Shape Changes Research Articles

Using A Disentangled Neural Network to Objectively Assess the Outcomes of Midfacial Surgery in Syndromic Craniosynostosis.

Advancements in artificial intelligence and the development of shape models that quantify normal head shape and facial morphology provide frameworks by which the outcomes of craniofacial surgery can be compared. In this work, we will demonstrate the use of the Swap Disentangled Variational Autoencoder (SD-VAE) to objectively assess changes following midfacial surgery. Our model is trained on a dataset of 1405 3D meshes of healthy and syndromic patients which was augmented using a technique based on spectral interpolation. Patients with a diagnosis of Apert and Crouzon syndrome who had undergone sub- or trans-cranial midfacial procedures utilising rigid external distraction were then interpreted using this model as the point of comparison. A total of 56 patients met our inclusion criteria, 20 with Apert and 36 with Crouzon syndrome. By using linear discriminant analysis to project the high-dimensional vectors derived by SD-VAE onto a 2D space, the shape properties of Apert and Crouzon syndrome can be visualised in relation to the healthy population. In this way, we are able to show how surgery elicits global shape changes in each patient. To assess the regional movements achieved during surgery, we use a novel metric derived from the Malahanobis distance to quantify movements through the latent space. Objective outcome evaluation, which encourages in-depth analysis and enhances decision making, is essential for the progression of surgical practice. We have demonstrated how artificial intelligence has the ability to improve our understanding of surgery and its effect on craniofacial morphology.

Assessment of Minimally Invasive Surgical Techniques for Sagittal Craniosynostosis: A Multi-Center Time Series Study.

Minimally invasive strip craniectomy is a well-established treatment for sagittal craniosynostosis, however the temporality of change in head shape has not been assessed. In this study, we perform head shape analysis to compare time-series-based clinical outcomes between three different surgical techniques across three academic centers for the treatment of sagittal craniosynostosis. Retrospective, longitudinal 3D images were collected from patients who underwent surgery for the correction of sagittal craniosynostosis for up to 5 years post-operation. The surgical methods studied include spring-assisted craniectomy, narrow-strip craniectomy plus orthotic helmet therapy, and wide-strip craniectomy with biparietal and bitemporal barrel stave wedge osteotomies plus orthotic helmet therapy. Postoperative 3D images were binned into six age groups. Cranial index measurements were calculated on 3D images. 3D whole-head composite images were generated for each procedure to visually represent longitudinal outcomes. The median with interquartile range (IQR) CI measurements at 3-5 years postoperative follow up were 75.9 [73.1-78.6] for spring-assisted, 75.9 [75.4-78.5] for narrow-strip, and 79.4 [76.4-81.9] for wide-strip. The wide-strip CI was significanly different from the spring-assissted and narrow strip groups (p < 0.001). Concerning 3D analysis, spring-assisted patients showed normalization of frontal bossing and skull height compared to age-matched controls, while wide-strip patients showed greater correction of occipital bulleting. Narrow-strip patients had intermediate results between these outcomes. There was no statistically significant regression in longitudinal CI measurements across the three techniques aimed at treating sagittal craniosynostosis. Longitudinal comparison of 3D head shape outcome demonstrated satisfactory correction of scaphocephalic deformity across all three surgical groups.

The Functional Interaction of KATP and BK Channels with Aquaporin-4 in the U87 Glioblastoma Cell.

K+ channels do play a role in cell shape changes observed during cell proliferation and apoptosis. Research suggested that the dynamics of the aggregation of Aquaporin-4 (AQP4) into AQP4-OAP isoforms can trigger cell shape changes in malignant glioma cells. Here, we investigated the relationship between AQP4 and some K+ channels in the malignant glioma U87 line. The U87 cells transfected with the human M1-AQP4 and M23-AQP4 isoforms were investigated for morphology, the gene expression of KCNJ8, KCNJ11, ABCC8, ABCC9, KCNMA1, and Cyclin genes by RT-PCR, recording the whole-cell K+ ion currents by patch-clamp experiments. AQP4 aggregation into OAPs increases the plasma membrane functional expression of the Kir6.2 and SUR2 subunits of the KATP channels and of the KCNMA1 of the BK channels in U87 cells leading to a large increase in inward and outward K+ ion currents. These changes were associated with changes in morphology, with a decrease in cell volume in the U87 cells and an increase in the ER density. These U87 cells accumulate in the mitotic and G2 cell cycle. The KATP channel blocker zoledronic acid reduced cell proliferation in both M23 AQP4-OAP and M1 AQP4-tetramer-transfected cells, leading to early and late apoptosis, respectively. The BK channel sustains the efflux of K+ ions associated with the M23 AQP4-OAP expression in the U87 cells, but it is downregulated in the M1 AQP4-tetramer cells. The KATP channels are effective in the M1 AQP4-tetramer and M23 AQP4-OAP cells. Zoledronic acid can be effective in targeting pathogenic M1 AQP4-tetramer cell phenotypes inhibiting KATP channels and inducing early apoptosis.

Sexual dimorphism and allometry in human scapula shape.

Scapula shape is highly variable across humans and appears to be sexually dimorphic-differing significantly between biological males and females. However, previous investigations of sexual dimorphism in scapula shape have not considered the effects of allometry (the relationship between size and shape). Disentangling allometry from sexual dimorphism is necessary because apparent sex-based differences in shape could be due to inherent differences in body size. This study aimed to investigate sexual dimorphism in scapula shape and examine the role of allometry in sex-based variation. We used three-dimensional geometric morphometrics with Procrustes ANOVA to quantify scapula shape variation associated with sex and size in 125 scapulae. Scapula shape significantly differed between males and females, and males tended to have larger scapulae than females for the same body height. We found that males and females exhibited distinct allometric relationships, and sexually dimorphic shape changes did not align with male- or female-specific allometry. A secondary test revealed that sexual dimorphism in scapula shape persisted between males and females of similar body heights. Overall, our findings indicate that there are sex-based differences in scapula shape that cannot be attributed to size-shape relationships. Our results shed light on the potential role of sexual selection in human shoulder evolution, present new hypotheses for biomechanical differences in shoulder function between sexes, and identify relevant traits for improving sex classification accuracy in forensic analyses.

Anthropometric survey of dynamic hand dimensions: A pilot study

IntroductionEffective glove design requires understanding hand dimensions and movement. Designers must study hands in static and dynamic postures. They do this to identify key movement points. This study aimed to determine hand size during motion. The goal was to understand and specify how hand shape changes. Methods and materialsThirty dynamic hand dimensions of 100 Iranian males were measured in six postures using photography and three-dimensional modeling. The data were classified and compared based on hand positions. ResultsThe results showed significant differences in hand size during movements. Four hand.dimensions were found to have significant differences (p > 0.05) related to hand posture. Sizes either decreased or increased significantly. The dorsal hand length underwent a significant alteration. This was compared to the palmar hand length during movement. ConclusionThe results of this study help to design gloves with optimal fit, performance and comfort. The results show that the dorsal hand length should be increased, while the palmar hand length should be decreased in the design of the glove pattern. Gloves that are currently made based on static postures cannot provide a good fit. Attention should be paid to the measurement of the hand in dynamic positions.

Examination of primary aromatic amines content in polylactic acid straws and migration into food simulants using SERS with LC-MS

Polylactic acid (PLA) straws hold eco-friendly potential; however, residual diisocyanates used to enhance the mechanical strength can generate carcinogenic primary aromatic amines (PAAs), posing health risks. Herein, we present a rapid, comprehensive strategy to detecting PAAs in 18 brands of food-grade PLA straws and assessing their migration into diverse food simulants. Surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy was conducted to rapidly screen straws for PAAs. Subsequently, qualitative determination of migrating PAAs into various food simulants (4 % acetic acid, 10 % ethanol, 50 % ethanol) occurred at 70 °C for 2 h using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry. Three PAAs including 4,4′-methylenedianiline, 2,4′-methylenedianiline, and 2,4-diaminotoluene were detected in all straws. Specifically, 2,4-diaminotoluene in 50 % ethanol exceeded specific migration limit of 2 μg/kg, raising safety concerns. Notably, PAAs migration to 10 % and 50 % ethanol surpassed that to 4 % acetic acid within a short 2-hour period. Moreover, PLA straws underwent varying degrees of shape changes before and after migration. Straws with poly(butylene succinate) resisted deformation compared to those without, indicating enhanced heat resistance, while poly(butyleneadipate-co-terephthalate) improved hydrolysis resistance. Importantly, swelling study unveiled swelling effect wasn’t the primary factor contributing to the increased PAAs migration in ethanol food simulant, as there was no significant disparity in swelling degrees across different food simulants. FT-IR and DSC analysis revealed higher PAAs content in 50 % ethanol were due to highly concentrated polar ethanol disrupting hydrogen bonds and van der Waal forces holding PLA molecules together. Overall, minimizing contact between PLA straws and alcoholic foods is crucial to avoid potential safety risks posed by PAAs.

Experimental and performance validation of a full-scale morphing droop nose design based on composite compliant structures

Active camber morphing technology can be used to improve aircraft performance in takeoff and landing flight conditions, while preserving a smooth wing shape. This study begins with the design of a morphing droop nose to be installed on a regional aircraft, and focuses on the manufacturing and testing of a full-scale and fully representative experimental prototype. All work is driven by the morphing shape change, which was optimized to provide the required aerodynamic performance. The adoption of a composite structure that combines a flexible skin with a compliant structure makes this device capable of achieving such a shape change, and sufficiently insensitive to external load variations. These capabilities are successfully demonstrated through experimental testing. A validation phase was conducted based on strain gauge measurements, and a motion capture system was used to identify three-dimensional shape changes due to the morphing. Finally, a validated numerical model is used to assess the aerodynamic performance of the experimental prototype.

Deciphering the Hearts: Geometric Morphometrics Reveals Shape Variation in Abatus Sea Urchins across Subantarctic and Antarctic Seas.

Abatus is a genus of irregular brooding sea urchins to the Southern Ocean. Among the 11 described species, three shared morphological traits and present an infaunal lifestyle in the infralittoral from the Subantarctic province; A. cavernosus in Patagonia, A. cordatus in Kerguelen, and A. agassizii in Tierra del Fuego and South Shetlands. The systematic of Abatus, based on morphological characters and incomplete phylogenies, is complex and largely unresolved. This study evaluates the shape variation among these species using geometric morphometrics analysis (GM). For this, 72 individuals from four locations; South Shetlands, Kerguelen, Patagonia, and Falklands/Malvinas were photographed, and 37 landmarks were digitized. To evaluate the shape differences among species, a principal component analysis and a Procrustes ANOVA were performed. Our results showed a marked difference between the Falklands/Malvinas and the other localities, characterized by a narrower and more elongated shape and a significant influence of location in shape but not sex. Additionally, the effect of allometry was evaluated using a permutation test and a regression between shape and size, showing significant shape changes during growth in all groups. The possibility that the Falklands/Malvinas group shows phenotypic plasticity or represents a distinct evolutionary unit is discussed. Finally, GM proved to be a powerful tool to differentiate these species, highlighting its utility in systematic studies.

Clinically significant changes in anal sphincter hiatal area in patients with gestational diabetes mellitus and pelvic organ prolapse.

The prevalence of pelvic organ prolapse (POP) increases with age and parity. Specifically, the prevalence of POP among women aged 20 to 39 is 9.7%, while it rises to 49% among women over 80 years old. Additionally, as the number of deliveries increases, the prevalence of POP also rises accordingly, with a rate of 12.8% for women with one delivery history, 18.7% for those with two deliveries, and 24.6% for women with three or more deliveries. It causes immense suffering for pregnant women. To evaluate the relationship between the levator ani muscle's hiatus (LH) area and POP in patients with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) using perineal ultra-sound. The study cohort comprised 104 patients aged 29.8 ± 3.7 years who sought medical care at our institution between January 2021 and June 2023. All were singleton pregnancies consisting of 75 primiparas and 29 multiparas, with an average parity of 1.7 ± 0.5. According to the POP diagnostic criteria, the 104 subjects were divided into two groups with 52 members each: POP group (patients with GDM combined with POP) and non-POP group (patients with GDM without POP). Perineal ultrasound was used to measure differences in the anteroposterior diameter, transverse diameter, and LH area. Receiver operating characteristic curves were drawn to determine the optimal cutoff values for the LH anteroposterior diameter, transverse diameter, and area for diagnosing POP. Statistically significant increase in the LH area, anteroposterior diameter, and lateral diameter were observed in the POP group compared with the non-POP group (P < 0.05). Both groups exhibited markedly elevated incidence rates of macrosomia and stress urinary incontinence. For the POP group, the area under the curve (AUC) for the LH area was 0.906 with a 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.824-0.988. The optimal cutoff was 13.54cm², demonstrating a sensitivity of 83.2% and a specificity of 64.4%. The AUC for the anteroposterior diameter reached 0.836 with a 95%CI: 0.729-0.943. The optimal cutoff was 5.53 cm with a sensitivity of 64.2% and a specificity of 73.4%. For the lateral diameter, its AUC was 0.568 with a 95%CI: 0.407-0.729. The optimal cutoff was 4.67 cm, displaying a sensitivity of 65.9% and a specificity of 69.3%. Logistic regression analysis unveiled that age, body weight, number of childbirths, total number of pregnancies, and gestational weight gain constituted the independent risk factors for the cooccurrence of GDM and POP. Three-dimensional perineal ultrasonography of LH size and shape changes can effectively diagnose POP. Age, weight, number of births, number of pregnancies, and weight gain during pregnancy are independent risk factors affecting the cooccurrence of GDM and POP. GDM can increase the LH area in patients, and an enlarged LH leads to an increased incidence of POP.

Temporal changes in the body shape of the Pacific thread herring Opisthonema libertate on the Western Baja California Sur coast

Temporal changes in the body shape of the Pacific thread herring Opisthonema libertate on the Western Baja California Sur coast

RobotSDF: Implicit Morphology Modeling for the Robotic Arm.

The expression of robot arm morphology is a critical foundation for achieving effective motion planning and collision avoidance in robotic systems. Traditional geometry-based approaches usually suffer from the contradiction between the high demand for computing resources for fine expression and the insufficient detail expression caused by the pursuit of efficiency. The signed distance function addresses these drawbacks due to its ability to handle complex and arbitrary shapes and lower computational requirements. However, conventional robotic morphology methods based on the signed distance function often face challenges when the robot moves dynamically, since robots with different postures are modeled as independent individuals but the postures of robots are infinite. In this paper, we introduce RobotSDF, an implicit morphology modeling approach that can express the robot shape of arbitrary posture precisely. Instead of depicting a whole model of the robot arm, RobotSDF models the robot morphology as integrated implicit joint models driven by joint configurations. In this approach, the dynamic shape change process of the robot is converted into the coordinate transformations of query points within each joint's coordinate system. Experimental results with the Elfin robot demonstrate that RobotSDF can accurately depict robot shapes across different postures up to the millimeter level, which exhibits 38.65% and 66.24% improvement over the Neural-JSDF and configuration space distance field algorithms, respectively, in representing robot morphology. We further verified the efficiency of RobotSDF through collision avoidance in both simulation and actual human-robot collaboration experiments.

Modulating Interfacial Properties in Pseudoternary Microemulsions via Urea Addition: Impact of Cosurfactant on the Reverse Micellar Structure and Interactions.

We have studied the structural and interfacial properties of CTAB/isooctane/alcohol/aqueous urea reverse micelles (RMs) for the first time using time-resolved fluorescence and small-angle X-ray scattering techniques. The chain length of alcohol, used as cosurfactant, has been varied to design three microemulsion systems: CTAB/1-butanol, CTAB/1-hexanol, and CTAB/1-octanol/isooctane/water, at a fixed water loading ratio, w0 = 12. Time-resolved fluorescence anisotropy studies indicate that urea induces micellar aggregation in CTAB/1-butanol and CTAB/1-hexanol RMs but breaks down RM aggregates in CTAB/1-octanol RMs. Urea addition slows down solvation dynamics inside RMs at higher urea concentrations, evident from the longer lifetimes of solvent correlation decay. The underlying changes in microemulsion structure and intermicellar interactions are studied using small-angle X-ray scattering studies. The significant intermicellar interactions were modeled using the sticky hard sphere (SHS) for the CTAB/1-butanol and CTAB/1-hexanol RMs and by using the Macroion model for the CTAB/1-octanol RMs. The two different structural factors highlight the dominance of attractive and repulsive forces, respectively. Although there is no change in RM shape, the combination of urea addition and chain length variation in cosurfactants significantly alters the size and interface in these pseudoternary RMs.

Coordination of shoot apical meristem shape and identity by APETALA2 during floral transition in Arabidopsis

Plants flower in response to environmental signals. These signals change the shape and developmental identity of the shoot apical meristem (SAM), causing it to form flowers and inflorescences. We show that the increases in SAM width and height during floral transition correlate with changes in size of the central zone (CZ), defined by CLAVATA3 expression, and involve a transient increase in the height of the organizing center (OC), defined by WUSCHEL expression. The APETALA2 (AP2) transcription factor is required for the rapid increases in SAM height and width, by maintaining the width of the OC and increasing the height and width of the CZ. AP2 expression is repressed in the SAM at the end of floral transition, and extending the duration of its expression increases SAM width. Transcriptional repression by SUPPRESSOR OF OVEREXPRESSION OF CONSTANS1 (SOC1) represents one of the mechanisms reducing AP2 expression during floral transition. Moreover, AP2 represses SOC1 transcription, and we find that reciprocal repression of SOC1 and AP2 contributes to synchronizing precise changes in meristem shape with floral transition.

Superhydrophobic asymmetric pH-responsive soft actuators: Implications for the development of anti-fouling medical devices

Biomedical engineering strives for innovation to enhance the safety and effectiveness of medical tools, such as catheters and stents that need to be operated in confined spaces, with precise drug delivery control and should possess anti-fouling properties. Soft actuators with superhydrophobic surfaces can provide adaptable shape change together with non-fouling attributes required for medical devices. In this study, we have developed a Janus film with a hydrophilic solvent-responsive bottom and superhydrophobic top surface using a self-assembly strategy. The devised new strategy involves the dispersal of modified silica nanoparticles into a homogeneous solution, where they were segregated from the polymer matrix and self-assembled to form a superhydrophobic layer on the surface with a water contact angle of >150°. The resulting asymmetric actuator demonstrated bidirectional actuation in solvents with extreme pH values i.e., pH 1 and 13. It could be tailored for specific hydrophilicity by adjusting the ratio of dispersed superhydrophobic and hydrophilic silica nanoparticles in the polymer solution. These films exhibited exceptional chemical stability against strong acids, alkaline solutions, ethanol, and salt, as well as mechanical stability against abrasion from sandpaper. In vitro studies confirmed their superior anti-fouling and anti-bacterial properties. Furthermore, actuation of printed 3D structures with different patterns was demonstrated, showcasing the possibility of developing these superhydrophobic asymmetric surfaces via 3D printing and their potential as cardiovascular stents.

Active shape programming drives Drosophila wing disc eversion.

How complex 3D tissue shape emerges during animal development remains an important open question in biology and biophysics. Here, we discover a mechanism for 3D epithelial shape change based on active, in-plane cellular events that is analogous to inanimate "shape programmable" materials, which undergo blueprinted 3D shape transformations from in-plane gradients of spontaneous strains. We study eversion of the Drosophila wing disc pouch, when the epithelium transforms from a dome into a curved fold, quantifying 3D tissue shape changes and mapping spatial patterns of cellular behaviors on the evolving geometry using cellular topology. Using a physical model inspired by shape programming, we find that active cell rearrangements are the major contributor to pouch eversion and validate this conclusion using a knockdown of MyoVI, which reduces rearrangements and disrupts morphogenesis. This work shows that shape programming is a mechanism for animal tissue morphogenesis and suggests that patterns in nature could present design strategies for shape-programmable materials.

A large-scale in vivo screen to investigate the roles of human genes in Drosophila melanogaster.

Understanding the signaling pathways in which genes participate is essential for discovering the etiology of diseases in humans. The model organism, Drosophila melanogaster, has been crucial in understanding the signaling pathways in humans, given the evolutionary conservation of a significant number of genes between the two species. Genetic screens using Drosophila are a useful way of testing large number of genes to study their function and roles within signaling pathways. We conducted a large-scale genetic screen to identify which human genes cause an alteration in the morphology of the Drosophila eye. The GMR-Gal4 was employed to activate a single UAS-human gene in the eye tissue. In total, we screened 802 UAS-human gene stocks, corresponding to 787 human protein-coding genes, for the ability to influence eye development. We found that overexpression of 64 human genes were capable of disrupting eye development, as determined by phenotypic changes in eye texture, size, shape, bristle morphology, and ommatidia organization. Subsequent analysis revealed that the fly genome encodes proteins that are homologous to a majority of the 64 human genes, raising the possibility that overexpression of these transgenes altered eye development by altering the activity of evolutionarily conserved developmental signaling pathways. Consistent with this hypothesis, a secondary screen demonstrated that overexpression of fly homologs produced phenotypes that mimicked those produced by overexpression of the human gene. Our screening has identified 64 human genes capable of inducing phenotypes in the fly, offering a foundation for ongoing research aimed at understanding functionally conserved pathways across species.

GAMBARAN PERCEIVED SOCIAL SUPPORT PADA IBU POSTPARTUM PRIMIPARA YANG MEMILIKI BODY IMAGE POSITIF

Perceived social support (PSS) received by postpartum primiparous mothers are considered effective to support the whole forming process regarding body image satisfaction after giving birth. This research was aimed to get an overview of PSS in primiparous postpartum mothers with body image satisfaction using descriptive qualitative research methods involving three participants. The data collection process was carried out by using semi-structured interviews and analyzed using the thematic analysis method. The research results show that there are differences between how which PSS plays an important role in helping mothers perceived post partum’s body shape changes. Out of the four types of PSS, emotional/esteem support and belonging/companionship support are considered to play an important role in helping the process of forming a body image satisfaction for primiparous postpartum mothers. How they perceive the social support they received supports them in accepting, increasing self-confidence, and understanding their body shape after giving birth.

Role of confinement shape and spin-orbit interactions on binding energy, temperature, transition energy, susceptibility and oscillator strength of an off-center [formula omitted] impurity in a GaAs quantum dot

This study explores the influence of confinement potential shape on the behavior of an off-center D0 impurity in a quantum dot (QD). In this study, we use the power exponential potential and Rashba spin-orbit interaction (RSOI), and Dresselhaus spin-orbit interaction (DSOI) beside an external magnetic field. Employing the variational method, we obtained the ground and first excited state energies and corresponding binding energies, transition energy, and magnetic susceptibilities across various impurity positions, QD parameters, and potential shapes. We ascertain the stable temperature by equating the maximum binding energy of an off-center D0 system. Subsequently, we computed the oscillator strength (OS) and conducted a comparative analysis with existing literature. Our findings demonstrate an exciting behavior in response to changes in potential shape, QD parameters, and spin-orbit coupling strengths. It helps us better understand how an off-center impurity behaves with different potential shapes in QDs and helps engineers to design devices in spintronics.

Nature-Inspired pH-Responsive Hydrogels with Rapid and High Contrast Changes in Color, Fluorescence, and Shape Simultaneously

Nature-Inspired pH-Responsive Hydrogels with Rapid and High Contrast Changes in Color, Fluorescence, and Shape Simultaneously

Effect of chemical modification on the distribution of electrophoretic mobilities of individual molecules of E. coli β-galactosidase

Escherichia coli β-galactosidase was labelled with 1 mmol/L fluorescein 5-carbamoylmethylthiopropanoic N-hydroxysuccinimidyl ester for 1 and 3 min. The samples were separated by capillary electrophoresis and peak areas compared to that of labelled BSA for the purpose of quantification of the concentration of attached label. Enzyme concentration in the samples was determined by single molecule counting. The average number of labels attached to each molecule of enzyme was found to be 3.1 and 4.5 when labelled for 1 and 3 min, respectively. The distribution of single enzyme molecule electrophoretic mobilities for the unlabelled enzyme and that labelled for 1 and 3 min were measured using capillary electrophoresis. The average mobilities were found determined to be −(1.99 ± 0.13) × 10–8 m2 V−1 s−1 ( N = 39), −(2.16 ± 0.19) × 10–8 m2 V−1 s−1 ( N = 46), and –(2.18 ± 0.21) × 10–8 m2 V−1 s−1 ( N = 39), respectively. A protein electrophoresis model was applied and predicted that the differences in average mobilities could be explained through relatively minor changes in overall charge, Stokes radius, and shape. This difference was similar to the range in mobilities observed in the unlabelled protein. This is consistent with the electrophoretic heterogeneity of the unmodified enzyme being caused by relatively small differences in charge, size, and shape of the individual molecules in the population.