Back schools for nonspecific low back pain: a systematic review within the framework of the Cochrane Collaboration Back Review Group.

PubMed

Heymans, M W; van Tulder, M W; Esmail, R; Bombardier, C; Koes, B W

2005-10-01

A systematic review within the Cochrane Collaboration Back Review Group. To assess the effectiveness of back schools for patients with nonspecific low back pain (LBP). Since the introduction of the Swedish back school in 1969, back schools have frequently been used for treating patients with LBP. However, the content of back schools has changed and appears to vary widely today. We searched the MEDLINE and EMBASE databases and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials to November 2004 for relevant trials reported in English, Dutch, French, or German. We also screened references from relevant reviews and included trials. Randomized controlled trials that reported on any type of back school for nonspecific LBP were included. Four reviewers, blinded to authors, institution, and journal, independently extracted the data and assessed the quality of the trials. We set the high-quality level, a priori, at a trial meeting six or more of 11 internal validity criteria. Because data were clinically and statistically too heterogeneous to perform a meta-analysis, we used a qualitative review (best evidence synthesis) to summarize the results. The evidence was classified into four levels (strong, moderate, limited, or no evidence), taking into account the methodologic quality of the studies. We also evaluated the clinical relevance of the studies. Nineteen randomized controlled trials (3,584 patients) were included in this updated review. Overall, the methodologic quality was low, with only six trials considered to be high-quality. It was not possible to perform relevant subgroup analyses for LBP with radiation versus LBP without radiation. The results indicate that there is moderate evidence suggesting that back schools have better short- and intermediate-term effects on pain and functional status than other treatments for patients with recurrent and chronic LBP. There is moderate evidence suggesting that back schools for chronic LBP in an occupational setting are more

Development and Validation of the Behavioral Avoidance Test-Back Pain (BAT-Back) for Patients With Chronic Low Back Pain.

PubMed

Holzapfel, Sebastian; Riecke, Jenny; Rief, Winfried; Schneider, Jessica; Glombiewski, Julia A

2016-11-01

Pain-related fear and avoidance of physical activities are central elements of the fear-avoidance model of musculoskeletal pain. Pain-related fear has typically been measured by self-report instruments. In this study, we developed and validated a Behavioral Avoidance Test (BAT) for chronic low back pain (CLBP) patients with the aim of assessing pain-related avoidance behavior by direct observation. The BAT-Back was administered to a group of CLBP patients (N=97) and pain-free controls (N=31). Furthermore, pain, pain-related fear, disability, catastrophizing, and avoidance behavior were measured using self-report instruments. Reliability was assessed with intraclass correlation coefficient and Cronbach α. Validity was assessed by examining correlation and regression analysis. The intraclass correlation coefficient for the BAT-Back avoidance score was r=0.76. Internal consistency was α=0.95. CLBP patients and controls differed significantly on BAT-Back avoidance scores as well as self-report measures. BAT-Back avoidance scores were significantly correlated with scores on each of the self-report measures (rs=0.27 to 0.54). They were not significantly correlated with general anxiety and depression, age, body mass index, and pain duration. The BAT-Back avoidance score was able to capture unique variance in disability after controlling for other variables (eg, pain intensity and pain-related fear). Results indicate that the BAT-Back is a reliable and valid measure of pain-related avoidance behavior. It may be useful for clinicians in tailoring treatments for chronic pain as well as an outcome measure for exposure treatments.

The development and exploratory analysis of the Back Pain Attitudes Questionnaire (Back-PAQ).

PubMed

Darlow, Ben; Perry, Meredith; Mathieson, Fiona; Stanley, James; Melloh, Markus; Marsh, Reginald; Baxter, G David; Dowell, Anthony

2014-05-23

To develop an instrument to assess attitudes and underlying beliefs about back pain, and subsequently investigate its internal consistency and underlying structures. The instrument was developed by a multidisciplinary team of clinicians and researchers based on analysis of qualitative interviews with people experiencing acute and chronic back pain. Exploratory analysis was conducted using data from a population-based cross-sectional survey. Qualitative interviews with community-based participants and subsequent postal survey. Instrument development informed by interviews with 12 participants with acute back pain and 11 participants with chronic back pain. Data for exploratory analysis collected from New Zealand residents and citizens aged 18 years and above. 1000 participants were randomly selected from the New Zealand Electoral Roll. 602 valid responses were received. The 34-item Back Pain Attitudes Questionnaire (Back-PAQ) was developed. Internal consistency was evaluated by the Cronbach α coefficient. Exploratory analysis investigated the structure of the data using Principal Component Analysis. The 34-item long form of the scale had acceptable internal consistency (α=0.70; 95% CI 0.66 to 0.73). Exploratory analysis identified five two-item principal components which accounted for 74% of the variance in the reduced data set: 'vulnerability of the back'; 'relationship between back pain and injury'; 'activity participation while experiencing back pain'; 'prognosis of back pain' and 'psychological influences on recovery'. Internal consistency was acceptable for the reduced 10-item scale (α=0.61; 95% CI 0.56 to 0.66) and the identified components (α between 0.50 and 0.78). The 34-item long form of the scale may be appropriate for use in future cross-sectional studies. The 10-item short form may be appropriate for use as a screening tool, or an outcome assessment instrument. Further testing of the 10-item Back-PAQ's construct validity, reliability

On the enhancement of the back-to-back two-electron-one photon ionization in molecules

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Amusia, Miron; Drukarev, Eugene

2014-05-01

Recently, the long ago predicted quasi-free mechanism of two-electron photoionization was detected already at relatively low energy photoionization in He. It was observed that some pairs of electrons are leaving the target atom back-to-back, i.e. in opposite direction with almost the same energy. They have opposite spin directions. The cross-section of this process depends upon the probability for a pair of electrons to be close to each other before meeting the incoming photon. Such probability is greatly enhanced in molecules with covalent bonding, like H2. In this and similar molecules the electrons spend an essential part of time being between nuclei and thus screening them from each other. We demonstrate that indeed the back-to-back contribution is much bigger in H2 than in He. We analyze qualitatively some other situations that lead to relative growth of back-to-back contribution. Atoms with electrons with bigger principal quantum numbers have bigger back-to-back contributions. An external pressure applied to molecules forces electrons to be closer to each other. As a result for them the back-to-back contribution can be controllable enhanced.

The development and exploratory analysis of the Back Pain Attitudes Questionnaire (Back-PAQ)

PubMed Central

Darlow, Ben; Perry, Meredith; Mathieson, Fiona; Stanley, James; Melloh, Markus; Marsh, Reginald; Baxter, G David; Dowell, Anthony

2014-01-01

Objectives To develop an instrument to assess attitudes and underlying beliefs about back pain, and subsequently investigate its internal consistency and underlying structures. Design The instrument was developed by a multidisciplinary team of clinicians and researchers based on analysis of qualitative interviews with people experiencing acute and chronic back pain. Exploratory analysis was conducted using data from a population-based cross-sectional survey. Setting Qualitative interviews with community-based participants and subsequent postal survey. Participants Instrument development informed by interviews with 12 participants with acute back pain and 11 participants with chronic back pain. Data for exploratory analysis collected from New Zealand residents and citizens aged 18 years and above. 1000 participants were randomly selected from the New Zealand Electoral Roll. 602 valid responses were received. Measures The 34-item Back Pain Attitudes Questionnaire (Back-PAQ) was developed. Internal consistency was evaluated by the Cronbach α coefficient. Exploratory analysis investigated the structure of the data using Principal Component Analysis. Results The 34-item long form of the scale had acceptable internal consistency (α=0.70; 95% CI 0.66 to 0.73). Exploratory analysis identified five two-item principal components which accounted for 74% of the variance in the reduced data set: ‘vulnerability of the back’; ‘relationship between back pain and injury’; ‘activity participation while experiencing back pain’; ‘prognosis of back pain’ and ‘psychological influences on recovery’. Internal consistency was acceptable for the reduced 10-item scale (α=0.61; 95% CI 0.56 to 0.66) and the identified components (α between 0.50 and 0.78). Conclusions The 34-item long form of the scale may be appropriate for use in future cross-sectional studies. The 10-item short form may be appropriate for use as a screening tool, or an outcome assessment instrument

Prevent Back Pain

MedlinePlus

... a week. Stand and sit up straight. Avoid heavy lifting. If you do lift something heavy, bend your knees and keep your back straight. ... an accident, fall, or lifting something that’s too heavy. Acute back pain usually gets better on its ...

Back surface reflectors for solar cells

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chai, A. T.

1980-01-01

Sample solar cells were fabricated to study the effects of various back surface reflectors on the device performance. They are typical 50 micrometers thick, space quality, silicon solar cells except for variations of the back contact configuration. The back surfaces of the sample cells are polished to a mirror like finish, and have either conventional full contacts or grid finger contacts. Measurements and evaluation of various metallic back surface reflectors, as well as cells with total internal reflection, are presented. Results indicate that back surface reflectors formed using a grid finger back contact are more effective reflectors than cells with full back metallization and that Au, Ag, or Cu are better back surface reflector metals than Al.

Power flow controller with a fractionally rated back-to-back converter

DOEpatents

Divan, Deepakraj M.; Kandula, Rajendra Prasad; Prasai, Anish

2016-03-08

A power flow controller with a fractionally rated back-to-back (BTB) converter is provided. The power flow controller provide dynamic control of both active and reactive power of a power system. The power flow controller inserts a voltage with controllable magnitude and phase between two AC sources at the same frequency; thereby effecting control of active and reactive power flows between the two AC sources. A transformer may be augmented with a fractionally rated bi-directional Back to Back (BTB) converter. The fractionally rated BTB converter comprises a transformer side converter (TSC), a direct-current (DC) link, and a line side converter (LSC). By controlling the switches of the BTB converter, the effective phase angle between the two AC source voltages may be regulated, and the amplitude of the voltage inserted by the power flow controller may be adjusted with respect to the AC source voltages.

Aerodynamic Characteristics and Glide-Back Performance of Langley Glide-Back Booster

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pamadi, Bandu N.; Covell, Peter F.; Tartabini, Paul V.; Murphy, Kelly J.

2004-01-01

NASA-Langley Research Center is conducting system level studies on an-house concept of a small launch vehicle to address NASA's needs for rapid deployment of small payloads to Low Earth Orbit. The vehicle concept is a three-stage system with a reusable first stage and expendable upper stages. The reusable first stage booster, which glides back to launch site after staging around Mach 3 is named the Langley Glide-Back Booster (LGBB). This paper discusses the aerodynamic characteristics of the LGBB from subsonic to supersonic speeds, development of the aerodynamic database and application of this database to evaluate the glide back performance of the LGBB. The aerodynamic database was assembled using a combination of wind tunnel test data and engineering level analysis. The glide back performance of the LGBB was evaluated using a trajectory optimization code and subject to constraints on angle of attack, dynamic pressure and normal acceleration.

An Inkjet Printed Piezoresistive Back to Back Tactile Sensor for Endosurgical Palpation Applications (Postprint)

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-02-23

elements linked back-to- back for force and displacement detection, respectively. Experimental results indicate the sensor registers 2.1 and 5.3 mN force...feedback from the fat and muscle tissues of pig, respectively, when pressed to the tissues with the same 100 μm displacement . This difference of ∼2.5...back-to-back for force and displacement detection, respectively. Experimental results indicate the sensor registers 2.1 and 5.3 mN force feedback from

Linear Back-Drive Differentials

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Waydo, Peter

2003-01-01

Linear back-drive differentials have been proposed as alternatives to conventional gear differentials for applications in which there is only limited rotational motion (e.g., oscillation). The finite nature of the rotation makes it possible to optimize a linear back-drive differential in ways that would not be possible for gear differentials or other differentials that are required to be capable of unlimited rotation. As a result, relative to gear differentials, linear back-drive differentials could be more compact and less massive, could contain fewer complex parts, and could be less sensitive to variations in the viscosities of lubricants. Linear back-drive differentials would operate according to established principles of power ball screws and linear-motion drives, but would utilize these principles in an innovative way. One major characteristic of such mechanisms that would be exploited in linear back-drive differentials is the possibility of designing them to drive or back-drive with similar efficiency and energy input: in other words, such a mechanism can be designed so that a rotating screw can drive a nut linearly or the linear motion of the nut can cause the screw to rotate. A linear back-drive differential (see figure) would include two collinear shafts connected to two parts that are intended to engage in limited opposing rotations. The linear back-drive differential would also include a nut that would be free to translate along its axis but not to rotate. The inner surface of the nut would be right-hand threaded at one end and left-hand threaded at the opposite end to engage corresponding right- and left-handed threads on the shafts. A rotation and torque introduced into the system via one shaft would drive the nut in linear motion. The nut, in turn, would back-drive the other shaft, creating a reaction torque. Balls would reduce friction, making it possible for the shaft/nut coupling on each side to operate with 90 percent efficiency.

Tweeting back: predicting new cases of back pain with mass social media data.

PubMed

Lee, Hopin; McAuley, James H; Hübscher, Markus; Allen, Heidi G; Kamper, Steven J; Moseley, G Lorimer

2016-05-01

Back pain is a global health problem. Recent research has shown that risk factors that are proximal to the onset of back pain might be important targets for preventive interventions. Rapid communication through social media might be useful for delivering timely interventions that target proximal risk factors. Identifying individuals who are likely to discuss back pain on Twitter could provide useful information to guide online interventions. We used a case-crossover study design for a sample of 742 028 tweets about back pain to quantify the risks associated with a new tweet about back pain. The odds of tweeting about back pain just after tweeting about selected physical, psychological, and general health factors were 1.83 (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.80-1.85), 1.85 (95% CI: 1.83-1.88), and 1.29 (95% CI, 1.27-1.30), respectively. These findings give directions for future research that could use social media for innovative public health interventions. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the American Medical Informatics Association. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Overtreating Chronic Back Pain: Time to Back Off?

PubMed Central

Deyo, Richard A.; Mirza, Sohail K.; Turner, Judith A.; Martin, Brook I.

2009-01-01

Chronic back pain is among the most common patient complaints. Its prevalence and impact have spawned a rapidly expanding range of tests and treatments. Some of these have become widely used for indications that are not well-validated, leading to uncertainty about efficacy and safety, increasing complication rates, and marketing abuses. Recent studies document – over approximately a decade - a 629% increase in Medicare expenditures for epidural steroid injections; a 423% increase in expenditures for opioids for back pain; a 307% increase in the number of lumbar MRIs among Medicare beneficiaries; and a 220% increase in spinal fusion surgery rates. The limited studies available suggest that these increases have not been accompanied by population-level improvements in patient outcomes or disability rates. We suggest a need for a better understanding of the basic science of pain mechanisms; more rigorous and independent trials of many treatments; a stronger regulatory stance toward approval and post-marketing surveillance of new drugs and devices for chronic pain; and a chronic disease model for managing chronic back pain. PMID:19124635

Overtreating chronic back pain: time to back off?

PubMed

Deyo, Richard A; Mirza, Sohail K; Turner, Judith A; Martin, Brook I

2009-01-01

Chronic back pain is among the most common patient complaints. Its prevalence and impact have spawned a rapidly expanding range of tests and treatments. Some of these have become widely used for indications that are not well validated, leading to uncertainty about efficacy and safety, increasing complication rates, and marketing abuses. Recent studies document a 629% increase in Medicare expenditures for epidural steroid injections; a 423% increase in expenditures for opioids for back pain; a 307% increase in the number of lumbar magnetic resonance images among Medicare beneficiaries; and a 220% increase in spinal fusion surgery rates. The limited studies available suggest that these increases have not been accompanied by population-level improvements in patient outcomes or disability rates. We suggest a need for a better understanding of the basic science of pain mechanisms, more rigorous and independent trials of many treatments, a stronger regulatory stance toward approval and post-marketing surveillance of new drugs and devices for chronic pain, and a chronic disease model for managing chronic back pain.

Rigorously Assessing Whether the Data Backs the Back School

PubMed Central

Vinh, David T.; Johnson, Craig W.; Phelps, Cynthia L.

2003-01-01

A rigorous between-subjects methodology employing independent random samples and having broad clinical applicability was designed and implemented to evaluate the effectiveness of back safety and patient transfer training interventions for both hospital nurses and nursing assistants. Effects upon self-efficacy, cognitive, and affective measures are assessed for each of three back safety procedures. The design solves the problem of obtaining randomly assigned independent controls where all experimental subjects must participate in the training interventions. PMID:14728544

When Your Back Hurts: Don't Let Back Pain Knock You Flat

MedlinePlus

... Your Back Hurts Don’t Let Back Pain Knock You Flat En español Send us your comments ... Complementary Health Approaches Halt the Hurt! References The SPORT Value Compass: Do the Extra Costs of Undergoing ...

Discussion on back-to-back two-stage centrifugal compressor compact design techniques

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huo, Lei; Liu, Huoxing

2013-12-01

Design a small flow back-to-back two-stage centrifugal compressor in the aviation turbocharger, the compressor is compact structure, small axial length, light weighted. Stationary parts have a great influence on their overall performance decline. Therefore, the stationary part of the back-to-back two-stage centrifugal compressor should pay full attention to the diffuser, bend, return vane and volute design. Volute also impact downstream return vane, making the flow in circumferential direction is not uniformed, and several blade angle of attack is drastically changed in downstream of the volute with the airflow can not be rotated to required angle. Loading of high-pressure rotor blades change due to non-uniformed of flow in circumferential direction, which makes individual blade load distribution changed, and affected blade passage load decreased to reduce the capability of work, the tip low speed range increases.

A new fabrication technique for back-to-back varactor diodes

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Smith, R. Peter; Choudhury, Debabani; Martin, Suzanne; Frerking, Margaret A.; Liu, John K.; Grunthaner, Frank A.

1992-01-01

A new varactor diode process has been developed in which much of the processing is done from the back of an extremely thin semiconductor wafer laminated to a low-dielectric substrate. Back-to-back BNN diodes were fabricated with this technique; excellent DC and low-frequency capacitance measurements were obtained. Advantages of the new technique relative to other techniques include greatly reduced frontside wafer damage from exposure to process chemicals, improved capability to integrate devices (e.g. for antenna patterns, transmission lines, or wafer-scale grids), and higher line yield. BNN diodes fabricated with this technique exhibit approximately the expected capacitance-voltage characteristics while showing leakage currents under 10 mA at voltages three times that needed to deplete the varactor. This leakage is many orders of magnitude better than comparable Schottky diodes.

Push-Back Leadership.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tetenbaum, Toby J.; Tetenbaum, Hilary

2003-01-01

Describes push-back leadership, a model of leadership based on the work of Ronald Heifetz and Martin Linksky. Argues that the two key roles of the leader are to give the work back to people and to keep them within a healthy range of disequilibrium that generates creativity and innovation to solve organizational problems. (Author/LRW)

MRI and low back pain

MedlinePlus

... back pain: Cannot pass urine or stools Cannot control your urine or stools Difficulty with walking and balance Back pain that is severe in children Fever History of cancer Other signs or symptoms of cancer Recent serious fall or injury Back pain that is very severe, ...

Alternative Packaging for Back-Illuminated Imagers

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pain, Bedabrata

2009-01-01

An alternative scheme has been conceived for packaging of silicon-based back-illuminated, back-side-thinned complementary metal oxide/semiconductor (CMOS) and charge-coupled-device image-detector integrated circuits, including an associated fabrication process. This scheme and process are complementary to those described in "Making a Back-Illuminated Imager With Back-Side Connections" (NPO-42839), NASA Tech Briefs, Vol. 32, No. 7 (July 2008), page 38. To avoid misunderstanding, it should be noted that in the terminology of imaging integrated circuits, "front side" or "back side" does not necessarily refer to the side that, during operation, faces toward or away from a source of light or other object to be imaged. Instead, "front side" signifies that side of a semiconductor substrate upon which the pixel pattern and the associated semiconductor devices and metal conductor lines are initially formed during fabrication, and "back side" signifies the opposite side. If the imager is of the type called "back-illuminated," then the back side is the one that faces an object to be imaged. Initially, a back-illuminated, back-side-thinned image-detector is fabricated with its back side bonded to a silicon handle wafer. At a subsequent stage of fabrication, the front side is bonded to a glass wafer (for mechanical support) and the silicon handle wafer is etched away to expose the back side. The frontside integrated circuitry includes metal input/output contact pads, which are rendered inaccessible by the bonding of the front side to the glass wafer. Hence, one of the main problems is to make the input/output contact pads accessible from the back side, which is ultimately to be the side accessible to the external world. The present combination of an alternative packaging scheme and associated fabrication process constitute a solution of the problem.

Low back pain.

PubMed Central

Ehrlich, George E.

2003-01-01

Low back pain is a leading cause of disability. It occurs in similar proportions in all cultures, interferes with quality of life and work performance, and is the most common reason for medical consultations. Few cases of back pain are due to specific causes; most cases are non-specific. Acute back pain is the most common presentation and is usually self-limiting, lasting less than three months regardless of treatment. Chronic back pain is a more difficult problem, which often has strong psychological overlay: work dissatisfaction, boredom, and a generous compensation system contribute to it. Among the diagnoses offered for chronic pain is fibromyalgia, an urban condition (the diagnosis is not made in rural settings) that does not differ materially from other instances of widespread chronic pain. Although disc protrusions detected on X-ray are often blamed, they rarely are responsible for the pain, and surgery is seldom successful at alleviating it. No single treatment is superior to others; patients prefer manipulative therapy, but studies have not demonstrated that it has any superiority over others. A WHO Advisory Panel has defined common outcome measures to be used to judge the efficacy of treatments for studies. PMID:14710509

Does obesity cause low back pain?

PubMed

Garzillo, M J; Garzillo, T A

1994-01-01

The purpose of this study is to review the recent literature on the association between obesity and low back pain, in an effort to determine whether weight control can be considered an appropriate treatment for low back pain, and whether obesity can be considered a primary etiology of low back pain. We reviewed articles in English from 1970 to present on MEDLINE that listed both obesity and low back pain as key words. Because of the paucity of articles retrieved this way, we also reviewed the bibliographies of each article to draw more studies into our review. Our search generated only seven studies. A standard textbook of obesity was also utilized as a source of basic science of obesity. Our review of these articles revealed a possible association between obesity and low back pain only in the upper quintile of obesity, and no evidence of a temporal relationship between weight change and low back pain change. The studies reviewed failed to differentiate low back pain patients by diagnosis and failed to quantify the possible presence of emotional factors in obese low back pain patients. As an incidental finding, one study documented a significant correlation between smoking history and low back pain. We concluded that there is no evidence in the current literature to support obesity that is not in the highest quintile as a cause of low back pain. We recommended that a longitudinal study be done that subclassified obese low back pain patients by mechanical and psychological diagnosis.

20 CFR 404.1242 - Back pay.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... 20 Employees' Benefits 2 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Back pay. 404.1242 Section 404.1242 Employees... Prior to 1987 § 404.1242 Back pay. (a) Back pay defined. Back pay is pay received in one period of time... an employer. It includes pay made under Federal or State laws intended to create an employment...

Endogenous Opioid Inhibition of Chronic Low Back Pain Influences Degree of Back Pain Relief Following Morphine Administration

PubMed Central

Bruehl, Stephen; Burns, John W.; Gupta, Rajnish; Buvanendran, Asokumar; Chont, Melissa; Schuster, Erik; France, Christopher R.

2014-01-01

Background and Objectives Factors underlying differential responsiveness to opioid analgesic medications used in chronic pain management are poorly understood. We tested whether individual differences in endogenous opioid inhibition of chronic low back pain were associated with magnitude of acute reductions in back pain ratings following morphine administration. Methods In randomized, counterbalanced order over three sessions, 50 chronic low back pain patients received intravenous naloxone (8mg), morphine (0.08 mg/kg), or placebo. Back pain intensity was rated pre-drug and again after peak drug activity was achieved using the McGill Pain Questionnaire-Short Form (Sensory and Affective subscales, VAS intensity measure). Opioid blockade effect measures to index degree of endogenous opioid inhibition of back pain intensity were derived as the difference between pre-to post-drug changes in pain intensity across placebo and naloxone conditions, with similar morphine responsiveness measures derived across placebo and morphine conditions. Results Morphine significantly reduced back pain compared to placebo (MPQ-Sensory, VAS; P < .01). There were no overall effects of opioid blockade on back pain intensity. However, individual differences in opioid blockade effects were significantly associated with degree of acute morphine-related reductions in back pain on all measures, even after controlling for effects of age, sex, and chronic pain duration (P < .03). Individuals exhibiting greater endogenous opioid inhibition of chronic back pain intensity reported less acute relief of back pain with morphine. Conclusions Morphine appears to provide better acute relief of chronic back pain in individuals with lower natural opioidergic inhibition of chronic pain intensity. Possible implications for personalized medicine are discussed. PMID:24553304

Myofascial low back pain treatment.

PubMed

Sharan, Deepak; Rajkumar, Joshua Samuel; Mohandoss, Mathankumar; Ranganathan, Rameshkumar

2014-09-01

Myofascial pain is a common musculoskeletal problem, with the low back being one of the commonest affected regions. Several treatments have been used for myofascial low back pain through physical therapies, pharmacologic agents, injections, and other such therapies. This review will provide an update based on recently published literature in the field of myofascial low back pain along with a brief description of a sequenced, multidisciplinary treatment protocol called Skilled Hands-on Approach for the Release of myofascia, Articular, Neural and Soft tissue mobilization (SHARANS) protocol. A comprehensive multidisciplinary approach is recommended for the successful management of individuals with myofascial low back pain.

Looking back at 'looking back': operationalising referential gaze for dingoes in an unsolvable task.

PubMed

Smith, Bradley Philip; Litchfield, Carla Anita

2013-11-01

This paper examined the performance of dingoes (Canis dingo) on the rope-pulling task, previously used by Miklósi et al. (Curr Biol 13:763-766, 2003) to highlight a key distinction in the problem-solving behaviour of wolves compared to dogs when in the company of humans. That is, when dogs were confronted with an unsolvable task, following a solvable version of the task they looked back or gazed at the human, whereas, wolves did not. We replicated the rope-pulling task using 12 sanctuary-housed dingoes and used the Miklósi et al. (Curr Biol 13:763-766, 2003) definition of looking back behaviour to analyse the data. However, at least three different types of look backs were observed in our study. We, then developed a more accurate operational definition of looking back behaviour that was task specific and reanalysed the data. We found that the operational definition employed greatly influences the results, with vague definitions potentially overestimating the prevalence of looking back behaviour. Thus, caution must be taken when interpreting the results of studies utilising looking back as behaviour linked to assistance seeking during problem solving. We present a more stringent definition and make suggestions for future research.

Epidemiology of low back pain.

PubMed

Skovron, M L

1992-10-01

At present, although there have been many epidemiological studies of risk factors for low back pain, there are few risk factors established in prospective studies; and our understanding of them remains relatively crude. Individuals in jobs requiring manual materials handling, particularly repeated heavy lifting and lifting while twisting, are at increased risk of back pain leading to work absence. In addition, exposure to whole-body vibration and job requirements for static postures are associated with back pain. Individual trunk strength has not been consistently demonstrated as associated with back pain; although there is some suggestion that when work requirements for heavy lifting exceed individual capacities, back pain is more likely to occur. The pattern of peak age at onset in the 20's is consistent with back pain development early in working life. Among other individual characteristics, only cigarette smoking has consistently been associated with back pain; and the biological mechanism for this finding is not understood. Evidence with respect to spinal flexibility, aerobic capacity, educational attainment and other variables is suggestive but not consistent. There is some evidence that the individual's relation to work, expressed as job satisfaction or supervisor rating, is also related to work absence due to back pain. While it is possible to describe, however crudely, the characteristics placing people at risk for back pain leading to work absence and/or medical attention, the problem of predicting chronicity and thus identifying patients for more intensive clinical intervention remains unresolved. At this time, only age of the patient and certain clinical features of the back pain such as the presence of sciatic symptoms, duration of the current episode, and history of prior episodes are consistently demonstrated predictors. In chronic patients, there is suggestive evidence that spinal flexibility, trunk strength, and certain psychological

Low-back pain during labor.

PubMed

Melzack, R; Schaffelberg, D

1987-04-01

Earlier studies have shown that labor pain is highly variable in intensity and spatial location. Most women feel pain predominantly in the abdominal area whereas others complain about severe back pain. In addition to the pains associated with contractions, many women report continuous low-back pain. This study used the McGill Pain Questionnaire to examine each type of pain. Women during labor also tracked their perceived pain levels at the same time that contractions were registered on cardiotachographic records. The results show that continuous low-back pain is severe and is reported by about 33% of women during labor. It is described as being qualitatively different from the pains associated with uterine contractions. The pain of contractions felt in the back is often reported as "riding on" the continuous low-back pain so that both together may reach "horrible" or "excruciating" intensities. Continuous low-back pain is probably caused by the distention and pressure on adjacent visceral and neural structures in the peritoneum, in contrast to the rhythmic pains that are clearly related to contractions of the uterus. It is possible that each of these major kinds of pain may be controlled by different anesthesiologic and psychologic procedures.

Study on the Ag Nanowire/PDMS Pressure Sensors with Three-Layer and Back-to-Back Structures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wu, Jianhao; Lan, Qiuming; Yang, Weijia; He, Xin; Yue, Yunting; Jiang, Jiayi; Jiang, Tinghui

2018-01-01

Ag nanowire (NW)/polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) pressure sensors with the three-layer and back-to-back structures were fabricated by a coating-peeling method. The bending and pressing responses of the sensors were comparably investigated. The results reveal that two kinds of pressure sensors show similar response linearity in the bending test with a bending angle of 0-180°. However, the response sensitivity of the three-layer structured pressure sensor is superior to that of the back-to-back structural one, which exhibits that the relationship between the capacitance value (Y) and the bending angle (X) is: Y = 0.01244X + 2.9763. On the contrary, in the pressing test, the response sensitivity of the back-to-back structural sensor is better than that of the three-layer structural one. The relationship between capacitance value (Y) and the number of paper clips (pressure, X2) is Y = 0.09241X2 + 88.03597.

Back Pain During Pregnancy

MedlinePlus

... your risk of hurting your back when you exercise. How can pregnancy hormones contribute to back pain? To prepare for the passage of the baby through the birth canal, a hormone relaxes the ligaments in the joints of your pelvis. This loosening allows the joints to become more ...

[Low back pain during pregnancy].

PubMed

Carvalho, Maria Emília Coelho Costa; Lima, Luciana Cavalcanti; de Lira Terceiro, Cristovam Alves; Pinto, Deyvid Ravy Lacerda; Silva, Marcelo Neves; Cozer, Gustavo Araújo; Couceiro, Tania Cursino de Menezes

Low back pain is a common complaint among pregnant women. It is estimated that about 50% of pregnant women complain of some form of back pain at some point in pregnancy or during the postpartum period. The aim of this study was to evaluate the frequency of low back pain during pregnancy and its characteristics. Cross-sectional study with low-risk pregnant women. After approval by the Human Research Ethics Committee and receiving written informed consent, we included pregnant women over 18 years of age and excluded those with psychiatric disorders, previous lumbar pathologies, and receiving treatment for low back pain. We interviewed 97 pregnant women. The frequency of low back pain was 68%. The mean age was 26.2 years and the median gestational age was 30 weeks. Fifty-eight pregnant women declared themselves as brown (58%). Most (88.6%) were married or living in common-law marriage, fifty-six (57.7%) worked outside the home, and 71 (73.2%) had completed high school. Low back pain was more frequent during the second trimester of pregnancy (43.9%), referred to as a "burning" sensation in 37.8% of patients, with intermittent frequency in 96.9% of the women. The symptoms got worse at night (71.2%). Resting reduced low back pain in 43.9% of pregnant women, while the standing position for a long time worsened it in 27.2% of patients. Low back pain is common in pregnant women, has specific characteristics, and is more frequent in the second trimester of pregnancy. This indicates the need for prevention strategies that enable better quality of life for pregnant women. Copyright © 2016 Sociedade Brasileira de Anestesiologia. Publicado por Elsevier Editora Ltda. All rights reserved.

Epidural injections for back pain

MedlinePlus

... Society Low Back Pain Guideline Panel. Interventional therapies, surgery, and interdisciplinary rehabilitation for low back pain: an evidence-based clinical practice guideline from the American Pain Society. ...

Comparison of clinical examinations of back disorders and humans' evaluation of back pain in riding school horses.

PubMed

Lesimple, Clémence; Fureix, Carole; Biquand, Véronique; Hausberger, Martine

2013-10-15

Questionnaires are a common tool to assess people's opinion on a large scale or to sound them out about their subjective views. The caretakers' opinion about animals' "personality" has been used in many studies. The aim of the present study was to assess whether the owners' subjective evaluation was effective to detect back disorders. Back disorders have been shown to have a high prevalence in working horses. Caretakers from 17 riding schools (1 caretaker/school, 161 horses) were given a questionnaire about their horses' health status, including back disorders. Out of these 161 horses, 59 were subjected to manual palpation of the spine and 102 were subjected to sEMG examination all along the spine. The results showed that subjective caretaker-reported evaluation via questionnaire survey was not efficient to detect back disorders: only 19 horses (11.8%) were reported as suffering from back pain, whereas the experimenters' evaluation detected 80 of them (49.7%) as suffering from back disorders. While most caretakers under-evaluated back disorders, a few "over-evaluated" it (more horses reported as affected than found via clinical evaluations). Horses were less prone to present back disorders when under the care of these "over-attentive" caretakers. This study showed that back pain is difficult to evaluate, even for professionals, and that subjective evaluations using a questionnaire is not valid in this case. The results also highlighted the real need for observational training (behaviours, postures) outside and during riding.

Systematic review of back schools, brief education, and fear-avoidance training for chronic low back pain.

PubMed

Brox, J I; Storheim, K; Grotle, M; Tveito, T H; Indahl, A; Eriksen, H R

2008-01-01

Seven previous systematic reviews (SRs) have evaluated back schools, and one has evaluated brief education, with the latest SR including studies until November 2004. The effectiveness of fear-avoidance training has not been assessed. To assess the effectiveness of back schools, brief education, and fear-avoidance training for chronic low back pain (CLBP). A SR. We searched the MEDLINE database of randomized controlled trials (RCT) until August 2006 for relevant trials reported in English. Assessment of effectiveness was based on pain, disability, and sick leave. RCTs that reported back schools, or brief education as the main intervention, were included. For fear-avoidance training, evaluation of domain-specific outcome was required. Two reviewers independently reviewed the studies. Eight RCTs including 1,002 patients evaluated back schools, three studies were of high quality. We found conflicting evidence for back schools compared with waiting list, placebo, usual care, and exercises, and a cognitive behavioral back school. Twelve trials including 3,583 patients evaluated brief education. Seven trials, six of high quality, evaluated brief education in the clinical setting. We found strong evidence of effectiveness on sick leave and short-term disability compared with usual care. We found conflicting or limited evidence for back book or Internet discussion (five trials, two of high quality) compared with waiting list, no intervention, massage, yoga, or exercises. Three RCTs of high quality, including 364 patients, evaluated fear-avoidance training. We found moderate evidence that there is no difference between rehabilitation including fear-avoidance training and spinal fusion. Consistent recommendations are given for brief education in the clinical setting, and fear-avoidance training should be considered as an alternative to spinal fusion, and back schools may be considered in the occupational setting. The discordance between reviews can be attributed differences

Pseudoneglect in Back Space

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cocchini, Gianna; Watling, Rosamond; Della Sala, Sergio; Jansari, Ashok

2007-01-01

Successful interaction with the environment depends upon our ability to retain and update visuo-spatial information of both front and back egocentric space. Several studies have observed that healthy people tend to show a displacement of the egocentric frame of reference towards the left. However representation of space behind us (back space) has…

Evaluating back pain in older patients.

PubMed

Mazanec, D J

1999-02-01

Low back pain in the elderly has a much wider range of possible causes than in younger patients. In addition to nonspecific mechanical causes, malignancy presenting as back pain occurs more often in older patients. Other systemic and visceral causes of back pain such as polymyalgia rheumatica, aortic aneurysm, Paget disease, Parkinson disease, and osteoporosis with compression fracture occur almost exclusively in persons over age 50. Keys to diagnosis and management of low back pain in older patients are presented.

Pessimistic back beliefs and lack of exercise: a longitudinal risk study in relation to shoulder, neck, and back pain.

PubMed

Elfering, Achim; Müller, Urs; Rolli Salathé, Cornelia; Tamcan, Özgür; Mannion, Anne F

2015-01-01

This cross-lagged-panel study tested the validity of the German version of the back beliefs questionnaire (BBQ) in predicting pain in the shoulders, neck, and back. A random sample of 2860 individuals participated at baseline, and 73% responded at one-year follow-up. Structural equation modeling was used to carry out a model comparison to evaluate whether paths differed between individuals with and without initial back pain and between those who exercised at baseline and those who did not. Factor analysis showed eight of the nine original items loaded on the expected common factor. High BBQ scores at baseline significantly predicted an increase in shoulder, neck, and back pain in individuals with current back pain (β = .11, p < .05), but not in other respondents (β = .02, p = .259). Similarly, baseline BBQ scores predicted the increase in shoulder, neck, and back pain among those who did not exercise (β = .15, p < .05), but not in those who did (β = .04, ns). The risk of negative back beliefs preceding an increase in shoulder, neck, and back pain was greatest for those with current back pain who did not exercise (β = .29, p < .05). The findings confirmed the validity of the German BBQ. Cognitive behavioral interventions should address pessimistic back beliefs in high-risk groups.

Electromechanical resistive switching via back-to-back Schottky junctions

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Li, Lijie, E-mail: L.Li@swansea.ac.uk

The physics of the electromechanical resistive switching is uncovered using the theory of back-to-back Schottky junctions combined with the quantum domain space charge transport. A theoretical model of the basic element of resistive switching devices realized by the metal-ZnO nanowires-metal structure has been created and analyzed. Simulation results show that the reverse biased Schottky junction and the air gap impedance dominate the current-voltage relation at higher external voltages; thereby electromechanically varying the air gap thickness causes the device exhibit resistive tuning characteristics. As the device dimension is in nanometre scale, investigation of the model based on quantum mechanics has alsomore » been conducted.« less

Protect Your Back: Guidelines for Safer Lifting.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cantu, Carolyn O.

2002-01-01

Examines back injury in teachers and child care providers; includes statistics, common causes of back pain (improper alignment, improper posture, improper lifting, and carrying), and types of back pain (acute and chronic). Focuses on preventing back injury, body mechanics for lifting and carrying, and proper lifting and carrying of children. (SD)

Electrophysiological assessment of piano players' back extensor muscles on a regular piano bench and chair with back rest.

PubMed

Honarmand, Kavan; Minaskanian, Rafael; Maboudi, Seyed Ebrahim; Oskouei, Ali E

2018-01-01

[Purpose] Sitting position is the dominant position for a professional pianist. There are many static and dynamic forces which affect musculoskeletal system during sitting. In prolonged sitting, these forces are harmful. The aim of this study was to compare pianists' back extensor muscles activity during playing piano while sitting on a regular piano bench and a chair with back rest. [Subjects and Methods] Ten professional piano players (mean age 25.4 ± 5.28, 60% male, 40% female) performed similar tasks for 5 hours in two sessions: one session sitting on a regular piano bench and the other sitting on a chair with back rest. In each session, muscular activity was assessed in 3 ways: 1) recording surface electromyography of the back-extensor muscles at the beginning and end of each session, 2) isometric back extension test, and 3) musculoskeletal discomfort questionnaire. [Results] There were significantly lesser muscular activity, more ability to perform isometric back extension and better personal comfort while sitting on a chair with back rest. [Conclusion] Decreased muscular activity and perhaps fatigue during prolonged piano playing on a chair with back rest may reduce acquired musculoskeletal disorders amongst professional pianists.

Electrophysiological assessment of piano players’ back extensor muscles on a regular piano bench and chair with back rest

PubMed Central

Honarmand, Kavan; Minaskanian, Rafael; Maboudi, Seyed Ebrahim; Oskouei, Ali E.

2018-01-01

[Purpose] Sitting position is the dominant position for a professional pianist. There are many static and dynamic forces which affect musculoskeletal system during sitting. In prolonged sitting, these forces are harmful. The aim of this study was to compare pianists’ back extensor muscles activity during playing piano while sitting on a regular piano bench and a chair with back rest. [Subjects and Methods] Ten professional piano players (mean age 25.4 ± 5.28, 60% male, 40% female) performed similar tasks for 5 hours in two sessions: one session sitting on a regular piano bench and the other sitting on a chair with back rest. In each session, muscular activity was assessed in 3 ways: 1) recording surface electromyography of the back-extensor muscles at the beginning and end of each session, 2) isometric back extension test, and 3) musculoskeletal discomfort questionnaire. [Results] There were significantly lesser muscular activity, more ability to perform isometric back extension and better personal comfort while sitting on a chair with back rest. [Conclusion] Decreased muscular activity and perhaps fatigue during prolonged piano playing on a chair with back rest may reduce acquired musculoskeletal disorders amongst professional pianists. PMID:29410569

Do functional tests predict low back pain?

PubMed

Takala, E P; Viikari-Juntura, E

2000-08-15

A cohort of 307 nonsymptomatic workers and another cohort of 123 workers with previous episodes of low back pain were followed up for 2 years. The outcomes were measured by symptoms, medical consultations, and sick leaves due to low back disorders. To study the predictive value of a set of tests measuring the physical performance of the back in a working population. The hypothesis was that subjects with poor functional capacity are liable to back disorders. Reduced functional performance has been associated with back pain. There are few data to show whether reduced functional capacity is a cause or a consequence of pain. Mobility of the trunk in forward and side bending, maximal isokinetic trunk extension, flexion and lifting strength, and static endurance of back extension were measured. Standing balance and foot reaction time were recorded with a force plate. Clinical tests for the provocation of back or leg pain were performed. Gender, workload, age, and anthropometrics were managed as potential confounders in the analysis. Marked overlapping was seen in the measures of the subjects with different outcomes. Among the nonsymptomatic subjects, low performance in tests of mobility and standing balance was associated with future back disorders. Among workers with previous episodes of back pain, low isokinetic extension strength, poor standing balance, and positive clinical signs predicted future pain. Some associations were found between the functional tests and future low back pain. The wide variation in the results questions the value of the tests in health examinations (e.g., in screening or surveillance of low back disorders).

Back Pain and Endurance Training of Back Muscles: Justification for Further Study in Helicopter Pilots.

DTIC Science & Technology

1997-05-29

osteopenic women. J Am Geriatr Soc 1996 Jul;44(7):756-762. 12. Chaffin DB. Human strength capability and low-back pain. J Occup Med 1974 Apr;16(4... geriatric hospital. Scand J Rehabil Med 1978;10(4):201-209. 16. Donchin M, Woolf O, Kaplan L, Floman Y. Secondary prevention of low-back pain. A...FR, Bendix T, Skov P, Jensen CV, Kristensen JH, Krohn L, Schoeler H. Intensive, dynamic back-muscle exercises, conventional physiotherapy , or

Low Back Pain Fact Sheet

MedlinePlus

... strenuous weekend workout. Most low back pain is acute, or short term, and lasts a few days ... no residual loss of function. The majority of acute low back pain is mechanical in nature, meaning ...

Back pain and backpacks in school children.

PubMed

Skaggs, David L; Early, Sean D; D'Ambra, Phyllis; Tolo, Vernon T; Kay, Robert M

2006-01-01

Back pain in adults is common and well studied. In contrast, back pain in children has received comparatively little scientific study, despite recent media attention. The purpose of this study is to see what factors influence the prevalence of back pain in middle school children, with particular attention to the weight of children's backpacks and the availability of school lockers. A population-based sample of 1540 children ages 11-14 years in a large metropolitan area was studied. A questionnaire was used to determine presence and severity of back pain, availability of lockers, backpack use, use of 1 or 2 straps to carry backpack, activity limitations due to back pain, and use of pain medication for back pain. Gender, age, weight of the child, and weight of his or her backpack were recorded. Results of scoliosis screening were evaluated with regard to the above information. Data were analyzed using the chi test and univariate or multivariate logistic regression analysis as appropriate. Overall, 37% of the children reported back pain. Backpacks were used by 97% of children, hence there were too few students not using backpacks to treat backpack use as an independent variable. Multivariate analysis found back pain associated with use of a heavier backpack (P=0.001), younger age (P<0.001), female sex (P<0.001), and a positive screening examination for scoliosis (P=0.009). Children with lockers available reported less back pain (P=0.016). The use of 1 or 2 straps to carry the backpack did not have a significant association with back pain (P=0.588). Of the children who reported back pain, 34% limited their activity due to the pain, 14% use medication for pain relief, and 82% believed their backpack either caused or worsened their pain. The incidence of back pain in early adolescence approaches that seen in adults. Recommendations for an "acceptable" weight of backpacks cannot be made from this study, as the weights of students' backpacks seem directly proportional to

Back School programme for nurses has reduced low back pain levels: A randomised controlled trial.

PubMed

Járomi, Melinda; Kukla, Aniko; Szilágyi, Brigitta; Simon-Ugron, Ágnes; Bobály, Viktória Kovácsné; Makai, Alexandra; Linek, Pawel; Ács, Pongrác; Leidecker, Eleonóra

2018-03-01

(i) To examine patient lifting techniques used by nurses, and (ii) to evaluate an effectiveness of the Spine Care for Nurses programme in chronic nonspecific low back pain syndrome reduction and the execution of proper patient lifting techniques. Millions of nurses around the world suffer from occupational-related chronic nonspecific low back pain (chronic nonspecific low back pain syndrome). Generally, low back pain in nurses is a result of increased pressure on the spine and can be associated with improperly conducted patient lifting techniques. A randomised controlled trial was conducted among 137 nurses with chronic nonspecific low back pain syndrome. Participants were randomised into an experimental and control group (experimental group n = 67, control group n = 70). Nurses in the experimental group attended the Spine Care for Nurses programme for 3 months. The programme consisted of didactic education, spine-strengthening exercises and education on safe patient handling techniques. The control group only received a brief written lifestyle guidance. The Zebris WinSpine Triple Lumbar examination was used to analyse nurses' patient lifting techniques (horizontal and vertical lifting). The lumbar pain intensity was measured with a 0-100 visual analogue scale. The pre-intervention average chronic nonspecific low back pain syndrome intensity score on visual analogue scale decreased from 49.3 to the postintervention score of 7.5. The correct execution of vertical lifting techniques in the experimental group increased from 8.91%-97.01% (control group: 8.57% pre-intervention test and postintervention test 11.42%). The horizontal patient lifting technique pre-intervention increased from 10.44%-100% correct execution in the experimental group (control group: pre-intervention test 10.00% and postintervention test 11.42%). The Spine Care for Nurses programme significantly reduced chronic nonspecific low back pain syndrome and increased the number of properly executed

Method for formation of high quality back contact with screen-printed local back surface field

DOEpatents

Rohatgi, Ajeet; Meemongkolkiat, Vichai

2010-11-30

A thin silicon solar cell having a back dielectric passivation and rear contact with local back surface field is described. Specifically, the solar cell may be fabricated from a crystalline silicon wafer having a thickness from 50 to 500 micrometers. A barrier layer and a dielectric layer are applied at least to the back surface of the silicon wafer to protect the silicon wafer from deformation when the rear contact is formed. At least one opening is made to the dielectric layer. An aluminum contact that provides a back surface field is formed in the opening and on the dielectric layer. The aluminum contact may be applied by screen printing an aluminum paste having from one to 12 atomic percent silicon and then applying a heat treatment at 750 degrees Celsius.

Sleep Better at Night...Back Up Your Data.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smith, Russell

1996-01-01

Discusses the need to back up computer files, and describes the technological evolution of back-up methods. Reviews tape drive and external hard drive back-up products offered by computer companies and presents back-up strategies to use with all back-up methods. A sidebar lists information on the reviewed products. (JMV)

Isometric endurance of the back extensors in school-aged adolescents with and without low back pain.

PubMed

Johnson, Olubusola E; Mbada, Chidozie E; Akosile, Christopher O; Agbeja, Oyinade A

2009-01-01

Studies on back extensor endurance in adolescents are scarce. This study sought to establish reference data and pattern of back extensor endurance in school-aged adolescents with and without low-back pain (LBP) from Nigeria. This study recruited 625 adolescents aged 11 to 19 years from eight randomly selected secondary schools. The modified Biering-Sørensen test of Static Muscular Endurance (BSME) was used to assess isometric endurance of the back extensors. Demographic and anthropometric data were collected. A modified LBP questionnaire was used to assess the presence of LBP. Descriptive and inferential analyses were used to analyze data. Significance was set at 0.05 alpha-level. The mean isometric holding time (IHT) of all the participants was 132.9 $\\pm$ 65.6. Males had significantly higher significant (p=0.026) IHT than females. Adolescents without LBP had a higher significant IHT (p=0.042) than those with reported history of previous LBP and those with present LBP (p=0.000) respectively. Using percentile values, poor endurance was defined as IHT that is < 90.0 s and < 67 s for males and females respectively; medium endurance was defined as IHT that ranged between 90 and 193 s and 67 and 170 s for males and females respectively while good endurance was defined as IHT that is > 193 s and > 170 s for males and females respectively. IHT was significantly related to each of body mass index, hip circumference and waist-to-hip ratio (p < 0.05). Isometric back extensors endurance in Nigerian adolescents was comparable to the original Biering-Sørensen mean value. Majority of the participants had medium endurance performance with the back endurance pattern in the ratio 1:2:1. Male had higher isometric back extensors endurance than females. Decreased isometric back extensors endurance was associated with the presence of LBP in adolescents.

Inversion Therapy: Can It Relieve Back Pain?

MedlinePlus

Inversion therapy: Can it relieve back pain? Does inversion therapy relieve back pain? Is it safe? Answers from Edward R. Laskowski, M.D. Inversion therapy doesn't provide lasting relief from back ...

Method for growing a back surface contact on an imaging detector used in conjunction with back illumination

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Blacksberg, Jordana (Inventor); Hoenk, Michael Eugene (Inventor); Nikzad, Shouleh (Inventor)

2010-01-01

A method is provided for growing a back surface contact on an imaging detector used in conjunction with back illumination. In operation, an imaging detector is provided. Additionally, a back surface contact (e.g. a delta-doped layer, etc.) is grown on the imaging detector utilizing a process that is performed at a temperature less than 450 degrees Celsius.

Low back pain in professional golfers: the role of associated hip and low back range-of-motion deficits.

PubMed

Vad, Vijay B; Bhat, Atul L; Basrai, Dilshaad; Gebeh, Ansu; Aspergren, Donald D; Andrews, James R

2004-03-01

Low back pain is fairly prevalent among golfers; however, its precise biomechanical mechanism is often debated. There is a positive correlation between decreased lead hip rotation and lumbar range of motion with a prior history of low back pain in professional golfers. A cross-sectional study. Forty-two consecutive professional male golfers were categorized as group 1 (history of low back pain greater than 2 weeks affecting quality of play within past 1 year) and group 2 (no previous such history). All underwent measurements of hip and lumbar range of motion, FABERE's distance, and finger-to-floor distance. Differences in measurements were analyzed using the Wilcoxon signed rank test. 33% of golfers had previously experienced low back pain. A statistically significant correlation (P <.05) was observed between a history of low back pain with decreased lead hip internal rotation, FABERE's distance, and lumbar extension. No statistically significant difference was noted in nonlead hip range of motion or finger-to-floor distance with history of low back pain. Range-of-motion deficits in the lead hip rotation and lumbar spine extension correlated with a history of low back pain in golfers.

Space Adaptation Back Pain: A Retrospective Study

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kerstman, E. L.; Scheuring, R. A.; Barnes, M. G.; DeKorse, T. B.; Saile, L. G.

2008-01-01

Back pain is frequently reported by astronauts during the early phase of space flight as they adapt to the microgravity environment. However, the epidemiology of space adaptation back pain has not been well defined. The purpose of this retrospective study was to develop a case definition of space adaptation back pain, determine the incidence of space adaptation back pain, and determine the effectiveness of available treatments. Medical records from the Mercury, Apollo, Apollo-Soyuz Test Project (ASTP), Skylab, Mir, International Space Station (ISS), and Shuttle programs were reviewed. All episodes of in-flight back pain that met the criteria for space adaptation back pain were recorded. Pain characteristics, including intensity, location, and duration of the pain were noted. The effectiveness of specific treatments also was recorded. The incidence of space adaptation back pain among astronauts was determined to be 53% (384/722). Most of the affected astronauts reported mild pain (85%). Moderate pain was reported by 11% of the affected astronauts and severe pain was reported by only 4% of the affected astronauts. The most effective treatments were fetal positioning (91% effective) and the use of analgesic medications (85% effective). This retrospective study aids in the development of a case definition of space adaptation back pain and examines the epidemiology of space adaptation back pain. Space adaptation back pain is usually mild and self-limited. However, there is a risk of functional impairment and mission impact in cases of moderate or severe pain that do not respond to currently available treatments. Therefore, the development of preventive measures and more effective treatments should be pursued.

Rehabilitation of Low Back Pain in Golfers

PubMed Central

Finn, Christopher

2013-01-01

Context: Low back injuries are the most common injury in golf. Best practice guidelines for rehabilitation and prevention of these injuries are helpful for health care professionals and all golfers. Objective: To establish a best practice clinical model for low back pain in golfers from diagnosis through treatment and rehabilitation to return to golf. Evidence Acquisition: The PubMed database and Google Scholar were searched from 1993 to 2012 with the following keywords: golf and low back injury, low back injury, golf and low back pain, golf injury prevention, golf modern swing, muscles in golf swing, low back rehabilitation, diaphragm, and core stability. All studies addressed in some manner the rehabilitation, prevention, or return to sport from low back injury, preferably in direct relation to golf, as well as muscle firing patterns used during the golf swing. Results: Best practice for rehabilitation and prevention of low back injury in golf appears to be through a multidisciplinary approach. Conclusion: Movement patterns, muscle imbalances, and type of swing utilized all have a direct effect on the forces applied to the spine during the golf swing and need to be assessed to prevent or rehabilitate injury. Understanding the golf swing and how the body works during the swing is necessary. PMID:24459546

EUVL back-insertion layout optimization

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Civay, D.; Laffosse, E.; Chesneau, A.

2018-03-01

Extreme ultraviolet lithography (EUVL) is targeted for front-up insertion at advanced technology nodes but will be evaluated for back insertion at more mature nodes. EUVL can put two or more mask levels back on one mask, depending upon what level(s) in the process insertion occurs. In this paper, layout optimization methods are discussed that can be implemented when EUVL back insertion is implemented. The layout optimizations can be focused on improving yield, reliability or density, depending upon the design needs. The proposed methodology modifies the original two or more colored layers and generates an optimized single color EUVL layout design.

Predicting low back pain outcome following rehabilitation for low back pain.

PubMed

Roberts, Andrew J; Dew, Angela; Bridger, Robert; Etherington, John; Kilminster, Shaun

2015-01-01

Psychosocial factors are known to play a key role in determining the progress of back pain patients. However, it is not known whether these factors are applicable to military personnel, who tend to be fitter than the general population. The aim was to identify physical and psychological predictors in a prospective study of the outcome of back pain rehabilitation over 6 months and a longer follow-up time of between 15 and 32 months. Two hundred and fifty military personnel reporting for a residential rehabilitation programme completed a battery of physical and psychological tests. The physical tests included 800 m run time and the Biering-Sorensen test. The psychological/psychosocial measures included items on fear avoidance, self efficacy, anxiety and depression and occupational psychosocial factors such as job satisfaction. Self efficacy and 800 m run time predicted self-reported functional ability at 6 months and medical discharge/return to full fitness at 15–32 months. Patients with 800 m run times of more than 3 minutes 31 seconds had a four times greater chance of medical discharge from the Armed forces. Eight hundred metre run time and self-efficacy were independent predictors of both self-reported functional ability at 6 months and return to full fitness/medical discharge at 15–32 months. Self-efficacy also predicted 40% of the variance in the intensity of back pain and 10% of other non-back pain. Rehabilitation should include greater emphasis on physical fitness and on improving self-efficacy.

Influence of low back pain and prognostic value of MRI in sciatica patients in relation to back pain.

PubMed

el Barzouhi, Abdelilah; Vleggeert-Lankamp, Carmen L A M; Lycklama à Nijeholt, Geert J; Van der Kallen, Bas F; van den Hout, Wilbert B; Koes, Bart W; Peul, Wilco C

2014-01-01

Patients with sciatica frequently complain about associated back pain. It is not known whether there are prognostic relevant differences in Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) findings between sciatica patients with and without disabling back pain. The study population contained patients with sciatica who underwent a baseline MRI to assess eligibility for a randomized trial designed to compare the efficacy of early surgery with prolonged conservative care for sciatica. Two neuroradiologists and one neurosurgeon independently evaluated all MR images. The MRI readers were blinded to symptom status. The MRI findings were compared between sciatica patients with and without disabling back pain. The presence of disabling back pain at baseline was correlated with perceived recovery at one year. Of 379 included sciatica patients, 158 (42%) had disabling back pain. Of the patients with both sciatica and disabling back pain 68% did reveal a herniated disc with nerve root compression on MRI, compared to 88% of patients with predominantly sciatica (P<0.001). The existence of disabling back pain in sciatica at baseline was negatively associated with perceived recovery at one year (Odds ratio [OR] 0.32, 95% Confidence Interval 0.18-0.56, P<0.001). Sciatica patients with disabling back pain in absence of nerve root compression on MRI at baseline reported less perceived recovery at one year compared to those with predominantly sciatica and nerve root compression on MRI (50% vs 91%, P<0.001). Sciatica patients with disabling low back pain reported an unfavorable outcome at one-year follow-up compared to those with predominantly sciatica. If additionally a clear herniated disc with nerve root compression on MRI was absent, the results were even worse.

Backing collisions: a study of drivers' eye and backing behaviour using combined rear-view camera and sensor systems.

PubMed

Hurwitz, David S; Pradhan, Anuj; Fisher, Donald L; Knodler, Michael A; Muttart, Jeffrey W; Menon, Rajiv; Meissner, Uwe

2010-04-01

Backing crash injures can be severe; approximately 200 of the 2,500 reported injuries of this type per year to children under the age of 15 years result in death. Technology for assisting drivers when backing has limited success in preventing backing crashes. Two questions are addressed: Why is the reduction in backing crashes moderate when rear-view cameras are deployed? Could rear-view cameras augment sensor systems? 46 drivers (36 experimental, 10 control) completed 16 parking trials over 2 days (eight trials per day). Experimental participants were provided with a sensor camera system, controls were not. Three crash scenarios were introduced. Parking facility at UMass Amherst, USA. 46 drivers (33 men, 13 women) average age 29 years, who were Massachusetts residents licensed within the USA for an average of 9.3 years. Interventions Vehicles equipped with a rear-view camera and sensor system-based parking aid. Subject's eye fixations while driving and researcher's observation of collision with objects during backing. Only 20% of drivers looked at the rear-view camera before backing, and 88% of those did not crash. Of those who did not look at the rear-view camera before backing, 46% looked after the sensor warned the driver. This study indicates that drivers not only attend to an audible warning, but will look at a rear-view camera if available. Evidence suggests that when used appropriately, rear-view cameras can mitigate the occurrence of backing crashes, particularly when paired with an appropriate sensor system.

Evaluation of wheelchair back support crashworthiness: combination wheelchair back support surfaces and attachment hardware.

PubMed

Ha, D; Bertocci, G; Deemer, E; van Roosmalen, L; Karg, P

2000-01-01

Automotive seats are tested for compliance with federal motor vehicle safety standards (FMVSS) to assure safety during impact. Many wheelchair users rely upon their wheelchairs to serve as vehicle seats. However, the crashworthiness of these wheelchairs during impact is often unknown. This study evaluated the crashworthiness of five combinations of wheelchair back support surfaces and attachment hardware using a static test procedure simulating crash loading conditions. The crashworthiness was tested by applying a simulated rearward load to each seat-back system. The magnitude of the applied load was established through computer simulation and biodynamic calculations. None of the five tested wheelchair back supports withstood the simulated crash loads. All failures were associated with attachment hardware.

["Back pain coach". A project for patients with back pain].

PubMed

Lindena, G; Marnitz, U; Hartmann, P; Müller, G

2012-12-01

Back pain is a challenge for case management but is a health insurance fund (HIF) that identifies high risk patients and includes them in a back pain assessment and a multimodal program cost-effective? Case managers of a HIF contacted selected patients and requested information on pain and current perspectives. Patients in the intervention group were offered a multimodal assessment and, if applicable, a multimodal treatment program. Control group patients received verbal or written (back book) information. Cost data were evaluated with respect to the interview data 1 year prior and 1 year afterwards. Of the 800 insured persons contacted 621 were nationwide, 88 were regional controls and 91 were intervention patients. Inability to work was still rising in all groups but less in the intervention group versus both control groups. Drugs, hospital as well as cure/adjuvant costs were less for intervention patients than in both control groups. The investment for the program was thus more than refinanced. Case management was well accepted but the intervention was in need of training for case managers and the specific diagnostic and treatment option regionally. The HIF was responsible for the study investment and project partners shared the training of the HIF regional case managers.

The relationship beween posture and back muscle endurance in industrial workers with flexion-related low back pain.

PubMed

O'Sullivan, Peter B; Mitchell, Tim; Bulich, Paul; Waller, Rob; Holte, Johan

2006-11-01

This preliminary cross-sectional study was undertaken to determine if there were measurable relationships between posture, back muscle endurance and low back pain (LBP) in industrial workers with a reported history of flexion strain injury and flexion pain provocation. Clinical reports state that subjects with flexion pain disorders of the lumbar spine commonly adopt passive flexed postures such as slump sitting and present with associated dysfunction of the spinal postural stabilising musculature. However, to date there is little empirical evidence to support that patients with back pain, posture their spines differently than pain-free subjects. Subjects included 21 healthy industrial workers and 24 industrial workers with flexion-provoked LBP. Lifestyle information, lumbo-pelvic posture in sitting, standing and lifting, and back muscle endurance were measured. LBP subjects had significantly reduced back muscle endurance (P < 0.01). LBP subjects sat with less hip flexion, (P = 0.05), suggesting increased posterior pelvic tilt in sitting. LBP subjects postured their spines significantly closer to their end of range lumbar flexion in 'usual' sitting than the healthy controls (P < 0.05). Correlations between increased time spent sitting, physical inactivity and poorer back muscle endurance were also identified. There were no significant differences found between the groups for the standing and lifting posture measures. These preliminary results support that a relationship may exist between flexed spinal postures, reduced back muscle endurance, physical inactivity and LBP in subjects with a history of flexion injury and pain.

Influence of Low Back Pain and Prognostic Value of MRI in Sciatica Patients in Relation to Back Pain

PubMed Central

el Barzouhi, Abdelilah; Vleggeert-Lankamp, Carmen L. A. M.; Lycklama à Nijeholt, Geert J.; Van der Kallen, Bas F.; van den Hout, Wilbert B.; Koes, Bart W.; Peul, Wilco C.

2014-01-01

Background Patients with sciatica frequently complain about associated back pain. It is not known whether there are prognostic relevant differences in Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) findings between sciatica patients with and without disabling back pain. Methods The study population contained patients with sciatica who underwent a baseline MRI to assess eligibility for a randomized trial designed to compare the efficacy of early surgery with prolonged conservative care for sciatica. Two neuroradiologists and one neurosurgeon independently evaluated all MR images. The MRI readers were blinded to symptom status. The MRI findings were compared between sciatica patients with and without disabling back pain. The presence of disabling back pain at baseline was correlated with perceived recovery at one year. Results Of 379 included sciatica patients, 158 (42%) had disabling back pain. Of the patients with both sciatica and disabling back pain 68% did reveal a herniated disc with nerve root compression on MRI, compared to 88% of patients with predominantly sciatica (P<0.001). The existence of disabling back pain in sciatica at baseline was negatively associated with perceived recovery at one year (Odds ratio [OR] 0.32, 95% Confidence Interval 0.18–0.56, P<0.001). Sciatica patients with disabling back pain in absence of nerve root compression on MRI at baseline reported less perceived recovery at one year compared to those with predominantly sciatica and nerve root compression on MRI (50% vs 91%, P<0.001). Conclusion Sciatica patients with disabling low back pain reported an unfavorable outcome at one-year follow-up compared to those with predominantly sciatica. If additionally a clear herniated disc with nerve root compression on MRI was absent, the results were even worse. PMID:24637890

Backing collisions: a study of drivers’ eye and backing behaviour using combined rear-view camera and sensor systems

PubMed Central

Hurwitz, David S; Pradhan, Anuj; Fisher, Donald L; Knodler, Michael A; Muttart, Jeffrey W; Menon, Rajiv; Meissner, Uwe

2012-01-01

Context Backing crash injures can be severe; approximately 200 of the 2,500 reported injuries of this type per year to children under the age of 15 years result in death. Technology for assisting drivers when backing has limited success in preventing backing crashes. Objectives Two questions are addressed: Why is the reduction in backing crashes moderate when rear-view cameras are deployed? Could rear-view cameras augment sensor systems? Design 46 drivers (36 experimental, 10 control) completed 16 parking trials over 2 days (eight trials per day). Experimental participants were provided with a sensor camera system, controls were not. Three crash scenarios were introduced. Setting Parking facility at UMass Amherst, USA. Subjects 46 drivers (33 men, 13 women) average age 29 years, who were Massachusetts residents licensed within the USA for an average of 9.3 years. Interventions Vehicles equipped with a rear-view camera and sensor system-based parking aid. Main Outcome Measures Subject’s eye fixations while driving and researcher’s observation of collision with objects during backing. Results Only 20% of drivers looked at the rear-view camera before backing, and 88% of those did not crash. Of those who did not look at the rear-view camera before backing, 46% looked after the sensor warned the driver. Conclusions This study indicates that drivers not only attend to an audible warning, but will look at a rear-view camera if available. Evidence suggests that when used appropriately, rear-view cameras can mitigate the occurrence of backing crashes, particularly when paired with an appropriate sensor system. PMID:20363812

The reactivity of the back revisited. Are there differences in reactivity in different parts of the back?

PubMed

Björk, Ann-Kristin; Bruze, Magnus; Engfeldt, Malin; Nielsen, Christel; Svedman, Cecilia

2017-01-01

In the contact dermatitis literature, it is regularly stated that the patch test reactivity on various areas of the back differs, which might have a large impact on the reproducibility of patch testing. To investigate the reproducibility of patch testing on the upper back with regard to the left as opposed to the right side, and the medial as opposed to the lateral part of the upper back. The reproducibility over time and with regard to the reactivity pattern was also investigated. Thirty-one subjects with contact allergy to the metals gold (n = 19) or nickel (n = 12) were patch tested with serial dilutions, in triplicate applications, on different locations on the upper back. The Friedman test was used for statistical calculations. No significant differences in the reactivity of the back were found. In all gold-allergic patients and 11 of 12 nickel-allergic patients, the allergy could be reproduced with regard to previous patch testing, but the degree of reactivity differed. When a high level of standardization of the patch test technique with the same test system was used, there were no differences in patch test reactions and sites of application on the upper back. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Back pain in aircrew--an initial survey.

PubMed

Sheard, S C; Pethybridge, R J; Wright, J M; McMillan, G H

1996-05-01

In the early 1990's staff at a Royal Naval Air Station formed the view that pilots and observers of the Navy Lynx helicopter fleet appeared to have a higher incidence of back pain, to be seeking medical assistance more frequently and to be spending more time medically "unfit to fly" when compared to their counterparts in other helicopters. To quantify the incidence of low back pain in helicopter aircrew by use of a questionnaire. A questionnaire was used to establish the prevalence and nature of back pain in Naval aircrew (161) compared to a control group of randomly selected non-flying military personnel (310). Results show that aircrew (82%) experience significantly more back pain than controls (52%) (p < 0.01) though the nature of pain was similar in both groups. Significantly more aircrew (73%) than controls (49%) (p < 0.01) reported a previous history of back pain and report pain in shoulders (19%), midback (42%), lower back (72%) and across the buttocks (12%). Ergonomic factors were thought to be causative. Of aircrew surveyed, 11 (8%) had been issued with personal lumbar supports which resulted in major subjective improvements in flight-related symptoms. Helicopter aircrew have a higher incidence of back pain. Crew station design was identified as a major contributor to the prevalence of back pain while personal supports reduced the levels of discomfort. While these findings are not new, no significant steps have been taken to redesign the crew station. It is recommended that personal supports are provided to all aircrew and that a more detailed study of crew station ergonomics is indicated following a more comprehensive study of prevalence of back pain in Royal Navy aircrew.

Back problems, comorbidities, and their association with wealth.

PubMed

Schofield, Deborah J; Callander, Emily J; Shrestha, Rupendra N; Passey, Megan E; Kelly, Simon J; Percival, Richard

2015-01-01

Studies assessing the economic burden of back problems have given little consideration to the presence of comorbidities. To assess the difference in the value of wealth held by Australians who have back problems and varying numbers of chronic comorbidities. A cross-sectional study. Individuals aged 45 to 64 years in 2009: 4,388 with no chronic health conditions, 1,405 with back problems, and 3,018 with other health conditions. Total wealth (cash, shares, superannuation, investment property, and owner occupied home). Using a microsimulation model (Health&WealthMOD), logistic regression models were used to assess the odds of having any wealth. Linear regression models were used to assess the difference in the value of this wealth. Those with back problems and two comorbidities had 0.16 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.06-0.42) times the odds and those with back problems and three or more comorbidities had 0.20 (95% CI: 0.11-0.38) times the odds of having accumulated some wealth than those with no chronic health conditions. Those with back problems and three or more comorbidities had a median value of total wealth of around $150,000, whereas those with back problems only and back problems and one comorbidity had a median value of total wealth of around $250,500. There was no significant difference in the amount of wealth accumulated by those with back problems and at least one comorbidity and those with other health conditions and the same number of comorbidities. However, those with only one health condition (excluding back problems) had 65% more wealth than those with back problems only (95% CI: 5.1-161.2). This study highlights the importance of considering multiple morbidities when discussing the relationship between back problems and economic circumstances. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Low Back Pain in Athletes

PubMed Central

Mortazavi, Javad; Zebardast, Jayran; Mirzashahi, Babak

2015-01-01

Context: Low Back Pain (LBP) in athletes is common and has a broad spectrum of differential diagnoses that must be taken in to account when a clinician approaches the patient with LBP. The physicians should take into account spinal and extra spinal causes of low back pain in athletes. Evidence Acquistion: A literature review was performed for the years 1951 through 2013. Keywords used were Low Back Pain and Athletes. We searched MEDLINE, EMBASE, OVID, PUBMED, the Cochrane Library, ELSEVIER, and the references of reviewed articles, for English-language of Low Back Pain in Athletes. Results: The two most common causes of LBP arising from spine in athletes are degenerative disc disease and spondylolysis with or without listhesis. Although most athletes, respond well to conservative treatment, surgical treatment is indicated when conservative treatment failes. Conclusions: The major concern in athletes with LBP is return to play and previous level of their activity after treatment. There is insufficient evidence regarding this issue in literature to define the optimal time of return to play following treatment. PMID:26448841

Text mining a self-report back-translation.

PubMed

Blanch, Angel; Aluja, Anton

2016-06-01

There are several recommendations about the routine to undertake when back translating self-report instruments in cross-cultural research. However, text mining methods have been generally ignored within this field. This work describes a text mining innovative application useful to adapt a personality questionnaire to 12 different languages. The method is divided in 3 different stages, a descriptive analysis of the available back-translated instrument versions, a dissimilarity assessment between the source language instrument and the 12 back-translations, and an item assessment of item meaning equivalence. The suggested method contributes to improve the back-translation process of self-report instruments for cross-cultural research in 2 significant intertwined ways. First, it defines a systematic approach to the back translation issue, allowing for a more orderly and informed evaluation concerning the equivalence of different versions of the same instrument in different languages. Second, it provides more accurate instrument back-translations, which has direct implications for the reliability and validity of the instrument's test scores when used in different cultures/languages. In addition, this procedure can be extended to the back-translation of self-reports measuring psychological constructs in clinical assessment. Future research works could refine the suggested methodology and use additional available text mining tools. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved).

Uncertainty Analyses for Back Projection Methods

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zeng, H.; Wei, S.; Wu, W.

2017-12-01

So far few comprehensive error analyses for back projection methods have been conducted, although it is evident that high frequency seismic waves can be easily affected by earthquake depth, focal mechanisms and the Earth's 3D structures. Here we perform 1D and 3D synthetic tests for two back projection methods, MUltiple SIgnal Classification (MUSIC) (Meng et al., 2011) and Compressive Sensing (CS) (Yao et al., 2011). We generate synthetics for both point sources and finite rupture sources with different depths, focal mechanisms, as well as 1D and 3D structures in the source region. The 3D synthetics are generated through a hybrid scheme of Direct Solution Method and Spectral Element Method. Then we back project the synthetic data using MUSIC and CS. The synthetic tests show that the depth phases can be back projected as artificial sources both in space and time. For instance, for a source depth of 10km, back projection gives a strong signal 8km away from the true source. Such bias increases with depth, e.g., the error of horizontal location could be larger than 20km for a depth of 40km. If the array is located around the nodal direction of direct P-waves the teleseismic P-waves are dominated by the depth phases. Therefore, back projections are actually imaging the reflection points of depth phases more than the rupture front. Besides depth phases, the strong and long lasted coda waves due to 3D effects near trench can lead to additional complexities tested here. The strength contrast of different frequency contents in the rupture models also produces some variations to the back projection results. In the synthetic tests, MUSIC and CS derive consistent results. While MUSIC is more computationally efficient, CS works better for sparse arrays. In summary, our analyses indicate that the impact of various factors mentioned above should be taken into consideration when interpreting back projection images, before we can use them to infer the earthquake rupture physics.

Controlled in situ etch-back

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mattauch, R. J.; Seabaugh, A. C. (Inventor)

1981-01-01

A controlled in situ etch-back technique is disclosed in which an etch melt and a growth melt are first saturated by a source-seed crystal and thereafter etch-back of a substrate takes place by the slightly undersaturated etch melt, followed by LPE growth of a layer by the growth melt, which is slightly supersaturated.

Spinal Manipulation for Low-Back Pain

MedlinePlus

... often have limited benefit in managing back and neck pain. The AHRQ analysis also found that spinal manipulation ... manipulation and mobilization for low back pain and neck pain: a systematic review and best evidence synthesis. Spine ...

painACTION-back pain: a self-management website for people with chronic back pain.

PubMed

Chiauzzi, Emil; Pujol, Lynette A; Wood, Mollie; Bond, Kathleen; Black, Ryan; Yiu, Elizabeth; Zacharoff, Kevin

2010-07-01

To determine whether an interactive self-management Website for people with chronic back pain would significantly improve emotional management, coping, self-efficacy to manage pain, pain levels, and physical functioning compared with standard text-based materials. The study utilized a pretest-posttest randomized controlled design comparing Website (painACTION-Back Pain) and control (text-based material) conditions at baseline and at 1-, 3, and 6-month follow-ups. Two hundred and nine people with chronic back pain were recruited through dissemination of study information online and at a pain treatment clinic. The 6-month follow-up rates for the Website and control groups were 73% and 84%, respectively. Measures were based on the recommendations of the Initiative on Methods, Measurement, and Pain Assessment in Clinical Trials and included measures of pain intensity, physical functioning, emotional functioning, coping, self-efficacy, fear-avoidance, perceived improvement with treatment, self-efficacy, and catastrophizing. Compared with controls, painACTION-Back Pain participants reported significantly: 1) lower stress; 2) increased coping self-statements; and 3) greater use of social support. Comparisons between groups suggested clinically significant differences in current pain intensity, depression, anxiety, stress, and global ratings of improvement. Among participants recruited online, those using the Website reported significantly: 1) lower "worst" pain; 2) lower "average" pain; and 3) increased coping self-statements, compared with controls. Participants recruited through the pain clinic evidenced no such differences. An online self-management program for people with chronic back pain can lead to improvements in stress, coping, and social support, and produce clinically significant differences in pain, depression, anxiety, and global rates of improvement.

Surfing for back pain patients: the nature and quality of back pain information on the Internet.

PubMed

Li, L; Irvin, E; Guzmán, J; Bombardier , C

2001-03-01

A prospective, systematic review of web sites related to back pain. To assess the nature and quality of back pain-related information on the World Wide Web during a 2-year period. The Internet has become a rich source of medical information. Limited knowledge is available, however, about the quality of online resources. Although previous systematic reviews on medical-related web sites found problems in varying degrees with the credibility of information, no such review was conducted to assess the back pain-related sites. A search of web sites was conducted in November 1996 using five search engines (AltaVista, Infoseek, Lycos, Yahoo, and Magellan) and two key terms ("back pain" and "back problems"). A sample of sites was evaluated by two independent reviewers. Each site was described by the type and nature of the sponsor, target audience, and content. Overall quality was assessed in terms of evidence-based information available. Seventy-four web sites were reviewed in 1996, and nine of them (12.2%) were identified as high-quality sites. Advertising was the focus of 80.8% of the sites. Eleven sites (14.9%) were found to be discontinued 1 year later, and 20 (27.0%) were not accessible by the reviewers at the 2-year follow-up evaluation. Of the remaining 54 sites, 44.4% were produced by for-profit companies, and most sites targeted people with back pain (63.0%). Only seven out of the nine high-quality sites held their ratings at the 2-year follow-up evaluation. Most back pain-related web sites can be classified as advertising. The quality varied considerably, resulting in difficulties for patients to find useful information in this field. The increasing number of people seeking medical information on the Web creates a need for more high quality sites. Further, systematic review of web sites should be encouraged to monitor the accuracy of Internet publication.

Fighting Back

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Academe, 2005

2005-01-01

In this new feature of the "Academe" journal, work by faculty members is highlighted who are mobilizing in support of academic freedom on their campuses and beyond. This September-October issue of the journal includes the following brief reflections from faculty all relating to the central theme of "fighting back": "Free…

LABORATORY ANALYSIS OF BACK-CORONA DISCHARGE

EPA Science Inventory

The paper discusses an experimental research program to characterize back-corona generation and behavior in a range of environments and geometries common to electrostatic precipitators (ESPs). A wire-parallel plate device was used to monitor the intensity and distribution of back...

[Low back pain vs. leg dominant pain].

PubMed

Kovac, Ida

2011-01-01

There are two patterns of back pain: 1) back-dominant pain and 2) leg pain dominant, greater than back pain. The causes of back pain are very different and numerous, but mostly are due to vertebral, mechanical etiology, and rarely because of non vertebral, visceral etiology. Leg pain greater than back pain is mostly disease of spinal nerve root, generally presented by radicular pain in a dermatomal distribution. Mechanical compression of spinal roots, caused by disc herniation or by spinal stenosis, results in radicular symptoms. Rarely, in about 1% of patients, there are some other reasons except vertebral mechanical cause, like infection, tumor or fracture. There are several causes of pseudoradicular pain like periferal neuropathy, myifascial syndromes, vascular diseases, osteoarthritis. Spondylarthropathies should be taken in cosideration as well. A complete history and physical examination is important to determine further diagnostic evaluation and to provide eficient therapy.

GREAT LAKES FAX-BACK SERVICE

Science.gov Websites

available to ships participating in the Voluntary Observing Ships (VOS) program. To register as a Fax-Back Tsunamis 406 EPIRB's National Weather Service Marine Forecasts GREAT LAKES FAX-BACK SERVICE Marine Forecast months. Did you know your body can cool 25 times faster in water than in air? That water does not need to

Chronic low back pain in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus: prevalence and predictors of back muscle strength and its correlation with disability.

PubMed

Cezarino, Raíssa Sudré; Cardoso, Jefferson Rosa; Rodrigues, Kedma Neves; Magalhães, Yasmin Santana; Souza, Talita Yokoy de; Mota, Lícia Maria Henrique da; Bonini-Rocha, Ana Clara; McVeigh, Joseph; Martins, Wagner Rodrigues

To determine the prevalence of Chronic Low Back Pain and predictors of Back Muscle Strength in patients with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus. Cross-sectional study. Ninety-six ambulatory patients with lupus were selected by non-probability sampling and interviewed and tested during medical consultation. The outcomes measurements were: Point prevalence of chronic low back pain, Oswestry Disability Index, Tampa Scale of Kinesiophobia, Fatigue Severity Scale and maximal voluntary isometric contractions of handgrip and of the back muscles. Correlation coefficient and multiple linear regression were used in statistical analysis. Of the 96 individuals interviewed, 25 had chronic low back pain, indicating a point prevalence of 26% (92% women). The correlation between the Oswestry Index and maximal voluntary isometric contraction of the back muscles was r=-0.4, 95% CI [-0.68; -0.01] and between the maximal voluntary isometric contraction of handgrip and of the back muscles was r=0.72, 95% CI [0.51; 0.88]. The regression model presented the highest value of R 2 being observed when maximal voluntary isometric contraction of the back muscles was tested with five independent variables (63%). In this model handgrip strength was the only predictive variable (β=0.61, p=0.001). The prevalence of chronic low back pain in individuals with systemic lupus erythematosus was 26%. The maximal voluntary isometric contraction of the back muscles was 63% predicted by five variables of interest, however, only the handgrip strength was a statistically significant predictive variable. The maximal voluntary isometric contraction of the back muscles presented a linear relation directly proportional to handgrip and inversely proportional to Oswestry Index i.e. stronger back muscles are associated with lower disability scores. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Editora Ltda.

Disrupted Self-Perception in People With Chronic Low Back Pain. Further Evaluation of the Fremantle Back Awareness Questionnaire.

PubMed

Wand, Benedict Martin; Catley, Mark Jon; Rabey, Martin Ian; O'Sullivan, Peter Bruce; O'Connell, Neil Edward; Smith, Anne Julia

2016-09-01

Several lines of evidence suggest that body perception is altered in people with chronic back pain. Maladaptive perceptual awareness of the back might contribute to the pain experience as well as serve as a target for treatment. The Fremantle Back Awareness Questionnaire (FreBAQ) is a simple questionnaire recently developed to assess back-specific altered self-perception. The aims of this study were to present the outcomes of a comprehensive evaluation of the questionnaire's psychometric properties and explore the potential relationships between body perception, nociceptive sensitivity, distress, and beliefs about back pain and the contribution these factors might play in explaining pain and disability. Two hundred fifty-one people with chronic back pain completed the questionnaire as well as a battery of clinical tests. The Rasch model was used to explore the questionnaires' psychometric properties and correlation and multiple linear regression analyses were used to explore the relationship between altered body perception and clinical status. The FreBAQ appears unidimensional with no redundant items, has minimal ceiling and floor effects, acceptable internal consistency, was functional on the category rating scale, and was not biased by demographic or clinical variables. FreBAQ scores were correlated with sensitivity, distress, and beliefs and were uniquely associated with pain and disability. Several lines of evidence suggest that body perception might be disturbed in people with chronic low back pain, possibly contributing to the condition and offering a potential target for treatment. The FreBAQ was developed as a quick and simple way of measuring back-specific body perception in people with chronic low back pain. The questionnaire appears to be a psychometrically sound way of assessing altered self-perception. The level of altered self-perception is positively correlated with pain intensity and disability as well as showing associations with psychological

Investigating Research Gaps of Pharmaceutical take back Events: An Analysis of take back Program Participants' Socioeconomic, Demographic, and Geographic Characteristics and the Public Health Benefits of take back Programs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stoddard, K. I.; Hodge, V.; Maxey, G.; Tiwari, C.; Cready, C.; Huggett, D. B.

2017-06-01

Research continues to show that pharmaceutical environmental contamination causes adverse effects to aquatic life. There are also public health risks associated with pharmaceuticals because in-home reserves of medications provide opportunities for accidental poisoning and intentional medication abuse. Pharmaceutical take back programs have been seen as a potential remedy for these issues; however, a thorough review of past programs indicates limited research has been conducted on take back programs. Furthermore, there are significant gaps in take back program research. To address these gaps and ultimately determine if take back programs could improve public health, research was conducted in conjunction with the take back program Denton drug disposal days held in Denton, Texas. Socioeconomic, demographic, and geographic characteristics of Denton drug disposal days participants were investigated using surveys and Geographic Information Systems. Potential impacts of the Denton drug disposal days program on public health were determined by comparing data from Denton drug disposal days events with data supplied by the North Texas Poison Center. Results suggest that Denton drug disposal days events may have prevented accidental poisonings or intentional abuse, however only qualitative comparisons support this statement and there was insufficient empirical evidence to support the conclusion that Denton drug disposal days events were exclusively responsible for public health improvements. An interesting finding was that there was a definitive travel threshold that influenced participation in Denton drug disposal days events. Overall, this study fills some geographic, socioeconomic, and demographic data gaps of take back programs and proposes methods to analyze and improve participation in future take back programs. These methods could also be applied to improve participation in other local environmentally-focused programs such as household hazardous collection events.

Investigating Research Gaps of Pharmaceutical take back Events: An Analysis of take back Program Participants' Socioeconomic, Demographic, and Geographic Characteristics and the Public Health Benefits of take back Programs.

PubMed

Stoddard, K I; Hodge, V; Maxey, G; Tiwari, C; Cready, C; Huggett, D B

2017-06-01

Research continues to show that pharmaceutical environmental contamination causes adverse effects to aquatic life. There are also public health risks associated with pharmaceuticals because in-home reserves of medications provide opportunities for accidental poisoning and intentional medication abuse. Pharmaceutical take back programs have been seen as a potential remedy for these issues; however, a thorough review of past programs indicates limited research has been conducted on take back programs. Furthermore, there are significant gaps in take back program research. To address these gaps and ultimately determine if take back programs could improve public health, research was conducted in conjunction with the take back program Denton drug disposal days held in Denton, Texas. Socioeconomic, demographic, and geographic characteristics of Denton drug disposal days participants were investigated using surveys and Geographic Information Systems. Potential impacts of the Denton drug disposal days program on public health were determined by comparing data from Denton drug disposal days events with data supplied by the North Texas Poison Center. Results suggest that Denton drug disposal days events may have prevented accidental poisonings or intentional abuse, however only qualitative comparisons support this statement and there was insufficient empirical evidence to support the conclusion that Denton drug disposal days events were exclusively responsible for public health improvements. An interesting finding was that there was a definitive travel threshold that influenced participation in Denton drug disposal days events. Overall, this study fills some geographic, socioeconomic, and demographic data gaps of take back programs and proposes methods to analyze and improve participation in future take back programs. These methods could also be applied to improve participation in other local environmentally-focused programs such as household hazardous collection events.

Backing warning sensors for tow plows.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2013-06-01

Backup warning system devices were evaluated to determine if they would alert winter maintenance snow : plow drivers to obstacles directly behind the trailer and out of view of the driver when a unit is backed up. : When the sensors on the back of th...

National supply-chain survey of drug manufacturer back orders.

PubMed

Wellman, G S

2001-07-01

The impact of manufacturer back orders on the supply chain for pharmaceuticals in the institutional setting was studied. A questionnaire was distributed during May and June 2000 to 600 institutional pharmacies affiliated with a major national drug and supply group purchasing organization. The instrument included questions on basic institutional demographics, perceptions about the frequency of manufacturer back orders for pharmaceuticals, the quality of communication with manufacturers and wholesalers about back orders, the two most significant back orders that had occurred in the 12 months preceding the survey, and the reasons for and impact of back orders. A total of 170 usable surveys were returned (net response rate, 28.3%). Reported manufacturer back orders included an array of drug classes, including blood products, antimicrobials, antiarrhythmics, benzodiazepine antagonists, thrombolytics, corticosteroids, and antihypertensives. Respondents perceived significant back orders as increasing in frequency. Communication by manufacturers and wholesalers about back orders was reported to be relatively poor. A raw-material shortage was the most common reason given by manufacturers for back orders (36.5%), followed by a regulatory issue (23.2%). In most cases (92%), medical staff members had to be contacted, indicating an interruption in the normal drug distribution process. In over a third of instances, respondents stated that the back order resulted in less optimal therapy. A survey found that manufacturer back orders for pharmaceuticals were increasing in frequency and that information flow within the supply chain was insufficient to meet the needs of end users.

Effectiveness of a standardized back school program for patients with chronic low back pain after implementation in routine rehabilitation care.

PubMed

Meng, Karin; Peters, Stefan; Faller, Hermann

2017-06-01

To evaluate the effectiveness of a standardized, patient-oriented, biopsychosocial back school after implementation in inpatient orthopedic rehabilitation. A multi-center, quasi-experimental controlled study of patients with low back pain (n=535) was conducted. Patients in the control group received the traditional back school before implementation of the new program (usual care); patients in the intervention group received the new standardized back school after implementation into routine care. Patients' illness knowledge and conduct of back exercises (primary outcomes) and secondary self-management outcomes and treatment satisfaction were obtained at admission, discharge, and 6 and 12 months after rehabilitation. We found a significant small between-group intervention effect on patients' illness knowledge in medium- to long term (6 months: η 2 =0.015; 12 months: η 2 =0.013). There were trends for effects on conduct of back exercises among men (6 and 12 months: η 2 =0.008 both). Furthermore, significant small effects were observed for treatment satisfaction at discharge and physical activity after 6 months. The standardized back school seems to be more effective in certain outcomes than a usual care program despite heterogeneous program implementation. Further dissemination within orthopedic rehabilitation may be encouraged to foster self-management outcomes. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Back pain in seniors: the Back pain Outcomes using Longitudinal Data (BOLD) cohort baseline data.

PubMed

Jarvik, Jeffrey G; Comstock, Bryan A; Heagerty, Patrick J; Turner, Judith A; Sullivan, Sean D; Shi, Xu; Nerenz, David R; Nedeljkovic, Srdjan S; Kessler, Larry; James, Kathryn; Friedly, Janna L; Bresnahan, Brian W; Bauer, Zoya; Avins, Andrew L; Deyo, Richard A

2014-04-23

Back pain represents a substantial burden globally, ranking first in a recent assessment among causes of years lived with disability. Though back pain is widely studied among working age adults, there are gaps with respect to basic descriptive epidemiology among seniors, especially in the United States. Our goal was to describe how pain, function and health-related quality of life vary by demographic and geographic factors among seniors presenting to primary care providers with new episodes of care for back pain. We examined baseline data from the Back pain Outcomes using Longitudinal Data (BOLD) registry, the largest inception cohort to date of seniors presenting to a primary care provider for back pain. The sample included 5,239 patients ≥ 65 years old with a new primary care visit for back pain at three integrated health systems (Northern California Kaiser-Permanente, Henry Ford Health System [Detroit], and Harvard Vanguard Medical Associates [Boston]). We examined differences in patient characteristics across healthcare sites and associations of patient sociodemographic and clinical characteristics with baseline patient-reported measures of pain, function, and health-related quality of life. Patients differed across sites in demographic and other characteristics. The Detroit site had more African-American patients (50%) compared with the other sites (7-8%). The Boston site had more college graduates (68%) compared with Detroit (20%). Female sex, lower educational status, African-American race, and older age were associated with worse functional disability as measured by the Roland-Morris Disability Questionnaire. Except for age, these factors were also associated with worse pain. Baseline pain and functional impairment varied substantially with a number of factors in the BOLD cohort. Healthcare site was an important factor. After controlling for healthcare site, lower education, female sex, African-American race, and older age were associated with worse

Efficacy of transverse tripolar spinal cord stimulator for the relief of chronic low back pain from failed back surgery.

PubMed

Buvanendran, Asokumar; Lubenow, Timothy J

2008-01-01

Failed back surgery syndrome is a common clinical entity for which spinal cord stimulation has been found to be an effective mode of analgesia, but with variable success rates. To determine if focal stimulation of the dorsal columns with a transverse tripolar lead might achieve deeper penetration of the electrical stimulus into the spinal cord and therefore provide greater analgesia to the back. Case report. We describe a 42-year-old female with failed back surgery syndrome that had greater back pain than leg pain. The tripolar lead configuration was achieved by placing percutaneously an octapolar lead in the spinal midline followed by 2 adjacent quadripolar leads, advanced to the T7-T10 vertebral bodies. Tripolar stimulation pattern resulted in more than 70% pain relief in this patient during the screening trial, while stimulation of one or 2 electrodes only provided 20% pain relief. After implantation of a permanent tripolar electrode system with a single rechargeable battery, the pain relief was maintained for one year. This is case report describing a case of a patient with chronic low back pain with a diagnosis of failed back surgery syndrome in which transverse tripolar stimulation using an octapolar and 2 quadripolar leads appeared to be beneficial. The transverse tripolar system consists of a central cathode surrounded by anodes, using 3 leads. This arrangement may contribute to maximum dorsal column stimulation with minimal dorsal root stimulation and provide analgesia to the lower back.

Comparison of low back mobility and stability exercises from Pilates in non-specific low back pain: A study protocol of a randomized controlled trial.

PubMed

Miranda, Iã Ferreira; Souza, Catiane; Schneider, Alexandre Tavares; Chagas, Leandro Campos; Loss, Jefferson Fagundes

2018-05-01

There is some evidence in the literature about the effectiveness of the Pilates methods in the low back pain. Moreover, Pilates focus on exercises that empathizes the stability and/or mobility of the spine. Therefore, it is discussed in the literature whether higher levels of stability or mobility of the lumbar spine generates better results, both in performance and rehabilitation for low back pain. Compare the effects of the low back mobility and stability exercises from Pilates Method on low back pain, disability and movement functionality in individuals with non-specific chronic low back pain. 28 participants will be randomized into two exercise protocol from Pilates methods, one focusing on low back stability and other on low back mobility. Low back pain (visual analogic scale), low back disability (Oswestry) and movement functionality (7 functional movement tasks) will be evaluated before and after 10 sessions of Pilates exercise by the same trained assessor. A mixed designed ANOVA with two factors will be used. This study is the first to compare these outcomes for chronic low back pain participants with two exercises protocol focusing on low back mobility and stability and the results will evaluate what to prioritize with Pilates exercises to give better results for that population. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Patients' Attitudes Toward Nonphysician Screening of Low Back and Low Back Related Leg Pain Complaints Referred for Surgical Assessment.

PubMed

Rempel, Joshua; Busse, Jason W; Drew, Brian; Reddy, Kesava; Cenic, Aleksa; Kachur, Edward; Murty, Naresh; Candelaria, Henry; Moore, Ainsley E; Riva, John J

2017-03-01

A questionnaire survey. The aim of this study was to explore patient attitudes toward screening to assess suitability for low back surgery by nonphysician health care providers. Canadian spine surgeons have shown support for nonphysician screening to assess and triage patients with low back pain and low back related leg pain. However, patients' attitudes toward this proposed model are largely unknown. We administered a 19-item cross-sectional survey to adults with low back and/or low back related leg pain who were referred for elective surgical assessment at one of five spine surgeons' clinics in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. The survey inquired about demographics, expectations regarding wait time for surgical consultation, as well as willingness to pay, travel, and be screened by nonphysician health care providers. Eighty low back patients completed our survey, for a response rate of 86.0% (80 of 93). Most respondents (72.5%; 58 of 80) expected to be seen by a surgeon within 3 months of referral, and 88.8% (71 of 80) indicated willingness to undergo screening with a nonphysician health care provider to establish whether they were potentially a surgical candidate. Half of respondents (40 of 80) were willing to travel >50 km for assessment by a nonphysician health care provider, and 46.2% were willing to pay out-of-pocket (25.6% were unsure). However, most respondents (70.0%; 56 of 80) would still want to see a surgeon if they were ruled out as a surgical candidate, and written comments from respondents revealed concern regarding agreement between surgeons' and nonphysicians' determination of surgical candidates. Patients referred for surgical consultation for low back or low back related leg pain are largely willing to accept screening by nonphysician health care providers. Future research should explore the concordance of screening results between surgeon and nonphysician health care providers. 3.

Back symptoms in aviators flying different aircraft.

PubMed

Grossman, Alon; Nakdimon, Idan; Chapnik, Leah; Levy, Yuval

2012-07-01

Back pain is a common complaint among military aviators of various aircraft. We attempted to define the epidemiologic characteristics of this complaint in military aviators of the Israeli Air Force. Aviators of various aircraft (fighter, attack helicopter, utility helicopter, and transport and cargo) completed 566 questionnaires. The questionnaires included various demographic variables as well as questions specifically addressing type of aircraft, location, and severity of pain. Questionnaires were analyzed according to aircraft type, weekly and total number of flight hours. Back pain was significantly more common among utility and attack helicopter pilots. Compared with only 64.02% of fighter pilots, 89.38% of utility and 74.55% of attack helicopter pilots reported some degree of back pain. Cervical region pain was more common among fighter pilots (47.2%) and utility helicopter pilots (47.3%) compared with attack helicopter (36.4%) and transport (22.3%) pilots. Cervical region pain of moderate-severe degree was more common among utility helicopter pilots (7.1%). Mid and low back pain at all degrees of severity were more common among helicopter pilots. A significant proportion of subjects suffered from pain in multiple regions, particularly among utility helicopter pilots (32.74%). Severity of pain was graded higher in all three regions (cervical, mid, and lower back) in utility helicopter pilots. Utility helicopter pilots have more prevalent and more severe back pain than pilots of other platforms. Yet, it is difficult to make a clear association between type of aircraft and the region of back pain.

Back pain in a large Canadian police force.

PubMed

Brown, J J; Wells, G A; Trottier, A J; Bonneau, J; Ferris, B

1998-04-01

A survey of a random sample of 1002 members of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police to determine their experience with low back pain. To determine the prevalence of low back pain among Royal Canadian Mounted Police members and to assess the validity of the perception that the patrol car seat and the duty belt are causing a higher rate of low back pain among members of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police than in the general population. Low back pain is a common problem throughout the industrialized world, with reported 1-year prevalence rates between 25% and 62%. Prevalence of low back pain among people who drive motor vehicles for a significant part of the day appears higher than in the general population. Among police officers, 1-year prevalence rates of between 44% and 62% have been reported. A computerized database of 14,897 serving regular members was used to identify a sample of officers on active duty. A low back pain questionnaire was mailed to each selected member, eliciting information regarding their experience with low back pain, their exposure to known and putative risk factors, and their opinions about the contribution of these potential risk factors. The respondents to the questionnaire remained anonymous. The response rate was 80%. The prevalence of "chronic or recurring low back pain since joining the force" was 54.9%, which is comparable with the lifetime prevalence reported for the general population. Of those who reported having back problems, only 8.5% had such problems before joining the force. Seventy-six percent who had low back pain reported having a problem within the last year, giving an overall 1-year prevalence of 41.8%, which is comparable with that for the general population. The a priori assumption that driving or wearing a duty belt contributed to the problem was shared by most police officers surveyed. However, only about half of the members who replied drove for more than half the working day or wore the duty belt. These members had the

26 CFR 1.460-6 - Look-back method.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

...) for the redetermination year, as adjusted for past applications of the look-back method and taking... the year in question with respect to other contracts. Notwithstanding the look-back method, the...) INCOME TAXES Taxable Year for Which Items of Gross Income Included § 1.460-6 Look-back method. (a) In...

Psychometric Properties of the Japanese Version of the STarT Back Tool in Patients with Low Back Pain.

PubMed

Matsudaira, Ko; Oka, Hiroyuki; Kikuchi, Norimasa; Haga, Yuri; Sawada, Takayuki; Tanaka, Sakae

2016-01-01

The STarT Back Tool uses prognostic indicators to classify patients with low back pain into three risk groups to guide early secondary prevention in primary care. The present study aimed to evaluate the psychometric properties of the Japanese version of the tool (STarT-J). An online survey was conducted among Japanese patients with low back pain aged 20-64 years. Reliability was assessed by examining the internal consistency of the overall and psychosocial subscales using Cronbach's alpha coefficients. Spearman's correlation coefficients were used to evaluate the concurrent validity between the STarT-J total score/psychosocial subscore and standard reference questionnaires. Discriminant validity was evaluated by calculating the area under the curves (AUCs) for the total and psychosocial subscale scores against standard reference cases. Known-groups validity was assessed by examining the relationship between low back pain-related disability and STarT-J scores. The analysis included data for 2000 Japanese patients with low back pain; the mean (standard deviation [SD]) age was 47.7 (9.3) years, and 54.1% were male. The mean (SD) STarT-J score was 2.2 (2.1). The Cronbach's alpha coefficient was 0.75 for the overall scale and 0.66 for the psychosocial subscale. Spearman's correlation coefficients ranged from 0.30 to 0.59, demonstrating moderate to strong concurrent validity. The AUCs for the total score ranged from 0.65 to 0.83, mostly demonstrating acceptable discriminative ability. For known-groups validity, participants with more somatic symptoms had higher total scores. Those in higher STarT-J risk groups had experienced more low back pain-related absences. The overall STarT-J scale was internally consistent and had acceptable concurrent, discriminant, and known-groups validity. The STarT-J can be used with Japanese patients with low back pain.

Evaluation of the Back College for nursing staff

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background Work-related musculoskeletal pain- particularly back pain - is an important individual and socioeconomic problem. The Back College for the insurance holders of the Institution for Statutory Accident Insurance and Prevention in the Health and Welfare Services (BGW) is based on a multimodal concept and has been evaluated with respect to pain relief and continuing in the nursing profession. Methods In a retrospective cohort study, the participants in the Back College from 2009 to 2011 were surveyed in writing. Besides demographic data, the survey covered information on qualification, length of employment, institution, employment status, periods of inability to work, applicability of working techniques and continuation in the profession. Back pain was recorded at three time points - T1 (before the Back College), T2 (directly after the Back College) and T3 (at the time of the survey). Pain changes were submitted to tests for paired samples. Multivariate logistic analysis was applied to determine potential factors influencing unfavourable changes in pain or leaving nursing due to back pain. Results The survey covered 1,282 insurance holders, with a response rate of 80%. Statistically significant reductions in pain were found for the whole group and for all subgroups. For persons who predominantly worked in old people’s homes and who did not take part in refresher services, an increased odds ratio was found for unfavourable changes in pain (OR: 1.9 or 1.4, respectively). Persons with a qualification in geriatric nursing or in intensive care/OP/anaesthesia had an increased risk of leaving nursing due to back pain (OR: 2.5 in each case). An increased risk of leaving was also found for persons who did not take part in workplace support (OR: 2.9). Conclusion Within the context of the study design, the multimodal concept of the Back College is clearly related to relief of back pain. The Back College appears to be less successful for geriatric nurses and persons

Occupational back disability in U.S. Army personnel.

PubMed

Berkowitz, S M; Feuerstein, M; Lopez, M S; Peck, C A

1999-06-01

Musculoskeletal disorders represent a prevalent source of outpatient visits, lost work time, hospitalization, and disability in the military. Recent research has identified patterns among military occupations, gender, and musculoskeletal disability. Although back disorders accounted for a high percentage of all cases, little is known about the relationship between job type and disability in soldiers. The present study analyzed 41,750 disability cases to determine (1) prevalence of work-related back disability diagnoses, (2) specific jobs associated with greater risk of back disability, and (3) association among gender, job type, and disability. The results indicate that (1) lumbosacral strain and intervertebral disc syndrome represent the most prevalent diagnoses for back disability, (2) certain occupations were associated with higher back disability risk, and (3) specific jobs were identified in which females experienced higher rates of back disability than males. The nature of these high-risk jobs, and recent research on work disability factors in U.S. Army soldiers, suggest that a combination of ergonomic and individual/organizational psychosocial factors may play a role in the development, exacerbation, and maintenance of work disability. Future research that identifies specific job factors contributing to increased back disability risk should assist in the development of empirically based work site prevention programs to improve musculoskeletal health and readiness.

Low back pain caused by a duodenal ulcer.

PubMed

Weiss, D J; Conliffe, T; Tata, N

1998-09-01

The common diagnoses in low back pain are lumbar strain, lumbosacral radiculopathy, osteoarthritis, degenerative disc disease, spinal stenosis, and sacroiliac joint dysfunction. Unusual causes of low back pain that have been previously identified include abdominal aortic aneurysms, pelvic neoplasms, and retroperitoneal hemorrhages. This report describes a case of back pain that was apparently caused by a duodenal ulcer. A 54-year-old man with no significant medical history presented with a complaint of mid to low back pain (T10-L2), which was diagnosed as joint dysfunction. A comprehensive treatment program was prescribed and the patient was instructed to return to clinic in 4 weeks. Three weeks later, he experienced a syncopal episode followed by coffee ground emesis. He immediately sought medical attention at an emergency room, where he was admitted to the hospital with a diagnosis of upper gastrointestinal bleed. Esophagogastroduodenoscopy showed a large duodenal ulcer, and the patient underwent vagotomy and pyloroplasty. He returned to his physiatrist's office 3 weeks after hospital discharge with minimal back pain. The cause of the back pain proved to be referred visceral pain from his duodenal ulcer. This case is presented to reemphasize the need to include the uncommon phenomena in the differential diagnosis of low back pain.

Movement control tests of the low back; evaluation of the difference between patients with low back pain and healthy controls

PubMed Central

Luomajoki, Hannu; Kool, Jan; de Bruin, Eling D; Airaksinen, Olavi

2008-01-01

Background To determine whether there is a difference between patients with low back pain and healthy controls in a test battery score for movement control of the lumbar spine. Methods This was a case control study, carried out in five outpatient physiotherapy practices in the German-speaking part of Switzerland. Twelve physiotherapists tested the ability of 210 subjects (108 patients with non-specific low back pain and 102 control subjects without back pain) to control their movements in the lumbar spine using a set of six tests. We observed the number of positive tests out of six (mean, standard deviation and 95% confidence interval of the mean). The significance of the differences between the groups was calculated with Mann-Whitney U test and p was set on <0.05. The effect size (d) between the groups was calculated and d>0.8 was considered a large difference. Results On average, patients with low back pain had 2.21(95%CI 1.94–2.48) positive tests and the healthy controls 0.75 (95%CI 0.55–0.95). The effect size was d = 1.18 (p < 0.001). There was a significant difference between acute and chronic (p < 0.01), as well as between subacute and chronic patient groups (p < 0.03), but not between acute and subacute patient groups (p > 0.7). Conclusion This is the first study demonstrating a significant difference between patients with low back pain and subjects without back pain regarding their ability to actively control the movements of the low back. The effect size between patients with low back pain and healthy controls in movement control is large. PMID:19108735

Studies of the nucleon structure in back-to-back SIDIS

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Avakian, Harut

2016-03-01

The Deep Inelastic Scattering (DIS) proved to be a great tool in testing of the theory of strong interactions, which was a major focus in last decades. Semi-Inclusive DIS (SIDIS), with detection of an additional hadron allowed first studies of 3D structure of the nucleon, moving the main focus from testing the QCD to understanding of strong interactions and quark gluon dynamics to address a number of puzzles accumulated in recent years. Detection of two hadrons in SIDIS, which is even more complicated, provides access to details of quark gluon interactions inaccessible in single-hadron SIDIS, providing a new avenue tomore » study the complex nucleon structure. Large acceptance of the Electron Ion Collider, allowing detection of two hadrons, produced back-to-back in the current and target fragmentation regions, combined with clear separation of two regions, would provide a unique possibility to study the nucleon structure in target fragmentation region, and correlations of target and current fragmentation regions.« less

Promoting Healthy Backs in Schools an Evaluative Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Springett, Angela G.; Wise, Joyce E. M.

2007-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the impact of educating adolescents in practical ways of looking after their backs to reduce the incidence of back-pain, with particular focus on the use and carrying method of ergonomically designed schoolbags. Design/methodology/approach: An educational leaflet containing a range of back care…

Back muscle strength, lifting, and stooped working postures.

PubMed

Poulsen, E; Jørgensen, K

1971-09-01

When lifting loads and working in a forward stooped position, the muscles of the back rather than the ligaments and bony structures of the spine should overcome the gravitational forces. Formulae, based on measurements of back muscle strength, for prediction of maximal loads to be lifted, and for the ability to sustain work in a stooped position, have been worked out and tested in practical situations. From tests with 50 male and female subjects the simplest prediction formulae for maximum loads were: max. load = 1.10 x isometric back muscle strength for men; and max. load = 0.95 x isometric back muscle strength - 8 kg for women. Some standard values for maximum lifts and permissible single and repeated lifts have been calculated for men and women separately and are given in Table 1. From tests with 65 rehabilitees it was found that the maximum isometric strength of the back muscles measured at shoulder height should exceed 2/3 of the body weight, if fatigue and/or pain in the back muscles is to be avoided during work in a standing stooped position.

Returning to sports after a back injury

MedlinePlus

... medlineplus.gov/ency/patientinstructions/000518.htm Returning to sports after a back injury To use the sharing ... Back pain - returning to sports Which Type of Sport is Best? In deciding when and if to ...

Back pain: a real target for spinal cord stimulation?

PubMed

Rigoard, Philippe; Delmotte, Alexandre; D'Houtaud, Samuel; Misbert, Lorraine; Diallo, Bakari; Roy-Moreau, Aline; Durand, Sylvain; Royoux, Solène; Giot, Jean-Philippe; Bataille, Benoit

2012-03-01

Failed back surgery syndrome represents one of the most frequent etiologies of chronic back pain and is a major public health issue. Neurostimulation has currently not been validated in the treatment of back pain because of technological limitations in implantable spinal cord stimulation (SCS) systems. New-generation leads using several columns of stimulation can generate longitudinal and/or transverse stimulation fields into the spinal cord. To investigate, through extensive stimulation testing, the capacity of multicolumn tripolar leads to achieve back territory paresthesia coverage in refractory failed back surgery syndrome patients. Eleven patients implanted with a 16-contact spinal cord stimulation lead (Specify 5-6-5, Medtronic Inc) were assessed with a systematic exploration of 43 selected stimulation configurations to generate bilateral back paresthesia in addition to leg territory coverage. The tripolar lead successfully generated paresthesia in both bilateral back and leg territories in 9 patients (81.8%). Success rates of multicolumn stimulation patterns were significantly higher than for longitudinal configurations for lombodorsal paresthesia coverage. Six months after implantation, significant pain relief was obtained compared with preoperative evaluation for global pain (Visual Analog Scale, 2.25 vs 8.2 preoperatively; P < .05), leg pain (Visual Analog Scale, 0.5 vs 7.6 preoperatively; P < .05), and back pain (Visual Analog Scale, 1.5 vs 7.8 preoperatively; P < .05). These results suggest that multicolumn leads can reliably generate back pain coverage and favor pain relief outcomes. This may lead physicians to reconsider new indications for spinal cord stimulation. Expanding neurostimulation perspectives to intractable back pain syndromes could become realistic in the near future.

A method of Modelling and Simulating the Back-to-Back Modular Multilevel Converter HVDC Transmission System

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Lei; Fan, Youping; Zhang, Dai; Ge, Mengxin; Zou, Xianbin; Li, Jingjiao

2017-09-01

This paper proposes a method to simulate a back-to-back modular multilevel converter (MMC) HVDC transmission system. In this paper we utilize an equivalent networks to simulate the dynamic power system. Moreover, to account for the performance of converter station, core components of model of the converter station gives a basic model of simulation. The proposed method is applied to an equivalent real power system.

Nickel aluminide-copper backing for butt joint welding

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Raghavan, S.; Muszynski, M.; Chin, B.A.

1996-12-31

Single-side full penetration welding is the primary welding process in shipbuilding. This process requires the use of a backing to support the molten metal. Conventionally, copper has been used as the backing material in the shop and ceramic tiles for jobs on the field. However, copper has shown to contaminate the weld and produce adverse effects and ceramics have shown to produce porosities in the weld. A new backing with an intermetallic layer (NiAl) on the copper surface has been fabricated. The results indicate that this backing could alleviate the contamination problems and produce quality welds.

[Rehabilitation for the patients with low-back pain].

PubMed

Shirado, Osamu; Watanabe, Yasuyuki; Kawase, Masafumi

2005-03-01

The first choice for the treatment of low-back pain should be physical therapy, or rehabilitation. These are mainly divided into two modalities; passive and active modality. The former includes bed rest, hot pack, massage, and brace. The latter includes therapeutic exercise. The modality used should be dependent of the stages in each patient. Bed rest is indicated in the acute stage within a week after the occurrence low-back pain. The rest longer than a week is basically contraindicated, because of disuse syndrome such as muscle weakness, osteoporosis, and soft tissue contracture. Therapeutic exercise is the mainstay in the chronic stage. It includes trunk muscles strengthening exercise and stretching. Lumbar stabilization exercise has currently drawn attention for the treatment of low-back pain. Patient education such as back-school also plays an important role to manage low-back pain.

[Roof folding and rotary pushing for the treatment of back to back fractures of distal radius and ulna in children].

PubMed

Xu, Ping; Dong, Xiao-jun; Lu, Zhou-tong; Wang, Gongjun; Zhang, Han-qing; Chen, Xuan-ning; Li, Dong

2015-09-01

To evaluate the technique and the clinical effect of folding roof and rotary pushing in treatment of children with distal radius and ulna fracture of "back to back". From January 2012 to February 2014,38 children with distal radius and ulna fracture of "back to back" were treated by using the technique of folding roof and rotary pushing to reset and splint fixation including 23 males and 15 females with an average age of 9.5 years old ranging from 6 to 14 years old. Injury time was from 45 min to 3 days (averaged 1.3 days). All cases was unilateral closed fracture without symptoms of nerve injury occurred. The wrist joint anteroposterior and lateral radiographs showed double fracture of radius and ulna, and the broken end of radius was typical "back to back" displacement. The quality of reduction was assessed according to Dienst recommendation on the combination of Aro measurement, and the therapeutic effect was evaluated using standard of Anderson function. All patients were followed up from 3 to 13 months with an average of 6 months. There were no iatrogenic nerve injury. Thirty cases were treated successfully for the first time, 8 cases were again reset successfully; 28 cases were anatomical reduction, 7 cases were near anatomic reduction, 3 cases were functional reduction. At the second day 7 cases with hand and finger swelling appeared in multiple reset patients. Quality results of reduction were excellent in 33 cases, good in 5 cases. According to the standard of Anderson function evaluation, 35 cases were excellent, 3 cases were good. All fractures were healed with of deformity of wrist. Using the technique of folding roof and rotary pushing in treatment of children with distal radius and ulna fracture of "back to back" is very successful, the patient's limb function recovered well, the whole operation process is simple.

Flow-Centric, Back-in-Time Debugging

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lienhard, Adrian; Fierz, Julien; Nierstrasz, Oscar

Conventional debugging tools present developers with means to explore the run-time context in which an error has occurred. In many cases this is enough to help the developer discover the faulty source code and correct it. However, rather often errors occur due to code that has executed in the past, leaving certain objects in an inconsistent state. The actual run-time error only occurs when these inconsistent objects are used later in the program. So-called back-in-time debuggers help developers step back through earlier states of the program and explore execution contexts not available to conventional debuggers. Nevertheless, even Back-in-Time Debuggers do not help answer the question, “Where did this object come from?” The Object-Flow Virtual Machine, which we have proposed in previous work, tracks the flow of objects to answer precisely such questions, but this VM does not provide dedicated debugging support to explore faulty programs. In this paper we present a novel debugger, called Compass, to navigate between conventional run-time stack-oriented control flow views and object flows. Compass enables a developer to effectively navigate from an object contributing to an error back-in-time through all the code that has touched the object. We present the design and implementation of Compass, and we demonstrate how flow-centric, back-in-time debugging can be used to effectively locate the source of hard-to-find bugs.

Evaluation and management of lower back pain in young athletes

PubMed Central

Kinsella, Elizabeth

2017-01-01

Lower back pain in young athletes is a common problem. The prevalence of back pain from different causes in adolescent age group is between 20% and 30%. However, the incidence of low back pain in young athletes varies widely in different sports. Overuse injuries are the most common cause of low back pain in young athletes. In case of overuse injuries, the cause and effect relationship between back pain and specific condition is often difficult to establish. In adolescent athletes, the most common underlying identified cause of low back pain is lumbar spondylolysis. During adolescent growth spurt, the severity of the pain generally correlates with adolescent growth spurt. Participation in sports starting at an early age and for a longer duration tends to increase the risk for back pain. Numerous conditions cause low back pain in athletes. These include acute trauma, chronic overuse or repetitive trauma, and referred pain. Our focus in here will be on selected conditions that cause recurrent or chronic low back pain. PMID:28795014

Back-diffusion--fact or fiction?

PubMed

Thjodleifsson, B; Wormsley, K G

1977-01-01

Alterations in the concentration of acid in gastric juice secreted at different flow rates and disappearance of acid from the gastric lumen, when the gastric mucosa is exposed to acid luminal contents, have been interpreted as indicating "back-diffusion" of acid into the gastric mucosa from the luminal contents. The loss of acid from the gastric contents increases when the mucosa is exposed to certain drugs or is diseased, giving rise to the suggestion that the increased degree of "back-diffusion" of acid indicates mucosal damage, reflecting a breakdown of the gastric mucosal "barrier" to back-diffusion of acid from the gastric lumen. The change in the "barrier" properties of the gastric mucosa has been found to be associated with change in the electrical properties of the mucosa, so that alterations of the transmucosal potential difference has been considered to denote gastric mucosal damage. The case for every one of these hypotheses and for their underlying assumptions is discussed and found wanting for lack of direct evidence.

Investigation of different C-backings for targets

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hübner, Annett; Kindler, Birgit; Lommel, Bettina; Steiner, Jutta; Yakusheva, Vera; Khuyagbaatar, J.; Hinde, David J.; Dasgupta, Mahananda

2018-05-01

For a special application, carbon-backings with a very flat surface, microscopically as well as macroscopically, were needed as backings for targets of enriched isotopes. However, betaine-sucrose routinely applied at GSI as parting agent for carbon deposition results in a microscopically rough surface which was not perfectly satisfying the experimental requirements. For these targets we investigated the carbon-backing quality in relation to the applied different parting agents and different deposition processes. In this paper we report on the yield, on the structure of the carbon layers and the deposited target layer of 208PbS, 206PbS, and 142NdF3 depending on the parting agent, the thickness and the deposition methods. We report on elastic scattering experiments with a 48Ti-beam demonstrating the influence of the structure of the carbon backing on the experimental results.

Organizational strategies for protection against back contamination

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mahoney, T. A.

1976-01-01

The organizational issues pertaining to the prevention of inbound contamination associated with possible Viking missions to Mars are considered. The completed Apollo missions, which returned samples from the moon, provide a convenient base for analysis of inbound contamination issues. Despite concern over the threat of inbound contamination from the moon and efforts to prevent back contamination, the back contamination efforts in the Apollo missions were considered ineffective had these missions encountered living organisms. Several alternatives for consideration in the design of future programs dealing with back contamination are examined and proposed for special consideration.

Neck/upper back and low back pain in parents and their adult offspring: Family linkage data from the Norwegian HUNT Study.

PubMed

Lier, R; Nilsen, T I L; Vasseljen, O; Mork, P J

2015-07-01

Chronic pain in the neck and low back is highly prevalent. Although heritable components have been identified, knowledge about generational transmission of spinal pain between parents and their adult offspring is sparse. This study examined the intergenerational association of spinal pain using data from 11,081 parent-offspring trios participating in the population-based HUNT Study in Norway. Logistic regression was used to calculate adjusted odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for offspring spinal pain associated with parental spinal pain. In total, 3654 (33%) offspring reported spinal pain at participation. Maternal and paternal spinal pain was consistently associated with higher ORs for offspring spinal pain. The results suggest a slightly stronger association for parental multilevel spinal pain (i.e., both neck/upper back pain and low back pain) than for pain localized to the neck/upper back or low back. Multilevel spinal pain in both parents was associated with ORs of 2.6 (95% CI, 2.1-3.3), 2.4 (95% CI, 1.9-3.1) and 3.1 (95% CI, 2.2-4.4) for offspring neck/upper back, low back and multilevel spinal pain, respectively. Parental chronic spinal pain was consistently associated with increased occurrence of chronic spinal pain in their adult offspring, and this association was particularly strong for multilevel spinal pain. © 2014 European Pain Federation - EFIC®

Nonspecific lower-back pain: surgical versus nonsurgical treatment.

PubMed

Nordin, Margareta; Balagué, Federico; Cedraschi, Christine

2006-02-01

We review evidence-based treatments for patients seeking care for lower-back pain and patients who have been diagnosed with nonspecific lower-back pain. The review is based on selected systematic reviews and national and international guidelines for the treatment of lower-back pain. Additional randomized controlled trials (ie, possibly those not previously included in the latest systematic reviews) were reviewed and added based on recommended procedures for the evaluation of methodological quality (ie, strong, moderate, and weak). In acute nonspecific lower-back pain (0-4 weeks duration of pain) there is moderate to strong evidence that self-care with over-the-counter medication and maintaining activity as tolerated or treatment with a limited number of sessions of manipulative therapy is effective for pain relief. In subacute nonspecific lower-back pain (4-12 weeks duration of pain) there is weak to moderate evidence that a graded activity program including exercises and cognitive behavioral treatment in combination is more efficient than usual care with regard to return to work. There is strong evidence that these programs reduce work absenteeism. In cases of chronic nonspecific lower-back pain (> 12 weeks duration of pain) a variety of treatments are available with limited and similar efficacy on pain and disability reduction. There is moderate evidence that surgery in chronic nonspecific lower-back pain is as effective as cognitive behavioral treatment with regard to pain, function, mood and return to work. Surgical indications for chronic nonspecific lower-back pain remain ill defined. Level V (expert opinion). See the Guidelines for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.

Get the Monkey off Your Back

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ciabattini, David; Custer, Timothy J.

2008-01-01

Monkeys are the problems that need solutions, the tasks that need to be accomplished, the decisions that need to be made, and the actions that need to be taken. According to a theory, people carry monkeys around on their backs until they can successfully shift their burden to someone else and the monkey leaps from one back to the next. Managers…

Streamlining the Evaluation of Low Back Pain in Children

PubMed Central

Auerbach, Joshua D.; Ahn, Jaimo; Zgonis, Miltiadis H.; Reddy, Sudheer C.; Ecker, Malcolm L.

2008-01-01

The workup of low back pain in children often results in overimaging so as not to miss organic back pain. The primary goal of this study was to identify which combination of imaging modalities provides the most sensitive and specific screening protocol for children with low back pain. Medical records from 100 consecutive patients between 2 and 18 years of age presenting with low back pain, without night pain or constitutional symptoms, were evaluated. A hyperextension test combined with a radiograph showed a negative predictive value of 0.81 and sensitivity of 0.90. The addition of a bone scan was highly effective in achieving good negative predictive value and sensitivity. Bone scans had perfect negative predictive value and sensitivity when symptom duration was less than 6 weeks. We identified a set of factors that is highly predictive for distinguishing organic back pain from mechanical back pain. Painless hyperextension combined with negative anteroposterior, lateral, and oblique lumbar radiographs and magnetic resonance images predicts mechanical back pain. For patients with nonneurologic back pain of less than 6 weeks duration, bone scan is the most useful screening test because it is accurate, accessible, inexpensive, and unlikely to require sedation. Level of Evidence: Level III, diagnostic study. See the Guidelines for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence. PMID:18553213

Development of ceramic-coated weld backing bars

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Eggleston, B.R.

1994-10-20

In shipbuilding and many other industries, copper weld backing bars are used to draw the heat out of the weld. The problem that some users of these bars encounter is that these bars, on occasion, actually melt in spots and become welded to the weld plates. After this happens a number of times, the backing bar becomes so degraded that it must be either discarded or machined, both of which are very costly and time-consuming actions. To avoid this fusion between the backing bar and the weld plate, the weld processes that are used cannot be ones of high beatmore » input. This requirement is very limiting when thick plates are being welded. The plates must be beveled, and more weld passes must be run. These problems are also costly and time consuming. The aim of this project is to find a way to produce backing bars with nearly the same `chilling` effect but with both a greater resistance to molten metal and resistance to arcing to the backing bar itself. A possible solution currently being tested is to coat the copper bars with a thin layer of a ceramic coating. The procedure used was to coat the copper bars with either alumina or spinel by a plasma spraying method.« less

Nonoperative treatment of low back pain.

PubMed

Malanga, G A; Nadler, S F

1999-11-01

Low back pain is a common problem with substantial social and economic issues. Physicians continue to have difficulty managing this condition despite an increased awareness of its magnitude. In addition, there is a misperception about the outcome of patients affected with low back pain; most continue to suffer from pain. We present a nonoperative approach and review various diagnostic and treatment strategies with respect to both scientific and clinical merit. Although many treatment strategies have not been well proved in the scientific literature, thoughtful review of the available information provides a basis for the use of these treatment methods in the patient with refractory pain. This approach can be used in conjunction with existing information to assist clinicians in the management of patients with acute low back pain.

VLBI2010 Receiver Back End Comparison

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Petrachenko, Bill

2013-01-01

VLBI2010 requires a receiver back-end to convert analog RF signals from the receiver front end into channelized digital data streams to be recorded or transmitted electronically. The back end functions are typically performed in two steps: conversion of analog RF inputs into IF bands (see Table 2), and conversion of IF bands into channelized digital data streams (see Tables 1a, 1b and 1c). The latter IF systems are now completely digital and generically referred to as digital back ends (DBEs). In Table 2 two RF conversion systems are compared, and in Tables 1a, 1b, and 1c nine DBE systems are compared. Since DBE designs are advancing rapidly, the data in these tables are only guaranteed to be current near the update date of this document.

Neural Correlates Differ in High and Low Fear-Avoidant Chronic Low Back Pain Patients When Imagining Back-Straining Movements.

PubMed

Barke, Antonia; Preis, Mira A; Schmidt-Samoa, Carsten; Baudewig, Jürgen; Kröner-Herwig, Birgit; Dechent, Peter

2016-08-01

The fear-avoidance model postulates that in an initial acute phase chronic low back pain (CLBP) patients acquire a fear of movement that results in avoidance of physical activity and contributes to the pain becoming chronic. The current functional magnetic resonance imaging study investigated the neural correlates of imagining back-straining and neutral movements in CLBP patients with high (HFA) and low fear avoidance (LFA) and healthy pain-free participants. Ninety-three persons (62 CLBP patients, 31 healthy controls; age 49.7 ± 9.2 years) participated. The CLBP patients were divided into an HFA and an LFA group using the Tampa Scale of Kinesiophobia. The participants viewed pictures of back-straining and neutral movements and were instructed to imagine that they themselves were executing the activity shown. When imagining back-straining movements, HFA patients as well as healthy controls showed stronger anterior hippocampus activity than LFA patients. The neural activations of HFA patients did not differ from those of healthy controls. This may indicate that imagining back-straining movements triggered pain-related evaluations in healthy controls and HFA participants, but not in LFA participants. Although heightened pain expectancy in HFA compared with LFA patients fits well with the fear-avoidance model, the difference between healthy controls and LFA patients was unexpected and contrary to the fear-avoidance model. Possibly, negative evaluations of the back-straining movements are common but the LFA patients use some kind of strategy enabling them to react differently to the back-straining events. It appears that low fear-avoidant back pain patients use some kind of strategy or underlying mechanism that enables them to react with less fear in the face of potentially painful movements. This warrants further investigation because countering fear and avoidance provide an important advantage with respect to disability. Copyright © 2016 American Pain Society

Fluorinated tin oxide back contact for AZTSSe photovoltaic devices

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Gershon, Talia S.; Gunawan, Oki; Haight, Richard A.

A photovoltaic device includes a substrate, a back contact comprising a stable low-work function material, a photovoltaic absorber material layer comprising Ag.sub.2ZnSn(S,Se).sub.4 (AZTSSe) on a side of the back contact opposite the substrate, wherein the back contact forms an Ohmic contact with the photovoltaic absorber material layer, a buffer layer or Schottky contact layer on a side of the absorber layer opposite the back contact, and a top electrode on a side of the buffer layer opposite the absorber layer.

Acute care to prevent back disability. Ten years of progress.

PubMed

Bigos, S J; Battié, M C

1987-08-01

Efforts to curb back problems through preemployment screening, safety measures, and educational programs have had little effect on this most expensive musculoskeletal malady. Present knowledge raises doubts about the possibility of preventing back pain. However, recent scientific investigations indicate that chronic back pain disability, which accounts for 80% of the costs for back problems, can be prevented. In Gothenburg, Sweden, the collective use of proven treatment methods during the acute stage of back symptoms markedly reduced the period of time patients were disabled from back problems. Effective early intervention centers around: teaching patients about back care, including how to control symptoms through improved body mechanics; applying these educational principles, specifically to the patient's livelihood; avoiding the debilitation that results from overusing bed rest and medication; recommendations to increase cardiovascular fitness; and the judicious use of orthopedic surgery. This approach targets the few patients who tend to be disabled the longest, suffer the most, and become the most costly to society.

[Which rehabilitation for which low back pain?].

PubMed

Poiraudeau, S; Lefèvre-Colau, M M; Mayoux-Benhamou, M A; Revel, M

2000-10-15

Many rehabilitation technics for low back pain are available. Their aims are short time pain decrease, muscular strengthening in flexion or extension, increased hip and lumbar spine mobility, improved lumbar and pelvic proprioceptive sensibility, improved general fitness. During the past ten years, studies meeting widely accepted validity and applicability for therapeutic trials have addressed the clinical efficacy of rehabilitation in low back pain patients. Most studies assessing the back school approach have found no benefit. Spinal extension and flexion programs have yielded short-time improvements, without difference between the two methods. There is now strong evidence that functional restoration programs provide long-term benefits including better social and occupational outcomes.

The association between static pelvic asymmetry and low back pain.

PubMed

Levangie, P K

1999-06-15

A cross-sectional case-control approach was used to estimate the association between low back pain of less than 12 months' duration and pelvic asymmetry among 21-50-year-old patients seeking physical therapy services. To evaluate the premise that asymmetrical positioning of the innominates of the pelvis is a source of low back pain. No published studies have been conducted to evaluate systematically the association between low back pain and pelvic asymmetry in a clinic-based sample. Pelvic landmark data were obtained in 144 cases and 138 control subjects. The associations of low back pain with levels of pelvic asymmetry were estimated by use of odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals. Effect modification and confounding of the low back pain-pelvic asymmetry association by several factors was assessed and alternative asymmetry measures considered. Pelvic asymmetry was not positively associated with low back pain in any way that seemed clinically meaningful. Asymmetry of posterior superior iliac spine landmarks showed some evidence of a weak positive association with low back pain. In the absence of meaningful positive association between pelvic asymmetry and low back pain, evaluation and treatment strategies based on this premise should be questioned.

Physical activity associate low back pain and intervention program: Review

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ibrahim, Muhamad Aizat Mat; Hasbollah, Hasif Rafidee; Ibrahim, Mohd Asrul Hery; Marican, Nor Dalila; Halim, Muhd Hafzal Abdul; Rashid, Ahmad Faezi Ab.; Yasin, Nurul Hafizah Mohd

2017-10-01

The person who have low back pain often report impaired disability to performance daily activities which passive movement of daily life. The effects of low back pain on daily function of patients can describe as a patients level of disability or reduction in physical function it interferes with the movement of patients for running a daily lives. Therefore, the aim of this study was to conduct a review to examine the relationship between physical activity and low back pain. Besides that, the suggestion prevention program to patient who has low back pain. This systematic review study was used internet to find databases and search engines. Data were collected using Wiley online library, Bioline International, SAGE, Science Direct, NCBI, ProQuest, Biomed central, American Diabetes Association, PLOS One and Springer. The search was performed using keywords of "physical activity", "low back pain", "back pain", "activity level" and "intervention". The study was reviewed the resources and the results were classified in different section The results were classified based on several sections including years of reporting, who were reporting, the origins of articles and their health criteria about physical activity and low back pain. There are positive associate physical activity and low back pain from the systematic review. Future intervention treatment can reduce associate physical activity to low back pain.

Low back pain - acute

MedlinePlus

... you ways to prevent getting back pain again. Stretching and strengthening exercises are important. But, starting these ... physical therapist can tell you when to begin stretching and strengthening exercises and how to do them. ...

Mechanical therapy for low back pain.

PubMed

Guild, Donald Grant

2012-09-01

Physical therapy and manual medicine for low back pain encompass many different treatment modalities. There is a vast variety of techniques that physical therapists commonly use in the treatment of low back pain. Some of the therapies include, but are certainly not limited to, education, exercise, lumbar traction, manual manipulation, application of heat, cryotherapy, and ultrasonography. Many of these approaches are discussed specifically in this article. Copyright © 2012. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Disappearance of back-to-back high-pT hadron correlations in central Au+Au collisions at sqrt[s NN ] =200 GeV.

PubMed

Adler, C; Ahammed, Z; Allgower, C; Amonett, J; Anderson, B D; Anderson, M; Averichev, G S; Balewski, J; Barannikova, O; Barnby, L S; Baudot, J; Bekele, S; Belaga, V V; Bellwied, R; Berger, J; Bichsel, H; Billmeier, A; Bland, L C; Blyth, C O; Bonner, B E; Boucham, A; Brandin, A; Bravar, A; Cadman, R V; Caines, H; Calderón de la Barca Sánchez, M; Cardenas, A; Carroll, J; Castillo, J; Castro, M; Cebra, D; Chaloupka, P; Chattopadhyay, S; Chen, Y; Chernenko, S P; Cherney, M; Chikanian, A; Choi, B; Christie, W; Coffin, J P; Cormier, T M; Corral, M M; Cramer, J G; Crawford, H J; Derevschikov, A A; Didenko, L; Dietel, T; Draper, J E; Dunin, V B; Dunlop, J C; Eckardt, V; Efimov, L G; Emelianov, V; Engelage, J; Eppley, G; Erazmus, B; Fachini, P; Faine, V; Faivre, J; Fatemi, R; Filimonov, K; Finch, E; Fisyak, Y; Flierl, D; Foley, K J; Fu, J; Gagliardi, C A; Gagunashvili, N; Gans, J; Gaudichet, L; Germain, M; Geurts, F; Ghazikhanian, V; Grachov, O; Grigoriev, V; Guedon, M; Gushin, E; Hallman, T J; Hardtke, D; Harris, J W; Henry, T W; Heppelmann, S; Herston, T; Hippolyte, B; Hirsch, A; Hjort, E; Hoffmann, G W; Horsley, M; Huang, H Z; Humanic, T J; Igo, G; Ishihara, A; Ivanshin, Yu I; Jacobs, P; Jacobs, W W; Janik, M; Johnson, I; Jones, P G; Judd, E G; Kaneta, M; Kaplan, M; Keane, D; Kiryluk, J; Kisiel, A; Klay, J; Klein, S R; Klyachko, A; Kollegger, T; Konstantinov, A S; Kopytine, M; Kotchenda, L; Kovalenko, A D; Kramer, M; Kravtsov, P; Krueger, K; Kuhn, C; Kulikov, A I; Kunde, G J; Kunz, C L; Kutuev, R Kh; Kuznetsov, A A; Lakehal-Ayat, L; Lamont, M A C; Landgraf, J M; Lange, S; Lansdell, C P; Lasiuk, B; Laue, F; Lauret, J; Lebedev, A; Lednický, R; Leontiev, V M; LeVine, M J; Li, Q; Lindenbaum, S J; Lisa, M A; Liu, F; Liu, L; Liu, Z; Liu, Q J; Ljubicic, T; Llope, W J; LoCurto, G; Long, H; Longacre, R S; Lopez-Noriega, M; Love, W A; Ludlam, T; Lynn, D; Ma, J; Magestro, D; Majka, R; Margetis, S; Markert, C; Martin, L; Marx, J; Matis, H S; Matulenko, Yu A; McShane, T S; Meissner, F; Melnick, Yu; Meschanin, A; Messer, M; Miller, M L; Milosevich, Z; Minaev, N G; Mitchell, J; Moore, C F; Morozov, V; de Moura, M M; Munhoz, M G; Nelson, J M; Nevski, P; Nikitin, V A; Nogach, L V; Norman, B; Nurushev, S B; Odyniec, G; Ogawa, A; Okorokov, V; Oldenburg, M; Olson, D; Paic, G; Pandey, S U; Panebratsev, Y; Panitkin, S Y; Pavlinov, A I; Pawlak, T; Perevoztchikov, V; Peryt, W; Petrov, V A; Planinic, M; Pluta, J; Porile, N; Porter, J; Poskanzer, A M; Potrebenikova, E; Prindle, D; Pruneau, C; Putschke, J; Rai, G; Rakness, G; Ravel, O; Ray, R L; Razin, S V; Reichhold, D; Reid, J G; Renault, G; Retiere, F; Ridiger, A; Ritter, H G; Roberts, J B; Rogachevski, O V; Romero, J L; Rose, A; Roy, C; Rykov, V; Sakrejda, I; Salur, S; Sandweiss, J; Savin, I; Schambach, J; Scharenberg, R P; Schmitz, N; Schroeder, L S; Schüttauf, A; Schweda, K; Seger, J; Seliverstov, D; Seyboth, P; Shahaliev, E; Shestermanov, K E; Shimanskii, S S; Simon, F; Skoro, G; Smirnov, N; Snellings, R; Sorensen, P; Sowinski, J; Spinka, H M; Srivastava, B; Stephenson, E J; Stock, R; Stolpovsky, A; Strikhanov, M; Stringfellow, B; Struck, C; Suaide, A A P; Sugarbaker, E; Suire, C; Sumbera, M; Surrow, B; Symons, T J M; Szanto de Toledo, A; Szarwas, P; Tai, A; Takahashi, J; Tang, A H; Thein, D; Thomas, J H; Thompson, M; Tikhomirov, V; Tokarev, M; Tonjes, M B; Trainor, T A; Trentalange, S; Tribble, R E; Trofimov, V; Tsai, O; Ullrich, T; Underwood, D G; Van Buren, G; VanderMolen, A M; Vasilevski, I M; Vasiliev, A N; Vigdor, S E; Voloshin, S A; Wang, F; Ward, H; Watson, J W; Wells, R; Westfall, G D; Whitten, C; Wieman, H; Willson, R; Wissink, S W; Witt, R; Wood, J; Xu, N; Xu, Z; Yakutin, A E; Yamamoto, E; Yang, J; Yepes, P; Yurevich, V I; Zanevski, Y V; Zborovský, I; Zhang, H; Zhang, W M; Zoulkarneev, R; Zubarev, A N

2003-02-28

Azimuthal correlations for large transverse momentum charged hadrons have been measured over a wide pseudorapidity range and full azimuth in Au+Au and p+p collisions at sqrt[s(NN)]=200 GeV. The small-angle correlations observed in p+p collisions and at all centralities of Au+Au collisions are characteristic of hard-scattering processes previously observed in high-energy collisions. A strong back-to-back correlation exists for p+p and peripheral Au+Au. In contrast, the back-to-back correlations are reduced considerably in the most central Au+Au collisions, indicating substantial interaction as the hard-scattered partons or their fragmentation products traverse the medium.

N-back versus Complex Span Working Memory Training.

PubMed

Blacker, Kara J; Negoita, Serban; Ewen, Joshua B; Courtney, Susan M

2017-12-01

Working memory (WM) is the ability to maintain and manipulate task-relevant information in the absence of sensory input. While its improvement through training is of great interest, the degree to which WM training transfers to untrained WM tasks (near transfer) and other untrained cognitive skills (far transfer) remains debated and the mechanism(s) underlying transfer are unclear. Here we hypothesized that a critical feature of dual n-back training is its reliance on maintaining relational information in WM. In Experiment 1, using an individual differences approach, we found evidence that performance on an n-back task was predicted by performance on a measure of relational WM (i.e., WM for vertical spatial relationships independent of absolute spatial locations); whereas the same was not true for a complex span WM task. In Experiment 2, we tested the idea that reliance on relational WM is critical to produce transfer from n-back but not complex span task training. Participants completed adaptive training on either a dual n-back task, a symmetry span task, or on a non-WM active control task. We found evidence of near transfer for the dual n-back group; however, far transfer to a measure of fluid intelligence did not emerge. Recording EEG during a separate WM transfer task, we examined group-specific, training-related changes in alpha power, which are proposed to be sensitive to WM demands and top-down modulation of WM. Results indicated that the dual n-back group showed significantly greater frontal alpha power after training compared to before training, more so than both other groups. However, we found no evidence of improvement on measures of relational WM for the dual n-back group, suggesting that near transfer may not be dependent on relational WM. These results suggest that dual n-back and complex span task training may differ in their effectiveness to elicit near transfer as well as in the underlying neural changes they facilitate.

Back schools for the treatment of chronic low back pain: possibility of benefit but no convincing evidence after 47 years of research—systematic review and meta-analysis

PubMed Central

Straube, Sebastian; Harden, Markus; Schröder, Heiko; Arendacka, Barbora; Fan, Xiangning; Moore, R. Andrew; Friede, Tim

2016-01-01

Abstract Back schools are interventions that comprise exercise and education components. We aimed to systematically review the randomized controlled trial evidence on back schools for the treatment of chronic low back pain. By searching MEDLINE, Embase, and Cochrane Central as well as bibliographies, we identified 31 studies for inclusion in our systematic review and 5 of these for inclusion in meta-analyses. Meta-analyses for pain scores and functional outcomes revealed statistical superiority of back schools vs no intervention for some comparisons but not others. No meta-analysis was feasible for the comparison of back schools vs other active treatments. Adverse events were poorly reported so that no reliable conclusions regarding the safety of back schools can be drawn, although some limited reassurance in this regard may be derived from the fact that few adverse events and no serious adverse events were reported in the back school groups in the studies that did report on safety. Overall, the evidence base for the use of back schools to treat chronic low back pain is weak; in nearly a half-century since back schools were first trialled, no unequivocal evidence of benefit has emerged. PMID:27257858

Back schools for the treatment of chronic low back pain: possibility of benefit but no convincing evidence after 47 years of research-systematic review and meta-analysis.

PubMed

Straube, Sebastian; Harden, Markus; Schröder, Heiko; Arendacka, Barbora; Fan, Xiangning; Moore, R Andrew; Friede, Tim

2016-10-01

Back schools are interventions that comprise exercise and education components. We aimed to systematically review the randomized controlled trial evidence on back schools for the treatment of chronic low back pain. By searching MEDLINE, Embase, and Cochrane Central as well as bibliographies, we identified 31 studies for inclusion in our systematic review and 5 of these for inclusion in meta-analyses. Meta-analyses for pain scores and functional outcomes revealed statistical superiority of back schools vs no intervention for some comparisons but not others. No meta-analysis was feasible for the comparison of back schools vs other active treatments. Adverse events were poorly reported so that no reliable conclusions regarding the safety of back schools can be drawn, although some limited reassurance in this regard may be derived from the fact that few adverse events and no serious adverse events were reported in the back school groups in the studies that did report on safety. Overall, the evidence base for the use of back schools to treat chronic low back pain is weak; in nearly a half-century since back schools were first trialled, no unequivocal evidence of benefit has emerged.

Back to Work

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fernandez, Kim

2010-01-01

The economic downturn hit working America particularly hard, as agricultural, automotive, manufacturing, and retail jobs in many corners of the country all but evaporated. Consumers continue to cut back, and jobless rates in many states have eclipsed levels not seen in decades. Out of work and under pressure, many Americans are turning to the…

Squeezed Back-to-Back Correlation of {D}^{0}{\\bar{D}}^{0} in Relativistic Heavy-Ion Collisions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, Ai-Geng; Zhang, Yong; Cheng, Luan; Sun, Hao; Zhang, Wei-Ning

2018-05-01

We investigate the squeezed back-to-back correlation (BBC) of $D^0\\!{\\bar D}^0$ in relativistic heavy-ion collisions, using the in-medium mass modification calculated with a self-energy in hot pion gas and the source space-time distributions provided by the viscous hydrodynamic code VISH2+1. It is found that the BBC of $D^0\\!{\\bar D}^0$ is significant in peripheral Au+Au collisions at the RHIC energy. A possible way to detect the BBC in experiment is presented.

A systematic review on the effectiveness of back protectors for motorcyclists.

PubMed

Ekmejian, Rafael; Sarrami, Pooria; Naylor, Justine M; Harris, Ian A

2016-10-04

Motorcyclists are a vulnerable road-user population who are overrepresented in traffic injuries. Utilisation of back protectors may be an effective preventive measure for spine injuries in motorcyclists. Since use of back protectors is increasing it is important that clinical evidence supports their use. The study aimed to investigate the current evidence on the ability of back protectors to reduce the rate of back injuries and patient mortality in motorcycle crashes. A systematic literature search was conducted using various electronic databases. Systematic reviews, randomised controlled trials, controlled clinical trials, cohort studies, case series and case reports were included Opinion pieces and laboratory or biomechanical studies were excluded. Back protectors and spine protectors were included as the intervention; neck braces and speed humps were excluded. The target outcomes were any injuries to the back or death. Only English language studies were included. The search strategy yielded 185 studies. After excluding 183 papers by title and abstract and full-text evaluation, only two small cross-sectional studies were included. Foam inserts in motorcycle jackets and non-standard clothing may possibly be associated with higher risk of injuries, while hard shell and standard back protectors may possibly be associated with a reduced rate of back and spinal injury. This systematic review highlighted lack of appropriate evidence on efficacy of back protectors. Based on limited information, we are uncertain about the effects of back protectors on spinal injuries. Further research is required to substantiate the effects of back protectors on mortality and other injuries to the back.

The influence of previous low back trouble, general health, and working conditions on future sick-listing because of low back trouble. A 15-year follow-up study of risk indicators for self-reported sick-listing caused by low back trouble.

PubMed

Müller, C F; Monrad, T; Biering-Sørensen, F; Darre, E; Deis, A; Kryger, P

1999-08-01

A 15-year follow-up study. To find risk indicators for self-reported sick-listing because of low back trouble and to evaluate which variables were the most important indicators of work incapacity resulting from low back trouble during the follow-up period of 15 years. The initial data were obtained from a health survey conducted in a general population from the Municipality of Glostrup, Denmark. The follow-up data included information from the Central Person Register, the Early Retirement Pension Register, and a postal questionnaire regarding self-reported sick-listing because of low back trouble. An epidemiologic study, in which logistic regression analyses were used for evaluation of the data. The model used consisted of the variable in question, age, gender, and previous experience of low back trouble, along with interactions. It was found that 22 of 37 variables were risk indicators for later self-reported sick-listing because of low back trouble during the preceding year or the 7 years before the date of follow-up evaluation. In analyzing the most significant variables simultaneously, it was found that information from the initial investigation about sick-listing in general during the previous 10 years, sciatic pain, use of analgesics for low back trouble, previous sick-listing because of low back trouble, and occupation were the most important risk indicators for self-reported work incapacity resulting from low back trouble during the follow-up period of 15 years. Findings showed that the strongest prognostic indicators of later sick-listing because of low back trouble involve information from the person about previous sick-listing behavior in general and previous experience of low back trouble episodes, especially if these had been accompanied by sciatic pain, use of analgesics, or previous low back trouble sick-listing.

Dynamic Performance of a Back-to-Back HVDC Station Based on Voltage Source Converters

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Khatir, Mohamed; Zidi, Sid-Ahmed; Hadjeri, Samir; Fellah, Mohammed-Karim

2010-01-01

The recent developments in semiconductors and control equipment have made the voltage source converter based high voltage direct current (VSC-HVDC) feasible. This new DC transmission is known as "HVDC Light or "HVDC Plus by leading vendors. Due to the use of VSC technology and pulse width modulation (PWM) the VSC-HVDC has a number of potential advantages as compared with classic HVDC. In this paper, the scenario of back-to-back VSC-HVDC link connecting two adjacent asynchronous AC networks is studied. Control strategy is implemented and its dynamic performances during disturbances are investigated in MATLAB/Simulink program. The simulation results have shown good performance of the proposed system under balanced and unbalanced fault conditions.

Effect of Individual Strengthening Exercises for Anterior Pelvic Tilt Muscles on Back Pain, Pelvic Angle, and Lumbar ROMs of a LBP Patient with Flat Back.

PubMed

Yoo, Won-Gyu

2013-10-01

[Purpose] The purpose of this paper is to report the effect of individual strengthening exercises for the anterior pelvic tilt muscles on back pain, pelvic tilt angle, and lumbar ROM of a low back pain (LBP) patient with flat back. [Subject] A 37 year-old male, who complained of LBP pain at L3-5 levels with flat back, participated. [Methods] He performed the individual strengthening exercises for anterior pelvic tilt muscles (erector spinae,iliopsoas, rectus femoris). [Results] Pelvic tilt angles of the right and left sides were recovered to normal ranges. His lumbar ROMs increased, and low back pain decreased. [Conclusion] We suggest that individual resistance exercises are a necessary approach for effective and fast strengthening of pelvic anterior tilt muscles in LBP with flat back.

DNP enhanced NMR with flip-back recovery

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Björgvinsdóttir, Snædís; Walder, Brennan J.; Pinon, Arthur C.; Yarava, Jayasubba Reddy; Emsley, Lyndon

2018-03-01

DNP methods can provide significant sensitivity enhancements in magic angle spinning solid-state NMR, but in systems with long polarization build up times long recycling periods are required to optimize sensitivity. We show how the sensitivity of such experiments can be improved by the classic flip-back method to recover bulk proton magnetization following continuous wave proton heteronuclear decoupling. Experiments were performed on formulations with characteristic build-up times spanning two orders of magnitude: a bulk BDPA radical doped o-terphenyl glass and microcrystalline samples of theophylline, L-histidine monohydrochloride monohydrate, and salicylic acid impregnated by incipient wetness. For these systems, addition of flip-back is simple, improves the sensitivity beyond that provided by modern heteronuclear decoupling methods such as SPINAL-64, and provides optimal sensitivity at shorter recycle delays. We show how to acquire DNP enhanced 2D refocused CP-INADEQUATE spectra with flip-back recovery, and demonstrate that the flip-back recovery method is particularly useful in rapid recycling regimes. We also report Overhauser effect DNP enhancements of over 70 at 592.6 GHz/900 MHz.

Postural control and low back pain in elite athletes comparison of static balance in elite athletes with and without low back pain.

PubMed

Oyarzo, Claudio A; Villagrán, Claudio R; Silvestre, Rony E; Carpintero, Pedro; Berral, Francisco J

2014-01-01

Although current research findings suggest that postural control or static balance is impaired in subjects with low back pain, few studies have specifically addressed the effect of low back pain on static balance in elite athletes. Forty-four athletes belonging to Chilean national teams took part in this study; 20 had low back pain and the remaining 24 were healthy controls. Displacement of the centre of pressure was analyzed by computerized platform posturography, using a standardized protocol; subjects were required to stand upright on both feet, with eyes first open then closed. The results showed that, athletes with low back pain used significantly more energy (p< 0.0182) and had a greater displacement of the centre of pressure (p< 0.005) with open eyes to control posture than healthy athletes. It may be concluded that static balance is impaired in elite athletes with low back pain and that analysis of two-footed stance provides a sensitive assessment of static balance in athletes.

Optimal back-to-front airplane boarding.

PubMed

Bachmat, Eitan; Khachaturov, Vassilii; Kuperman, Ran

2013-06-01

The problem of finding an optimal back-to-front airplane boarding policy is explored, using a mathematical model that is related to the 1+1 polynuclear growth model with concave boundary conditions and to causal sets in gravity. We study all airplane configurations and boarding group sizes. Optimal boarding policies for various airplane configurations are presented. Detailed calculations are provided along with simulations that support the main conclusions of the theory. We show that the effectiveness of back-to-front policies undergoes a phase transition when passing from lightly congested airplanes to heavily congested airplanes. The phase transition also affects the nature of the optimal or near-optimal policies. Under what we consider to be realistic conditions, optimal back-to-front policies lead to a modest 8-12% improvement in boarding time over random (no policy) boarding, using two boarding groups. Having more than two groups is not effective.

Systematic review of conservative interventions for subacute low back pain.

PubMed

Pengel, Heloise M; Maher, Chris G; Refshauge, Kathryn M

2002-12-01

To evaluate the effect of conservative interventions on clinically relevant outcome measures for patients with subacute low back pain. This is particularly important because effective treatment for subacute low back pain will prevent the transition to chronic low back pain, a condition that is largely responsible for the high health care costs of low back pain. Systematic review of randomized controlled trials. Methodological quality of each trial was assessed. Effect sizes and 95% confidence intervals were calculated for pain and disability and risk ratios for return to work. Thirteen trials were located, evaluating the following interventions: manipulation, back school, exercise, advice, transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS), hydrotherapy, massage, corset, cognitive behavioural treatment and co-ordination of primary health care. Most studies were of low quality and did not show a statistically significant effect of intervention. For the strict duration of low back pain (six weeks to three months), no evidence of high internal validity was found but when other methodological criteria were considered, evidence was found for the efficacy of advice. Furthermore, there is evidence that when a broader view is taken of the duration of subacute low back pain (seven days to six months), other treatments (e.g. manipulation, exercise, TENS) may be effective. Our review identified a major gap in the evidence for interventions that are currently recommended in clinical practice guidelines for the treatment of subacute low back pain. Lack of a uniform definition of subacute low back pain further limited current evidence.

Meta-analysis: exercise therapy for nonspecific low back pain.

PubMed

Hayden, Jill A; van Tulder, Maurits W; Malmivaara, Antti V; Koes, Bart W

2005-05-03

Exercise therapy is widely used as an intervention in low back pain. To evaluate the effectiveness of exercise therapy in adult nonspecific acute, subacute, and chronic low back pain versus no treatment and other conservative treatments. MEDLINE, EMBASE, PsychInfo, CINAHL, and Cochrane Library databases to October 2004; citation searches and bibliographic reviews of previous systematic reviews. Randomized, controlled trials evaluating exercise therapy for adult nonspecific low back pain and measuring pain, function, return to work or absenteeism, and global improvement outcomes. Two reviewers independently selected studies and extracted data on study characteristics, quality, and outcomes at short-, intermediate-, and long-term follow-up. 61 randomized, controlled trials (6390 participants) met inclusion criteria: acute (11 trials), subacute (6 trials), and chronic (43 trials) low back pain (1 trial was unclear). Evidence suggests that exercise therapy is effective in chronic back pain relative to comparisons at all follow-up periods. Pooled mean improvement (of 100 points) was 7.3 points (95% CI, 3.7 to 10.9 points) for pain and 2.5 points (CI, 1.0 to 3.9 points) for function at earliest follow-up. In studies investigating patients (people seeking care for back pain), mean improvement was 13.3 points (CI, 5.5 to 21.1 points) for pain and 6.9 points (CI, 2.2 to 11.7 points) for function, compared with studies where some participants had been recruited from a general population (for example, with advertisements). Some evidence suggests effectiveness of a graded-activity exercise program in subacute low back pain in occupational settings, although the evidence for other types of exercise therapy in other populations is inconsistent. In acute low back pain, exercise therapy and other programs were equally effective (pain, 0.03 point [CI, -1.3 to 1.4 points]). Limitations of the literature, including low-quality studies with heterogeneous outcome measures inconsistent

Intracutaneous sterile water for back pain in labour.

PubMed Central

Reynolds, J. L.

1994-01-01

Intracutaneous sterile water appears to be a simple, effective, and harmless technique for relieving back pain. This technique has been used to relieve pain of renal colic, whiplash, and back pain in labour. Family doctors often practise obstetrics in small or isolated units that have limited options for pain relief in labour. This technique is simple, is easy to learn, and appears effective for relieving back pain, which complicates about one third of all labours. Images Figures 1-2 Figures 3-4 PMID:7950471

Allee effect from parasite spill-back.

PubMed

Krkošek, Martin; Ashander, Jaime; Frazer, L Neil; Lewis, Mark A

2013-11-01

The exchange of native pathogens between wild and domesticated animals can lead to novel disease threats to wildlife. However, the dynamics of wild host-parasite systems exposed to a reservoir of domesticated hosts are not well understood. A simple mathematical model reveals that the spill-back of native parasites from domestic to wild hosts may cause a demographic Allee effect in the wild host population. A second model is tailored to the particulars of pink salmon (Oncorhynchus gorbuscha) and salmon lice (Lepeophtheirus salmonis), for which parasite spill-back is a conservation and fishery concern. In both models, parasite spill-back weakens the coupling of parasite and wild host abundance-particularly at low host abundance-causing parasites per host to increase as a wild host population declines. These findings show that parasites shared across host populations have effects analogous to those of generalist predators and can similarly cause an unstable equilibrium in a focal host population that separates persistence and extirpation. Allee effects in wildlife arising from parasite spill-back are likely to be most pronounced in systems where the magnitude of transmission from domestic to wild host populations is high because of high parasite abundance in domestic hosts, prolonged sympatry of domestic and wild hosts, a high transmission coefficient for parasites, long-lived parasite larvae, and proximity of domesticated populations to wildlife migration corridors.

Incident and recurrent back injuries among union carpenters.

PubMed

Lipscomb, H J; Cameron, W; Silverstein, B

2008-12-01

To describe incident and recurrent work-related back injuries among union carpenters, describe the hazard function for each and associated risk factors, and explore predictors of subsequent musculoskeletal back injury based on different definitions of the initial injury. This study identified a dynamic cohort of 18 768 carpenters who worked in the State of Washington 1989-2003, their hours worked each month, and their work-related back injuries and medical claims for treatment including ICD-9 codes. Using Poisson regression we calculated rates and rate ratios (RRs) of incident and recurrent injury adjusting for age, gender, union tenure and type of carpentry work. Predictors of subsequent musculoskeletal back injury were explored based on different definitions of the incident injury, as were time periods of greatest risk following return to work. Recurrent back injuries occurred at a rate 80% higher than initial injuries. Survival curves were significantly different for incident and recurrent injuries, but patterns of relative risk were similar. Individuals with greatest union tenure were at lowest risk, likely reflecting a healthy worker effect or lower physical exposures with seniority. Individuals with long periods of work disability with their first injury were at particularly high risk of subsequent musculoskeletal injury compared with those with no prior history (RR 2.3; 95% CI 2.0 to 2.7), as were individuals with degenerative diagnoses (RR 2.0; 95% CI 1.5 to 2.6). Risk for second injury peaked between 1000 and 1500 h after return to work and then gradually declined. Carpenters with long periods of work disability following back injury warrant accommodation and perhaps better rehabilitation efforts to avoid re-injury. Challenges to workplace accommodation and limited ability to clearly define readiness to return to work following injury demonstrate the need for primary prevention of back injuries through attention to engineering solutions among carpenters

Mantle Flow and Melting Processes Beneath Back-Arc Basins

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hall, P. S.

2007-12-01

The chemical systematics of back-arc basin basalts suggest that multiple mechanisms of melt generation and transport operate simultaneously beneath the back-arc, resulting in a continuum of melts ranging from a relatively dry, MORB-like end-member to a wet, slab-influenced end-member [e.g., Kelley et al., 2006; Langmuir et al., 2006]. Potential melting processes at work include adiabatic decompression melting akin to that at mid-ocean ridges, diapiric upwelling of hydrous and/or partially molten mantle from above the subducting lithospheric slab [e.g., Marsh, 1979; Hall and Kincaid, 2001; Gerya and Yuen, 2003], and melting of back-arc mantle due to a continuous flux of slab-derived hydrous fluid [Kelley et al., 2006]. In this study, we examine the potential for each of these melting mechanisms to contribute to the observed distribution of melts in back-arc basins within the context of upper mantle flow (driven by plate motions) beneath back-arcs, which ultimately controls temperatures within the melting region. Mantle velocities and temperatures are derived from numerical geodynamic models of subduction with back-arc spreading that explicitly include adiabatic decompression melting through a Lagrangian particle scheme and a parameterization of hydrous melting. Dynamical feedback from the melting process occurs through latent heating and viscosity increases related to dehydration. A range of parameters, including subduction rate and trench-back-arc separation distances, is explored. The thermal evolution of individual diapirs is modeled numerically as they traverse the mantle, from nucleation above the subducting slab to melting beneath the back-arc spreading center, and a range of diapir sizes and densities and considered.

Serial Back-Plane Technologies in Advanced Avionics Architectures

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Varnavas, Kosta

2005-01-01

Current back plane technologies such as VME, and current personal computer back planes such as PCI, are shared bus systems that can exhibit nondeterministic latencies. This means a card can take control of the bus and use resources indefinitely affecting the ability of other cards in the back plane to acquire the bus. This provides a real hit on the reliability of the system. Additionally, these parallel busses only have bandwidths in the 100s of megahertz range and EMI and noise effects get worse the higher the bandwidth goes. To provide scalable, fault-tolerant, advanced computing systems, more applicable to today s connected computing environment and to better meet the needs of future requirements for advanced space instruments and vehicles, serial back-plane technologies should be implemented in advanced avionics architectures. Serial backplane technologies eliminate the problem of one card getting the bus and never relinquishing it, or one minor problem on the backplane bringing the whole system down. Being serial instead of parallel improves the reliability by reducing many of the signal integrity issues associated with parallel back planes and thus significantly improves reliability. The increased speeds associated with a serial backplane are an added bonus.

Rehabilitation of low back pain patients. A review.

PubMed

Revel, M

1995-01-01

Numerous methods have been developed for the rehabilitation of low back pain patients, including spinal flexion and extension exercises, lumbar spine locking in an intermediate position, enhancement of spinal and pelvic proprioceptive sensibility, swimming pool therapy, back schools, and functional restoration. Each seeks to achieve a goal assumed to be central to the prevention of a first or recurrent episode of low back pain. Goals include short-term pain relief, an improved ability to achieve self-sedation, abdominal and lumbar muscle strengthening, increased hip and lumbar spine mobility, improved lumbar and pelvic proprioceptive sensibility, intervertebral joint stabilization, lumbar posture modification and improved general fitness. Less than 30 studies meeting widely accepted validity and applicability criteria for therapeutic trials have addressed the clinical efficacy of rehabilitation in low back pain patients. Most studies of the back school approach have found no benefit. Spinal flexion and extension exercise programs have yielded short-lived improvements, with no differences across methods. There is evidence that functional restoration programs based on graded activity may provide long-term benefits including better social and occupational outcomes. We have evaluated the physical therapy methods most commonly taught to and used by physical therapists in France.

Low back pain during pregnancy and Kinesio tape application.

PubMed

Reyhan, Aycan Çakmak; Dereli, Elif Elçin; Çolak, Tuğba Kuru

2017-01-01

Low back pain is a common problem during pregnancy. Although the pain usually occurs in the third trimester, it might be seen in the first trimester, too. There are various types of applications for the treatment of low back pain during pregnancy. However, there is a lack of evidence for the effectiveness of each method. If there is not an obvious deficit, bed rest, exercise, conventional physiotherapy, using protective principles for the lumbar area are recommended, since the main and the only complaint is low back pain. It is aimed in the current review to investigate the use of Kinesio tape in the low back pain seen during pregnancy and to review the literature related to this subject. There are only a few studies investigating the effect of Kinesio tape during pregnancy in the literature and they mostly did not aim to study the low back pain, further evidence and studies are needed to investigate the use of Kinesio tape for the low back pain seen during pregnancy as there is not evidence strong enough. Kinesiotape application aims to increase circulation and mobility, and regarding these gains decreased pain and increased performance are expected.

Limitations associated with managing chronic low back pain.

PubMed

Beland, Paul

2016-04-20

Non-specific chronic low back pain is an occupational hazard for nurses. It may result in persistent and disabling pain for some people. There are many techniques for investigating, assessing and treating chronic low back pain. However, research to support some of these interventions and the assumptions that underlie them is limited. Interventions that may be beneficial are not always available to those who need them. Changes to service provision are required to rectify this situation and provide effective treatment for patients with non-specific chronic low back pain.

Prolotherapy: An Effective Treatment for Low Back Pain?

MedlinePlus

... pain? Is prolotherapy an effective treatment for chronic low back pain? Answers from Brent A. Bauer, M.D. Prolotherapy is ... reduced pain. Studies of prolotherapy in people with low back pain have had mixed results. A combination of prolotherapy ...

Back Surgery: When Is It a Good Idea?

MedlinePlus

... pain resolves on its own within three months. Low back pain is one of the most common ailments seen ... diagnose and treat. Firestein GS, et al., eds. Low back pain. In: Kelley and Firestein's Textbook of Rheumatology. 10th ...

Differences in lumbopelvic control and occupational behaviours in female nurses with and without a recent history of low back pain due to back injury.

PubMed

Babiolakis, Corinne S; Kuk, Jennifer L; Drake, Janessa D M

2015-01-01

Low back pain is highly prevalent in nurses. This study aimed to determine which physical fitness, physical activity (PA) and biomechanical characteristics most clearly distinguish between nurses with [recently injured (RInj)] and without [not recently injured (NRInj)] a recent back injury. Twenty-seven (8 RInj, 19 NRInj) female nurses completed questionnaires (pain, work, PA), physical fitness, biomechanical and low back discomfort measures, and wore an accelerometer for one work shift. Relative to NRInj nurses, RInj nurses exhibited reduced lumbopelvic control (41.4% more displayed a moderate loss of frontal plane position), less active occupational behaviours (less moderate PA; less patient lifts performed alone; more sitting and less standing time) and more than two times higher low back discomfort scores. Despite no physical fitness differences, the lumbopelvic control, occupational behaviours and discomfort measures differed between nurses with and without recent back injuries. It is unclear whether poor lumbopelvic control is causal or adaptive in RInj nurses and may require further investigation. Practitioner Summary: It is unclear which personal modifiable factors are most clearly associated with low back pain in nurses. Lumbopelvic control was the only performance-based measure to distinguish between nurses with and without recent back injuries. Future research may investigate whether reduced lumbopelvic control is causal or adaptive in recently injured nurses.

Looking Back at a Job Well Done

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2005-01-01

This image shows the view from Deep Impact's flyby spacecraft as it turned back to look at comet Tempel 1. Fifty minutes earlier, the spacecraft's probe was run over by the comet. That collision kicked up plumes of ejected material, seen here streaming away from the back side of the comet. This image was taken by the flyby craft's high-resolution camera.

Top 100 Cited Articles on Back Pain Research: A Citation Analysis.

PubMed

Huang, Weimin; Wang, Lei; Wang, Bing; Yu, Lili; Yu, Xiuchun

2016-11-01

A bibliometric review of the literature. Back pain is a global burden that leads people to seek medical service and results in work disability. Numerous studies are published annually to give new insights into back pain. However, characteristics of the high-impact articles on back pain have not been explored. The current study aimed to identify the 100 most cited articles on back pain and determine their characteristics. Back pain is a globally leading cause of work disability. Numerous studies have been published annually to give new insight to back pain. However, comprehensive analysis to identify the most influential articles is not available until now. The Web of Science core database was searched using the subject terms "back NEAR pain," "dorsalgia," "backache," "lumbar NEAR pain," "lumbago," "back NEAR disorder*," "discitis." The searching results were listed by citation times and the top 100 cited articles on back pain were identified. Important information such as author, journal, publishing year, country, institution, and study type were elicited. A total of 44,460 articles on back pain were displayed. Citation times of the enrolled 100 articles ranged from 249 to 1638 with a mean value of 418. The most productive periods were 1991 to 1995 and 1996 to 2000. The journal Spine holds the largest number of 45 articles, followed by Pain with seven articles. A total of 11 countries contribute to the 100 articles and the United States topped the list. None of the high-impact articles were produced in Asian and African. The current citation analysis demonstrated the essential advances in the history of back pain research and determined the influential authors, institutions, countries, and journals that had outstanding contributions to the studies of back pain. 3.

The STarT back tool in chiropractic practice: a narrative review.

PubMed

Khan, Yasmeen

2017-01-01

The Keele STarT Back Tool was designed for primary care medical physicians in the UK to determine the risk for persistent disabling pain in patients with musculoskeletal pain and to tailor treatments accordingly. In medical and physical therapy settings, STarT Back Tool's tailored care plans improved patients' low back pain outcomes and lowered costs. Review studies using the STarT Back Tool in chiropractic patient populations. PubMed, The Cochrane Library, Index to Chiropractic Literature, and Science Direct databases were searched. Articles written in English, published in peer-reviewed journals, that studied the STarT Back Tool in patients seeking chiropractic care were included. Seven articles were selected based on inclusion and exclusion criteria. The STarT Back Tool was feasibly incorporated into 19 chiropractic clinics in Denmark. Total STarT Back 5-item score correlated moderately with total Bournemouth Questionnaire score. Two studies reported that the STarT Back Tool's predictive ability was poor, while another reported that the tool predicted outcomes in patients scoring in the medium and high risk categories who completed the STarT Back 2 days after their initial visit. A study examining Danish chiropractic, medical and physical therapy settings revealed that only baseline episode duration affected STarT Back's prognostic ability across all care settings. The tool predicted pain and disability in chiropractic patients whose episode duration was at least 2 weeks, but not in patients with an episode duration <2 weeks. While the STarT Back Tool can be incorporated into chiropractic settings and correlates with some elements of the Bournemouth Questionnaire, its prognostic ability is sometimes limited by the shorter low back pain episodes with which chiropractic patients often present. It may be a better predictor in patients whose episode duration is at least 2 weeks. Studies examining outcomes of stratified care in chiropractic patients are needed.

Chronic Widespread Back Pain is Distinct From Chronic Local Back Pain: Evidence From Quantitative Sensory Testing, Pain Drawings, and Psychometrics.

PubMed

Gerhardt, Andreas; Eich, Wolfgang; Janke, Susanne; Leisner, Sabine; Treede, Rolf-Detlef; Tesarz, Jonas

2016-07-01

Whether chronic localized pain (CLP) and chronic widespread pain (CWP) have different mechanisms or to what extent they overlap in their pathophysiology is controversial. The study compared quantitative sensory testing profiles of nonspecific chronic back pain patients with CLP (n=48) and CWP (n=29) with and fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS) patients (n=90) and pain-free controls (n = 40). The quantitative sensory testing protocol of the "German-Research-Network-on-Neuropathic-Pain" was used to measure evoked pain on the painful area in the lower back and the pain-free hand (thermal and mechanical detection and pain thresholds, vibration threshold, pain sensitivity to sharp and blunt mechanical stimuli). Ongoing pain and psychometrics were captured with pain drawings and questionnaires. CLP patients did not differ from pain-free controls, except for lower pressure pain threshold (PPT) on the back. CWP and FMS patients showed lower heat pain threshold and higher wind-up ratio on the back and lower heat pain threshold and cold pain threshold on the hand. FMS showed lower PPT on back and hand, and higher comorbidity of anxiety and depression and more functional impairment than all other groups. Even after long duration CLP presents with a local hypersensitivity for PPT, suggesting a somatotopically specific sensitization of nociceptive processing. However, CWP patients show widespread ongoing pain and hyperalgesia for different stimuli that is generalized in space, suggesting the involvement of descending control systems, as also suggested for FMS patients. Because mechanisms in nonspecific chronic back pain with CLP and CWP differ, these patients should be distinguished in future research and allocated to different treatments.

Studies of corona and back discharges in carbon dioxide

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Czech, Tadeusz; Sobczyk, Arkadiusz Tomasz; Jaworek, Anatol; Krupa, Andrzej; Rajch, Eryk

2013-01-01

Results of spectroscopic investigations and current-voltage characteristics of corona and back discharges generated in point-plane electrode geometry in CO2 at atmospheric pressure for positive and negative polarity of the discharge electrode are presented in the paper. Three forms of back discharge, for both polarities, were investigated: glow, streamer and low-current back-arc. To generate the back-discharges for the conditions similar to electrostatic precipitator, the plate electrode was covered with fly ash layer. In order to characterize back discharge processes, the emission spectra were measured and compared with those obtained for normal discharge, generated in the same electrode configuration but without the fly ash layer on the plate electrode. The measurements have shown that optical emission spectral lines of atoms and molecules, excited or ionised in back discharge, depend on the forms of the discharge, the discharge current, and are different in the zones close to needle electrode and fly ash layer. From the comparison of spectral lines of back and normal discharges, an effect of fly ash layer on discharge characteristics and morphology has been determined. In normal corona, the emission spectra are mainly predetermined by the working gas components, but in the case of back discharge, the atomic and molecular lines, resulting from chemical composition of fly ash, are also identified. Differences in the spectra of back discharge for positive and negative polarities of the needle electrode have been explained by considering the kind of ions generated in the crater in fly ash layer. For back arc, the emission of spectral lines of atoms and molecules from fly ash layer can be recorded in the crater zone, but in the needle zone, only the emission lines of CO2 and its decomposition products (CO and C2) can be noticed. The studies of back discharge in CO2, as one of the main components of flue gases, were undertaken because this type of discharge, after

Low back pain and lumbar angles in Turkish coal miners

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Sarikaya, S.; Ozdolap, S.; Gumustas, S.

This study was designed to assess the incidence of low back pain among Turkish coal miners and to investigate the relationship between angles of the lumbar spine and low back pain in coal miners. Fifty underground workers (Group I) and 38 age-matched surface workers (Group II) were included in the study. All the subjects were asked about low back pain in the past 5 years. The prevalence of low back pain was higher in Group I than in Group II (78.0%, 32.4%, respectively, P {lt} 0.001). The results of the study showed that low back pain occurred in 78.0% ofmore » Turkish coal miners. Although the nature of the occupation may have influenced coal miners' lumbar spinal curvature, lumbar angles are not a determinant for low back pain in this population. Further extensive studies involving ergonomic measurements are needed to validate our results for Turkish coal mining industry.« less

Is active participation in specific sport activities linked with back pain?

PubMed

Mogensen, A M; Gausel, A M; Wedderkopp, N; Kjaer, P; Leboeuf-Yde, C

2007-12-01

A cross-sectional survey of 439 children/adolescents aged 12-13, living in Odense, Denmark, in the year 2001. To investigate (1) if there is any difference in back pain reporting among those practising specific sports as compared with non-performers and (2) if there is an association between specific kinds of sports and self-reported back problems. Back pain is a common complaint in young people and physical inactivity is generally thought to contribute to this. However, some specific sport activities may be detrimental or beneficial to the spine. Information was collected through a semi-structured interview, a physical examination, and a questionnaire. Associations for back pain, low back pain, mid back pain and neck pain in the preceding month were investigated in relation to specific sports. Associations were controlled for body mass index, puberty stage and sex. There was no association between back problems and the practising of sports in general. However, some sports were either positively or negatively associated with back pain. Taking into account the relatively small subgroups and multiple testing, some sports seem to be potentially harmful or beneficial. These sports should be investigated in proper longitudinal study designs, in relation to their effects on back problems in the young.

Exploring N-Back Cognitive Training for Children With ADHD.

PubMed

Jones, Masha R; Katz, Benjamin; Buschkuehl, Martin; Jaeggi, Susanne M; Shah, Priti

2018-06-01

The efficacy of n-back training for children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) was tested in a randomized controlled trial. 41 children aged 7 to 14 years with ADHD were trained on an n-back task, and their performance was compared with that of an active control group ( n = 39) who were trained on a general knowledge and vocabulary task. The experimental group demonstrated transfer of training to a nontrained n-back task as well as to a measure of inhibitory control. These effects were correlated with the magnitude of training gains. Our results suggest that n-back training may be useful in addressing some of the cognitive and behavioral issues associated with ADHD.

Thermal imaging of high power diode lasers subject to back-irradiance

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, C.; Pipe, K. P.; Cao, C.; Thiagarajan, P.; Deri, R. J.; Leisher, P. O.

2018-03-01

CCD-based thermoreflectance imaging and finite element modeling are used to study the two-dimensional (2D) temperature profile of a junction-down broad-area diode laser facet subject to back-irradiance. By determining the temperature rise in the active region (ΔΤAR) at different diode laser optical powers, back-irradiance reflectance levels, and back-irradiance spot locations, we find that ΔΤAR increases by nearly a factor of three when the back-irradiance spot is centered in the absorbing substrate approximately 5 μm away from the active region, a distance roughly equal to half of the back-irradiance spot FWHM (9 μm). This corroborates prior work studying the relationship between the back-irradiance spot location and catastrophic optical damage, suggesting a strong thermal basis for reduced laser lifetime in the presence of back-irradiance for diode lasers fabricated on absorbing substrates.

Biomechanical analysis of low back load when sneezing.

PubMed

Hasegawa, Tetsuya; Katsuhira, Junji; Matsudaira, Ko; Iwakiri, Kazuyuki; Maruyama, Hitoshi

2014-09-01

Although sneezing is known to induce low back pain, there is no objective data of the load generated when sneezing. Moreover, the approaches often recommended for reducing low back pain, such as leaning with both hands against a wall, are not supported by objective evidence. Participants were 12 healthy young men (mean age 23.25 ± 1.54 years) with no history of spinal column pain or low back pain. Measurements were taken using a three-dimensional motion capture system and surface electromyograms in three experimental conditions: normal for sneezing, characterized by forward trunk inclination; stand, in which the body was deliberately maintained in an upright posture when sneezing; and table, in which the participants leaned with both hands on a table when sneezing. We analyzed and compared the intervertebral disk compressive force, low back moment, ground reaction force, trunk inclination angle, and co-contraction of the rectus abdominis and erector spinae muscles in the three conditions. The intervertebral disk compressive force and ground reaction force were significantly lower in the stand and table conditions than in the normal condition. The co-contraction index value was significantly higher in the stand condition than in the normal and table conditions. When sneezing, body posture in the stand or table condition can reduce load on the low back compared with body posture in the normal sneezing condition. Thus, placing both hands on a table or otherwise maintaining an upright body posture appears to be beneficial for reducing low back load when sneezing. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Back transport: exploration of parents' feelings regarding the transition.

PubMed

Kuhnly, J E; Freston, M S

1993-02-01

The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore parents' perceptions and the concepts involved in their preterm infant's back transport from a tertiary neonatal intensive care unit to their home community hospital. A convenience sample of fourteen parents were interviewed five to seven days after the back transport. Following data collection, the analysis of the parents' perceptions regarding the back transport of their premature infant identified a crisis theme that was influenced by several concepts. The subject's positive or negative meaning of the back transport during the pre-crisis phase defined the extent of the crisis during a three day transition period which led to an acceptance of events in the resolution phase. The subjects' perceptions of the previous events of hospitalization and communication of information regarding back transport influenced the meaning of the back transport for them. The extent of crisis during the transition phase was influenced by subjects' perceptions of medical complications, caretaking practice changes, environmental changes, feelings of powerlessness or empowerment, personal coping resources, and support systems available. Resolution in all cases occurred with an acceptance of events. Implications for practice and future research can be identified such as developing and testing education programs to prepare parents for the transition and strengthening the relationship between tertiary and community hospitals.

Back Pain at Work: Preventing Pain and Injury

MedlinePlus

Healthy Lifestyle Adult health Heavy lifting, repetitive movements and sitting at a desk all day can take a toll on your back. Get the facts ... your back — such as by lifting or moving heavy objects — can cause injury. Repetition. Repeating certain movements, ...

Limbus Vertebra Presenting with Inflammatory Low Back Pain: A Case Report

PubMed Central

Özdemir, Tayfun; Öz, Hande Ece

2016-01-01

Limbus vertebra is a condition characterized by marginal interosseous herniation of the nucleus pulposus, and causes non specific symptoms like low back pain, back pain, muscle spasms and radiculopathy. It is frequently confused with vertebral fracture, infection, schmorl nodule or tumour because it has not a spesific symptom. It usually causes mechanical low back pain rather than inflammatory low back pain. We reported a patient presented with inflammatory low back pain and diagnosed with anterior limbus vertebra because it is rare and the patient has atypical clinical presentation. PMID:27134989

Evaluation and diagnosis of low back pain.

PubMed

Manusov, Eron G

2012-09-01

The diagnosis of low back pain is complicated by the varying presentations and complex nature of pain and the nonstandardized approach by physicians to clinical decision making. Only a few physicians use evidence-based guidelines to assist with clinical decision making. This article reviews a systematic approach to the evaluation and diagnosis of low back pain. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Low Back Pain in Port Machinery Operators

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

BOVENZI, M.; PINTO, I.; STACCHINI, N.

2002-05-01

The occurrence of several types of low back pain (LBP) was investigated by a standardized questionnaire in a group of 219 port machinery operators exposed to whole-body vibration (WBV) and postural load and in a control group of 85 maintenance workers employed at the same transport company. The group of port machinery operators included 85 straddle carrier drivers, 88 fork-lift truck drivers, and 46 crane operators. The vector sum of the frequency-weighted r.m.s. acceleration of vibration measured on the seatpan of port vehicles and machines averaged 0·90 m/s2 for fork-lift trucks, 0·48 m/s2 for straddle carriers, 0·53 m/s2 for mobile cranes, and 0·22 m/s2 for overhead cranes. The 12-month prevalence of low back symptoms (LBP, sciatic pain, treated LBP, sick leave due to LBP) was significantly greater in the fork-lift truck drivers than in the controls and the other two groups of port machinery operators. After adjusting for potential confounders, the prevalence of low back symptoms was found to increase with the increase of WBV exposure expressed as duration of exposure (driving years), equivalent vibration magnitude (m/s2), or cumulative vibration exposure (yr m2/s4). An excess risk for lumbar disc herniation was observed in the port machinery operators with prolonged driving experience. In both the controls and the port machinery operators, low back complaints were strongly associated with perceived postural load assessed in terms of frequency and/or duration of awkward postures at work. Multivariate analysis showed that vibration exposure and postural load were independent predictors of LBP. Even though the cross-sectional design of the present study does not permit firm conclusions on the relationship between WBV exposure and low back disorders, the findings of this investigation provide additional epidemiological evidence that seated WBV exposure combined with non-neutral trunk postures, as while driving, is associated with an increased risk of long

Pathophysiology, diagnosis, and treatment of discogenic low back pain

PubMed Central

Peng, Bao-Gan

2013-01-01

Discogenic low back pain is a serious medical and social problem, and accounts for 26%-42% of the patients with chronic low back pain. Recent studies found that the pathologic features of discs obtained from the patients with discogenic low back pain were the formation of the zones of vascularized granulation tissue, with extensive innervation in fissures extending from the outer part of the annulus into the nucleus pulposus. Studies suggested that the degeneration of the painful disc might originate from the injury and subsequent repair of annulus fibrosus. Growth factors such as basic fibroblast growth factor, transforming growth factor β1, and connective tissue growth factor, macrophages and mast cells might play a key role in the repair of the injured annulus fibrosus and subsequent disc degeneration. Although there exist controversies about the role of discography as a diagnostic test, provocation discography still is the only available means by which to identify a painful disc. A recent study has classified discogenic low back pain into two types that were annular disruption-induced low back pain and internal endplate disruption-induced low back pain, which have been fully supported by clinical and theoretical bases. Current treatment options for discogenic back pain range from medicinal anti-inflammation strategy to invasive procedures including spine fusion and recently spinal arthroplasty. However, these treatments are limited to relieving symptoms, with no attempt to restore the disc’s structure. Recently, there has been a growing interest in developing strategies that aim to repair or regenerate the degenerated disc biologically. PMID:23610750

Thermal imaging of high power diode lasers subject to back-irradiance

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Li, C.; Pipe, K. P.; Cao, C.

In this study, CCD-based thermoreflectance imaging and finite element modeling are used to study the two-dimensional (2D) temperature profile of a junction-down broad-area diode laser facet subject to back-irradiance. By determining the temperature rise in the active region (ΔΤAR) at different diode laser optical powers, back-irradiance reflectance levels, and back-irradiance spot locations, we find that ΔΤAR increases by nearly a factor of three when the back-irradiance spot is centered in the absorbing substrate approximately 5 μm away from the active region, a distance roughly equal to half of the back-irradiance spot FWHM (9 μm). This corroborates prior work studying themore » relationship between the back-irradiance spot location and catastrophic optical damage, suggesting a strong thermal basis for reduced laser lifetime in the presence of back-irradiance for diode lasers fabricated on absorbing substrates.« less

Thermal imaging of high power diode lasers subject to back-irradiance

DOE PAGES

Li, C.; Pipe, K. P.; Cao, C.; ...

2018-03-07

In this study, CCD-based thermoreflectance imaging and finite element modeling are used to study the two-dimensional (2D) temperature profile of a junction-down broad-area diode laser facet subject to back-irradiance. By determining the temperature rise in the active region (ΔΤAR) at different diode laser optical powers, back-irradiance reflectance levels, and back-irradiance spot locations, we find that ΔΤAR increases by nearly a factor of three when the back-irradiance spot is centered in the absorbing substrate approximately 5 μm away from the active region, a distance roughly equal to half of the back-irradiance spot FWHM (9 μm). This corroborates prior work studying themore » relationship between the back-irradiance spot location and catastrophic optical damage, suggesting a strong thermal basis for reduced laser lifetime in the presence of back-irradiance for diode lasers fabricated on absorbing substrates.« less

13 CFR 120.611 - Pools backing Pool Certificates.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... 13 Business Credit and Assistance 1 2011-01-01 2011-01-01 false Pools backing Pool Certificates. 120.611 Section 120.611 Business Credit and Assistance SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION BUSINESS LOANS Secondary Market Certificates § 120.611 Pools backing Pool Certificates. (a) Pool characteristics. As set...

13 CFR 120.611 - Pools backing Pool Certificates.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... 13 Business Credit and Assistance 1 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Pools backing Pool Certificates. 120.611 Section 120.611 Business Credit and Assistance SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION BUSINESS LOANS Secondary Market Certificates § 120.611 Pools backing Pool Certificates. (a) Pool characteristics. As set...

Strain on the back in concrete reinforcement work.

PubMed Central

Wickström, G; Niskanen, T; Riihimäki, H

1985-01-01

To investigate the long term effect of heavy construction work on the back the occurrence of postures, lifting, carrying, and accidents in concrete reinforcement work and in maintenance house painting were measured. The 32 620 observations covering 272 work hours showed that reinforcement work necessitated stooped postures and heavy lifting more often than did painting. Reported minor back accidents were more than ten times as common in reinforcement work than in painting (1.3 compared with 0.11 accidents per man-year, p less than 0.001). Accidents of the musculoskeletal system, registered by the insurance companies, were also several times more common in reinforcement work (81 compared with 25 per 1000 man-years, p less than 0.001). The premature development of lumbar degeneration detected in the clinical study of the reinforcement workers was evidently due to the occupational strain on the back. The different types of hazardous back loads probably potentiate the effects of each other. PMID:3978042

Risk factors associated with back pain in New Zealand school children.

PubMed

Trevelyan, Fiona C; Legg, Stephen J

2011-03-01

This study investigated risk factors associated with back pain in 245 New Zealand intermediate school children aged 11-14 years in a cross-sectional survey, using a self-completion questionnaire for demographic details, pain prevalence, psychosocial parameters, school and leisure activities and family characteristics. The strongest relationships were between back pain and common childhood complaints (stomach ache, headache and sore throats) (p < 0.01) and psychosocial factors (conduct and hyperactivity) (p < 0.01). For physical factors, there was a significant relationship between neck and low back pain and attributes of chairs. Low back pain was significantly related to low desk height (as reported by students) (p < 0.05). School bag weight was not significantly related to low back pain but carrying the bag on one shoulder was (p < 0.05). It is concluded that, amongst these intermediate school children, psychological, social and emotional factors had a stronger relationship with back pain than physical factors. STATEMENT OF RELEVANCE: This study investigated risk factors associated with back pain amongst New Zealand intermediate school children. It showed that psychological, social and emotional factors may have a stronger relationship with back pain than physical factors.

Experiences of Rehabilitation Professionals with the Implementation of a Back School for Patients with Chronic Low Back Pain: A Qualitative Study.

PubMed

Peters, Stefan; Faller, Hermann; Pfeifer, Klaus; Meng, Karin

2016-01-01

A standardized curriculum back school (CBS) has been recommended for further dissemination in medical rehabilitation in Germany. However, implementation of self-management education programs into practice is challenging. In low back pain care, individual factors of professionals could be decisive regarding implementation fidelity. The study aim was to explore attitudes and experiences of professionals who conducted the back school. Qualitative interviews were led with 45 rehabilitation professionals. The data were examined using thematic analysis. Three central themes were identified: (a) "back school as a common thread," (b) "theory versus practice," and (c) "participation and patient-centeredness." The CBS and its manual were frequently described positively because they provide structure. However, specified time was mentioned critically and there were heterogeneous perceptions regarding flexibility in conducting the CBS. Theory and practice in the CBS were discussed concerning amount, distribution, and conjunction. Participation and patient-centeredness were mainly mentioned in terms of amount and heterogeneity of participation as well as the demand for competences of professionals. Factors were detected that may either positively or negatively influence the implementation fidelity of self-management education programs. The results are explorative and provide potential explanatory mechanisms for behavior and acceptance of rehabilitation professionals regarding the implementation of biopsychosocial back schools.

Association between neck and shoulder pain, back pain, low back pain and body composition parameters among the Japanese general population.

PubMed

Iizuka, Yoichi; Iizuka, Haku; Mieda, Tokue; Tajika, Tsuyoshi; Yamamoto, Atsushi; Ohsawa, Takashi; Sasaki, Tsuyoshi; Takagishi, Kenji

2015-11-04

Neck and shoulder pain, back pain and low back pain are common symptoms in Japanese subjects, and it is important to elucidate the pathology and associated factors of these pains due to their frequency and impact on the quality of life (QOL) and activities of daily living (ADL). The purpose of the present study was to investigate whether body composition is associated with these pains. We collected the data of 273 Japanese subjects regarding the presence and the visual analogue scale (VAS) of neck and shoulder pain, back pain, low back pain and body composition parameters calculated using bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) technology. Furthermore, we investigated the association between these pains and the body composition using statistical methods. According to a multivariate analysis adjusted for age and gender, lower total body water ratio was significantly associated with the presence of neck and shoulder pain at present (P < 0.05); additionally, total body muscle mass (standardized β = -0.26, 95 % CI, -0.17 - -0.008, P < 0.05), total body water (standardized β = -0.27, 95 % CI, -0.23 - -0.04, P < 0.01), appendicular muscle mass (standardized β = -0.29, 95 % CI, -0.36 - -0.04, P < 0.05), and the appendicular muscle mass index (AMI) (standardized β = -0.24, 95 % CI, -1.18 - -0.20, P <0.01) were negatively correlated with the VAS of neck and shoulder pain, whereas no body composition parameters were significantly associated with back pain, low back pain at present and any type of chronic pain. The present study demonstrated that some body composition parameters regarding body water and body muscle were associated or correlated with the presence or intensity of neck and shoulder pain.

Disability in older adults with acute low back pain: the study Back Complaints in the Elderly - (Brazil).

PubMed

Aguiar, Alessandra Regina Silva Araujo; Ribeiro-Samora, Giane Amorim; Pereira, Leani Souza Maximo; Godinho, Larissa Birro; Assis, Marcella Guimarães

The increase in the older adult and oldest old population in Brazil is growing. This phenomenon may be accompanied by an increase in musculoskeletal symptoms such as low back pain. This condition is usually associated with disability. To verify the association between pain intensity and disability in older adults with acute low back pain and assess whether these variables differ depending on the age group and marital status. This is a cross-sectional study conducted with 532 older adults with acute low back pain episodes. Pain intensity was assessed through the Numeric Pain Scale and disability through the Late Life Function and Disability Instrument, which shows two dimensions: "frequency" and "limitation" in performing activities. The association between pain and disability was analyzed. For the interaction effect between age groups and marital status, we found that the oldest old living with a partner performed activities of the personal domain less often compared to the oldest old living alone. The oldest old group living with a partner had a lower frequency of performing activities, but did not report feeling limited. The association of pain with disability was minimal (rho<0.20) and thus considered irrelevant. Disability in older adults with acute low back pain was influenced by the interaction between age groups and marital status and is not associated with pain intensity. Copyright © 2017 Associação Brasileira de Pesquisa e Pós-Graduação em Fisioterapia. Publicado por Elsevier Editora Ltda. All rights reserved.

Predictive risk factors for chronic low back pain in Parkinson's disease.

PubMed

Ozturk, Erhan Arif; Kocer, Bilge Gonenli

2018-01-01

Although previous studies have reported that the prevalence of low back pain in Parkinson's disease was over 50% and low back pain was often classified as chronic, risk factors of chronic low back pain have not been previously investigated. The aim of this study was to determine the predictive risk factors of chronic low back pain in Parkinson's disease. One hundred and sixty-eight patients with Parkinson's disease and 179 controls were consecutively included in the study. Demographic data of the two groups and disease characteristics of Parkinson's disease patient group were recorded. Low back pain lasting for ≥3 months was evaluated as chronic. Firstly, the bivariate correlations were calculated between chronic low back pain and all possible risk factors. Then, a multivariate regression was used to evaluate the impact of the predictors of chronic low back pain. The frequency of chronic low back pain in Parkinson's disease patients and controls were 48.2% and 26.7%, respectively (p < 0.001). The predictive risk factors of chronic low back pain in Parkinson's disease were general factors including age (odds ratio = 1.053, p = 0.032) and Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale - Depression subscore (odds ratio = 1.218, p = 0.001), and Parkinson's disease-related factors including rigidity (odds ratio = 5.109, p = 0.002) and posture item scores (odds ratio = 5.019, p = 0.0001). The chronic low back pain affects approximately half of the patients with Parkinson's disease. Prevention of depression or treatment recommendations for managing depression, close monitoring of anti- parkinsonian medication to keep motor symptoms under control, and attempts to prevent, correct or reduce abnormal posture may help reduce the frequency of chronic low back pain in Parkinson's disease. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Multi-phase back contacts for CIS solar cells

DOEpatents

Rockett, A.A.; Yang, L.C.

1995-12-19

Multi-phase, single layer, non-interdiffusing M-Mo back contact metallized films, where M is selected from Cu, Ga, or mixtures thereof, for CIS cells are deposited by a sputtering process on suitable substrates, preferably glass or alumina, to prevent delamination of the CIS from the back contact layer. Typical CIS compositions include CuXSe{sub 2} where X is In or/and Ga. The multi-phase mixture is deposited on the substrate in a manner to provide a columnar microstructure, with micro-vein Cu or/and Ga regions which partially or fully vertically penetrate the entire back contact layer. The CIS semiconductor layer is then deposited by hybrid sputtering and evaporation process. The Cu/Ga-Mo deposition is controlled to produce the single layer two-phase columnar morphology with controllable Cu or Ga vein size less than about 0.01 microns in width. During the subsequent deposition of the CIS layer, the columnar Cu/Ga regions within the molybdenum of the Cu/Ga-Mo back layer tend to partially leach out, and are replaced by columns of CIS. Narrower Cu and/or Ga regions, and those with fewer inner connections between regions, leach out more slowly during the subsequent CIS deposition. This gives a good mechanical and electrical interlock of the CIS layer into the Cu/Ga-Mo back layer. Solar cells employing In-rich CIS semiconductors bonded to the multi-phase columnar microstructure back layer of this invention exhibit vastly improved photo-electrical conversion on the order of 17% greater than Mo alone, improved uniformity of output across the face of the cell, and greater Fill Factor. 15 figs.

Multi-phase back contacts for CIS solar cells

DOEpatents

Rockett, Angus A.; Yang, Li-Chung

1995-01-01

Multi-phase, single layer, non-interdiffusing M-Mo back contact metallized films, where M is selected from Cu, Ga, or mixtures thereof, for CIS cells are deposited by a sputtering process on suitable substrates, preferably glass or alumina, to prevent delamination of the CIS from the back contact layer. Typical CIS compositions include CuXSe.sub.2 where X is In or/and Ga. The multi-phase mixture is deposited on the substrate in a manner to provide a columnar microstructure, with micro-vein Cu or/and Ga regions which partially or fully vertically penetrate the entire back contact layer. The CIS semiconductor layer is then deposited by hybrid sputtering and evaporation process. The Cu/Ga-Mo deposition is controlled to produce the single layer two-phase columnar morphology with controllable Cu or Ga vein size less than about 0.01 microns in width. During the subsequent deposition of the CIS layer, the columnar Cu/Ga regions within the molybdenum of the Cu/Ga-Mo back layer tend to partially leach out, and are replaced by columns of CIS. Narrower Cu and/or Ga regions, and those with fewer inner connections between regions, leach out more slowly during the subsequent CIS deposition. This gives a good mechanical and electrical interlock of the CIS layer into the Cu/Ga-Mo back layer. Solar cells employing In-rich CIS semiconductors bonded to the multi-phase columnar microstructure back layer of this invention exhibit vastly improved photo-electrical conversion on the order of 17% greater than Mo alone, improved uniformity of output across the face of the cell, and greater Fill Factor.

Lower back pain and absenteeism among professional public transport drivers.

PubMed

Kresal, Friderika; Roblek, Vasja; Jerman, Andrej; Meško, Maja

2015-01-01

Drivers in public transport are subjected to lower back pain. The reason for the pain is associated with the characteristics of the physical position imposed on the worker while performing the job. Lower back pain is the main cause of absenteeism among drivers. The present study includes 145 public transport drivers employed as professional drivers for an average of 14.14 years. Analysis of the data obtained in the study includes the basic descriptive statistics, χ(2) test and multiple regression analysis. Analysis of the incidence of lower back pain showed that the majority of our sample population suffered from pain in the lower back. We found that there are no statistically significant differences between the groups formed by the length of service as a professional driver and incidence of lower back pain; we were also interested in whether or not the risk factors of lower back pain affects the absenteeism of city bus drivers. Analysis of the data has shown that the risk factors of pain in the lower part of the spine do affect the absenteeism of city bus drivers.

Disability pension from back pain among social security beneficiaries, Brazil.

PubMed

Meziat Filho, Ney; Silva, Gulnar Azevedo E

2011-06-01

To describe disability pension from back pain. Descriptive study based on data from the Brazilian Social Security Beneficiary Database and the Social Security Statistics Annual Report in 2007. The incidence rate of disability pension from back pain was estimated according to gender and age by Brazilian states. There were also estimated working days lost due to back pain disability by occupation. Idiopathic back pain was the most common cause of disability among social security pension and accidental retirement. Most pensioners were living in urban areas and were commercial workers. The rate of disability pension from back pain in Brazil was 29.96 per 100,000 beneficiaries. A higher rate was seen among males and older individuals. Rondônia showed the highest rate, four times as high as expected (RR= 4.05) followed by Bahia with a rate about twice as high as expected (RR=2.07). Commercial workers accounted for 96.9% of working days lost due to disability. Back pain was a major cause of disability in 2007 mostly among commercial workers showing great differences between the Brazilian states.

Suppression of back-to-back hadron pairs at forward rapidity in d+Au collisions at √s(NN)=200 GeV.

PubMed

Adare, A; Afanasiev, S; Aidala, C; Ajitanand, N N; Akiba, Y; Al-Bataineh, H; Alexander, J; Angerami, A; Aoki, K; Apadula, N; Aramaki, Y; Atomssa, E T; Averbeck, R; Awes, T C; Azmoun, B; Babintsev, V; Bai, M; Baksay, G; Baksay, L; Barish, K N; Bassalleck, B; Basye, A T; Bathe, S; Baublis, V; Baumann, C; Bazilevsky, A; Belikov, S; Belmont, R; Bennett, R; Berdnikov, A; Berdnikov, Y; Bhom, J H; Blau, D S; Bok, J S; Boyle, K; Brooks, M L; Buesching, H; Bumazhnov, V; Bunce, G; Butsyk, S; Campbell, S; Caringi, A; Chen, C-H; Chi, C Y; Chiu, M; Choi, I J; Choi, J B; Choudhury, R K; Christiansen, P; Chujo, T; Chung, P; Chvala, O; Cianciolo, V; Citron, Z; Cole, B A; Conesa del Valle, Z; Connors, M; Csanád, M; Csörgo, T; Dahms, T; Dairaku, S; Danchev, I; Das, K; Datta, A; David, G; Dayananda, M K; Denisov, A; Deshpande, A; Desmond, E J; Dharmawardane, K V; Dietzsch, O; Dion, A; Donadelli, M; Drapier, O; Drees, A; Drees, K A; Durham, J M; Durum, A; Dutta, D; D'Orazio, L; Edwards, S; Efremenko, Y V; Ellinghaus, F; Engelmore, T; Enokizono, A; En'yo, H; Esumi, S; Fadem, B; Fields, D E; Finger, M; Finger, M; Fleuret, F; Fokin, S L; Fraenkel, Z; Frantz, J E; Franz, A; Frawley, A D; Fujiwara, K; Fukao, Y; Fusayasu, T; Garishvili, I; Glenn, A; Gong, H; Gonin, M; Goto, Y; Granier de Cassagnac, R; Grau, N; Greene, S V; Grim, G; Grosse Perdekamp, M; Gunji, T; Gustafsson, H-Å; Haggerty, J S; Hahn, K I; Hamagaki, H; Hamblen, J; Han, R; Hanks, J; Haslum, E; Hayano, R; He, X; Heffner, M; Hemmick, T K; Hester, T; Hill, J C; Hohlmann, M; Holzmann, W; Homma, K; Hong, B; Horaguchi, T; Hornback, D; Huang, S; Ichihara, T; Ichimiya, R; Ikeda, Y; Imai, K; Inaba, M; Isenhower, D; Ishihara, M; Issah, M; Isupov, A; Ivanischev, D; Iwanaga, Y; Jacak, B V; Jia, J; Jiang, X; Jin, J; Johnson, B M; Jones, T; Joo, K S; Jouan, D; Jumper, D S; Kajihara, F; Kamin, J; Kang, J H; Kapustinsky, J; Karatsu, K; Kasai, M; Kawall, D; Kawashima, M; Kazantsev, A V; Kempel, T; Khanzadeev, A; Kijima, K M; Kikuchi, J; Kim, A; Kim, B I; Kim, D J; Kim, E J; Kim, Y-J; Kinney, E; Kiss, Á; Kistenev, E; Kochenda, L; Komkov, B; Konno, M; Koster, J; Král, A; Kravitz, A; Kunde, G J; Kurita, K; Kurosawa, M; Kwon, Y; Kyle, G S; Lacey, R; Lai, Y S; Lajoie, J G; Lebedev, A; Lee, D M; Lee, J; Lee, K B; Lee, K S; Leitch, M J; Leite, M A L; Li, X; Lichtenwalner, P; Liebing, P; Linden Levy, L A; Liška, T; Litvinenko, A; Liu, H; Liu, M X; Love, B; Lynch, D; Maguire, C F; Makdisi, Y I; Malakhov, A; Malik, M D; Manko, V I; Mannel, E; Mao, Y; Masui, H; Matathias, F; McCumber, M; McGaughey, P L; Means, N; Meredith, B; Miake, Y; Mibe, T; Mignerey, A C; Miki, K; Milov, A; Mitchell, J T; Mohanty, A K; Moon, H J; Morino, Y; Morreale, A; Morrison, D P; Moukhanova, T V; Murakami, T; Murata, J; Nagamiya, S; Nagle, J L; Naglis, M; Nagy, M I; Nakagawa, I; Nakamiya, Y; Nakamura, K R; Nakamura, T; Nakano, K; Nam, S; Newby, J; Nguyen, M; Nihashi, M; Nouicer, R; Nyanin, A S; Oakley, C; O'Brien, E; Oda, S X; Ogilvie, C A; Oka, M; Okada, K; Onuki, Y; Oskarsson, A; Ouchida, M; Ozawa, K; Pak, R; Pantuev, V; Papavassiliou, V; Park, I H; Park, S K; Park, W J; Pate, S F; Pei, H; Peng, J-C; Pereira, H; Peresedov, V; Peressounko, D Yu; Petti, R; Pinkenburg, C; Pisani, R P; Proissl, M; Purschke, M L; Qu, H; Rak, J; Ravinovich, I; Read, K F; Reygers, K; Riabov, V; Riabov, Y; Richardson, E; Roach, D; Roche, G; Rolnick, S D; Rosati, M; Rosen, C A; Rosendahl, S S E; Rukoyatkin, P; Ružička, P; Sahlmueller, B; Saito, N; Sakaguchi, T; Sakashita, K; Samsonov, V; Sano, S; Sato, T; Sawada, S; Sedgwick, K; Seele, J; Seidl, R; Seto, R; Sharma, D; Shein, I; Shibata, T-A; Shigaki, K; Shimomura, M; Shoji, K; Shukla, P; Sickles, A; Silva, C L; Silvermyr, D; Silvestre, C; Sim, K S; Singh, B K; Singh, C P; Singh, V; Slunečka, M; Soltz, R A; Sondheim, W E; Sorensen, S P; Sourikova, I V; Stankus, P W; Stenlund, E; Stoll, S P; Sugitate, T; Sukhanov, A; Sziklai, J; Takagui, E M; Taketani, A; Tanabe, R; Tanaka, Y; Taneja, S; Tanida, K; Tannenbaum, M J; Tarafdar, S; Taranenko, A; Themann, H; Thomas, D; Thomas, T L; Togawa, M; Toia, A; Tomášek, L; Torii, H; Towell, R S; Tserruya, I; Tsuchimoto, Y; Vale, C; Valle, H; van Hecke, H W; Vazquez-Zambrano, E; Veicht, A; Velkovska, J; Vértesi, R; Virius, M; Vrba, V; Vznuzdaev, E; Wang, X R; Watanabe, D; Watanabe, K; Watanabe, Y; Wei, F; Wei, R; Wessels, J; White, S N; Winter, D; Woody, C L; Wright, R M; Wysocki, M; Yamaguchi, Y L; Yamaura, K; Yang, R; Yanovich, A; Ying, J; Yokkaichi, S; You, Z; Young, G R; Younus, I; Yushmanov, I E; Zajc, W A; Zhou, S; Zolin, L

2011-10-21

Back-to-back hadron pair yields in d+Au and p+p collisions at √s(NN)=200 GeV were measured with the PHENIX detector at the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider. Rapidity separated hadron pairs were detected with the trigger hadron at pseudorapidity |η|<0.35 and the associated hadron at forward rapidity (deuteron direction, 3.0<η<3.8). Pairs were also detected with both hadrons measured at forward rapidity; in this case, the yield of back-to-back hadron pairs in d+Au collisions with small impact parameters is observed to be suppressed by a factor of 10 relative to p+p collisions. The kinematics of these pairs is expected to probe partons in the Au nucleus with a low fraction x of the nucleon momenta, where the gluon densities rise sharply. The observed suppression as a function of nuclear thickness, p(T), and η points to cold nuclear matter effects arising at high parton densities. © 2011 American Physical Society

Back pain was less explained than leg pain: a cross-sectional study using magnetic resonance imaging in low back pain patients with and without radiculopathy.

PubMed

Jensen, Ole Kudsk; Nielsen, Claus Vinther; Sørensen, Joan Solgaard; Stengaard-Pedersen, Kristian

2015-12-03

Cross-sectional studies have shown associations between lumbar degenerative manifestations on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and low back pain (LBP). Disc herniations and other degenerative manifestations, however, frequently occur in asymptomatic individuals. The purpose of this cross-sectional study was to analyze for associations between pain intensity and degenerative manifestations and other pain variables in patients for whom prognostic factors have been published previously. Included were 141 consecutive patients with and without radiculopathy, all sick-listed 1-4 months due to low back pain and subsequently examined by MRI of the lumbar spine. Using different methods of grouping the degenerative manifestations, linear regression analyses were performed with the intensity of back + leg pain, back pain and leg pain as dependent variables covering actual pain and pain the preceding 2 weeks. The clinical classification into +/- radiculopathy was established before and independently of the standardised description of MRI findings. Radiculopathy was present in 43 % of the patients. Pain was best explained using rank-ordered degenerative manifestations on MRI. Back pain and leg pain were differently associated, and back pain was less explained than leg pain in the multivariate analyses (15 % vs. 31 % of the variation). Back pain intensity was higher in patients with type 1 Modic changes and in some patients with nerve root touch, but was not associated with disc herniations. Leg pain intensity was well explained by disc herniations causing MRI nerve root compromise and radiculopathy. In patients with radiculopathy, nerve root touch caused as much leg pain as nerve root displacement or compression. High intensity zones and osteophytes were not associated with back pain, but only associated with leg pain in patients with radiculopathy. Tender points explained some of the back pain, and widespread pain explained leg pain in some of the patients without

Cross-sectional survey of attitudes and beliefs about back pain in New Zealand

PubMed Central

Darlow, Ben; Perry, Meredith; Stanley, James; Mathieson, Fiona; Melloh, Markus; Baxter, G David; Dowell, Anthony

2014-01-01

Objectives To explore the prevalence of attitudes and beliefs about back pain in New Zealand and compare certain beliefs based on back pain history or health professional exposure. Design Population-based cross-sectional survey. Setting Postal survey. Participants New Zealand residents and citizens aged 18 years and above. 1000 participants were randomly selected from the New Zealand Electoral Roll. Participants listed on the Electoral Roll with an overseas postal address were excluded. 602 valid responses were received. Measures Attitudes and beliefs about back pain were measured with the Back Pain Attitudes Questionnaire (Back-PAQ). The interaction between attitudes and beliefs and (1) back pain experience and (2) health professional exposure was investigated. Results The lifetime prevalence of back pain was reported as 87% (95% CI 84% to 90%), and the point prevalence as 27% (95% CI 24% to 31%). Negative views about the back and back pain were prevalent, in particular the need to protect the back to prevent injury. People with current back pain had more negative overall scores, particularly related to back pain prognosis. There was uncertainty about links between pain and injury and appropriate physical activity levels during an episode of back pain. Respondents had more positive views about activity if they had consulted a health professional about back pain. The beliefs of New Zealanders appeared to be broadly similar to those of other Western populations. Conclusions A large proportion of respondents believed that they needed to protect their back to prevent injury; we theorise that this belief may result in reduced confidence to use the back and contribute to fear avoidance. Uncertainty regarding what is a safe level of activity during an episode of back pain may limit participation. People experiencing back pain may benefit from more targeted information about the positive prognosis. The provision of clear guidance about levels of activity may enable

Comparison of the BackJoy SitSmart Relief and Spine Buddy LT1 H/C Ergonomic Chair Supports on Short-Term Neck and Back Pain.

PubMed

Ward, John; Coats, Jesse

2017-01-01

The purpose of this study was to perform a needs assessment to determine whether short-term use of BackJoy SitSmart Relief and Spine Buddy LT1 H/C chair supports influences neck, upper back, and lower back pain. Forty-eight college students (age, 27.5 ± 6.3 years; height, 1.72 ± 0.08 m; body mass, 78.7 ± 19.8 kg; time seated that day, 4.3 ± 2.8 hours; means ± SD) were recruited for this study. The Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire was used to measure pain for the neck, upper back, and lower back regions. Subjects were randomized to sit in a stationary office chair for a single 12-minute period under 1 of 4 conditions: office chair only (control group), BackJoy SitSmart Relief and chair, freezer-cooled Spine Buddy LT1 H/C and chair, or microwave-heated Spine Buddy LT1 H/C and chair. Participants then completed a posttest Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire. A between-within repeated-measures analysis of variance using the between-subject factor intervention (group) and within-subject factor time (baseline and posttest) was used to analyze study data. The main effect of time across the whole sample was statistically significant for neck (P = .000), upper back (P = .032), and lower back (P = .000) pain; however, there was no statistically significant interaction effect between intervention and time. Thus, as long as participants sat down and rested, symptoms improved similarly across the different groups. In this preliminary study, short-term and single use of a support product for an office chair had no additive effect on reducing neck and back pain. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Psychogenic Low-Back Pain and Hysterical Paralysis in Adolescence.

PubMed

Kanchiku, Tsukasa; Suzuki, Hidenori; Imajo, Yasuaki; Yoshida, Yuichiro; Nishida, Norihiro; Taguchi, Toshihiko

2017-10-01

A retrospective review. The purpose of this study was to investigate the clinical outcomes in adolescents diagnosed with psychogenic low-back pain and hysterical paralysis and to evaluate the efficacy of differential diagnosis methods. The incidence of low-back pain in adolescence is similar to that in adults, but the causes of low-back pain are difficult to determine in most cases. For these patients, a definitive diagnosis of psychogenic low-back pain and hysterical paralysis as well as adequate treatment are clinically important to avoid unnecessary surgical treatment. Eleven patients (3 males and 8 females; mean age, 16.5 years; range, 13-19 y) diagnosed with psychogenic low-back pain and hysterical paralysis were followed up for 2-10.25 years (mean, 4.67 y). Nonorganic signs were observed in almost all patients. For the purpose of excluding organic disorders, the thiopentone pain study was used in patients who complained mainly of pain, and motor evoked potentials using transcranial magnetic stimulation were measured in patients experiencing primarily muscle weakness. The psychiatric diagnosis was neurosis in 9 patients, whereas it was psychosomatic disorder in 2 patients. Conservative treatment, such as physiotherapy, was performed, and at the final follow-up evaluation, outcomes were regarded as excellent in 7 patients and good in 4 patients. The prognosis of psychogenic low-back pain and hysterical paralysis in adolescence is relatively good. However, it is important to understand the characteristics of psychogenic low-back pain and hysterical paralysis in childhood and young adulthood and to perform accurate diagnosis by screening for nonorganic signs and excluding organic disorders by using the thiopentone pain study and motor evoked potentials obtained using transcranial magnetic stimulation.

Back-junction back-contact n-type silicon solar cell with diffused boron emitter locally blocked by implanted phosphorus

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Müller, Ralph, E-mail: ralph.mueller@ise.fraunhofer.de; Schrof, Julian; Reichel, Christian

2014-09-08

The highest energy conversion efficiencies in the field of silicon-based photovoltaics have been achieved with back-junction back-contact (BJBC) silicon solar cells by several companies and research groups. One of the most complex parts of this cell structure is the fabrication of the locally doped p- and n-type regions, both on the back side of the solar cell. In this work, we introduce a process sequence based on a synergistic use of ion implantation and furnace diffusion. This sequence enables the formation of all doped regions for a BJBC silicon solar cell in only three processing steps. We observed that implantedmore » phosphorus can block the diffusion of boron atoms into the silicon substrate by nearly three orders of magnitude. Thus, locally implanted phosphorus can be used as an in-situ mask for a subsequent boron diffusion which simultaneously anneals the implanted phosphorus and forms the boron emitter. BJBC silicon solar cells produced with such an easy-to-fabricate process achieved conversion efficiencies of up to 21.7%. An open-circuit voltage of 674 mV and a fill factor of 80.6% prove that there is no significant recombination at the sharp transition between the highly doped emitter and the highly doped back surface field at the device level.« less

Low back pain tied to spinal endometriosis.

PubMed

Dongxu, Zhao; Fei, Yin; Xing, Xiao; Bo-Yin, Zhang; Qingsan, Zhu

2014-05-01

Case report. We present a case of endometriosis of lumbar vertebrae. The literatures are reviewed with endometriosis of spine. Endometriosis is a common condition, which is defined as endometrial tissue lying outside the endometrial cavity. It is usually found within the peritoneal cavity, predominantly within the pelvis, commonly on the uterosacral ligaments. It can also be found in other sites such as umbilicus, abdominal scars, nasal passages and pleural cavity. But it is very rarely seen in the spine, with no report of endometriosis found in the lumbar vertebrae. A 33-year-old woman presented with severe low back pain. She had the low back pain periodically for 3 years, and the pain was associated with menstruation. Radiographs showed a lesion in the posterior L3 body. After surgery, tissue biopsy indicated the presence of endometrial tissue in the lesion and thus confirmed endometriosis. Most cases of spine endometriosis that have been reported are usually found inside spinal canal, endorachis or spinal cord. But spinal vertebrae can also be involved in endometriosis. Although endometriosis is a rare possible cause of periodical low back pain in women of childbearing age, we suggest that if a woman suffering from periodical low back pain is encountered, do not ignore the possibility of endometriosis in the spine.

Normative data on the n-back task for children and young adolescents

PubMed Central

Pelegrina, Santiago; Lechuga, M. Teresa; García-Madruga, Juan A.; Elosúa, M. Rosa; Macizo, Pedro; Carreiras, Manuel; Fuentes, Luis J.; Bajo, M. Teresa

2015-01-01

The n-back task is a frequently used measure of working memory (WM) in cognitive neuroscience research contexts, and it has become widely adopted in other areas over the last decade. This study aimed to obtain normative data for the n-back task from a large sample of children and adolescents. To this end, a computerized verbal n-back task with three levels of WM load (1-back, 2-back, and 3-back) was administered to 3722 Spanish school children aged 7–13 years. Results showed an overall age-related increase in performance for the different levels of difficulty. This trend was less pronounced at 1-back than at 2-back when hits were considered. Gender differences were also observed, with girls outperforming boys although taking more time to respond. The theoretical implications of these results are discussed. Normative data stratified by age and gender for the three WM load levels are provided. PMID:26500594

Normative data on the n-back task for children and young adolescents.

PubMed

Pelegrina, Santiago; Lechuga, M Teresa; García-Madruga, Juan A; Elosúa, M Rosa; Macizo, Pedro; Carreiras, Manuel; Fuentes, Luis J; Bajo, M Teresa

2015-01-01

The n-back task is a frequently used measure of working memory (WM) in cognitive neuroscience research contexts, and it has become widely adopted in other areas over the last decade. This study aimed to obtain normative data for the n-back task from a large sample of children and adolescents. To this end, a computerized verbal n-back task with three levels of WM load (1-back, 2-back, and 3-back) was administered to 3722 Spanish school children aged 7-13 years. Results showed an overall age-related increase in performance for the different levels of difficulty. This trend was less pronounced at 1-back than at 2-back when hits were considered. Gender differences were also observed, with girls outperforming boys although taking more time to respond. The theoretical implications of these results are discussed. Normative data stratified by age and gender for the three WM load levels are provided.

Diverse alternative back-splicing and alternative splicing landscape of circular RNAs

PubMed Central

Zhang, Xiao-Ou; Dong, Rui; Zhang, Yang; Zhang, Jia-Lin; Luo, Zheng; Zhang, Jun; Chen, Ling-Ling; Yang, Li

2016-01-01

Circular RNAs (circRNAs) derived from back-spliced exons have been widely identified as being co-expressed with their linear counterparts. A single gene locus can produce multiple circRNAs through alternative back-splice site selection and/or alternative splice site selection; however, a detailed map of alternative back-splicing/splicing in circRNAs is lacking. Here, with the upgraded CIRCexplorer2 pipeline, we systematically annotated different types of alternative back-splicing and alternative splicing events in circRNAs from various cell lines. Compared with their linear cognate RNAs, circRNAs exhibited distinct patterns of alternative back-splicing and alternative splicing. Alternative back-splice site selection was correlated with the competition of putative RNA pairs across introns that bracket alternative back-splice sites. In addition, all four basic types of alternative splicing that have been identified in the (linear) mRNA process were found within circRNAs, and many exons were predominantly spliced in circRNAs. Unexpectedly, thousands of previously unannotated exons were detected in circRNAs from the examined cell lines. Although these novel exons had similar splice site strength, they were much less conserved than known exons in sequences. Finally, both alternative back-splicing and circRNA-predominant alternative splicing were highly diverse among the examined cell lines. All of the identified alternative back-splicing and alternative splicing in circRNAs are available in the CIRCpedia database (http://www.picb.ac.cn/rnomics/circpedia). Collectively, the annotation of alternative back-splicing and alternative splicing in circRNAs provides a valuable resource for depicting the complexity of circRNA biogenesis and for studying the potential functions of circRNAs in different cells. PMID:27365365

Investigation of the performance of backing cameras on NHDOT maintenance vehicles.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2011-02-01

This report details the trial use of backing cameras at the New Hampshire Department of Transportation (NHDOT). Several NHDOT : plow routes require the plow vehicles to perform multiple backing maneuvers. Other day-to-day operations entail backing in...

Back posture education in elementary schoolchildren: a 2-year follow-up study.

PubMed

Geldhof, Elisabeth; Cardon, Greet; De Bourdeaudhuij, Ilse; De Clercq, Dirk

2007-06-01

Within the scope of primary prevention regarding back functioning in children, research on the stability of intervention effects is indispensable. Along this line, the transition from childhood to adolescence is an important phase to evaluate the potential stability of intervention effects because of the typically mechanical and psychological demands related to adolescence. The main aim of the current study was to investigate the effects of a back education program at 2-year follow-up, in youngsters aged 13-14 years, on back posture knowledge, fear-avoidance beliefs and self-reported pain. An additional purpose was to evaluate which aspects of postural behavior were integrated in youngsters' lifestyles. At 2-year follow-up, the study sample included 94 secondary schoolchildren in the intervention group (mean age 13.3 +/- 0.8 years) and 101 controls (mean age 13.2 +/- 0.7 years). The back posture program that had been implemented for two school years consisted of back education and the stimulation of postural dynamism in the class through support and environmental changes. A questionnaire was completed comparable to the pretest, posttest and follow-up evaluations. The current study demonstrated at 2-year follow-up stability of the improved general (F = 1.590, ns) and specific (F = 0.049, ns) back posture knowledge in children who had received early back posture education. Back posture education did not result in increased fear-avoidance beliefs (F = 1.163, ns) or mounting back and/or neck pain reports (F = 0.001, ns). Based on self-reports for postural behavior, youngsters who had received the back posture program in the elementary school curriculum integrated crucial sitting and lifting principles conform to biomechanical favorable postural behavior. The steady intervention effects 2-year post-intervention demonstrated that intensive back posture education through the elementary school curriculum is effective till adolescence. Future research on the impact of early

Reviving Polya's "Look Back" in a Singapore School

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Leong, Yew Hoong; Tay, Eng Guan; Toh, Tin Lam; Quek, Khiok Seng; Dindyal, Jaguthsing

2011-01-01

This study is based on the stance that Polya's "Look Back," though understudied, remains relevant to Mathematics curricula that place emphasis on problem solving. Although the Singapore Mathematics curriculum adopts the goal of teaching Look Back, research about how it is carried out in actual classroom practice is rare. In our project,…

Analog Delta-Back-Propagation Neural-Network Circuitry

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Eberhart, Silvio

1990-01-01

Changes in synapse weights due to circuit drifts suppressed. Proposed fully parallel analog version of electronic neural-network processor based on delta-back-propagation algorithm. Processor able to "learn" when provided with suitable combinations of inputs and enforced outputs. Includes programmable resistive memory elements (corresponding to synapses), conductances (synapse weights) adjusted during learning. Buffer amplifiers, summing circuits, and sample-and-hold circuits arranged in layers of electronic neurons in accordance with delta-back-propagation algorithm.

Reanalysis of the occurrence of back pain among construction workers: modelling for the interdependent effects of heavy physical work, earlier back accidents, and aging.

PubMed

Nurminen, M

1997-11-01

To re-examine the relation between heavy physical work and the occurrence of sciatic pain among construction workers reported previously to be absent in an epidemiological study. METHODS-Poisson log linear regression was used to model for the frequency of sciatic pain among concrete reinforcement workers and maintenance house painters with adjustment for the interactive effects of earlier back accidents and aging that modified the relation. Concrete reinforcement work not only had a direct effect on the frequency of sciatic pain, but it also contributed significantly to the risk indirectly through earlier back accidents. The risk of sciatic pain increased from age 25 to 54 in a different manner for a worker depending on his occupational group and record of back accidents. Epidemiological studies on low back pain need to be analysed with sound methodology. This is important in view of future meta-analyses that will be performed for the purpose of providing guidelines on the prevention of back disorders in heavy physical work.

Effects of McGill stabilization exercises and conventional physiotherapy on pain, functional disability and active back range of motion in patients with chronic non-specific low back pain.

PubMed

Ghorbanpour, Arsalan; Azghani, Mahmoud Reza; Taghipour, Mohammad; Salahzadeh, Zahra; Ghaderi, Fariba; Oskouei, Ali E

2018-04-01

[Purpose] The aim of this study was to compare the effects of "McGill stabilization exercises" and "conventional physiotherapy" on pain, functional disability and active back flexion and extension range of motion in patients with chronic non-specific low back pain. [Subjects and Methods] Thirty four patients with chronic non-specific low back pain were randomly assigned to McGill stabilization exercises group (n=17) and conventional physiotherapy group (n=17). In both groups, patients performed the corresponding exercises for six weeks. The visual analog scale (VAS), Quebec Low Back Pain Disability Scale Questionnaire and inclinometer were used to measure pain, functional disability, and active back flexion and extension range of motion, respectively. [Results] Statistically significant improvements were observed in pain, functional disability, and active back extension range of motion in McGill stabilization exercises group. However, active back flexion range of motion was the only clinical symptom that statistically increased in patients who performed conventional physiotherapy. There was no significant difference between the clinical characteristics while compared these two groups of patients. [Conclusion] The results of this study indicated that McGill stabilization exercises and conventional physiotherapy provided approximately similar improvement in pain, functional disability, and active back range of motion in patients with chronic non-specific low back pain. However, it appears that McGill stabilization exercises provide an additional benefit to patients with chronic non-specific low back, especially in pain and functional disability improvement.

The Elimination of Fire Hazard Due to Back Fires

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Theodorsen, Theodore; Freeman, Ira M

1933-01-01

A critical study was made of the operation of a type of back-fire arrester used to reduce the fire hazard of aircraft engines. A flame arrester consisting of a pack or plug of alternate flat and corrugated plates of thin metal was installed in the intake pipe of a gasoline engines; an auxiliary spark plug inserted in the intake manifold permitted the production of artificial back fires at will. It was found possible to design a plug which prevented all back fires from reaching the carburetor.

Netguns: a technique for capturing Black-backed Woodpeckers

Treesearch

Chad P. Lehman; Dylan C. Kesler; Christopher T. Rota; Mark A. Rumble; Eric M. Seckinger; Thomas M. Juntti; Joshua J. Millspaugh

2011-01-01

Effective capture techniques are essential for studying bird populations, but commonly used techniques have proven ineffective for capturing Black-backed Woodpeckers (Picoides arcticus) during the nonbreeding period. As a result, little is known about the winter ecology of Black-backed Woodpeckers. We used two netguns, one powered with a 0.308 cartridge and another...

Backing up and Moving forward in Fractional Understanding

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Barlow, Angela T.; Lischka, Alyson E.; Willingham, James C.; Hartland, Kristin S.

2017-01-01

This article describes a process called "Backing Up" which is a way to preassess student understanding of a topic and gauge student readiness to move forward in the learning process. This process of backing up begins with using responses to a word problem to identify categories of students' understandings in relation to the expectations…

Analysis of Accuracy and Epoch on Back-propagation BFGS Quasi-Newton

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Silaban, Herlan; Zarlis, Muhammad; Sawaluddin

2017-12-01

Back-propagation is one of the learning algorithms on artificial neural networks that have been widely used to solve various problems, such as pattern recognition, prediction and classification. The Back-propagation architecture will affect the outcome of learning processed. BFGS Quasi-Newton is one of the functions that can be used to change the weight of back-propagation. This research tested some back-propagation architectures using classical back-propagation and back-propagation with BFGS. There are 7 architectures that have been tested on glass dataset with various numbers of neurons, 6 architectures with 1 hidden layer and 1 architecture with 2 hidden layers. BP with BFGS improves the convergence of the learning process. The average improvement convergence is 98.34%. BP with BFGS is more optimal on architectures with smaller number of neurons with decreased epoch number is 94.37% with the increase of accuracy about 0.5%.

Chiropractic care for back pain

MedlinePlus

... this page: //medlineplus.gov/ency/patientinstructions/000416.htm Chiropractic care for back pain To use the sharing ... discussed in your first session. What Conditions Does Chiropractic Treat Best? Chiropractic treatment is most effective for: ...

Investigation of Back-Projection Uncertainties with M6 Earthquakes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fan, W.; Shearer, P. M.

2017-12-01

We investigate possible biasing effects of inaccurate timing corrections on teleseismic P-wave back-projection imaging of large earthquake ruptures. These errors occur because empirically-estimated time shifts based on aligning P-wave first arrivals are exact only at the hypocenter and provide approximate corrections for other parts of the rupture. Using the Japan subduction zone as a test region, we analyze 46 M6-7 earthquakes over a ten-year period, including many aftershocks of the 2011 M9 Tohoku earthquake, performing waveform cross-correlation of their initial P-wave arrivals to obtain hypocenter timing corrections to global seismic stations. We then compare back-projection images for each earthquake using its own timing corrections with those obtained using the time corrections for other earthquakes. This provides a measure of how well sub-events can be resolved with back-projection of a large rupture as a function of distance from the hypocenter. Our results show that back-projection is generally very robust and that sub-event location errors average about 20 km across the entire study region ( 700 km). The back-projection coherence loss and location errors do not noticeably converge to zero even when the event pairs are very close (<20 km). This indicates that most of the timing differences are due to 3D structure close to each of the hypocenter regions, which limits the effectiveness of attempts to refine back-projection images using aftershock calibration, at least in this region.

Back and face involvement in hidradenitis suppurativa.

PubMed

Poli, Florence; Wolkenstein, Pierre; Revuz, Jean

2010-01-01

Hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) may be associated with face and back lesions which are considered as acne. To describe the skin lesions of a group of patients with HS. Twelve patients were selected from a series of 648 patients on the basis of their specific skin lesions. The patients (mostly male) had typical hidradenitis. On their face or back they had one or several of the following skin lesions which are not seen in acne: hypertrophic rope-like bridged scars, raised plaques with multiple carbuncle-like openings or with ulcerations, 'worm-eaten scars' and coalescent nodules with round ulcerations. All patients had deep round scars. Several had a pilonidal cyst or large epidermal cysts. Isotretinoin had been used by 7 patients with no effect. Some HS patients have specific lesions of the face and back which are not acne and have to be treated differently. Copyright 2010 S. Karger AG, Basel.

26 CFR 1.460-6 - Look-back method.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... 26 Internal Revenue 6 2011-04-01 2011-04-01 false Look-back method. 1.460-6 Section 1.460-6 Internal Revenue INTERNAL REVENUE SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY (CONTINUED) INCOME TAX (CONTINUED) INCOME TAXES (CONTINUED) Taxable Year for Which Items of Gross Income Included § 1.460-6 Look-back method. (a) In general—(1) Introduction. With...

26 CFR 1.460-6 - Look-back method.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... 26 Internal Revenue 6 2014-04-01 2014-04-01 false Look-back method. 1.460-6 Section 1.460-6 Internal Revenue INTERNAL REVENUE SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY (CONTINUED) INCOME TAX (CONTINUED) INCOME TAXES (CONTINUED) Taxable Year for Which Items of Gross Income Included § 1.460-6 Look-back method. (a) In general—(1) Introduction. With...

26 CFR 1.460-6 - Look-back method.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

... 26 Internal Revenue 6 2012-04-01 2012-04-01 false Look-back method. 1.460-6 Section 1.460-6 Internal Revenue INTERNAL REVENUE SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY (CONTINUED) INCOME TAX (CONTINUED) INCOME TAXES (CONTINUED) Taxable Year for Which Items of Gross Income Included § 1.460-6 Look-back method. (a) In general—(1) Introduction. With...

What low back pain is and why we need to pay attention.

PubMed

Hartvigsen, Jan; Hancock, Mark J; Kongsted, Alice; Louw, Quinette; Ferreira, Manuela L; Genevay, Stéphane; Hoy, Damian; Karppinen, Jaro; Pransky, Glenn; Sieper, Joachim; Smeets, Rob J; Underwood, Martin

2018-03-20

Low back pain is a very common symptom. It occurs in high-income, middle-income, and low-income countries and all age groups from children to the elderly population. Globally, years lived with disability caused by low back pain increased by 54% between 1990 and 2015, mainly because of population increase and ageing, with the biggest increase seen in low-income and middle-income countries. Low back pain is now the leading cause of disability worldwide. For nearly all people with low back pain, it is not possible to identify a specific nociceptive cause. Only a small proportion of people have a well understood pathological cause-eg, a vertebral fracture, malignancy, or infection. People with physically demanding jobs, physical and mental comorbidities, smokers, and obese individuals are at greatest risk of reporting low back pain. Disabling low back pain is over-represented among people with low socioeconomic status. Most people with new episodes of low back pain recover quickly; however, recurrence is common and in a small proportion of people, low back pain becomes persistent and disabling. Initial high pain intensity, psychological distress, and accompanying pain at multiple body sites increases the risk of persistent disabling low back pain. Increasing evidence shows that central pain-modulating mechanisms and pain cognitions have important roles in the development of persistent disabling low back pain. Cost, health-care use, and disability from low back pain vary substantially between countries and are influenced by local culture and social systems, as well as by beliefs about cause and effect. Disability and costs attributed to low back pain are projected to increase in coming decades, in particular in low-income and middle-income countries, where health and other systems are often fragile and not equipped to cope with this growing burden. Intensified research efforts and global initiatives are clearly needed to address the burden of low back pain as a public

Study of Damped Set-Back Pins for S and A Mechanisms.

DTIC Science & Technology

1976-11-01

arm device for artillery munitions. This damped set-back pin assembly is one of two safety features on a S and A device used in the M739 PD/XM587 ET...The damped set-back pin study program was for the design, testing, fabrication, and delivery and damped set-back pin assemblies for use in a safe and...fuzes for a rotating projectile. A pin, porous disc, return spring, floating O-ring, and sleeve comprise the selected damped set-back pin assembly

The Impact of Obesity on Back and Core Muscular Endurance in Firefighters

PubMed Central

Mayer, John M.; Nuzzo, James L.; Chen, Ren; Quillen, William S.; Verna, Joe L.; Miro, Rebecca; Dagenais, Simon

2012-01-01

The purpose of this study was to assess the relationships between obesity and measures of back and core muscular endurance in firefighters. Methods. A cross-sectional study was conducted in career firefighters without low back pain. Obesity measures included body mass index (BMI) and body fat percentage assessed with air displacement plethysmography. Muscular endurance was assessed with the Modified Biering Sorensen (back) and Plank (core) tests. Relationships were explored using t-tests and regression analyses. Results. Of the 83 participants enrolled, 24 (29%) were obese (BMI ≥ 30). Back and core muscular endurance was 27% lower for obese participants. Significant negative correlations were observed for BMI and body fat percentage with back and core endurance (r = −0.42 to −0.52). Stepwise regression models including one obesity measure (BMI, body fat percentage, and fat mass/fat-free mass), along with age and self-reported physical exercise, accounted for 17–19% of the variance in back muscular endurance and 29–37% of the variance in core muscular endurance. Conclusions. Obesity is associated with reduced back and core muscular endurance in firefighters, which may increase the risk of musculoskeletal injuries. Obesity should be considered along with back and core muscular endurance when designing exercise programs for back pain prevention in firefighters. PMID:23213491

Back posture education in elementary schoolchildren: a 2-year follow-up study

PubMed Central

Geldhof, Elisabeth; De Bourdeaudhuij, Ilse; De Clercq, Dirk

2006-01-01

Within the scope of primary prevention regarding back functioning in children, research on the stability of intervention effects is indispensable. Along this line, the transition from childhood to adolescence is an important phase to evaluate the potential stability of intervention effects because of the typically mechanical and psychological demands related to adolescence. The main aim of the current study was to investigate the effects of a back education program at 2-year follow-up, in youngsters aged 13–14 years, on back posture knowledge, fear-avoidance beliefs and self-reported pain. An additional purpose was to evaluate which aspects of postural behavior were integrated in youngsters’ lifestyles. At 2-year follow-up, the study sample included 94 secondary schoolchildren in the intervention group (mean age 13.3 ± 0.8 years) and 101 controls (mean age 13.2 ± 0.7 years). The back posture program that had been implemented for two school years consisted of back education and the stimulation of postural dynamism in the class through support and environmental changes. A questionnaire was completed comparable to the pretest, posttest and follow-up evaluations. The current study demonstrated at 2-year follow-up stability of the improved general (F = 1.590, ns) and specific (F = 0.049, ns) back posture knowledge in children who had received early back posture education. Back posture education did not result in increased fear-avoidance beliefs (F = 1.163, ns) or mounting back and/or neck pain reports (F = 0.001, ns). Based on self-reports for postural behavior, youngsters who had received the back posture program in the elementary school curriculum integrated crucial sitting and lifting principles conform to biomechanical favorable postural behavior. The steady intervention effects 2-year post-intervention demonstrated that intensive back posture education through the elementary school curriculum is effective till adolescence. Future research on

Titanium Alloy Strong Back for IXO Mirror Segments

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Byron, Glenn P.; Kai-Wang, Chan

2011-01-01

A titanium-alloy mirror-holding fixture called a strong back allows the temporary and permanent bonding of a 50 degree D263 glass x-ray mirror (IXO here stands for International X-ray Observatory). The strong back is used to hold and position a mirror segment so that mounting tabs may be bonded to the mirror with ultra-low distortion of the optical surface. Ti-15%Mo alloy was the material of choice for the strong back and tabs because the coefficient of thermal expansion closely matches that of the D263 glass and the material is relatively easy to machine. This invention has the ability to transfer bonded mounting points from a temporary location on the strong back to a permanent location on the strong back with minimal distortion. Secondly, it converts a single mirror segment into a rigid body with an acceptable amount of distortion of the mirror, and then maneuvers that rigid body into optical alignment such that the mirror segment can be bonded into a housing simulator or mirror module. Key problems are that the mirrors are 0.4-mm thick and have a very low coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE). Because the mirrors are so thin, they are very flexible and are easily distorted. When permanently bonding the mirror, the goal is to achieve a less than 1-micron distortion. Temperature deviations in the lab, which have been measured to be around 1 C, have caused significant distortions in the mirror segment.

"Doing the heavy lifting: health care workers take back their backs".

PubMed

Morse, Tim; Fekieta, Renee; Rubenstein, Harriet; Warren, Nick; Alexander, Darryl; Wawzyniecki, Patricia

2008-01-01

Health care workers have the highest musculoskeletal disorder prevalence and incidence of any occupational/industry group, and patient handling tasks are so biomechanically demanding that they cannot be made safe through the commonly used, technique-oriented methods such as "back school" training programs. Although there is standard-setting activity for "no-lift" programs in some states, there is still no federal standard. Health care worker unions and nurses' associations have begun to take action through training members in equipment need, use, and acceptance in programs to encourage adoption of no-lifting programs. Acceptance of lifting equipment is increasing due to recognition of the high human and economic costs of MSD, consistent documentation of cost savings from no-lift programs, major improvements in lifting equipment, and shortages of health care staff. An action-oriented training program for health care workers is described that provides knowledge about the 1) Scope of the current problem of back injuries in health care, 2) Costs of injuries, both to workers and to the hospital, 3) Elements of a safe patient-handling program, and 4) Success stories. The program also builds skills through: 1) Hands-on experience with safe lifting equipment, and 2) Assessing organizational and union readiness and planning for action at the workplace.

Improved Starting Materials for Back-Illuminated Imagers

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pain, Bedabrata

2009-01-01

An improved type of starting materials for the fabrication of silicon-based imaging integrated circuits that include back-illuminated photodetectors has been conceived, and a process for making these starting materials is undergoing development. These materials are intended to enable reductions in dark currents and increases in quantum efficiencies, relative to those of comparable imagers made from prior silicon-on-insulator (SOI) starting materials. Some background information is prerequisite to a meaningful description of the improved starting materials and process. A prior SOI starting material, depicted in the upper part the figure, includes: a) A device layer on the front side, typically between 2 and 20 m thick, made of p-doped silicon (that is, silicon lightly doped with an electron acceptor, which is typically boron); b) A buried oxide (BOX) layer (that is, a buried layer of oxidized silicon) between 0.2 and 0.5 m thick; and c) A silicon handle layer (also known as a handle wafer) on the back side, between about 600 and 650 m thick. After fabrication of the imager circuitry in and on the device layer, the handle wafer is etched away, the BOX layer acting as an etch stop. In subsequent operation of the imager, light enters from the back, through the BOX layer. The advantages of back illumination over front illumination have been discussed in prior NASA Tech Briefs articles.

Central sensitization in chronic low back pain: A narrative review.

PubMed

Sanzarello, Ilaria; Merlini, Luciano; Rosa, Michele Attilio; Perrone, Mariada; Frugiuele, Jacopo; Borghi, Raffaele; Faldini, Cesare

2016-11-21

Low back pain is one of the four most common disorders in all regions, and the greatest contributor to disability worldwide, adding 10.7% of total years lost due to this health state. The etiology of chronic low back pain is, in most of the cases (up to 85%), unknown or nonspecific, while the specific causes (specific spinal pathology and neuropathic/radicular disorders) are uncommon. Central sensitization has been recently recognized as a potential pathophysiological mechanism underlying a group of chronic pain conditions, and may be a contributory factor for a sub-group of patients with chronic low back pain. The purposes of this narrative review are twofold. First, to describe central sensitization and its symptoms and signs in patients with chronic pain disorders in order to allow its recognition in patients with nonspecific low back pain. Second, to provide general treatment principles of chronic low back pain with particular emphasis on pharmacotherapy targeting central sensitization.

Making Sense of Low Back Pain and Pain-Related Fear.

PubMed

Bunzli, Samantha; Smith, Anne; Schütze, Robert; Lin, Ivan; O'Sullivan, Peter

2017-09-01

Synopsis Pain-related fear is implicated in the transition from acute to chronic low back pain and the persistence of disabling low back pain, making it a key target for physical therapy intervention. The current understanding of pain-related fear is that it is a psychopathological problem, whereby people who catastrophize about the meaning of pain become trapped in a vicious cycle of avoidance behavior, pain, and disability, as recognized in the fear-avoidance model. However, there is evidence that pain-related fear can also be seen as a common-sense response to deal with low back pain, for example, when one is told that one's back is vulnerable, degenerating, or damaged. In this instance, avoidance is a common-sense response to protect a "damaged" back. While the fear-avoidance model proposes that when someone first develops low back pain, the confrontation of normal activity in the absence of catastrophizing leads to recovery, the pathway to recovery for individuals trapped in the fear-avoidance cycle is less clear. Understanding pain-related fear from a common-sense perspective enables physical therapists to offer individuals with low back pain and high fear a pathway to recovery by altering how they make sense of their pain. Drawing on a body of published work exploring the lived experience of pain-related fear in people with low back pain, this clinical commentary illustrates how Leventhal's common-sense model may assist physical therapists to understand the broader sense-making processes involved in the fear-avoidance cycle, and how they can be altered to facilitate fear reduction by applying strategies established in the behavioral medicine literature. J Orthop Sports Phys Ther 2017;47(9):628-636. Epub 13 Jul 2017. doi:10.2519/jospt.2017.7434.

Fitness, motor competence, and body composition are weakly associated with adolescent back pain.

PubMed

Perry, Mark; Straker, Leon; O'Sullivan, Peter; Smith, Anne; Hands, Beth

2009-06-01

Cross-sectional survey. To assess the associations between adolescent back pain and fitness, motor competence, and body composition. Although deficits in physical fitness and motor control have been shown to relate to adult back pain, the evidence in adolescents is less clear. In this cross-sectional study, 1608 "Raine" cohort adolescents (mean age, 14 years) answered questions on lifetime, month, and chronic prevalence of back pain, and participated in a range of physical tests assessing aerobic capacity, muscle performance, flexibility, motor competence, and body composition.A history of any diagnosed back pain in the adolescent was obtained from the primary caregiver. After multivariate logistic regression analysis, increased likelihood of back pain in boys was associated with greater aerobic capacity, greater waist girth, and both reduced and greater flexibility. Back pain in girls was associated with greater abdominal endurance, reduced kinesthetic integration, and both reduced and greater back endurance. Lower likelihood of back pain was associated with greater bimanual dexterity in boys and greater lower extremity power in girls. Physical characteristics are commonly cited as important risk factors in back pain development. Although some factors were associated with adolescent back pain, and these differed between boys and girls, they made only a small contribution to logistic regression models for back pain. The results suggest future work should explore the interaction of multiple domains of risk factors (physical, lifestyle, and psychosocial) and subgroups of adolescent back pain, for whom different risk factors may be important.

Low back pain among nurses in Slovenian hospitals: cross-sectional study.

PubMed

Skela-Savič, B; Pesjak, K; Hvalič-Touzery, S

2017-12-01

The study investigated the prevalence and factors predicting low back pain among nurses in Slovenian hospitals. The risk factors for low back pain are physical and psychosocial. Implementation of interventions for reducing low back pain calls for management support, accessible equipment, education, knowledge and risk assessment. Low back pain prevalence and incidence among healthcare workers is very high compared to the general population and is a strong risk factor for long-term sickness absence. A cross-sectional study design was utilized. We used validated instruments: Nordic Musculoskeletal Disorder Questionnaire, Stanford Presenteeism Scale and Perceived Stress Scale. The sample included 1744 nursing employees from 16 Slovenian hospitals, ranging from practical nurses, registered nurses, nurses with a bachelor's degree and those with a master's degree. Results revealed a prevalence of low back pain among 85.9% of respondents. Relevant risk factors included female gender, age, length of employment, years in current position, shift work and the number of nurses per shift. In the regression model, factors predicting low back pain included presenteeism with a negative effect on work, presenteeism and maintaining work productivity, inability to control daily life, number of nurses per shift and respondents' age. Future activities should be oriented towards eliminating or reducing risks for low back pain incidents and towards different strategies, guidelines and actions which empower individuals and provide knowledge to manage and prevent low back pain. Slovenian healthcare system planning needs a national strategy to successfully promote LBP preventive and controlling strategies. Management can plan preventive and curative measures to reduce low back pain prevalence among nursing personnel. Management should also implement policies reflecting research findings. © 2017 International Council of Nurses.

Low-loss LIGA-micromachined conductor-backed coplanar waveguide.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Forman, Michael A.

2004-12-01

A mesoscale low-loss LIGA-micromachined conductor-backed coplanar waveguide is presented. The 517 {micro}m lines are the tallest uniplanar LIGA-fabricated microwave transmission lines to date, as well as the first to be constructed of copper rather than nickel. The conductor-backed micromachined CPW on quartz achieves a measured attenuation of 0.064 dB/cm at 15.5 GHz.

Field-scale forward and back diffusion through low-permeability zones

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, Minjune; Annable, Michael D.; Jawitz, James W.

2017-07-01

Understanding the effects of back diffusion of groundwater contaminants from low-permeability zones to aquifers is critical to making site management decisions related to remedial actions. Here, we combine aquifer and aquitard data to develop recommended site characterization strategies using a three-stage classification of plume life cycle based on the solute origins: aquifer source zone dissolution, source zone dissolution combined with back diffusion from an aquitard, and only back diffusion. We use measured aquitard concentration profile data from three field sites to identify signature shapes that are characteristic of these three stages. We find good fits to the measured data with analytical solutions that include the effects of advection and forward and back diffusion through low-permeability zones, and linearly and exponentially decreasing flux resulting from source dissolution in the aquifer. Aquifer contaminant time series data at monitoring wells from a mature site were well described using analytical solutions representing the combined case of source zone and back diffusion, while data from a site where the source had been isolated were well described solely by back diffusion. The modeling approach presented in this study is designed to enable site managers to implement appropriate remediation technologies at a proper timing for high- and low-permeability zones, considering estimated plume life cycle.

T-34C back seat instrument panel

NASA Image and Video Library

1997-05-15

The back seat instrument panel on the NASA T-34C chase plane. In its role as a military trainer, the instructor pilot would ride in the back seat, while the student would be in the front seat. As a chase plane, the back seat would be occupied by a photographer. The aircraft was previously used at the Lewis Research Center in propulsion experiments involving turboprop engines, and was used as a chase aircraft at Dryden for smaller and slower research projects. Chase aircraft accompany research flights for photography and video purposes, and also as support for safety and research. At Dryden, the T-34 is used mainly for smaller remotely piloted vehicles which fly slower than NASA's F-18's, used for larger scale projects. This aircraft was returned to the U.S. Navy in May of 2002. The T-34C, built by Beech, carries a crew of 2 and is nicknamed the Mentor.

A comparison of muscle activation between back squats and belt squats.

PubMed

Evans, Thomas W; McLester, Cherilyn N; Howard, Jonathan H; McLester, John R; Calloway, Jimmy P

2017-06-08

A machine belt squat is a piece of equipment designed to allow the performance of squats while loading weight on the lifter's hips using a belt. The purpose of this investigation was to determine if belt squats differ from back squats in activation of the primary movers, and to determine the predictive capabilities of back squat load, training status, and anthropometric data on belt squat load. Thirty-one participants (16 males and 15 females) completed anthropometric measurements, a demographic questionnaire, a familiarization visit, and two testing visits, completing a 5 repetition maximum test for back squat and belt squat. Surface electromyography was used to measure muscle activation for the left and right vastus medialis (VMO), vastus lateralis (VLO), rectus femoris (RF), and gluteus maximus (GM). Comparison of muscle activation between the two exercises showed significant differences in the left GM (back squat: 0.84 ± 0.45, belt squat: 0.69 ± 0.22, p=0.015) and right GM (back squat: 0.86 ± 0.45, belt squat: 0.71 ± 0.29, p=0.004). Regression analysis computed significant prediction equations for belt squat load for general population, males, females, and advanced lifters. Overall, results indicate that belt squats may significantly differ in GM activation from back squats. Back squat load, as well as other variables, may be effective in accurately estimating appropriate belt squat load. These findings may help to more appropriately program for training with machine belt squats as a back squat alternative.

Low Back Imaging When Not Indicated: A Descriptive Cross-System Analysis.

PubMed

Gold, Rachel; Esterberg, Elizabeth; Hollombe, Celine; Arkind, Jill; Vakarcs, Patricia A; Tran, Huong; Burdick, Tim; Devoe, Jennifer E; Horberg, Michael A

2016-01-01

Guideline-discordant imaging to evaluate incident low back pain is common. We compared rates of guideline-discordant imaging in patients with low back pain in two care delivery systems with differing abilities to track care through an electronic health record (EHR), and in their patients' insurance status, to measure the association between these factors and rates of ordered low back imaging. We used data from two Kaiser Permanente (KP) Regions and from OCHIN, a community health center network. We extracted data on imaging performed after index visits for low back pain from June 1, 2011, to May 31, 2012, in these systems. Adjusted logistic regression measured associations between system-level factors and imaging rates. Imaging rates for incident low back pain using 2 national quality metrics: Clinical Quality Measure 0052, a measure for assessing Meaningful Use of EHRs, and the Healthcare Effectiveness Data and Information Set measure "Use of Imaging Studies for Low Back Pain." Among 19,503 KP patients and 2694 OCHIN patients with incident low back pain, ordered imaging was higher among men and whites but did not differ across health care systems. OCHIN's publicly insured patients had higher rates of imaging compared with those with private or no insurance. Rates of ordered imaging to evaluate incident low back pain among uninsured OCHIN patients were lower than in KP overall; among insured OCHIN patients, rates were higher than in KP overall. Research is needed to establish causality and develop interventions.

Relationship between Teach-back and patient-centered communication in primary care pediatric encounters.

PubMed

Badaczewski, Adam; Bauman, Laurie J; Blank, Arthur E; Dreyer, Benard; Abrams, Mary Ann; Stein, Ruth E K; Roter, Debra L; Hossain, Jobayer; Byck, Hal; Sharif, Iman

2017-07-01

We proposed and tested a theoretical framework for how use of Teach-back could influence communication during the pediatric clinical encounter. Audio-taped pediatric primary care encounters with 44 children with asthma were coded using the Roter Interaction Analysis System to measure patient-centered communication and affective engagement of the parent. A newly created Teach-back Loop Score measured the extent to which Teach-back occurred during the clinical encounter; parental health literacy was measured by Newest Vital Sign. Logistic regression was used to test the relationship between Teach-back and features of communication. Focus groups held separately with clinicians and parents elicited perceptions of Teach-back usefulness. Teach-back was used in 39% of encounters. Visits with Teach-back had more patient centered communication (p=0.01). Adjusting for parent health literacy, parent age, and child age, Teach-back increased the odds of both patient centered communication [proportional AOR (95% CI)=4.97 (4.47-5.53)]and negative affect [AOR (95% CI)=5.39 (1.68-17.31)]. Focus group themes common to clinicians and parents included: Teach-back is effective, could cause discomfort, should be used with children, and nurses should use it. Teach-back was associated with more patient-centered communication and increased affective engagement of parents. Standardizing Teach-back use may strengthen patient-centered communication. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Correlations of hip mobility with degree of back pain and lumbar spinal mobility in chronic low-back pain patients.

PubMed

Mellin, G

1988-06-01

Mobility of hips and lumbar spine were measured in 301 men and 175 women who were in employment but suffered from chronic or recurrent low-back pain. The degree of low-back pain (LBP) was assessed with a questionnaire. Hip flexion, extension, internal rotation, and hamstring flexibility in the men, and hip flexion and extension in the women had statistically significant negative correlations with LBP. Among the correlations between hip and lumbar spinal mobility, hip flexion and extension with lumbar rotation were strongest.

Minimizing back exchange in the hydrogen exchange-mass spectrometry experiment.

PubMed

Walters, Benjamin T; Ricciuti, Alec; Mayne, Leland; Englander, S Walter

2012-12-01

The addition of mass spectrometry (MS) analysis to the hydrogen exchange (HX) proteolytic fragmentation experiment extends powerful HX methodology to the study of large biologically important proteins. A persistent problem is the degradation of HX information due to back exchange of deuterium label during the fragmentation-separation process needed to prepare samples for MS measurement. This paper reports a systematic analysis of the factors that influence back exchange (solution pH, ionic strength, desolvation temperature, LC column interaction, flow rates, system volume). The many peptides exhibit a range of back exchange due to intrinsic amino acid HX rate differences. Accordingly, large back exchange leads to large variability in D-recovery from one residue to another as well as one peptide to another that cannot be corrected for by reference to any single peptide-level measurement. The usual effort to limit back exchange by limiting LC time provides little gain. Shortening the LC elution gradient by 3-fold only reduced back exchange by ~2%, while sacrificing S/N and peptide count. An unexpected dependence of back exchange on ionic strength as well as pH suggests a strategy in which solution conditions are changed during sample preparation. Higher salt should be used in the first stage of sample preparation (proteolysis and trapping) and lower salt (<20 mM) and pH in the second stage before electrospray injection. Adjustment of these and other factors together with recent advances in peptide fragment detection yields hundreds of peptide fragments with D-label recovery of 90% ± 5%.

Minimizing Back Exchange in the Hydrogen Exchange-Mass Spectrometry Experiment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Walters, Benjamin T.; Ricciuti, Alec; Mayne, Leland; Englander, S. Walter

2012-12-01

The addition of mass spectrometry (MS) analysis to the hydrogen exchange (HX) proteolytic fragmentation experiment extends powerful HX methodology to the study of large biologically important proteins. A persistent problem is the degradation of HX information due to back exchange of deuterium label during the fragmentation-separation process needed to prepare samples for MS measurement. This paper reports a systematic analysis of the factors that influence back exchange (solution pH, ionic strength, desolvation temperature, LC column interaction, flow rates, system volume). The many peptides exhibit a range of back exchange due to intrinsic amino acid HX rate differences. Accordingly, large back exchange leads to large variability in D-recovery from one residue to another as well as one peptide to another that cannot be corrected for by reference to any single peptide-level measurement. The usual effort to limit back exchange by limiting LC time provides little gain. Shortening the LC elution gradient by 3-fold only reduced back exchange by ~2 %, while sacrificing S/N and peptide count. An unexpected dependence of back exchange on ionic strength as well as pH suggests a strategy in which solution conditions are changed during sample preparation. Higher salt should be used in the first stage of sample preparation (proteolysis and trapping) and lower salt (<20 mM) and pH in the second stage before electrospray injection. Adjustment of these and other factors together with recent advances in peptide fragment detection yields hundreds of peptide fragments with D-label recovery of 90 % ± 5 %.

Looking Back, Looking Forward

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nash, Gary B.

2009-01-01

In this article, the author looks back at the time Charlotte Crabtree, longtime Professor of Education at UCLA with a special interest in elementary history-social studies curriculum, asked him to join her in applying for a million dollar grant to be awarded by the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH), chaired by Lynne Cheney. Crabtree had…

Complementary and alternative therapies for back pain II.

PubMed

Furlan, Andrea D; Yazdi, Fatemeh; Tsertsvadze, Alexander; Gross, Anita; Van Tulder, Maurits; Santaguida, Lina; Cherkin, Dan; Gagnier, Joel; Ammendolia, Carlo; Ansari, Mohammed T; Ostermann, Thomas; Dryden, Trish; Doucette, Steve; Skidmore, Becky; Daniel, Raymond; Tsouros, Sophia; Weeks, Laura; Galipeau, James

2010-10-01

Back and neck pain are important health problems with serious societal and economic implications. Conventional treatments have been shown to have limited benefit in improving patient outcomes. Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) therapies offer additional options in the management of low back and neck pain. Many trials evaluating CAM therapies have poor quality and inconsistent results. To systematically review the efficacy, effectiveness, cost-effectiveness, and harms of acupuncture, spinal manipulation, mobilization, and massage techniques in management of back, neck, and/or thoracic pain. MEDLINE, Cochrane Central, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, CINAHL, and EMBASE were searched up to 2010; unpublished literature and reference lists of relevant articles were also searched. study selection: All records were screened by two independent reviewers. Primary reports of comparative efficacy, effectiveness, harms, and/or economic evaluations from randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of the CAM therapies in adults (age ≥ 18 years) with back, neck, or thoracic pain were eligible. Non-randomized controlled trials and observational studies (case-control, cohort, cross-sectional) comparing harms were also included. Reviews, case reports, editorials, commentaries or letters were excluded. Two independent reviewers using a predefined form extracted data on study, participants, treatments, and outcome characteristics. 265 RCTs and 5 non-RCTs were included. Acupuncture for chronic nonspecific low back pain was associated with significantly lower pain intensity than placebo but only immediately post-treatment (VAS: -0.59, 95 percent CI: -0.93, -0.25). However, acupuncture was not different from placebo in post-treatment disability, pain medication intake, or global improvement in chronic nonspecific low back pain. Acupuncture did not differ from sham-acupuncture in reducing chronic non-specific neck pain immediately after treatment (VAS: 0.24, 95 percent CI: -1

Back posture education in elementary schoolchildren: stability of two-year intervention effects.

PubMed

Geldhof, E; Cardon, G; De Bourdeaudhuij, I; De Clercq, D

2007-09-01

The study's first objective was to evaluate class teachers' efforts to promote good body mechanics after a structured back education program was finished and to evaluate whether their support during follow-up resulted in better intervention effects at 1-year follow-up. Secondary, the stability of intervention effects on children's back posture knowledge, fear-avoidance beliefs and back pain reports following a 2-school-year multi-factorial back education program was evaluated at 1-year follow-up. An additional focus was put on what young children learned about good body mechanics in the obligatory school curriculum compared to intensive back posture promotion. The quasi-experimental study included at baseline 398 elementary schoolchildren aged 8-11 years. The back education program consisted of 13 h back education and the stimulation of postural dynamism in the class through support and environmental changes lasting 2 school-years. Controls received the obligatory curriculum, not including back education. Evaluation consisted of a questionnaire, which was filled out by 121 intervention children and 124 controls at baseline, post-test and follow-up. Teachers were interviewed at the end of the follow-up school-year. Teachers continued with initiatives to increase postural dynamism in the class when they had been instructed about that matter. However, teachers' efforts to continue the promotion of good body mechanics showed no additional effect on children's knowledge. Improved back posture knowledge demonstrated stability at 1-year follow-up. Whereas the obligatory curriculum provided children with fundamental postural knowledge, the back posture program added important aspects. Fear-avoidance beliefs and self-reported pain were not increased at 1-year follow-up. The stable intervention effects point out that intensive implementation of a structured multifactorial back education program in the elementary school curriculum is effective.

The relationship between back pain and lead apron use in radiologists.

PubMed

Moore, B; vanSonnenberg, E; Casola, G; Novelline, R A

1992-01-01

Anecdotal experience has suggested that back pain in radiologists may result from extensive wearing of lead aprons. To investigate this possibility, we sent questionnaires to 688 radiologists in various subspecialties whose use of lead aprons varied from none to moderate to extensive. The questionnaire included both objective items that quantitated apron use and back pain and subjective items that asked, for example, if the respondent believed that lead aprons were responsible for his or her back pain. We received 236 responses (34% response rate). Objective data from those radiologists who had experienced no back pain before wearing a lead apron (179 radiologists, 26% of those surveyed) were tabulated; respondents were grouped according to age, time spent wearing a lead apron, and degree of back pain. Odds ratios were calculated. Answers to subjective questions for all respondents were tabulated. Back pain was reported by 52% of those who estimated their lead apron use at greater than or equal to 10 hr per week, the mean response, as opposed to 46% of those who wore lead aprons fewer than 10 hr a week. These and related results were not statistically significant. Our study does not prove that wearing a lead apron is a significant risk factor for the development of back pain.

Preparation of osmium targets with carbon backing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fremont, Georges; Ngono-Ravache, Yvette; Schmitt, Christelle; Stodel, Christelle

2018-05-01

For nuclear reaction studies, thin metallic osmium targets, either natural or isotopically enriched (Os-192) of 200-300 µg/cm2 thicknesses deposited on a thin carbon backing are required. A challenging method was successfully performed at GANIL involving firstly the preparation of an aqueous solution of osmium tetrachloride, then its electro-deposition onto a thick copper backing (100 µm); this process was followed by the evaporation of a thin carbon layer (≈40 µg/cm²) and finally the dissolution of the copper material.

Effect of Superimposed Electromyostimulation on Back Extensor Strengthening: A Pilot Study.

PubMed

Park, Jae Hyeon; Seo, Kwan Sik; Lee, Shi-Uk

2016-09-01

Park, JH, Seo, KS, and Lee, S-U. Effect of superimposed electromyostimulation on back extensor strengthening: a pilot study. J Strength Cond Res 30(9): 2470-2475, 2016-Electromyostimulation (EMS) superimposed on voluntary contraction (VC) can increase muscle strength. However, no study has examined the effect of superimposing EMS on back extensor strengthening. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of superimposed EMS on back extensor strengthening in healthy adults. Twenty healthy men, 20-29 years of age, without low-back pain were recruited. In the EMS group, electrodes were attached to bilateral L2 and L4 paraspinal muscles. Stimulation intensity was set for maximally tolerable intensity. With VC, EMS was superimposed for 10 seconds followed by a 20-second rest period. The same protocol was used in the sham stimulation (SS) group, except that the stimulation intensity was set at the lowest intensity (5 mA). All subjects performed back extension exercise using a Swiss ball, with 10 repetitions per set, 2 sets each day, 5 times a week for 2 weeks. The primary outcome measure was the change in isokinetic strength of the back extensor using an isokinetic dynamometer. Additionally, endurance was measured using the Sorensen test. After 2 weeks of back extension exercise, the peak torque and endurance increased significantly in both groups (p ≤ 0.05). Effect size between the EMS group and the SS group was medium in strength and endurance. However, there was no statistically significant difference between 2 groups. In conclusion, 2 weeks of back extensor strengthening exercise was effective for strength and endurance. Superimposing EMS on back extensor strengthening exercise could provide an additional effect on increasing strength.

13 CFR 120.612 - Loans eligible to back Certificates.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... 13 Business Credit and Assistance 1 2011-01-01 2011-01-01 false Loans eligible to back Certificates. 120.612 Section 120.612 Business Credit and Assistance SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION BUSINESS LOANS Secondary Market Certificates § 120.612 Loans eligible to back Certificates. (a) Pool Certificates...

13 CFR 120.612 - Loans eligible to back Certificates.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... 13 Business Credit and Assistance 1 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Loans eligible to back Certificates. 120.612 Section 120.612 Business Credit and Assistance SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION BUSINESS LOANS Secondary Market Certificates § 120.612 Loans eligible to back Certificates. (a) Pool Certificates...

WS-BP: An efficient wolf search based back-propagation algorithm

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nawi, Nazri Mohd; Rehman, M. Z.; Khan, Abdullah

2015-05-01

Wolf Search (WS) is a heuristic based optimization algorithm. Inspired by the preying and survival capabilities of the wolves, this algorithm is highly capable to search large spaces in the candidate solutions. This paper investigates the use of WS algorithm in combination with back-propagation neural network (BPNN) algorithm to overcome the local minima problem and to improve convergence in gradient descent. The performance of the proposed Wolf Search based Back-Propagation (WS-BP) algorithm is compared with Artificial Bee Colony Back-Propagation (ABC-BP), Bat Based Back-Propagation (Bat-BP), and conventional BPNN algorithms. Specifically, OR and XOR datasets are used for training the network. The simulation results show that the WS-BP algorithm effectively avoids the local minima and converge to global minima.

Chronic low back pain and disability in Brazilian jiu-jitsu athletes.

PubMed

Reis, Felipe J J; Dias, Mariana D; Newlands, Flavia; Meziat-Filho, Ney; Macedo, Adriana R

2015-11-01

To identify the prevalence of chronic low back pain (CLBP) and functional disability in Brazilian jiu-jitsu athletes. Cross-sectional, observational. The study was conducted at jiu-jitsu training sites in the State of Rio de Janeiro. Presence of Chronic low back pain and Quebec Back Pain Disability Scale. The sample was composed of 72 athletes (mean age of 26.7), being 36 recreational and 36 professional. Chronic low back pain was present in 80.6% of athletes. Pain was present in 88.9% of professional and 72.2% of recreational athletes. In the professional jiu-jitsu group, the median of the Quebec Back Pain Disability Scale (QBPDS) was 10 (IQR = 16), and in the recreational group the QBPDS result was 6.0 (IQR = 12) (p = .001). Professional athletes had a marginally significant increased risk of developing CLBP [OR = 3.0; CI(95%) 0.8-10.9)]. The prevalence of low back pain in jiu-jitsu practice was high and professional athletes seem to have a high risk of developing CLBP. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Low Back Imaging When Not Indicated: A Descriptive Cross-System Analysis

PubMed Central

Gold, Rachel; Esterberg, Elizabeth; Hollombe, Celine; Arkind, Jill; Vakarcs, Patricia A; Tran, Huong; Burdick, Tim; DeVoe, Jennifer E; Horberg, Michael A

2016-01-01

Context: Guideline-discordant imaging to evaluate incident low back pain is common. Objective: We compared rates of guideline-discordant imaging in patients with low back pain in two care delivery systems with differing abilities to track care through an electronic health record (EHR), and in their patients’ insurance status, to measure the association between these factors and rates of ordered low back imaging. Design: We used data from two Kaiser Permanente (KP) Regions and from OCHIN, a community health center network. We extracted data on imaging performed after index visits for low back pain from June 1, 2011, to May 31, 2012, in these systems. Adjusted logistic regression measured associations between system-level factors and imaging rates. Main Outcome Measures: Imaging rates for incident low back pain using 2 national quality metrics: Clinical Quality Measure 0052, a measure for assessing Meaningful Use of EHRs, and the Healthcare Effectiveness Data and Information Set measure “Use of Imaging Studies for Low Back Pain.” Results: Among 19,503 KP patients and 2694 OCHIN patients with incident low back pain, ordered imaging was higher among men and whites but did not differ across health care systems. OCHIN’s publicly insured patients had higher rates of imaging compared with those with private or no insurance. Conclusion: Rates of ordered imaging to evaluate incident low back pain among uninsured OCHIN patients were lower than in KP overall; among insured OCHIN patients, rates were higher than in KP overall. Research is needed to establish causality and develop interventions. PMID:26934626

Core strength training for patients with chronic low back pain.

PubMed

Chang, Wen-Dien; Lin, Hung-Yu; Lai, Ping-Tung

2015-03-01

[Purpose] Through core strength training, patients with chronic low back pain can strengthen their deep trunk muscles. However, independent training remains challenging, despite the existence of numerous core strength training strategies. Currently, no standardized system has been established analyzing and comparing the results of core strength training and typical resistance training. Therefore, we conducted a systematic review of the results of previous studies to explore the effectiveness of various core strength training strategies for patients with chronic low back pain. [Methods] We searched for relevant studies using electronic databases. Subsequently, we evaluated their quality by analyzing the reported data. [Results] We compared four methods of evaluating core strength training: trunk balance, stabilization, segmental stabilization, and motor control exercises. According to the results of various scales and evaluation instruments, core strength training is more effective than typical resistance training for alleviating chronic low back pain. [Conclusion] All of the core strength training strategies examined in this study assist in the alleviation of chronic low back pain; however, we recommend focusing on training the deep trunk muscles to alleviate chronic low back pain.

Wildlife use of back channels associated with islands on the Ohio River

USGS Publications Warehouse

Zadnik, A.K.; Anderson, James T.; Wood, P.B.; Bledsoe, K.

2009-01-01

The back channels of islands on the Ohio River are assumed to provide habitat critical for several wildlife species. However, quantitative information on the wildlife value of back channels is needed by natural resource managers for the conservation of these forested islands and embayments in the face of increasing shoreline development and recreational boating. We compared the relative abundance of waterbirds, turtles, anurans, and riparian furbearing mammals during 2001 and 2002 in back and main channels of the Ohio River in West Virginia. Wood ducks (Aix sponsa), snapping turtles (Chelydra serpentina), beavers (Castor canadensis), and muskrats (Ondatra zibethicus) were more abundant in back than main channels. Spring peepers (Pseudacris crucifer) and American toads (Bufo americanus) occurred more frequently on back than main channels. These results provide quantitative evidence that back channels are important for several wildlife species. The narrowness of the back channels, the protection they provide from the main current of the river, and their ability to support vegetated shorelines and woody debris, are characteristics that appear to benefit these species. As a conservation measure for important riparian wildlife habitat, we suggest limiting building of piers and development of the shoreline in back channel areas. ?? 2009, The Society of Wetland Scientists.

Field-scale forward and back diffusion through low-permeability zones.

PubMed

Yang, Minjune; Annable, Michael D; Jawitz, James W

2017-07-01

Understanding the effects of back diffusion of groundwater contaminants from low-permeability zones to aquifers is critical to making site management decisions related to remedial actions. Here, we combine aquifer and aquitard data to develop recommended site characterization strategies using a three-stage classification of plume life cycle based on the solute origins: aquifer source zone dissolution, source zone dissolution combined with back diffusion from an aquitard, and only back diffusion. We use measured aquitard concentration profile data from three field sites to identify signature shapes that are characteristic of these three stages. We find good fits to the measured data with analytical solutions that include the effects of advection and forward and back diffusion through low-permeability zones, and linearly and exponentially decreasing flux resulting from source dissolution in the aquifer. Aquifer contaminant time series data at monitoring wells from a mature site were well described using analytical solutions representing the combined case of source zone and back diffusion, while data from a site where the source had been isolated were well described solely by back diffusion. The modeling approach presented in this study is designed to enable site managers to implement appropriate remediation technologies at a proper timing for high- and low-permeability zones, considering estimated plume life cycle. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Homework for Parents -- Your Child's Back-To-School Health Checklist

MedlinePlus

... Health & Safety Tips Campaigns Share this! EmergencyCareForYou » Health & Safety Tips » Homework for Parents — Your Child's Back-To-School Health Checklist Homework for Parents — Your Child's Back- ...

Backed Bending Actuator

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Costen, Robert C.; Su, Ji

2004-01-01

Bending actuators of a proposed type would partly resemble ordinary bending actuators, but would include simple additional components that would render them capable of exerting large forces at small displacements. Like an ordinary bending actuator, an actuator according to the proposal would include a thin rectangular strip that would comprise two bonded layers (possibly made of electroactive polymers with surface electrodes) and would be clamped at one end in the manner of a cantilever beam. Unlike an ordinary bending actuator, the proposed device would include a rigid flat backplate that would support part of the bending strip against backward displacement; because of this feature, the proposed device is called a backed bending actuator. When an ordinary bending actuator is inactive, the strip typically lies flat, the tip displacement is zero, and the force exerted by the tip is zero. During activation, the tip exerts a transverse force and undergoes a bending displacement that results from the expansion or contraction of one or more of the bonded layers. The tip force of an ordinary bending actuator is inversely proportional to its length; hence, a long actuator tends to be weak. The figure depicts an ordinary bending actuator and the corresponding backed bending actuator. The bending, the tip displacement (d(sub t)), and the tip force (F) exerted by the ordinary bending actuator are well approximated by the conventional equations for the loading and deflection of a cantilever beam subject to a bending moment which, in this case, is applied by the differential expansion or contraction of the bonded layers. The bending, displacement, and tip force of the backed bending actuator are calculated similarly, except that it is necessary to account for the fact that the force F(sub b) that resists the displacement of the tip could be sufficient to push part of the strip against the backplate; in such a condition, the cantilever beam would be effectively shortened

Happy Back to the Future Day

NASA Image and Video Library

2015-09-23

You might see a DeLorean zipping around Greenbelt, Maryland, on Oct. 21, 2015, the day Marty McFly and Doc Brown arrive from 1985 in "Back to the Future, Part II," but don't look for flaming tread marks in its wake. The DeLorean DMC-12, commonly seen on the roads of NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, is better known for the version that starred as a plutonium-powered time machine in the “Back to the Future” trilogy. After some investigation, Goddard’s Office of Communications found the owner of the stainless steel, gull-winged, two-door coupe. Goddard software test engineer, Brendan Rebo bought the 1982 DeLorean off eBay about four and a half years ago. “The car attracts a lot more attention than I expected,” Rebo admitted. “I hear a lot of jokes about whether or not I’ve reached 88 miles per hour yet.” As “Back to the Future” fans around the world celebrate today, Rebo also celebrates his birthday. While the second film predicted technology, such as flying cars, that doesn’t yet exist, people can still marvel at the classic car and movie reference. Credit: NASA/Goddard/Rebecca Roth

Back pain - returning to work

MedlinePlus

... matter what kind of work you do. Long car rides and getting in and out of the car can be hard on your back. If you ... work, consider some of these changes: Adjust your car seat to make it easier to enter, sit ...

Rising prevalence of back pain in Austria: considering regional disparities.

PubMed

Großschädl, Franziska; Stolz, Erwin; Mayerl, Hannes; Rásky, Éva; Freidl, Wolfgang; Stronegger, Willibald J

2016-01-01

Back pain is the most common form of musculoskeletal conditions and leads to high health care costs. Information about geographic variations in highly prevalent diseases/disorders represents important implications for public health planning to face structural challenges. The present study aims to investigate regional trends in the prevalence of back pain and the role of obesity and social inequalities among Austrian adults. A secondary data analysis based on five nationally representative cross-sectional surveys (1973-2007) was carried out (N = 178,818). Back pain was measured as self-reported presence. Obesity (BMI ≥ 30 kg/m²) was adjusted for self-report bias. For the regional analyses, Austria was divided into Western, Central and Eastern Austria. A relative index of inequality (RII) was computed to quantify the extent of social inequality. A continuous rise in back pain prevalence was observed in the three regions and among all investigated subgroups. In 2007 the age-standardised prevalence was similar in Central (36.9 %), Western (35.2 %) and Eastern Austria (34.3 %). The absolute change in back pain prevalence was highest among obese subjects in Central Austria (women: + 29.8 %, men: + 32.5 %). RIIs were unstable during the study period and in 2007 highest in Eastern Austria. Variation and trends in back pain are not attributable to geographic variation in Austria: an assumed East-West gradient in Austria has not been confirmed. Nevertheless our study confirms that back pain dramatically increased in all Austrian regions and investigated subgroups. This worrying trend should be further monitored and public health interventions should be implemented increasingly, especially among obese women and men.

Predictors of Back Injury Among Women Military Recruits

DTIC Science & Technology

1999-11-01

back inflexibility and pain found in runners, tennis players and other athletes to this healing mechanism. Therefore, back exercises including knee...Ekstrand J, Gillquist J, Liljedahl S. Prevention of soccer injuries. American Journal of Sports Medicine. 1983;10:75-78. 36. Wiktorsson-Moller M...Journal of Sports Medicine. 1983;11:249-252. 37. Chandler T, Kebler W, Uhl T, Wooten B, Kiser A, Stone E. Flexibility comparisons of junior elite

Back to the basics: Birmingham, Alabama, measurement and scale

USGS Publications Warehouse

Handley, L.R.; Lockwood, C.M.; Handley, N.

2005-01-01

Back to the Basics: Birmingham, Alabama is the fourth in a series of workshops that focus on teaching foundational map reading and spatial differentiation skills. It is the second published exercise from the Back to the Basics series developed by the Wetland Education through Maps and Aerial Photography (WETMAAP) Program (see Journal of Geography 103, 5: 226-230). Like its predecessor, the current exercise is modified from the Birmingham Back to the Basics workshop offered during the annual National Council for Geographic Education meeting. The focus of this exercise is on scale and measurement, foundational skills for spatial thinking and analysis. ?? 2005 National Council for Geographic Education.

Photo-electronic current transport in back-gated graphene transistor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Srivastava, Ashok; Chen, Xinlu; Pradhan, Aswini K.

2017-04-01

In this work, we have studied photo-electronic current transport in a back-gated graphene field-effect transistor. Under the light illumination, band bending at the metal/graphene interface develops a built-in potential which generates photonic current at varying back-gate biases. A typical MOSFET type back-gated transistor structure uses a monolayer graphene as the channel layer formed over the silicon dioxide/silicon substrate. It is shown that the photo-electronic current consists of current contributions from photovoltaic, photo-thermoelectric and photo-bolometric effects. A maximum external responsivity close to 0.0009A/W is achieved at 30μW laser power source and 633nm wavelength.

Back to the Basics: Birmingham, Alabama, Measurement and Scale

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Handley, Lawrence R.; Lockwood, Catherine M.; Handley, Nathan

2005-01-01

"Back to the Basics: Birmingham, Alabama" is the fourth in a series of workshops that focus on teaching foundational map reading and spatial differentiation skills. It is the second published exercise from the Back to the Basics series developed by the Wetland Education through Maps and Aerial Photography (WETMAAP) Program (see…

The Scope of Back Pain in Navy Helicopter Pilots

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-03-01

Environmental Medicine 55: 556–7. 40 Frymoyer, J. W., & Cats- Baril W. L. (1991). An overview of the incidences and costs of low back pain. Orthopedic...between individuals. Does back pain affect safety of flight? Frymoyer and Cats- Baril (1991) reported that in the civilian community, at any given

18. DETAIL OF BACK (EAST SIDE) OF TECHWOOD DORMITORY, SHOWING ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

18. DETAIL OF BACK (EAST SIDE) OF TECHWOOD DORMITORY, SHOWING BACK EXIT AND BRICK CHIMNEY. GRAFFITI IS EXTENSIVE ALONG THIS FACADE. - Techwood Homes, McDaniel Dormitory, 581-587 Techwood Drive, Atlanta, Fulton County, GA

Herbal medicine for low back pain.

PubMed

Gagnier, J J; van Tulder, M; Berman, B; Bombardier, C

2006-04-19

Low-back pain is a common condition and a substantial economic burden in industrialized societies. A large proportion of patients with chronic low-back pain use complementary and alternative medicine (CAM), visit CAM practitioners, or both. Several herbal medicines have been purported for use in low-back pain. To determine the effectiveness of herbal medicine for non-specific low-back pain. We searched the following electronic databases: Cochrane Complementary Medicine Field Trials Register (Issue 3, 2005), MEDLINE (1966 to July 2005), EMBASE (1980 to July 2005); checked reference lists in review articles, guidelines and retrieved trials; and personally contacted individuals with expertise in this very specialized area. We included randomized controlled trials, examining adults (over 18 years of age) suffering from acute, sub-acute or chronic non-specific low-back pain. The interventions were herbal medicines, defined as plants that are used for medicinal purposes in any form. Primary outcome measures were pain and function. Two authors (JJG & MVT) conducted the database searches. One author contacted content experts and acquired relevant citations. Full references and abstracts of the identified studies were downloaded. A hard copy was retrieved for final inclusion decisions. Methodological quality and clinical relevance were assessed separately by two individuals. Disagreements were resolved by consensus. Ten trials were included in this review. Two high quality trials examining the effects of Harpagophytum Procumbens (Devil's Claw) found strong evidence that daily doses standardized to 50 mg or 100 mg harpagoside were better than placebo for short-term improvements in pain and rescue medication. Another high quality trial demonstrated relative equivalence to 12.5 mg per day of rofecoxib (Vioxx). Two trials examining the effects of Salix Alba (White Willow Bark) found moderate evidence that daily doses standardized to 120 mg or 240 mg salicin were better than

The influence of fat infiltration of back extensor muscles on osteoporotic vertebral fractures.

PubMed

So, Kwang-Young; Kim, Dae-Hee; Choi, Dong-Hyuk; Kim, Choong-Young; Kim, Jeong-Seok; Choi, Yong-Soo

2013-12-01

Retrospective study. To investigate the influence of fat infiltration at low back extensor muscles on osteoporotic vertebral fracture. In persons with stronger back muscles, the risk of osteoporotic vertebral fractures will likely be lower than in those persons with weaker back muscles. However, the degree of influence of fat infiltration of the back extensor muscle on osteoporotic vertebral fracture remains controversial. Two hundred and thirty-seven patients who had undergone lumbar spine magnetic resonance imaging and bone mineral density (BMD) were enrolled in this study. The amount of low back extensor muscle was determined using the pseudocoloring technique on an axial view of the L3 level. The patients were divided into two groups: osteoporotic vertebral fracture group (group A) and non-fracture group (group B). The amount of low back extensor muscle is compared with BMD, degenerative change of disc, osteophyte grade of facet joint and promontory angle to reveal the association between these factors. A negative correlation is found between age and the amount of low back extensor muscle (p=0.001). The amount of low back extensor muscle in group A and group B was 60.3%±14.5% and 64.2%±9.3% respectively, thus showing a significantly smaller amount of low back extensor muscle in the osteoporotic vertebral fracture group (p=0.015). Fat infiltration of low back extensor muscle was increased in osteoporotic vertebral fracture patients. Therefore, fat infiltration of low back extensor muscle in an elderly person may be a risk factor of osteoporotic vertebral fracture.

The association of perceived discrimination with low back pain.

PubMed

Edwards, Robert R

2008-10-01

A handful of recent studies have documented perceived discrimination as a correlate of poor physical and mental health status among ethnic and racial minority groups. To date, however, despite a proliferation of research on ethnic disparities in the severity and impact of a number of persistent pain conditions, there have been no reports on associations between perceived discrimination and pain-related symptoms. Using data from a national survey (the National Survey of Midlife Development in the United States; MIDUS), we explore the relationships between perceived discriminatory events and the report of back pain among African-American and white men and women. As expected, African-American participants reported substantially greater perceptions of discrimination than white participants. Moreover, in models that included a variety of physical and mental health variables, episodes of major lifetime discriminatory events were the strongest predictors of back pain report in African-Americans, and perceived day-to-day discrimination was the strongest predictor of back pain report specifically in African-American women. Among white participants, perceptions of discrimination were minimally related or unrelated to back pain. To our knowledge, these are the first data documenting an association between perceived discrimination and report of back pain; the fact that perceptions of discrimination were stronger predictors than physical health variables highlights the potential salience and adverse impact of perceived discrimination in ethnic and racial minority groups.

Back Strength Predicts Walking Improvement in Obese, Older Adults With Chronic Low Back Pain

PubMed Central

Vincent, Heather K.; Vincent, Kevin R.; Seay, Amanda N.; Conrad, Bryan P.; Hurley, Robert W.; George, Steven Z.

2014-01-01

Objective To compare the effects of 4 months of isolated lumbar resistance exercise and total body resistance exercise on walking performance in obese, older adults with chronic low back pain. A secondary analysis examined whether responsiveness to training modulated walking improvement. Design Randomized, controlled trial. Setting Research laboratory affiliated with tertiary care facility. Methods and Intervention Participants (N = 49; 60–85 years) were randomized into a 4-month resistance exercise intervention (TOTRX), lumbar extensor exercise intervention (LEXT), or a control group (CON). Main Outcome Measurements Walking performance, maximal low back strength and leg strength, and average resting and low back pain severity score (from an 11-point numerical pain rating scale; NRSpain) were collected at baseline and month 4. Results The TOTRX and LEXT improved lumbar extensor strength relative to CON and the TOTRX (P < .05). NRSpain scores at month 4 were lowest in the TOTRX group compared with the LEXT and CON groups, respectively (2.0 ± 1.7 points vs 3.7 ± 2.6 points and 4.6 ± 2.4 points; P < .006). A total of 53% and 67% of participants in the TOTRX and LEXT groups were responders who made lumbar extensor strength gains that achieved ≥20% greater than baseline values. Although the TOTRX demonstrated the greatest improvement in walking endurance among the intervention groups, this did not reach significance (10.1 ± 12.2% improvement in TOTRX vs 7.4 ± 30.0% LEXT and −1.7 ± 17.4% CON; P = .11). Gait speed increased most in the TOTRX (9.0 ± 13.5%) compared with the LEXT and CON groups (P < .05). The change in lumbar extensor strength explained 10.6% of the variance of the regression model for the change in walking endurance (P = .024). Conclusions The use of LEXT and TOTRX produced similar modest improvements in patients’ walking endurance. Lumbar extensor strength gain compared with leg strength gain is a moderate but important contributor to

Short-circuit current improvement in thin cells with a gridded back contact

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Giuliano, M.; Wohlgemuth, J.

1980-01-01

The use of gridded back contact on thin silicon solar cells 50 micrometers was investigated. An unexpected increase in short circuit current of almost 10 percent was experienced for 2 cm x 2 cm cells. Control cells with the standard continuous contact metallization were fabricated at the same time as the gridded back cells with all processes identical up to the formation of the back contact. The gridded back contact pattern was delineated by evaporation of Ti-Pd over a photo-resist mask applied to the back of the wafer; the Ti-Pd film on the controls was applied in the standard fashion in a continuous layer over the back of the cell. The Ti-Pd contacts were similarly applied to the front of the wafer, and the grid pattern on both sides of the cell was electroplated with 8-10 micrometers of silver.

Comparison of MRI-defined back muscles volume between patients with ankylosing spondylitis and control patients with chronic back pain: age and spinopelvic alignment matched study.

PubMed

Bok, Doo Hee; Kim, Jihye; Kim, Tae-Hwan

2017-02-01

To compare MRI-defined back muscle volume between AS patients and age, and spinopelvic alignment matched control patients with chronic back pain. 51 male patients with AS were enrolled. Age and spinopelvic alignment matched controls (male) were found among non-AS patients with chronic back pain. After matching procedure, fully matched controls were found in 31 of 51 AS patients (60.8%), who represent AS patients without deformity. However, matched controls were not found in 20 of 51 AS patients (39.2%), who represent AS patients with deformity. MRI parameters of back muscle (paraspinal muscle and psoas muscle) at L4/5 disc level including cross-sectional area (CSA) and fat-free cross-sectional area (FCSA) were compared between AS patients and matched controls. Covariates, including BMI, self-reported physical activity, and the presence of chronic disease, which can influence back muscle volume, were also investigated. There were no statistical differences in age, body mass index, score of back pain (NRS), and spinopelvic alignment, and physical activity between matched AS patients and control patients except for duration of back pain. All MRI parameters for paraspinal muscle volume in matched AS patients (without deformity) were significantly less than those of control patients, and significantly larger than those of non-matched AS patients (with deformity). Body size adjusted MRI parameters (relative CSA and relative FCSA) of paraspinal muscle showed strong correlations with lumbar lordosis and sacral slope. Such relationship between paraspinal muscle and spinopelvic parameters remained significant even after multivariate adjustment. AS patients without deformity already have decreased paraspinal muscle volume compared with age and spinopelvic alignment matched non-AS patients with chronic back pain. Such decrease in paraspinal muscle volume was significantly associated with kyphotic deformity of AS patients even after multivariate adjustment. Although the result

30 CFR 75.1101-9 - Back-up water system.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 30 Mineral Resources 1 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Back-up water system. 75.1101-9 Section 75.1101-9 Mineral Resources MINE SAFETY AND HEALTH ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF LABOR COAL MINE SAFETY AND HEALTH MANDATORY SAFETY STANDARDS-UNDERGROUND COAL MINES Fire Protection § 75.1101-9 Back-up water system...

30 CFR 75.1101-9 - Back-up water system.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... 30 Mineral Resources 1 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false Back-up water system. 75.1101-9 Section 75.1101-9 Mineral Resources MINE SAFETY AND HEALTH ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF LABOR COAL MINE SAFETY AND HEALTH MANDATORY SAFETY STANDARDS-UNDERGROUND COAL MINES Fire Protection § 75.1101-9 Back-up water system...

30 CFR 75.1101-9 - Back-up water system.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... 30 Mineral Resources 1 2014-07-01 2014-07-01 false Back-up water system. 75.1101-9 Section 75.1101-9 Mineral Resources MINE SAFETY AND HEALTH ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF LABOR COAL MINE SAFETY AND HEALTH MANDATORY SAFETY STANDARDS-UNDERGROUND COAL MINES Fire Protection § 75.1101-9 Back-up water system...

30 CFR 75.1101-9 - Back-up water system.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... 30 Mineral Resources 1 2012-07-01 2012-07-01 false Back-up water system. 75.1101-9 Section 75.1101-9 Mineral Resources MINE SAFETY AND HEALTH ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF LABOR COAL MINE SAFETY AND HEALTH MANDATORY SAFETY STANDARDS-UNDERGROUND COAL MINES Fire Protection § 75.1101-9 Back-up water system...

30 CFR 75.1101-9 - Back-up water system.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... 30 Mineral Resources 1 2013-07-01 2013-07-01 false Back-up water system. 75.1101-9 Section 75.1101-9 Mineral Resources MINE SAFETY AND HEALTH ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF LABOR COAL MINE SAFETY AND HEALTH MANDATORY SAFETY STANDARDS-UNDERGROUND COAL MINES Fire Protection § 75.1101-9 Back-up water system...

Increased integrity of white matter pathways after dual n-back training.

PubMed

Salminen, Tiina; Mårtensson, Johan; Schubert, Torsten; Kühn, Simone

2016-06-01

Dual n-back WM training has been shown to produce broad transfer effects to different untrained cognitive functions. The task is demanding to the cognitive system because it includes a bi-modal (auditory and visual) dual-task component. A previous WM training study showed increased white matter integrity in the parietal lobe as well as the anterior part of the corpus callosum after visual n-back training. We investigated dual n-back training-related changes in white matter pathways. We anticipated dual n-back training to increase white matter integrity in pathways that connect brain regions related to WM processes. Additionally, we hypothesized that dual n-back training would produce more brain-wide white matter changes than single n-back training because of the involvement of two modalities and the additional dual-task coordination component of the task. The dual n-back training group showed increased white matter integrity (reflected as increased fractional anisotropy, FA) after training. The effects were mostly left lateralized as compared with changes from pretest to posttest in the passive and active control groups. Additionally, significant effects were observed in the anterior part of the corpus callosum, when the training group was compared with the passive control group. There were no changes in pretest to posttest FA changes between the passive and active control groups. The results therefore show that dual n-back training produces increased integrity in white matter pathways connecting different brain regions. The results are discussed in reference to the bi-modal dual-task component of the training task. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

All-back-Schottky-contact thin-film photovoltaics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nardone, Marco

2016-02-01

The concept of All-Back-Schottky-Contact (ABSC) thin-film photovoltaic (TFPV) devices is introduced and evaluated using 2D numerical simulation. Reach-through Schottky junctions due to two metals of different work functions in an alternating, side-by-side pattern along the non-illuminated side generate the requisite built-in field. It is shown that our simulation method quantitatively describes existing data for a recently demonstrated heterojunction thin-film cell with interdigitated back contacts (IBCs) of one metal type. That model is extended to investigate the performance of ABSC devices with bimetallic IBCs within a pertinent parameter space. Our calculations indicate that 20% efficiency is achievable with micron-scale features and sufficient surface passivation. Bimetallic, micron-scale IBCs are readily fabricated using photo-lithographic techniques and the ABSC design allows for optically transparent surface passivation layers that need not be electrically conductive. The key advantages of the ABSC-TFPV architecture are that window layers, buffer layers, heterojunctions, and module scribing are not required because both contacts are located on the back of the device.

Carbon Back Sputter Modeling for Hall Thruster Testing

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gilland, James H.; Williams, George J.; Burt, Jonathan M.; Yim, John T.

2016-01-01

In support of wear testing for the Hall Effect Rocket with Magnetic Shielding (HERMeS) program, the back sputter from a Hall effect thruster plume has been modeled for the NASA Glenn Research Centers Vacuum Facility 5. The predicted wear at a near-worst case condition of 600 V, 12.5 kW was found to be on the order of 3 4 mkhour in a fully carbon-lined chamber. A more detailed numerical monte carlo code was also modified to estimate back sputter for a detailed facility and pumping configuration. This code demonstrated similar back sputter rate distributions, but is not yet accurately modeling the magnitudes. The modeling has been benchmarked to recent HERMeS wear testing, using multiple microbalance measurements. These recent measurements have yielded values, on the order of 1.5- 2 microns/khour.

Visually induced analgesia during massage treatment in chronic back pain patients.

PubMed

Löffler, A; Trojan, J; Zieglgänsberger, W; Diers, M

2017-11-01

Previous findings suggest that watching sites of experimental and chronic pain can exert an analgesic effect. Our present study investigates whether watching one's back during massage increases the analgesic effect of this treatment in chronic back pain patients. Twenty patients with chronic back pain were treated with a conventional massage therapy. During this treatment, patients received a real-time video feedback of their own back. Watching a neutral object, a video of another person of the same sex being massaged, a picture of the own back, and keeping one's eyes closed were used as controls. These conditions were presented in randomized order on five separate days. All conditions yielded significant decreases in habitual pain intensity. The effect of real-time video feedback of the own back on massage treatment was the strongest and differed significantly from the effect of watching a neutral object, but not from the other control conditions, which may have induced slight effects of their own. Repeated real-time video feedback may be useful during massage treatment of chronic pain. This study shows that inducing visual induced analgesia during massage treatment can be helpful in alleviating chronic pain. © 2017 European Pain Federation - EFIC®.

The U.S. Navy Healthy Back Program: Effect on Back Knowledge among Recruits

DTIC Science & Technology

1992-08-01

b) anatomy of the spine including the role of vertebrae, ligaments, discs, and muscles, and (c) exercises and behaviors to protect the back from...exercise, traction, passive mobilization, physical strengthening, physiotherapy, drugs, surgery, hypnosis, psychotherapy, behavior modification, and skills...A recent evaluation of the effectiveness of Navy health education videotapes in changing knowledge and behavior in a nonpatient population indicated

2001 Volvo Award Winner in Clinical Studies: Effects of a media campaign on back pain beliefs and its potential influence on management of low back pain in general practice.

PubMed

Buchbinder, R; Jolley, D; Wyatt, M

2001-12-01

Quasi-experimental, nonrandomized, nonequivalent, parallel group-controlled study involving before and after telephone surveys of the general population and postal surveys of general practitioners was conducted, with an adjacent state used as a control group. To evaluate the effectiveness of a population-based intervention designed to alter beliefs about back pain, influence medical management, and reduce disability and workers' compensation-related costs. A multimedia campaign begun during 1997 in Victoria, Australia, positively advised patients with back pain to stay active and exercise, not to rest for prolonged periods, and to remain at work. The campaign's impact on population beliefs about back pain and fear-avoidance beliefs was measured in telephone surveys, and the effect of the campaign on the potential management of low back pain by general practitioners was assessed by eliciting their likely approach to two hypothetical scenarios in mailed surveys. Demographically identical population groups in Victoria and the control state, New South Wales, were surveyed at three times: before, during, and after intervention in Victoria. The studies were completed by 4730 individuals in the general population and 2556 general practitioners. There were large statistically significant improvements in back pain beliefs over time in Victoria (mean scores on the Back Beliefs Questionnaire, 26.5, 28.4, and 29.7), but not in New South Wales (26.3, 26.2, and 26.3, respectively). Among those who reported back pain during the previous year, fear-avoidance beliefs about physical activity improved significantly in Victoria (mean scores on the Fear-Avoidance Beliefs Questionnaire for physical activity, 14, 12.5, and 11.6), but not in New South Wales (13.3, 13.6, and 12.7, respectively). General practitioners in Victoria reported significant improvements over time in beliefs about back pain management, as compared with their interstate colleagues. There were statistically

Measurement Properties of the Quebec Back Pain Disability Scale in Patients With Nonspecific Low Back Pain: Systematic Review.

PubMed

Speksnijder, Caroline M; Koppenaal, Tjarco; Knottnerus, J André; Spigt, Mark; Staal, J Bart; Terwee, Caroline B

2016-11-01

The Quebec Back Pain Disability Scale (QBPDS) has been translated into different languages, and several studies on its measurement properties have been done. The purpose of this review was to critically appraise and compare the measurement properties, when possible, of all language versions of the QBPDS by systematically reviewing the methodological quality and results of the available studies. Bibliographic databases (PubMed, Embase, CINAHL, and PsycINFO) were searched for articles with the key words "Quebec," "back," "pain," and "disability" in combination with a methodological search filter for finding studies on measurement properties concerning the development or evaluation of the measurement properties of the QBPDS in patients with nonspecific low back pain. Assessment of the methodological quality was carried out by the reviewers using the COnsensus-based Standards for the selection of health Measurement INstruments (COSMIN) checklist for both the original language version of the QBPDS in English and French and all translated versions. The results of the measurement properties were rated based on criteria proposed by Terwee et al. The search strategy resulted in identification of 1,436 publications, and 27 articles were included in the systematic review. There was limited-to-moderate evidence of good reliability, validity, and responsiveness of the QBPDS for the different language versions, but for no language version was evidence available for all measurement properties. For research and clinical practice, caution is advised when using the QBPDS to measure disability in patients with nonspecific low back pain. Strong evidence is lacking on all measurement properties for each language version of the QBPDS. © 2016 American Physical Therapy Association.

Method of making a back contacted solar cell

DOEpatents

Gee, James M.

1995-01-01

A back-contacted solar cell having laser-drilled vias connecting the front-surface carrier-collector junction to an electrode grid on the back surface. The structure may also include a rear surface carrier-collector junction connected to the same grid. The substrate is connected to a second grid which is interdigitated with the first. Both grids are configured for easy series connection with neighboring cells. Several processes are disclosed to produce the cell.

Socioeconomic variation in back and joint pain in Finland.

PubMed

Leino-Arjas, P; Hänninen, K; Puska, P

1998-01-01

Differences in the prevalence of back and joint pain by occupational class and education were studied in surveys representative of adult Finns. The effects of lifestyle factors and mental distress on these differences were also analysed. The material comprised 3915 women and 3629 men, all occupationally active. Occupational class and level of education were associated with back and joint pain; the associations were more obvious in men than in women. Among men, the age-adjusted odds ratio of joint pain in farmers was 3.2 (95% CI: 2.1-5.0), in manual workers 2.6 (1.9-3.6), in entrepreneurs 2.4 (1.5-3.7) and in lower white-collar workers 1.7 (1.1-2.4) as compared with upper white-collar employees. Similar odds ratios of back pain were 2.1 (1.6-2.9) in farmers, 1.8 (1.5-2.3) in manual workers, 1.7 (1.2-2.4) in entrepreneurs and 1.4 (1.1-1.7) in lower white-collar workers. Most of the associations persisted in multivariate analyses, in which height, marital status, lifestyle (smoking, leisure-time physical activity and body mass index (BMI)) and mental distress were considered; in these models, mental distress was consistently associated with pain. Back pain was associated with smoking in men and with BMI in women; BMI was also associated with joint pain in both sexes. In women, height showed an association with back pain for which a doctor had been consulted. Marital status, alcohol consumption, leisure-time physical activity and the urbanization level of the community were not important as determinants of pain. Obvious differences occurred in back and joint pain by indicators of social class that were not due to socioeconomic differences in lifestyle, height or mental distress.

Evaluation of a Canadian back pain mass media campaign.

PubMed

Gross, Douglas P; Russell, Anthony S; Ferrari, Robert; Battié, Michele C; Schopflocher, Donald; Hu, Richard; Waddell, Gordon; Buchbinder, Rachelle

2010-04-15

Quasi-experimental before-and-after design with control group. We evaluated a back pain mass media campaign's impact on population back pain beliefs, work disability, and health utilization outcomes. Building on previous campaigns in Australia and Scotland, a back pain mass media campaign (Don't Take it Lying Down) was implemented in Alberta, Canada. A variety of media formats were used with radio ads predominating because of budget constraints. Changes in back pain beliefs were studied using telephone surveys of random samples from intervention and control provinces before campaign onset and afterward. The Back Beliefs Questionnaire (BBQ) was used along with specific questions about the importance of staying active. For evaluating behaviors, we extracted data from governmental and workers' compensation databases between January 1999 and July 2008. Outcomes included indicators of number of visits to health care providers, use of diagnostic imaging, and compensation claim incidence and duration. Analysis included time series analysis and ANOVA testing of the interaction between province and time. Belief surveys were conducted with a total of 8566 subjects over the 4-year period. Changes on BBQ scores were not statistically significant, however, the proportion of subjects agreeing with the statement, "If you have back pain you should try to stay active" increased in Alberta from 56% to 63% (P = 0.008) with no change in the control group (consistently approximately 60%). No meaningful or statistically significant effects were seen on the behavioral outcomes. A Canadian media campaign appears to have had a small impact on public beliefs specifically related to campaign messaging to stay active, but no impact was observed on health utilization or work disability outcomes. Results are likely because of the modest level of awareness achieved by the campaign and future campaigns will likely require more extensive media coverage.

Investigation of back surface fields effect on bifacial solar cells

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sepeai, Suhaila; Sulaiman, M. Y.; Sopian, Kamaruzzaman; Zaidi, Saleem H.

2012-11-01

A bifacial solar cell, in contrast with a conventional monofacial solar cell, produces photo-generated current from both front and back sides. Bifacial solar cell is an attractive candidate for enhancing photovoltaic (PV) market competitiveness as well as supporting the current efforts to increase efficiency and lower material costs. This paper reports on the fabrication of bifacial solar cells using phosphorus-oxytrichloride (POCl3) emitter formation on p-type, nanotextured silicon (Si) wafer. Backside surface field was formed through Al-diffusion using conventional screen-printing process. Bifacial solar cells with a structure of n+pp+ with and without back surface field (BSF) were fabricated in which silicon nitride (SiN) anti reflection and passivation films were coated on both sides, followed by screen printing of Argentum (Ag) and Argentum/Aluminum (Ag/Al) on front and back contacts, respectively. Bifacial solar cells without BSF exhibited open circuit voltage (VOC) of 535 mV for front and 480 mV for back surface. With Al-alloyed BSF bifacial solar cells, the VOC improved to 580 mV for the front surface and 560 mV for the back surface. Simulation of bifacial solar cells using PC1D and AFORS software demonstrated good agreement with experimental results. Simulations showed that best bifacial solar cells are achieved through a combination of high lifetime wafer, low recombination back surface field, reduced contact resistance, and superior surface passivation.

Comparison among pain, depression, and quality of life in cases with failed back surgery syndrome and non-specific chronic back pain

PubMed Central

Sahin, Nilay; Karahan, Ali Yavuz; Devrimsel, Gul; Gezer, Ilknur Albayrak

2017-01-01

[Purpose] The aim of this study is to compare patients with failed back surgery syndrome (FBSS) with those with non-specific chronic back pain (NSCBP) in terms of pain, depression, and quality of life levels to explain the effects of surgery experience on low-back pain. [Subjects and Methods] A total of 50 patients with FBSS and 51 patients with NSCBP who consecutively applied to the outpatient clinic from September 2012 to April 2013 were included in the study. Patients completed questionnaires on demographics, body mass index, education level, work history, and pain duration (in months). Lumbar pain at rest, during movement, and at night were measured with a visual analogue scale (VAS). The Short Form 36 scale was used for evaluating quality of life, and the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) was used for assessing depression. [Results] VAS scores reporting pain at rest and at night and BDI scores were significantly higher in the FBSS group than in the NSCBP group. Role limitations due to physical functioning, which is one of the measures of quality of life, were significantly higher in the FBSS group than in the NSCBP group. [Conclusion] These assessments show that surgery experience in patients with ongoing low-back pain makes their pain and depression worse. PMID:28603366

Homework for Parents -- Your Child's Back-To-School Health Checklist

MedlinePlus

... Tips Share this! Home » Health Tips » Child Emergencies Homework for Parents — Your Child's Back-To-School Health ... do to protect themselves. READ IN CHILD EMERGENCIES Homework for Parents — Your Child's Back-To-School Health ...

Back Injuries - Multiple Languages

MedlinePlus

... Cantonese dialect) (繁體中文) French (français) Hindi (हिन्दी) Japanese (日本語) Korean (한국어) Nepali (नेपाली) Russian (Русский) ... हिन्दी (Hindi) Bilingual PDF Health Information Translations Japanese (日本語) Expand Section Back Health and Safety - 日本語 ( ...

Back pain's association with vertebral end-plate signal changes in sciatica.

PubMed

el Barzouhi, Abdelilah; Vleggeert-Lankamp, Carmen L A M; van der Kallen, Bas F; Lycklama à Nijeholt, Geert J; van den Hout, Wilbert B; Koes, Bart W; Peul, Wilco C

2014-02-01

Patients with sciatica frequently experience disabling back pain. One of the proposed causes for back pain is vertebral end-plate signal changes (VESC) as visualized by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). To report on VESC findings, changes of VESC findings over time, and the correlation between VESC and disabling back pain in patients with sciatica. A randomized clinical trial with 1 year of follow-up. Patients with 6 to 12 weeks of sciatica who participated in a multicenter, randomized clinical trial comparing an early surgery strategy with prolonged conservative care with surgery if needed. Patients were assessed by means of the 100-mm visual analog scale (VAS) for back pain (with 0 representing no pain and 100 the worst pain ever experienced) at baseline and 1 year. Disabling back pain was defined as a VAS score of at least 40 mm. Patients underwent MRI both at baseline and after 1 year follow-up. Presence and change of VESC was correlated with disabling back pain using chi-square tests and logistic regression analysis. At baseline, 39% of patients had disabling back pain. Of the patients with VESC at baseline, 40% had disabling back pain compared with 38% of the patients with no VESC (p=.67). The prevalence of type 1 VESC increased from 1% at baseline to 35% 1 year later in the surgical group compared with an increase from 3% to 11% in the conservative group. The prevalence of type 2 VESC decreased from 40% to 29% in the surgical group while remaining almost stable in the conservative group at 41%. The prevalence of disabling back pain at 1 year was 12% in patients with no VESC at 1 year, 16% in patients with type 1 VESC, 11% in patients with type 2 VESC, and 3% in patients with both types 1 and 2 VESC (p=.36). Undergoing surgery was associated with increase in the extent of VESC (odds ratio [OR], 8.6; 95% confidence interval [CI], 4.7-15.7; p<.001). Patients who showed an increase in the extent of VESC after 1 year did not significantly report more disabling

Effects of backing board materials on wood combustion performance

Treesearch

Mathew J. Hagge; Kenneth M. Bryden; Mark A. Dietenberger

2004-01-01

Cone calorimeter tests show that backing board materials do not affect the ignition time, initial heat release rate, or the total heat released of combustion for redwood slabs. However, it has been observed that backing board materials alter combustion performance by altering the secondary heat release peak observed when the pyrolysis reaction front nears the unheated...

Low back cutaneous vibration and its effect on trunk postural control.

PubMed

Cornwall, Adam R; Gregory, Diane E

2017-08-01

The current study investigated the effects of a low back pain (LBP) vibration modality on trunk motor control. Trunk repositioning error and responses to a sudden loading trunk perturbation were evaluated pre- and post-vibration (15min vibration exposure while sitting on a standard chair) as well as when concurrent cutaneous low back vibration was applied. Only minor effects were observed post-vibration when compared to pre-vibration. However, when vibration was applied at the same time as the sudden trunk perturbations, lumbar erector spinae and external oblique muscles were significantly more delayed in activating following the perturbation. In addition, the resting muscle activation prior to the trunk perturbation was higher in both the back extensor and abdominal muscles when concurrent vibration was applied. These findings suggest that cutaneous low back vibration significantly alters motor control responses and this should be considered before implementing cutaneous vibration as a low back pain management strategy. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Prognostic psychosocial factors for disabling low back pain in Japanese hospital workers.

PubMed

Yoshimoto, Takahiko; Oka, Hiroyuki; Katsuhira, Junji; Fujii, Tomoko; Masuda, Katsuhiko; Tanaka, Sakae; Matsudaira, Ko

2017-01-01

Although the occupational health field has identified psychosocial factors as risk factors for low back pain that causes disability, the association between disabling low back pain and psychosocial factors has not been examined adequately in Japanese hospital workers. Therefore, this study examined the association between low back pain, which interfered with work, and psychosocial factors in Japanese hospital workers. This cross-sectional study was conducted at a hospital in Japan. In total, 280 hospital workers were recruited from various occupational settings. Of these, 203 completed a self-administered questionnaire that included items concerning individual characteristics, severity of low back pain, fear-avoidance beliefs (Fear-Avoidance Beliefs Questionnaire), somatic symptoms (Somatic Symptom Scale-8), psychological distress (K6), workaholism, and work-related psychosocial factors (response rate: 72.5%). Logistic regression was used to explore risk factors associated with disabling low back pain. Of the 203 participants who completed questionnaires, 36 (17.7%) reported low back pain that interfered with their work. Multivariate analyses with individual factors and occupations adjusted for showed statistically significant associations between disabling low back pain and fear-avoidance beliefs (adjusted odds ratio [OR]: 2.619, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.003-6.538], somatic symptoms (OR: 4.034, 95% CI: 1.819-9.337), and interpersonal stress at work (OR: 2.619, 95% CI: 1.067-6.224). Psychosocial factors, such as fear-avoidance beliefs, somatic symptoms, and interpersonal relationships at work, were important risk factors in low back pain that interfered with work in Japanese hospital workers. With respect to occupational health, consideration of psychosocial factors is required to reduce disability related to low back pain.

Prognostic psychosocial factors for disabling low back pain in Japanese hospital workers

PubMed Central

Yoshimoto, Takahiko; Oka, Hiroyuki; Katsuhira, Junji; Fujii, Tomoko; Masuda, Katsuhiko; Tanaka, Sakae; Matsudaira, Ko

2017-01-01

Background Although the occupational health field has identified psychosocial factors as risk factors for low back pain that causes disability, the association between disabling low back pain and psychosocial factors has not been examined adequately in Japanese hospital workers. Therefore, this study examined the association between low back pain, which interfered with work, and psychosocial factors in Japanese hospital workers. Method This cross-sectional study was conducted at a hospital in Japan. In total, 280 hospital workers were recruited from various occupational settings. Of these, 203 completed a self-administered questionnaire that included items concerning individual characteristics, severity of low back pain, fear-avoidance beliefs (Fear-Avoidance Beliefs Questionnaire), somatic symptoms (Somatic Symptom Scale-8), psychological distress (K6), workaholism, and work-related psychosocial factors (response rate: 72.5%). Logistic regression was used to explore risk factors associated with disabling low back pain. Results Of the 203 participants who completed questionnaires, 36 (17.7%) reported low back pain that interfered with their work. Multivariate analyses with individual factors and occupations adjusted for showed statistically significant associations between disabling low back pain and fear-avoidance beliefs (adjusted odds ratio [OR]: 2.619, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.003–6.538], somatic symptoms (OR: 4.034, 95% CI: 1.819–9.337), and interpersonal stress at work (OR: 2.619, 95% CI: 1.067–6.224). Conclusions Psychosocial factors, such as fear-avoidance beliefs, somatic symptoms, and interpersonal relationships at work, were important risk factors in low back pain that interfered with work in Japanese hospital workers. With respect to occupational health, consideration of psychosocial factors is required to reduce disability related to low back pain. PMID:28531194

High-frequency piezopolymer transducers with a copper-clad polyimide backing layer

PubMed Central

Ketterling, Jeffrey A.; Aristizábal, Orlando; Turnbull, Daniel H.

2006-01-01

The effect of a copper-clad polyimide (CCP) backing layer on piezopolymer transducer performance is evaluated. High-frequency, spherically curved polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) transducers with and without a CCP backing layer are electrically and acoustically tested. The results showed very similar operating characteristics. B-mode in vivo images of a mouse embryo also showed no qualitative differences indicating the CCP backing layer does not effect transducer performance. PMID:16889345

Review on risk factors related to lower back disorders at workplace

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

A' Tifah Jaffar, Nur; Nasrull Abdol Rahman, Mohd

2017-08-01

This review examines the evidence of the occurrence of risk exposure on work-related lower back disorders in the workplace. This review also investigates potential interactions between the risk factors in the workplace which include heavy physical work risk factor, static work postures risk factor, frequent bending and twisting risk factor, lifting risk factor, pushing and pulling risk factor, repetitive work risk factor, vibration risk factor, psychological and psychosocial risk factor that may be associated with symptoms of musculoskeletal disorders of lower back. These risk factors can reinforce each other and their influence can also be mediated by cultural or social factors. A systematic review of the literature was carried out by searching using databases and the searching strategy was used combined keyword for risk factors, work-related lower back disorders, heavy physical work, static work postures, frequent bending and twisting, lifting, pushing and pulling, repetitive work, vibration, psychological and psychosocial risk factor. A total of 67 articles were identified and reviewed. The risk factors identified that related for low back disorder are seven which are heavy physical work, static work postures, frequent bending and twisting, lifting, pushing and pulling, repetitive work, vibration, psychological and psychosocial risk factor and the level of evidence supporting the relationship with lower back disorders also described such as strong, moderate, insufficient, limited and no evidence. This result confirms that, existing of higher physical and psychosocial demand related to reported risk factors of low back disorders. The result also showed that previous reviews had evaluated relationship between risk factors of low back disorders and specific types of musculoskeletal disorders. This review also highlights the scarves evidence regarding some of the frequently reported risk factors for work related lower back disorders.

Active self-correction of back posture in children instructed with 'straighten your back' command.

PubMed

Czaprowski, Dariusz; Pawłowska, Paulina; Stoliński, Lukasz; Kotwicki, Tomasz

2014-10-01

The ability to adopt the properly corrected body posture is one of the factors determining the effectiveness of therapeutic programmes. This study determined the active self-correction expressed by the change of sagittal spinal curvatures (in standing and sitting positions) in 249 children (136 females, 113 males, aged 10-14 years) instructed with 'straighten your back' command (SYB). Spinal curvatures (sacral slope-SS, lumbar lordosis-LL, global, lower and upper thoracic kyphosis-TK, LK, UK, respectively) were assessed using Saunders inclinometer. The assessment was done in spontaneous standing and sitting positions and in the positions adopted after the SYB. In a standing position SYB led to the significant (P < 0.001) increase in SS, and the significant (P < 0.01) decrease in LL, TK, LK, UK. In a sitting position SYB led to significant changes (P < 0.001) from kyphotic to lordotic position of SS and LL and to the significant (P < 0.001) reduction of TK (36.5° ± 10.8 vs. 23.5° ± 11) and the flattening of LK (15.2° ± 8.7 vs. 1.0° ± 8.4). There were gender-based discrepancy regarding active self-correction only for LL in a standing and UK in a sitting position. Females demonstrated a significant decrease in LL (P < 0.001). UK significantly increased only in males (P < 0.001). The 'straighten your back' command leads to moving the spine away from mid-range towards end range of motion. Therefore, the command should not be used to elicit the most optimal back posture. Further studies are needed to determine if the active self-correction is different in females and males. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Silicide Schottky Barrier For Back-Surface-Illuminated CCD

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hecht, Michael H.

1990-01-01

Quantum efficiency of back-surface-illuminated charge-coupled device (CCD) increased by coating back surface with thin layer of PtSi or IrSi on thin layer of SiO2. In its interaction with positively-doped bulk Si of CCD, silicide/oxide layer forms Schottky barrier that repels electrons, promoting accumulation of photogenerated charge carriers in front-side CCD potential wells. Physical principle responsible for improvement explained in "Metal Film Increases CCD Output" (NPO-16815).

Method of making a back contacted solar cell

DOEpatents

Gee, J.M.

1995-11-21

A back-contacted solar cell is described having laser-drilled vias connecting the front-surface carrier-collector junction to an electrode grid on the back surface. The structure may also include a rear surface carrier-collector junction connected to the same grid. The substrate is connected to a second grid which is interdigitated with the first. Both grids are configured for easy series connection with neighboring cells. Several processes are disclosed to produce the cell. 2 figs.

World-Class Care: Boston Welcome Back Center Puts Internationally Educated Nurses Back to Work

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fifield, Mary L.

2008-01-01

Massachusetts alone needs an estimated 5,000 nurses, and the shortage is deepening. Nurses are retiring and quitting faster than new nurses can be trained. In this article, the author describes Bunker Hill Community College's Welcome Back Center, a workforce development program that has thus far helped 47 internationally educated nurses from 29…

Foot posture, foot function and low back pain: the Framingham Foot Study

PubMed Central

Menz, Hylton B.; Dufour, Alyssa B.; Riskowski, Jody L.; Hillstrom, Howard J.

2013-01-01

Objective. Abnormal foot posture and function have been proposed as possible risk factors for low back pain, but this has not been examined in detail. The objective of this study was to explore the associations of foot posture and foot function with low back pain in 1930 members of the Framingham Study (2002–05). Methods. Low back pain, aching or stiffness on most days was documented on a body chart. Foot posture was categorized as normal, planus or cavus using static weight-bearing measurements of the arch index. Foot function was categorized as normal, pronated or supinated using the centre of pressure excursion index derived from dynamic foot pressure measurements. Sex-specific multivariate logistic regression models were used to examine the associations of foot posture, foot function and asymmetry with low back pain, adjusting for confounding variables. Results. Foot posture showed no association with low back pain. However, pronated foot function was associated with low back pain in women [odds ratio (OR) = 1.51, 95% CI 1.1, 2.07, P = 0.011] and this remained significant after adjusting for age, weight, smoking and depressive symptoms (OR = 1.48, 95% CI 1.07, 2.05, P = 0.018). Conclusion. These findings suggest that pronated foot function may contribute to low back symptoms in women. Interventions that modify foot function, such as orthoses, may therefore have a role in the prevention and treatment of low back pain. PMID:24049103

Viscoelastic Response of the Human Lower Back to Passive Flexion: The Effects of Age.

PubMed

Shojaei, Iman; Allen-Bryant, Kacy; Bazrgari, Babak

2016-09-01

Low back pain is a leading cause of disability in the elderly. The potential role of spinal instability in increasing risk of low back pain with aging was indirectly investigated via assessment of age-related differences in viscoelastic response of lower back to passive deformation. The passive deformation tests were conducted in upright standing posture to account for the effects of gravity load and corresponding internal tissues responses on the lower back viscoelastic response. Average bending stiffness, viscoelastic relaxation, and dissipated energy were quantified to characterize viscoelastic response of the lower back. Larger average bending stiffness, viscoelastic relaxation and dissipated energy were observed among older vs. younger participants. Furthermore, average bending stiffness of the lower back was found to be the highest around the neutral standing posture and to decrease with increasing the lower back flexion angle. Larger bending stiffness of the lower back at flexion angles where passive contribution of lower back tissues to its bending stiffness was minimal (i.e., around neutral standing posture) highlighted the important role of active vs. passive contribution of tissues to lower back bending stiffness and spinal stability. As a whole our results suggested that a diminishing contribution of passive and volitional active subsystems to spinal stability may not be a reason for higher severity of low back pain in older population. The role of other contributing elements to spinal stability (e.g., active reflexive) as well as equilibrium-based parameters (e.g., compression and shear forces under various activities) in increasing severity of low back pain with aging should be investigated in future.

The effect of back and feet support on oscillometric blood pressure measurements.

PubMed

Ringrose, Jennifer S; Wong, Jonathan; Yousefi, Farahnaz; Padwal, Raj

2017-08-01

Recommendations to support the back and feet during blood pressure (BP) measurement are not always followed in clinical practice. Our objective was to determine to what extent back and feet support affects mean oscillometric BP measurements. Eighty-five consecutive, consenting participants 18 years or older with systolic BP readings 80-220 mmHg and diastolic BP readings 50-120 mmHg and arm circumferences of 25-43 cm were recruited. BP was measured using an Omron HEM 907 oscillometric device. Back and feet support were examined independently. First, while the feet were supported, two sets of three BP readings were taken in random order: one with the back supported and one with the back unsupported. Next, with the back supported, two sets of three BP readings were taken in random order: one with the feet dangling and one with feet supported. The mean age of the participants was 52.0±20.7 years and the mean arm circumference was 31.0±3.2 cm; 62% were women and 49% had hypertension. The mean BP levels with the back unsupported were slightly higher than those with the back supported (119.8±15.5/69.9±8.9 vs. 119.2±16.4/68.2±8.8 mmHg; difference of 0.7±4.9/1.8±3.0; P=0.21 for systolic and <0.0001 for diastolic comparisons). The mean BP levels with feet dangling were slightly lower than with feet supported (120.3±16.3/72.6±8.9 vs. 121.2±16.1/72.9±8.6 mmHg; difference of -0.9±4.1/-0.3±2.8; P=0.04 for systolic and <0.36 for diastolic comparisons). Systolic BP differences were greater than or equal to 5 mmHg in 34% (back phase) and 23% (feet phase) of the participants. Provision of back and feet support has a small effect on the mean oscillometric BP. The magnitude of effect is greatest on diastolic BP when the back is unsupported.

Effects of a postpartum back pain relief program for Korean women.

PubMed

Oh, Hyun-Ei; Lee, Young-Sook; Shim, Mi-Jung; Kim, Jin-Sun

2007-03-01

Despite the high prevalence of back pain and its subsequent effects in post-partum women, intervention programs are scarce. The purpose of this study was to test the effects of a back-pain-reducing program on post-partum women who experienced low-back pain during pregnancy. A non-equivalent control-group pretest-posttest design was used. Pregnant women who attended a hospital for prenatal check-ups and experienced back pain participated in an intervention program (n=27), and the results were compared with women in a control group from another hospital (n=25). At 8 weeks post-partum, the pain intensity, functional limitations were lower in the intervention group than in the control group. However, differences in mean change of the pain intensity and functional limitations between 36 and 39 weeks of gestation and at 8 weeks post-partum were not statistically significant between the groups. Moreover, the flexibility, post-partum functional status, and post-partum depression did not differ significantly between the groups. A back-pain-relief program in this study was not effective to reduce the back-pain intensity in post-partum women and to decrease the associated functional limitations. The implications for nursing practice and directions for future research are discussed.

Back pain and exposure to whole body vibration in helicopter pilots.

PubMed

Bongers, P M; Hulshof, C T; Dijkstra, L; Boshuizen, H C; Groenhout, H J; Valken, E

1990-08-01

In a questionnaire survey the prevalence of back pain in 163 helicopter pilots was compared to that in a control group of 297 non-flying air force officers who underwent the same pre-employment medical examination. Since pilots document their hours of flight in a personal flight log, an accurate estimate of the duration of exposure could be made. In addition, vibration levels of the helicopters were measured and an accumulative vibration dose was calculated for each pilot. 'Transient' back pain of a short duration was more frequent amongst the pilots compared to the control group, and the prevalence of 'chronic' back pain of a persistent nature was also higher amongst the helicopter pilots. Transient back pain seemed to be most strongly related to the average hours of flight per day, whereas chronic back pain was more closely related to total hours of flight or the accumulative vibration dose. A significant higher prevalence of this chronic back pain was observed only after 2000 hours of flight or a vibration dose of 400 m2h/s4. The observed health effects may be due to vibration or constrained posture but are most likely due to concomitant exposure to both factors.

Clinically significant weight gain 1 year after occupational back injury.

PubMed

Keeney, Benjamin J; Fulton-Kehoe, Deborah; Wickizer, Thomas M; Turner, Judith A; Chan, Kwun Chuen Gary; Franklin, Gary M

2013-03-01

To examine the incidence of clinically significant weight gain 1 year after occupational back injury, and risk factors for that gain. A cohort of Washington State workers with wage-replacement benefits for back injuries completed baseline and 1-year follow-up telephone interviews. We obtained additional measures from claims and medical records. Among 1263 workers, 174 (13.8%) reported clinically significant weight gain (≥7%) 1 year after occupational back injury. Women and workers who had more than 180 days on wage replacement at 1 year were twice as likely (adjusted odds ratio = 2.17, 95% confidence interval = 1.54 to 3.07; adjusted odds ratio = 2.40, 95% confidence interval = 1.63 to 3.53, respectively; both P < 0.001) to have clinically significant weight gain. Women and workers on wage replacement for more than 180 days may be susceptible to clinically significant weight gain after occupational back injury.

Clinically Significant Weight Gain One Year After Occupational Back Injury

PubMed Central

Keeney, Benjamin J.; Fulton-Kehoe, Deborah; Wickizer, Thomas M.; Turner, Judith A.; Chan, Kwun Chuen Gary; Franklin, Gary M.

2014-01-01

Objective To examine the incidence of clinically significant weight gain one year after occupational back injury, and risk factors for that gain. Methods A cohort of Washington State workers with wage-replacement benefits for back injuries completed baseline and 1-year follow-up telephone interviews. We obtained additional measures from claims and medical records. Results Among 1,263 workers, 174 (13.8%) reported clinically significant weight gain (≥7%) 1 year after occupational back injury. Women and workers who had >180 days on wage replacement at 1 year were twice as likely (adjusted OR=2.17, 95% CI=1.54–3.07; adjusted OR=2.40, 95% CI=1.63–3.53, respectively; both P<0.001) to have clinically significant weight gain. Conclusions Women and workers on wage replacement >180 days may be susceptible to clinically significant weight gain following occupational back injury. PMID:23247606

Density and abundance of black-backed woodpeckers in a Ponderosa pine ecosystem

Treesearch

Sean R. Mohren; Mark A. Rumble; Stanley H. Anderson

2014-01-01

Black-backed woodpeckers (Picoides arcticus) are usually associated with forest disturbance resulting in recently killed trees. While black-backed woodpeckers are attracted to areas affected by these disturbances, in the Black Hills they exist during interim disturbance periods in largely undisturbed forests. In 2012, a petition for listing black-backed woodpeckers in...

Acne, vulgaris on the back (image)

MedlinePlus

Acne frequently occurs on the back. Here, there are 2 to 6 millimeter wide erythematous (red) pustules ... Permanent scarring may follow a severe case of acne. Men are more often affected on their shoulders ...

Evaluating Quality Management of Acute Low Back Problems Provided By Air Force Nurse Practitioners

DTIC Science & Technology

1999-05-01

evaluate acute back pain, acute back pain with sciatica , and chronic low back pain. Nine treatments were listed in part one, and physicians were asked to...corsets, trigger point injections, and epidural steroid injections for sciatica are effective for chronic back pain. The study concluded that there

Measures of low back function: a review of reproducibility studies.

PubMed

Essendrop, Morten; Maul, Irina; Läubli, Thomas; Riihimäki, Hilkka; Schibye, Bente

2002-05-01

The objective of the present study was to make a systematic literature review with preset quality criteria concerning reproducibility of the tests of the low back regarding strength, endurance and range of motion. Literature in Medline and local databases was reviewed for articles concerning the reproducibility of strength, endurance, and range of motion measurements. Measures of low back function are widely used, and are important for both clinical and research purposes in relation to low back problems. A review of the reproducibility of these tests has not previously been made. After extensive discussion among all the authors, general evaluation parameters were defined for the quality assessment. Every study was graded from 0 to 2 for each parameter. Parameters evaluated were: number of subjects, subject description, method description, test/retest interval, description of results, and statistics. The literature search revealed a total of 79 studies. Most studies suffered from methodological weaknesses and only eleven studies received ten or more quality points (maximum 14). The results from the highest graded studies are highlighted. It may be concluded that there is a considerable lack of information about the reproducibility of functional measures for the low back, and therefore a recommendation for consensus is difficult. However, most tests performed in the sagittal plane are reliable for use on groups. Measures of low back function are thought to be of great importance for clinicians, and low back researchers in general. A review of reproducibility will be helpful both as a survey of tests, and to provide information on the usefulness in relation to the level of reproducibility.

Effectiveness of Back School program versus hydrotherapy in elderly patients with chronic non-specific low back pain: a randomized clinical trial.

PubMed

Costantino, Cosimo; Romiti, Davide

2014-06-24

Chronic low back pain (CLBP) is a major cause of disability, for which clinical practice guidelines suggest exercise programs, such as Back School program (stretching and selective muscle reinforcement techniques) and Hydrotherapy technique, as an effective treatment to reduce pain intensity and disability. We enrolled 56 elderly individuals, affected by non-specific CLBP, whose pain had worsened in the last three months, which were randomly allocated to Back School (group A) or to Hydrotherapy program (group B). Each group underwent two one-hour-treatment sessions per week, over a 12-week period. Each patient was evaluated using the Roland Morris Disability Questionnaire (RMDQ) and the 36-Item Short Form Health Survey (SF-36) V2.0 at the beginning (T0), at the end of treatment (T1) and at the 3-month follow-up (T2). At T1 and T2 we observed a highly significant statistical difference in the values measured  in both groups: at T1 in group A RMDQ improvement of 3.26±1.02 (p<0.001) and SF-36 of 13.30±1.44 (p<0.001); in group B RMDQ improvement of 4.96±0.71 (p<0.001) and SF-36 of 14.19±1.98 (p<0.001). We have also evaluated the difference in effectiveness of the two programs and no significant statistical differences were found between the two groups. Back School program and Hydrotherapy could be valid treatment options in the rehabilitation of non-specific CLBP in elderly people. Both therapies proved to be effective and can be used in association with other rehabilitation programs. We believe that Back School program should be favored for its simplicity and the small number of resources required. 

Low back pain and disability in individuals with plantar heel pain.

PubMed

McClinton, Shane; Weber, Carolyn F; Heiderscheit, Bryan

2018-03-01

Lack of response to plantar heel pain (PHP) treatment may be related to unmanaged low back pain (LBP) and low back dysfunction, but a relationship between LBP and PHP has not been established. The purpose of this investigation was to compare the prevalence of LBP among individuals with and without PHP and to assess the association between low back disability and foot/ankle function. A cross-sectional study compared the prevalence and likelihood of LBP in individuals with (n=27) and without (n=27) PHP matched to age, sex, BMI, foot posture, and foot mobility. In individuals with PHP, correlations were examined between foot/ankle function using the foot and ankle ability measure (FAAM), low back disability using the Oswestry low back disability questionnaire (OSW), duration of PHP symptoms, body mass index (BMI), and age. A greater percentage of individuals with PHP had LBP (74% versus 37% of controls, odds ratio=5.2, P=0.009) and higher levels of low back disability (17% higher OSW score than controls, P<0.001). In individuals with PHP, FAAM scores were correlated with OSW scores (ρ=-0.463, P=0.015), but not with duration of PHP symptoms, BMI, or age (P>0.150). Individuals with PHP had a greater prevalence of LBP and higher low back disability that was correlated to reduced foot and ankle function. Treatment to address both local and proximal impairments, including impairments related to LBP, may be warranted to improve the management of PHP. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Early retirement and the financial assets of individuals with back problems.

PubMed

Schofield, Deborah J; Shrestha, Rupendra N; Percival, Richard; Callander, Emily J; Kelly, Simon J; Passey, Megan E

2011-05-01

This paper quantifies the relationship between early retirement due to back problems and wealth, and contributes to a more complete picture of the full costs associated with back problems. The output data set of the microsimulation model Health&WealthMOD was analysed. Health&WealthMOD was specifically designed to measure the economic impacts of ill health on Australian workers aged 45-64 years. People aged 45-64 years who are out of the labour force due to back problems have significantly less chance of having any accumulated wealth. While almost all individuals who are in full-time employment with no chronic health condition have some wealth accumulated, a significantly smaller proportion (89%) of those who have retired early due to back problems do. Of those who have retired early due to back problems who do have some wealth, on average the total value of this wealth is 87% less (95% CI: -90 to -84%) than the total value of wealth accumulated by those who have remained in full-time employment with no health condition controlling for age, sex and education. The financial burden placed on those retiring early due to back problems is likely to cause financial stress in the future, as not only have retired individuals lost an income stream from paid employment, but they also have little or no wealth to draw upon. Preventing early retirement due to back problems will increase the time individuals will have to amass savings to finance their retirement and to protect against financial shocks.

An assessment of lower back pain in young adults: implications for college health education.

PubMed

Reis, J; Flegel, M; Kennedy, C

1996-05-01

A convenience sample of 243 undergraduates completed a 36-item questionnaire on their knowledge about back care and exercise patterns before they attended lectures and a workshop on back mechanics. At the workshop, the students were individually evaluated for posture, hamstring flexibility, hip flexor flexibility, back and abdominal strength, and lifting technique. Twenty-nine percent of the students reported that they experienced no back pain; 71% experienced lower back pain 1 to 5 days a week. The majority were neglectful of their posture, lifting and carrying techniques, and scored fair-to-poor on the hamstring flexibility test, possibly foreshadowing back problems in later life. The majority of respondents were unsure of what exercises to do for back care. Within the subgroup of students who claimed they were knowledgeable about exercise, more than 50% were performing ineffective and potentially harmful exercises. The results underscored the potential worth of health education on back care offered through didactic instruction and experiential workshops.

Integrated seat frame and back support

DOEpatents

Martin, Leo

1999-01-01

An integrated seating device comprises a seat frame having a front end and a rear end. The seat frame has a double wall defining an exterior wall and an interior wall. The rear end of the seat frame has a slot cut therethrough both the exterior wall and the interior wall. The front end of the seat frame has a slot cut through just the interior wall thereof. A back support comprising a generally L shape has a horizontal member, and a generally vertical member which is substantially perpendicular to the horizontal member. The horizontal member is sized to be threaded through the rear slot and is fitted into the front slot. Welded slat means secures the back support to the seat frame to result in an integrated seating device.

Laminated photovoltaic modules using back-contact solar cells

DOEpatents

Gee, James M.; Garrett, Stephen E.; Morgan, William P.; Worobey, Walter

1999-09-14

Photovoltaic modules which comprise back-contact solar cells, such as back-contact crystalline silicon solar cells, positioned atop electrically conductive circuit elements affixed to a planar support so that a circuit capable of generating electric power is created. The modules are encapsulated using encapsulant materials such as EVA which are commonly used in photovoltaic module manufacture. The module designs allow multiple cells to be electrically connected in a single encapsulation step rather than by sequential soldering which characterizes the currently used commercial practices.

Malignant human cell transformation of Marcellus Shale gas drilling flow back water

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Yao, Yixin; Department of Environmental Medicine, New York University School of Medicine, Tuxedo, NY 10987; Chen, Tingting

The rapid development of high-volume horizontal hydraulic fracturing for mining natural gas from shale has posed potential impacts on human health and biodiversity. The produced flow back waters after hydraulic stimulation are known to carry high levels of saline and total dissolved solids. To understand the toxicity and potential carcinogenic effects of these wastewaters, flow back waters from five Marcellus hydraulic fracturing oil and gas wells were analyzed. The physicochemical nature of these samples was analyzed by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry and scanning electron microscopy/energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. A cytotoxicity study using colony formation as the endpoint was carriedmore » out to define the LC{sub 50} values of test samples using human bronchial epithelial cells (BEAS-2B). The BEAS-2B cell transformation assay was employed to assess the carcinogenic potential of the samples. Barium and strontium were among the most abundant metals in these samples and the same metals were found to be elevated in BEAS-2B cells after long-term treatment. BEAS-2B cells treated for 6 weeks with flow back waters produced colony formation in soft agar that was concentration dependent. In addition, flow back water-transformed BEAS-2B cells show better migration capability when compared to control cells. This study provides information needed to assess the potential health impact of post-hydraulic fracturing flow back waters from Marcellus Shale natural gas mining. - Highlights: • This is the first report of potential cytotoxicity and transforming activity of Marcellus shale gas mining flow back to mammalian cells. • Barium and Strontium were elevated in flow back water exposed cells. • Flow back water malignantly transformed cells and formed tumor in athymic nude mice. • Flow back transformed cells exhibited altered transcriptome with dysregulated cell migration pathway and adherent junction pathway.« less

Prevalence of Back Pain in Sports: A Systematic Review of the Literature.

PubMed

Trompeter, Katharina; Fett, Daniela; Platen, Petra

2017-06-01

Back pain is a frequent health problem in the general population. The epidemiology of back pain in the general population is well researched, but detailed data on the prevalence and risk factors of back pain in athletes are rare. The primary objective was to review articles about back pain in athletes to provide an overview of its prevalence in different sports and compare its prevalence among various types of sports and the general population. A comprehensive search of articles published through May 2015 was conducted. Two independent reviewers searched six databases from inception (PubMed ® , Embase, MEDLINE ® , Cochrane Library, PsycINFO and PSYNDEX), using specifically developed search strategies, for relevant epidemiological research on back pain in 14- to 40-year-old athletes of Olympic disciplines. The reviewers independently evaluated the methodological quality of reviewed articles meeting the inclusion criteria to identify potential sources of bias. Relevant data were extracted from each study. Forty-three articles were judged to meet the inclusion criteria and were included in the assessment of methodological quality. Of these, 25 were assessed to be of high quality. Lifetime prevalence and point prevalence were the most commonly researched episodes and the lower back was the most common localization of pain. In the high-quality studies, lifetime prevalence of low back pain in athletes was 1-94%, (highest prevalence in rowing and cross-country skiing), and point prevalence of low back pain was 18-65% (lowest prevalence in basketball and highest prevalence in rowing). The methodological heterogeneity of the included studies showed a wide range of prevalence rates and did not enable a detailed comparison of data among different sports, within one discipline, or versus the general population. Based on the results of this review, however, it seems obvious that back pain requires further study in some sports.

11. INTERIOR OF LIVING ROOM SHOWING BACK WALL ELECTRICAL HEATER, ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

11. INTERIOR OF LIVING ROOM SHOWING BACK WALL ELECTRICAL HEATER, OPEN FIVE-PANELED DOOR TO BACK BEDROOM AT PHOTO RIGHT, AND OPEN DOOR TO KITCHEN AT PHOTO CENTER. VIEW TO NORTHWEST. - Bishop Creek Hydroelectric System, Plant 4, Worker Cottage, Bishop Creek, Bishop, Inyo County, CA

Back-diffusion plasma generator for ionosphere study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fang, H. K.; Oyama, K.-I.; Chen, A. B.

2017-11-01

To produce ionospheric plasma environments at ground level is essential to get information not only for the development of CubeSat-class spacecraft but also for the design of ionospheric plasma instruments and to confirm their performance. In this paper, we describe the principle of plasma generation and characteristics of the back-diffusion plasma source, which can produce in-lab plasma similar to the Earth’s ionosphere, E and F regions, conditions of electron and ion temperature and density. The ion and electron energy distributions of the plasma generated by a back-diffusion source are measured by means of a cleaned Langmuir probe and gridded particle energy analyzers. The ion motion in front of the source is investigated by a hard-sphere collision model in SIMION software and the simulation results are comparable with the findings of our experiment. Furthermore, plasma densities and ion temperatures at different positions in front of the source are also demonstrated. The back-diffusion source has been accommodated for ionospheric plasma productions in several Asian institutes. The plasma characteristics of the source shown in this paper will benefit space research groups in the development of space plasma instruments.

Low back pain in car drivers: A review of studies published 1975 to 2005

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gallais, Lenka; Griffin, Michael J.

2006-12-01

This review investigates whether there is evidence of an association between car driving and low back pain, and evidence that whole-body vibration contributes to low back pain in car drivers. The evidence of an association between various physical, psychosocial and individual factors and low back pain in car drivers was also investigated. From 23 epidemiological studies of low back problems in groups that reported car driving, nine studies fulfilled simple criteria for detailed review: four cross-sectional studies, three case-control studies and two longitudinal studies. The definition of low back pain was often unclear and, mostly, the physiological mechanisms causing low back pain were not considered. Eight of the nine studies concluded that there was an increase in low back pain among car drivers but there was little consideration of the influence of the many physical factors, individual factors and psychosocial factors that might be associated with an increase in low back pain. Consequently, there is insufficient evidence to form a conclusion on whether whole-body vibration, postural stressors or other factors, specific or not specific to driving, are common causes of low back problems in car drivers.

Effect of stratified care for low back pain in family practice (IMPaCT Back): a prospective population-based sequential comparison.

PubMed

Foster, Nadine E; Mullis, Ricky; Hill, Jonathan C; Lewis, Martyn; Whitehurst, David G T; Doyle, Carol; Konstantinou, Kika; Main, Chris; Somerville, Simon; Sowden, Gail; Wathall, Simon; Young, Julie; Hay, Elaine M

2014-01-01

We aimed to determine the effects of implementing risk-stratified care for low back pain in family practice on physician's clinical behavior, patient outcomes, and costs. The IMPaCT Back Study (IMplementation to improve Patient Care through Targeted treatment) prospectively compared separate patient cohorts in a preintervention phase (6 months of usual care) and a postintervention phase (12 months of stratified care) in family practice, involving 64 family physicians and linked physical therapy services. A total of 1,647 adults with low back pain were invited to participate. Stratified care entailed use of a risk stratification tool to classify patients into groups at low, medium, or high risk for persistent disability and provision of risk-matched treatment. The primary outcome was 6-month change in disability as assessed with the Roland-Morris Disability Questionnaire. Process outcomes captured physician behavior change in risk-appropriate referral to physical therapy, diagnostic tests, medication prescriptions, and sickness certifications. A cost-utility analysis estimated incremental quality-adjusted life-years and back-related health care costs. Analysis was by intention to treat. The 922 patients studied (368 in the preintervention phase and 554 in the postintervention phase) had comparable baseline characteristics. At 6 months follow-up, stratified care had a small but significant benefit relative to usual care as seen from a mean difference in Roland-Morris Disability Questionnaire scores of 0.7 (95% CI, 0.1-1.4), with a large, clinically important difference in the high risk group of 2.3 (95% CI, 0.8-3.9). Mean time off work was 50% shorter (4 vs 8 days, P = .03) and the proportion of patients given sickness certifications was 30% lower (9% vs 15%, P = .03) in the postintervention cohort. Health care cost savings were also observed. Stratified care for back pain implemented in family practice leads to significant improvements in patient disability outcomes

Study protocol: The back pain outcomes using longitudinal data (BOLD) registry

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background Back pain is one of the most important causes of functional limitation, disability, and utilization of health care resources for adults of all ages, but especially among older adults. Despite the high prevalence of back pain in this population, important questions remain unanswered regarding the comparative effectiveness of commonly used diagnostic tests and treatments in the elderly. The overall goal of the Back pain Outcomes using Longitudinal Data (BOLD) project is to establish a rich, sustainable registry to describe the natural history and evaluate prospectively the effectiveness, safety, and cost-effectiveness of interventions for patients 65 and older with back pain. Methods/design BOLD is enrolling 5,000 patients ≥ 65 years old who present to a primary care physician with a new episode of back pain. We are recruiting study participants from three integrated health systems (Kaiser-Permanente Northern California, Henry Ford Health System in Detroit and Harvard Vanguard Medical Associates/ Harvard Pilgrim Health Care in Boston). Registry patients complete validated, standardized measures of pain, back pain-related disability, and health-related quality of life at enrollment and 3, 6 and 12 months later. We also have available for analysis the clinical and administrative data in the participating health systems’ electronic medical records. Using registry data, we will conduct an observational cohort study of early imaging compared to no early imaging among patients with new episodes of back pain. The aims are to: 1) identify predictors of early imaging and; 2) compare pain, functional outcomes, diagnostic testing and treatment utilization of patients who receive early imaging versus patients who do not receive early imaging. In terms of predictors, we will examine patient factors as well as physician factors. Discussion By establishing the BOLD registry, we are creating a resource that contains patient-reported outcome measures as well as

Back-illuminate fiber system research for multi-object fiber spectroscopic telescope

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhou, Zengxiang; Liu, Zhigang; Hu, Hongzhuan; Wang, Jianping; Zhai, Chao; Chu, Jiaru

2016-07-01

In the telescope observation, the position of fiber will highly influence the spectra efficient input in the fiber to the spectrograph. When the fibers were back illuminated on the spectra end, they would export light on the positioner end, so the CCD cameras could capture the photo of fiber tip position covered the focal plane, calculates the precise position information by light centroid method and feeds back to control system. A set of fiber back illuminated system was developed which combined to the low revolution spectro instruments in LAMOST. It could provide uniform light output to the fibers, meet the requirements for the CCD camera measurement. The paper was introduced the back illuminated system design and different test for the light resource. After optimization, the effect illuminated system could compare with the integrating sphere, meet the conditions of fiber position measurement.Using parallel controlled fiber positioner as the spectroscopic receiver is an efficiency observation system for spectra survey, has been used in LAMOST recently, and will be proposed in CFHT and rebuilt telescope Mayall. In the telescope observation, the position of fiber will highly influence the spectra efficient input in the fiber to the spectrograph. When the fibers were back illuminated on the spectra end, they would export light on the positioner end, so the CCD cameras could capture the photo of fiber tip position covered the focal plane, calculates the precise position information by light centroid method and feeds back to control system. After many years on these research, the back illuminated fiber measurement was the best method to acquire the precision position of fibers. In LAMOST, a set of fiber back illuminated system was developed which combined to the low revolution spectro instruments in LAMOST. It could provide uniform light output to the fibers, meet the requirements for the CCD camera measurement and was controlled by high-level observation system which

Correlates of low back pain in a general population sample: a multidisciplinary perspective.

PubMed

Roncarati, A; McMullen, W

1988-06-01

This study identifies correlates of low back pain in a general population sample and defines a profile of subjects with low back pain. A multidisciplinary approach was employed that required surveying and physically assessing 674 subjects on 105 variables in biographical, anatomical, strength and flexibility measurement categories. No attempt was made to select subjects from specific occupational, age, athletic, psychological and anatomical groups or subjects with specific biographical features, which may have resulted in a sample that was atypical of the general population. The results of this study based on a causal comparative ex post facto research design corroborated selected findings of previous research conducted on nongeneral population samples. These findings include relationships between low back pain and age, body type, sex, stress, smoking, selected types of physical activity, occupation and previous injuries to the neck, shoulders, back and upper legs, as well as previous episodes of low back pain. Additional correlates of low back pain that were identified and have little or controversial review in the back literature include: delayed low back pain syndrome caused by abrupt changes in running frequency, Q angle, pes cavus, leg length (right and left), trunk length, genu recurvatum and multiplane strength and flexibility limitations in the hip joints.

Shape shifting pain: chronification of back pain shifts brain representation from nociceptive to emotional circuits

PubMed Central

Hashmi, Javeria A.; Baliki, Marwan N.; Huang, Lejian; Baria, Alex T.; Torbey, Souraya; Hermann, Kristina M.; Schnitzer, Thomas J.; Apkarian, A. Vania

2013-01-01

Chronic pain conditions are associated with abnormalities in brain structure and function. Moreover, some studies indicate that brain activity related to the subjective perception of chronic pain may be distinct from activity for acute pain. However, the latter are based on observations from cross-sectional studies. How brain activity reorganizes with transition from acute to chronic pain has remained unexplored. Here we study this transition by examining brain activity for rating fluctuations of back pain magnitude. First we compared back pain-related brain activity between subjects who have had the condition for ∼2 months with no prior history of back pain for 1 year (early, acute/subacute back pain group, n = 94), to subjects who have lived with back pain for >10 years (chronic back pain group, n = 59). In a subset of subacute back pain patients, we followed brain activity for back pain longitudinally over a 1-year period, and compared brain activity between those who recover (recovered acute/sub-acute back pain group, n = 19) and those in which the back pain persists (persistent acute/sub-acute back pain group, n = 20; based on a 20% decrease in intensity of back pain in 1 year). We report results in relation to meta-analytic probabilistic maps related to the terms pain, emotion, and reward (each map is based on >200 brain imaging studies, derived from neurosynth.org). We observed that brain activity for back pain in the early, acute/subacute back pain group is limited to regions involved in acute pain, whereas in the chronic back pain group, activity is confined to emotion-related circuitry. Reward circuitry was equally represented in both groups. In the recovered acute/subacute back pain group, brain activity diminished in time, whereas in the persistent acute/subacute back pain group, activity diminished in acute pain regions, increased in emotion-related circuitry, and remained unchanged in reward circuitry. The results demonstrate that brain

Shape shifting pain: chronification of back pain shifts brain representation from nociceptive to emotional circuits.

PubMed

Hashmi, Javeria A; Baliki, Marwan N; Huang, Lejian; Baria, Alex T; Torbey, Souraya; Hermann, Kristina M; Schnitzer, Thomas J; Apkarian, A Vania

2013-09-01

Chronic pain conditions are associated with abnormalities in brain structure and function. Moreover, some studies indicate that brain activity related to the subjective perception of chronic pain may be distinct from activity for acute pain. However, the latter are based on observations from cross-sectional studies. How brain activity reorganizes with transition from acute to chronic pain has remained unexplored. Here we study this transition by examining brain activity for rating fluctuations of back pain magnitude. First we compared back pain-related brain activity between subjects who have had the condition for ∼2 months with no prior history of back pain for 1 year (early, acute/subacute back pain group, n = 94), to subjects who have lived with back pain for >10 years (chronic back pain group, n = 59). In a subset of subacute back pain patients, we followed brain activity for back pain longitudinally over a 1-year period, and compared brain activity between those who recover (recovered acute/sub-acute back pain group, n = 19) and those in which the back pain persists (persistent acute/sub-acute back pain group, n = 20; based on a 20% decrease in intensity of back pain in 1 year). We report results in relation to meta-analytic probabilistic maps related to the terms pain, emotion, and reward (each map is based on >200 brain imaging studies, derived from neurosynth.org). We observed that brain activity for back pain in the early, acute/subacute back pain group is limited to regions involved in acute pain, whereas in the chronic back pain group, activity is confined to emotion-related circuitry. Reward circuitry was equally represented in both groups. In the recovered acute/subacute back pain group, brain activity diminished in time, whereas in the persistent acute/subacute back pain group, activity diminished in acute pain regions, increased in emotion-related circuitry, and remained unchanged in reward circuitry. The results demonstrate that brain

Does the Removal of Spinal Implants Reduce Back Pain?

PubMed Central

Ak, Hakan; Gulsen, Ismail; Atalay, Tugay; Gencer, Muzaffer

2015-01-01

Background The importance of the removal of spinal implants is known in the presence of infection. However, the benefits and/or risks of the removal of spinal implant for the management of back pain are not clear. Methods In this retrospective study, we aimed to evaluate the beneficial effects of the removal of spinal implants for back pain. Study included 25 patients with thoracolumbar instrumentation. Results Seventeen (68%) of them were male. Indications for spinal instrumentation were vertebra fracture (n = 9), iatrogenic instability due to multiple segment laminectomy (n = 12), and instrumentation after recurrent disk herniations (n = 4). Mean visual analog score (VAS) before the removal was 8.08. Mean VAS was 3.36 after the removal. Spinal instruments were removed after the observance of the presence of fusion. All patients were prescribed analgesics and muscle relaxants for 3 weeks before removal. Back pain did not decrease in five (20%) patients in total. Four of them had been instrumented due to recurrent lumbar disk herniation. None of the patients reported the complete relief of pain. Conclusion In conclusion, patients should be cautioned that their back pain might not decrease after a successful removal of their instruments. PMID:25883710

Influence of chronic back pain on kinematic reactions to unpredictable arm pulls.

PubMed

Götze, Martin; Ernst, Michael; Koch, Markus; Blickhan, Reinhard

2015-03-01

There is evidence that muscle reflexes are delayed in patients with chronic low back pain in response to perturbations. It is still unrevealed whether these delays accompanied by an altered kinematic or compensated by adaption of other muscle parameters. The aim of this study was to investigate whether chronic low back pain patients show an altered kinematic reaction and if such data are reliable for the classification of chronic low back pain. In an experiment involving 30 females, sudden lateral perturbations were applied to the arm of a subject in an upright, standing position. Kinematics was used to distinguish between chronic low back pain patients and healthy controls. A calculated model of a stepwise discriminant function analysis correctly predicted 100% of patients and 80% of healthy controls. The estimation of the classification error revealed a constant rate for the classification of the healthy controls and a slightly decreased rate for the patients. Observed reflex delays and identified kinematic differences inside and outside the region of pain during impaired movement indicated that chronic low back pain patients have an altered motor control that is not restricted to the lumbo-pelvic region. This applied paradigm of external perturbations can be used to detect chronic low back pain patients and also persons without chronic low back pain but with an altered motor control. Further investigations are essential to reveal whether healthy persons with changes in motor function have an increased potential to develop chronic back pain. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Handout on Health: Back Pain

MedlinePlus

... pain. Surgical treatments may be necessary in some cases, including: Herniated (ruptured) disks , where one or more of the disks that cushion the ... on the spinal cord and nerves. Spondylolisthesis , where one or more bones in ... as a person gets older. In rare cases, back pain is caused by a tumor, an ...

Accelerating separable footprint (SF) forward and back projection on GPU

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xie, Xiaobin; McGaffin, Madison G.; Long, Yong; Fessler, Jeffrey A.; Wen, Minhua; Lin, James

2017-03-01

Statistical image reconstruction (SIR) methods for X-ray CT can improve image quality and reduce radiation dosages over conventional reconstruction methods, such as filtered back projection (FBP). However, SIR methods require much longer computation time. The separable footprint (SF) forward and back projection technique simplifies the calculation of intersecting volumes of image voxels and finite-size beams in a way that is both accurate and efficient for parallel implementation. We propose a new method to accelerate the SF forward and back projection on GPU with NVIDIA's CUDA environment. For the forward projection, we parallelize over all detector cells. For the back projection, we parallelize over all 3D image voxels. The simulation results show that the proposed method is faster than the acceleration method of the SF projectors proposed by Wu and Fessler.13 We further accelerate the proposed method using multiple GPUs. The results show that the computation time is reduced approximately proportional to the number of GPUs.

Effects of an intervention based on the Transtheoretical Model on back muscle endurance, physical function and pain in rice farmers with chronic low back pain.

PubMed

Thanawat, Thanakorn; Nualnetr, Nomjit

2017-01-01

Chronic low back pain (LBP) can be managed by exercises which should be tailored to an individual's readiness to behavioral change. To evaluate the effects of an intervention program based on the Transtheoretical Model of behavioral change (TTM) on back muscle endurance, physical function and pain in rice farmers with chronic LBP. In a 32-week study, 126 rice farmers were allocated to the TTM (n= 62) and non-TTM (n= 64) groups. Modified Biering-Sorensen test, Oswestry Disability Questionnaire and visual analogue scale were used for evaluating back muscle endurance, physical function and severity of pain, respectively. The evaluations were performed at baseline and at weeks 8, 20 and 32 of the study. Data were analyzed using repeated measure ANOVA. The back muscle endurance was significantly greater in the TTM group than in the non-TTM group at week 32 (p= 0.025). Physical function and severity of pain were significantly improved in the TTM group when compared with the non-TTM group at weeks 20 and 32 (p< 0.01). A TTM-based intervention could improve back muscle endurance and physical function, and reduce the pain in rice farmers with LBP. Further studies should be considered to explore the long-term effects of this intervention.

Putting Off-Track Youths Back on Track to College

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Steinberg, Adria; Allen, Lili

2011-01-01

Back on Track, developed by Jobs for the Future, is a design for schools to not only re-engage off-track and out-of-school youths to graduate from high school, but also to put them on a clear, supported path to a college education. Two schools that have combined Back on Track with the early college model, in which students can earn both a high…

Using the Teach-Back Method in Patient Education to Improve Patient Satisfaction.

PubMed

Centrella-Nigro, Andrea M; Alexander, Catherine

2017-01-01

This quasi-experimental research study used two similar nursing units to test the effects of teach back on Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (HCAHPS) scores. A pretest-posttest design tested 24 nurses' knowledge, attitudes, and beliefs about teach back. Education specialists provided a 1-hour teaching session on teach back to all nurses in the intervention unit. A significant improvement in knowledge scores in the pretest-posttest was found using paired t tests (p = .002). Qualitative analysis of nurses' comments demonstrated strong support for teach back in the post-test. The HCAHPS scores were not significantly improved in the intervention unit when compared with the control unit. More research needs to be conducted to determine the effectiveness of teach back on HCAHPS scores. J Contin Educ Nurs. 2017;48(1):47-52. Copyright 2017, SLACK Incorporated.

The impact of anthropometric parameters on the incidence of low back pain.

PubMed

Celan, Dusan; Turk, Zmago

2005-06-01

Endogenic factors as one of possible reasons for low back pain were investigated and discussed in this study. The study included 122 male bus drivers, average age 44.2 years, average period of active service 24.4 years. The following anthropometric indexes have been calculated: Quetelet's index, percentage of body fat, relative body weight, Olivier's typologic index, Lorenz's constitution index and muscle index. According to inquiry form regarding history of low back pain the subjects were divided in two groups: 36 had no low back pain history and 76 had a history of recurrent low back pain. The results showed statistically nonsignificant differences in the anthropometric parameters and the calculated indexes between these two groups of subjects. The chosen subject sample showed that nutritional status, body build, constitution and muscular development are not associated with the incidence of low back pain.

Back to Sleep, Tummy to Play

MedlinePlus

... Español Text Size Email Print Share Back to Sleep, Tummy to Play Page Content ​What are the 2 most important things to remember about safe sleep practices? Healthy babies are safest when sleeping on ...

Cognitive behavioral therapy for back pain

MedlinePlus

... this page: //medlineplus.gov/ency/patientinstructions/000415.htm Cognitive behavioral therapy for back pain To use the sharing features on this page, please enable JavaScript. Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) can help many people deal with chronic ...

Individual differences in media multitasking and performance on the n-back.

PubMed

Ralph, Brandon C W; Smilek, Daniel

2017-02-01

A number of studies have recently examined the link between individual differences in media multitasking (using the MMI) and performance on working memory paradigms. However, these studies have yielded mixed results. Here we examine the relation between media multitasking and one particular working memory paradigm-the n-back (2- and 3-back)-improving upon previous research by (a) treating media multitasking as a continuous variable and adopting a correlational approach as well as (b) using a large sample of participants. First, we found that higher scores on the MMI were associated with a greater proportion of omitted trials on both the 2-back and 3-back, indicating that heavier media multitaskers were more disengaged during the n-back. In line with such a claim, heavier media multitaskers were also more likely to confess to responding randomly during various portions of the experiment, and to report media multitasking during the experiment itself. Importantly, when controlling for the relation between MMI scores and omissions, higher scores on the MMI were associated with an increase in false alarms, but not with a change in hits. These findings refine the extant literature on media multitasking and working memory performance (specifically, performance on the n-back), and suggest that media multitasking may be related to the propensity to disengage from ongoing tasks.

Triggers for an episode of sudden onset low back pain: study protocol

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background Most research on risk factors for low back pain has focused on long term exposures rather than factors immediately preceding the onset of low back pain. The aim of this study is to quantify the transient increase in risk of a sudden episode of low back pain associated with acute exposure to a range of common physical and psychological factors. Methods/design This study uses a case-crossover design. One thousand adults with a sudden onset of low back pain presenting to primary care clinicians will be recruited. Basic demographic and clinical information including exposure to putative triggers will be collected using a questionnaire. These triggers include exposure to hazardous manual tasks, physical activity, a slip/trip or fall, consumption of alcohol, sexual activity, being distracted, and being fatigued or tired. Exposures in the case window (0-2 hours from the time when participants first notice their back pain) will be compared to exposures in two control time-windows (one 24-26 hours and another 48-50 hours before the case window). Discussion The completion of this study will provide the first-research based estimates of the increase in risk of a sudden episode of acute low back pain associated with transient exposure to a range of common factors thought to trigger low back pain. PMID:22273001

Reverse shoulder glenoid baseplate fixation: a comparison of flat-back versus curved-back designs and oval versus circular designs with 2 different offset glenospheres.

PubMed

Roche, Christopher P; Stroud, Nicholas J; Flurin, Pierre-Henri; Wright, Thomas W; Zuckerman, Joseph D; DiPaola, Matthew J

2014-09-01

In this glenoid loosening study, we compared the fixation strength of multiple generic reverse shoulder glenoid baseplates that differed only in backside geometry and shape and size to optimize design from a fixation perspective. The fixation strength of 4 generic baseplates was quantified in a low-density polyurethane substrate to isolate the contribution of baseplate profile and size (25 mm circular vs 25 × 34 mm oval) and backside geometry (flat back vs curved back) on fixation using 2 center-of-rotation glenospheres (0 mm and 10 mm lateral). The cyclic test simulated 55° of abduction as a 750 N load was continuously applied to induce a variable shear and compressive load. Before and after cyclic loading, baseplate displacement was measured in the directions of the applied static shear and compressive loads. Each generic baseplate was cyclically tested 7 times with each offset glenosphere for a total of 56 samples. Circular baseplates were associated with significantly more shear displacement in both the superior-inferior (SI) and anterior-posterior (AP) directions after cyclic loading than oval baseplates. No such significant differences in fixation were observed between flat-back and curved-back baseplates. Circular baseplates were also associated with significantly more SI and AP shear displacement with 10 mm glenospheres than with 0 mm glenospheres. No significant difference in SI or AP motion was observed with oval baseplates between 0 mm and 10 mm glenospheres. Our results suggest that baseplate shape and size affects fixation strength more than backside geometry. The 25 × 34 mm oval baseplates showed better fixation characteristics than their 25 mm circular counterparts; no discernible difference in fixation was observed between flat-back and curved-back baseplates. Copyright © 2014 Journal of Shoulder and Elbow Surgery Board of Trustees. Published by Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.

Prevalence of low back pain in emergency settings: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

PubMed

Edwards, Jordan; Hayden, Jill; Asbridge, Mark; Gregoire, Bruce; Magee, Kirk

2017-04-04

Low back pain may be having a significant impact on emergency departments around the world. Research suggests low back pain is one of the leading causes of emergency department visits. However, in the peer-reviewed literature, there has been limited focus on the prevalence and management of back pain in the emergency department setting. The aim of the systematic review was to synthesize evidence about the prevalence of low back pain in emergency settings and explore the impact of study characteristics including type of emergency setting and how the study defined low back pain. Studies were identified from PubMed and EMBASE, grey literature search, and other sources. We selected studies that presented prevalence data for adults presenting to an emergency setting with low back pain. Critical appraisal was conducted using a modified tool developed to assess prevalence studies. Meta-analyses and a meta-regression explored the influence of study-level characteristics on prevalence. We screened 1187 citations and included 21 studies, reported between 2000 and 2016 presenting prevalence data from 12 countries. The pooled prevalence estimate from studies of standard emergency settings was 4.39% (95% CI: 3.67-5.18). Prevalence estimates of the included studies ranged from 0.9% to 17.1% and varied with study definition of low back pain and the type of emergency setting. The overall quality of the evidence was judged to be moderate as there was limited generalizability and high heterogeneity in the results. This is the first systematic review to examine the prevalence of low back pain in emergency settings. Our results indicate that low back pain is consistently a top presenting complaint and that the prevalence of low back pain varies with definition of low back pain and emergency setting. Clinicians and policy decisions makers should be aware of the potential impact of low back pain in their emergency settings.

Consequences of the "back to sleep" program in infants.

PubMed

Miller, Lauren C; Johnson, Arlene; Duggan, Lisa; Behm, Melissa

2011-08-01

Sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) is the third leading cause of infant mortality in the United States and the leading cause of death among infants 28-364 days of age. The "Back to Sleep" program was implemented in 1992 to promote supine sleeping in efforts to prevent SIDS. Along with this implementation came several consequences that are avoidable in infants. The purposes of this article are to describe the Back to Sleep program and its intended purpose, to identify the adverse consequences, and to develop a teaching program for nurse practitioners to use with parents that will both promote safe sleeping and reduce the untoward consequences of the back to sleep program while maintaining the integrity of the SIDS prevention advice. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Effective management of low back pain: it’s time to accept the evidence

PubMed Central

Manga, Pran; Angus, Douglas E; Swan, William R

1993-01-01

Low back pain is a ubiquitous and economically costly problem. Unfortunately, the clinical management of low back pain is not yet well understood. Chiropractic management of back pain, long the black sheep of back care, has undergone a transition and is now a more respected and understood alternative to conservative medical care, itself under increased scrutiny due to unsatisfactory outcomes and unacceptable iatrogenic side effects. The substantial amount of clinical and related research on the effectiveness of manipulation for low back pain is summarized here from a larger study, divided into randomized control trials, case-control trials, meta-analyses and descriptive studies. The chiropractic management of low back pain is found to be a more effective way of dealing with this medical, social and economic problem. It is suggested that greater utilization of chiropractors be encouraged such that the “right people are doing the right things at the right time”.

Response to "Back to Basics"

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jacques, Doug

2007-01-01

In this article, the author provides a response to Andrew McMartin's article "Back to Basics: Meditations on Quality vs. Quantity in Outdoor Education." In considering quality vs. quantity in outdoor education it is still important from the author's perspective to be conscious of one's viewpoint. He has taught and run trips from a survival…

Exercise therapy for treatment of non-specific low back pain.

PubMed

Hayden, J A; van Tulder, M W; Malmivaara, A; Koes, B W

2005-07-20

Exercise therapy is widely used as an intervention in low-back pain. To evaluate the effectiveness of exercise therapy in adult non-specific acute, subacute and chronic low-back pain versus no treatment and other conservative treatments. The Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (Issue 3, 2004), MEDLINE, EMBASE, PsychInfo, CINAHL databases to October 2004; citation searches and bibliographic reviews of previous systematic reviews. Randomized controlled trials evaluating exercise therapy for adult non-specific low-back pain and measuring pain, function, return-to-work/absenteeism, and/or global improvement outcomes. Two reviewers independently selected studies and extracted data on study characteristics, quality, and outcomes at short, intermediate, and long-term follow-up. Sixty-one randomized controlled trials (6390 participants) met inclusion criteria: acute (11), subacute (6) and chronic (43) low-back pain (1 unclear). Evidence was found of effectiveness in chronic populations relative to comparisons at all follow-up periods; pooled mean improvement was 7.3 points (95% CI, 3.7 to 10.9) for pain (out of 100), 2.5 points (1.0 to 3.9) for function (out of 100) at earliest follow-up. In studies investigating patients (i.e. presenting to healthcare providers) mean improvement was 13.3 points (5.5 to 21.1) for pain, 6.9 (2.2 to 11.7) for function, representing significantly greater improvement over studies where participants included those recruited from a general population (e.g. with advertisements). There is some evidence of effectiveness of graded-activity exercise program in subacute low-back pain in occupational settings, though the evidence for other types of exercise therapy in other populations is inconsistent. There was evidence of equal effectiveness relative to comparisons in acute populations [pain: 0.03 points (95% CI, -1.3 to 1.4)]. This review largely reflects limitations of the literature, including low quality studies with heterogeneous

Back to the Basics: Lake Tahoe, California/Nevada--Spatial Measurement

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Handley, Lawrence R.; Lockwood, Catherine M.; Handley, Nathan

2006-01-01

"Back to the Basics: South Lake Tahoe, California/Nevada" continues the series of exercises on teaching foundational map reading and spatial differentiation skills. It is the third published exercise from the Back to the Basics series developed by the Wetland Education through Maps and Aerial Photography (WETMAAP) Program. The current…

Is lumbar lordosis related to low back pain development during prolonged standing?

PubMed

Sorensen, Christopher J; Norton, Barbara J; Callaghan, Jack P; Hwang, Ching-Ting; Van Dillen, Linda R

2015-08-01

An induced-pain paradigm has been used in back-healthy people to understand risk factors for developing low back pain during prolonged standing. The purposes of this study were to (1) compare baseline lumbar lordosis in back-healthy participants who do (Pain Developers) and do not (Non-Pain Developers) develop low back pain during 2 h of standing, and (2) examine the relationship between lumbar lordosis and low back pain intensity. Cross-sectional. First, participants stood while positions of markers placed superficial to the lumbar vertebrae were recorded using a motion capture system. Following collection of marker positions, participants stood for 2 h while performing light work tasks. At baseline and every 15 min during standing, participants rated their low back pain intensity on a visual analog scale. Lumbar lordosis was calculated using marker positions collected prior to the 2 h standing period. Lumbar lordosis was compared between pain developers and non-pain developers. In pain developers, the relationship between lumbar lordosis and maximum pain was examined. There were 24 (42%) pain developers and 33 (58%) non-pain developers. Lumbar lordosis was significantly larger in pain developers compared to non-pain developers (Mean difference = 4.4°; 95% Confidence Interval = 0.9° to 7.8°, Cohen's d = 0.7). The correlation coefficient between lumbar lordosis and maximum pain was 0.46 (P = 0.02). The results suggest that standing in more lumbar lordosis may be a risk factor for low back pain development during prolonged periods of standing. Identifying risk factors for low back pain development can inform preventative and early intervention strategies. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A Study on Factors Affecting Low Back Pain and Safety and Efficacy of NSAIDs in Acute Low Back Pain in a Tertiary Care Hospital of Western Nepal

PubMed Central

Bhattarai, Srijana; Chhetri, Himal Paudel; Alam, Kadir; Thapa, Pabin

2013-01-01

Introduction: Low back pain is characterized by a range of symptoms which include pain, muscle tension or stiffness, and is localized between the shoulder blades and the folds of the buttocks, with or without spreading to the legs. Non-Steroidal Anti Inflammatory Drugs (NSAIDs) are the drugs of choice which provide an analgesic effect for acute low back pain. Aim: To study the factors affecting low back pain, efficacy and safety of different non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (aceclofenac, diclofenac, naproxen and nimesulide) in low back pain. Methodology: Data collection form and numeric pain rating scale were used as study tools for studying patients’ demographies and severities of pain respectively. Patients prescribed with aceclofenac 100 mg , diclofenac 100 mg, naproxen 500 mg and nimesulide 100 mg for acute low back pain at Orthopaedics Outpatients Department of Manipal Teaching Hospital, Nepal, were enrolled in this study. The decrease in pain scores was recorded on 5th and 10th days of follow-up and pain scores were calculated. Descriptive statistics and Kruskal Wallis non parametric test were used for analysis. Results: Among 150 patients, 67.3% were females (n=101). Low back pain was more prevalent (24.7%) in age-group of 59-68 years and a positive correlation was seen. Similarly, low back pain was found to be high among people involved in agriculture, heavy weight lifters and non smokers. The decrease in average pain scores was more in the patients treated with aceclofenac (4.83 ± 0.537), followed by that in those who were treated with naproxen (4.13 ± 0.067) and diclofenac (3.84 ± 0.086). The decrease in pain scores was found to be lowest among patients who were treated with nimesulide (2.11 ± 0.148). Nimesulide presented more number of side-effects than the comparative drugs. Conclusion: Different factors affect low back pain, such as age, gender, personal habit, posture, occupation, weight lifting. Aceclofenac showed greater decrease in pain

Balneotherapy for chronic low back pain: a randomized, controlled study.

PubMed

Kesiktas, Nur; Karakas, Sinem; Gun, Kerem; Gun, Nuran; Murat, Sadiye; Uludag, Murat

2012-10-01

A large number of treatments were used for patients with chronic low back pain. Frequent episodes have been reported very high. Although balneotherapy was found effective in this disease, there are not well-designed studies. We aimed to determine the effectiveness of balneotherapy versus physical therapy in patients with chronic low back pain. Exercise was added to both treatment programs. Sixty patients with chronic low back pain were randomly divided into two groups. Physical modalities plus exercise were applied to group 1, and group 2 was received balneotherapy plus exercise for ten sessions. The following parameters were measured: visual analogue scale at rest and movement for pain, paracetamol dose, manual muscle test for lumber muscles, modified Schoeber' test, Oswestry disability index, and Short-Form 36 at the beginning and end of the therapies and at the 3 months follow-up. The statistical analyses were performed using the SPSS 10.0 program. Both groups achieved significant improvements within themselves. But balneotherapy groups were improved at back extensor muscle test (P < 0.05), modified Schoeber's test (P < 0.03), Oswestry disability index, and the some scores of SF 36 (energy vitality, social function, role limitations related to physical problems, and general health P < 0.05). Balneotherapy combined with exercise therapy had advantages than therapy with physical modalities plus exercise in improving quality of life and flexibility of patients with chronic low back pain.

Somatic dysfunction and its association with chronic low back pain, back-specific functioning, and general health: results from the OSTEOPATHIC Trial.

PubMed

Licciardone, John C; Kearns, Cathleen M

2012-07-01

Somatic dysfunction is diagnosed by the presence of any of 4 TART criteria: tissue texture abnormality, asymmetry, restriction of motion, or tenderness. To measure the prevalence of somatic dysfunction in patients with chronic low back pain (LBP) and to study the associations of somatic dysfunction with LBP severity, back-specific functioning, and general health. Cross-sectional study nested within a randomized controlled trial. University-based study in Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas. A total of 455 adult research patients with non-specific chronic LBP. Somatic dysfunction in the lumbar, sacrum/pelvis, and pelvis/innominate regions, including key lesions representing severe somatic dysfunction. A 10-cm visual analog scale (VAS), the Roland-Morris Disability Questionnaire (RMDQ), and the Medical Outcomes Study Short Form-36 Health Survey (SF-36) were used to measure LBP severity, back-specific functioning, and general health, respectively. Severe somatic dysfunction was most prevalent in the lumbar (225 [49%]), sacrum/pelvis (129 [28%]), and pelvis/innominate (48 [11%]) regions. Only 30 patients (7%) had no somatic dysfunction in the lumbar, sacrum/pelvis, or pelvis/innominate regions. There were 4 statistically significant pairwise correlations for severe somatic dysfunction: thoracic (T) 10-12 with ribs; T10-12 with lumbar; lumbar with sacrum/pelvis; and sacrum/pelvis with pelvis/innominate. Having a key lesion in the lumbar region (ρ=0.80) or sacrum/pelvis region (ρ=0.71) was strongly correlated with the overall number of key lesions. There were no consistent demographic or clinical predictors of somatic dysfunction. The presence (vs absence) of severe somatic dysfunction in the lumbar region was associated with greater LBP severity (median VAS score, 4.7 vs 3.8, respectively; P=.003) and greater back-specific disability (median RMDQ score, 6 vs 4, respectively; P=.01). The presence (vs absence) of severe somatic dysfunction in the sacrum/pelvis region was

The Effect of Back Pressure on the Operation of a Diesel Engine

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-02-01

increased back pressure on a turbocharged diesel engine. Steady state and varying back pressure are considered. The results show that high back...a turbocharged diesel engine using the Ricardo Wave engine modelling software, to gain understanding of the problem and provide a good base for...higher pressure. The pressure ratios across the turbocharger compressor and turbine decrease, reducing the mass flow of air through these components

The Effect of Back Pressure on the Operation of a Disel Engine

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-02-01

increased back pressure on a turbocharged diesel engine. Steady state and varying back pressure are considered. The results show that high back...a turbocharged diesel engine using the Ricardo Wave engine modelling software, to gain understanding of the problem and provide a good base for...higher pressure. The pressure ratios across the turbocharger compressor and turbine decrease, reducing the mass flow of air through these components

Prevention of Low Back Pain in the Military: A Randomized Clinical Trial

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-06-01

interventions and strategies that are implemented during the acute episode of low back injury, before chronic symptoms occur.1 Secondary prevention reduces...SERIOUS SPINAL PATHOLOGY IN PATIENTS PRESENTING TO PRIMARY CARE WITH ACUTE LOW BACK PAIN Henschke N, Maher C, Refshauge KM, Herbert RD, Cumming R...physiotherapists, general prac- titioners, chiropractors) for acute low back pain. At the initial consul- tation clinicians recorded responses to 25

Coping with Low Back Pain.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kindig, L. E.; Mrvos, S. R.

Guidelines are offered for the prevention and relief of lower back pain. The structure of the spine is described, and the functions and composition of spinal disks are explained. A list is included of common causes of abnormalities of the spinal column, and injuries which may cause the fracture of the vertebrae are described. Factors causing low…

Shuttle Liquid Fly Back Booster Configuration Options

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Healy, T. J., Jr.

1998-01-01

This paper surveys the basic configuration options available to a Liquid Fly Back Booster (LFBB), integrated with the Space Shuttle system. The background of the development of the LFBB concept is given. The influence of the main booster engine (BME) installations and the Fly Back Engine (FBE) installation on the aerodynamic configurations are also discussed. Limits on the LFBB configuration design space imposed by the existing Shuttle flight and ground elements are also described. The objective of the paper is to put the constrains and design space for an LFBB in perspective. The object of the work is to define LFBB configurations that significantly improve safety, operability, reliability and performance of the Shuttle system and dramatically lower operations costs.

Field measurement of naturalistic backing behavior

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1997-02-01

A series of observations and measurements were made as 21 subjects drove their own vehicles in an assortment of naturalistic backing tasks. The tasks were performed on public roads in real world driving conditions. As the subjects performed the eight...

Students' Use of "Look Back" Strategies in Multiple Solution Methods

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lee, Shin-Yi

2016-01-01

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between both 9th-grade and 1st-year undergraduate students' use of "look back" strategies and problem solving performance in multiple solution methods, the difference in their use of look back strategies and problem solving performance in multiple solution methods, and the…

Standardized measurement of recovery from nonspecific back pain.

PubMed

Hush, Julia M; Kamper, Steven J; Stanton, Tasha R; Ostelo, Raymond; Refshauge, Kathryn M

2012-05-01

To propose standardized, patient-centered measures of recovery from nonspecific low back pain (LBP) in research, underpinned by an empirically derived concept of recovery and informed by expert opinion. Synthesis of literature reviews and expert panel opinion. Primary care centers for the management of nonspecific LBP. Persons with nonspecific LBP. Conservative treatments for nonspecific LBP. Three phases of research were conducted. First, qualitative research that explored patients' perspectives of recovery from nonspecific LBP was reviewed. Second, measures of recovery used in LBP clinical trials during the past decade were investigated in a systematic review. Third, opinion was sought from an expert panel of clinicians and researchers about how to measure recovery from nonspecific LBP, in a workshop at the 10th International Forum for Primary Care Research in Low Back Pain. An empirically derived and patient-centered concept of recovery from nonspecific LBP was developed from the qualitative research phase. The systematic review conducted in the second study phase revealed that researchers have used vastly heterogeneous measures of LBP recovery in clinical trials during the past decade. Finally, the key conclusions of the LBP Forum workshop were (1) that appropriate patient-centered instruments to measure recovery include global measures and patient-specific measures; and (2) that the benefits of implementing the same recovery measures for acute and chronic LBP outweigh the disadvantages of using different measures. The results were synthesized to inform our recommendation that researchers consider adopting 2 instruments as standardized measures of recovery from nonspecific LBP, as an adjunct to the existing core set of LBP outcome measures. These instruments are an 11-point Global Back Recovery Scale, for a simple measure of global recovery, and the Patient-Generated Index of Quality of Life-Back Pain, to evaluate specific relevant dimensions of recovery. This

Taking care of your back at home

MedlinePlus

... Loeser JD, Owens DK, et al. Interventional therapies, surgery, and interdisciplinary rehabilitation for low back pain: an evidence-based clinical practice guideline from the American Pain Society. ...

Biological risk indicators for recurrent non-specific low back pain in adolescents.

PubMed

Jones, M A; Stratton, G; Reilly, T; Unnithan, V B

2005-03-01

A matched case-control study was carried out to evaluate biological risk indicators for recurrent non-specific low back pain in adolescents. Adolescents with recurrent non-specific low back pain (symptomatic; n = 28; mean (SD) age 14.9 (0.7) years) and matched controls (asymptomatic; n = 28; age 14.9 (0.7) years) with no history of non-specific low back pain participated. Measures of stature, mass, sitting height, sexual maturity (Tanner self assessment), lateral flexion of the spine, lumbar sagittal plane mobility (modified Schober), hip range of motion (Leighton flexometer), back and hamstring flexibility (sit and reach), and trunk muscle endurance (number of sit ups) were performed using standardised procedures with established reliability. Backward stepwise logistic regression analysis was performed, with the presence/absence of recurrent low back pain as the dependent variable and the biological measures as the independent variables. Hip range of motion, trunk muscle endurance, lumbar sagittal plane mobility, and lateral flexion of the spine were identified as significant risk indicators of recurrent low back pain (p<0.05). Follow up analysis indicated that symptomatic subjects had significantly reduced lateral flexion of the spine, lumbar sagittal plane mobility, and trunk muscle endurance (p<0.05). Hip range of motion, abdominal muscle endurance, lumbar flexibility, and lateral flexion of the spine were risk indicators for recurrent non-specific low back pain in a group of adolescents. These risk indicators identify the potential for exercise as a primary or secondary prevention method.

[Evaluation of the German new back school: pain-related and psychological characteristics].

PubMed

Borys, C; Nodop, S; Tutzschke, R; Anders, C; Scholle, H C; Strauß, B

2013-12-01

Results related to the outcome of the classical back schools are inconsistent. Accordingly, a reformulation of the program integrating psychological and social aspects was performed as a necessary step for the development of the new back school in Germany. The aim of this study was to assess the effectiveness and sustainability of the new back school in subjects with non-specific back pain in the prevention setting. In a modified waiting design, individuals were investigated with respect to demographical, pain-related and psychological characteristics 3 months before the start, at the start and at the end of the back school and as well as 12 months after completion. In addition, predictors for a successful participation were analyzed. A total of 88 subjects with back pain initially participated in the study. In the short and long-term course, low to moderate effects were detected; however, during follow-up a reduction of pain showed high effects. Depression as assessed by the hospital anxiety and depression scale (HADS) and passive coping strategies assessed using the coping strategies questionnaire (CSQ) were identified as predictors for response to the intervention. On the basis of the sample studied, the new back school proved to be an effective treatment for short and long-term reduction of pain-related stress and associated psychological aspects. Maladaptive, passive coping strategies and higher depression scores were associated with a higher probability of success in terms of pain reduction and functional improvement.

A comparison of economy and sagittal plane trunk movements among back-, back/front- and head-loading.

PubMed

Hudson, Sean; Cooke, Carlton; Davies, Simeon; West, Sacha; Gamieldien, Raeeq; Low, Chris; Lloyd, Ray

2018-05-14

It has been suggested that freedom of movement in the trunk could influence load carriage economy. This study aimed to compare the economy and sagittal plane trunk movements associated with three load carriage methods that constrain posture differently. Eighteen females walked at 3 km.h -1 with loads of 0, 3, 6, 9, 12, 15 and 20 kg carried on the back, back/front and head. Load carriage economy was assessed using the Extra Load Index (ELI). Change in sagittal plane trunk forward lean and trunk angle excursion from unloaded to loaded walking were assessed. Results show no difference in economy between methods (p = 0.483), despite differences in the change in trunk forward lean (p = 0.001) and trunk angle excursion (p = 0.021) from unloaded to loaded walking. We conclude that economy is not different among the three methods of load carriage, despite significant differences in sagittal plane trunk movements.

Self-management of chronic low back pain and osteoarthritis.

PubMed

May, Stephen

2010-04-01

Chronic low back pain and osteoarthritis are two musculoskeletal problems that are highly prevalent in the general population, are frequently episodic and persistent, and are associated with high costs to society, both direct and indirect. This epidemiological picture provides the background that justifies the use of self-management strategies in managing these problems. For this Review, relevant systematic reviews were included that related to effectiveness; other study designs were included that addressed other aspects of the topic. The accepted definition of self-management includes liaison between health professionals and individuals with these problems, as well as independent health-promotion activities. Independent self-management strategies, such as exercise and self-medication, are practiced by individuals in the general population. Consistent evidence shows that self-management programs for osteoarthritis are effective in addressing pain and function, but effect sizes are small and might be clinically negligible. Educational programs for patients with back pain are effective in an occupational setting and if combined with an exercise program. Exercise is an effective strategy in the management of both chronic low back pain and osteoarthritis, although it is unclear what the optimum exercise is. Exercise, supported by advice and education, should be at the core of self-management strategies for chronic low back pain and osteoarthritis.

Analysis Of Scoliosis By Back Shape Topography

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Turner-Smith, Alan R.; Harris, John D.

1983-07-01

The use of surface topography for the assessment of scoliotic deformity in the clinic depends firstly on the quality of measures which reliably characterise deformity of the back, and secondly on the ease and speed with which these measures can be applied. A method of analysis of back shape measurements is presented which can be applied to any topographic measurement system. Measures presented are substantially independent of minor changes in the patient's posture in rotation and flexion from one clinic to the next, and yet sensitive enough to indicate significant improvement or degeneration of the disease. The presentation shows (1) horizontal cross-sections at ten levels up the back from sacrum to vertebra prominens, (2) angles of rotation of the surface over a small region about the spine, (3) three vertical profiles following the line of the spine, and (4) measures of maximum kyphosis and lordosis. Dependence on the operator has been reduced to a minimum. Extreme care in positioning the patient is unnecessary and those spinous processes which are easily palpable, the vertebra prominens and the two dimples over the posterior superior iliac spines are marked. Analysis proceeds entirely automatically once the basic shape data have been supplied. Applications of the technique to indirect moire topography and a television topographic measurement system are described.

[Back school: a simple way to improve pain and postural behaviour].

PubMed

Jordá Llona, M; Pérez Bocanegra, E; García-Mifsud, M; Jimeno Bernad, R; Ortiz Hernández, R; Castells Ayuso, P

2014-08-01

Non-specific back pain in children and adolescents has a high prevalence. The aim of this study is to show a Juvenile Back School (JBS) programme and its results in our hospital. A total of 139 patients referred to a Juvenile Back School for advice due to of pain, deformity or back asymmetry were included in a prospective observational study. age, gender, pain, correct postures, sports activities, adherence to JBS and appreciation of these parameters by their parents. VARIABLES were measured with a numerical pain scale and with a survey completed in the first session and 3 months after finishing the JBS. A total of 119 patients finished the study (78 female and 41 male).The average was 13.97±2.29 years (9-20). Three months after JBS, the median pain intensity was reduced from 3 to 0 (P<.0001). There was an improvement in patient postures from 21% to 83% (P<.0001). Patients did not increase their sport activity after the JBS, although its regular practice was linked with pain improvement after JBS (P<.02).Performing exercises did not lead to a decrease in pain. There was a poor correlation between parents and children in the evaluation of post-JBS pain. A back school programme could probably contribute to reduce non-specific back pain and improve postural behaviour in young people. Copyright © 2012 Asociación Española de Pediatría. Published by Elsevier Espana. All rights reserved.

Predictors of back disorder among Almeda textile factory workers, North Ethiopia.

PubMed

Abraha, Teklehaymanot Huluf; Demoz, Asmelash Tekie; Moges, Haimanot Gebrehiwot; Ahmmed, Ansha Nega

2018-05-16

To guide the development of targeted interventions for the prevention of work-related back pain, this manuscript estimates the prevalence of back pain and its association with a variety of risk factors among Almeda textile factory production works from March to April 2015. An institutional-based cross-sectional study was carried out in Almeda textile factory, North Ethiopia. Randomly selected workers were administered a structured questionnaire about their socio-economic status, lifestyle, working conditions, back pain and selected risk factors. The data was entered to Epi Info 3.5.4 version and analyzed using SPSS version 16. Descriptive statistics were done to characterize the study participants. Bivariate and multiple logistic regressions were fitted to control confounding variables. Adjusted odds ratio with 95% confidence intervals was computed. The prevalence of work-related musculoskeletal disorders was 53.1%. Gender, age, years of service, lack of physical activity, unavailability of adjustable chair, work-load and poor light were significantly associated with increased risk of back pain. The high prevalence of work-related back pain disorder implies that; habit of doing physical exercise, availing adjustable chair and light at the working place, are key issues which require specific interventions.

Analysis of 22,655 presentations with back pain to Perth emergency departments over five years.

PubMed

Lovegrove, Michael T; Jelinek, George A; Gibson, Nicholas P; Jacobs, Ian G

2011-09-17

Back pain is a significant cause of disability in the community, but the impact on Emergency Departments (EDs) has not been formally studied. Patients with back pain often require significant time and resources in the ED. To examine the characteristics of patients presenting with back pain to the ED, including final diagnosis, demographics of those attending and temporal distribution of presentations. Emergency presentations in the metropolitan area of Perth, Western Australia, for 2000-2004 were searched using a linked database covering all the major hospitals (Emergency Care Hospitalisation and Outcome Study database). All presentations with the triage code for back pain were extracted and analysed. A total of 22,655 presentations with back pain were identified, representing 1.9% of total presentations. Simple muscular or non-specific back pain accounted for only 43.8% of presentations, with other causes such as renal colic and pyelonephritis accounting for the majority. The young (<15 years old) and elderly (>75 years old) were more likely to have non-muscular causes for their back pain. Muscular back pain presentations occurred mostly between 0800 and 1600, with high proportions presenting on the weekends. Patients with simple muscular back pain spent a mean of 4.4 h in the ED, representing a significant outlay of resources. Back pain has a significant impact on EDs, and staff should be alert for another pathology presenting as back pain. There is a need for multidisciplinary back pain teams to be available 7 days a week, but only during the day.

Minimization of thickness of ultrasonic transducer by using piezoelectric backing layer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yeom, Jiyoung; Kim, Jungsoon; Ha, Kanglyeol; Kim, Moojoon

2018-07-01

To realize an insertion transducer with broadband characteristic, a transducer with a piezoelectric backing layer is proposed. The characteristic of the transducer was analyzed by using an equivalent circuit for a different electrical impedance connected to the piezoelectric backing layer. In the transducer designed to achieve optimization, the thickness of the transducer is less than 2.4 times that of the driving piezoelectric layer, and the frequency bandwidth is more than 110%. It is confirmed that the bandwidth of the fabricated transducer can be controlled by adjusting the electrical impedance in the piezoelectric backing layer.

Identifying Neck and Back Pain in Administrative Data: Defining the right cohort

PubMed Central

Siroka, Andrew M.; Shane, Andrea C.; Trafton, Jodie A.; Wagner, Todd H.

2017-01-01

Structured Abstract Study design We reviewed existing methods for identifying patients with neck and back pain in administrative data. We compared these methods using data from the Department of Veterans Affairs. Objective To answer the following questions: 1) what diagnosis codes should be used to identify patients with neck and back pain in administrative data; 2) because the majority of complaints are characterized as non-specific or mechanical, what diagnosis codes should be used to identify patients with non-specific or mechanical problems in administrative data; and 3) what procedure and surgical codes should be used to identify patients who have undergone a surgical procedure on the neck or back. Summary of background data Musculoskeletal neck and back pain are pervasive problems, associated with chronic pain, disability, and high rates of healthcare utilization. Administrative data have been widely used in formative research which has largely relied on the original work of Volinn, Cherkin, Deyo and Einstadter and the Back Pain Patient Outcomes Assessment Team first published in 1992. Significant variation in reports of incidence, prevalence, and morbidity associated with these problems may be due to non standard or conflicting methods to define study cohorts. Methods A literature review produced seven methods for identifying neck and back pain in administrative data. These code lists were used to search VA data for patients with back and neck problems, and to further categorize each case by spinal segment involved, as non- specific/mechanical and as surgical or not. Results There is considerable overlap in most algorithms. However, gaps remain. Conclusions Gaps are evident in existing methods and a new framework to identify patients with neck and back pain in administrative data is proposed. PMID:22127268

Who's Not Going Back to School? How Sequestration Is Scaling Back Early Childhood Education Programs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hamm, Katie

2013-01-01

Unfortunately, in many communities across the country, some children will not be showing up for school this year (2013). Classrooms will shut down and teachers will look for other employment opportunities. This school year, approximately 57,000 of our youngest children in the Head Start program will not be going back to school. The cuts are the…

Economic benefit of back titration in the treatment of hypertension in Jos, Nigeria.

PubMed

Okeahialam, Basil N; Adeniyi, Michael A

2017-01-01

Treatment of hypertension is expensive and cost is one of the reasons for inadequate blood pressure control. Where there are no social cost cushions, the burden is borne by patients. With pervasive poverty and inadequate control, complications are unchecked. Back titration in appropriate circumstances should, therefore, translate to economic benefit. This is an attempt to compute, in economic terms, the benefit of back titration. Thirty-nine patients who entered an antihypertensive back titration program for 12 months and who had been earlier reported on, form the subject of this study. A survey of the cost of antihypertensives in pharmacy outlets in Jos, Nigeria was undertaken. Regimens of antihypertensives that patients were on at the onset and end of the 12 months of back titration were costed in Nigerian currency and compared. Back titration translated to economic benefit in all patients with a cost reduction varying from 2.3% to 100%. This reflected in reduction in mean daily cost of treatment of N107.09-N54.61. The benefit of antihypertensive back titration apart from psychological relief of lower pill burden and side effect profile is in pharmacoeconomics. This permits greater adherence and prevents morbi-mortality consequences of hypertension. In this study, back titration over 12 months translated to average cost reduction of >50%, making treatment more affordable. In appropriate circumstances, back titration of antihypertensives results in economic relief for patients. This should improve adherence, reduce morbi-mortality and is recommended for wider application.

Transcultural adaptation and validation of Hindi version of Quebec Back Pain Disability Scale.

PubMed

Zaidi, Sahar; Verma, Shalini; Moiz, Jamal Ali; Hussain, Mohammed E

2017-08-07

To transculturally adapt the Quebec Back Pain Disability Scale for Hindi-speaking population and examine its psychometric properties in patients with low back pain. The Quebec Back Pain Disability Scale was translated and cross-culturally adapted into Hindi following international guidelines. Hindi version of the scale was completed by 120 patients with low back pain and 60 healthy controls. Patients with low back pain were also administered the Hindi-Roland Morris Disability Questionnaire and Visual Analog Scale. Psychometric evaluation included test-retest reliability, convergent and discriminative validity. Exploratory factor analysis was carried out to determine the factor structure. The factorial analysis revealed a four-factor solution (bending/carrying, ambulation/reach, prolonged postures and rest). Convergent validity was confirmed by high correlation of Hindi Quebec Back Pain Disability Scale to the Hindi version of Roland Morris Disability Questionnaire (r = 0.77 and p < 0.001) as well as Visual Analog Scale (r = 0.682 and p < 0.001) scores. Discriminative validity was established by significantly different scores for patients with low back pain and the healthy controls (35.36 ± 18.6 vs. 9.13 ± 6.08 and p < 0.001). The translated version of the scale showed remarkable internal consistency (Cronbach α = 0.98) and the intraclass correlation coefficient of test-retest reliability was excellent (ICC 2,1 =0.96). MDC 95 and SEM scores obtained were 10.28 and 3.71, respectively. The Hindi version of Quebec Back Pain Disability Scale has good test-retest reliability, discriminative and convergent validity and is appropriate for clinical and research use in Hindi-speaking low back pain patients. Implications for rehabilitation Linguistically and culturally adapted questionnaires help researchers make adequate inferences about instruments measuring health and quality of life. The translated version would serve as a valid research

16. VIEW OF SOUTHEAST CORNER OF TECHWOOD DORMITORY, SHOWING BACK ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

16. VIEW OF SOUTHEAST CORNER OF TECHWOOD DORMITORY, SHOWING BACK (EAST SIDE) OF CENTER WING AND PART OF SOUTH SIDE OF SOUTH WING. A BRICK CHIMNEY AND BACK EXIT ARE LOCATED NEAR THE CENTER OF THE EAST SIDE. PARKING EXTENDS THE LENGTH OF THE EAST SIDE. - Techwood Homes, McDaniel Dormitory, 581-587 Techwood Drive, Atlanta, Fulton County, GA

Method to protect charge recombination in the back-contact dye-sensitized solar cell.

PubMed

Yoo, Beomjin; Kim, Kang-Jin; Lee, Doh-Kwon; Kim, Kyungkon; Ko, Min Jae; Kim, Yong Hyun; Kim, Won Mok; Park, Nam-Gyu

2010-09-13

We prepared a back-contact dye-sensitized solar cell and investigated effect of the sputter deposited thin TiO₂ film on the back-contact ITO electrode on photovoltaic property. The nanocrystalline TiO₂ layer with thickness of about 11 μm formed on a plain glass substrate in the back-contact structure showed higher optical transmittance than that formed on an ITO-coated glass substrate, which led to an improved photocurrent density by about 6.3%. However, photovoltage was found to decrease from 817 mV to 773 mV. The photovoltage recovered after deposition of a 35 nm-thick thin TiO₂ film on the surface of the back-contact ITO electrode. Little difference in time constant for electron transport was found for the back-contact ITO electrodes with and without the sputter deposited thin TiO₂ film. Whereas, time constant for charge recombination increased after introduction of the thin TiO₂ film, indicating that such a thin TiO₂ film protected back electron transfer, associated with the recovery of photovoltage. As the result of the improved photocurrent density without deterioration of photovoltage, the back-contact dye-sensitized solar cell exhibited 13.6% higher efficiency than the ITO-coated glass substrate-based dye-sensitized solar cell.

Teachers' Perspectives on Hitting Back in School: Between Inexcusable Violence and Self-Defense

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fleischmann, Amos

2015-01-01

Israeli schools expressly forbid a student to hit back after being attacked. In semistructured interviews, 71 Israeli educators were asked for their views on the hitting-back tactic. The interviews compared their attitude toward hitting back as teachers with their take on the matter as parents. The results, analyzed using grounded theory, show…

Task and postural factors are related to back pain in helicopter pilots.

PubMed

Bridger, R S; Groom, M R; Jones, H; Pethybridge, R J; Pullinger, N

2002-08-01

A previous survey by Shear et al. revealed a high prevalence of back pain in Royal Navy helicopter aircrew, compared with controls. It was recommended that a second survey be undertaken, taking account of flying tasks and cockpit ergonomics. This was the purpose of the present investigation. A questionnaire containing items on back pain and posture was circulated to all 246 acting pilots, with returns of 75%. The questionnaire sought information on pain in both the flying pilot and co-pilot/instructor roles. The 12-mo prevalence of back pain was 80%. Task-related back pain was greatest in instrument flying (72%) and least in the co-pilot and instructor roles (24%). Self-ratings of posture indicated that forward flexed trunk postures predominated in the flying roles and were most extreme in instrument flying. In non-flying roles, symmetrical, reclining postures were more often reported. No demographic or psychosocial variables were significantly related to back pain prevalence or disability. Much of the back pain experienced by helicopter pilots appears to be due to the posture needed to operate the cyclic and collective controls. In instrument flying, it is suggested that the visual demands of scanning the displays may exacerbate the pain by causing the pilot to lean further forward.

The effects of common medical interventions on pain, back function, and work resumption in patients with chronic low back pain: A prospective 2-year cohort study in six countries.

PubMed

Hansson, T H; Hansson, E K

2000-12-01

A prospective cohort study with identical questionnaires and inclusion criteria was performed. To compare in six different countries the frequencies and effects of the common medical interventions used for patients with low back pain who are work incapacitated. Low back pain is a huge problem with increasing costs for health care, industry, and society. Cohorts of employed men and women ages 18 to 59 years who had been sick-listed (100%) for a minimum of 90 days because of low back pain were recruited in Denmark, Germany, Israel, Sweden, the Netherlands, and the United States. The subjects received three separate questionnaires with identical questions after 90 days, 1 year, and 2 years. The questionnaires included separate questions about background factors, treatment, and the like, as well as validated scales such as the Hannover Activities of Daily Living, von Korff pain score, Short Form-36, and Karasek-Theorell. Working status was obtained from registers. Main outcome measures were working/not working, back function, and pain. All three questionnaires were completed by 2080 subjects in the six countries. With few exceptions, there were great similarities in the appointments, examinations, and treatments in the different countries. Considerable differences were found between the back surgery rates, which ranged from 6% in Sweden to 32% in the United States during the first 90 days of the study. Very few of the interventions had any noticeable positive effects on work resumption, pain, or back function. Back surgery in Sweden was a striking exception, positively affecting all three outcome measures. The frequencies of work resumption within the first year ranged from 73% in the Netherlands to 32% in Denmark. Almost none of the commonly occurring and frequently practiced medical interventions for patients who are sick-listed because of low back pain had any positive effects on either the recorded health measures or work resumption.

Carbon Back Sputter Modeling for Hall Thruster Testing

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gilland, James H.; Williams, George J.; Burt, Jonathan M.; Yim, John Tamin

2016-01-01

Lifetime requirements for electric propulsion devices, including Hall Effect thrusters, are continually increasing, driven in part by NASA's inclusion of this technology in it's exploration architecture. NASA will demonstrate high-power electric propulsion system on the Solar Electric Propulsion Technology Demonstration Mission (SEP TDM). The Asteroid Redirect Robotic mission is one candidate SEP TDM, which is projected to require tens of thousands of thruster life. As thruster life is increased, for example through the use of improved magnetic field designs, the relative influence of facility effects increases. One such effect is the sputtering and redeposition, or back sputter, of facility materials by the high energy thruster plumes. In support of wear testing for the Hall Effect Rocket with Magnetic Shielding (HERMeS) project, the back sputter from a Hall effect thruster plume has been modeled for the NASA Glenn Research Center's Vacuum Facility 5. The predicted wear at a near-worst case condition of 600 V, 12.5 kW was found to be on the order of 1 micron/kh in a fully carbon-lined chamber. A more detailed numerical Monte Carlo code was also modified to estimate back sputter for a detailed facility and pumping configuration. This code demonstrated similar back sputter rate distributions, but is not yet accurately modeling the magnitudes. The modeling has been benchmarked to recent HERMeS wear testing, using multiple microbalance measurements. These recent measurements have yielded values on the order of 1.5 - 2 micron/kh at 600 V and 12.5 kW.

Getting People Back to Work

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

White, Frances L.

2003-01-01

Getting people back to work has become a national concern. The nation's economy lost jobs as of July 2003 for six months in a row, dealing another blow to a slow reviving labor market. According to the Labor Department, 486,000 jobs disappeared from the economy. And, the Employment Development Department in California reported a decline of 21,800…

[Managment of acute low back pain without trauma - an algorithm].

PubMed

Melcher, Carolin; Wegener, Bernd; Jansson, Volkmar; Mutschler, Wolf; Kanz, Karl-Georg; Birkenmaier, Christof

2018-05-14

Low back pain is a common problem for primary care providers, outpatient clinics and A&E departments. The predominant symptoms are those of so-called "unspecific back pain", but serious pathologies can be concealed by the clinical signs. Especially less experienced colleagues have problems in treating these patients, as - despite the multitude of recommendations and guidelines - there is no generally accepted algorithm. After a literature search (Medline/Cochrane), 158 articles were selected from 15,000 papers and classified according to their level of evidence. These were attuned to the clinical guidelines of the orthopaedic and pain-physician associations in Europe, North America and overseas and the experience of specialists at LMU Munich, in order to achieve consistency with literature recommendations, as well as feasibility in everyday clinical work and optimised with practical relevance. An algorithm was formed to provide the crucial differential diagnosis of lumbar back pain according to its clinical relevance and to provide a plan of action offering reasonable diagnostic and therapeutic steps. As a consequence of distinct binary decisions, low back patients should be treated at any given time according to the guidelines, with emergencies detected, unnecessary diagnostic testing and interventions averted and reasonable treatment initiated pursuant to the underlying pathology. In the context of the available evidence, a clinical algorithm has been developed that translates the complex diagnostic testing of acute low back pain into a transparent, structured and systematic guideline. Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

Improved interoceptive awareness in chronic low back pain: a comparison of Back school versus Feldenkrais method.

PubMed

Paolucci, Teresa; Zangrando, Federico; Iosa, Marco; De Angelis, Simona; Marzoli, Caterina; Piccinini, Giulia; Saraceni, Vincenzo Maria

2017-05-01

To determine the efficacy of the Feldenkrais method for relieving pain in patients with chronic low back pain (CLBP) and the improvement of interoceptive awareness. This study was designed as a single-blind randomized controlled trial. Fifty-three patients with a diagnosis of CLBP for at least 3 months were randomly allocated to the Feldenkrais (mean age 61.21 ± 11.53 years) or Back School group (mean age 60.70 ± 11.72 years). Pain was assessed using the visual analog scale (VAS) and McGill Pain Questionnaire (MPQ), disability was evaluated with the Waddel Disability Index, quality of life was measured with the Short Form-36 Health Survey (SF-36), and mind-body interactions were studied using the Multidimensional Assessment of Interoceptive Awareness Questionnaire (MAIA). Data were collected at baseline, at the end of treatment, and at the 3-month follow-up. The two groups were matched at baseline for all the computed parameters. At the end of treatment (Tend), there were no significant differences between groups regarding chronic pain reduction (p = 0.290); VAS and MAIA-N sub scores correlated at Tend (R = 0.296, p = 0.037). By the Friedman analysis, both groups experienced significant changes in pain (p < 0.001) and disability (p < 0.001) along the investigated period. The Feldenkrais method has comparable efficacy as Back School in CLBP. Implications for rehabilitation The Feldenkrais method is a mind-body therapy that is based on awareness through movement lessons, which are verbally guided explorations of movement that are conducted by a physiotherapist who is experienced and trained in this method. It aims to increase self-awareness, expand a person's repertoire of movements, and to promote increased functioning in contexts in which the entire body cooperates in the execution of movements. Interoceptive awareness, which improves with rehabilitation, has a complex function in the perception of chronic pain and should be

Brook Trout Back in Aaron Run

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Following a series of acid mine drainage (AMD) projects funded largely by EPA’s Clean Water Act Section 319 non-point source program, the pH level in Aaron Run is meeting Maryland’s water quality standard – and the brook trout are back.

New low back pain in nurses: work activities, work stress and sedentary lifestyle.

PubMed

Yip, Vera Yin Bing

2004-05-01

Low back pain is common among nurses. Previous studies have shown that the risk of low back pain increases rapidly with greater amounts of physical work and psychological stress, but is inversely related to leisure activities. However, these previous studies were predominantly retrospective in design and not many took account of three factors simultaneously. This 12-month prospective study examined the relationships between work activities, work stress, sedentary lifestyle and new low back pain. A total of 144 nurses from six Hong Kong district hospitals completed a face-to-face baseline interview, which was followed-up by a telephone interview. The main study measures were demographic characteristics, work activities, work stress, physical leisure activities and the nature of new low back pain during the 12-month follow-up period. Level of work stress, quality of relationships at work, level of enjoyment experienced at work, and work satisfaction were self-reported. Fifty-six (38.9%) nurses reported experiencing new low back pain. Sedentary leisure time activity was not associated with new low back pain. Being comparatively new on a ward (adjusted relative risk 2.90), working in bending postures (adjusted relative risk 2.76) and poor work relationships with colleagues (adjusted relative risk 2.52) were independent predictors of new low back pain. The findings of this study suggest that low back pain is a common problem in the population of nurses in Hong Kong. Being comparatively new on a ward, bending frequently during work and having poor work relationships with colleagues are independent predictors of new low back pain. Training for high-risk work activities and ergonomic assessment of awkward work postures are essential. Moreover, relaxation and team-building workshops for nurses, especially those who are less experienced in the type of work on their current ward, are recommended.

Method and apparatus for back-extracting metal chelates

DOEpatents

Wai, Chien M.; Smart, Neil G.; Lin, Yuehe

1998-01-01

A method of extracting metal and metalloid species from a solid or liquid substrate using a supercritical fluid solvent containing one or more chelating agents followed by back-extracting the metal and metalloid species from the metal and metalloid chelates formed thereby. The back-extraction acidic solution is performed utilizing an acidic solution. Upon sufficient exposure of the metal and metalloid chelates to the acidic solution, the metal and metalloid species are released from the chelates into the acid solution, while the chelating agent remains in the supercritical fluid solvent. The chelating agent is thereby regenerated and the metal and metalloid species recovered.

A biomechanical comparison of back and front squats in healthy trained individuals.

PubMed

Gullett, Jonathan C; Tillman, Mark D; Gutierrez, Gregory M; Chow, John W

2009-01-01

The strength and stability of the knee plays an integral role in athletics and activities of daily living. A better understanding of knee joint biomechanics while performing variations of the squat would be useful in rehabilitation and exercise prescription. We quantified and compared tibiofemoral joint kinetics as well as muscle activity while executing front and back squats. Because of the inherent change in the position of the center of mass of the bar between the front and back squat lifts, we hypothesized that the back squat would result in increased loads on the knee joint and that the front squat would result in increased knee extensor and decreased back extensor muscle activity. A crossover study design was used. To assess the net force and torque placed on the knee and muscle activation levels, a combination of video and force data, as well as surface electromyographic data, were collected from 15 healthy trained individuals. The back squat resulted in significantly higher compressive forces and knee extensor moments than the front squat. Shear forces at the knee were small in magnitude, posteriorly directed, and did not vary between the squat variations. Although bar position did not influence muscle activity, muscle activation during the ascending phase was significantly greater than during the descending phase. The front squat was as effective as the back squat in terms of overall muscle recruitment, with significantly less compressive forces and extensor moments. The results suggest that front squats may be advantageous compared with back squats for individuals with knee problems such as meniscus tears, and for long-term joint health.

Slaty-backed Gull in Sullivan Co., NY

USGS Publications Warehouse

Freer, V.; Haas, J.; Buckley, P.A.

2002-01-01

An adult Slaty-backed Gull (Larus schistisagus) was found and photographed at Neversink Reservoir, Sullivan Co., NY on 20 February 2002. A native of northeastern Eurasia and northern Japan, this species is rare along the Bering coast of Alaska, and there are only a handful of scattered records in the lower 48 state since the first in St Louis along the Mississippi River in late 1983. There is one previous New York State occurrence, in the Niagara River Gorge area of NY/ONT, 24 November-29 December 1992. The Sullivan Co. adult is the closest confirmed Slaty-backed Gull to the Atlantic Coast; recent single individuals along the Susquehanna River in MD, and at Cape Hatteras NC remain in dispute.

Effects of Lumbar Strengthening Exercise in Lower-Limb Amputees With Chronic Low Back Pain.

PubMed

Shin, Min Kyung; Yang, Hee Seung; Yang, Hea-Eun; Kim, Dae Hyun; Ahn, Bo Ram; Kwon, Hyup; Lee, Ju Hwan; Jung, Suk; Choi, Hyun Chul; Yun, Sun Keaung; Ahn, Dong Young; Sim, Woo Sob

2018-02-01

To analyze the effect of lumbar strengthening exercise in lower-limb amputees with chronic low back pain. We included in this prospective study 19 lower-limb amputees who had experienced low back pain for longer than 6 months. Participants were treated with 30-minute lumbar strengthening exercises, twice weekly, for 8 weeks. We used the visual analog scale (VAS), and Oswestry low back pain disability questionnaire, and measured parameters such as iliopsoas length, abdominal muscle strength, back extensor strength, and back extensor endurance. In addition, we assessed the isometric peak torque and total work of the trunk flexors and extensors using isokinetic dynamometer. The pre- and post-exercise measurements were compared. Compared with the baseline, abdominal muscle strength (from 4.4±0.7 to 4.8±0.6), back extensor strength (from 2.6±0.6 to 3.5±1.2), and back extensor endurance (from 22.3±10.7 to 46.8±35.1) improved significantly after 8 weeks. The VAS decreased significantly from 4.6±2.2 to 2.6±1.6 after treatment. Furthermore, the peak torque and total work of the trunk flexors and extensors increased significantly (p<0.05). Lumbar strengthening exercise in lower-limb amputees with chronic low back pain resulted in decreased pain and increased lumbar extensor strength. The lumbar strengthening exercise program is very effective for lower-limb amputees with chronic low back pain.

[Clinical observation on auricular point magnetotherapy for treatment of senile low back pain].

PubMed

Sun, Gui-Ping

2007-02-01

To compare the therapeutic effects of auricular point magnetotherapy and auricular point sticking of Vaccaria seed on senile low back pain. Sixty cases, aged 60 or over 60 years with back pain, were randomly divided into 2 groups, a control group and a test group. The control group were treated with auricular sticking of Vaccaria seed with no pressing, and the test group with sticking magnetic bead of 66 gauss each piece with no pressing. Auricular points, Shenmen, Kidney, Bladder, Yaodizhui, Gluteus, Liver and Spleen were selected. Three weeks constituted one course. The effects before, during and after the course were assessed by questionnaire about back pain. Compared with the control group, in the test group the back pain was more effectively improved, including reducing pain and numbness in the back and the legs, decreasing the disorder of physical strength induced by this disease, and improving daily life quality of the patient. Follow-up survey for 2-4 weeks showed the effects still were kept. Auricular magnetotherapy can effectively improve senile back pain.

Back pain prevalence and associated factors in children and adolescents: an epidemiological population study

PubMed Central

Noll, Matias; Candotti, Cláudia Tarragô; da Rosa, Bruna Nichele; Loss, Jefferson Fagundes

2016-01-01

ABSTRACT OBJECTIVE To identify the prevalence of back pain among Brazilian school children and the factors associated with this pain. METHODS All 1,720 schoolchildren from the fifth to the eight grade attending schools from the city of Teutonia, RS, Southern Brazil, were invited to participate in the study. From these, 1,597 children participated. We applied the Back Pain and Body Posture Evaluation Instrument. The dependent variable was back pain, while the independent one were demographic, socioeconomic, behavior and heredity data. The prevalence ratio was estimated by multivariate analysis using the Poisson regression model (α = 0.05). RESULTS The prevalence of back pain in the last three months was 55.7% (n = 802). The multivariate analysis showed that back pain is associated with the variables: sex, parents with back pain, weekly frequency of physical activity, daily time spent watching television, studying in bed, sitting posture to write and use the computer, and way of carrying the backpack. CONCLUSIONS The prevalence of back pain in schoolchildren is high and it is associated with demographic, behavior and heredity aspects. PMID:27305406

An evidence map of yoga for low back pain.

PubMed

Goode, Adam P; Coeytaux, Remy R; McDuffie, Jennifer; Duan-Porter, Wei; Sharma, Poonam; Mennella, Hillary; Nagi, Avishek; Williams, John W

2016-04-01

Yoga is being increasingly studied as a treatment strategy for a variety of different clinical conditions, including low back pain (LBP). We set out to conduct an evidence map of yoga for the treatment, prevention and recurrence of acute or chronic low back pain (cLBP). We searched Medline, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, EMBASE, Allied and Complementary Medicine Database and ClinicalTrials.gov for randomized controlled trials (RCT), systematic reviews or planned studies on the treatment or prevention of acute back pain or cLBP. Two independent reviewers screened papers for inclusion, extracted data and assessed the quality of included studies. Three eligible systematic reviews were identified that included 10 RCTs (n=956) that evaluated yoga for non-specific cLBP. We did not identify additional RCTs beyond those included in the systematic reviews. Our search of ClinicalTrials.gov identified one small (n=10) unpublished trial and one large (n=320) planned clinical trial. The most recent good quality systematic review indicated significant effects for short- and long-term pain reduction (n=6 trials; standardized mean difference [SMD] -0.48; 95% CI, -0.65 to -0.31; I(2)=0% and n=5; SMD -0.33; 95% CI, -0.59 to -0.07; I(2)=48%, respectively). Long-term effects for back specific disability were also identified (n=5; SMD -0.35; 95% CI, -0.55 to -0.15; I(2)=20%). No studies were identified evaluating yoga for prevention or treatment of acute LBP. Evidence suggests benefit of yoga in midlife adults with non-specific cLBP for short- and long-term pain and back-specific disability, but the effects of yoga for health-related quality of life, well- being and acute LBP are uncertain. Without additional studies, further systematic reviews are unlikely to be informative. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Back strength and flexibility of EMS providers in practicing prehospital providers.

PubMed

Crill, Matthew T; Hostler, David

2005-06-01

In the execution of prehospital care duties, an EMS provider may be required to carry equipment and patients over long distances or over multiple flights of stairs at any time of the day. At a minimum, a prehospital provider must have sufficient lower back strength and hamstring flexibility to prevent musculoskeletal injury while lifting. This study administered fitness assessments related to the occupational activities of the prehospital provider with the purpose of describing the incidence of occupational back injury and percentage of providers with known risk factors for back injury. Ninety subjects were tested during a regional EMS conference. Men were significantly taller and heavier than women and had significantly less hamstring flexibility. Body Mass Index was 30.7 +/- 7.2 in men and 28 +/- 5.7 in women. However, no significant differences were noted in an extension test of back strength. When surveyed, 47.8% of subjects reported a back injury in the previous 6 months but only 39.1% of these injuries were sustained while performing EMS duties. While only 13% of these injuries resulted in missed work, 52.2% reported their injury interfered with their daily activities. In spite of the physical nature of the profession, EMS providers in our sample were significantly overweight according to their Body Mass Index and may lack sufficient back strength and flexibilityfor safe execution of their duties. This group of professionals may be at risk for occupational injury and should be targeted for interventions to improve strength and flexibility.

High-level physical activity in childhood seems to protect against low back pain in early adolescence.

PubMed

Wedderkopp, N; Kjaer, P; Hestbaek, L; Korsholm, L; Leboeuf-Yde, C

2009-02-01

The evidence on the impact of physical activity on back pain in children and adolescents has been contradicting. It has also been shown that the physical activity cannot accurately be estimated in children using questionnaires. The aim of this study was to establish if physical activity in childhood had any impact on back pain reporting in early adolescence (3 years later), using an objective instrumental measurement of physical activity. Prospective cohort study. Representative random sample of Danish children from the city of Odense sampled at age 9 years and followed-up at age 12 years. The 1-month period prevalence of back pain (neck pain, mid back pain, and low back pain) was established using a structured interview. Physical activity was assessed with the MTI-accelerometer. The accelerometer provides a minute-by-minute measure of the physical activity performed. An overall measure of physical activity and time spent in high activity were studied in relation to back pain using logistic regression. The analyses were performed on the total sample and then stratified on back pain (yes/no) at baseline. High physical activity (HPA) levels seem to protect against future low back pain and appear to actually "treat" and reduce the odds of future mid back pain. When comparing the least active children to the most active children, the least active had a multivariate odds ratio of 3.3 of getting low back pain and 2.7 of getting mid back pain 3 years later. When stratified on back pain at baseline, this effect on mid back pain was especially noticeable in children who had had mid back pain already at baseline, with an odds ratio of 7.2. HPA in childhood seems to protect against low back pain and mid back pain in early adolescence. Larger prospective studies with repetitive follow-ups and preferably intervention studies should be performed, to see if these findings can be reproduced.

Theory of back-surface-field solar cells

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Vonroos, O.

1979-01-01

Report describes simple concise theory of back-surface-field (BSF) solar cells (npp + junctions) based on Shockley's depletion-layer approximation and cites superiority of two-junction devices over conventional unijunction cells.

Associations between low back pain and depression and somatization in a Canadian emerging adult population

PubMed Central

Robertson, David; Kumbhare, Dinesh; Nolet, Paul; Srbely, John; Newton, Genevieve

2017-01-01

Introduction The association between depression, somatization and low back pain has been minimally investigated in a Canadian emerging adult population. Methods 1013 first year Canadian university students completed the Modified Zung Depression Index, the Modified Somatic Perception Questionnaire, and a survey about low back pain frequency and intensity. Multinomial logistic regression was used to measure associations between low back pain and depression and somatization, both independently and co-occurring. Results Over 50% of subjects reported low back pain across grades, and both depression and somatization were significantly positively associated with low back pain. Several positive associations between the cooccurrence of somatization and depression with various grades of low back pain were observed. Discussion These results suggest that low back pain, depression and somatization are relatively common at the onset of adulthood, and should be considered an important focus of public health. PMID:28928493

Energy dissipation in thirty-foot broken-back culverts using laboratory models.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2014-09-01

This research investigates the reduction in scour downstream of a broken-back culvert by forming a hydraulic jump : inside the culvert. A broken-back culvert is used in areas of high relief and steep topography as it has one or more breaks in profile...

The benefits of back pain.

PubMed

Chew, C A; May, C R

1997-12-01

Chronic lower back pain (CLBP), without definable cause, is a symptom commonly presented to GPs, accounting for a significant proportion of their workload; it is also a common reason for sickness absence, and thus of national economic importance. This qualitative study aims to explore how sufferers of CLBP describe their pain and its impact on their lives, and how their problem is dealt with in the consultation with their family doctor. Semi-structured interviews were carried out with a sample of attenders at a back pain clinic set up in general practice. Transcription and analysis was carried out using a grounded-theory approach. Sufferers of CLBP describe withdrawal from normal social obligations, including work. They view their GP as being unable to help and, because of this, the doctor becomes a resource through which their social and economic inactivity can be legitimated. Presenting with CLBP permits the patient a good deal of power over the GP: it is difficult for the GP to challenge the patient's ideas without damaging the relationship. GPs are forced to collude with the patient's definition of ill-health, which may not be in the best interests of the patient or society.

Monte Carlo simulation of the back-diffusion of electrons in nitrogen

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Radmilović-Radjenović, M.; Nina, A.; Nikitović, Ž.

2009-01-01

In this paper, the process of back-diffusion in nitrogen is studied by means of Monte Carlo simulations. In particular we analyze the influence of different aspects of back-diffusion in order to simplify the models of plasma displays, low pressure gas breakdown and detectors of high energy particles. The obtained simulation results show that the escape coefficient depends strongly on the reflection coefficient and the initial energy of electrons. It was also found that the back-diffusion range and number of collisions before returning to the cathode in nitrogen are smaller than those in argon for similar conditions.

Low back injuries related to nursing professionals working conditions: a systematic review.

PubMed

Schlossmacher, Roberta; Amaral, Fernando Gonçalves

2012-01-01

Identify the prevalence of low back disorders and associated risks, as well as the characteristics and ergonomic factors present in the work of nursing professionals. Systematic review based on the search of terms such as low back pain, professionals, hospital ergonomics, work organization, nursing found in national and international databases. The prevalence of low back pain symptoms was between 14.7% and 72% and the main cause, that is, the transference of the patient from bed to chair, leaded to the profession abandonment as a main consequence. it was possible to conclude that the prevalence of low back injury is high among nursing professionals and its causes are related to occupational factors - physical or psychological, which are in many cases permanent and disabling.

Back pain and scoliosis in children: When to image, what to consider.

PubMed

Calloni, Sonia F; Huisman, Thierry Agm; Poretti, Andrea; Soares, Bruno P

2017-10-01

Back pain and scoliosis in children most commonly present as benign and self-limited entities. However, persistent back pain and/or progressive scoliosis should always be taken seriously in children. Dedicated diagnostic work-up should exclude etiologies that may result in significant morbidity. Clinical evaluation and management require a comprehensive history and physical and neurological examination. A correct imaging approach is important to define a clear diagnosis and should be reserved for children with persistent symptoms or concerning clinical and laboratory findings. This article reviews the role of different imaging techniques in the diagnostic approach to back pain and scoliosis, and offers a comprehensive review of the main imaging findings associated with common and uncommon causes of back pain and scoliosis in the pediatric population.

Solar cell comprising a plasmonic back reflector and method therefor

DOEpatents

Ding, I-Kang; Zhu, Jia; Cui, Yi; McGehee, Michael David

2014-11-25

A method for forming a solar cell having a plasmonic back reflector is disclosed. The method includes the formation of a nanoimprinted surface on which a metal electrode is conformally disposed. The surface structure of the nanoimprinted surface gives rise to a two-dimensional pattern of nanometer-scale features in the metal electrode enabling these features to collectively form the plasmonic back reflector.

Back-to-back optical coherence tomography-ultrasound probe for co-registered three-dimensional intravascular imaging with real-time display

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Jiawen; Ma, Teng; Jing, Joseph; Zhang, Jun; Patel, Pranav M.; Shung, K. Kirk; Zhou, Qifa; Chen, Zhongping

2014-03-01

We have developed a novel integrated optical coherence tomography (OCT)-intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) probe, with a 1.5 mm-long rigid-part and 0.9 mm outer diameter, for real-time intracoronary imaging of atherosclerotic plaques and guiding interventional procedures. By placing the OCT ball lens and IVUS 45MHz single element transducer back-to-back at the same axial position, this probe can provide automatically co-registered, co-axial OCT-IVUS imaging. To demonstrate its capability, 3D OCT-IVUS imaging of a pig's coronary artery in real-time displayed in polar coordinates, as well as images of two major types of advanced plaques in human cadaver coronary segments, was obtained using this probe and our upgraded system. Histology validation is also presented.

Back reaction effects on the dynamics of heavy probes in heavy quark cloud

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chakrabortty, Shankhadeep; Dey, Tanay K.

2016-05-01

We holographically study the effect of back reaction on the hydrodynamical properties of {N}=4 strongly coupled super Yang-Mills (SYM) thermal plasma. The back reaction we consider arises from the presence of static heavy quarks uniformly distributed over {N}=4 SYM plasma. In order to study the hydrodynamical properties, we use heavy quark as well as heavy quark-antiquark bound state as probes and compute the jet quenching parameter, screening length and binding energy. We also consider the rotational dynamics of heavy probe quark in the back-reacted plasma and analyse associated energy loss. We observe that the presence of back reaction enhances the energy-loss in the thermal plasma. Finally, we show that there is no effect of angular drag on the rotational motion of quark-antiquark bound state probing the back reacted thermal plasma.

Computational Investigation of the Performance and Back-Pressure Limits of a Hypersonic Inlet

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Smart, Michael K.; White, Jeffery A.

2002-01-01

A computational analysis of Mach 6.2 operation of a hypersonic inlet with rectangular-to-elliptical shape transition has been performed. The results of the computations are compared with experimental data for cases with and without a manually imposed back-pressure. While the no-back-pressure numerical solutions match the general trends of the data, certain features observed in the experiments did not appear in the computational solutions. The reasons for these discrepancies are discussed and possible remedies are suggested. Most importantly, however, the computational analysis increased the understanding of the consequences of certain aspects of the inlet design. This will enable the performance of future inlets of this class to be improved. Computational solutions with back-pressure under-estimated the back-pressure limit observed in the experiments, but did supply significant insight into the character of highly back-pressured inlet flows.

Laboratory modeling of energy dissipation in broken-back culverts - phase II.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2011-05-01

This report represents Phase II of broken-back culverts with a drop of 6 feet. The first phase of this research was performed for a drop of 24 feet. This research investigates the reduction in scour downstream of a broken-back culvert by forming a hy...

Factors affecting recovery from work-related, low back disorders in autoworkers.

PubMed

Oleske, Denise M; Neelakantan, Janani; Andersson, Gunnar B; Hinrichs, Bradley G; Lavender, Steven A; Morrissey, Mary J; Zold-Kilbourn, Phyllis; Taylor, Emily

2004-08-01

To simultaneously evaluate personal, medical, and job factors that could affect recovery from work-related, low back disorders, specifically focusing on an active working sample. Observational, longitudinal study. Two US automotive plants. Employees (N=352; 289 men, 63 women; mean age +/- standard deviation, 45.1+/-7.5 y) who were active hourly autoworkers, diagnosed with work-related, low back disorder by the plant's medical department. Not applicable. Oswestry Disability Questionnaire for back pain was used to evaluate recovery. Factors associated with better recovery were lower stress levels (P<.001) and exercise or physical activity outside work (P<.001); factors associated with higher disability levels over time were current cigarette smoking (P<.01) and bedrest (P<.001). Personal modifiable factors are major influences in the recovery from work-related, low back disorders, even in active working populations. Interventions aimed at increasing exercise and decreasing stress should also be considered as a part of rehabilitation in employed persons with low levels of disability.

A dental stool with chest support reduces lower back muscle activation.

PubMed

Tran, Viet; Turner, Reid; MacFadden, Andrew; Cornish, Stephen M; Esliger, Dale; Komiyama, Kunio; Chilibeck, Philip D

2016-09-01

Activation of back musculature during work tasks leads to fatigue and potential injury. This is especially prevalent in dentists who perform much of their work from a seated position. We examined the use of an ergonomic dental stool with mid-sternum chest support for reducing lower back muscle activation. Electromyography of lower back extensors was assessed from 30 dental students for 20 s during three conditions in random order: (a) sitting upright at 90° of hip flexion on a standard stool, (b) leaning forward at 80° of hip flexion on a standard stool, and (c) leaning forward at 80° of hip flexion while sitting on an ergonomic stool. Muscular activity of the back extensors was reduced when using the ergonomic stool compared to the standard stool, by 33-50% (p < 0.01). This suggests a potential musculoskeletal benefit with use of a dental stool with mid-sternum chest support.

Prevalence of low back pain among handloom weavers in West Bengal, India

PubMed Central

Durlov, Santu; Chakrabarty, Sabarni; Chatterjee, Arijit; Das, Tamal; Dev, Samrat; Gangopadhyay, Somnath; Haldar, Prasun; Maity, Santi Gopal; Sarkar, Krishnendu; Sahu, Subhashis

2014-01-01

Background: Handloom is one of the oldest industries in India, particularly in West Bengal, where a considerable number of rural people are engaged in weaving. Objectives: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of low back pain among the handloom weavers in India. Methods: A modified Nordic Musculoskeletal Disorder Questionnaire and Oswestry Low Back Pain Disability Questionnaire along with a body part discomfort scale were administered to handloom weavers (n = 175). Working posture of the participants was assessed using the Ovako Working Posture Analysis System (OWAS). Results: Sixty eight per cent of the participants reported suffering from low back pain, making it the most prevalent disorder in our sample. Analysis of the Oswestry Low Back Pain Disability Questionnaire data revealed that among those with low back pain (n = 119), 2% had severe disabilities, 46% had moderate disabilities, and 52% had minimal disabilities. Statistical analyses revealed a positive significant association between the intensity of pain in the lower back and an increased number of years of work experience (P<0.05). Conclusions: The study underlines the need for further research regarding the postural strain of weavers and also suggests the implementation of ergonomic design into weaver workstations to minimize the adverse effect of their current working postures. Improving upon the weaver’s work-posture could improve their quality of life. PMID:25224808

Prevalence of low back pain among handloom weavers in West Bengal, India.

PubMed

Durlov, Santu; Chakrabarty, Sabarni; Chatterjee, Arijit; Das, Tamal; Dev, Samrat; Gangopadhyay, Somnath; Haldar, Prasun; Maity, Santi Gopal; Sarkar, Krishnendu; Sahu, Subhashis

2014-10-01

Handloom is one of the oldest industries in India, particularly in West Bengal, where a considerable number of rural people are engaged in weaving. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of low back pain among the handloom weavers in India. A modified Nordic Musculoskeletal Disorder Questionnaire and Oswestry Low Back Pain Disability Questionnaire along with a body part discomfort scale were administered to handloom weavers (n = 175). Working posture of the participants was assessed using the Ovako Working Posture Analysis System (OWAS). Sixty eight per cent of the participants reported suffering from low back pain, making it the most prevalent disorder in our sample. Analysis of the Oswestry Low Back Pain Disability Questionnaire data revealed that among those with low back pain (n = 119), 2% had severe disabilities, 46% had moderate disabilities, and 52% had minimal disabilities. Statistical analyses revealed a positive significant association between the intensity of pain in the lower back and an increased number of years of work experience (P<0·05). The study underlines the need for further research regarding the postural strain of weavers and also suggests the implementation of ergonomic design into weaver workstations to minimize the adverse effect of their current working postures. Improving upon the weaver's work-posture could improve their quality of life.

Position and mode dependent optical detection back-action in cantilever beam resonators

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Larsen, T.; Schmid, S.; Dohn, S.; Sader, J. E.; Boisen, A.; Villanueva, L. G.

2017-03-01

Optical detection back-action in cantilever resonant or static detection presents a challenge when striving for state-of-the-art performance. The origin and possible routes for minimizing optical back-action have received little attention in literature. Here, we investigate the position and mode dependent optical back-action on cantilever beam resonators. A high power heating laser (100 µW) is scanned across a silicon nitride cantilever while its effect on the first three resonance modes is detected via a low-power readout laser (1 µW) positioned at the cantilever tip. We find that the measured effect of back-action is not only dependent on position but also the shape of the resonance mode. Relevant silicon nitride material parameters are extracted by fitting finite element (FE) simulations to the temperature-dependent frequency response of the first three modes. In a second round of simulations, using the extracted parameters, we successfully fit the FEM results with the measured mode and position dependent back-action. From the simulations, we can conclude that the observed frequency tuning is due to temperature induced changes in stress. Effects of changes in material properties and dimensions are negligible. Finally, different routes for minimizing the effect of this optical detection back-action are described, allowing further improvements of cantilever-based sensing in general.

A Cross-cultural Study of the Back Pain Beliefs of Female Undergraduate Healthcare Students.

PubMed

Burnett, Angus; Sze, Ching Ching; Tam, Suet May; Yeung, Ka Man; Leong, Michelle; Wang, Wendy Tj; Tan, B-K; O'sullivan, Peter

2009-01-01

To determine if country (Australia, Taiwan, Singapore), undergraduate healthcare course (physiotherapy, nursing), low back pain (LBP) history, and year of course influenced various back pain beliefs in undergraduate female healthcare students. Three hundred and 82 female undergraduate nursing and physiotherapy students completed questionnaires examining; the inevitability of future life with low back trouble, the LBP beliefs held by healthcare providers and fear avoidance beliefs related to physical activity. Also participants completed questionnaires to determine their LBP status. General linear models were used to determine whether differences existed for back beliefs scores. Differences were evident in the future consequence of LBP between countries (P<0.001), undergraduate course (P<0.001), and LBP status (P=0.021). Healthcare provider beliefs were found to be significantly influenced by course only (P<0.001). Fear avoidance beliefs related to physical activity were influenced by country (P=0.002) and undergraduate course (P<0.001). When compared with white Australians, Taiwanese and Singaporean Chinese displayed more negative back beliefs regarding the future consequence of LBP (P<0.001) and more fear avoidant beliefs toward physical activity (P=0.021 and P<0.001, respectively). Further, nursing students had more negative back pain beliefs than physiotherapy students (P<0.001) and, the experience of LBP was associated with more positive beliefs on the future consequence of back trouble (P=0.021). Findings of this study highlight the importance of country, education, and LBP experience on back pain beliefs. The more negative back pain beliefs found in Taiwan and Singapore may reflect current pain beliefs and management attitudes.

The Use of Breathing Exercises in the Treatment of Chronic, Nonspecific Low Back Pain.

PubMed

Anderson, Barton E; Bliven, Kellie C Huxel

2017-09-01

Clinical Scenario: Research has shown a link between poor core stability and chronic, nonspecific low back pain, with data to suggest that alterations in core muscle activation patterns, breathing patterns, lung function, and diaphragm mechanics may occur. Traditional treatment approaches for chronic, nonspecific low back pain focus on exercise and manual therapy interventions, however it is not clear whether breathing exercises are effective in treating back pain. Focused Clinical Question: In adults with chronic, nonspecific low back pain, are breathing exercises effective in reducing pain, improving respiratory function, and/or health related quality of life? Summary of Key Findings: Following a literature search, 3 studies were identified for inclusion in the review. All reviewed studies were critically appraised at level 2 evidence and reported improvements in either low back pain or quality of life following breathing program intervention. Clinical Bottom Line: Exercise programs were shown to be effective in improving lung function, reducing back pain, and improving quality of life. Breathing program frequencies ranged from daily to 2-3 times per week, with durations ranging from 4 to 8 weeks. Based on these results, athletic trainers and physical therapists caring for patients with chronic, nonspecific low back pain should consider the inclusion of breathing exercises for the treatment of back pain when such treatments align with the clinician's own judgment and clinical expertise and the patient's preferences and values. Strength of Recommendation: Grade B evidence exists to support the use of breathing exercises in the treatment of chronic, nonspecific low back pain.

Back-neck pain and symptoms of anxiety and depression: a population-based twin study.

PubMed

Reichborn-Kjennerud, T; Stoltenberg, C; Tambs, K; Roysamb, E; Kringlen, E; Torgersen, S; Harris, J R

2002-08-01

Clinical and epidemiological studies have shown an association between anxiety and depression and pain in the back and neck. The nature of this relationship is not clear. This study aimed to investigate the extent to which common genetic and environmental aetiological factors contribute to the covariance between symptoms of anxiety and depression and back-neck pain. Measures of back-neck pain and symptoms of anxiety and depression were part of a self-report questionnaire sent in 1992 to twins born in Norway between 1967 and 1974 (3996 pairs). Structural equation modelling was applied to determine to what extent back-neck pain and symptoms of anxiety and depression share genetic and environmental liability factors. The phenotypic correlation between symptoms of anxiety and depression and back-neck pain was 0.31. Individual differences in both anxiety and depression and back-neck pain were best accounted for by additive genetic and individual environmental factors. Heritability estimates were 0.53 and 0.30 respectively. For back-neck pain, however, a model specifying only shared- and individual environmental effects could not be rejected. Bivariate analyses revealed that the correlation between back-neck pain and symptoms of anxiety and depression was best explained by additive genetic and individual environmental factors. Genetic factors affecting both phenotypes accounted for 60% of the covariation. There were no significant sex differences. The results support previous findings of a moderate association between back-neck pain and symptoms of anxiety and depression, and suggest that this association is primarily due to common genetic effects.

Building America Top Innovations 2012: Reduced Call-Backs with High-Performance Production Builders

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

none,

2013-01-01

This Building America Top Innovations profile describes ways Building America teams have helped builders cut call-backs. Harvard University study found builders who worked with Building America had a 50% drop in call-backs. One builder reported a 50-fold reduction in the incidence of pipe freezing, a 50% reduction in drywall cracking, and a 60% decline in call-backs.

Longitudinal Monitoring of Patients With Chronic Low Back Pain During Physical Therapy Treatment Using the STarT Back Screening Tool.

PubMed

Medeiros, Flávia Cordeiro; Costa, Leonardo Oliveira Pena; Added, Marco Aurélio Nemitalla; Salomão, Evelyn Cassia; Costa, Lucíola da Cunha Menezes

2017-05-01

Study Design Preplanned secondary analysis of a randomized clinical trial. Background The STarT Back Screening Tool (SBST) was developed to screen and to classify patients with low back pain into subgroups for the risk of having a poor prognosis. However, this classification at baseline does not take into account variables that can influence the prognosis during treatment or over time. Objectives (1) To investigate the changes in risk subgroup measured by the SBST over a period of 6 months, and (2) to assess the long-term predictive ability of the SBST when administered at different time points. Methods Patients with chronic nonspecific low back pain (n = 148) receiving physical therapy care as part of a randomized trial were analyzed. Pain intensity, disability, global perceived effect, and the SBST were collected at baseline, 5 weeks, 3 months, and 6 months. Changes in SBST risk classification were calculated. Hierarchical linear regression models adjusted for potential confounders were built to analyze the predictive capabilities of the SBST when administered at different time points. Results A large proportion of patients (60.8%) changed their risk subgroup after receiving physical therapy care. The SBST improved the prediction for all 6-month outcomes when using the 5-week risk subgroup and the difference between baseline and 5-week subgroup, after controlling for potential confounders. The SBST at baseline did not improve the predictive ability of the models after adjusting for confounders. Conclusion This study shows that many patients change SBST risk subgroup after receiving physical therapy care, and that the predictive ability of the SBST in patients with chronic low back pain increases when administered at different time points. Level of Evidence Prognosis, 2b. J Orthop Sports Phys Ther 2017;47(5):314-323. Epub 29 Mar 2017. doi:10.2519/jospt.2017.7199.

Patient participation in a clinic-based community pharmacy medication take-back program.

PubMed

Lystlund, Stefanie; Stevens, Eric; Planas, Lourdes G; Marcy, Todd R

2014-01-01

To describe patient interest and involvement in participating in a clinic-based community pharmacy drug take-back program to dispose of unused, unwanted, or expired (UUE) medications and to identify patients' reasons for participating in the program. A convenience sample of patients at the University of Oklahoma Family Medicine Pharmacy was recruited to complete a needs assessment survey regarding interest in drug take-back programs and current practices for handling UUE medications. Participants who purchased a postage-paid drug disposal envelope were asked to complete a program survey identifying sources of UUE medications, experience with drug take-back programs, and reasons for participation. These participants were later contacted for a follow-up telephone survey regarding their experience with the program and medications sent back. 62 needs assessment surveys were collected. 61% of patients reported interest in a drug take-back program. 57% reported having no UUE medications at home. Commonly reported UUE handling practices included disposal in the garbage (53.2%) or sewer (29.0%) and home storage (17.7%). 15 disposal envelopes were sold to 10 participants whose most common reasons for participation included concern about the safety of household members, accidental or intentional ingestion, and environmental impact. For 4 patients who returned a median of 9.5 prescriptions, the most common class of returned drugs was antibiotics (19.0%). Interest in drug take-back programs exists, but awareness and availability of continuous programs is limited. Programs may be more successful if offered at no cost to patients. Future studies are needed on the types of medications sent back and specific reasons for accumulation.

Neuropathic low back pain in clinical practice.

PubMed

Baron, R; Binder, A; Attal, N; Casale, R; Dickenson, A H; Treede, R-D

2016-07-01

Low back pain (LBP) is one of the most common chronic pain conditions. This paper reviews the available literature on the role of neuropathic mechanisms in chronic LBP and discusses implications for its clinical management, with a particular focus on pharmacological treatments. Literature searches were performed in PubMed, key pain congresses and ProQuest Dialog to identify published evidence on neuropathic back pain and its management. All titles were assessed for relevant literature. Chronic LBP comprises both nociceptive and neuropathic components, however, the neuropathic component appears under-recognized and undertreated. Neuropathic pain (NP) is challenging to manage. Many patients with chronic LBP have pain that is refractory to existing treatments. Typically, less than half of patients experience clinically meaningful analgesia with oral pharmacotherapies; these are also associated with risks of adverse effects. Paracetamol and NSAIDs, although widely used for LBP, are unlikely to ameliorate the neuropathic component and data on the use of NP medications such as antidepressants and gabapentin/pregabalin are limited. While there is an unmet need for improved treatment options, recent data have shown tapentadol to have efficacy in the neuropathic component of LBP, and studies suggest that the capsaicin 8% patch and lidocaine 5% medicated plaster, topical analgesics available for the treatment of peripheral NP, may be a valuable additional approach for the management of neuropathic LBP. Chronic LBP often has an under-recognized neuropathic component, which can be challenging to manage, and requires improved understanding and better diagnosis and treatment. WHAT DOES THIS REVIEW ADD?: Increased recognition and improved understanding of the neuropathic component of low back pain raises the potential for the development of mechanism-based therapies. Open and retrospective studies suggest that agents like tapentadol and topical analgesics - such as the capsaicin

Quantification of the tug-back by measuring the pulling force and micro computed tomographic evaluation.

PubMed

Jeon, Su-Jin; Moon, Young-Mi; Seo, Min-Seock

2017-11-01

The aims of this study were to quantify tug-back by measuring the pulling force and investigate the correlation of clinical tug-back pulling force with in vitro gutta-percha (GP) cone adaptation score using micro-computed tomography (µCT). Twenty-eight roots from human single-rooted teeth were divided into 2 groups. In the ProTaper Next (PTN) group, root canals were prepared with PTN, and in the ProFile (PF) group, root canals were prepared using PF ( n = 14). The degree of tug-back was scored after selecting taper-matched GP cones. A novel method using a spring balance was designed to quantify the tug-back by measuring the pulling force. The correlation between tug-back scores, pulling force, and percentage of the gutta-percha occupied area (pGPOA) within apical 3 mm was investigated using µCT. The data were analyzed using Pearson's correlation analysis, one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) and Tukey's test. Specimens with a strong tug-back had a mean pulling force of 1.24 N (range, 0.15-1.70 N). This study showed a positive correlation between tug-back score, pulling force, and pGPOA. However, there was no significant difference in these factors between the PTN and PF groups. Regardless of the groups, pGPOA and pulling force were significantly higher in the specimens with a higher tug-back score ( p < 0.05). The degree of subjective tug-back was a definitive determinant for master cone adaptation in the root canal. The use of the tug-back scoring system and pulling force allows the interpretation of subjective tug-back in a more objective and quantitative manner.

A Prospective Study of Back Pain and Risk of Falls Among Older Community-dwelling Women

PubMed Central

Litwack-Harrison, Stephanie; Cawthon, Peggy M.; Kado, Deborah M.; Deyo, Richard A.; Makris, Una E.; Carlson, Hans L.; Nevitt, Michael C.

2016-01-01

Background. Back pain and falls are common health conditions among older U.S. women. The extent to which back pain is an independent risk factor for falls has not been established. Methods. We conducted a prospective study among 6,841 community-dwelling U.S. women at least 65 years of age from the Study of Osteoporotic Fractures (SOF). Baseline questionnaires inquired about any back pain, pain severity, and frequency in the past year. During 1 year of follow-up, falls were summed from self-reports obtained every 4 months. Two outcomes were studied: recurrent falls (≥2 falls) and any fall (≥1 fall). Associations of back pain and each fall outcome were estimated with risk ratios (RRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) from multivariable log-binomial regression. Adjustments were made for age, education, smoking status, fainting history, hip pain, stroke history, vertebral fracture, and Geriatric Depression Scale. Results. Most (61%) women reported any back pain. During follow-up, 10% had recurrent falls and 26% fell at least once. Any back pain relative to no back pain was associated with a 50% increased risk of recurrent falls (multivariable RR = 1.5, 95% CI: 1.3, 1.8). Multivariable RRs for recurrent falls were significantly elevated for all back pain symptoms, ranging from 1.4 (95% CI: 1.1, 1.8) for mild back pain to 1.8 (95% CI: 1.4, 2.3) for activity-limiting back pain. RRs of any fall were also significantly increased albeit smaller than those for recurrent falls. Conclusions. Older community-dwelling women with a recent history of back pain are at increased risk for falls. PMID:26757988

Hartford's gun buy-back program: are we on target?

PubMed

Marinelli, Laura W; Thaker, Shefali; Borrup, Kevin; Shapiro, David S; Bentley, George C; Saleheen, Hassan; Lapidus, Garry; Campbell, Brendan T

2013-09-01

Gunbuy-backprograms have been proposed as away to remove unwanted firearms from circulation, but remain controversial because their ability to prevent firearm injuries remains unproven. The purpose of this study is to describe the demographics of individuals participating in Connecticut's gun buy-backprogram in the context of annual gun sales and the epidemiology of firearm violence in the state. Over four years the buy-back program collected 464 firearms, including 232 handguns. In contrast, 91,602 firearms were sold in Connecticut during 2009 alone. The incidence of gun-related deaths was unchanged in the two years following the inception of the buy-back program. Suicide was associated with older age (mean = 51 +/- 18years) and Caucasian race (n = 539, 90%). Homicide was associated with younger age (mean = 30 +/- 12 years) and minority race (n = 425, 81%). A gun buy-back program alone is not likely to produce a measurable decrease in firearm injuries and deaths.

Usage of the back-propagation method for alphabet recognition

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shaila Sree, R. N.; Eswaran, Kumar; Sundararajan, N.

1999-03-01

Artificial Neural Networks play a pivotal role in the branch of Artificial Intelligence. They can be trained efficiently for a variety of tasks using different methods, of which the Back Propagation method is one among them. The paper studies the choosing of various design parameters of a neural network for the Back Propagation method. The study shows that when these parameters are properly assigned, the training task of the net is greatly simplified. The character recognition problem has been chosen as a test case for this study. A sample space of different handwritten characters of the English alphabet was gathered. A Neural net is finally designed taking many the design aspects into consideration and trained for different styles of writing. Experimental results are reported and discussed. It has been found that an appropriate choice of the design parameters of the neural net for the Back Propagation method reduces the training time and improves the performance of the net.

Bertolotti's syndrome: A commonly missed cause of back pain in young patients.

PubMed

Manmohan, S; Dzulkarnain, A; Nor Azlin, Z A; Fazir, M

2015-01-01

Bertolotti's syndrome must be considered as a differential diagnosis for lower back pain in young people. Treatment, whether conservative or operative, is still debatable. In this paper, we report a case of a 20-year-old girl presenting with lower back pain for 8 years. We administered injection with local anaesthetic and steroid injections within the pseudo-articulation; however, the pain was relieved for 3 weeks. Surgical excision of the pseudo-articulation successfully treated her back pain and the sciatica.

Enhanced light absorption of silicon solar cells with dielectric nanostructured back reflector

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ren, Rui; Zhong, Zheng

2018-06-01

This paper investigates the light absorption property of nanostructured dielectric reflectors in silicon thin film solar cells using numerical simulation. Flat thin film solar cell with ZnO nanostructured back reflector can produce comparable photocurrent to the control model with Ag nanostructured back reflector. Furthermore, when it is integrated with nano-pillar surface decoration, a photocurrent density of 29.5 mA/cm2 can be achieved, demonstrating a photocurrent enhancement of 5% as compared to the model with Ag nanostructured back reflector.

Fault-tolerant back-up archive using an ASP model for disaster recovery

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Brent J.; Huang, H. K.; Cao, Fei; Documet, Luis; Sarti, Dennis A.

2002-05-01

A single point of failure in PACS during a disaster scenario is the main archive storage and server. When a major disaster occurs, it is possible to lose an entire hospital's PACS data. Few current PACS archives feature disaster recovery, but the design is limited at best. These drawbacks include the frequency with which the back-up is physically removed to an offsite facility, the operational costs associated to maintain the back-up, the ease-of-use to perform the backup consistently and efficiently, and the ease-of-use to perform the PACS image data recovery. This paper describes a novel approach towards a fault-tolerant solution for disaster recovery of short-term PACS image data using an Application Service Provider model for service. The ASP back-up archive provides instantaneous, automatic backup of acquired PACS image data and instantaneous recovery of stored PACS image data all at a low operational cost. A back-up archive server and RAID storage device is implemented offsite from the main PACS archive location. In the example of this particular hospital, it was determined that at least 2 months worth of PACS image exams were needed for back-up. Clinical data from a hospital PACS is sent to this ASP storage server in parallel to the exams being archived in the main server. A disaster scenario was simulated and the PACS exams were sent from the offsite ASP storage server back to the hospital PACS. Initially, connectivity between the main archive and the ASP storage server is established via a T-1 connection. In the future, other more cost-effective means of connectivity will be researched such as the Internet 2. A disaster scenario was initiated and the disaster recovery process using the ASP back-up archive server was success in repopulating the clinical PACS within a short period of time. The ASP back-up archive was able to recover two months of PACS image data for comparison studies with no complex operational procedures. Furthermore, no image data loss

Back pain in the German adult population: prevalence, severity, and sociodemographic correlates in a multiregional survey.

PubMed

Schmidt, Carsten Oliver; Raspe, Heiner; Pfingsten, Michael; Hasenbring, Monika; Basler, Heinz Dieter; Eich, Wolfgang; Kohlmann, Thomas

2007-08-15

A population-based cross-sectional multiregion postal survey. To provide a descriptive epidemiology of the prevalence and severity of back pain in German adults and to analyze sociodemographic correlates for disabling back pain within and across regions. Back pain is a leading health problem in Germany. However, comprehensive population-based evidence on the severity of back pain is still fragmentary for this country. Despite earlier findings concerning large prevalence differences across regions, systematic explanations remain to be ascertained. Questionnaire data were collected for 9263 subjects in 5 German cities and regions (population-based random samples, postal questionnaire). Point, 1-year, and lifetime prevalence were assessed using direct questions, and graded back pain was determined using the Graded Chronic Pain Scale. Poststratification was applied to adjust for cross-regional sociodemographic differences. Point-prevalence was 37.1%, 1-year prevalence 76.0%, and lifetime prevalence 85.5%. A substantial minority had severe (Grade II, 8.0%) or disabling back pain (Grade III-IV, 11.2%). Subjects with a low educational level reported substantially more disabling back pain. This variable was an important predictor for large cross-regional differences in the burden of back pain. Back pain is a highly prevalent condition in Germany. Disabling back pain in this country may be regarded as part of a social disadvantage syndrome. Educational level should receive greater attention in future cross-regional comparisons of back pain.

78 FR 68906 - Agency Information Collection (Back (Thoracolumbar Spine) Conditions Disability Benefits...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-11-15

... (Thoracolumbar Spine) Conditions Disability Benefits Questionnaire) Under OMB Review AGENCY: Veterans Benefits... Control No. 2900- NEW (Back (Thoracolumbar Spine) Conditions Disability Benefits Questionnaire)'' in any... Disability Benefits Questionnaire)''. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Title: (Back (Thoracolumbar Spine...

Happy Back to the Future Day

NASA Image and Video Library

2017-12-08

Great Scott, This is Heavy! You might see a DeLorean zipping around Greenbelt, Maryland, on Oct. 21, 2015, the day Marty McFly and Doc Brown arrive from 1985 in "Back to the Future, Part II," but don't look for flaming tread marks in its wake. The DeLorean DMC-12, commonly seen on the roads of NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, is better known for the version that starred as a plutonium-powered time machine in the “Back to the Future” trilogy. After some investigation, Goddard’s Office of Communications found the owner of the stainless steel, gull-winged, two-door coupe. Goddard software test engineer, Brendan Rebo bought the 1982 DeLorean off eBay about four and a half years ago. “The car attracts a lot more attention than I expected,” Rebo admitted. “I hear a lot of jokes about whether or not I’ve reached 88 miles per hour yet.” As “Back to the Future” fans around the world celebrate today, Rebo also celebrates his birthday. While the second film predicted technology, such as flying cars, that doesn’t yet exist, people can still marvel at the classic car and movie reference. Credit: NASA/Goddard/Rebecca Roth NASA image use policy. NASA Goddard Space Flight Center enables NASA’s mission through four scientific endeavors: Earth Science, Heliophysics, Solar System Exploration, and Astrophysics. Goddard plays a leading role in NASA’s accomplishments by contributing compelling scientific knowledge to advance the Agency’s mission. Follow us on Twitter Like us on Facebook Find us on Instagram

Adolescent low back pain among secondary school students in Ibadan, Nigeria.

PubMed

Adegoke, Babatunde O A; Odole, Adesola C; Adeyinka, Adebayo A

2015-06-01

Adolescent low back pain (ALBP) can be considered a signal or precursor of a serious organic disease or telltale sign of future incidence of low back pain in adulthood. Published articles on ALBP in Nigeria are not readily available. The study's objectives were to investigate the prevalence of Adolescent Low Back Pain (ALBP) among secondary school students in Ibadan, Nigeria and the prevalence's association with some socio-demographic variables. Participants were adolescent students from 15 secondary schools in Ibadan. Data was collected using a respondent-administered, validated questionnaire on low back pain in adolescents. Participants (Female: 298; Male: 273) aged 14.23 ±2.27 years (range 10-19) were recruited through multi-stage random sampling. Five hundred and seventy-one (83.97%) of the 680 copies of the questionnaire administered were returned. Data was analysed using mean, standard deviation, frequency, percentages, and Chi-square test with alpha level at 0.05. Lifetime, twelve-month, one-month and point prevalence rates of ALBP were 58.0%, 43.8%, 25.6% and 14.7% respectively. Age at first experience of ALBP was 11.86 ± 2.36 years. Gender was not significantly associated with any rate (p ≥0.317). Age (p ≤ 0.043) and engagement in commercial activities (p ≤ 0.025) were significantly associated with all period prevalence rates while injury to the back was significantly associated with all period prevalence rates except point prevalence (p = 0.087). Adolescent low back pain is common among secondary school students in Ibadan and its prevalence is significantly associated with age and engagement in commercial activities, but not with gender.

A clinical return-to-work rule for patients with back pain.

PubMed

Dionne, Clermont E; Bourbonnais, Renée; Frémont, Pierre; Rossignol, Michel; Stock, Susan R; Larocque, Isabelle

2005-06-07

Tools for early identification of workers with back pain who are at high risk of adverse occupational outcome would help concentrate clinical attention on the patients who need it most, while helping reduce unnecessary interventions (and costs) among the others. This study was conducted to develop and validate clinical rules to predict the 2-year work disability status of people consulting for nonspecific back pain in primary care settings. This was a 2-year prospective cohort study conducted in 7 primary care settings in the Quebec City area. The study enrolled 1007 workers (participation, 68.4% of potential participants expected to be eligible) aged 18-64 years who consulted for nonspecific back pain associated with at least 1 day's absence from work. The majority (86%) completed 5 telephone interviews documenting a large array of variables. Clinical information was abstracted from the medical files. The outcome measure was "return to work in good health" at 2 years, a variable that combined patients' occupational status, functional limitations and recurrences of work absence. Predictive models of 2-year outcome were developed with a recursive partitioning approach on a 40% random sample of our study subjects, then validated on the rest. The best predictive model included 7 baseline variables (patient's recovery expectations, radiating pain, previous back surgery, pain intensity, frequent change of position because of back pain, irritability and bad temper, and difficulty sleeping) and was particularly efficient at identifying patients with no adverse occupational outcome (negative predictive value 78%- 94%). A clinical prediction rule accurately identified a large proportion of workers with back pain consulting in a primary care setting who were at a low risk of an adverse occupational outcome.

[Indications for magnetic resonance imaging for low back pain in adults].

PubMed

Millán Ortuondo, E; Cabrera Zubizarreta, A; Muñiz Saitua, J; Sola Sarabia, C; Zubia Arratibel, J

2014-01-01

Low back pain is a common disorder that generates many medical consultations. Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) is commonly used in the clinical management of some of these patients. However, the cost of inappropriate MRI use is high, so there is a need to develop guidelines to help physicians make correct decisions and optimize available resources. To determine the main clinical indications for MRI scanning in adults with low back pain. The RAND/UCLA appropriateness method was used: After a systematic review (May 2012), a list of the clinical indications for MRI scanning in patients with low back pain was prepared. A multidisciplinary expert panel scored each indication from 1, «totally inappropriate» to 9, «totally appropriate». A first on-line round, an in-person panel meeting, where results of the first round were discussed, and a final second on-line round were arranged. A clinical indication was considered appropriate if the median score was 6.5 or higher, and there was agreement between experts (IPRAS index was used). An MRI test is considered appropriate if cancer, spinal infection or a fracture, even with a negative X-ray test is suspected.; if there is inflammatory back pain; severe/progressive neurological deficit; severe and progressive low back pain; subacute or chronic low back pain with radicular involvement unresponsive to conservative therapy. Clinical indications for a MRI scanning are based on the suspicion of a secondary serious pathology. This methodology helps to set clinical indications for MRI, and may be of great value for both clinicians and health managers. Copyright © 2013 SECA. Published by Elsevier Espana. All rights reserved.

Method and apparatus for back-extracting metal chelates

DOEpatents

Wai, C.M.; Smart, N.G.; Lin, Y.

1998-08-11

A method is described for extracting metal and metalloid species from a solid or liquid substrate using a supercritical fluid solvent containing one or more chelating agents followed by back-extracting the metal and metalloid species from the metal and metalloid chelates formed thereby. The back-extraction acidic solution is performed utilizing an acidic solution. Upon sufficient exposure of the metal and metalloid chelates to the acidic solution, the metal and metalloid species are released from the chelates into the acid solution, while the chelating agent remains in the supercritical fluid solvent. The chelating agent is thereby regenerated and the metal and metalloid species recovered. 3 figs.

A Short History of Divorce: Jumping the Broom--And Back Again.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Day, Randal D.; Hook, Daniel

1987-01-01

Describes ancient informal marriage ceremonies and informal forms of divorce. Shows how the definition and manner of divorce have changed throughout history and how the control of divorce has moved from personal decision to community policy, to state/church issue, back to local community, and finally back to personal decision. (NB)

Correlation of Body Composition and Low Back Pain Severity in a Cross-Section of US Veterans.

PubMed

Okamoto, Casey S; Dunn, Andrew S; Green, Bart N; Formolo, Lance R; Chicoine, David

2017-06-01

Back pain is more prevalent in the obese, but whether back pain severity is directly correlated to obesity in veterans is unknown. We sought to determine if there was a correlation between body composition and low back pain severity in a sample of veterans. The hypothesis was that veterans with higher body mass index values would report higher low back pain severity scores. This study was a retrospective chart review of 1768 veterans presenting to a Veterans Affairs chiropractic clinic with a chief complaint of low back pain between January 1, 2009 and December 31, 2014. Spearman's rho was used to test for correlation between body composition as measured by body mass index and low back pain severity as measured by the Back Bournemouth Questionnaire. On average, the sample was predominantly male (91%), older than 50, and overweight (36.5%) or obese (48.9%). There was no correlation between body mass index and Back Bournemouth Questionnaire scores, r = .088, p < .001. The majority of veterans with low back pain in this sample were either overweight or obese. There was no correlation between body composition and low back pain severity in this sample of veterans. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Targeted treatment in primary care for low back pain: the treatment system and clinical training programmes used in the IMPaCT Back study (ISRCTN 55174281)

PubMed Central

Sowden, Gail; Hill, Jonathan C; Konstantinou, Kika; Khanna, Meenee; Main, Chris J; Salmon, Paula; Somerville, Simon; Wathall, Simon; Foster, Nadine E

2012-01-01

Background. The IMPaCT Back study (IMplementation to improve Patient Care through Targeted treatment for Back pain) is a quality improvement study which aims to investigate the effects of introducing and supporting a subgrouping for targeted treatment system for patients with low back pain (LBP) in primary care. This paper details the subgrouping for targeted treatment system and the clinical training and mentoring programmes aimed at equipping clinicians to deliver it. The subgrouping and targeted treatment system. This system differs from ‘one-size fits all’ usual practice as it suggests that first contact health care practitioners should systematically allocate LBP patients to one of the three subgroups according to key modifiable prognostic indicators for chronicity. Patients in each subgroup (those at low, medium or high risk of chronicity) are then managed according to a targeted treatment system of increasing complexity. The subgrouping tools. Subgrouping tools help guide clinical decision-making about treatment and onward referral. Two subgrouping tools have been used in the IMPaCT Back study, a 9-item version used by participating physiotherapists and a 6-item version used by GPs. The targeted treatments. The targeted treatments include a minimal intervention delivered by GPs (for those patients at low risk of poor outcome) or referral to primary care physiotherapists who can apply physiotherapy approaches to addressing pain and disability (for those at medium risk) and additional cognitive-behavioural approaches to help address psychological and social obstacles to recovery (for those at high risk). The training packages. Building on previous interventions for other pilot studies and randomized trials, we have developed and delivered clinical training and support programmes for GPs and physiotherapists. Discussion. This paper describes in detail the IMPaCT Back study’s subgrouping for targeted treatment system and the training and mentoring packages

Analysis of the interaction of an electron beam with back surface field solar cells

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Von Roos, O.; Luke, K. L.

1983-01-01

In this paper the short circuit current Isc induced by the electron beam of a scanning electron microscope in a back surface field solar cell will be determined theoretically. It will be shown that, in a configuration used previously for solar cells with an ohmic back surface, the Isc gives a convenient means for estimating the back surface recombination velocities and thus the quality of back surface field cells. Numerical data will be presented applicable to a point source model for the electron-hole pair generation.

Back Complaints in the Elders (BACE); design of cohort studies in primary care: an international consortium

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background Although back complaints are common among older people, limited information is available in the literature about the clinical course of back pain in older people and the identification of older persons at risk for the transition from acute back complaints to chronic back pain. The aim of this study is to assess the course of back complaints and identify prognostic factors for the transition from acute back complaints to chronic back complaints in older people who visit a primary health care physician. Methods/design The design is a prospective cohort study with one-year follow-up. There will be no interference with usual care. Patients older than 55 years who consult a primary health care physician with a new episode of back complaints will be included in this study. Data will be collected using a questionnaire, physical examination and X-ray at baseline, and follow-up questionnaires after 6 weeks and 3, 6, 9 and 12 months. The study 'Back Complaints in the Elders' (BACE) will take place in different countries: starting in the Netherlands, Brazil and Australia. The research groups collaborate in the BACE consortium. The design and basic objectives of the study will be the same across the studies. Discussion This consortium is a collaboration between different research groups, aiming to provide insight into the course of back complaints in older people and to identify prognostic factors for the transition from acute back complaints to chronic back complaints in older persons. The BACE consortium allows to investigate differences between older people with back complaints and the health care systems in the different countries and to increase the statistical power by enabling meta-analyses using the individual patient data. Additional research groups worldwide are invited to join the BACE consortium. PMID:21854620

Neuromuscular ultrasound imaging in low back pain patients with radiculopathy.

PubMed

Frost, Lydia R; Brown, Stephen H M

2016-02-01

Patients suffering from chronic low back pain with associated radiculopathy (LBP-R), or sciatica, experience neuromuscular symptoms in the lower back and leg; however, research to date has focussed solely on the lower back. To expand neuromuscular research of LBP-R patients into the lower limb, using ultrasound imaging. Case control study comparing LBP-R patients to matched healthy controls. LBP-R patients with disc bulge or herniation (L3/L4 to L5/S1) resulting in unilateral radiculopathy (n = 17) and healthy matched controls (n = 17) were recruited. High-resolution ultrasound imaging was used to investigate sciatic nerve structure, as well as the quality (relative magnitude of fat/fibrosis infiltration) and contraction (muscle thickening) of associated musculature in the lower back (paraspinals) and lower limb (biceps femoris, gastrocnemius, soleus). LBP-R patients had swollen sciatic nerves (increased cross sectional area), but this was not associated with evidence of reduced lower limb muscle quality. As compared to controls, LBP-R patients demonstrated less soleus muscle thickening during submaximal contraction; however, there were no impairments in the hamstring or lower back musculature. Ultrasound imaging was an effective method to detect sciatic nerve swelling in mild to moderately affected LBP-R patients. Nerve swelling was not associated with poorer muscle quality, nor consistently impaired muscle contraction. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Two Back Stress Hardening Models in Rate Independent Rigid Plastic Deformation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yun, Su-Jin

In the present work, the constitutive relations based on the combination of two back stresses are developed using the Armstrong-Frederick, Phillips and Ziegler’s type hardening rules. Various evolutions of the kinematic hardening parameter can be obtained by means of a simple combination of back stress rate using the rule of mixtures. Thus, a wide range of plastic deformation behavior can be depicted depending on the dominant back stress evolution. The ultimate back stress is also determined for the present combined kinematic hardening models. Since a kinematic hardening rule is assumed in the finite deformation regime, the stress rate is co-rotated with respect to the spin of substructure obtained by incorporating the plastic spin concept. A comparison of the various co-rotational rates is also included. Assuming rigid plasticity, the continuum body consists of the elastic deformation zone and the plastic deformation zone to form a hybrid finite element formulation. Then, the plastic deformation behavior is investigated under various loading conditions with an assumption of the J2 deformation theory. The plastic deformation localization turns out to be strongly dependent on the description of back stress evolution and its associated hardening parameters. The analysis for the shear deformation with fixed boundaries is carried out to examine the deformation localization behavior and the evolution of state variables.

Exposure to hazardous volatile pollutants back diffusing from automobile exhaust systems.

PubMed

Rahman, Md Mahmudur; Kim, Ki-Hyun

2012-11-30

As back diffusion gases from automobiles are significant sources of in-vehicular pollution, we investigated eight automobiles, five for back diffusion (driving) measurements and three for reference conditions (non-driving). To characterize the back diffusion emission conditions, seven volatile organic compounds (VOC) and four carbonyl compounds (CCs) were measured along with dilution-to-threshold (D/T) ratio. The data obtained from back diffusion measurements were examined after having been divided into three subcategories: (i) driving and non-driving, (ii) with and without automobile upgrading (sealing the inner line), and (iii) differences in CO emission levels. Among the VOCs, the concentrations of toluene (T) was found to be the highest (range: 13.6-155 ppb), while benzene (0.19-1.47 ppb) was hardly distinguishable from its ambient levels. Other VOCs (xylene, trimethylbenzene, and styrene) were generally below <1 ppb. Unlike VOCs, the concentrations (ppb) of CCs were seen at fairly enhanced levels: 30.1-95 (formaldehyde), 34.6-87.2 (acetaldehyde), 4.56-34.7 (propionaldehyde), and 3.45-68.8 (butyraldehyde). The results of our study suggest that the back diffusion phenomenon, if occurring, can deteriorate in-vehicle air, especially with the most imminent health hazards from a compound such as formaldehyde in view of its exceedance pattern over common guidelines. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Intervertebral Disc Cells Produce Interleukins Found in Patients with Back Pain.

PubMed

Zhang, Yejia; Chee, Ana; Shi, Peng; Adams, Sherrill L; Markova, Dessislava Z; Anderson, David Greg; Smith, Harvey E; Deng, Youping; Plastaras, Christopher T; An, Howard S

2016-06-01

To examine the link between cytokines in intervertebral disc (IVD) tissues and axial back pain. In vitro study with human IVD cells cultured from cadaveric donors and annulus fibrosus (AF) tissues from patients. Cultured nucleus pulposus (NP) and AF cells were stimulated with interleukin (IL)-1β. IL-8 and IL-7 gene expression was analyzed using real-time polymerase chain reaction. IL-8 protein was quantified by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. After IL-1β stimulation, IL-8 gene expression increased 26,541 fold in NP cells and 22,429 fold in AF cells, whereas protein released by the NP and AF cells increased 2,389- and 1,784-fold, respectively. IL-7 gene expression increased 3.3-fold in NP cells (P < 0.05).Cytokine profiles in AF tissues collected from patients undergoing surgery for back pain (painful group) or scoliosis (controls) were compared by cytokine array. IL-8 protein in the AF tissues from patients with back pain was 1.81-fold of that in controls. IL-7 and IL-10 in AF tissues from the painful group were 6.87 and 4.63 times greater than the corresponding values in controls, respectively (P < 0.05). Inflammatory mediators found in AF tissues from patients with discogenic back pain are likely produced by IVD cells and may play a key role in back pain.

Interexaminer reliability in physical examination of patients with low back pain.

PubMed

Strender, L E; Sjöblom, A; Sundell, K; Ludwig, R; Taube, A

1997-04-01

Seventy-one patients with low back pain were examined by two physiotherapists (50 patients) and two physicians (21 patients). The two physiotherapists had worked together for many years, but the two physicians had not. The interexaminer reliability of the clinical tests included in the physical examination was evaluated. To evaluate the interexaminer reliability of clinical tests used in the physical examination of patients with low back pain under ideal circumstances, which was the case for the physiotherapists. Numerous clinical tests are used in the evaluation of patients with low back pain. To reach the correct diagnosis, only tests with an acceptable validity and reliability should be used. Previous studies have mainly shown low reliability. It is important that clinical tests not be rejected because of low reliability caused by differences between examiners in performance of the examination and in their definition of normal results. Two examiners, either two physiotherapists or two physicians, independently examined patients with low back pain. In approximately half of the clinical tests studied, an acceptable reliability was demonstrated. On the basis of the physiotherapists series, the reliability was acceptable for a number of clinical tests that are used in the evaluation of patients with low back pain. The results suggest that clinical tests should be standardized to a much higher degree than they are today.

Estimation of low back moments from video analysis: a validation study.

PubMed

Coenen, Pieter; Kingma, Idsart; Boot, Cécile R L; Faber, Gert S; Xu, Xu; Bongers, Paulien M; van Dieën, Jaap H

2011-09-02

This study aimed to develop, compare and validate two versions of a video analysis method for assessment of low back moments during occupational lifting tasks since for epidemiological studies and ergonomic practice relatively cheap and easily applicable methods to assess low back loads are needed. Ten healthy subjects participated in a protocol comprising 12 lifting conditions. Low back moments were assessed using two variants of a video analysis method and a lab-based reference method. Repeated measures ANOVAs showed no overall differences in peak moments between the two versions of the video analysis method and the reference method. However, two conditions showed a minor overestimation of one of the video analysis method moments. Standard deviations were considerable suggesting that errors in the video analysis were random. Furthermore, there was a small underestimation of dynamic components and overestimation of the static components of the moments. Intraclass correlations coefficients for peak moments showed high correspondence (>0.85) of the video analyses with the reference method. It is concluded that, when a sufficient number of measurements can be taken, the video analysis method for assessment of low back loads during lifting tasks provides valid estimates of low back moments in ergonomic practice and epidemiological studies for lifts up to a moderate level of asymmetry. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Back and neck pain prevalence and their association with physical inactivity domains in adolescents.

PubMed

Scarabottolo, Catarina Covolo; Pinto, R Z; Oliveira, C B; Zanuto, E F; Cardoso, J R; Christofaro, D G D

2017-09-01

Back pain affects people of all ages. This may be associated with physical inactivity, and in the case of physical activity in different domains, the relationship with back pain is not clear in the literature. The aim of this study was to estimate the prevalence of low back and neck pain and investigate their association in different domains of physical inactivity. 1011 randomly selected students participated in this study. Neck and back pain were assessed using the Nordic questionnaire, whereas the Baecke Physical Activity questionnaire was used to measure physical activity domains. Separate Binary Logistic Regression models were performed to investigate the association of physical activity domains with neck or back pain. 17.4% of the students reported cervical pain, while 18.0% reported low back pain. Older adolescents had a higher prevalence of cervical pain (24.4%) than younger adolescents (11.9%) (p value <0.001), as well as lumbar pain, being 25.1% in older adolescents and 12.4% in younger (p value <0.001). Adolescents physically inactive in the school environment were less likely to have pain in the cervical region [OR 0.67 (0.44-0.99)] or back pain [OR 0.60 (0.40-0.91)]. Being inactive in occupational activities was associated with cervical pain [OR 1.49 (1.06-2.10)]. Being inactive in the sports environment presented a marginal relationship with pain in the cervical region [OR 1.41 (0.99-2.02)]. The prevalence of neck and low back pain was higher in older adolescents and physical inactivity in the sporting context and occupational activities could be a risk factor to increase the chances of back pain.