MUS

The amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) functional rating scale-revised (ALSFRS-R) has become the most widely utilized measure of disease severity in patients with ALS, with change in ALSFRS-R from baseline being a trusted primary outcome measure in ALS clinical trials. This is despite the scale having several established limitations, and although alternative scales have been proposed, it is unlikely that these will displace ALSFRS-R in the foreseeable future. Here, we discuss the merits of delta FS (ΔFS), the slope or rate of ALSFRS-R decline over time, as a relevant tool for innovative ALS study design, with an as yet untapped potential for optimization of drug effectiveness and patient management...

No abstract text is available yet for this article.

BACKGROUND: Borrelia miyamotoi is a spirochete species transmitted via hard ticks. Following its discovery in Japan, this pathogen has been detected around the world, and is increasingly confirmed as a human pathogen causing febrile disease, namely relapsing fever. Its presence has been confirmed in the Northeast China. However, there is little information regarding the presence of B. miyamotoi and other hard-tick-borne relapsing fever spirochetes in southern China including Yunnan province, where tick and animal species are abundant and many people both inhabit and visit for recreation...

IMPORTANCE: Mixed data exist in the literature regarding the impact of obesity on midurethral sling (MUS) failure rates. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of obesity and Hispanic ethnicity on MUS failure. STUDY DESIGN: This was a retrospective cohort study of females who underwent MUS surgery, alone or with concomitant prolapse repair, with at least 1 year of follow-up. Body mass index (BMI) classes were categorized as normal (<25 kg/m2), overweight (25-29...

INTRODUCTION/AIMS: Ultra high-frequency ultrasound (UHFUS) has been demonstrated to allow easy visualization and quantification of median and digital nerve fascicles; however, there is a lack of normative data for other upper limb nerves. The purpose of this study was to use UHFUS to establish normative reference values and ranges for fascicle count and density within selected upper extremity nerves. METHODS: Twenty-one healthy volunteers underwent sonographic examination of the ulnar, superficial branch of the radial, and radial nerves on one upper limb using UHFUS with a 48 MHz linear transducer...

No abstract text is available yet for this article.

No abstract text is available yet for this article.

INTRODUCTION AND HYPOTHESIS: The objective was to investigate the relationship between mesh exposure and persistent stress urinary incontinence (SUI) post-midurethral sling (MUS) surgery. METHODS: Extensive data collection including patient demographics, obstetric history, existing medical conditions, previous surgeries, and surgical outcomes, encompassing both perioperative and postoperative complications. RESULTS: Out of 456 patients who underwent the MUS procedure within the specified period, the persistence of SUI was noted in 6...

INTRODUCTION/AIMS: Whole-body magnetic resonance neurography (MRN) is an imaging modality that shows peripheral nerve signal change in patients with chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy (CIDP). We aimed to explore the diagnostic potential of whole-body MRN and its potential as a monitoring tool after immunotherapy in treatment-naïve CIDP patients. METHODS: Whole-body MRN using coronal 3-dimensional short tau inversion recovery (STIR) sampling perfection with application-optimized contrasts by using different flip angle evolution (SPACE) techniques was performed in patients being investigated for CIDP and in healthy controls...

INTRODUCTION/AIMS: Patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) are susceptible to malnutrition, with appropriate management of nutritional interventions an active area of investigation. We sought to determine the impact of gastrostomy tube placement in ALS patients, exploring the correlation between forced vital capacity (FVC), malnutrition, and perioperative complications. METHODS: A retrospective review was performed of clinically diagnosed ALS patients treated at two multidisciplinary clinics (University of Kansas, University of Nebraska) from January 2009 to September 2020 who were referred for gastrostomy...

INTRODUCTION/AIMS: Self-efficacy reflects a person's perceptions of their capabilities for specific tasks and influences motivation and performance. The Unidimensional Self-Efficacy in Neuromuscular Disorders (USE-NM) was modified from the Multiple Sclerosis (MS) USE-MS scale and administered to patients attending a specialist neuromuscular clinic. The aim was to investigate this measure in neuromuscular disorders and to compare between patient sex, age, and diagnosis. METHODS: The USE-NM was posted to patients recruited from a specialist neuromuscular clinic at the Walton Centre...

Contraction intensity is a key factor determining the development of muscle fatigue and it has been shown to induce distinct changes along the motor pathway. The role of cortical and spinal inputs that regulate motor unit (MU) behaviour during fatiguing contractions is poorly understood. We studied the cortical, spinal, and neuromuscular response to sustained fatiguing isometric tasks performed at 20 and 70% of the maximum isometric voluntary contraction (MVC), together with MUs behaviour of knee extensors in healthy active males...

Data-independent acquisition has seen breakthroughs that enable comprehensive proteome profiling using short gradients. As the proteome coverage continues to increase, the quality of the data generated becomes much more relevant. Using Spectronaut, we show that the default search parameters can be easily optimized to minimize the occurrence of false positives across different samples. Using an immunological infection model system to demonstrate the impact of adjusting search settings, we analyzed Mus musculus macrophages and compared their proteome to macrophages spiked with Candida albicans ...

PURPOSE: Despite its susceptibility to muscle fatigue, combined neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) and blood flow restriction (BFR) is an effective regimen for managing muscle atrophy when traditional resistance exercises are not feasible. This study investigated the potential of low-level laser therapy (LLLT) in reducing muscle fatigue after the application of combined NMES and BFR. METHODS: Thirty-six healthy adults were divided into control and LLLT groups...

INTRODUCTION/AIMS: The frequency and distribution of upper motor neuron (UMN) signs in primary lateral sclerosis (PLS) are unknown. We aimed to study the spectrum of UMN signs in PLS and compare it with hereditary spastic paraplegia (HSP). METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed the frequency of different UMN signs, including hyperreflexia (limbs and jaw), limb and tongue spasticity, Babinski, and Hoffman signs, in PLS patients at first observation and compared this respect to onset region and symptom duration...

Despite the established safety and efficacy of midurethral slings (MUS), which are the current gold standard treatment for stress urinary incontinence (SUI), the potential for postoperative complications remains a significant concern for both healthcare professionals and patients. Meanwhile, sonography has emerged as a significant diagnostic tool in urogynecology, and one of the applications of this imaging modality may be the evaluation of complications arising from MUS procedures. This review, based on a comprehensive literature search, focuses on the use of pelvic floor ultrasound (US) in the context of MUS complications...

One of the greatest challenges of humanity for deep space exploration is to fully understand how altered gravitational conditions affect human physiology. It is evident that the spaceflight environment causes multiple alterations to musculoskeletal, cardiovascular, immune and central nervous systems, to name a few known effects. To better characterize these biological effects, we compare gene expression datasets from microarray studies found in NASA GeneLab, part of the NASA Open Science Data Repository. In this review, we summarize these archived results for various tissues, emphasizing key genes which are highly reproducible in different mice or human experiments...

INTRODUCTION/AIMS: The aim of this study was to examine clinical utilization and discontinuation rates of sodium phenylbutyrate-taurursodiol (PB-TURSO) in a single Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) center. PB-TURSO was approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in September 2022. Prior experience has been limited to clinical trials or expanded access protocols. In this manuscript, we discuss insurance approval rates, patient uptake, and discontinuation of PB-TURSO in a large academic center...

Uterine injury from procedures such as Cesarean sections (C-sections) often have severe consequences on subsequent pregnancies, leading to disorders such as uterine placenta previa, placenta accreta spectrum (PAS), and Cesarean scar pregnancy. With rates of C-section at ∼30% of deliveries in the US and projected to continue to climb, an understanding of the mechanisms by which these pregnancy disorders arise and opportunities for intervention are sorely needed. However, there are currently very few animal models of uterine injury and its subsequent impacts on maternal as well as in utero and postnatal fetal outcomes...

Urinary incontinence (UI) is a common health condition that may interfere with the quality of life. A comprehensive evaluation of female UI helps with effective and safe treatments. Ultrasound has gained popularity to explore UI recently because it can collect crucial information for treatment planning and counseling. Translabial and introital approaches are commonly and reliably applied to ultrasound. The images can be obtained using two-dimensional and three-dimensional ultrasounds. Ultrasound is the only modality capable of confirming the presence or absence of a mid-urethral sling (MUS) and is able to demonstrate bulking agents as well...