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Mandibular distraction osteogenesis (DO) has been shown to lead to considerable improvement in obstruction of the posterior airway space in patients with ankylosis of the temporomandibular joint (TMJ), and our objective was to find out if we could confirm these findings. Seventeen patients had spiral computed tomographic (CT) scans before and after DO. After treatment, the overall posterior airway space was enlarged in all three sections of the airway (oropharyngeal, glossopharyngeal, and laryngeal). We then compared rates of change in the airway among the sections using 2-dimensional and 3-dimensional assessments, and found that the rate of change in 3-dimensional assessment of volume was significantly higher than that in the 2-dimensional (62% compared with 34%). We also found that the higher 3-dimensional rate of change came from changes in the oropharyngeal and glossopharyngeal sections, while there was no significant difference between the 2- and 3-dimensional rates of change in the laryngeal section. Because the laryngeal section had the most robust enlargement after DO in both the overall area of the posterior airway space (increased by 54%) and volume (increased by 73%), we concluded that 3-dimensional assessments were more sensitive to smaller changes in the airway space during the operation. This suggests that 3-dimensional assessments are preferable in the prediction and evaluation of the effects of DO on the posterior airway space. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Successful root canal treatment depends critically on controlling pulp-space infection. Three dimensional filling with gutta percha results in a uniformed smooth surface and least observable space between gutta-percha and canal walls especially in middle and apical region of the root canal. The aim of this study was to evaluate the success rate of three dimensional root filling with gutta percha. Among the 71 study teeth filling using three dimensional guttapercha, 67 were clinically sound and did not have signs and symptoms suggesting failure at the evaluation. The success rate was thus 94.4%. An ideal root canal filling three-dimensionally fills the entire root canal system as close to the cemento-dentinal junction as possible. Three dimensional filling with gutta percha are effective in filling canals with a high rate of success. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The development of a catalyst that is both effective and robust is desirable, but remains a challenge for those aiming to commercialize polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells. Thus, a facile method is proposed to develop hierarchical and three-dimensional titanium nitride (TiN) architectures, with the robust non‑carbon material being implemented as the Pt support. The resulting catalyst (Pt/TiN) demonstrates high activity and stability, and the experimental data confirm the critical significance of the novel TiN support. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We analyzed our stone-free rates of PNL with regard to stone burden and its ratio to the renal collecting system volume. Data of 164 patients who underwent PNL were analyzed retrospectively. Volume segmentation of renal collecting system and stones were done using 3D segmentation software with the images obtained from CT data. Analyzed stone volume (ASV) and renal collecting system volume (RCSV) were measured and the ASV-to-RCSV ratio was calculated after the creation of a 3D surface volume rendering of renal stones and the collecting system. Univariate and multivariate statistical analyses were performed to determine factors affecting stone-free rates; also we assessed the predictive accuracy of the ASV-to-RCSV ratio using the receiving operating curve (ROC) and AUC. The stone-free rate of PNL monotherapy was 53% (164 procedures).The ASV-to-RCSV ratio and calyx number with stones were the most influential predictors of stone-free status (OR 4.15, 95% CI 2.24-7.24, <0.001, OR 2.62, 95% CI 1.38-4.97, p < 0.001, respectively). Other factors associated with the stone-free rate were maximum stone size (p < 0.029), stone surface area (p < 0.010), and stone burden volume (p < 0.001). Predictive accuracy of the ASV-to-RCSV ratio was AUC 0.76. Stone burden volume distribution in the renal collecting system, which is calculated using the 3D volume segmentation method, is a significant determinant of the stone-free rate before PCNL surgery. It could be used as a single guide variable by the clinician before renal stone surgery to predict extra requirements for stone clearance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Li-Al-Si photoetchable glass (PEG) easily forms a complex three-dimensional (3D) structure, which is promising as an interposer in 3D integrated microsystems. However, its dielectric loss is rather large (~10 −2 @ 1 GHz), which inhibits the corresponding application in radio frequency (RF) microsystems. In this paper, the enhancement of dielectric properties caused by of Ca doping on the microstructure of the Li-Al-Si photoetchable glass system was investigated. The structure and performance were analyzed through X-ray diffraction (XRD), Mid-infrared spectroscopy analysis (MIR), Raman spectroscopy and impedance analysis. The results demonstrated that a significant modification in the dielectric properties were obtained with dielectric loss of 3 × 10 −3 . The reason was attributed to the decreased number of the non-oxygen bridge, which makes the structure more stable. Using hydrofluoric (HF) etching, through glass vias with a diameter of 117 µm were obtained. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Synostotic anterior plagiocephaly is a rare pathological cranial malformation. Therapeutic options are rarely studied due to the rarity of the malformation and difficulties in diagnosis and care management. The objective of this study was to analyze the results obtained with the Lille protocol based on 62 CT-scans done before and after surgery in 31 patients. A specific analysis was designed for this work. Nine cephalometric measures enabled to evidence on each CT-Scan the corrections made on the fronto-orbital bandeau and the potential impact of surgery on the craniofacial structures. Results show that surgical symmetry of the fronto-orbital bandeau in the transversal plane, according to the symmetrical axis of the semicircular canals, allows a normalization of the skull's growth and morphogenesis for the surgically affected structures but also adjacent ones. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Aim: Maxillofacial trauma is very common in all unforeseen events and the unique position of the mandible on the face makes it vulnerable. It is therefore, one of the most commonly fractured facial bones. The aim of this study is to compare 3-Dimensional versus 2-Dimensional Stainless steel miniplates for open reduction and fixation of mandibular symphysis and parasymphysis fracture. Methods: Patients with symphysis and parasymphysis fractures of mandible (unilateral/bilateral) were selected. All patients were treated and observed by the same surgeon. Routine investigations were carried out. Results: There is no statistically significant difference between three dimensional miniplate and twodimensional miniplate osteosynthesis in the open reduction and internal fixation of mandibular symphysis and parasymphysis fractures. Clinically, three-dimensional miniplates were found to be better than two-dimensional miniplates in terms of cost, ease of surgery and operative time. Conclusion: Three-dimensional miniplates were unfavorable for cases where fracture line was oblique and in close proximity to the mental foramen, where they were difficult to adapt and there were more chances for tooth-root damage and inadvertent traction of the mental nerve. Studies with larger sample size are recommended to correlate the findings of the present study for their wider use in clinical practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A cross-flow hollow fiber membrane bundle for humidification (MBH) is used for seawater desalination. Fluid flow and conjugate heat and mass transfer in the bundle are studied by numerically solving the continuity, momentum, energy and concentration equations for air side, water side and membrane side, simultaneously in a conjugated way. Contrary to previous studies which considered only 2D laminar or turbulent flow, in this research the full three-dimensional turbulent flow in air side is modelled with a three-dimensional low-Reynolds-number k - ε turbulence model (3D Low Re k - ε ). For comparison, besides the proposed 3D turbulence model, other three previously used models, namely, a 2D Low Re k - ε turbulence model, a 2D laminar model, and a 3D laminar model, are also used to investigate the effects of air side turbulence on fluid flow and heat and mass transfer properties in the bundle under a wide range of Reynolds numbers from 100 to 900. It is found that the 3D turbulence model best predicts the friction factors and Nusselt and Sherwood numbers for various module packing fractions under higher Reynolds numbers above 650. The results are validated by velocity measurement and performance test with a seawater desalination system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To analyse fibroid vascularisation measured with three‐dimensional (3D) power Doppler in relation to absolute fibroid volume change during 12 months of follow up and in relation to fibroid growth rate per year. Design: A prospective cohort study was performed between March 2012 and March 2014. Setting: Outpatient clinic of the VU medical centre, Amsterdam. Population or sample: All premenopausal women diagnosed with a maximum of two fibroids with expectant management were consecutively included. Methods: Three‐dimensional ultrasound including power Doppler was performed at baseline, 3, 6 and 12 months. Volume and vascular parameters were calculated using VOCAL software. Main outcome measures: The relationship between vascular index (VI) at baseline and fibroid volume over time was analysed using linear mixed model analyses for repeated measurements. Second, the relationship between VI at baseline and fibroid growth rate per year was calculated using linear regression analyses. Analyses were adjusted for possible confounders. Results: In all, 66 women (mean age 42 years) completed 12 months of follow up without treatment. Baseline fibroid vascularisation (VI) measured with 3D power Doppler is correlated with fibroid volume at 12 months (P = 0.02 ). An increase of 1% in VI at baseline was associated with a 7.00‐cm3 larger fibroid volume at 12 months. Furthermore, vascularisation was also associated with fibroid growth rate per year (P = 0.04). Conclusion: In women with uterine fibroids without therapy, baseline vascularisation (VI) measured with 3D power Doppler is correlated with absolute fibroid volume change at 12 months and with fibroid growth rate per year. Tweetable abstract: Fibroid vascularisation correlates with absolute fibroid volume change and fibroid growth rate per year. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A three-dimensional computational fluid dynamics (CFD) investigation of the friction and heat transfer characteristics of a fin tube heat exchanger having elliptical tubes of various ellipticity ratio and orientation of these tubes to the horizontal are analysed in this study. Air in the transitional regime is considered as the working fluid in this present study. Numerical validation of the predicted results by ANSYS Fluent 15.0 is carried out by comparing the simulated results with the numerical results a obtained by Bhuiyan et al. (2013). Reynold’s number at inlet is varied in the range of 1300–1600 and Standard k-ω turbulence model is used for turbulent closure. The ellipticity ratio of the tubes utilized for the analysis ranges between 0.6 and 0.8 and the effect of rotation of these tubes on Colburn factor, friction factor and efficiency index has been analysed. The Colburn factor increased initially reaching a peak, after which it gets lowered with increase in tube inclination. Increase in ellipticity and Reynold’s number decreased the Colburn factor. Friction factor varies in direct proportion to tube inclination and ellipticity ratio, whereas it decreases with the increase in Reynold’s number. The efficiency index parameter for all the models has been evaluated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The development of energy storage materials with high capacity and rapid charging and discharging ability have become the most important and major issues of concern in recent years. In this study, a mesoporous nickel sulfide (NiS) hierarchical framework was synthesized using a simple solvothermal method under optimized experimental conditions, including the amount of sulfur and experimental time, and characterized using a range of spectroscopic and microscopic techniques. The resulting materials were tested further as electrode materials in an electrochemical half-cell assembly and full cell solid-state symmetric assembly cell. The optimized mesoporous nickel sulfide hierarchical showed excellent specific capacitance performance with outstanding cycling stability (∼88.57%) after 5000 consecutive charge discharge cycles. A prototype symmetric supercapacitor device was also assembled using hierarchical flower-like NiS and the measured device performance showed a high capacitance of 11.15 F/g, high energy density of 0.991 Wh/kg at a power density of 132 W/kg, and at power density of 261.11 W/kg at an energy density of 0.329 Wh/kg, and excellent cycling stability (83.8% with 92.9% coulombic efficiency after 2000 cycles at 0.26 A/g). The potential applications of the above device were demonstrated by powering a light emitting diode and commercially available fan for more than 30s discharging time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Paper-based devices are continuing to grow rapidly. However, conventional paper patterning methods are mostly restricted to the fabrication of twodimensional (2D) patterns. Here, we present a novel patterning method for the fabrication of 2D and 3D paper-based devices. For the first time, a 3D fluidic channel network with multiple crossings of fluidic channels is successfully fabricated on a layer of paper without sophisticated procedures. The proposed method utilizes a commercially available inkjet printer to print water pattern as a protective mask onto both sides of a paper substrate and followed by soaking the sample into a non-polar solution which contains a hydrophobic substance to form hydrophobic barriers on the paper substrate. The printed water mask helps preventing the adsorption of the non-polar solution into the printed water area resulting in the formation of hydrophobic and hydrophilic areas. This opens up a new route towards the development of 2D and 3D paper-based devices using low-cost equipment and a variety of materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A numerical study on the structure of the laminar premixed flames established on perforated plate burners is performed. Three dimensional numerical simulations are performed on different perforated plate geometries, under various operating conditions, using methane reaction mechanism consisting 36 species and 253 reactions. The comparison of numerical results of inline and staggered configurations of perforated plate burner models show that the flame interaction has significant role in the structure and stabilization of perforated burner flame. The flame structure, flame height and the standoff distances are studied for both inline and staggered configurations at fuel lean and rich conditions. The flame standoff distance and the flame height found to be higher for staggered configuration in comparison to the inline configuration. The flame structure is studied for different hole-to-hole distances. The numerical results show an increase in flame base curvature with an increase in hole-to-hole distance for both inline and staggered configurations. The flame thickness reduces with an increase in hole-to-hole distance for both inline and staggered cases. The effect of recirculation and flame base curvature causes the flame base to get stabilized at a higher distance in staggered configuration in comparison to the inline configuration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Traditional electrospun nanofiber membranes were incapable of promoting cellular infiltration due to its intrinsic property (e.g., dense structure and small pore size) limiting their use in tissue regeneration. Herein, we report a simple and novel approach for expanding traditional nanofiber membranes from two-dimensional to three-dimensional (3D) with controlled thickness and porosity via depressurization of subcritical CO 2 fluid. The expanded 3D nanofiber scaffolds formed layered structures and simultaneously maintained the aligned nanotopographic cues. The 3D scaffolds also retained the fluorescent intensity of encapsulated coumarin 6 and the antibacterial activity of encapsulated antimicrobial peptide LL-37. In addition, the expanded 3D nanofiber scaffolds with arrayed holes can significantly promote cellular infiltration and neotissue formation after subcutaneous implantation compared to traditional nanofiber membranes. Such scaffolds also significantly increased the blood vessel formation and the ratio of M2/M1 macrophages after subcutaneous implantation for 2 and 4 weeks compared to traditional nanofiber membranes. Together, the presented method holds great potential in the fabrication of functional 3D nanofiber scaffolds for various applications including engineering 3D in vitro tissue models, antimicrobial wound dressing, and repairing/regenerating tissues in vivo . Statement of Significance Electrospun nanofibers have been widely used in regenerative medicine due to its biomimicry property. However, most of studies are limited to the use of 2D electrospun nanofiber membranes. To the best of our knowledge, this article is the first instance of the transformation of traditional electrospun nanofiber membranes from 2D to 3D via depressurization of subcritical CO 2 fluid. This method eliminates many issues associated with previous approaches such as necessitating the use of aqueous solutions and chemical reactions, multiple-step process, loss of the activity of encapsulated biological molecules, and unable to expand electrospun nanofiber mats made of hydrophilic polymers. Results indicate that these CO 2 expanded nanofiber scaffolds can maintain the activity of encapsulated biological molecules. Further, the CO 2 expanded nanofiber scaffolds with arrayed holes can greatly promote cellular infiltration, neovascularization, and positive host response after subcutaneous implantation in rats. The current work is the first study elucidating such a simple and novel strategy for fabrication of 3D nanofiber scaffolds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Our study aimed to evaluate quantitative tumor response assessment (quantitative EASL-[qEASL]) on computed tomography (CT) images in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) treated using conventional transarterial chemoembolization (cTACE), compared to existing 1-dimensional and 2-dimensional methods (RECIST, mRECIST, EASL).Materials and Methods: In this IRB-approved, single-institution retrospective cohort study, 52 consecutive patients with intermediate-stage HCC were consecutively included. All patients underwent contrast-enhanced CT scan at baseline and 4 weeks after cTACE.Results: Median follow-up period was 13.5 months (range 1.2-54.1). RECIST, mRECIST and EASL identified progression in 2 (4%), 1 (2%) and 1 (2%) patients, respectively, whereas qEASL identified 10 (19%) patients. qEASL was the only tumor response method able to predict survival among different tumor response groups (P < 0.05), whereas RECIST, mRECIST and EASL did not (P > 0.05). Both EASL and qEASL were able to identify responders and non-responders and were predictive of survival (P < 0.05). Multivariate analysis showed that progression was an independent predictor of overall survival with hazard ratio of 1.9 (P = 0.025). Patients who demonstrated progression with qEASL had significantly shorter survival than those with non-progression (7.6 vs. 20.4 months, P = 0.012). Similar multivariate analysis using RECIST, mRECIST and EASL could not be performed because too few patients were categorized as progressive disease.Conclusion: qEASL could be applied on CT images to assess tumor response following cTACE and is a more sensitive biomarker to predict survival and identify tumor progression than RECIST, mRECIST and EASL at an early time point.Level Of Evidence: Level 2a, retrospective cohort study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Geometrical channel modeling has been one of the hot topics in wireless communication systems since the last two decades. It has been used for variety of scattering model characterizations like spatial and temporal statistical behavior of the channel, level crossing rate of the fading channel along with the analysis of average fade duration etc. In this paper, we propose a three dimensional (3D) semi-ellipsoid geometric scattering model for cellular mobile communication systems, where, elevated base station is considered in scattering free region while the mobile station is assumed to be surrounded by uniformly distributed scatterers in the proposed geometrical shape. Exploiting the proposed geometry, expressions for the joint and marginal probability density functions for angle-of-arrival and time-of-arrival in azimuth and elevation planes are derived. This model is suitable for macro-cellular environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Disseminated breast cancer cells have the capacity to metastasise to the bone marrow and reside in a dormant state within the mesenchymal stem cell niche. Research has focussed on paracrine signalling factors, such as soluble proteins, within the microenvironment. However, it is now clear extracellular vesicles secreted by resident mesenchymal stem cells into this microenvironment also play a key role in the initiation of dormancy. Dormancy encourages reduced cell proliferation and migration, while upregulating cell adhesion, thus retaining the cancer cells within the bone marrow microenvironment. Here, MCF7 breast cancer cells were treated with mesenchymal stem cell–derived extracellular vesicles, resulting in reduced migration in two-dimensional and three-dimensional culture, with reduced cell proliferation and enhanced adhesion, collectively supporting cancer cell dormancy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Percutaneous closure is the treatment of choice for secundum-type atrial septal defects (ASD). Balloon sizing (BS) has been the method of choice for deciding on device size. Improved 2D- and 3D-transesophageal echocardiographic (TEE) imaging challenged the necessity of BS. Balloon sizing was performed with two additional techniques to measure the stretched dimension of the ASD. The 1st method uses a stiff guide wire which stretches the ASD and 2D TEE. The second technique uses 3D TEE. Two hundred and thirty-six patients with minimum 1-year follow-up were enrolled. The population was classified into three groups: BS (group 1) n = 90, 2D-TEE (group 2) n = 87, and 3D-TEE (group 3) n = 59. All groups showed a distinct correlation between the maximum baseline dimensions and the device size ( R = 0.821). The relative expansion rate did not differ between BS and 3D-TEE. Group 2 (2D-TEE) showed a significantly lower expansion rate. Procedural success and complications did not differ statistically between the 3 groups. 2D TEE sizing was the simplest method without loss of accuracy. 3D sizing offers the advantage of accurate and fast shape assessment, but resulted in more undersizing. Accurate sizing of ASDs with a floppy septum remains a challenge. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, full layer-wise method is employed to analyze the elastic bending of functionally graded plates up to yielding. The solution procedure is presented in two steps. Firstly, the elastic bending of simply supported FG plates is studied to find the deflection and stress distribution. Until this step, the mechanical properties are assumed to vary through the thickness following the rule of mixture. The numerical results are compared with those obtained from quasi 3D elasticity and various shear deformation theories and there has been an excellent agreement between them. In the next step, the mechanical properties of FG plates are determined by using TTO model as the modified rule of mixture. The volume fraction of material constituents is assumed to vary via a power-law function through the thickness in both steps. Finally, Tresca and Von Mises’ yield criteria are utilized to predict the onset of yielding. The results obtained for four different boundary conditions and demonstrated that boundary conditions has a remarkable influence on the region in which yielding initiates. The effect of power-law index has been depicted on the onset of yielding as well. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Short stem total hip arthroplasty (SHA) has gained increasing popularity as it conserves bone stock and is supposed to allow revision with a conventional stem. However, no study has evaluated whether the revision of a SHA with a standard total hip arthroplasty (THA) stem provides sufficient primary stability to allow osseous integration.Methods: A neck preserving SHA (Metha) and a standard THA (CLS) stem were implanted into six composite femurs respectively and dynamically loaded (300-1700 N, 1 Hz). Primary stability was evaluated by three dimensional-micromotions (3D micro motion) at five points of the interface. Then, a revision scenario was created by removing the SHA and using the same CLS stem as a revision implant (CLS-revision group), with subsequent evaluation of the 3D micro motion according to the primary CLS stem.Results: The 3D micro motion pattern significantly differed in the primary situation between the short and the standard stem. The highest 3D micro motion were registered proximally for the Metha and distally for the CLS stem. Revising the Metha with a CLS stem revealed a bony defect at the calcar. However, the 3D micro motion of the CLS-revision group were not significant higher compared to those of the primary CLS stem.Conclusion: Our results show, that SHA (Metha) and standard THA (CLS) provide a good primary stability, however with different pattern of anchorage. The CLS stem reached a similar stability in this revision scenario as the CLS in the primary situation, wherefore it can be assumed that in uncomplicated revisions the Metha short stem can safely be revised with a CLS standard stem. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, a three-dimensional graphene wrapped silicon nanowire (SiNWs) architecture was synthesized by electrochemical exfoliation method and proposed to be the counter electrode for dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). The results show that the few high-quality layers of graphene sheets have been obtained by electrochemical exfoliation method. The size of graphene is distributed from 550nm to 650nm, appropriately dispersed onto the SiNW supporter. The graphene/SiNW nanostructure still vertically aligned to the substrate finely. The channel between each wire is clear. The fabricated graphene/SiNWs electrode is a promising structure for future applications. The performance of the graphene/SiNWs as the counter electrode is found to be dependent on its dispersion in the whole backbone, with better dispersion offering more surface areas for the catalytic reduction reaction. Electrochemical tests reveal that the DSSC with graphene/SiNWs exhibits higher electro-catalytic activity and lower charge transfer resistance, suggesting that the 3D structure presents a potential way to fabricate low-cost, integrated and metal-free counter electrode for high-performance DSSCs. The DSSC based on graphene/ SiNWs has an open-circuit voltage () of 738.11mV, short-circuit current density () of 15.48mA cm, fill factor (FF) of 0.67 and conversion efficiency () of 7.66%. With the increase of graphene content, the SiNWs will support more graphene nanosheet per areas. When the graphene content exceeds a certain value, the graphene will not uniformly disperse. So, graphene aggregated seriously, which may influence the photovoltaic performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Facilely engineer binary Pd-based nanocatalysts bounded with abundant surface active areas and tunable compositions have been of vital importance for the development of excellent electrocatalysts towards the electrooxidation of liquid fuel. For obtaining the advantages of high surface active sites, the electrocatalysts should combine both the morphological and component advantages. In this regard, we herein reported a facile PVP-assisted synthetic method to successfully synthesize the unique PdAg nanoflowers (PdAg NFs). Owing to the attractive flower-like structure, such special PdAg NFs with a high surface active area of 43.25 m 2 g − 1 possess much better electrocatalytic performances towards ethylene glycol oxidation with the mass and specific activity of 4383.5 mA mg − 1 and 10.12 mA cm − 2 , 5.5 and 2.4 times higher than those of commercial Pd/C (JM 20% Pd), respectively. The tremendous efforts in this work may open up a new way for maximizing the electrocatalytic performance of catalysts by facilely designing and adjusting their morphologies and the electrocatalysts fabricated in this work can also be well applied as potential anodic catalysts and beyond. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT A three-dimensional (3D) digital preoperative planning system for the osteosynthesis of distal radius fractures was developed for clinical practice. To assess the usefulness of the 3D planning for osteosynthesis, we evaluated the reproducibility of the reduction shapes and selected implants in the patients with distal radius fractures. Twenty wrists of 20 distal radius fracture patients who underwent osteosynthesis using volar locking plates were evaluated. The 3D preoperative planning was performed prior to each surgery. Four surgeons conducted the surgeries. The surgeons performed the reduction and the placement of the plate while comparing images between the preoperative plan and fluoroscopy. Preoperative planning and postoperative reductions were compared by measuring volar tilt and radial inclination of the 3D images. Intra-class correlation coefficients (ICCs) of the volar tilt and radial inclination were evaluated. For the implant choices, the ICCs for the screw lengths between the preoperative plan and the actual choices were evaluated. The ICCs were 0.644 ( p < 0.01) and 0.625 ( p < 0.01) for the volar tilt and radial inclination in the 3D measurements, respectively. The planned size of plate was used in all of the patients. The ICC for the screw length between preoperative planning and actual choice was 0.860 ( p < 0.01). Good reproducibility for the reduction shape and excellent reproducibility for the implant choices were achieved using 3D preoperative planning for distal radius fracture. Three-dimensional digital planning was useful to visualize the reduction process and choose a proper implant for distal radius fractures. © 2017 Orthopaedic Research Society. Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Orthop Res 35:2646-2651, 2017. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rationale and Objectives: This study aimed to assess a novel method of three-dimensional (3D) co-registration of prostate magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) examinations performed before and after prostate cancer focal therapy.Materials and Methods: We developed a software platform for automatic 3D deformable co-registration of prostate MRI at different time points and applied this method to 10 patients who underwent focal ablative therapy. MRI examinations were performed preoperatively, as well as 1 week and 6 months post treatment. Rigid registration served as reference for assessing co-registration accuracy and precision.Results: Segmentation of preoperative and postoperative prostate revealed a significant postoperative volume decrease of the gland that averaged 6.49 cc (P = .017). Applying deformable transformation based on mutual information from 120 pairs of MRI slices, we refined by 2.9 mm (max. 6.25 mm) the alignment of the ablation zone, segmented from contrast-enhanced images on the 1-week postoperative examination, to the 6-month postoperative T2-weighted images. This represented a 500% improvement over the rigid approach (P = .001), corrected by volume. The dissimilarity by Dice index of the mapped ablation zone using deformable transformation vs rigid control was significantly (P = .04) higher at the ablation site than in the whole gland.Conclusions: Our findings illustrate our method's ability to correct for deformation at the ablation site. The preliminary analysis suggests that deformable transformation computed from mutual information of preoperative and follow-up MRI is accurate in co-registration of MRI examinations performed before and after focal therapy. The ability to localize the previously ablated tissue in 3D space may improve targeting for image-guided follow-up biopsy within focal therapy protocols. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective The study aim was to investigate variations in the symmetry of the zygomaticomaxillary complex (ZMC) in normal individuals. Method Computed tomography datasets of 200 individuals without facial fractures were analyzed using a validated three-dimensional analysis technique. The absolute average distance (AD) and 90th percentile distance (NPD) were calculated, representing respectively the overall and maximum symmetry between bilateral ZMCs. Results The mean AD and NPD of the total study group was 0.9 ± 0.3 mm (95% CI 0.3–2.3) and 1.7 ± 0.5 mm (95% CI 0.5–3.9), respectively. The mean AD and NPD in males were 1.0 ± 0.3 mm (95% CI 0.28–2.34) and 1.9 ± 0.5 mm (95% CI 0.5–3.9) versus 0.8 ± 0.3 mm (95% CI 0.4–1.7) and 1.6 ± 0.5 mm (95% CI 0.8–2.9), respectively, for females. A statistically significant difference between male and female was found for both AD and NPD (p < 0.01). The male population <40 years had a mean AD and NPD of 1.0 ± 0.3 mm and 1.8 ± 0.5 mm, which was not statistically significant when compared with males >40 years. Conclusion The naturally occurring anatomic variation in ZMC symmetry described in this study is proposed as a benchmark for evaluating the amount of preoperative displacement and postoperative reduction of ZMC in trauma cases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction/Purpose: When the hindfoot is in varus the tarsal canal becomes visible on a lateral Xray (XR) and has been referred to as a 'target sign'. However, the sinus tarsi (ST) and tarsal canal (TC) are not easily visible radiographically when associated with a flatfoot. The dimensions of both the ST and TC in normal and flatfeet are unknown, but if understood, could help with the design and implantation of an arthroereisis, a commonly performed procedure for correction of pediatric flatfoot deformity. Knowing the size of the TC will also reduce postoperative complications of arthroereisis such as stiffness, resulting from too large an implant. The aim of this study was to take three-dimensional (3D) measurements of the TC in pediatric flatfeet under weightbearing (WB) conditions. Methods: This was a prospective IRB approved study in pediatric patients with flexible flatfeet and asymptomatic children without flatfeet who were reviewed and analyzed. Using 3D computer-aided design (CAD) models from weightbearing CT (WBCT) scans, the following parameters were measured: the widest diameter of the posteromedial tarsal canal (WDPTC), the narrowest superoinferior diameter of the tarsal canal (NSDTC), the length of the tarsal sinus, (LTS), the length of the tarsal canal (LTC) and the tarsal sinus and canal volume (TSCV). Correlations between patient age, Meary's angle, foot and ankle offset (FAO), and each of the above measured parameters were investigated. Both weight bearing and non-weight bearing CT scans were used for study to investigate the effect of bearing weight on the above-mentioned parameters. (Figures 1, 2). Results: Twenty-two children with flexible flatfeet (age range 9-14) and fourteen children with no foot deformity (age 9-15) were included for study. With the WBCT the TSCV decreased by 20% in comparison with non-weightbearing evaluation. The TSCV, the widest diameter of the anterolateral tarsal sinus (WDATS) and LTC decreased in flatfeet both under WB and NWB conditions compared with the control group. A positive linear correlation was found between the TSCV and patient age (r = 0.7307, P < 0.0001), while negative linear correlations were found between the TSCV and FAO (r = -0.5188, P < 0.0001) and Meary's angle (r = -0.3132, P = 0.0019). The tarsal sinus and tarsal canal volume significantly decreased in the flatfoot group during weight bearing, while the volume of the tarsal canal remained unchanged. Older age was not associated with either a wider tarsal canal or its orientation. Conclusion: Although the tarsal sinus and canal volume was positively associated with patient age, there was a negative correlation with both the FAO and Meary's angle. These findings may be very relevant in future study of the subtalar joint in both children and adults, and clearly have an implication for treatment of the pediatric flatfoot with arthroereisis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The extent of left atrial (LA) wall structural remodeling (fibrosis) detected by late gadolinium enhancementmagnetic resonance imaging (LGE-MRI) is correlated with advanced atrial fibrillation (AF). The concomitant occurrence of AF and left ventricular (LV) dysfunction is not uncommon. We studied the effect of LA fibrosis, a confounder of both AF and LV dysfunction, on LV ejection fraction (EF). For the analysis, we identified and included 384 patients from our retrospective AF database who underwent LGE-MRI and transthoracic echocardiography prior to AF ablation. Based on the degree of LA fibrosis, patients were categorized into four stages as: Utah 1 (35% fibrosis). The average pre-ablation LVEF was 60.5%+-8.5% (n=24) in Utah stage 1 patients, 55.7%+-10.3% (n=240) in Utah stage 2 patients, 51.7+-11.5% (n=90) in Utah stage 3 patients, and 48.9%+-11.6% (n=30) in Utah stage 4 patients (p

Background: The accuracy and reproducibility of measurements in a locally made three dimensional (3D) simulator was assessed and compared with manual caliper measurements. Materials and Methods: A total of 20 casts were scanned by our laser scanner. Software capabilities included dimensional measurements, transformation and rotation of the cast as a whole, separation and rotation of each tooth and clip far. Two orthodontists measured the intercanine width, intermolar width and canine, molar and arch depth on the casts and in 3D simulator. For calculating the reliability coefficient and comparing random and systematic errors between the two methods, intra-class correlation coefficient of reliability (ICC), Dahlberg and paired t-test were used, respectively. The ICC and Dahlberg′s formula were also applied to assess intra-examiner and inter-examiner reliability of measurements on the casts and in the simulator (P < 0.05). Results: Canine and molar depth measurements had low reliability on the casts. Reliability between methods for the remaining three variables was 0.87, 0.98 and 0.98 in the maxilla and 0.92, 0.77 and 0.94 in the mandible, respectively. The method error was between 0.31 and 0.48 mm. The mean intra-observer difference were 0.086 and 0.23 mm in the 3D method and caliper. The inter-observer differences were 0.21 and 0.42 mm, respectively. Conclusion: The maximum average absolute difference between the two methods was

A 54-year-old man, ex smoker with high blood pressure and a history of possible Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome was admitted for presenting an episode suggestive of acute coronary syndrome with immediate syncope and left bundle branch block, while performing physical activity. Angioplasty and a drug-eluting stent were performed in the left circumflex artery. Subsequently, Doppler echocardiography disclosed an image suggestive of a subaortic membrane. Given these findings, the patient underwent a 3D transesophageal echocardiogram and a magnetic resonance study, which confirmed the diagnosis of a subaortic membrane. In turn, in the Holter monitoring a paroxysmal pattern of Wolff-Parkinson- White was observed. The patient presented three possible causes of syncope. A stress echocardiogram elicited a gradient of 126 mm Hg, which could be possibly related to the syncopal episode that the patient suffered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose To achieve rapid, high resolution whole-brain gray matter (GM) imaging by developing a novel, single-slab three-dimensional dual-echo fast-spin-echo pulse sequence and GM-selective reconstruction. Methods Unlike conventional GM imaging that uses time-consuming double-inversion-recovery preparation, the proposed pulse sequence was designed to have two split portions along the echo train, in which the first half was dedicated to yield short inversion recovery (IR)-induced white matter suppression and variable-flip-angle-induced two-step GM signal evolution while the second half cerebrospinal fluid-only signals. Multi-step variable-flip-angle schedules and sampling reordering were optimized to yield high GM signals while balancing cerebrospinal fluid signals between ECHOes. GM-selective images were then reconstructed directly from the weighted subtraction between ECHOes by solving a sparse signal recovery problem. In vivo studies were performed to validate the effectiveness of the proposed method over conventional double-inversion-recovery. Results The proposed method, while achieving one millimeter isotropic, whole-brain GM imaging within 5.5 min, showed superior performance than conventional double-inversion-recovery in producing GM-only images without apparent artifacts and noise. Conclusion We successfully demonstrated the feasibility of the proposed method in achieving whole-brain GM imaging in a clinically acceptable imaging time. The proposed method is expected to be a promising alternative to conventional double-inversion-recovery in clinical applications. Magn Reson Med 78:1691-1699, 2017. © 2017 International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we presents a method for modeling and visualization of crop leaves based on agronomic parameters in order to improve the production efficiency of three dimensional digital media for agricultural subjects. The field experiments were conducted in the experiment farm of Beijing Academy of Agricultural and Forestry Sciences, Beijing City. During maize growth periods of jointing stage, horn mouth stage, florescence stage, grouting stage, maturation period and senility period, SPAD values of maize leaves were obtained by using SPAD-502 and four appearance parameters were collected by an apparent image acquisition system using linear light source. The four appearance parameters were diffuse reflectance, transparency, specular reflectance and roughness. In order to finely model the maize leaf appearance, leaf surface was divided into three structures including mesophyll, main vein and secondary vein. With the data, we analyzed the relationship between SPAD, growth period parameters and various kinds of appearance parameters of the three structures, respectively. We applied a variety of mathematical models to fit the data to describe the potential relationship between SPAD, growth period and diffuse, transparency appearance of mesophyll. Based on R2 and RMSE, we selected quadratic function for diffuse reflectance and negative exponential function for transparency. The coefficients of determination for the RGB channels of final diffuse model of mesophyll were 0.9137, 0.8511, and 0.6146, respectively, and their corresponding values of RMSE were 0.01549, 0.0128, and 0.01533. The coefficients of determination for the transparency model were 0.9975, 0.9913, and 0.9907, respectively, and their corresponding values of RMSE were 0.0064, 0.0096, and 0.0207. Data showed diffuse reflection and transparency of secondary vein could be classified into four sections by SPAD values and there was little difference between each class of appearance values. We used mean values of each section as diffuse and transparency parameters. The diffuse reflection and transparency of main vein has little change in whole growth periods. As such, we used mean values as unique and invariant apparent feature in diffuse and transmission reflection. We found that specular reflectance and roughness parameters of the three structures were not related to SPAD and growth period, therefore, mean values of these two appearance parameters obtained from all samples were used as a glossy appearance. Based on the above analysis, a series of quantitative appearance models for three structures were established respectively with SPAD and growth period as input parameters, and appearance material parameters as output. The spatial-varying appearance of leaf surface formed specific texture patterns. We abstracted the texture pattern and constructed a parameterized structure method to generate a structure texture image for synthesis of the geometric features of mesophyll, main vein and secondary vein structures. Each pixel of structure texture image represented a structure category of the point at this position, and we used the appearance models of each structure to assign appearance parameters for each pixel. Finally, four appearance textures were generated for simulating the appearance patterns of the leaf surface including diffuse texture, transparency texture, specular texture and roughness texture. A real-time rendering framework was developed to simulate the subtle interaction between plant leaves and light. In order to achieve a WYSIWYG display result, we simplified the light computing by decomposing light environment into a directional light source (sun) and some environment light sources (sky). A complete realistic effect was finally developed by combing the appearance model and illumination computation using a deferred lighting rendering framework which can simulate real-time shadows, ambient occlusion, and dynamic radiance from sun and sky. The experimental results demonstrated that the proposed approach was capable of generating different appearance of crop leaves by controlling the agronomic parameters and achieving a visually satisfactory display result. Our method showed diffuse reflectance and transmittance were the most affected by the parameters of SPAD and growth stage, while the specular reflection and roughness parameters were always stable. There were differences in the fitting results of diffuse and transparency model of mesophyll in RGB channels, while simulation result indicated there was little impact on the final visualization effect. Our method has a great potential to become an effective visualization tool for agricultural application, such as crop model, agricultural education system, and digital media for agricultural subjects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A theoretical analysis of unsteady, three-dimensional stagnation-point flow of Al–Cu nanoparticle suspended water based nanofluid is performed. The thermophysical properties of alloy nanoparticles like density, specific heat capacity and thermal conductivity are computed using appropriate formula. A micro-convection based model framed by Patel et al. [1] is used for predicting the thermal conductivity of nanofluid. The governing physical model is mathematically modeled into a set of non-linear parabolic partial differential equations and solved by a shooting technique. A parametric study is performed for a varied range of nanoparticle volume fraction, ratio of the velocity gradient, unsteadiness parameter and the magnetic parameter. Additionally, the importance of the different compositional characteristics of the alloy nanoparticles on the flow and the thermal field is also examined. It is observed that the Nusselt number increases as the unsteadiness parameter λ decreases and the ratio of the velocity gradient c increases in the nodal point region. A novel result of the analysis reveals that the highest skin friction is obtained for Al 50 Cu 50 - water and the highest Nusselt number is obtained for Al 90 Cu 10 -water. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]