The Relationship Between Obesity and Lateral Condyle Fracture Healing: A Pilot Study.

Objective: Childhood obesity is a growing public health concern in the United States. Obesity has been shown to lead to increased complications with regards to orthopaedic injuries, such as more severe fracture patterns, notably observed in injuries like lateral condyle fractures of the humerus. However, there is currently a gap in the literature regarding the relationship between obesity and the healing potential of these fractures.

Test-retest reliability and longitudinal validity of drop vertical jump biomechanics during rehabilitation after ACL reconstruction.

Hip and knee biomechanics measured during a drop vertical jump (DVJ) can be used to assess patients undergoing rehabilitation after anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction. To confidently interpret such data for use as outcome measures, additional information about reliability and validity is required. Therefore, the objective of this study was to estimate the test-retest reliability and longitudinal validity of selected lower limb biomechanics assessed during a DVJ in patients undergoing rehabilitation after ACL reconstruction.

Deep Learning-Based Abdominal Muscle Segmentation on CT Images of Surgical Patient Populations.

Computed tomography (CT) is commonly used for the characterization and tracking of abdominal muscle mass in surgical patients for both pre-surgical outcome predictions and post-surgical monitoring of response to therapy. In order to accurately track changes of abdominal muscle mass, radiologists must manually segment CT slices of patients, a time-consuming task with potential for variability. In this work, we combined a fully convolutional neural network (CNN) with high levels of preprocessing to improve segmentation quality.

Placenta Accreta Spectrum and Hysterectomy Prediction Using MRI Radiomic Features.

In women with placenta accreta spectrum (PAS), patient management may involve cesarean hysterectomy at delivery. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has been used for further evaluation of PAS and surgical planning. This work tackles two prediction problems: predicting presence of PAS and predicting hysterectomy using MR images of pregnant patients.

CascadeNet for hysterectomy prediction in pregnant women due to placenta accreta spectrum.

In severe cases, placenta accreta spectrum (PAS) requires emergency hysterectomy, endangering the life of both mother and fetus. Early prediction may reduce complications and aid in management decisions in these high-risk pregnancies. In this work, we developed a novel convolutional network architecture to combine MRI volumes, radiomic features, and custom feature maps to predict PAS severe enough to result in hysterectomy after fetal delivery in pregnant women.

Detecting Aggressive Papillary Thyroid Carcinoma Using Hyperspectral Imaging and Radiomic Features.

Hyperspectral imaging (HSI) and radiomics have the potential to improve the accuracy of tumor malignancy prediction and assessment. In this work, we extracted radiomic features of fresh surgical papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) specimen that were imaged with HSI. A total of 107 unique radiomic features were extracted.

Responders to Medial Opening Wedge High Tibial Osteotomy for Knee Osteoarthritis.

Objective: Medial opening wedge high tibial osteotomy (HTO) aims to improve symptoms for patients with knee osteoarthritis (OA) and varus alignment, yet the likelihood of achieving a minimum clinical threshold of response and the factors predictive of response are unclear. We evaluated the proportion of patients meeting responder criteria based on the Outcome Measures in Rheumatology-Osteoarthritis Research Society International consensus 2 years after medial opening wedge HTO and investigated predictors of response.

Methods: Patients in a prospective cohort with symptomatic knee OA and varus alignment completed the Knee Injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score questionnaire < 3 months before and 2 years after HTO.

Changes and Associations Between Gait Biomechanics and Knee Inflammation After Aspiration and Glucocorticoid Injection for Knee Osteoarthritis.

Objective: Although knee inflammation is thought to adversely affect joint function in patients with knee osteoarthritis (OA), the effects of reducing knee inflammation on gait biomechanics and strength are unknown. Our objectives were to compare ultrasound (US) measures of knee inflammation, gait biomechanics, knee extension and flexion strength, and pain before and after knee aspiration and glucocorticoid injection, and to explore associations among changes.

Methods: Forty-nine patients (69 knees) with symptomatic knee OA and synovitis were tested before and 3-4 weeks after US-guided knee aspiration and glucocorticoid injection.

Closed Reduction Percutaneous Intramedullary Fixation with Kirschner Wires in 4 Children with Displaced Fractures of the Distal Humerus.

BACKGROUND This study describes the use of closed reduction percutaneous intramedullary fixation with Kirschner wires in 4 children with displaced metaphyseal-diaphyseal junction (MDJ) fractures of the distal humerus. MATERIAL AND METHODS Between August 2016 and August 2019, 4 patients (3 boys and 1 girl), whose mean age was 4 years 5 months (range: 3 years 6 months to 5 years 4 months), with displaced MDJ fractures of the distal humerus were treated using closed reduction percutaneous intramedullary fixation with Kirschner wires. Three of the fractures were oblique and 1 was transverse.

Catching Fire: Are Operating Room Fires a Concern in Orthopedics?

Objective: Operating room (OR) fires are considered "never events," but approximately 650 events occur annually in the United States. Our aim was to detail fires occurring during orthopedic procedures via a questionnaire because of the limited information present on this topic.

Methods: A 25-question survey on witnessing surgical fires, hospital policies on surgical fires, and surgeons' perspective on OR fires was sent to 617 orthopedic surgeons in 18 institutions whose residency program is a member of the Collaborative Orthopaedic Educational Research Group.

The long-distance flight behavior of supports an agent-based model for wind-assisted dispersal in insects.

Despite the ecological importance of long-distance dispersal in insects, its mechanistic basis is poorly understood in genetic model species, in which advanced molecular tools are readily available. One critical question is how insects interact with the wind to detect attractive odor plumes and increase their travel distance as they disperse. To gain insight into dispersal, we conducted release-and-recapture experiments in the Mojave Desert using the fruit fly, We deployed chemically baited traps in a 1 km radius ring around the release site, equipped with cameras that captured the arrival times of flies as they landed.

(-)-Epigallocatechin Gallate Stability in Ready-To-Drink (RTD) Green Tea Infusions in TiO and Oleic-Acid-Modified TiO Polylactic Acid Film Packaging Stored under Fluorescent Light during Refrigerated Storage at 4 °C.

The light-protective effectiveness of titanium dioxide polylactic acid (TiO PLA) nanocomposite films (T-PLA) and oleic-acid-modified (OA_TiOPLA) nanocomposite films was investigated in ready-to-drink (RTD) green tea infusions in oxygen-impermeable glass packaging. The stability of (-)-epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) was evaluated in RTD green tea infusions in glass packaging covered with PLA (polylactic acid), T-PLA and OT-PLA under fluorescent light during 20 days of storage at 4 °C. Levels of EGCG and color change of RTD green tea infusions were determined.

High tibial osteotomy to neutral alignment improves medial knee articular cartilage composition.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to: (1) test the hypothesis that HTO improves articular cartilage composition in the medial compartment without adversely affecting the lateral compartment and patella, and; (2) explore associations between knee alignment and cartilage composition after surgery.

Methods: 3T MRI and standing radiographs were obtained from 34 patients before and 1-year after HTO. Articular cartilage was segmented from T2 maps.

Total knee replacement after high tibial osteotomy: time-to-event analysis and predictors.

Background: An important aim of high tibial osteotomy (HTO) is to prevent or delay the need for total knee replacement (TKR). We sought to estimate the frequency and timing of conversion from HTO to TKR and the factors associated with it.

Methods: We prospectively evaluated patients with osteoarthritis (OA) of the knee who underwent medial opening wedge HTO from 2002 to 2014 and analyzed the cumulative incidence of TKR in July 2019.

Knee-specific gait biomechanics are reliable when collected in multiple laboratories by independent raters.

Multi-centre gait biomechanics studies provide the opportunity to increase sample size and the confidence in results, yet differences between centres may introduce additional error. While previous investigations have compared gait biomechanics from different laboratories assessed by different raters, estimates of relative reliability, measurement error, and thresholds for real change are still unknown. These metrics are imperative to interpret multi-centre study results.

Associations Between Cadence and Knee Loading in Patients With Knee Osteoarthritis.

Objective: To test the hypothesis that higher walking cadence is associated with lower knee loading, while controlling for walking speed, in patients with medial compartment tibiofemoral osteoarthritis (OA).

Methods: A total of 691 patients underwent quantitative gait analysis, including 3-dimensional knee moments and temporospatial parameters. Using multivariate linear regression, we tested the association of walking cadence with the knee adduction moment angular impulse (a surrogate measure of medial knee compartment load throughout the stance), while controlling for walking speed.

Reliability and validity of knee angles and moments in patients with osteoarthritis using a treadmill-based gait analysis system.

Background: Although commonly used to study knee osteoarthritis (OA), relatively little is known about the reliability and validity of three-dimensional (3D) gait biomechanics derived from treadmill-based systems.

Research Question: Using a treadmill-based gait analysis system, our objectives were to: 1) estimate the test-retest reliability of frontal and sagittal plane knee angles and moments in knee OA patients; 2) examine concurrent validity by estimating the associations between treadmill-based and overground (gold standard) measures; and 3) examine known-groups validity by comparing measures between knee OA patients and matched healthy controls.

Methods: 34 patients and 16 controls completed 3D gait analyses using treadmill-based and overground systems.

Strong independent associations between gait biomechanics and pain in patients with knee osteoarthritis.

We investigated the simple and multivariate associations between knee pain and gait biomechanics. 279 patients with medial knee osteoarthritis (OA) and discordant changes in pain between limbs after walking completed bilateral three-dimensional gait analysis. For each limb, patients rated their pain before and after a 6-min walk and the change in pain was recorded as an increase (≥1 points) or not (≤0 points).

Degenerative Meniscal Tears and High Tibial Osteotomy: Do Current Treatment Algorithms Need to Be Realigned?

Degenerative medial meniscal tears (DMMTs) are a common feature of early knee osteoarthritis (OA). Varus alignment is a strong risk factor for medial compartment knee OA and its progression. We propose that high tibial osteotomy (HTO) should be considered much earlier in the treatment algorithm for patients presenting with recurring medial knee pain, varus alignment, and DMMT, absent of radiographic OA.

Sun Navigation Requires Compass Neurons in Drosophila.

Despite their small brains, insects can navigate over long distances by orienting using visual landmarks [1], skylight polarization [2-9], and sun position [3, 4, 6, 10]. Although Drosophila are not generally renowned for their navigational abilities, mark-and-recapture experiments in Death Valley revealed that they can fly nearly 15 km in a single evening [11]. To accomplish such feats on available energy reserves [12], flies would have to maintain relatively straight headings, relying on celestial cues [13].

Association Between Knee Load and Pain: Within-Patient, Between-Knees, Case-Control Study in Patients With Knee Osteoarthritis.

Objective: The association between knee loading and pain in patients with knee osteoarthritis is reported to be low and of questionable importance, but may be confounded by several factors that differ between patients. We aimed to elucidate the association between dynamic knee load and pain by minimizing confounding using a study design that was within the same patient, with knees discordant for pain.

Methods: A total of 265 patients with knees discordant for pain (530 knees) rated the pain in each knee before and after walking for 6 minutes, and then underwent 3-dimensional gait analysis.

A pilot hole does not reduce the strains or risk of fracture to the lateral cortex during and following a medial opening wedge high tibial osteotomy in cadaveric specimens.

Aim: It has been suggested that the use of a pilot-hole may reduce the risk of fracture to the lateral cortex. Therefore the purpose of this study was to determine the effect of a pilot hole on the strains and occurrence of fractures at the lateral cortex during the opening of a high tibial osteotomy (HTO) and post-surgery loading.

Materials And Methods: A total of 14 cadaveric tibias were randomized to either a pilot hole (n = 7) or a no-hole (n = 7) condition.

Changes in biomechanical risk factors for knee osteoarthritis and their association with 5-year clinically important improvement after limb realignment surgery.

Objective: To evaluate 5-year outcomes after lower limb realignment and test the hypothesis that surgery-induced changes in selected biomechanical risk factors for medial knee osteoarthritis (OA) are associated with clinically important improvements.

Design: We prospectively evaluated patient-reported outcomes, full-limb standing radiographs and gait biomechanics before, 6 months (surgery-induced change) and 5 years after medial opening wedge high tibial osteotomy (HTO) in 170 patients (46.4 ± 8.

Whole-body vibration of mice induces progressive degeneration of intervertebral discs associated with increased expression of Il-1β and multiple matrix degrading enzymes.

Objective: Whole-body vibration (WBV) is a popular fitness trend based on claims of increased muscle mass, weight loss and reduced joint pain. Following its original implementation as a treatment to increase bone mass in patients with osteoporosis, WBV has been incorporated into clinical practice for musculoskeletal disorders, including back pain. However, our recent studies revealed damaging effects of WBV on joint health in a murine model.

Medial opening wedge high tibial osteotomy alters knee moments in multiple planes during walking and stair ascent.

Medial opening wedge high tibial osteotomy is a surgical procedure intended to redistribute loads on the knee in patients with medial compartment knee osteoarthritis (OA). The surgery may affect moments in multiple planes during ambulation, with potential beneficial or detrimental effects on joint loads. The objective of this study was to investigate three-dimensional external knee moments before and after medial opening wedge high tibial osteotomy during level walking and during stair ascent.