Functional calibration procedure for 3D knee joint angle description using inertial sensors.

Measurement of three-dimensional (3D) knee joint angle outside a laboratory is of benefit in clinical examination and therapeutic treatment comparison. Although several motion capture devices exist, there is a need for an ambulatory system that could be used in routine practice. Up-to-date, inertial measurement units (IMUs) have proven to be suitable for unconstrained measurement of knee joint differential orientation.

3D-patient-specific geometry of the muscles involved in knee motion from selected MRI images.

Patient-specific muscle geometry is not only an interesting clinical tool to evaluate different pathologies and treatments, but also provides an essential input data to more realistic musculoskeletal models. The protocol set up in our study provided the 3D-patient-specific geometry of the 13 main muscles involved in the knee joint motion from a few selected magnetic resonance images (MRIs). The contours of the muscles were identified on five to seven MRI axial slices.

3D reconstruction of the spine from biplanar X-rays using parametric models based on transversal and longitudinal inferences.

Reconstruction methods from biplanar X-rays provide 3D analysis of spinal deformities for patients in standing position with a low radiation dose. However, such methods require an important reconstruction time and there is a clinical need for fast and accurate techniques. This study proposes and evaluates a novel reconstruction method of the spine from biplanar X-rays.

Surface reconstruction from planar x-ray images using moving least squares.

Planar radiographs still are the gold standard for the measurement of the skeletal weight-bearing shape and posture. In this paper, we propose to use an as-rigid-as-possible deformation approach based on moving least squares to obtain 3D personalized bone models from planar x-ray images. Our prototype implementation is capable of performing interactive rate shape editing.

Effect of mode of delivery on the incidence of urinary incontinence in primiparous women.

Objective: To estimate the effect of mode of delivery on the incidence of urinary incontinence in primiparous women.

Methods: A population-based survey was mailed to all Oregon women who delivered a liveborn neonate in a 1-year period. Data were collected on urinary incontinence, childbirth experience, and other risk factors for incontinence at 3-6 months postpartum.

Validation of a tool to measure and promote clinical teamwork.

Objective: Human factors and teamwork are major contributors to sentinel events. A major limitation to improving human factors and teamwork is the paucity of objective validated measurement tools. Our goal was to develop a brief tool that could be used to objectively evaluate teamwork in the field during short clinical team simulations and in everyday clinical care.

Assessment of lumbosacral kyphosis in spondylolisthesis: a computer-assisted reliability study of six measurement techniques.

Although recognized as an important aspect in the management of spondylolisthesis, there is no consensus on the most reliable and optimal measure of lumbosacral kyphosis (LSK). Using a custom computer software, four raters evaluated 60 standing lateral radiographs of the lumbosacral spine during two sessions at a 1-week interval. The sample size consisted of 20 normal, 20 low and 20 high grade spondylolisthetic subjects.

Patients were more consistent in randomized trial at prioritizing childbirth preferences using graphic-numeric than verbal formats.

Objective: We developed an evidence-based decision aid to help women with a prior cesarean to prioritize their childbirth preferences related to a future birth. Because there was uncertainty about which scale format would assist the patients in being most consistent in prioritizing preferences in a multiattribute decision model, we compared a graphic-numeric scale with a text-anchored scale.

Study Design And Setting: Ninety-six postnatal women with a prior cesarean were randomized to use 1 of 2 preference scale formats in a computerized childbirth decision aid.

Does cesarean protect against fecal incontinence in primiparous women?

The objective of this study was to identify factors associated with new onset of postpartum fecal incontinence in primiparous women. A population-based study was conducted that surveyed all women delivering between 2002 and 2003 in Oregon. Factors associated with fecal incontinence were identified using logistic regression analysis.

Postural model of sagittal spino-pelvic alignment and its relevance for lumbosacral developmental spondylolisthesis.

Study Design: Comparative study of sagittal spino-pelvic alignment in children and adolescents with developmental lumbosacral spondylolisthesis compared with asymptomatic subjects.

Objective: To develop a global postural model of sagittal spino-pelvic alignment.

Summary Of Background Data: The relationships between parameters of sagittal spino-pelvic alignment in developmental spondylolisthesis are still unclear.

Examining the value of electronic health records on labor and delivery.

Objective: The objective of the study was to evaluate the impact of an electronic health record (EHR) on documentation completeness and patient care in a labor and delivery unit.

Study Design: We conducted a pre- and postintervention study to compare documentation quality and workflow before and after EHR implementation. Documentation was compared using chi(2) and Fisher's exact tests.

The responsiveness of three-dimensional knee accelerations used as an estimation of knee instability and loading transmission during gait in osteoarthritis patient's follow-up.

Objective: Knee instability and joint loading transmission are two important biomechanical factors in subjects with knee osteoarthritis (OA). However, the relationship between these factors in a rehabilitation treatment remains unclear. The purpose of this study is to determine the responsiveness of a new three-dimensional (3D) acceleration method used as an estimation of knee instability and joint loading transmission during gait in OA subjects after a rehabilitation treatment.

Teamwork in obstetric critical care.

Whether seeing a patient in the ambulatory clinic environment, performing a delivery or managing a critically ill patient, obstetric care is a team activity. Failures in teamwork and communication are among the leading causes of adverse obstetric events, accounting for over 70% of sentinel events according to the Joint Commission. Effective, efficient and safe care requires good teamwork.

Parametric subject-specific model for in vivo 3D reconstruction using bi-planar X-rays: application to the upper femoral extremity.

Although feasibility of accurate 3D reconstruction of the proximal epiphysis of the femur from biplanar X-rays (frontal and lateral) has been assessed, in vivo application is limited due to bone superposition. The aim of this study was to propose a specific algorithm to get accurate and reproducible, low dose in vivo 3D reconstruction. To achieve this goal, a parametric subject-specific model was introduced as a priori knowledge.

A simple and rapid method for electromagnetic field distortion correction when using two Fastrak sensors for biomechanical studies.

The article presents a simple and rapid method for the correction of electromagnetic distortions when using electromagnetic Fastrak (Polhemus, USA) sensors. It is based on the minimization of objective functions composed of derivative polynomial functions, hence estimating the distortion of the electromagnetic field. The polynomial functions composing the objective function each contain 35 deformation coefficients.

New accelerometric method to discriminate between asymptomatic subjects and patients with medial knee osteoarthritis during 3-d gait.

This study presents a new method to estimate 3-D linear accelerations at tibial and femoral functional coordinate systems. The method combines the use of 3-D accelerometers, 3-D gyroscopes and reflective markers rigidly fixed on an exoskeleton and, a functional postural calibration method. Marker positions were tracked by a six-camera optoelectronic system (VICON 460, Oxford Metrics).

Test-retest reliability and minimal clinical change determination for 3-dimensional tibial and femoral accelerations during treadmill walking in knee osteoarthritis patients.

Objective: To determine the test-retest reliability and the minimal clinical change determination for accelerometric parameters, estimated by a new accelerometric-based method that estimates 3-dimensional (3D) linear accelerations of the tibia and femur during comfortable and fast walking speeds.

Design: Test-retest study.

Setting: Gait laboratory in a research center.

Automatic classification of asymptomatic and osteoarthritis knee gait patterns using kinematic data features and the nearest neighbor classifier.

The aim of this work is to develop an automatic computer method to distinguish between asymptomatic (AS) and osteoarthritis (OA) knee gait patterns using 3-D ground reaction force (GRF) measurements. GRF features are first extracted from the force vector variations as a function of time and then classified by the nearest neighbor rule. We investigated two different features: the coefficients of a polynomial expansion and the coefficients of a wavelet decomposition.

Bone enhancement in digital dual energy radiographs from normalization with a synthetic background image.

We have developed a method to enhance bone contrast in dual x-ray images. The method relies on the creation of a synthetic background image representing soft tissues and air in the image. The original image is normalized with this background image, thus enhancing bone contrast and eliminating soft tissues and air holes.

Evidence on the benefits and harms of screening and treating pregnant women who are asymptomatic for bacterial vaginosis: an update review for the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force.

Background: Bacterial vaginosis is the most common lower genital tract syndrome among women of reproductive age. There has been continued debate about the value of screening and treating asymptomatic pregnant women for bacterial vaginosis.

Purpose: To examine new evidence on the benefits and harms of screening and treating bacterial vaginosis in asymptomatic pregnant women.