. , Ironside Natasha , Kondziolka Douglas S. , Trifiletti Daniel M. , Liscak Roman , Cockroft Kevin M. , Lee John Y. K. , Sheehan Jason P.
Published: March 2022

INTRODUCTION:

Prior comparisons of brain arteriovenous malformations (AVMs) treated using stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) with or without embolization were inherently flawed, due to differences in the pre-treatment nidus volumes.

METHODS:

We retrospectively reviewed International Radiosurgery Research Foundation AVM databases from 1987–2018. Patients were categorized into the embolization and SRS (E+SRS) or SRS alone (SRS-only) cohorts. The two cohorts were matched in a 1:1 ratio using propensity scores. Primary outcome was defined as AVM obliteration. Secondary outcomes were post-SRS hemorrhage, all-cause mortality, radiologic and symptomatic radiation-induced changes (RIC), and cyst formation.

RESULTS:

The matched cohorts each comprised 101 patients. Crude AVM obliteration rates were similar between the matched E+SRS versus SRS-only cohorts (48.5% vs. 54.5%; OR = 0.788, p = 0.399). Cumulative probabilities of obliteration at 3, 4, 5, and 6 years were also similar between the E+SRS (33.0%, 46.4%, 56.2%, and 60.8%, respectively) and SRS-only (32.9%, 46.2%, 56.0%, and 60.6%, respectively) cohorts (SHR = 1.005, p = 0.981). Cumulative probabilities of radiologic RIC at 3, 4, 5, and 6 years were lower in the E+SRS (25.0%, 25.7%, 26.7%, and 26.7%, respectively) versus SRS-only (45.3%, 46.2%, 47.8%, and 47.8%, respectively) cohort (SHR = 0.478, p = 0.004). Symptomatic and asymptomatic embolization-related complication rates were 8.3% and 18.6%, respectively. Rates of post-SRS hemorrhage, all-cause mortality, symptomatic RIC, and cyst formation were similar between the matched cohorts.

CONCLUSION:

This study refutes the prevalent notion that AVM embolization negatively affects the likelihood of obliteration after SRS.
311 Multi-institutional Analysis on Rate of Pseudarthrosis Following Anterior Cervical Discectomy and Fusion Using Allograft Cellular Bone Matrix (Osteocel)
Authors: Wang Timothy Y. , Bergin Stephen M. , Park Christine , Rajkumar Shashank , Goodwin C. Rory , Karikari Isaac O. , Abd-El-Barr Muhammad , Shaffrey Christopher I. , Yarbrough Chester , Than Khoi D.
Published: March 2022

INTRODUCTION:

Usage of osteobiologics is becoming increasingly common for spinal fusion procedures, but the efficacy of certain products is unclear.

METHODS:

The medical record across three medical centers and seven spine surgeons was retrospectively queried for patients undergoing single-level ACDF utilizing Osteocel. Pseudarthrosis was determined based on computed tomography (CT) or x-rays of the cervical spine. Patients were determined to have radiographic pseudarthrosis if they met any of the following criteria: 1) lack of bridging bone on CT obtained >300 days postoperatively, 2) evidence of instrumentation failure, or 3) motion across index level as seen on flexion/extension cervical spine x-rays. Univariate and multivariate analyses were then performed to identify independent preoperative or perioperative predictors of pseudarthrosis in this population.

RESULTS:

A total of 326 patients met inclusion criteria. Forty-three (13.2%) patients met criteria for pseudarthrosis, of which 15 underwent revision surgery (34.9%). Age (54.1 vs 53.8 years), sex (34.9% vs 47.4% male), race, prior cervical spine surgery (37.2% vs 33.6%), tobacco abuse (16.3% vs 14.5%), chronic kidney disease (2.3% vs 2.8%), and diabetes (18.6% vs 14.5%) were not significantly different between patients with or without pseudarthrosis, respectively (p > 0.05). Presence of osteoporosis (16.3% vs 3.5%) was associated with pseudarthrosis (p < 0.001). Implant-type was also significantly associated with pseudarthrosis, with a 16.4% rate of pseudarthrosis for patients with polyetherethereketone (PEEK) implants versus 8.4% for patients with allograft implant (p = 0.04). Average length of follow-up was 27.6 and 23.8 months for patients with and without pseudarthrosis, respectively. Multivariate analysis demonstrated osteoporosis (OR: 4.97, 95% CI [1.51-16.4], p < 0.01) and usage of PEEK implant (OR: 2.24, 95% CI [1.04-4.83], p = 0.04) as independent predictors of pseudarthrosis.

CONCLUSION:

The usage of Osteocel in single-level ACDF is associated with a higher rate of pseudarthrosis compared to the literature-reported fusion rates for alternative osteobiologics. This is especially true when Osteocel is combined with a PEEK implant.
318 Classifying Peri-operative Course and Outcomes in Spine Surgery Using Smartphone-Based Accelerometry
Authors: Ahmad Hasan S. , Yang Andrew Il , Joshi Disha S. , Cleri Natalie , Basil Gregory , Wang Michael Y. , Welch William Charles , Yoon Jang W.
Published: March 2022

INTRODUCTION:

Spine surgery outcomes are currently assessed using patient-reported outcome measures (ODI, EQ-5D). However, such tools are limited by the inherent subjectivity of the data, as well as collection at discrete timepoints without regard to each patient’s unique clinical course. In contrast, patient mobility data streamed from smartphones with built-in accelerometers offer a more objective and continuous measure of surgical outcome.

METHODS:

14 patients who underwent elective lumbar decompressive surgery were included. Patient data were remotely exported from the Apple Health mobile application. A time series analysis was conducted on steps-per-day across a 2-year peri-operative period. Using a data-driven approach, up to five distinct temporal epochs were identified from each patient’s time series: 1) pre-operative baseline; 2) acute pre-operative decline, indicating either an acute event or an acute-on-chronic decline; 3) immediate post-operative recovery; 4) full recovery; 5) secondary decline from fully-recovered state.

RESULTS:

Mobility data revealed acute pre-operative decline in 10 patients (onset 11.8 ± 2.9 weeks prior to surgery); the remaining 4 patients demonstrated a chronic presentation (no Epoch 2). These presentations were concordant with clinical documentation in 13/14 patients. Following the immediate post-operative recovery period (duration 20.6 ± 4.9 weeks), 11 of 14 patients achieved a full recovery, indicating a return in mobility to levels commensurate to or better than the patient’s pre-operative baseline. Of these, 2 patients subsequently experienced a secondary decline beginning 27.2.1 ± 9.9 weeks after surgery. During the full recovery period, subject-level daily steps improved by 80% ± 33% relative to before surgery (p = 0.002).

CONCLUSION:

The peri-operative clinical course of spine surgery patients was classified from smartphone-based mobility data using a data-driven method. Our findings highlight the potential of using mobility data for pre-operative counseling, as an objective surgical outcome measure, and for remote patient monitoring beyond the immediate post-surgical period.
325 Survey of Concussion Amongst High School Students and Their Parents
Authors: Goldberg Marco , Goldberg Aden , White Chase , Jabbour Pascal
Published: March 2022

INTRODUCTION:

Concussion is a common and dangerous injury amongst high school students. Concussion understanding and treatment has changed significantly as research has expanded the knowledge of concussion.

METHODS:

A Google Forms survey was completed by total 250 high school students and their parents assessing demographic characteristics, as well as experience with, attitude towards, and knowledge of sports-related concussion. Statistical analysis was performed using Chi-square, Fisher’s exact, and t-test methods. Statistical significance was defined as p < 0.05.

RESULTS:

45% of students reported having a prior concussion. Parents were more concerned about concussion than students (71% vs. 56%, p = 0.004). Previously concussed students were more concerned about concussion than non-concussed students (73% vs. 58%, p = 0.007). Parents were more likely to consider stopping participation in an activity than their students (65% vs. 22%, p < 0.0001). 8% of previously concussed students had stopped participation in an activity due to concussion. Concussion knowledge was similar between parents and students who played and did not play contact sports. Students were more willing to conceal a concussion than their parents (49% vs. 4%, p < 0.001).

CONCLUSION:

Parents of high school students had greater concern about concussion than their students. Students were much more willing to conceal a concussion than their parents. The finding that 49% of high school students would conceal a concussion in order to continue participation in activities is concerning. More education is needed among the high school population.
335 Low Frequency Oscillations in the Ventral Nucleus Accumbens Region Guides Brain Responsive Neurostimulation for Loss of Control Eating: An Initial Review of the BITES Trial
Authors: Shivacharan Rajat , Rolle Cammie , Buch Vivek , Barbosa Daniel , Cunningham Tricia , Safer Debra , Bohon Cara , Azagury Dan , Dunn Laura , Yutsis Maya , Tass Peter A. , Williams Nolan R. , Skarpaas Tara L. , Bhati Mahendra T. , Malenka Rob , Lock James D. , Halpern Casey H.
Published: March 2022

INTRODUCTION:

Loss of control (LOC) eating is pervasive in eating disorders and obesity. The presence of this phenotype appears to predict treatment-resistance, including gastric bypass surgery. Brain-responsive neurostimulation guided by low frequency changes in the nucleus accumbens (NAc-RNS) was previously found to block LOC eating behavior in mice. Following this novel preclinical work, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved an Investigational Device Exemption for a first-in-human study.

METHODS:

Two participants (female, 45 and 55 years old) with binge-eating disorder and morbid obesity (body mass index, 45 and 50 kg/m2) refractory to gastric bypass were surgically implanted with a brain-responsive neurostimulator (RNS System; NeuroPace, Inc.) connected to bilateral NAc depth leads. NAc field potentials were recorded postoperatively in the clinic while the participants completed eating tasks. Outside of the clinic, participants maintained a diary describing their LOC episodes, specifically describing craving and satiety severity (Likert scale), and triggered the neurostimulator to record timestamped NAc field potentials. NAc field potentials and bilateral NAc connectivity were analyzed for the development and implementation of a novel NAc-RNS paradigm.

RESULTS:

In the clinic, the left ventral NAc region activity showed increased delta (2-4 Hz)- and theta (4-8 Hz)-band power during anticipatory bites of highly caloric, palatable food when compared to standard meal bites. In the ambulatory setting, we observed increased bilateral ventral NAc delta band activity and connectivity that appeared selective for states of food craving. Therefore, the RNS System was programmed to detect brief bursts of low-frequency activity in the bilateral ventral NAc, and delivered bilateral, bipolar stimulation (∼1 μC/cm2 charge density per 10s stimulation bout). This paradigm resulted in decreased LOC episodes (∼25% in both participants) and subjective improvement in decision-making surrounding food choices.

CONCLUSION:

We present early findings of an electrographic signal associated with LOC eating with promising preliminary evidence of restored control using a NAc-RNS paradigm. Future directions include refining control signals, adaptive parameters, and examining the long-term effects of restoring inhibitory control on obesity.
336 Connectivity Between Resting-State Networks and Mesial Temporal Regions May Distinguish Between Right and Left Mesial Temporal Lobe Epilepsy
Authors: Narasimhan Saramati , Gonzalez Hernan F. J. , Johnson Graham W. , Wills Kristin , Paulo Danika Lea , Morgan Victoria , Englot Dario J.
Published: March 2022

INTRODUCTION:

Mesial temporal lobe epilepsy (mTLE) is the most common surgical epilepsy. Confidently lateralizing mTLE preoperatively may be challenging with only noninvasive evaluations. Resting-state fMRI has been used to identify connectivity abnormalities in mTLE, involving mesial temporal structures and other networks such as default mode network (DMN).

METHODS:

We acquired 20 minutes of resting-state fMRI in 52 mTLE patients (28 females, 39.5 ± 12.2 years) and 52 age/gender matched controls. In mTLE patients versus controls, we evaluated fMRI functional connectivity of bilateral hippocampi/amygdalae and resting-state networks (default mode, central executive, salience, visual) using non-directed Pearson correlation (Z-scored), network-based statistic (NBS), and directed dynamic causal modeling (DCM). We separately acquired 2 minutes of resting-state SEEG in 17 unilateral mTLE patients (10 females, 34.6 ± 12.5 years). Using SEEG, we measured hippocampal versus extrahippocampal inward partial directed coherence (PDC) strength.

RESULTS:

Right mTLE patients demonstrated reduced undirected functional connectivity (Z) between right hippocampus and DMN compared to left mTLE patients and controls (p < 0.001, corrected, ANOVA). These were not seen between the hippocampus and other resting-state networks. Focusing on mesial temporal and DMN nodes, NBS analysis demonstrated the network with most decreased connectivity in right versus left mTLE included right hippocampus/amygdala, bilateral inferior parietal, precuneus, and medial orbitofrontal, and right lateral orbitofrontal regions (9 of 14 nodes, p = 0.006, corrected). With model exceedance probabilities, DCM analysis revealed cross-hemispheric connectivity between hippocampi/amygdalae was mostly inward to epileptogenic-side. FMRI finding resembled SEEG findings, where inward PDC strength was higher in epileptogenic hippocampi compared to other regions in right/left mTLE (p < 0.05, t-tests, corrected).

CONCLUSION:

If improved, this may aid surgical planning and reduce need for intracranial monitoring. Inward patterns using fMRI and SEEG appear altered at epileptogenic hippocampi, warranting further comparative study of directional connectivity between fMRI and SEEG.
344 Comparison of Magnetic Resonance Relaxometry and Apparent Diffusion Coefficient for Tissue Cell Density Quantification in Glioma Imaging: Exploratory Study via 11C-methionine PET and Validation via Stereotactic Tissue Sampling
Authors: Kinoshita Manabu , Uchikoshi Masato , Sakai Mio , Kanemura Yonehiro , Shimosegawa Eku , Nakatsuka Shin-ichi , Kishima Haruhiko , Nakanishi Katsuyuki
Published: March 2022

INTRODUCTION:

Visualization of non-contrast-enhancing tumor lesions in glioma is one of the most crucial yet challenging issues for patients with this pathology.

METHODS:

Participants comprised of patients with low- or high-grade glioma. Correlation between T1-, T2-relaxation time, ADC, and 11C-methionine uptake as measured by positron emission tomography was investigated, followed by comparing T1-, T2-relaxation time, ADC with tumor cell density as measured by stereotactic image-guided tissue sampling. MR relaxometry was achieved by converting Magnetization Prepared Rapid Gradient Echo (MP2RAGE) images and multi-echo T2-weighted images via Bayesian inference modeling.

RESULTS:

T1-relaxation time >1850 ms but <3200 ms or T2-relaxation time >115 ms, but <225 ms under 3T were indicative of high 11C-methionine uptake. Stereotactic tissue sampling study confirmed that only the T1-relaxation time of 1850-3200 ms was significantly indicative of higher tumor cell density (p = 0.02). ADC was unable to show a significant correlation with 11C-methionine uptake or with tumor cell density. Synthetic tumor load images were successfully reconstructed using T1- and T2-relaxation mapping.

CONCLUSION:

T1-relaxation time correlated well with tumor cell density in glioma tissues, while neither T2-relaxation time nor ADC showed significant correlation. The ideal ranges for identifying high tumor load tissues was 1850-3200 ms for T1-relaxation time measured at 3 T.
345 Comparable Safety Profile Between Laser Interstitial Thermal Therapy (LITT) and Stereotactic Needle Biopsy in 30-Day and 90-Day Readmission: A National Readmissions Database Analysis
Authors: Alvi Mohammed A. , Do Truong , Howard Madeleine , Huling Jared , Palzer Elise , Chen Clark C.
Published: March 2022

INTRODUCTION:

The procedural elements of Laser Interstitial Thermal Therapy (LITT, also known as stereotactic laser ablation (SLA)) and stereotactic needle biopsy are highly similar.

METHODS:

We queried the National Readmission Database (NRD, 2010-18) for patients who underwent elective LITT or biopsy using International Classification of Diseases 9th and 10th edition codes. Readmission was defined planned, related admissions following the index admission. Odds of 30- and 90-days readmission were calculated using multivariable logistic regression.

RESULTS:

305 LITT and 7,419 needle biopsy treated brain tumor were identified. The LITT treated patients were younger (p < 0.001), female (p=0.008), and insured privately (compared to Medicare or Medicaid, p < 0.001). In terms of cancer type, a greater proportion of LITT cohort were patients brain metastasis (relative to primary brain cancer, 38.7% vs 7.2%, p < 0.001). There was no difference in non-routine discharge (LITT: 73.8%, n = 225 discharged to home vs biopsy: 80 %, n = 5,392, p = 0.826) or in-hospital mortality (0.3%,n=1 vs 0.7%, n = 50, p = 0.715). The most common neurosurgical reasons for readmissions at 30-days included unplanned readmission for index diagnosis (LITT: 2%, n = 7 vs biopsy: 3.7%, n = 272), infection (0.6%, n = 2 vs 0.46%, n = 34), seizure (0.3%, n = 1 vs 0.74%, n = 54) and cerebrovascular complication (0.3%, n = 1 vs 1%, n = 55) . The most common reason for non-neurosurgical readmission at 30 days for biopsy treated patients was deep vein thrombosis (DVT) / pulmonary embolism (PE) (0.46%, n = 35) and for LITT treated patients was an electrolyte abnormality (0.6%, n = 2). In both univariate and multivariable analyses, the odds of 30- and 90-days overall readmission, as well as neurosurgical and non-neurosurgical readmission were comparable between LITT and biopsy.

CONCLUSION:

The NRD analysis of 30- and 90-day readmission suggest comparable safety profile between LITT and stereotactic needle biopsy as treatment for brain tumor patients.
357 Novel Osteoconductive, Bioresorbable Bone Adhesive Provides Superior Cranial Flap Fixation Strength and Reduced CSF Leak Potential in a Cadaver Model
Authors: Smith Timothy R. , Foley Kevin T. , Slotkin Jonathan , Woodard Eric J. , Lazor John B. , Boruah Sourabh , Cavaleri Christy , Brown Michael C. , McDonough Brittany , Van Citters Douglas W. ,   Brigham and Women's Hospital Study Group; Geisinger Medical Center Study Group; Semmes-Murphey Clinic Study Group
Published: March 2022

INTRODUCTION:

Plates and screws are the gold standard for cranial flap fixation. Unfortunately, hardware may be associated with loosening and migration. Osseous union of the fixated flap to the surrounding skull is typically incomplete. Furthermore, titanium plates and screws do not provide a watertight closure of the bone and cannot mitigate CSF leakage.

METHODS:

64 craniotomies were performed in 16 cadavers by a single neurosurgeon. Frontal, pterional, parietal, and parieto-occipito-temporal flaps were created in each skull. The 64 bone flaps were fixated by 16 different neurosurgeons (4 flaps/surgeon). Each flap was secured with standard cranial plates and screws, then biomechanically tested using either quasi-static compression (1mm/min) or staircase impact (up to 60J impact energy at increments of 6J) to analyze mechanical strength. Next, the plates and screws were removed and the same bone flap was secured by the same neurosurgeon using a novel bone adhesive, Tetranite®(TN). The TN-secured flaps were then biomechanically tested in similar fashion. A subset of the TN-fixated flaps was subjected to hydrostatic fluid pressure (up to 40mm Hg at steps of 5mm Hg) to determine resistance to simulated CSF leakage prior to mechanical testing.

RESULTS:

TN fixation was approximately 41 times stiffer and 48 times stronger than metal fixation under quasi-static loading (stiffness 4216±1544N/mm and peak force 5456±1920N for TN vs. 103 ±81N/mm and 113±89N for metal hardware: n=32). At an impact energy of 6J, cranial flaps fixated using metal hardware migrated to a peak deflection 13 times greater than TN-fixated specimens; the residual plastic deformation was 30 times greater (peak elastic deflection 2.94± 0.81mm and plastic deflection of 1.69±0.93mm for metal hardware vs. 0.24±0.07mm and 0.06±0.04mm for TN; n=31). Of 16 TN-fixated specimens tested hydrostatically, none leaked under pressures up to 35mmHg held for 5 secs, and only 2 specimens leaked at 40mmHg.

CONCLUSION:

TN was biomechanically superior to standard cranial hardware for flap fixation. Additionally, TN acted to prevent fluid leakage. TN holds promise for improving cranial bone flap fixation biomechanically, cosmetically, and hydrostatically.