Horizontal Line Research Articles

Changes in eyebrow position following blepharoptosis surgery

Background The position of the eyebrows is critical when planning blepharoptosis surgery. However, insufficient scholarly attention has been paid to the details of postoperative eyebrow height changes at each anatomical landmark. This study investigated the effect of blepharoptosis surgery on brow height and evaluated the change in brow position.Methods After a retrospective review of 247 patients, this study analyzed 53 patients (106 eyelids) who underwent levator and Müller’s complex advancement between March 2010 and January 2022. Brow heights were measured from the distance between the upper brow margin of each landmark and horizontal line of pupillary center on a digital photograph.Results The mean change of eyebrow lowering was 1.54 mm (P<0.001) at the medial canthus, 1.29 mm (P<0.001) at the medial limbus, 1.44 mm (P<0.001) at the center of the pupil, 1.40 mm (P<0.001) at the lateral limbus, 1.15 mm (P=0.001) at the lateral canthus, and 0.75 mm (P=0.021) at the lateral eyebrow end. The brow change was most prominent at medial canthus and least prominent at the lateral brow end. The preoperative brow position was only statistically significant factor predicting brow height descent after surgery according to multiple linear regression analysis (R<sup>2</sup>=0.305, B=–0.375, P<0.001).Conclusions The eyebrows lowered in most patients after blepharoptosis surgery. The preoperative brow position is the most important factor in predicting the change in brow height after blepharoptosis surgery.

Clinical application of a fixed reference line in the ultrasound quantitative diagnosis of female pelvic organ prolapse

ObjectiveThis study explored using an improved ultrasound (US) for quantitative evaluation of the degree of pelvic organ prolapse(POP).DesignA transluminal probe was used to standardize ultrasound imaging of pelvic floor organ displacements. A US reference line was fixed between the lower edge of the pubic symphysis and the central axis of the pubic symphysis at a 30°counterclockwise angle.MethodPoints Aa, Ba, C and Bp on pelvic organ prolapse quantification (POP-Q) were then compared with the points on pelvic floor ultrasound (PFUS).ResultsOne hundred thirteen patients were included in the analysis of the standard US plane. Correlations were good in the anterior and middle compartments (PBN:Aa, ICC = 0.922; PBB:Ba, ICC = 0.923; and PC:C, ICC = 0.925), and Bland-Altman statistical maps corresponding to the average difference around the 30°horizontal line were close to 0. Correlations were poor in the posterior compartment (PRA:Bp, ICC = 0.444). However, eight (7.1%) cases of intestinal hernia and 21 (18.6%) cases of rectocele were diagnosed.ConclusionsIntroital PFUS using an intracavitary probe, which is gently placed at the introitus of the urethra and the vagina, may be accurately used to evaluate organ displacement. The application of a 30°horizontal line may improve the repeatability of the US diagnosis of POP.

Effective measurement of starch and dry matter content in fresh cassava tubers using interactance Vis/NIR spectra

The quality of cassava in this study was indexed according to the starch content (SC) and dry matter content (DM). The NIR spectroscopy had the potential to measure changes in SC and DM of field-grown cassava. However, due to the non-homogenous nature of cassava root and its unpredictable shape, measuring it using NIR spectroscopy presents a challenge. Therefore, the model developed from different scanning method (horizontal and vertical lines) and surface (original surface, removed brownish outer layer, and fresh surface) were compared. To demonstrate that the model performance could improve by using a few significant wavelengths, its accuracy was compared using either the full wavelength or individual wavelengths selected by bootstrapping soft shrinkage analysis (BOSS) and competitive adaptive reweighted sampling (CARS) methods. Finally, the impact of physical properties (sample sections, peel thickness, varieties, and ages) on model error were determined. The prediction accuracy was found to depend on the scanning method. Since the model developed using horizontal spectra obviously obtained highest accuracy. The difference in surface had no effect on accuracy based on the horizontal spectra. Therefore, original surface scanning was chosen due to its non-destructive performance. The prediction model using the CARS-PLSR method was considered appropriate for predicting SC and BOSS-PLSR for predicting DM, providing R2cal, r2val, SEP, and ratio of prediction to standard deviation (RPD) of 0.69, 0.66, 3.18%, and 1.81, respectively; and 0.63, 0.54, 4.15%, and 1.50, respectively. In addition, the sample section, variety and peel thickness of the cassava root were not effected in the error of prediction.

Predictive value of nutritional indices for left atrial thrombus in patients with valvular atrial fibrillation

BackgroundThe prognostic nutritional index (PNI) and geriatric nutritional risk index (GNRI) are well known indicators for adverse outcomes in various diseases, but there is no evidence on their association with the risk of left atrial thrombus (LAT) in patients with valvular atrial fibrillation (VAF).MethodsA comparative cross-sectional analytical study was conducted on 433 VAF patients. Demographics, clinical characteristics and echocardiographic data were collected and analyzed. Patients were grouped by the presence of LAT detected by transesophageal echocardiography.ResultsLAT were identified in 142 patients (32.79%). The restricted cubic splines showed an L-shaped relationship between PNI and LAT. The dose-response curve flattened out near the horizontal line with OR = 1 at the level of 49.63, indicating the risk of LAT did not decrease if PNI was greater than 49.63. GNRI was negative with the risk of LAT and tended to be protective when greater than 106.78. The best cut-off values of PNI and GNRI calculated by receiver operating characteristics curve to predict LAT were 46.4 (area under these curve [AUC]: 0.600, 95% confidence interval [CI]:0.541–0.658, P = 0.001) and 105.7 (AUC: 0.629, 95% CI:0.574–0.684, P<0.001), respectively. Multivariable logistic regression analysis showed that PNI ≤ 46.4 (odds ratio: 2.457, 95% CI:1.333–4.526, P = 0.004) and GNRI ≤ 105.7 (odds ratio: 2.113, 95% CI:1.076–4.149, P = 0.030) were independent predictors of LAT, respectively.ConclusionsLower nutritional indices (GNRI and PNI) were associated with increased risk for LAT in patients with VAF.

Method for assessing coating uniformity of angioplasty balloons coated with poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) nanoparticles loaded with quercetin

In this study, we aim to quantify coating uniformity and correlate fluorescence intensity to drug loading for drug-coated angioplasty balloons (DCB) coated with 5, 10, 15, or 20 layers of poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) nanoparticles (NPs) entrapped with quercetin. Uniformity was quantified from histograms and horizontal line profiles of microscopic fluorescent images acquired with sample specific parameters, and cracks in the coating were measured and counted. The fluorescence of images acquired with global parameters was correlated with quercetin loading measured via gravimetric/HPLC analysis. More layers on DCBs may be associated with less uniform coatings, as indicated by differences in histogram standard deviations. The line profile percent deviation from average for each sample was <20%. Cracks were present on all balloons, but their length was not significantly different between samples. The 5-layer DCBs had the fewest cracks, whereas the 15-layer DCBs had the most cracks. A strong positive correlation (R = 0.896) was identified between fluorescence intensity and drug loading. A relationship between the number of layers and coating uniformity seems to exist, but further investigations are required for confirmation. Fluorescence intensity appears to strongly predict drug loading, demonstrating that fluorescent imaging may be a viable alternative to drug release studies.

The left adrenal vein: An important direction for right adrenal venous sampling.

This study aimed to evaluate the guiding role of left adrenal vein (LAV) for right adrenal venous sampling (AVS). A total of 347 patients who were diagnosed with primary aldosteronism (PA) and underwent successful AVS procedures from January 2020 to July 2021 were retrospectively analyzed. According to the different quadrant position of the orifice of right adrenal vein (RAV), the area where the orifice of RAV is located is divided into three areas: A, B, and C and the area A is further subdivided into A1, A2, and A3 areas. By counting the area where the orifice of RAV is located, the guiding role of the LAV on the RAV is determined. Most of the orifice of RAV are located in area A, and the proportions of areas A, B, and C was 96.8%, 1.4%, and 1.7%, respectively. In area A, areas A1, A2, and A3 account for 80.9%, 17.0%, and 2.1%, respectively. High body mass index, female and smaller the angle between the LAV and horizontal line was associated with the closer positional relationship between the LAV on the RAV. These findings suggest that most of the horizontal position of the RAV orifice is close to the horizontal position of the most distal end of the LAV, which indicate that the LAV location can play an important role on the guiding for right AVS. Additionally, body mass index, sex, and the angle of the LAV was largely related to location of the orifice of the RAV.

Reverse Lumbar Pedicle Screw in Oblique Lateral Interbody Fusion: A Novel Concept to Restrict Cage Subsidence.

Cage subsidence is a common morbidity after oblique lumbar interbody fusion (OLIF), with risk of compromising clinical and radiographic outcomes. The study aims to describe an innovative reverse lumbar pedicle screw (RLPS) technique in OLIF and compare its effect on restricting cage subsidence with classical lateral fixation (LF) in radiological and clinical evaluation. Consecutive patients having undergone single-level OLIF-LF/RLPS from 2018 to 2020 were retrospectively reviewed. In OLIF-RLPS, the upper entry point was determined at the intersection between one horizontal line (1 cm above inferior endplate) and one vertical line (dissecting anterior and middle thirds of the vertebra) while the inferior entry point between one horizontal line (5 mm below superior endplate) and the same vertical line. Trajectories were from vertebrae reverse into contralateral pedicle. Radiological evaluation included disc height (DH) and segmental lordosis (SL); cage subsidence was evaluated by DH loss. Clinical assessment included visual analogue scale (VAS) and Oswestry disability index (ODI). Student t or Mann-Whitney U test was used for continuous variation according to normality analysis while Chi-square test for category variation. A total of 29 patients had been enrolled in the study including 14 cases in the RLPS group and 15 cases in the LF group. The DH in the OLIF-RLPS group had increased from the preoperative 9.07 ± 1.73 mm to 13.73 ± 1.83 mm postoperatively, without significant difference compared with the OLIF-LF group during the perioperative, but decreased to 12.53 ± 1.74 mm in 3 months and maintained at 12.00 ± 1.45 mm in 12 months, significantly higher than the OLIF-LF group (p < 0.05). At the last follow-up, 7.1% (1/14) cases in the OLIF-RLPS group had shown subsidence of grade I, significantly less than 46.7% (7/15) cases in the OLIF-LF group. Pain and disability had improved similarly in two groups, without significant difference detected between two groups at the last follow-up. RLPS technique with modified entry points and prolonged trajectory could effectively restrict cage subsidence in OLIF postoperatively compared with traditional lateral fixation.

Microperimetric analysis of eyes after macular hole surgery with indocyanine green staining: a retrospective study

BackgroundIndocyanine green (ICG) aids in the visualization of the internal limiting membrane (ILM). Retinal damage from ICG dye toxicity has been reported through in vitro and in vivo studies. However, the clinical toxic effect of ICG during macular surgery has not been functionally evaluated. In this study, we evaluated functional and structural changes in retinal sensitivity and retinal thickness associated with ICG toxicity using microperimetry before and after ICG-assisted ILM peeling in patients with macular holes.MethodsICG staining was performed only on the macular area below the horizontal line connecting the fovea and optic disc. ILM peeling was performed over the entire macular area inside the vascular arcade. Visual acuity assessment, spectral domain optical coherence tomography, and microperimetry were performed at baseline and one, three, and six months postoperatively. The mean retinal sensitivity of four macular areas was calculated and analyzed.ResultsEleven eyes were included. Macular holes were successfully closed in all patients. Six months postoperatively, retinal sensitivity improved insignificantly in Area 1 (ICG−/ILM−) and Area 2 (ICG−/ILM+) but decreased in Area 4 (ICG+/ILM−). Three months postoperatively, retinal sensitivity significantly decreased in Area 3 (ICG+/ILM+; 26.63 ± 1.80 vs. 25.52 ± 2.08 dB, p = 0.036). However, the statistical significance of this result was lost six months after the surgery (p = 0.059). The change of Gc-IPL thickness in Area 3 was significantly different compared to Area 2 at post-operative 3- and 6-months (p = 0.01, 0.05).ConclusionsRetinal sensitivity decreased three months after ICG-assisted ILM peeling. However, the statistical significance was lost six months after surgery. ICG staining can be performed with caution during macular hole surgery.

A Wearable Vibratory Device (The Emma Watch) to Address Action Tremor in Parkinson Disease: Pilot Feasibility Study.

Parkinson disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative disease that has a wide range of motor symptoms, such as tremor. Tremors are involuntary movements that occur in rhythmic oscillations and are typically categorized into rest tremor or action tremor. Action tremor occurs during voluntary movements and is a debilitating symptom of PD. As noninvasive interventions are limited, there is an ever-increasing need for an effective intervention for individuals experiencing action tremors. The Microsoft Emma Watch, a wristband with 5 vibrating motors, is a noninvasive, nonpharmaceutical intervention for tremor attenuation. This pilot study investigated the use of the Emma Watch device to attenuate action tremor in people with PD. The sample included 9 people with PD who were assessed on handwriting and hand function tasks performed on a digitized tablet. Tasks included drawing horizontal or vertical lines, tracing a star, spiral, writing "elelelel" in cursive, and printing a standardized sentence. Each task was completed 3 times with the Emma Watch programmed at different vibration intensities, which were counterbalanced: high intensity, low intensity (sham), and no vibration. Digital analysis from the tablet captured kinematic, dynamic, and spatial attributes of drawing and writing samples to calculate mathematical indices that quantify upper limb motor function. APDM Opal sensors (APDM Wearable Technologies) placed on both wrists were used to calculate metrics of acceleration and jerk. A questionnaire was provided to each participant after using the Emma Watch to gain a better understanding of their perspectives of using the device. In addition, drawings were compared to determine whether there were any visual differences between intensities. In total, 9 people with PD were tested: 4 males and 5 females with a mean age of 67 (SD 9.4) years. There were no differences between conditions in the outcomes of interest measured with the tablet (duration, mean velocity, number of peaks, pause time, and number of pauses). Visual differences were observed within a small subset of participants, some of whom reported perceived improvement. The majority of participants (8/9) reported the Emma Watch was comfortable, and no problems with the device were reported. There were visually depicted and subjectively reported improvements in handwriting for a small subset of individuals. This pilot study was limited by a small sample size, and this should be taken into consideration with the interpretation of the quantitative results. Combining vibratory devices, such as the Emma Watch, with task specific training, or personalizing the frequency to one's individual tremor may be important steps to consider when evaluating the effect of vibratory devices on hand function or writing ability in future studies. While the Emma Watch may help attenuate action tremor, its efficacy in improving fine motor or handwriting skills as a stand-alone tool remains to be demonstrated.

Understanding pseudopapilledema on spectral domain optical coherence tomography.

Optic nerve head drusen (ONHD), peripapillary hyperreflective ovoid mass-like structures (PHOMS), and horizontal hyperreflective lines (HHL) are commonly seen in eyes with pseudopapilledema on enhanced depth imaging (EDI) spectral domain optical coherence tomography (SDOCT). The objective of this study is to assess the frequency of ONHD, PHOMS, and HHL on spectral domain OCT in the eyes diagnosed to have pseudopapilledema. A retrospective case-control study included patients diagnosed as pseudopapilledema and had EDI SD OCT imaging of the optic nerve head (n = 48 eyes) and controls (n = 20 eyes). OCT scans through the optic nerve head were studied to diagnose ONHD, HHL, and PHOMS. One proportion z test was used to find the difference in proportions. Forty eight eyes of 27 subjects were studied. ONHD as described by the optic disc drusen Studies consortium was noted in 19 eyes (39.48%), P value-0.032, PHOMS in 31 eyes (64.6%), P value 0.043, HL in 19 eyes (39.48%), P value 0.032, and none of the normals had ONHD, PHOMS, and HHL. PHOMS are more frequently seen than ONHD and HHL in eyes with pseudopapilledema.

Leg position effects on the femoral neurovascular bundle location during a direct anterior approach total hip arthroplasty: a radiographic study

BackgroundFemoral neurovascular injury is a serious complication in a direct anterior approach (DAA) total hip arthroplasty. However, dynamic neurovascular bundle location changes during the approach were not examined. Thus, this study aimed to analyze the effects of leg position on the femoral neurovascular bundle location using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).MethodsThis study scanned 30 healthy volunteers (15 males and 15 females) with 3.0T MRI in a supine and 30-degree hip extension position with the left leg in a neutral rotation position and the right leg in a 45-degree external extension position. The minimum distance from the edge of the anterior acetabulum to the femoral nerve (dFN), artery, and vein were measured on axial T1-weighted images at the hip center level, as well as the angle to the horizontal line of the femoral nerve (aFN), artery (aFA), and vein from the anterior acetabulum.ResultsThe dFN in the supine position with external rotation was significantly larger than supine with neutral and extension with external rotation position (20.7, 19.5, and 19.0; p = 0.031 and 0.012, respectively). The aFA in supine with external rotation was significantly larger than in other postures (52.4°, 34.2°, and 36.2°, p < 0.001, respectively). The aFV in supine with external rotation was significantly larger than in supine with a neutral position (52.3° versus 47.7°, p = 0.037). The aFN in supine and external rotation was significantly larger than other postures (54.6, 38.2, and 33.0, p < 0.001, respectively).ConclusionsThis radiographic study revealed that the leg position affected the neurovascular bundle location. These movements can be the risk of direct neurovascular injury or traction.

Study on Motion Mechanism of Suspended Particles in Water Under Ultrasound

Particles in the ultrasonic field by the influence of acoustic radiation force, its motion characteristics will be changed. Based on the simplified ultrasonic cleaning assumption, numerical simulation is used to construct a simulation model of suspended particles in the ultrasonic field in liquid water environment, and to study the law of ultrasonic waves on the motion characteristics of suspended particles in water. The research results show that the ultrasonic arrangement of the array makes the ultrasonic waves produce ultrasonic focusing on the propagation path. The alternating fluctuations of ultrasonic positive and negative sound pressure are in the horizontal line parallel to the bottom, and the vibration amplitude of suspended particles in the middle region is the largest. For the vertical position perpendicular to the bottom, the region with larger vibration amplitude of suspended particles is at 1/5 from the bottom. The particles in the high sound pressure area are pushed to the gathering area, and the particle vibration amplitude in the low sound pressure area is small, which proves that the gathering area of the particles is often the low sound pressure area. The research results will contribute to the study of particle motion in the ultrasonic field.

Correlation between the Tuffier's Line and the Spinopelvic Parameters

Tuffier’s line (TL) is a horizontal line that connects the two superior iliac crests and is used to determine L4 and L5 vertebrae levels. Spinopelvic parameters have been gaining further importance in the diagnosis and treatment planning of spinal diseases. This study aims to reveal whether there is an interaction between TL and spinopelvic parameters. We examined the 113 patients who consulted our clinic for low back pains. TL levels were divided into five categories as L4 body, L4 inferior endplate, L4-5 disc space, L5 superior endplate, and L5 body. In the study group, 70 of the cases (61.9%) were female, 43 (38.1%) were male, and the average age was 50.8 (21–77). TL was determined to pass through L4 body in 38.9% of cases (n=44) regardless of gender. It was observed that sacral slope (SS) and lumbar lordosis (LL) were affected by the changes in TL level (P0.05). SS and LL being affected by changes in TL levels indicates that TL should be assessed together with the spinopelvic parameters. To conclude, TL is a potential spinal parameter that should be included in the spinopelvic parameters.

The Effect of Femtosecond Laser Surface Patterns on the Effectiveness of Resin Composite to Zirconia Bonding.

This laboratory study aimed to evaluate the effect of different surface patterns using femtosecond laser treatment on the enclosed mold shear bond strength (EM-SBS) of resin composite to zirconia (ZrO2) surfaces and to contrast it with the widely used tribochemical silica coating (TBC) surface conditioning method. A set of fifteen rectangular ZrO2 blocks were randomly divided into five groups according to surface pretreatment: Control G0-no treatment; G1-TBC with silane application; G2-femtosecond laser irradiation with horizontal lines 30 µm apart; G3-femtosecond laser irradiation with horizontal lines 15 µm apart; and G4-femtosecond laser irradiation with cross lines 30 µm apart. The pretreated surfaces were characterized by a surface profilometer, tensiometer and scanning electron microscope. The EM-SBS of resin composite stubs to ZrO2 was measured followed by fractographic analysis. The surface roughness and water contact angle were observed to be statistically higher among the femtosecond laser groups compared to the TBC and control groups. The G4 group exhibited the highest EM-SBS among all the groups, irrespective of the ageing conditions used. At the end of 5000 thermocycles, G4 exhibited EM-SBS of 14.05 ± 4.21 MPa compared to 13.80 ± 3.01 MPa in G1 and 5.47 ± 0.97 MPa in G0. The two-way ANOVA revealed a significant effect of both study groups and ageing conditions on the EM-SBS (p < 0.001). Utilization of femtosecond laser technology holds promise as a potential and alternative mechanical retention approach for enhancing the bonding strength of the resin composite to ZrO2.

Numerical simulation of the motion and interaction of bubble pair rising in a quiescent liquid

In the present study, the motion and interaction of a bubble pair rising in a stationary liquid are simulated in two dimensions using the volume of fluid method (VOF) in the open-source CFD package OpenFOAM. For validation, the single bubble rising for different regimes was simulated. Comparing the present study results and previous numerical and experimental results showed that the results have a good agreement. In the present study, the bubble pair is arranged along a horizontal line, and results showed that in 2D domain four different interactions happen between the bubble pair rising based on the Bond (Bo) and Morton (Mo) numbers which are: coalescence, bouncing, zigzagging, and breakup. The simulations are done at three different slopes of the line connecting the center of two bubbles (θ=[0°, 45°, and 90°]), which shows the different arrangements of bubble pairs. At θ=90°, due to the attraction created by the wake of the leading bubble, the trailing bubble gets a significant acceleration in its motion, and will coalesce in the absence of surfactants. The results showed that the value of the trailing bubble velocity increases with decreasing the separation distance between the bubbles. Also, the rising velocity of the trailing bubble is always greater than the velocity of a single bubble due to the attraction effect of the leading bubble’s wake. The drag force of a trailing bubble decreases with decreasing the separation distance between the bubbles. Finally, a general criterion based on dimensionless numbers of Bo and Mo is presented to determine the type of interaction between bubble pair.

Birefringence-derived artifact in optical coherence tomography imaging of the lamina cribrosa in eyes with glaucoma

We investigated birefringence-derived artifacts that potentially mimic focal defects of the lamina cribrosa (focal LC defects) in optical coherence tomography (OCT) imaging of eyes with glaucoma. This study included 74 eyes of 48 patients with glaucoma. Five horizontal line B-scan images of the optic disc were obtained using commercial swept-source OCT. From a dataset of prototype swept-source polarization-diversity OCT, we calculated the following types of OCT images: polarization-dependent, polarization-dependent attenuation-coefficient, polarization-independent, and polarization-independent attenuation-coefficient. We assessed the commercial OCT images for the presence of birefringence-derived artifacts by comparison with the polarization-diversity OCT images. Commercial OCT showed suggestive findings of focal LC defects in 17 of 74 eyes. Reevaluation using polarization-independent OCT revealed that the focal LC defects in one of 17 eyes (5.9%) were actually birefringence-derived artifacts. This study demonstrated the existence of birefringence-derived artifacts mimicking focal LC defects in commercial OCT imaging and indicated that polarization-diversity OCT is an effective tool to evaluate the presence of these artifacts.

Analysis of Electromagnetic Wave and Multipath Suppression from Overhead Perspective

The multipath problem in indoor target detection has always been a long-standing research hotspot. Although there are many solutions to the multipath problem in a horizontal line of sight, the multipath problem of single-station radar from an overhead perspective still needs to be solved. At present, there is a lack of detailed analysis on the multipath propagation law of electromagnetic waves from an overhead perspective. This paper first analyzes the multipath propagation law of overhead perspective and reveals a combination multipath propagation phenomenon that is easily overlooked, which is formed by walls, ground, and targets. In addition, during the analysis process, the influence of coherent sources generated by multipath on angle estimation was fully considered, and verified through simulation and measured data. Then, based on the result of propagation analysis, this paper proposes a multipath ghost target suppression method. This method first establishes a multipath ghost target location dictionary based on building information, and then matches the tracking results with the dictionary to suppress successfully matched multipath ghost targets. Finally, several experiments are carried out to verify the effectiveness of this method.

Volumetric Structure of the Bachat Earthquake (Kuzbass) Aftershock Area and Stress State of Rock Mass under Open-Pit Mine

Abstract —The Bachat earthquake (M = 6.1) with the epicenter coordinates of 54.29° N, 86.17° E occurred on June, 18 2013 near the Bachatsky coal strip mine, is the world’s largest earthquake induced while mining solid minerals. More than 5000 aftershocks were registered and the spatial volumetric structure of the aftershock area was investigated. The Bachat coal field is located in the Salair zone of the Kuznetsk Depression and is represented by a brachysynclinal fold of a very complex structure characterized by the damage and fracturing behaviors of rocks. The main event is confined to the coal-mine pit wall, with the greatest density of aftershocks observed in its middle portion. In the cross section, aftershocks form a wide area with its deepened portion shifted towards the Kuznetsk Depression, while large faults bounding the depression dip down under the Salair Ridge. In the exposed pit wall, at a depth of 4 km, the activated area resembles a rhombus whose horizontal diagonal line runs across the entire length of the mine pit and decreases both in upward and downward directions. The area is seismically activated to a depth of 6 km, with more intense activation of rock mass observed within the 1–3 km depth interval. Results of the study of the mechanisms of aftershock sources revealed a disagreement between the stress state of rock mass of the Bachatsky open-pit coal mine modeled from the mechanisms of aftershocks, and the mainshock mechanism of the Bachat earthquake.

FRI006 Appetite And Food Intake-regulating Hormones In Patients With Craniopharyngioma

Abstract Disclosure: C.S. Martins: None. M.C. Nogueira: None. A. Bueno: None. A.S. Berbel-Júnior: None. A.C. Moreira: None. S.R. Antonini: None. M. De Castro: None. Purpose: In patients with adamantinomatous craniopharyngiomas (aCP), hypothalamic obesity may occur due to hypothalamic involvement by the tumor or therapeutic interventions. Studies on appetite sensations and modulation of orexigenic and anorexigenic hormones may contribute to understand the pathogenesis of obesity in aCP patients. Patients and Methods: Fifteen patients (9F, 6M; 31.1±12.0 years) presenting aCP submitted to surgical resection and 15 controls paired by sex, age (31±11.7 years) and Body Mass Index (BMI) were evaluated. Leptin and adiponectin were measured in basal conditions, whereas glucose, insulin, GLP-1, PYY and ghrelin levels were assessed in basal conditions and 30, 60, 120 and 180 minutes after a standard meal test consisted by 70 g of hyposodic soy protein isolate-based powder diluted in 250 mL water to be consumed in up to 10 minutes, resulting in a drink of 315 Kcal with 44.1 g carbohydrate, 10.5 g fat, and 11.0 g protein (56%, 30%, and 14% of total calories, respectively). At the same time points, sensations of hunger, fullness and prospective food consumption were measured by a Visual Analogic Scale (VAS) composed of horizontal lines. Individuals were asked to mark across the line the point correspondent to their sensations, and the distance to the left end of the line was quantified. The term “hunger” was evaluated by the question “How much hunger do you feel?” The answers at the VAS were “I’m not hungry at all” and “I’ve never been so hungry.” The feeling of fullness was evaluated by the question “How satisfied are you?” and the answers were “I am completely empty” and “I am completely full.” Prospective consumption was evaluated by the question “How much do you think you can eat?” and the answers were “nothing” and “too much”. Results: Patients’ BMI were 30.9 ± 7.6 kg/m2. In aCP patients, differently from controls, the decrease of hunger from baseline to 60 minutes after the meal was not observed, demonstrating a more transient reduction in the sensation of hunger. In addition, a decrease of fullness sensation from 30 to 120 minutes (p=0.03) was observed, demonstrating a less durable sensation of fullness. There was a tendency towards higher fasting leptin concentrations in patients with aCP (p=0.06), while adiponectin levels were lower in patients (p=0.002). Insulin (p=0.01) and HOMA-IR (p=0.001) were higher in aCP patients compared to controls at 3 hours after meal, whereas GLP-1 (P=0.03) and PYY (p=0.02) were higher at 2 hours after the meal. PYY and ghrelin showed earlier postprandial rise and fall, respectively, in aCP patients. Conclusions: After the test, aCP patients exhibited more transient reduction in the sensation of hunger and less durable sensation of fullness than controls. Changes in appetite sensations and unregulated secretion of orexigenic and anorexigenic hormones may contribute to increased food intake and to the pathogenesis of obesity in aCP patients. Presentation: Friday, June 16, 2023

EFFECT OF TEXTURED CUTTING INSERTS IN MICRO-TURNING OF TI-6AL-4V ALLOYS

There is an increasing demand for higher machining quality and service life of the cutting tools used for the machining of high-strength alloys. Various studies revealed that textured cutting tools could improve the cutting performance by enhancing the tribological characteristics of the cutting regime. Advances in precision machining enabled the creation of micro/nano-textures on tool surfaces with excellent dimensional control. In this work, distinct micro designs, viz. horizontal line, vertical line and cross-hatch, are made, varying the pitch on the rake faces of coated carbide cutting inserts (CCMT060202LF KC5010). An in-house micro-turning machine was utilized to perform all the experiments in dry-cutting conditions. Micro-turning operations were performed using plain and textured inserts and varying the cutting parameters under dry conditions. The effectiveness of micro-scale textures at a contact interface was evaluated based on the cutting forces, tool flank wear and surface roughness. Compared to non-textured inserts, the machining using cross-hatch textured inserts with 100 µm pitch resulted in 50 % lower cutting forces, a 45 % improved surface finish and 37 % reduced tool flank wear. When machining with horizontal-line textured inserts with a 100 µm pitch, cutting forces are reduced by 46 %, the surface finish is enhanced by 34 % and the tool flank wear is lowered by 30 %. Similarly, when machining with vertical-line textured inserts with a 100 µm pitch, cutting forces are minimized by 38 %, the surface finish is improved by 20 % and the tool flank wear is lowered by 26 %. Additionally, a durability test was conducted for the inserts, and the results showed that the cross-hatch textured tool life improved by 80 %, the life of the horizontal-line textured tool increased by 50 % and the life of the vertical-line textured tool increased by 40 % compared to plain inserts. The heat dissipation and tool-chip friction during machining are thus significantly influenced by the texturing, namely by its design, dimensions and orientation.