Dots-on-Plots: A Web Application to Analyze Stress-Strain Curves From Tensile Tests of Soft Tissue.

The calculation of tensile mechanical properties from stress-strain curves is a fundamental step in characterizing material behavior, yet no standardized method exists to perform these calculations for soft tissue. To address this deficiency, we developed a free web application called Dots-on-Plots2 that fully automates the calculation of tensile mechanical properties from stress-strain curves. The analyzed mechanical properties include the strength, strain, and energy at four points of interest (transition, yield, ultimate, and rupture), and the linear modulus. Users of Dots-on-Plots can upload multiple files, view and download results, and adjust threshold settings. This study determined a threshold setting that minimized error when calculating the transition point, where the stress-strain curve "transitions" from a nonlinear "toe" region to a linear region. Using the optimal threshold (2% stress deviation from a linear region fit), Dots-on-Plots calculated the transition strains from twenty tensile experiments of human meniscus to be 0.049 ± 0.007, which nearly matched the known transition strain values of 0.050 ± 0.006 (determined using finite element parameter optimization). The sensitivity of the calculated transition strain to the shape of various stress-strain curves was analyzed using sets of model-generated synthetic data. This free web application offers a convenient and reliable tool to systematically enhance the speed, transparency, and consistency of mechanical analysis across biomedical research groups.

Tibial compression during sustained walking with body borne load.

This study determined if sustained walking with body borne load increases tibial compression, and whether increases in tibial compression are related to vertical GRFs. Thirteen participants had tibial compression and vertical GRF measures quantified while walking at 1.3 m/s for 60 min with body borne load. Each tibial compression (maximum and impulse) and GRF measure (peak, impulse, impact peak and loading rate) were submitted to a RM ANOVA to test the main effect and interaction between load (0, 15, and 30 kg) and time (minute 0, 30 and 60), and correlation analyses determined the relation between tibial compression and vertical GRF measures for each load and time. Each tibial compression and GRF measure increased with the addition of body borne load (all: p < 0.001). Time impacted impact peak (p = 0.034) and loading rate (p = 0.017), but no other GRF or tibial compression measure (p > 0.05). Although both tibial compression and vertical GRFs increased with load, vertical GRF measures exhibited negligible to weak (r: -0.37 to 0.35), and weak to moderate (r: -0.62 to 0.59) relation with maximum and impulse of tibial compression with each body borne load. At each time point, GRF measures exhibited negligible to weak (r: -0.39 to 0.27), and weak to moderate (r: -0.53 to 0.65) relation with maximum and impulse of tibial compression, respectively. Walking with body borne load increased tibial compression, and may place compressive forces on the tibia that lead to stress fracture. But, increases in tibial compression may not stem from concurrent increases in vertical GRFs.

Use of Peer Comparison, Provider Education, and Electronic Medical Record Triggers to Increase Influenza Vaccination Rates in Hospitalized Children.

BACKGROUND: The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends annual influenza vaccination for all children 6 months and older, yet only 59% of children nationally received the vaccine during the 2014-2016 influenza seasons. Of these, only 4% received the vaccine in a hospital setting. The goal of this quality improvement (QI) initiative was to increase influenza vaccination status at discharge at least twofold in children admitted to our hospital during the 2017-2018 influenza season compared with the 2016-2017 season. METHODS: The QI initiative was conducted in the inpatient units at a tertiary care children's hospital. Interventions included electronic medical record triggers, provider education, and peer comparison. The primary outcome measure was the percentage of children discharged from the hospital with at least 1 dose of the influenza vaccine received either at the hospital or before admission. Queries about the influenza vaccination status of children were used as a process measure. Length of stay was used as a balancing measure. RESULTS: The percentage of hospitalized children discharged with at least 1 dose of the vaccine increased 4.7-fold during the QI initiative (46%) compared with baseline (10%). There was a fourfold increase in parental query about the influenza vaccination status of their children (68%) during the QI initiative compared with the baseline period (16%). No significant difference occurred in the median length of stay among patients admitted during the QI initiative versus the baseline period. CONCLUSIONS: We increased influenza vaccination status among children admitted to our hospital using electronic medical record triggers, provider education, and peer comparison.

Instrutores do método pilates: prevalência de dor musculoesquelética com fatores ocupacionais associados e comparação da qualidade de vida com os dados normativos brasileiros / Pilates instructors: prevalence of musculoskeletal pain, associated occupational factors and comparison of quality of life relative to Brazilian reference values

Introdução: A dor tem sido apontada como um problema de saúde pública, podendo gerar impacto negativo na qualidade de vida. Objetivo: Avaliar a prevalência de dor musculoesquelética e os fatores ocupacionais associados em instrutores do método pilates e comparar a qualidade de vida desses profissionais com os dados normativos brasileiros. Método: Cento e sessenta e seis instrutores de pilates do Rio Grande do Sul (amostra consecutiva), graduados em Educação Física ou Fisioterapia, foram avaliados com o 36-Item Short-Form Health Survey e o Questionário de Hábitos Relacionados ao Trabalho. Realizaram-se razões de prevalência (Regressão de Poisson) e teste t simples. Resultados: Sessenta e dois e 63,3% dos instrutores referiram dor cervical e lombar, respectivamente. Aqueles que se sentiam sempre estressados quanto à pressão psicológica apresentaram maior prevalência de dor cervical (19%) e lombar(16%). Instrutores que sempre se sentiam estressados quanto às tomadas de decisão apresentaram 25% maior prevalência de dor cervical. Os que não praticam exercícios físicos possuem maior prevalência de dor cervical (15%) e lombar (13%). Aqueles que referiram sempre realizar esforço físico, trabalhar em pé e sempre utilizar o computador apresentaram 26, 17 e 24% maior prevalência de dor lombar, respectivamente. Houve diferença significativa em sete domínios da qualidade de vida em comparação com a população brasileira. Conclusão: A pressão psicológica e o sedentarismo estiveram associados às dores cervical e lombar. O esforço físico, o trabalho em pé e o uso do computador associaram-se com a dor lombar, e o estresse ocupacional, com a dor cervical. Os instrutores apresentaram menores escores de qualidade de vida em sete domínios, exceto na capacidade funcional

Background: Pain is a public health problem with negative impact on quality of life. Objective: To analyze the prevalence of musculoskeletal pain and associated occupational factors among Pilates instructors, and to compare their quality of life relative to Brazilian reference values. Method: A total of 166 Pilates instructors from Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil (consecutive sampling) with degrees in physical education or physical therapy responded the 36-Item Short-Form Health Survey and Work-related Habits Questionnaire. Statistical analysis included calculation of prevalence ratios (Poisson regression) and the simple t-test. Results: About 62% and 63.3% of the participants reported neck and low back pain, respectively. The prevalence of neck (19%) and low back (16%) pain was higher among the participants who reported to feel always stressed regarding psychological pressure. The prevalence of neck pain was 25% higher among the participants who reported to feel always stressed regarding decision making. The prevalence of neck (15%) and low back (13%) pain was higher among the participants who reported not to perform physical activity. The prevalence of low back pain was 26%, 17% and 24% higher among the participants who reported to always perform physical effort, work standing and use computers, respectively. The scores on seven quality of life domains differed significantly between Pilates instructors and the national average. Conclusion: Psychological pressure and sedentary lifestyle were associated with neck and low back pain. Physical effort, work standing and computer use were associated with low back pain, and occupational stress with neck pain. Pilates instructors scored lower on seven quality of life domains, the exception being physical functioning

Antimicrobial Stewardship in Neonates: Challenges and Opportunities.

Neonatal infections result in significant morbidity and mortality. Antibiotics are vital for the treatment of infections but disrupt the neonatal microbiome, put the infant at risk for an adverse drug reaction, and may lead to the development of antibiotic resistance. Immediately after birth, clinicians must determine which infants require empiric antibiotics. Online risk stratification tools may provide a superior approach to decision trees. In infants who require empiric therapy for early-onset sepsis, ampicillin and an aminoglycoside with dosing based on recent pharmacokinetic studies represents the most appropriate first-line agents; third-generation cephalosporins should be reserved for patients with a high likelihood of Gram-negative meningitis. An antistaphylococcal penicillin and gentamicin should be utilized for suspected late-onset sepsis. Vancomycin and other broad-spectrum agents are reserved for patients with a history of resistant organisms. Antibiotic duration should be guided by understanding the clinical indications and obtaining the necessary cultures appropriately (i.e., adequate volume blood cultures). In the absence of a positive culture, antibiotic duration should often be limited. Individual institutions should leverage a multidisciplinary, interprofessional team to identify opportunities for antimicrobial stewardship. A collaborative, transparent system is required to change unit culture and generate a sustained impact on antibiotic utilization with optimal patient outcomes.

Pilates instructors: prevalence of musculoskeletal pain, associated occupational factors and comparison of quality of life relative to Brazilian reference values.

BACKGROUND: Pain is a public health problem with negative impact on quality of life. OBJECTIVE: To analyze the prevalence of musculoskeletal pain and associated occupational factors among Pilates instructors, and to compare their quality of life relative to Brazilian reference values. METHOD: A total of 166 Pilates instructors from Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil (consecutive sampling) with degrees in physical education or physical therapy responded the 36-Item Short-Form Health Survey and Work-related Habits Questionnaire. Statistical analysis included calculation of prevalence ratios (Poisson regression) and the simple t-test. RESULTS: About 62% and 63.3% of the participants reported neck and low back pain, respectively. The prevalence of neck (19%) and low back (16%) pain was higher among the participants who reported to feel always stressed regarding psychological pressure. The prevalence of neck pain was 25% higher among the participants who reported to feel always stressed regarding decision making. The prevalence of neck (15%) and low back (13%) pain was higher among the participants who reported not to perform physical activity. The prevalence of low back pain was 26%, 17% and 24% higher among the participants who reported to always perform physical effort, work standing and use computers, respectively. The scores on seven quality of life domains differed significantly between Pilates instructors and the national average. CONCLUSION: Psychological pressure and sedentary lifestyle were associated with neck and low back pain. Physical effort, work standing and computer use were associated with low back pain, and occupational stress with neck pain. Pilates instructors scored lower on seven quality of life domains, the exception being physical functioning.

INTRODUÇÃO: A dor tem sido apontada como um problema de saúde pública, podendo gerar impacto negativo na qualidade de vida. OBJETIVO: Avaliar a prevalência de dor musculoesquelética e os fatores ocupacionais associados em instrutores do método pilates e comparar a qualidade de vida desses profissionais com os dados normativos brasileiros. MÉTODO: Cento e sessenta e seis instrutores de pilates do Rio Grande do Sul (amostra consecutiva), graduados em Educação Física ou Fisioterapia, foram avaliados com o 36-Item Short-Form Health Survey e o Questionário de Hábitos Relacionados ao Trabalho. Realizaram-se razões de prevalência (Regressão de Poisson) e teste t simples. RESULTADOS: Sessenta e dois e 63,3% dos instrutores referiram dor cervical e lombar, respectivamente. Aqueles que se sentiam sempre estressados quanto à pressão psicológica apresentaram maior prevalência de dor cervical (19%) e lombar(16%). Instrutores que sempre se sentiam estressados quanto às tomadas de decisão apresentaram 25% maior prevalência de dor cervical. Os que não praticam exercícios físicos possuem maior prevalência de dor cervical (15%) e lombar (13%). Aqueles que referiram sempre realizar esforço físico, trabalhar em pé e sempre utilizar o computador apresentaram 26, 17 e 24% maior prevalência de dor lombar, respectivamente. Houve diferença significativa em sete domínios da qualidade de vida em comparação com a população brasileira. CONCLUSÃO: A pressão psicológica e o sedentarismo estiveram associados às dores cervical e lombar. O esforço físico, o trabalho em pé e o uso do computador associaram-se com a dor lombar, e o estresse ocupacional, com a dor cervical. Os instrutores apresentaram menores escores de qualidade de vida em sete domínios, exceto na capacidade funcional.

Successful Use of Temocillin as Salvage Therapy for Cervical Osteomyelitis Secondary to Multidrug-Resistant Burkholderia cepacia.

Infection with multidrug resistant Burkholderia cepacia presents a therapeutic challenge in patients with cystic fibrosis. In this study, we present a case of progressive cervical osteomyelitis secondary to B cepacia that failed surgical drainage and extended therapy with meropenem, piperacillin-tazobactam, doxycycline, and aminoglycosides. Temocillin (Negaban) was successfully used to clear the infection.

Vancomycin trough concentrations in overweight or obese pediatric patients.

STUDY OBJECTIVES: To compare vancomycin trough concentrations in overweight or obese pediatric patients to those with normal body habitus, after initial dosing based on total body weight (TBW). DESIGN: Retrospective observational case-control study. SETTING: Free-standing academic pediatric hospital. PATIENTS: Forty-two overweight or obese pediatric patients were matched to 84 children of normal body habitus (NBH). MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Empiric vancomycin dosing was based on TBW and guided by an age-stratified dosing algorithm previously developed at our center. Initial steady-state vancomycin trough concentrations were retrieved from the electronic medical record. Overweight and obese children had significantly higher initial vancomycin trough concentrations compared with children who had an NBH (median 14.4 µg/ml vs 10.5 µg/ml, p<0.001). Initial vancomycin trough concentrations above 20 µg/ml occurred more often in overweight and obese children (p=0.016). Our dosing algorithm suggested that initial vancomycin trough concentrations below 10 µg/ml occurred significantly more often in children with NBH (p<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Overweight and obese pediatric patients may have elevated initial vancomycin trough concentrations when empiric dosing is based on TBW. Special attention to therapeutic drug monitoring is warranted in all children.

Inter-hemispheric functional connectivity disruption in children with prenatal alcohol exposure.

BACKGROUND: MRI studies, including recent diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) studies, have shown corpus callosum abnormalities in children prenatally exposed to alcohol, especially in the posterior regions. These abnormalities appear across the range of fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD). Several studies have demonstrated cognitive correlates of callosal abnormalities in FASD including deficits in visual-motor skill, verbal learning, and executive functioning. The goal of this study was to determine whether inter-hemispheric structural connectivity abnormalities in FASD are associated with disrupted inter-hemispheric functional connectivity and disrupted cognition. METHODS: Twenty-one children with FASD and 23 matched controls underwent a 6-minute resting-state functional MRI scan as well as anatomical imaging and DTI. Using a semi-automated method, we parsed the corpus callosum and delineated 7 inter-hemispheric white matter tracts with DTI tractography. Cortical regions of interest (ROIs) at the distal ends of these tracts were identified. Right-left correlations in resting fMRI signal were computed for these sets of ROIs, and group comparisons were made. Correlations with facial dysmorphology, cognition, and DTI measures were computed. RESULTS: A significant group difference in inter-hemispheric functional connectivity was seen in a posterior set of ROIs, the para-central region. Children with FASD had functional connectivity that was 12% lower than in controls in this region. Subgroup analyses were not possible owing to small sample size, but the data suggest that there were effects across the FASD spectrum. No significant association with facial dysmorphology was found. Para-central functional connectivity was significantly correlated with DTI mean diffusivity, a measure of microstructural integrity, in posterior callosal tracts in controls but not in FASD. Significant correlations were seen between these structural and functional measures, and Wechsler perceptual reasoning ability. CONCLUSIONS: Inter-hemispheric functional connectivity disturbances were observed in children with FASD relative to controls. The disruption was measured in medial parietal regions (para-central) that are connected by posterior callosal fiber projections. We have previously shown microstructural abnormalities in these same posterior callosal regions, and the current study suggests a possible relationship between the two. These measures have clinical relevance as they are associated with cognitive functioning.

Microstructural corpus callosum anomalies in children with prenatal alcohol exposure: an extension of previous diffusion tensor imaging findings.

BACKGROUND: Several studies have now shown corpus callosum abnormalities using diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) in children with fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD) in comparison with nonexposed controls. The data suggest that posterior regions of the callosum may be disproportionately affected. The current study builds on previous efforts, including our own work, and moves beyond midline corpus callosum to probe major inter-hemispheric white matter pathways with an improved DTI tractographic method. This study also expands on our prior work by evaluating a larger sample and by incorporating children with a broader range of clinical effects including full-criteria fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS). METHODS: Participants included 33 children with FASD (8 FAS, 23 partial FAS, 2 static encephalopathy) and 19 nonexposed controls between the ages of 10 and 17 years. Participants underwent DTI scans and intelligence testing. Groups (FASD vs. controls) were compared on fractional anisotropy (FA) and mean diffusivity (MD) in 6 white matter tracts projected through the corpus callosum. Exploratory analyses were also conducted examining the relationships between DTI measures in the corpus callosum and measures of intellectual functioning and facial dysmorphology. RESULTS: In comparison with the control group, the FASD group had significantly lower FA in 3 posterior tracts of the corpus callosum: the posterior mid-body, the isthmus, and the splenium. A trend-level finding also suggested lower FA in the genu. Measures of white matter integrity and cognition were correlated and suggest some regional specificity, in that only posterior regions of the corpus callosum were associated with visual-perceptual skills. Correlations between measures of facial dysmorphology and posterior regions of the corpus callosum were nonsignificant. CONCLUSIONS: Consistent with previous DTI studies, these results suggest that microstructural posterior corpus callosum abnormalities are present in children with prenatal alcohol exposure and cognitive impairment. These abnormalities are clinically relevant because they are associated with cognitive deficits and appear to provide evidence of abnormalities associated with prenatal alcohol exposure independent of dysmorphic features. As such, they may yield important diagnostic and prognostic information not provided by the traditional facial characteristics.

Computerized surveillance for adverse drug events in a pediatric hospital.

There are limited data on adverse drug event rates in pediatrics. The authors describe the implementation and evaluation of an automated surveillance system modified to detect adverse drug events (ADEs) in pediatric patients. The authors constructed an automated surveillance system to screen admissions to a large pediatric hospital. Potential ADEs identified by the system were reviewed by medication safety pharmacists and a physician and scored for causality and severity. Over the 6 month study period, 6,889 study children were admitted to the hospital for a total of 40,250 patient-days. The ADE surveillance system generated 1226 alerts, which yielded 160 true ADEs. This represents a rate of 2.3 ADEs per 100 admissions or 4 per 1,000 patient-days. Medications most frequently implicated were diuretics, antibiotics, immunosuppressants, narcotics, and anticonvulsants. The composite positive predictive value of the ADE surveillance system was 13%. Automated surveillance can be an effective method for detecting ADEs in hospitalized children.

Diffusion tensor imaging in psychiatric disorders.

OBJECTIVES: Since the development of diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) nearly a decade ago, it has been extensively applied to a number of different psychiatric disorders. Its rapid assimilation into psychiatric research has stemmed from its unique property to measure the coherence and direction of neuronal fiber tracts. The goal of this article is to provide an overview of DTI and its application to psychiatric disorders. METHODS: We performed an extensive literature review of articles using DTI to study psychiatric disorders. To date, most DTI studies have been performed on individuals with schizophrenia. However, recent studies have emerged that evaluate white matter (WM) integrity in major depressive disorder, anxiety disorders, obsessive-compulsive disorder, attention deficit disorder, autism, and personality disorders. RESULTS: There is tremendous heterogeneity in the results of DTI studies of patients with psychiatric disorders. In schizophrenia, which currently has more than 50 studies using DTI, brain regions such as the cingulate bundle, corpus callosum, and regions within the frontal and temporal WM have a proportionally larger number of positive findings across the studies. Studies of other psychiatric disorders have findings that overlap with those seen in schizophrenia. CONCLUSIONS: There is converging evidence that a number of psychiatric disorders are associated with WM abnormalities. However, the considerable heterogeneity of results, both within and between existing studies, will require future work within and across psychiatric disorders to better delineate the neurobiological underpinnings of these white matter abnormalities.