Head Measurements Research Articles

Этническая антропология тувинцев: история и перспективы развития. Часть 1

Introduction. The history of Tuva’s anthropological study dates back almost a century, and interest in this region never faded to date. In this regard, there is a need to summarize all related research publications, clarify the periodization of stages in the study of Tuvan physical anthropology. Goals. The work primarily aims to summarize all collected data on anthropological appearances of Tuvans and identify problem areas in this topic, as well as prospects for further research. Part One shall introduce a step-by-step history of the study of Tuvan physical anthropology, with due regard of the development of biological anthropology in Russia. Results. The paper provides a detailed analysis of ethnic anthropology results comprising head, face and physique measurements and descriptive data, dental and dermatoglyphic parameters. Data from a number of anthropological systems make it possible to determine the place of Tuvans among Siberian Mongoloids, delineate some local variants within the population of Tuva. Conclusions. Despite there is a most detailed anthropological description of Tuvans, some aspects of their intra-group differentiation remain unresolved — especially taking into account the existing tribal subdivision — just like the case with the formation of Tuvan anthropological appearances during the medieval era and modern times, which sets new vectors for further research of Tuva’s population.

What Is the Impact of Leaky Sewers on Groundwater Contamination in Urban Semi-Confined Aquifers? A Test Study Related to Fecal Matter and Personal Care Products (PCPs)

Urban areas exercise numerous and strong pressures on water bodies, implying that different external anthropogenic factors also stress groundwater. Sewerage networks play an important role, being the place of wastewater flow. When sewerage deterioration conditions occur, aquifers can be contaminated by contaminants contained within wastewater. The study aims to verify the impact of sewerage leaks in urban semi-confined aquifers through a multidisciplinary approach. Geological, hydrogeological, hydrochemical, microbiological, and biomolecular investigations are carried out in a test site close to a sewer pipe, from February to October 2022. Microbiological analyses are carried out on a monthly basis, contextually to hydraulic head measurements in purpose-drilled piezometers. The presence of sandy intercalations and the prevalence of silt within the outcropping (about 10 m thick) aquitard makes the aquifer vulnerable to percolation from leaky sewers, therefore causing persistent microbial contamination in groundwater. The presence of fecal indicators (including pathogenic genera), corrosive and human-associated bacteria markers, is detected. The magnitude of microbiological impact varies over time, depending on hydrogeological factors such as dilution, hydrodynamic dispersion, and variation of the groundwater flow pathway at the site scale. As for personal care products, only Disodium EDTA is detected in wastewater, while in groundwater the concentrations of all the analyzed substances are lower than the instrumental detection limit.

Are the thickness and ADC values reliable to evaluate pancreas in children? A retrospective MRI study.

To define the pancreatic thickness on the transverse plane and apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) values at multiple anatomical locations in the normal pancreas of children and to evaluate inter-rater and intra-rater reliability. Two reviewers measured the thickness and ADC values of the pancreas at four locations obtained from two different 1,5 Tesla MRI scanners [MAGNETOM Symphony (Siemens Medical Systems, Erlangen, Germany) and Signa HDxt(GE Healthcare, Milwaukee, WI, USA)]. Measurements were made based on 190 retrospective MRI examinations. Patients were distributed among ten age groups for thickness measurements and three age groups for ADC measurements between 0 and 18years. The thickness measurements from each segment of the pancreas were significantly correlated with patient age, height and weight (p < 0.01). Inter-rater agreement was excellent for pancreatic head (intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC): 0.837) and good for pancreatic neck, body and tail (ICC: 0.646, 0.632 and 0.678, respectively). We also defined the mean ADC values for three age groups. There was significant difference in the mean ADC value of the head and body by both the vendor and age group (p < 0.05). The mean ADC values and mean ranks of the Signa HDxt were significantly higher and the frequencies were lower than those of the MAGNETOM Symphony at all locations (p < 0.001). The thickness of the pancreatic head is more reliable than that at other locations. Pancreatic body and tail measurements are not as reliable as head or neck measurements due to discrepancies between published studies and low interobserver agreement. ADC values of the normal pancreas can be significantly different among vendors; therefore, ADC comparison on follow-up should be performed using same MRI machine.

Saltwater intrusion from an estuarine river: A field investigation

Estuarine rivers provide critical pathways for seawater to travel upstream of the coast and salinize adjacent aquifers. However, this salinization mechanism (forthwith termed riparian saltwater intrusion) has received relatively little attention compared to saltwater intrusion (SI) at the coast. Time series measurements of river and groundwater freshwater head and specific conductance (SC), as well as horizontal river-aquifer hydraulic gradient were collected at transects of piezometers perpendicular to an estuarine river in Ōtautahi Christchurch, Aotearoa New Zealand. The uncertainties of freshwater head and hydraulic gradient were estimated using error propagation methods. Discrete Fourier Transforms were applied to river and groundwater freshwater head and SC time series data, which confirmed the tidal influence in both systems. Cross–correlation analyses of river and groundwater freshwater heads showed very strong relationships with varying time lags. Hydraulic gradients and river SC fluctuated with tides, resulting in the alternation of SI (increase in groundwater SC) and saltwater retreat (decrease in groundwater SC) with various time delays that may be driven by cyclic flow processes. While riparian SI occurred in most piezometers, the hydraulic gradient on the outside of the river meander was steeper than on the inside of the river meander resulting in less SI. Although positive hydraulic gradient (aquifer to river flow direction) occurred most of the time at all sites, land subsidence and climate change conditions of sea–level rise, increased drought, and decreased river flows could increase the occurrence of negative hydraulic gradient, which may result in increased groundwater salinization.

Concrete Pile Defect Identification: Insights from Cross-Hole Sonic Logging and High Strain Dynamic Pile Test

This paper aims to identify the types of defects, location of defects, size of defects, and capacity of five concrete piles using a High strain dynamic pile test and Cross-hole sonic logging test. In this study, Cross-Hole Sonic Logging method (CSL) is a potent quality-control tool that exclusively detects much smaller flaws with high accuracy with utilizing velocity and first arrival time (FAT) from ultrasonic waves to find out the integrity of the drill shaft. From CSL test, the bearing capacity needs to be calculated manually using a waterfall diagram and soil profile. Moreover, the high strain dynamic pile test is used to identify integrity and bearing capacity of concrete pile via resistance analysis down to the pile and split of the base to shaft resistance when only pile head measurements are taken then using Case Method and CAPWAP analysis. Through this analysis, the bearing capacity can be interpreted; the Belta (damage factor) is applied to estimate location and size of the defect in the concrete pile. Based on the result of CLS test for three concrete piles, P01, P04, and P10, indicated that P01 and P04 are “Good” pile integrity with the bearing capacity of 4583kN and 6600kN, while P10 showed as “Potential defect at depth 9.25m to 10.25m” of pile integrity with bearing capacity of 6600kN. Furthermore, High strain dynamic pile test of two concrete piles, P2E and P2P, showed that the integrity category is “Ok” with bearing capacity 9896kN.

Reaching new heights: Testing the performance of metric approaches to estimate stature from burned skeletal remains.

Bone heat-induced changes complicate osteometric stature estimation of human remains from forensic settings. The validity of current methods has not been tested to a great extent. Our aim was to determine how precise are stature estimations obtained from three different approaches, namely by using (i) Rösing's method (Rösing 1977), (ii) a 10% shrinkage correction factor (Strzałko et al. 1972) and (iii) chemosteometry (Gonçalves et al. 2020). For this purpose, pre- and post-burned head measurements from the humerus, radius and femur were used. The sample comprised 46 human skeletons of known sex and age-at-death. These were experimentally burnt to maximum temperatures ranging from 700 to 1100°C (attained after 90-188 min) for other research purposes. Stature estimations were performed through measurements in both pre-burned and burned bones using the three approaches and based on the method of Olivier and Tissier (1975). Mean absolute differences and the relative technical errors of measurements (TEM%) between the pre-burned and the estimations were calculated. Absolute mean differences indicated that the chemosteometric approach allowed for potentially more precise stature estimations than the other two procedures. However, the TEM% was very low for all approaches (smaller or close to 1%), and stature estimations were thus well within the error margin reported by Olivier and Tissier (1975). Results suggest that the chemosteometric approach enables more accurate predictions of the actual heat-induced shrinkage of each bone thus rendering more precise stature estimations. Nonetheless, the other procedures also provided quite reliable estimations although they require confirmation that the bone is calcined.

Characterizing groundwater heat transport in a complex lowland aquifer using paleo-temperature reconstruction, satellite data, temperature–depth profiles, and numerical models

Abstract. Heat is a naturally occurring, widespread groundwater tracer that can be used to identify flow patterns in groundwater systems. Temperature measurements, being relatively inexpensive and effortless to gather, represent a valuable source of information which can be exploited to reduce uncertainties on groundwater flow, and, for example, support performance assessment studies on waste disposal sites. In a lowland setting, however, hydraulic gradients are typically small, and whether temperature measurements can be used to inform us about catchment-scale groundwater flow remains an open question. For the Neogene Aquifer in Flanders, groundwater flow and solute transport models have been developed in the framework of safety and feasibility studies for the underlying Boom Clay formation as a potential host rock for geological disposal of radioactive waste. However, the simulated fluxes by these models are still subject to large uncertainties as they are typically constrained by hydraulic heads only. In the current study, we use a state-of-the-art 3D steady-state groundwater flow model, calibrated against hydraulic head measurements, to build a 3D transient heat transport model, for assessing the use of heat as an additional state variable, in a lowland setting and at the catchment scale. We therefore use temperature–depth (TD) profiles as additional state variable observations for inverse conditioning. Furthermore, a Holocene paleo-temperature time curve was constructed based on paleo-temperature reconstructions in Europe from several sources in combination with land surface temperature (LST) remotely sensed monthly data from 2001 to 2019 (retrieved from NASA's Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer, MODIS). The aim of the research is to understand the mechanisms of heat transport and to characterize the temperature distribution and dynamics in the Neogene Aquifer. The simulation results clearly underline advection/convection and conduction as the major heat transport mechanisms, with a reduced role of advection/convection in zones where flux magnitudes are low, which suggests that temperature is also a useful indicator in a lowland setting. Furthermore, the performed scenarios highlight the important roles of (i) surface hydrological features and withdrawals driving local groundwater flow systems and (ii) the inclusion of subsurface features like faults in the conceptualization and development of hydrogeological investigations. These findings serve as a proxy of the influence of advective transport and barrier/conduit role of faults, particularly for the Rauw fault in this case, and suggest that solutes released from the Boom Clay might be affected in similar ways.

High-resolution computerized tomography for ossicular replacement prostheses

IntroductionTo study the accuracy of high-resolution computed tomography (HRCT) for assessing the ossicular structures in cadaveric temporal bone by the distance between temporal bone elements is of great interest. ObjectivesTo record the distances between the malleal neck and both the stapedial head and footplate by HRCT. Further, after partially opening the temporal bone toward the ossicular structure, to record the actual distances between those structures during surgical dissection. Material and methodsThis study compared actual and HRCT measurements of cadaveric temporal bone. We studied, measured, and recorded distances within and between various structural elements. All data are reported as means and were analyzed to prove the accuracy of HRCT to assess ossicular structure from the temporal bone. ResultsThis study included the temporal bones of 10 male and 10 female cadavers (mean age, 70.4 years). By surgical dissection, the distances between the malleal neck and the stapedial head and footplate were 3.40 and 5.30 mm, respectively (measured from the bone); by HRCT, the corresponding values were 3.35 and 5.29 mm. The intraclass correlation coefficients for assessing ossicular structure in contrast to the actual measurements were 0.901 (malleal neck to stapedial head) and 0.923 (malleal neck to stapedial footplate) (p < 0.05). There were no differences between the actual malleal neck to stapedial head (p = 0.793) or footplate (p = 0.242) measurements. ConclusionHRCT produced statistically comparable, reliable, and accurate measurements compared with actual measurements in cadaveric temporal bone.

Development of a large-aperture 160-element coherent hydrophone array system for instantaneous wide area ocean acoustic sensing

A large-aperture coherent hydrophone array and processing system has been developed in-house at Northeastern University (NU). The overall acoustic aperture length is 194 m with 160-elements nested into four sub-apertures each with 64 hydrophones and spacing corresponding to half-wavelength at design frequencies in Hertz of 250, 500, 1000, and 2000. Hydrophones with integrated broadband preamplifiers designed with a linear frequency response from 10 to 50 kHz sending differential pair amplified and filtered analog signals to 24-bit, 32-channel Analog to Digital Converters (ADC) with sampling rate programmable up to 100 kHz per channel. Array internals are designed using field replaceable pressure tolerant components including hydrophones, preamplifiers, power modules, telemetry units, and ADC verified by testing in an in-house assembled pressure chamber. Forward and aft modules are equipped with non-acoustic sensor elements to provide depth, heading, pitch, roll, and temperature measurements. The NU array was made without specialized facilities by utilizing modular interchangeable array interconnects allowing for conventional array populating and filling methods. The system implements real-time array data acquisition and processing including beamforming, beamformed spectrogram generation and signal detections. The NU array has been sea tested in 2021 in both shallow and deep water environments of the US Northeast coast.

Deep Learning for Simultaneous Inference of Hydraulic and Transport Properties

AbstractIdentification of a heterogeneous conductivity field and reconstruction of a contaminant release history are key aspects of subsurface remediation. These two goals are achieved by combining model predictions with sparse and noisy hydraulic head and concentration measurements. Solution of this inverse problem is notoriously difficult due to, in part, high dimensionality of the parameter space and high computational cost of repeated forward solves. We use a convolutional adversarial autoencoder (CAAE) to parameterize a heterogeneous non‐Gaussian conductivity field via a low‐dimensional latent representation. A three‐dimensional dense convolutional encoder‐decoder (DenseED) network serves as a forward surrogate of the flow and transport model. The CAAE‐DenseED surrogate is fed into the ensemble smoother with multiple data assimilation (ESMDA) algorithm to sample from the Bayesian posterior distribution of the unknown parameters, forming a CAAE‐DenseED‐ESMDA inversion framework. The resulting CAAE‐DenseED‐ESMDA inversion strategy is used to identify a three‐dimensional contaminant source and conductivity field. A comparison of the inversion results from CAAE‐ESMDA with physical flow and transport simulator and from CAAE‐DenseED‐ESMDA shows that the latter yields accurate reconstruction results at the fraction of the computational cost of the former.

Self-efficacy in managing post-treatment care among oral and oropharyngeal cancer survivors.

Physical and psychosocial effects of oral cancer result in long-term self-management needs. Little attention has been paid to survivors' self-efficacy in managing their care. Study goals were to characterise self-care self-efficacy and evaluate socio-demographics, disease, attitudinal factors and psychological correlates of self-efficacy and engagement in head and neck self-exams. Two hundred thirty-two oral cancer survivors completed measures of socio-demographics, self-care self-efficacy, head and neck self-exams and attitudinal and psychological measures. Descriptive statistics characterised self-efficacy. Hierarchical regressions evaluated predictors of self-efficacy. Survivors felt moderately confident in the ability to manage self-care (M = 4.04, SD = 0.75). Survivors with more comorbidities (β = -0.125), less preparedness (β=0.241), greater information (β = -0.191), greater support needs (β = -0.224) and higher depression (β = -0.291) reported significantly lower self-efficacy. Head and neck self-exam engagement (44% past month) was relatively low. Higher preparedness (OR = 2.075) and self-exam self-efficacy (OR = 2.606) were associated with more engagement in self-exams. Many survivors report low confidence in their ability to engage in important self-care practices. Addressing unmet information and support needs, reducing depressive symptoms and providing skill training and support may boost confidence in managing self-care and optimise regular self-exams.

Are external head measurements a reliable predictor of brain size in the Common Quail (Coturnix coturnix)?

Comparative research conducted during the past two decades revealed ecological and evolutionary consequences of interspecies differences in relation to brain size. However, relatively much fewer studies have focused on intraspecific variation in brain sizes. This may arise from the lack of a reliable and universal methodology to estimate brain size that can be employed in wild populations in vivo and in a minimally invasive manner. Here, we assessed whether variation in brain mass of Common Quails ( Coturnix coturnix (Linnaeus, 1758)) was predicted by external measurements of the head. Contrary to previous work, we found that the height of the head and not the volume of the head was the best predictor of brain mass in the Common Quail. However, we found that the height of the head explained only a relatively small proportion of variance in brain masses (i.e., 74.4%). Our data suggest that the external measurements of the head may not represent a universally applicable methodology to estimate brain sizes in birds and should, therefore, be used cautiously and validated for the studied species.

New Equations for Hydrostatic Weighing without Head Submersion.

New equations were derived to predict the density of the body (DB) by hydrostatic weighing with the head above water (HWHAW). Hydrostatic weighing with the head below water (HWHBW) was the criterion for DB measurement in 90 subjects (44 M, 46 F). Head volume by immersion (HVIMM) was determined by subtracting the mass in water with the head below water (MWHBW) from the mass in water with the head above water (MWHAW), with subjects at residual lung volume. Equations were derived for head volume prediction (HVPRED) from head measurements and used to correct DB by HWHAW. Equations were also derived for HWHAW using direct regression of DB from uncorrected density (with MWHAW in place of MWHBW). Prediction equations were validated in 45 additional subjects (21 M, 24 F). Results were evaluated using equivalence testing, linear regression, Bland–Altman plots, and paired t-tests. Head girth, face girth, and body mass produced the smallest errors for HVPRED. In both M and F validation groups, equivalence (±2% fat by weight) was demonstrated between body fat percent (BF%) by HWHBW and BF% by HWHAW with HVPRED. Variance in computer-averaged samples of MWHAW was significantly less (p < 0.05) than MWHBW. Prediction error was smaller for BF% by HWHAW with HVPRED than for alternative methods. Conclusions: Equivalence between BF% by HWHBW and BF% by HWHAW with HVPRED was demonstrated and differences were not statistically significant. Weight fluctuations were smaller for HWHAW than HWHBW.

Evaluation of computed tomography dose profiler probe for computed tomography dose index and geometric efficiency measurements

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the performance of solid-state sensor based computed tomography dose profiler (CTDP) probe for measurement of standard computed tomography dose metric CTDI100 and free in air geometric efficiency for various beam widths available in a 128-slice CT scanner and also to estimate the efficiency of CTDI100 metric. The response accuracy of CTDP probe was verified using a standard 100 mm long ionization chamber. The geometric efficiency measurements performed by the CTDP probe were validated using XR-QA2 radiochromic film measurements. The efficiency of CTDI100 metric was assessed by calculating the ratio of CTDI100 measured in the center hole position to CTDI∞ measured in the same position of both head and body phantoms. The weighted CTDI values derived from CTDI100 measured by the CTDP probe showed an average difference of 8% from ionization chamber measured values. The efficiency of CTDI100 metric estimated using CTDP probe and 150 mm long phantoms was in the range of 82% to 86% and 76% to 80% for head and body phantom measurements respectively. The differences in the geometric efficiency values for various beam settings and tube voltages measured by the CTDP probe and films were within 7%. Taken together, the results of this study proved that unlike the 100 mm long ionization chamber, the CTDP probe can be efficiently used to determine CTDI for any length over which dose integration is desired and also measure geometric efficiency of MDCT scanners for various beam widths in helical mode of operation.

Aquifer feature estimation in Basara basin using a groundwater modeling system for smart agriculture

We estimate aquifer characteristics in the Basara basin using Groundwater Modeling System (GMS) software in this article. The 960 hydraulic head measurements are taken from 16 observation wells across 60 stress periods in the proposed research. Calibration of aquifer parameters produced hydraulic conductivity values ranging from 1.96 to 117.8 m/d. The specific yield values varied from (=0.31) to (>=0.06). The daily recharge rates ranged from (3.33 *10-4) to (1 *10-3). We examined six pumping scenarios for 2020-2024. (S1–S6). Groundwater levels often dropped further as pumping rates rose and recharging rates decreased. The lower contour elevation for scenario 6 is 745.43 m, while it was 748.39, 753.56, 753.56, 753.56, and 753.86 m for scenarios 5, 4, 3, 2, and 1. The findings of this study help policymakers plan for potential shortages in semi-arid areas. The available options can be reproduced elsewhere to provide a more precise and reliable groundwater solution.

Evaluating Spatial-Temporal Clogging Evolution in a Meso-Scale Lysimeter

When surface water infiltrates soil, the fine soil particles carried in water gradually clog soil pores and form a low-permeability soil layer. Clogging impacts the variations in pore water pressure heads in soil and effective hydraulic conductivity. However, few studies have connected field measurements of pore water pressure heads to clogging in soil. This study proposed a diagram to demonstrate the relationship between the normalized pore water pressure head (λ) and effective hydraulic conductivity (Keff) based on a conceptual 1-D vertical infiltration model. The coevolution of λ and Keff indicated the occurrence of clogging and its location relative to the pore-pressure measurement point. We validated the λ-Keff diagram based on a series of numerical simulations of infiltration experiments in a lysimeter. The simulation results showed that the proposed diagram not only indicated the occurrence of clogging but also the development of the unsaturated zone beneath the upper clogging layer. Furthermore, we used a diagram to analyze the spatiotemporal changes in permeability in a lysimeter during three cycles of physical infiltration experiments. The experimental data presented with λ-Keff diagram indicated cracking on the soil surface, and clogging gradually developed at the bottom of the lysimeter.

Investigation of the Thermal Comfort Properties of Masks Used during the COVID-19 Pandemic.

SARS-CoV-2, the causative agent of COVID-19, which was officially declared a pandemic by the World Health Organization (WHO) on 11 March 2020, is transmitted from person to person through respiratory droplets and close contact and can cause severe respiratory failure and pneumonia. Currently, while the worldwide COVID-19 pandemic is still ongoing and countries are taking strict precautions to protect populations against infection, the most effective precautions still seem to be social distancing and wearing a mask. The question of how effective masks were in the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic has been widely discussed, both in public and scientific circles, and the protection of different mask types has been examined. This study aimed to examine the comfort conditions provided by the different mask types to the user during use. For this purpose, single-ply, double-ply, three-ply, cloth, FFP1, FFP2, and FFP3 masks with different standards were examined, with and without a valve. To conduct the experiments, the novel thermal head measurement system, developed within the scope of this study, was used specifically for mask comfort studies. Thanks to the developed measurement system, the thermal resistance and water vapor resistance values of different masks were measured, and their comfort conditions were evaluated. According to the findings, cloth masks provide a comfortable condition, with lower thermal resistance and water vapor resistance values than other masks. In addition, it was observed that surgical masks offer better thermal comfort conditions, although they have lower protection than FFP masks.

Correlations of palatal surface area with anthropometric dimensions of the head and face

PurposeSaliva distribution over the palatal surface plays an important role in the perception of dry mouth. It is envisaged that non-invasive estimation of the palatal surface area by anthropometric measurements of the head and face can be useful in the assessment of oral dryness. For this purpose, the relationship between the palatal surface area and anthropometric measurements of the head and face was investigated.MethodsThe palatal surface was measured in 51 healthy volunteers using an intra-oral scanner. The distances between anthropometric landmarks of the head and face were determined using an anatomical sliding caliper. Correlations between the palatal surface area and the anthropometric landmarks were investigated.ResultsThe median palatal surface area for the total study population was found to be 2120.6 mm2. Virtually, all anthropometric measurements showed significant differences between females and males. Various head and face measurements had a significant correlation with the palatal surface area. However, these correlations disappeared when the participants were stratified based on their sex, with the exception of mandibular length and palatal width in females.ConclusionThe surface area of the palate correlates with nearly all anthropometric measurements of the head and face included in this study. Yet, the clinical applicability seems limited to females.

Comparison of Diagnostic Ability Between Wide-Field Swept-Source Optical Coherence Tomography Imaging Maps and Heidelberg Retina Tomograph 3 Optic Nerve Head Assessment to Discriminate Glaucomatous and Non-glaucomatous Eyes.

BackgroundIn this study, we aimed to determine the diagnostic performance of optic nerve head (ONH), macular, and circumpapillary retinal nerve fiber layer (cpRNFL) thickness measurements of wide-field maps (12 × 9 mm) using swept-source optical coherence tomography (SS-OCT) compared to measurements of the ONH and RNFL parameters measured by Heidelberg Retina Tomograph (HRT3).MethodologyThis case-control study included 39 eyes of 39 glaucoma patients and 36 eyes of 36 normal subjects (control group). All participants underwent standard automated perimetry (SAP) as well as structural measurements by SS-OCT (DRI-OCT, Triton; Topcon Inc., Tokyo, Japan) and HRT3 (Heidelberg Engineering, Heidelberg, Germany). The abilities of the continuous parameters to discriminate between glaucoma and control groups were assessed using areas under the receiver operating characteristic curves (AUCs). To assess the glaucoma diagnostic abilities of each of the categorical variables, sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value were tested.ResultsThe highest sensitivities were achieved by the DRI-OCT categorical parameters of Superpixel-200 map and cpRNFL (12 sectors) thickness analysis. The best performing HRT3 continuous parameter was rim volume (AUC = 0.829, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.735-0.922), and the best continuous parameter for DRI-OCT wide-field was vertical cdr (AUC = 0.883, 95% CI = 0.805-0.951), followed by total cpRNFL thickness (AUC = 0.862, 95% CI = 0.774-0.951). AUCs for disc area, rim area, linear cdr, and RNFL thickness were not significantly different between the two technologies. Using either the most or the least specific criteria, SuperPixel-200 map always showed the highest sensitivity among the categorical parameters of both technologies (82.1% and 89.7%, respectively). The highest sensitivity among HRT3 classification parameters was shown by MRA and GPS classification algorithms.ConclusionsBoth wide-field DRI-OCT maps and HRT3 showed good diagnostic performance in discriminating glaucoma. Although DRI-OCT thickness values and normative diagnostic classification showed the best performance, more studies are required to determine the clinical role of wide-field DRI-OCT scan in glaucoma diagnosis.

Can the intra-operative measurement of the diameter of the femoral head help surgeons to choose the best size of the acetabular cup?

PurposeWe hypothesized that the intra-operative measurement of the femoral head may increase the accuracy of the acetabular cup size optimal selection in total hip arthroplasty (THA). The purpose of this clinical research was to analyze the correlation between the estimated cup size from intra-operative measurement of the femoral head and the pre-operative templated cup size.MethodsA prospective observational single-center study was conducted from June 2019 to January 2020 including primary THA (n = 100). All cases were pre-operatively templated. The measurement of the anterior–posterior diameter of the femoral head was routinely intra-operatively performed. Any definitive implanted cup was considered as “oversized” when the size was > 4 mm than the diameter of the native head.ResultsThe median (interquartile range) size of the implanted cup, pre-operative planned cup size, and diameter of the femoral head were measured 52 (50–54) mm, 50 (48–54) mm and 49 (45–51) mm, respectively. Pre-operative planned size cup accurately predicted the implanted cup or differed in only one size (2 mm) in 77 (78%) cases. Otherwise, intra-operative femoral head measurement method accurately predicted the implanted or differed in only one size (2 mm) in 51 (87%) cases (p = 0.097).ConclusionThe intra-operative femoral head measurement is a simple and reliable tool to help the surgeons choose the best size of the acetabular cup and is as reliable as the pre-operative templating in order to avoid cup oversizing in THA. Utmost caution is warranted whenever the cup reamer is > 4 mm than the anterior–posterior diameter of the native head.