The current research is a retrospective study that involves the description of a new trochleocapitellar index (TCI), on basis of anteroposterior (AP) radiographs of normal and fractured paediatric elbows. This index may be useful in assessing the alignment of the elbow with a supracondylar fracture.

Objective: To determine whether the consumption of tobacco used in Water-Pipe by drivers increases the risk of a motor vehicle collision as a consequence of hypoxia. Design: Analytical case–control study. Data sources: Seventy exclusive Water-Pipe smokers (Experimental Group - EG) - mean age ± SD: 29.47 ± 10.45 years; mean number of weekly WPS, (6.9 ± 3.7); mean duration of WPS (WPS) is (7.5 ± 2.1 years) - and thirty non-smoker (Control Group – CG; mean age ± SD: 36.33 ± 13.92 years) were recruited during 2011 from two Arab villages located in the Galilee, northern Israel. Methods: We performed a case–control study exclusively among Water-Pipe smokers with an appropriate non smokers control group. Demographic questionnaire, Pulse Oxymeter for blood oxygenation measure and a driver simulator for measuring various participants driving behaviors were utilized. Statistical analysis for analyzing the different variables, Pearson’s x ² analysis for the comparison of categorical variables, continuous variable is compared using Student’s t-test and for testing the correlation between the different variables and bivariate correlation analysis were applied. Results: In the (EG) following WPS, we observed increase in the pulse rate - from 80 to 95 (t = 11.84, p < 0.05) and decrease in saturation level from 97.9 to 97.32, the decrease is statistically significant (t = 3.01, p < 0.05) versus no change in (CG). An increased number of accidents among EG (OR is 1.333 with CI of 1.008–1.776), while in CG, an insignificantly decrease (t = 3.08, p < 0.05). In EG an increase in centerline crossings (OR is 1.306 with CI of 1.016–1.679), also the total time not being within the lane was increased and the estimated (OR: 1.329; CI: 1.025–1.722). WPS increases the number of accidents by 33% and Hypoxia can cause driving behavioral turbulences. Conclusion: The results show that WPS has a significant impact on driving behavior and on the risk of being involved in road accidents and causing driving to become riskier and less careful and stable. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first time such relationships have been tested. After WPS the total number of traffic accidents and driving violations increase. The results show a significant increase in the pulse rate immediately after WPS with a decrease in the saturation rate (the level of blood oxygenation); these changes continue half an hour after WPS.

Background/Objectives: Diabetic neuropathy (DN) is a prevalent complication of diabetes mellitus, affecting up to 50% of long-term patients and causing significant pain, reduced quality of life, and healthcare burden. Conventional treatments, including anticonvulsants, antidepressants, and opioids, offer limited efficacy and are associated with adverse effects. Emerging evidence suggests that cannabis, acting via the endocannabinoid system, may provide analgesic and neuroprotective benefits. This study evaluates the long-term effects of inhaled cannabis as adjunctive therapy for refractory painful DN. Inhaled cannabis exhibits rapid onset pharmacokinetics (within minutes, lasting 2–4 h) due to pulmonary absorption, targeting CB1 and CB2 receptors to modulate pain and inflammation. Methods: In this prospective, observational study, 52 patients with confirmed painful DN, unresponsive to at least three prior analgesics plus non-pharmacological interventions, were recruited from a single clinic. Following a 1-month washout, patients initiated inhaled medical-grade cannabis (20% THC, <1% CBD), titrated individually. Assessments occurred at baseline and annually for 5 years, including the Brief Pain Inventory (BPI) for pain severity and interference; the degree of pain relief; Leeds Assessment of Neuropathic Symptoms and Signs (LANSS) score; HbA1c; and medication usage. Statistical analyses used repeated-measures ANOVA, Kruskal–Wallis tests, Welch’s t-tests, and Pearson’s correlations via Analyze-it for Excel. Results: Of 52 patients (mean age 45.3 ± 17.8 years; 71.2% male; diabetes duration 23.3 ± 17.8 years), 50 completed follow-up visits. Significant reductions occurred in BPI pain severity (9.0 ± 0.8 to 2.0 ± 0.7, p < 0.001), interference (7.5 ± 1.7 to 2.2 ± 0.9, p < 0.001), LANSS score (19.4 ± 3.8 to 10.2 ± 6.4, p < 0.001), and HbA1c (9.77% ± 1.50 to 7.79% ± 1.51, p < 0.001). Analgesic use decreased markedly (e.g., morphine equivalents: 66.8 ± 49.2 mg to 4.5 ± 9.6 mg). Cannabis dose correlated positively with pain relief (r = 0.74, p < 0.001) and negatively with narcotic use (r = −0.43, p < 0.001) and pain interference (r = −0.43, p < 0.001). No serious adverse events were reported; mild side effects (e.g., dry mouth or euphoria) occurred in 15.4% of patients. Conclusions: Inhaled cannabis showed sustained pain relief, improved glycemic control, and opioid-sparing effects in refractory DN over 5 years, with a favorable safety profile. These findings are associative due to the observational design, and randomized controlled trials (RCTs) are needed to confirm efficacy and determine optimal usage, addressing limitations such as single-center bias and small sample size (n = 52). Future studies incorporating biomarker analysis (e.g., endocannabinoid levels) could elucidate mechanisms and enhance precision in cannabis therapy.

Chronic pain management increasingly seeks objective biomarkers to complement subjective assessments. Ultra-weak photon emission (UPE), measurable via gas discharge visualization (GDV), has been proposed as a potential biomarker for various health conditions. However, the specificity of UPE measurements for pain versus comorbid conditions remains unexplored. This prospective cohort study followed 200 adults with electrodiagnostically confirmed neuropathic pain receiving cannabis therapy for 48 months. Assessments included the Numerical Rating Scale (NRS) for pain, Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7) for anxiety, and Biowell UPE measurements. Cannabis therapy yielded 91.5% clinical response rate. However, UPE measurements showed striking differential validity: Biowell stress correlated strongly with GAD-7 (r = 0.579, p < 0.001) but negligibly with NRS (r = 0.093, p = 0.001), representing a 6.2-fold difference. Variance explained was 33.5% for anxiety versus 0.9% for pain. ROC analysis revealed good discrimination for clinical anxiety (AUC = 0.744) but poor discrimination for pain (AUC = 0.550). Mixed-effects modeling confirmed UPE stress predicted GAD-7 (b = 1.82, p < 0.001) but not NRS (b = −0.03, p = 0.84). These findings demonstrate that Biowell UPE measurements specifically capture psychological stress rather than nociceptive processes, with important implications for biomarker development in pain medicine. This study emphasizes the critical importance of validating proposed biomarkers against multiple related outcomes to establish specificity and appropriate clinical applications.

Background/Objectives: Reverse total shoulder arthroplasty (RTSA) is increasingly common, but large-scale studies on age-related differences in outcomes are limited. This study aims to evaluate epidemiological trends, clinical indications, and postoperative outcomes in patients under 65 undergoing RTSA. Methods: We analyzed data from the Nationwide Inpatient Sample (NIS) from 2016–2021, including 48,460 patients aged 35–64 undergoing shoulder arthroplasty. Patients were stratified into three age groups: 35–45, 46–55, and 56–65 years. We assessed trends, clinical indications, comorbidities, hospital stay metrics, and postoperative complications using chi-square tests, ANOVA, and multivariate logistic regression. Results: Procedure volumes increased from 2016 to 2019, peaking at 2007 cases, but declined in 2020 and 2021 (924 cases). The 56–65 age group consistently comprised the majority of procedures (81.7% in 2016 to 88.3% in 2021). Comorbidities like type 2 diabetes (5.9% to 22.8%), hypertension (27.9% to 55.3%), and dyslipidemia (10.3% to 40.5%) increased with age (p < 0.001). Rotator cuff tears were more prevalent in older patients (25% to 48.5%, p < 0.001), while instability was higher in the youngest group (8.8%, p < 0.001). Osteoarthritis was the most common indication, increasing with age (56.6% to 62.5%, p < 0.001). Cardiac complications increased with age (2.2% to 5.1%, p = 0.04). Female gender (OR = 1.548, p < 0.001), private insurance (OR = 1.570, p < 0.001), and small hospital size were associated with higher odds of cardiac complications. Native American race showed lower odds (OR = 0.308, p = 0.009) compared to White patients. Conclusions: Significant age-related differences exist in comorbidities, clinical indications, and postoperative complications following RTSA. Older patients had higher rates of comorbidities and cardiac complications, while younger patients presented with instability. These findings highlight the importance of age-specific perioperative management to optimize outcomes.

Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) ruptures are prevalent knee injuries, with approximately 200,000 ruptures annually, and treatment costs exceed USD two billion in the United States alone. Typically, the initial detection of ACL tears and anterior tibial laxity (ATL) involves manual assessments like the Lachman test, which examines anterior knee laxity. Partial ACL tears can go unnoticed if they minimally affect knee laxity; however, they will progress to a complete ACL tear requiring surgical treatment. In this study, a computational finite element model (FEM) of the knee joint was generated to investigate the effect of partial ACL tears under the Lachman test (GNRB^® testing system) boundary conditions. The ACL was modeled as a hyperelastic composite structure with a refined representation of collagen bundles. Five different tear types (I–V), classified by location and size, were modeled to predict the relationship between tear size, location, and anterior tibial translation (ATT). The results demonstrated different levels of ATT that could not be manually detected. Type I tears demonstrated an almost linear increase in ATT, with the growth in tear size ranging from 3.7 mm to 4.2 mm, from 25% to 85%, respectively. Type II partial tears showed a less linear incline in ATT (3.85, 4.1, and 4.75 mm for 25%, 55%, and 85% partial tears, respectively). Types III, IV, and V maintained a nonlinear trend, with ATTs of 3.85 mm, 4.2 mm, and 4.95 mm for Type III, 3.85 mm, 4.25 mm, and 5.1 mm for Type IV, and 3.6 mm, 4.25 mm, and 5.3 mm for Type V, for 25%, 55%, and 85% partial tears, respectively. Therefore, for small tears (25%), knee stability was most affected when the tears were located around the center of the ligament. For moderate tears (55%), the effect on knee stability was the greatest for tears at the proximal half of the ACL. However, severe tears (85%) demonstrated considerable growth in knee instability from the distal to the proximal ends of the tissue, with a substantial increase in knee instability around the insertion sites. The proposed model can enhance the characterization of partial ACL tears, leading to more accurate preliminary diagnoses. It can aid in developing new techniques for repairing partially torn ACLs, potentially preventing more severe injuries.