Identifying Gut Microbiome Features that Predict Responsiveness Toward a Prebiotic Capable of Increasing Calcium Absorption: A Pilot Study.

Previously, we demonstrated that prebiotics may provide a complementary strategy for increasing calcium (Ca) absorption in adolescents which may improve long-term bone health. However, not all children responded to prebiotic intervention. We determine if certain baseline characteristics of gut microbiome composition predict prebiotic responsiveness.

Insights on Using Time-of-Flight Camera for Recovering Cardiac Pulse From Chest Motion in Depth Videos.

In this article, we introduce a novel use of depth camera to extract cardiac pulse signal from human chest area, in which the depth information is obtained from a near infrared sensor using time-of-flight technology. We successfully isolate weak chest motion due to heartbeat by processing a sequence of depth images without raising privacy concern. We discuss motion sensitivity in depth video with examples from actuator simulation and human chest motion.

Communications and High-Precision Positioning (CHP2): Hardware Architecture, Implementation, and Validation.

Spectral congestion and modern consumer applications motivate radio technologies that efficiently cooperate with nearby users and provide several services simultaneously. We designed and implemented a joint positioning-communications system that simultaneously enables network communications, timing synchronization, and localization to a variety of airborne and ground-based platforms. This Communications and High-Precision Positioning (CHP2) system simultaneously performs communications and precise ranging (<10 cm) with a narrow band waveform (10 MHz) at a carrier frequency of 915 MHz (US ISM) or 783 MHz (EU Licensed).

A new principle of pulse detection based on terahertz wave plethysmography.

This study presents findings in the terahertz (THz) frequency spectrum for non-contact cardiac sensing applications. Cardiac pulse information is simultaneously extracted using THz waves based on the established principles in electronics and optics. The first fundamental principle is micro-Doppler motion effect.

3D CNN to Estimate Reaction Time from Multi-Channel EEG.

The study of human reaction time (RT) is invaluable not only to understand the sensory-motor functions but also to translate brain signals into machine comprehensible commands that can facilitate augmentative and alternative communication using brain-computer interfaces (BCI). Recent developments in sensor technologies, hardware computational capabilities, and neural network models have significantly helped advance biomedical signal processing research. This study is an attempt to utilize state-of-the-art resources to explore the relationship between human behavioral responses during perceptual decision-making and corresponding brain signals in the form of electroencephalograms (EEG).

Child physical abuse and COVID-19: Trends from nine pediatric trauma centers.

Background: Economic, social, and psychologic stressors are associated with an increased risk for abusive injuries in children. Prolonged physical proximity between adults and children under conditions of severe external stress, such as witnessed during the COVID-19 pandemic with "shelter-in-place orders", may be associated with additional increased risk for child physical abuse. We hypothesized that child physical abuse rates and associated severity of injury would increase during the early months of the pandemic as compared to the prior benchmark period.

Analyzing the relationship between productivity and human communication in an organizational setting.

Though it is often taken as a truism that communication contributes to organizational productivity, there are surprisingly few empirical studies documenting a relationship between observable interaction and productivity. This is because comprehensive, direct observation of communication in organizational settings is notoriously difficult. In this paper, we report a method for extracting network and speech characteristics data from audio recordings of participants talking with each other in real time.

Motion-Tolerant Non-Contact Heart-Rate Measurements from Radar Sensor Fusion.

Microwave radar technology is very attractive for ubiquitous short-range health monitoring due to its non-contact, see-through, privacy-preserving and safe features compared to the competing remote technologies such as optics. The possibility of radar-based approaches for breathing and cardiac sensing was demonstrated a few decades ago. However, investigation regarding the robustness of radar-based vital-sign monitoring (VSM) is not available in the current radar literature.

Deep Neural Network for Visual Stimulus-Based Reaction Time Estimation Using the Periodogram of Single-Trial EEG.

Multiplexed deep neural networks (DNN) have engendered high-performance predictive models gaining popularity for decoding brain waves, extensively collected in the form of electroencephalogram (EEG) signals. In this paper, to the best of our knowledge, we introduce a first-ever DNN-based generalized approach to estimate reaction time (RT) using the periodogram representation of single-trial EEG in a visual stimulus-response experiment with 48 participants. We have designed a Fully Connected Neural Network (FCNN) and a Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) to predict and classify RTs for each trial.

A Generalized Model to Estimate Reaction Time Corresponding to Visual Stimulus Using Single-Trial EEG.

The estimation of the visual stimulus-based reaction time (RT) using subtle and complex information from the brain signals is still a challenge, as the behavioral response during perceptual decision making varies inordinately across trials. Several investigations have tried to formulate the estimation based on electroencephalogram (EEG) signals. However, these studies are subject-specific and limited to regression-based analysis.

Anticipating Postoperative Delirium During Burst Suppression Using Electroencephalography.

Objective: This study develops an electro-encephalography-based method for predicting postoperative delirium early during cardiac surgeries involving deep hypothermia circulatory arrest (DHCA), potentially providing an opportunity to intervene and minimize poor surgical outcome. DHCA is a surgical technique used during cardiac surgeries to facilitate repairs. Deep hypothermia is induced and supplemented by perfusion techniques to protect the brain during circulatory arrest, but concern for cerebral injury still remains.

Symptomatic catheter-associated thrombosis in pediatric trauma patients: Choose your access wisely.

Background: Traumatic injury and the presence of a central venous catheter are 2 of the strongest risk factors for venous thromboembolism in children. The purpose of this study was to determine the incidence of symptomatic, catheter-associated thrombosis in critically injured children. We hypothesized that femoral venous catheters are associated with a greater rate of thrombotic complications when compared with all other central venous access points.

Timing of tracheostomy placement among children with severe traumatic brain injury: A propensity-matched analysis.

Background: Early tracheostomy has been associated with shorter hospital stay and fewer complications in adult trauma patients. Guidelines for tracheostomy have not been established for children with severe traumatic brain injury (TBI). The purpose of this study was to (1) define nationwide trends in time to extubation and time to tracheostomy and (2) determine if early tracheostomy is associated with decreased length of stay and fewer complications in children with severe TBI.

Identifying Free-Living Physical Activities Using Lab-Based Models with Wearable Accelerometers.

The purpose of this study was to classify, and model various physical activities performed by a diverse group of participants in a supervised lab-based protocol and utilize the model to identify physical activity in a free-living setting. Wrist-worn accelerometer data were collected from ( N = 152 ) adult participants; age 18⁻64 years, and processed the data to identify and model unique physical activities performed by the participants in controlled settings. The Gaussian mixture model (GMM) and the hidden Markov model (HMM) algorithms were used to model the physical activities with time and frequency-based accelerometer features.

Pediatric trauma-associated acute respiratory distress syndrome: Incidence, risk factors, and outcomes.

Background/purpose: Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS) results in significant morbidity and mortality in pediatric trauma victims. The objective of this study was to determine risk factors and outcomes specifically related to pediatric trauma-associated ARDS (PT-ARDS).

Methods: A retrospective cohort (2007-2014) of children ≤18 years old from the American College of Surgeons National Trauma Data Bank (NTDB) was used to analyze incidence, risk factors, and outcomes related to PT-ARDS.

A Decentralized Receiver in Gaussian Interference.

Bounds are developed on the maximum communications rate between a transmitter and a fusion node aided by a cluster of distributed receivers with limited resources for cooperation, all in the presence of an additive Gaussian interferer. The receivers cannot communicate with one another and can only convey processed versions of their observations to the fusion center through a Local Array Network (LAN) with limited total throughput. The effectiveness of each bound's approach for mitigating a strong interferer is assessed over a wide range of channels.

The rate of PD catheter complication does not increase with simultaneous abdominal surgery.

Introduction: Children with kidney failure requiring PD catheter placement often require additional intraabdominal surgery. However, the risk of complication related to simultaneous abdominal surgery at time of catheter placement is unknown.

Methods: Patients (0-18years) who underwent PD catheter placement (2012-2015) in the NSQIP-P database were reviewed.

Association between pediatric blunt splenic injury volume and the splenectomy rate.

Background/purpose: While pediatric trauma centers are shown to have lower splenectomy rate as compared to adult trauma centers, it remains unknown whether other institutional factors such as case volumes would have an impact on the splenectomy rate in pediatric blunt splenic injury (BSI).

Methods: Pediatric patients who sustained BSI were identified from the National Trauma Data Bank 2007-2014. A hierarchical logistic regression model was built to evaluate differences in risk-adjusted splenectomy rate and in-hospital mortality in between trauma centers with different pediatric BSI case volumes.

Comparison of outcomes in severe pediatric trauma at adult trauma centers with different trauma case volumes.

Background: In addition to trauma center levels and types, trauma volume may be an important factor impacting outcomes in severe pediatric trauma.

Methods: All severely injured pediatric patients treated at adult trauma centers were identified from the National Trauma Data Bank. All qualifying centers were stratified into four groups based on the cumulative pediatric trauma case volumes with ISS >15: lowest (group 1), lower (group 2), higher (group 3), and highest (group 4) volume centers.

Trauma experts versus pediatric experts: comparison of outcomes in pediatric penetrating injuries.

Background: While pediatric trauma centers (PTCs) can uniquely care for pediatric patients, adult trauma centers (ATCs) may be more accessible. Evidence is scarce regarding outcomes of pediatric patients with penetrating trauma treated at PTCs versus ATCs.

Materials And Methods: We performed a retrospective study using the National Trauma Data Bank to identify pediatric patients aged ≤18 y with penetrating injuries from 2007 to 2012, treated at stand-alone PTCs or ATCs.

Operative outcomes of infantile hypertrophic pyloric stenosis in patients with congenital heart disease.

Purpose: This study aims to compare the outcomes of pyloromyotomy for infantile hypertrophic pyloric stenosis (IHPS) in children with and without congenital heart disease (CHD).

Methods: A retrospective, single pediatric center, case-control, matched cohort study was performed over 10years. A case of IHPS with CHD was paired with control patients of IHPS without CHD, matched by age and gender.

A gastrointestinal stromal tumor found in perforated Meckel's diverticulum.

Background: Meckel's diverticulum is the most common anomaly of the gastrointestinal tract. It is usually asymptomatic, but approximately 4 % present with complications such as bleeding, intestinal obstruction, and inflammation, while perforation is rare. Carcinoid or gastrointestinal stromal tumors are occasionally found in the resected specimens of Meckel's diverticulum, particularly in the context of perforation.

Should All Severely Injured Pediatric Patients be Treated at Pediatric Level I Trauma Centers? A National Trauma Data Bank Study.

The American College of Surgeons Committee on Trauma stratification system for trauma centers presumes that increasing levels of resources will improve patient outcomes. Although some supportive data exist in adult trauma, there is a paucity of evidence demonstrating improved survival in pediatric trauma when patients are treated primarily at Level I versus Level II pediatric trauma centers. We hypothesized that there is no difference in the mortality of comparably injured pediatric patients treated at these two types of facilities.

Infant head injury in falls and nonaccidental trauma: does injury pattern correlate with mechanism?

Objectives: Nonaccidental trauma (NAT) is most common and most lethal in infants. Falls are the most frequently given explanation for NAT, and head injuries can result from both mechanisms. We hypothesized that infant head injuries from NAT have a distinct injury profile compared to falls.