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Introduction: Traumatic brain injury (TBI) can disrupt the hypothalamo-pituitary axis, causing central neuroendocrine dysfunction and hormone abnormalities (HPAD). As one-third of children can develop post-traumatic HPAD, a longitudinal and thorough follow up may be required to exclude the transient or late-onset HPAD. Objective: To implement a protocol for standardized evaluation of children with TBI for the diagnosis of HPAD and to effectively establish a regular inpatient endocrine consultation and outpatient longitudinal follow up. Method: The study was divided into pre-QI (baseline phase) and QI phase (post-intervention phase). During the pre-QI phase, retrospective data were collected on children admitted with TBI at our institution for 1 year. The prevalence of HPAD and the percentage of children longitudinally followed in endocrine clinic were estimated. A consensus-based guidance protocol, detailing clinical and hormonal assay-based evaluation at presentation and during the follow up were formulated and implemented. Prospective data collection will be performed to estimate outcome measures (prevalence of HPAD, rate of initial endocrine consultation and endocrine outpatient follow up) and process measure (protocol adherence rate). Result: During the baseline phase (pre-QI), a total of 27 children, aged ≤19 years were admitted in the year for TBI management. The median (IQR) age at TBI diagnosis was 9 (3, 15) years. Motor vehicle accident was the predominant cause, accounting for 60%. In 85% of patients, the TBI was classified as severe based on GCS. Overall, only 8 children (30%) underwent limited (non-consultation based) endocrine evaluation (7 for central DI and 1 for central hypothyroidism) and 1 patient had complete evaluation (endocrinologist consulted). During the baseline period, the prevalence rate of transient central DI was diagnosed in 1 patient (4%). Implementation of protocol and post-intervention data collection are pending. Conclusion: The lower prevalence rate of HPAD in the current cohort of TBI patients may be due to under evaluation for endocrine dysfunction. QI initiative incorporating standardized evaluation using guiadance protocol will improve identification follow up rates of patients with endocrine dysfunction following TBI.

Purpose: To evaluate the safety and effectiveness of the TIGRIS stent for lesions up to 24 cm in the superficial femoral and proximal popliteal arteries (SFA/PPA). Methods: This prospective, multicenter, randomized study enrolled 274 subjects at 36 sites in the United States and Europe. Subjects were randomly assigned in a 3:1 ratio to treatment with the TIGRIS stent (n=197; mean age 66.7±9.28 years; 141 men) or LifeStent (n=70; mean age 67.9±8.87 years; 49 men). The primary safety endpoint was 30-day freedom from major adverse events (MAE). The primary efficacy endpoint was primary patency at 12 months. Secondary endpoints included target lesion revascularization (TLR) and stent fracture. Clinical success and quality of life were also assessed. Results: Mean lesion length (107.6 vs 117.9 mm, p=0.29), procedure success (99.5% vs 97.1%, p=0.17), and freedom from MAE (99.5% vs 100%, p>0.99) were similar for the TIGRIS and control groups, respectively. Likewise, there was no difference in primary patency at 12 months (60.6% vs 63.2%, p=0.73) or 24 months (56.3% vs 50.2%, p=0.60) or in TLR at the same time points (76.6% vs 80.6%, p=0.49; 70.5% vs 67.2%, p=0.85). There were no differences in the changes in Rutherford category or the ankle/brachial index through 24 months. The rate of stent fracture was lower for TIGRIS compared with LifeStent (0% vs 32.7%, p

To examine factors that influence parents' decision to accept or decline complementary therapies on an inpatient rehabilitation unit.Parents of children aged 2-21 admitted for acute pediatric rehabilitation were provided a survey regarding their child's use of massage, energy therapy and acupuncture during admission. They were also asked about religious beliefs, education, perceived severity of injury and perceived response to the therapies. The study was conducted on the Inpatient Acute Pediatric Rehabilitation Unit at Kennedy Krieger Institute in Baltimore, Maryland, USA.Of those who completed the survey (n=38), 39% accepted massage services, 49% accepted energy therapy, and 16% accepted acupuncture for their child. Acceptance of massage services was significantly correlated with belonging to an organized religion (p0.05). Participation in weekly religious services was associated with rejection of energy therapy (p0.01). Prior parental experience with massage and acupuncture was associated with acceptance of these services for their child (p0.01). Chronicity of condition and family education was not related to acceptance or rejection of services. Over 80% of parents felt massage and energy therapy helped the recovery process. In 63% of parents surveyed, acupuncture was felt to help the recovery process.Prior exposure to massage therapy and acupuncture was the most important factor in a parent accepting these services for their child. All three services were subjectively felt to have facilitated recovery. Future studies should assess subjective versus objective utility of these therapies in acute pediatric rehabilitation.

Background Retrievable inferior vena cava filters (rIVCF) reduce the short-term risk of pulmonary embolism without the filter and inferior vena cava (IVC) thrombosis that have been reported with the use of permanent filters. Studies have shown that most rIVCFs are not removed, leaving patients at risk for thrombotic complications of rIVCF retention. We hypothesize that the application of a systematic follow-up for rIVCF will improve filter removal rates, providing patients short-term prophylaxis from pulmonary embolism whereas avoiding complications of permanent filter retention. Methods The trauma registry of a Level I trauma center was queried to identify patients who underwent placement of IVCFs between January 1, 2003, and June 30, 2008. The medical records were reviewed and details of the patient's injuries, indications for filter placement, repositioning, and retrieval were collected. Radiographic images were reviewed to confirm ultimate filter retention or removal. Results Between January 1, 2003, and June 30, 2008, rIVCFs were placed in 118 patients, 44% had known venous thromboembolic event. Three patients died before rIVCFs could be considered for extraction, leaving 115 patients for evaluation. Filters were removed in 80 patients (70%) overall. Of the 35 patients in whom filters were not removed, 11 were lost to follow-up, 4 failed removal attempts, and 20 had indications for filter retention. The rIVCFs were retrieved in 75% of patients not lost to follow-up and 92% of patients who did not have contraindications for filter removal. Conclusion A dedicated system for following-up patients with rIVCFs markedly improves removal rates of retrievable filters.

Experimental and clinical evidence is accumulating that supports the assertion that the damaged human brain is capable of responding to sensory stimulation in a sufficient manner to result in sustainable and useful benefits. The intensity and duration of therapeutic maneuvers that elicit improvement are under active investigation. Recent studies in animals, adults, and children with hemiparesis have shown that constraint of the less involved upper limb coupled with a behavioral program that repetitively encourages graded unilateral movements can result in long-term “new” functional activities. Constraint-induced movement therapy (CIMT) is a promising approach for treatment of children with stroke-related hemiparesis from either prenatal or postnatal causes due to the enhanced neuroplasticity of the brain during early life.

The disposal of ash produced from the combustion of solid fuels has been a major subject of research and product development for many years. An innovative application has recently been employed by JEA to recycle both the bottom ash and fly ash from two new circulating fluidized bed (CFB) boilers as a stabilizer for local sandy soils and pavement base course material. The results of laboratory testing and field applications in the north Florida market area illustrate how this by-product is adding value in pavement and roadway construction applications.

Osteogenesis imperfecta (OI) is a group of connective tissue disorders that is associated with a variety of impairments. These include osteoporosis, fractures, hypermobility and hypomobility, changes in muscle physiology and bony deformity. Most of the literature and focused research to date has been on children with osteoporosis with fewer studies on adults. This chapter will use data from the OI Registry, case experience and the available literature to discuss the incidents of the types of impairments that are experienced by adults with OI, the factors associated with aging and injuries that occur in individuals with OI, and suggest therapeutic interventions for management.

Kennedy Krieger Institute, Baltimore, Maryland and Johns Hopkins University Purpose/Objective: Successful implementation of functional self-care skills depends upon adequate executive functioning; however, many scales assessing adaptive skills do not address the inherent executive burden of these tasks. This omission is especially relevant for individuals with spina bifida, for whom medical self-care tasks impose a significant burden requiring initiation and prospective memory. The Kennedy Krieger Independence Scales-Spina Bifida Version (KKIS-SB) is a caregiver-reported measure designed to address this gap; it assesses skills for managing both typical and spina bifida-related daily self-care demands, with a focus on the timely and independent initiation of adaptive skills. Research Method/Design: Parents of 100 youth and young adults with spina bifida completed the KKIS-SB. Exploratory factor analysis and Pearson's correlations were used to assess the factor structure, reliability, and construct validity of the KKIS-SB. Results: The scale demonstrates excellent internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha .891). Exploratory factor analysis yielded four factors, explaining 65.1% of the total variance. Two primary subscales were created, initiation of routines and prospective memory, which provide meaningful clinical information regarding management of a variety of typical (e.g., get up on time, complete daily hygiene routines on time) and spina bifida-specific self-care tasks (e.g., begin self-catheterization on time, perform self-examination for pressure sores). Conclusions/ Implications: Based upon internal consistency estimates and correlations with measures of similar constructs, initial data suggest good preliminary reliability and validity of the KKIS-SB.

The beneficial re-use of by-products produced from the combustion of solid fuels has gained momentum with the growing interest in Green initiatives in construction. However, modern environmental controls and the simultaneous tightening of construction material approval specifications continue to provide technical challenges to implementation. Traditional construction markets for ash have now been refined to the point where many by-products may be excluded due to elevated levels of sulfur and other potentially reactive elements. A number of case studies have recently been demonstrated by JEA, in Jacksonville, Florida with the use of hydrated ash from Circulating Fluidized Bed (CFB) boilers in pavement construction applications. A `green pavement base product consisting of a blend of this hydrated CFB by-product with conventional construction aggregates has been demonstrated to provide excellent performance when compared with traditional Florida base materials. The Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) has conducted extensive laboratory, large-scale test-pit, and full-scale field testing on this material. The detailed test program conducted by FDOT and the preliminary results of such are documented in this paper.

Purposes The purposes of this study were to report the presentation and management of an acquired total anterior staphyloma that resulted from a fungal corneal ulcer and to discuss its pathogenesis. Methods Observational case report. Clinical observation and surgical intervention of a patient who developed a total anterior staphyloma after a partially treated fungal corneal ulcer. Results The patient presented with a large traumatic fungal ulcer but was poorly compliant with follow-up and medications. He subsequently presented with a large total anterior staphyloma that resulted from perforation of the ulcer with plugging of the defect with iris and formation of a pseudocornea over the iris. The anterior staphyloma measured 15 x 16 mm and progressed to a stage where the patient was unable to close his eyelids and required a sclerokeratoplasty. Currently, vision is poor from amblyopia and a cloudy graft; however, the eye is intact and comfortable. Conclusions Anterior staphylomas usually result from untreated fungal ulcers in developing nations. Poor compliance with medications and follow-up was the cause of our patient's anterior staphyloma. Sclerokeratoplasty can restore the globe structurally but has poor visual prognosis.