@article{zellers_tucker_higginson_manal_silbernagel_2019, title={Changes in gait mechanics and muscle activity with wedge height in an orthopaedic boot}, volume={70}, ISSN={["1879-2219"]}, DOI={10.1016/j.gaitpost.2019.02.027}, abstractNote={Orthopaedic boots with wedging are commonly used in the treatment of individuals with Achilles tendon rupture to immobilize the foot in plantar flexion and approximate tendon ends. To describe changes in muscle activity of the triceps surae and gait mechanics with the use of wedges in an orthopaedic boot immediately and after an accommodation period. Muscle activity of the triceps surae and gait parameters (vertical ground reaction force, knee extension power, gait speed) were collected using surface electromyography and motion capture in 12 healthy individuals. Participants walked in an instrumented orthopaedic boot with 0, 3, and 5 wedges tested in random order. Participants were provided a one hour accommodation period where time spent walking was collected. This was followed by a repeat assessment of triceps surae activity and gait. Peak and integrated EMG in the medial gastrocnemius (p = 0.001, p < 0.001) and soleus (p = 0.010, p < 0.001) significantly decreased with increasing number of wedges. Peak and integrated EMG had a slight but non-significant decrease with increasing number of wedges in the lateral gastrocnemius (p = 0.151, p = 0.077). Vertical ground reaction force decreased (p = 0.019) and peak knee extension power increased (p = 0.003) with increasing number of wedges. There were no statistically significant differences in gait speed with wedges (p = 0.450). There were no significant changes in EMG or gait parameters from pre- to post-accommodation period. A combination of factors yield decreased triceps surae activity in individuals wearing an orthopaedic boot with wedges – decreasing loading on the immobilized limb and shifting power generation proximally.}, journal={GAIT & POSTURE}, author={Zellers, Jennifer A. and Tucker, Luke A. and Higginson, Jill S. and Manal, Kurt and Silbernagel, Karin Gravare}, year={2019}, month={May}, pages={59–64} }
 @article{puett_gao_tucker_inscoe_hwang_kuzmiak_lu_zhou_lee_2019, title={Visualizing microcalcifications in lumpectomy specimens: an exploration into the clinical potential of carbon nanotube-enabled stationary digital breast tomosynthesis}, volume={5}, ISSN={["2057-1976"]}, DOI={10.1088/2057-1976/ab3320}, abstractNote={Purpose: To assess the visibility of microcalcifications in images generated by a first-generation carbon-nanotube (CNT)-enabled stationary digital breast tomosynthesis (sDBT) device, using magnified 2D mammography and conventional, moving-source DBT as references for comparison. Methods: Lumpectomy specimens were imaged by magnified mammography and two 3D mammography approaches, including sDBT and moving-source DBT. The planar size of individual microcalcifications was measured in the reconstructed image stacks of sDBT and moving-source DBT and compared to the magnified mammography image. An artifact spread function (ASF) was used to assess the depth dimensions of the microcalcifications displayed through the reconstructed image stacks. Breast-imaging specialists rated their preference for one imaging modality over another when interpreting microcalcifications in the magnified mammography image and synthetic slab images from sDBT and moving-source DBT. Results: The planar size of individual microcalcifications was similar in images generated by sDBT and moving-source DBT when the sDBT projections were binned to match the pixel size used by the moving-source DBT system. However, the unique structure of sDBT allowed for a wider-angle span of projection views and operation of the detector in full-resolution mode without significantly compromising the scan time. In this configuration, the planar sizes of individual microcalcifications displayed by sDBT was more similar to magnified mammography than moving-source DBT, and the microcalcifications had a narrower ASF through depth. Readers preferred sDBT over moving-source DBT when assessing microcalcifications in synthetic slab images, although magnified mammography was rated highest overall. Conclusions: The sDBT system displayed microcalcifications as well as conventional, moving-source DBT when the effective pixel size of the detector was matched. However, with the detector in its full-resolution mode, sDBT displayed microcalcifications with greater clarity. Readers still preferred images generated by magnified mammography over both 3D mammography approaches. This finding is guiding continued hardware and software development to optimize the sDBT technology.}, number={4}, journal={BIOMEDICAL PHYSICS & ENGINEERING EXPRESS}, author={Puett, Connor and Gao, Jenny and Tucker, Andrew and Inscoe, Christina R. and Hwang, Michael and Kuzmiak, Cherie M. and Lu, Jianping and Zhou, Otto and Lee, Yueh Z.}, year={2019}, month={Jul} }