Terminal knee extension deficit and female sex predict poorer quadriceps strength following ACL reconstruction using all-soft tissue quadriceps tendon autografts.

Purpose: The all-soft tissue quadriceps tendon (QT) autograft is becoming increasingly popular for ACL reconstruction (ACLR); however, studies reporting strength recovery and early outcomes after QT autograft are limited with patient samples composed of predominantly males. The primary purpose was to characterize early, sex-specific recovery of strength, range of motion (ROM), and knee laxity in a large cohort of patients undergoing primary ACLR with standardized harvest technique of the all-soft tissue QT autograft. The secondary purpose was to examine the influence of demographic factors and clinical measures on 6-month quadriceps strength.

The efficacy and fidelity of clinical interventions used to reduce posterior shoulder tightness: a systematic review with meta-analysis.

Background: Posterior shoulder tightness (PST) has been implicated in the etiology of numerous shoulder disorders and is a source of stiffness in both postoperative and nonsurgical cohorts. Identifying efficacious interventions to address PST has the potential to impact patient outcomes in both operative and nonoperative cohorts. Our purpose was to analyze the efficacy of nonoperative clinician-assisted interventions used to mitigate PST.

Predicting Musculoskeletal Injury in National Collegiate Athletic Association Division II Athletes From Asymmetries and Individual-Test Versus Composite Functional Movement Screen Scores.

Context: Functional Movement Screen (FMS) scores of ≤14 have been used to predict injury in athletic populations. Movement asymmetries and poor-quality movement patterns in other functional tests have been shown to predict musculoskeletal injury (MSI). Therefore, movement asymmetry or poor-quality movement patterns on the FMS may have more utility in predicting MSI than the composite score.

The relationship between glenohumeral joint total rotational range of motion and the functional movement screen™ shoulder mobility test.

Purpose/background: Side to side asymmetry in glenohumeral joint rotation correlates with injury risk in overhead athletes. The purpose of the current study was to identify the relationship between side-to-side asymmetries in glenohumeral joint total rotational range of motion and shoulder mobility test scores from the Functional Movement Screen™ in collegiate overhead athletes. The authors hypothesized that asymmetries of > 10° in glenohumeral total rotation would not be associated with asymmetrical findings in the Functional Movement Screen™ (FMS) shoulder mobility test.

Changes in functional movement screen scores over a season in collegiate soccer and volleyball athletes.

Changes in many aspects of physical capacity and athletic performance have been documented through the course of a competitive season in collegiate athletes. Movement pattern quality as measured by the functional movement screen (FMS) has recently been linked to performance and injury risk. The purpose of this study was to document the changes in functional movement patterns over a competitive season.

Paramedic transtelephonic communication to cardiologist of clinical and electrocardiographic assessment for rapid reperfusion of ST-elevation myocardial infarction.

Background/purpose: We tested the hypothesis that paramedic recognition of ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) and cardiologist activation of the cardiac catheterization laboratory without transmission of the electrocardiogram reduces door-to-balloon times.

Methods: We studied a consecutive series of patients suspected to have STEMI who were taken to the cardiac catheterization laboratory in the 6-month period before hotline implementation (historical controls) and during the first year of hotline use (intervention group, hotline; emergency medical service patients without hotline, concurrent controls).

Results: Emergency medical services activated the hotline 47 times, and 25 patients were subsequently taken to the catheterization laboratory.

Forced versus minimal intravenous hydration in the management of acute renal colic: a randomized trial.

Background And Purpose: The management of acute renal colic is a problem commonly encountered by both urologists and emergency medicine physicians. The classic approach to managing uncomplicated acute renal colic involves hydration, along with imaging and pain control. Previous studies have suggested that hydration has a significant impact on patient comfort, as well as spontaneous stone passage.

Implementation and case-study results of potentially better practices for staffing in neonatal intensive care units.

Objective: Five NICUs that participate in the Vermont Oxford Network Quality Improvement Collaborative have implemented several potentially better practices in an attempt to decrease nurse turnover by 50%. These potentially better practices focus on orientation, rewards and recognition, healthy work environment, nurse-physician collaboration, and nursing autonomy.

Methods: Each unit implemented some or all of the potentially better practices.

In search of excellence--the Neonatal Intensive Care Quality Improvement Collaborative.

As part of its effort to improve the quality of care in the neonatal intensive care unit at Baylor University Medical Center (BUMC), the unit has participated in the Vermont Oxford Network. This network tracks outcomes and pools data, allowing comparisons and benchmarking. A group of 34 nurseries from the Vermont Oxford Network has collaborated in an innovative quality improvement initiative.

Metaphyseal chondrodysplasia, type Jansen.

The Jansen type of metaphyseal dysplasia is a rare disorder with significant clinical and radiographic variability. Two cases of classical Jansen disease and one with some distinctive features suggestive of the Jansen variant are reported.

Identification of common functional configurations among molecules.

A new algorithm for identifying three-dimensional configurations of chemical features common to a set of molecules is described. The algorithm scores each configuration based both on the degree to which it is common to the input set and its estimated rarity. The algorithm can be applied to molecules with large (several hundred) conformational models.