Shape Categories Research Articles

Quantification and morphological characterization of plastic litter (0.30-100mm) in surface waters of off Colombo, west coast of Sri Lanka.

This study focused on quantification and morphological characterization of plastics (0.30-100mm) at seven sites, namely, Uswetakeiyawa, Kerawalapitiya, Dikowita, Modera, Kollupitiya, Bambalapitiya, and Wellawatta along the west coast, off Colombo, in August, October, and November, 2017. Samples were collected by dragging the floating net with a mesh size of 300μm horizontally at the surface. The collected samples were analyzed using standard methods to quantify the plastics in terms of size, color, and shape. The mean abundance (± SE) of total plastics recovered from off Colombo was 140.34 ± 15.23 items/m3 (0.30-100mm) by number and 0.66 ± 0.16mg/m3 (1-100mm) by weight (n = 63). The significantly higher abundance (± SE) of total plastics (0.30-100mm) was found at Wellawatta (229.40 ± 46.39 items/m3) and Modera (201.28 ± 62.13 items/m3) than that of other sites (p < 0.05). Nevertheless, the 99.60% of the plastics collected were small microplastics within the size range of 0.30-1mm. Only mesoplastics were significantly varied among sites by weight with significantly high abundance in Kerawalapitiya (0.71 ± 0.31mg/m3) than that of other sites (p < 0.05). The composition analysis of shape categories indicated that filaments were dominated in coastal area off Colombo with 61% followed by fragments (25%) and films (14%). The color categorization of plastics revealed that colored plastics are predominant with 47% by the number of items followed by white, transparent, and black in off Colombo. According to the results, all study sites are affected by plastic contamination and cause significant health risk on coastal biota. Microplastic contamination level in surface waters acts as a key indicator on high pollution level in the west coast.

Types, occurrence, and distribution of microplastics and metals contamination in sediments from south west of Kerkennah archipelago, Tunisia.

Microplastics (MPs) are one of the most significant solid waste pollutants in the marine environment and accumulate in sediments around worldwide. In this study, the pollution level, the type, occurrence, and distribution of MPs in sediments from the southwestern Kerkennah archipelago, Tunisia, were investigated. Sediment samples were collected from 20 adjacent sites through three "lines L1, L2, and L3." MPs were separated from sediment by density flotation (NaCl, 1.2gcm-3) and characterized in terms of shape, size, and color using microscope. The accumulation of toxic chemicals such as trace metals on microplastics was measured by atomic absorption microwave-assisted acid extraction. Polymer types were identified using FTIR-ATR spectroscopy. This study showed that microplastics were found in all samples, which emphasized that their extensive distribution throughout three lines by an average abundance of "MPs" was 611 items/m2. Among the shape categories of plastic particles, fiber and fragment were the most dominant frequent shapes (94%). The more frequent colors found were white (52.7%) and transparent (35.1%). Regarding the sizes, the microplastics below 1mm were the most common accounting for 97% of all plastics. Results of trace metals Zn, Cu, Pb, Cr, and Ni in sediments with concentrations were reported as 3.48μg/g, 0.41μg/g, 0.38μg/g, 0.33μg/g, and 0.12μg/g, respectively. Graphical abstract.

Children’s Use of Generic Labels, Discreteness, and Stability to Form a Novel Category

ABSTRACT Children hold rich essentialist beliefs about natural and social categories, representing them as discrete (mutually exclusive with sharp boundaries) and stable (with membership remaining constant over an individual’s lifespan). Children use essential categories to make inductive inferences about individuals. How do children determine what categories to consider essential and to use as an inductive base? Although much research has demonstrated children’s use of labels to form categories, here we explore whether children might also use the observed discreteness or stability of a trait to form categories based on that trait. In the present study, we taught children about novel creatures and provided them with a cue (discreteness, stability, labels, or no cue) to form texture categories rather than shape or color categories. Experiment 1 found that children (4–6 years, n = 140) used labels but not discreteness or stability cues to form texture categories more often than at baseline. Experiment 2 (5–6 years, n = 152) found that children who later recognized the stability and discreteness cues used them to form categories more often than those who did not later recognize the cues, but were still overall less likely to use these cues than to use labels cues. Results underscore the unique importance of labels as a cue for category formation and suggest that children do not readily rely on the stability and discreteness of a trait to form animate categories despite readily inferring that such categories are stable and discrete. Implications for natural and social category representations are discussed.

Multi-dimensional machine learning approaches for fruit shape phenotyping in strawberry.

BackgroundShape is a critical element of the visual appeal of strawberry fruit and is influenced by both genetic and non-genetic determinants. Current fruit phenotyping approaches for external characteristics in strawberry often rely on the human eye to make categorical assessments. However, fruit shape is an inherently multi-dimensional, continuously variable trait and not adequately described by a single categorical or quantitative feature. Morphometric approaches enable the study of complex, multi-dimensional forms but are often abstract and difficult to interpret. In this study, we developed a mathematical approach for transforming fruit shape classifications from digital images onto an ordinal scale called the Principal Progression of k Clusters (PPKC). We use these human-recognizable shape categories to select quantitative features extracted from multiple morphometric analyses that are best fit for genetic dissection and analysis.ResultsWe transformed images of strawberry fruit into human-recognizable categories using unsupervised machine learning, discovered 4 principal shape categories, and inferred progression using PPKC. We extracted 68 quantitative features from digital images of strawberries using a suite of morphometric analyses and multivariate statistical approaches. These analyses defined informative feature sets that effectively captured quantitative differences between shape classes. Classification accuracy ranged from 68% to 99% for the newly created phenotypic variables for describing a shape.ConclusionsOur results demonstrated that strawberry fruit shapes could be robustly quantified, accurately classified, and empirically ordered using image analyses, machine learning, and PPKC. We generated a dictionary of quantitative traits for studying and predicting shape classes and identifying genetic factors underlying phenotypic variability for fruit shape in strawberry. The methods and approaches that we applied in strawberry should apply to other fruits, vegetables, and specialty crops.

No evidence for mnemonic modulation of interocularly suppressed visual input

Visual working memory (VWM) allows for keeping visual information available for upcoming goal-directed behavior, while new visual input is processed concurrently. Interactions between the mnemonic and perceptual systems cause VWM to affect the processing of visual input in a content-specific manner: visual input that is initially suppressed from consciousness is detected faster when it matches rather than mismatches the content of VWM. It is currently under debate whether such mnemonic influences on perception occur prior to or after conscious access. To address this issue, we investigated whether VWM content modulates the neural response to visual input that remains suppressed from consciousness. We measured fMRI responses to interocularly suppressed stimuli in 20 human participants performing a delayed match-to-sample task: Participants were retro-cued to memorize one of two geometrical shapes for subsequent recognition. During retention, an interocularly suppressed peripheral stimulus (the probe) was briefly presented, which was either of the cued (memorized) or uncued (not memorized) shape category. We found no evidence that VWM content modulated the neural response to the probe. Substantial evidence for the absence of this modulation was found despite leveraging a highly liberal analysis approach: (1) selecting regions of interest that were particularly prone to detecting said modulation, and (2) using directional Bayesian tests favoring the presence of the hypothesized modulation. We did observe faster detection of memory-matching compared to memory-mismatching probes in a behavioral control experiment, thus validating the stimulus set. We conclude that VWM impacts the processing of visual input only once suppression is mostly alleviated.

Shape Analysis of Peripheral Zone Observations on Prostate DWI: Correlation to Histopathology Outcomes After Radical Prostatectomy.

OBJECTIVE. The objective of our study was to subjectively and quantitatively assess shape features of peripheral zone (PZ) tumors at DWI compared with pathologic outcomes. MATERIALS AND METHODS. During the study period, 241 consecutive men with PZ dominant prostate tumors underwent 3-T MRI including DWI before undergoing radical prostatectomy. DW images of these patients were retrospectively assessed by two blinded radiologists. The reviewers assigned Prostate Imaging Reporting and Data System (PI-RADS) shape categories (round or oval, crescentic [i.e., conforming to PZ], linear or wedge-shaped) and segmented tumors for quantitative shape analysis. Discrepancies were resolved by consensus. Comparisons were performed with Gleason score (GS) and pathologic stage. RESULTS. Consensus review results were as follows: 63.9% (154/241) of tumors were round or oval; 22.8% (55/241), crescentic; and 13.3% (32/241), linear or wedge-shaped. Agreement for shape assessment was moderate (κ = 0.41). Round or oval tumors were higher grade (GS 6 = 1.3%, GS 7 = 78.0%, GS ≥ 8 = 20.7%) than crescentic tumors (GS 6 = 9.1%, GS 7 = 74.6%, GS ≥ 8 = 16.3%) and linear or wedge-shaped tumors (GS 6 = 6.3%, GS 7 = 78.1%, GS ≥ 8 = 15.6%) (p = 0.011). In addition, round or oval tumors had higher rates of extraprostatic extension (EPE) and seminal vesicle invasion (SVI) (EPE and SVI: 70.1% and 26.0%) than crescentic tumors (67.3% and 9.1%; p = 0.003) and linear or wedge-shaped tumors (40.6% and 9.4%; p = 0.008). Quantitatively, the shape features termed "circularity" and "roundness" were associated with EPE (p < 0.001 and p = 0.003), SVI (p < 0.001 and p = 0.029), and increasing GS (p = 0.009 and p = 0.021), but there was overlap between groups. CONCLUSION. In this study, approximately 10% of resected PZ tumors were linear or wedge-shaped on DWI. PZ tumors that were judged subjectively and evaluated quantitatively to be round or oval were associated with increased prostate cancer aggressiveness.

An Investigation of Master Student Understanding on Mathematical Literacy Problems

Indonesian government has been promoting the National Literacy Movement since 2016 to response disappointing results of the Program for International Student Assessment on literacy and mathematical literacy skills of students. This movement involves many parties, including educational universities, to prepare mathematics education students of master level, as prospective teachers or lecturers, to understand mathematical literacy. To investigate this condition, this study aims to analyze master student understanding on mathematical literacy problems. To do so, we conducted an online survey via Google Form involving 32 master students from several universities in Bandung. In this survey, each master student was called for sending two mathematics problems and solutions that considered to be literacy problems. The results revealed that 17 (53%) involved master students understand mathematical literacy problems. The most frequent category of literacy problems to appear was Change and Relationship followed by categories of Space and Shape, Uncertainty and Data, and Quantity, respectively. Another result showed that word problems seemed to be regarded as the same as mathematical literacy problems by some students. We conclude that master student understanding of mathematical literacy needs to be improved for facing future educational careers.

Increasing Perceptual Salience Diminishes the Motor Interference Effect From Dangerous Objects.

Existing research has indicated that dangerous objects may conflict with an individual’s prepared motor actions and thus slow responses. This phenomenon is called the motor interference effect from dangerous objects. However, its origin remains arguable. The current study aimed to preclude an alternative origin and to investigate whether the efficiency of processing a prepared response toward a dangerous object could benefit from increasing the perceptual salience of the object by painting the object red. The design used a shape categorization task to emphasize the dangerous elements of target objects and manipulated target color (gray versus red), target dangerousness (safe versus dangerous) and prime-target congruency (congruent versus incongruent). The null effect of N2 amplitudes between the dangerous and safe conditions precluded the alternative origin and suggested that the motor interference effect did not originate from response inhibition. Furthermore, the results indicated a modulation effect of the motor interference effect in different colors. The classic motor interference effect was observed in the gray target condition, but it diminished in the red target condition. The underlying cognitive processes were reflected in ERPs. More positive P2 and frontal P3 amplitudes were identified in the red target condition than in the gray target condition, which indicated that deeper feature detection was assigned to and more attentional resources were automatically recruited for the red targets than for the gray targets. Analysis of the parietal P3 amplitudes identified a similar result pattern as the mean RTs. A more positive P3 amplitude was identified in the dangerous condition than in the safe condition when the targets were painted gray. In contrast, the P3 amplitudes were identical between the dangerous condition and the safe condition when the targets were painted red. The results indicated that the increased attentional resources facilitated the evaluation of red target dangerousness and thus accelerated reactions to the red dangerous targets; the reaction speeds to those targets were close to those for the reaction speeds to the red safe targets. Detailed processes that underline these components are discussed.

Effect of breast tissue marker on MRI evaluation for breast lesions and clinical significance

Objective This study compares the magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) appearance of two types of breast tissue markers to investigate the appropriate clinical application of the markers. Methods Breast MRI of 69 patients (78 masses) with breast tissue markers had been placed were analyzed retrospectively from November 2015 to August 2018 in our hospital. The sizes and shapes of breast tissue markers were assessed in axial fat-suppressed T2-weighted images, T1-weighted images and contrast-enhanced T1-weighed images. Results The length of the coil nickel-free stainless steel markers were greater than ribbon titanium markers, with statistical difference in fat-suppressed T2-weighted images (P=0.039). In contrast-enhanced T1-weighted images, all coil nickel-free stainless steel markers showed >6 mm diameter and round shape, and ribbon titanium markers showed >6 mm diameter (n=20) or ≤6 mm diameter (n=8), and round (n=20), dot (n=7) or band (n=1) shapes. The categories of sizes and shapes in two types of breast tissue markers both had statistical significance (P<0.001, P<0.001). Conclusions Small breast lesions with breast tissue markers are not suitable for MRI evaluation. The artifact of ribbon titanium markers is smaller than coil nickel-free stainless steel markers, so they have less impact for lesions. The choice of the breast tissue markers and image evaluation methods should depend on the different clinical conditions. Key words: Magnetic resonance imaging; Breast neoplasms; Fiducial markers; Titanium; Stainless steel

Categorization of lower body shapes of abdominal obese men using a script-based 3D body measurement software

The objectives of this study are to identify the principal components that represent distinctive shapes from the silhouette and profile views of the lower body shapes of abdominal obese Korean men and to categorize their body types. Using 3D scans of 625 men aged 35–64 in the 6th SizeKorea dataset, 173 scans (27.7%) of men in ‘abdominal obese’ category (BMI value of 25, waist girth to height ratio of 0.53, and waist girth to hip girth ratio of 0.9 or higher) were utilized. We developed a script to measure 38 items such as front/back crotch length and front/back depths and angles using the SNU-BM program, which is a script-based automated 3D body scan measurement software. The measurements used for principal component (PC) analysis were 31 drops, 2 heights, 2 lengths and 4 angles. Ten PCs representing distinctive silhouettes and profiles of lower body shapes were extracted. The PCs were interpreted as follows: abdomen prominence, thigh to knee profile, upper buttocks prominence, waist to hip drop, thigh to knee silhouette, lower body tilt angle, waist to crotch length, vertical height, abdomen to crotch height, and lower buttocks slope. The three body shape groups were categorized using a K means cluster analysis with ten PC scores. Group 1 had a flat abdomen but prominent buttocks. Group 2 had a developed abdomen and buttocks with vertical thighs. Group 3 had drooped buttocks with tilted thighs.

A novel optimization approach to minimize aggregate-fit-loss for improved breast sizing

Ready-to-wear clothing is typically based on the body-shape of human fit models that an apparel company hires. The body-shape difference between a consumer and the fit model of their size results in fit-loss of a certain degree. Aggregate-fit-loss is a concept attempting to quantify and estimate the accumulative fit-loss that a population may encounter. This paper reports on a novel method that minimizes the aggregate-fit-loss of a sizing system for bras, through shape categorization and optimized selection of prototypes (which can be regarded as the most appropriate fit models, or standard dress forms) for the categorized groups. A fit-loss function was introduced that calculates the dissimilarity between any two three-dimensional body scans, via pointwise comparisons of the point-to-origin distances of 9000 points on the scan surface. The within-group aggregate-fit-loss is minimized by an algorithm that returns the optimal prototype for the group. The overall aggregate-fit-loss is reduced by breast shape categorization based on the dissimilarities between the scans. Finally, the constraint of band sizes was brought into the categorization to provide a more feasible solution for improved bra sizing. The findings of this study can also contribute to the optimization of sizing systems for other apparel products.

Comparing Shape Categorization to Circularity Measurement in the Evaluation of Median Nerve Compression Using Sonography.

This study aimed to develop a subjective categorization of nerve shape and to examine the relationship of shape categorizations to measurement of nerve circularity. Wrists were evaluated with sonography in healthy participants. Images of the median nerve were obtained in the transverse plane at the level of pisiform with the fingers resting, gripping, and pinching. Nerves were categorized as ovoid, angular, or irregular, and the cross-sectional area and perimeter were measured to calculate nerve circularity. Across 167 participants, the median nerve shifted from being primarily ovoid at rest to angular shaped when the fingers were in a full fist or pinching. Approximately three-quarters of subjects exhibited a shape change during dynamic movement. Irregular nerves had the lowest circularity values; however, the majority of nerves had similar circularity measures despite having different shapes. Subjective categorization of shape has the potential to be a valid technique for evaluation of the median nerve using sonography, and this evaluation may provide additional information regarding nerve compression that is not fully captured by a circularity measure. Further investigation is needed to determine how these two techniques may be best used individually or together to advance clinical diagnosis, prevention, and rehabilitative interventions.

Deep Image Sensing and Retrieval Using Suppression, Scale Spacing and Division, Interpolation and Spatial Color Coordinates With Bag of Words for Large and Complex Datasets

Intelligent and efficient image retrieval from versatile image datasets is an inevitable requirement of the current era. Primitive image signatures are vital to reflect the visual attributes for content based image retrieval (CBIR). Algorithmically descriptive and well identified visual contents form the image signatures to correctly index and retrieve similar results. Hence feature vectors should contain ample image information with color, shape, objects, spatial information perspectives to distinguish image category as a qualifying candidate. This contribution presents a novel features detector by locating the interest points by applying non-maximum suppression to productive sum of derivative of pixels computed from differential of corner scores. The interest points are described by applying scale space interpolation to scale space division produced from Hessian blob detector resulted after Gaussian smoothing. The computed shape and object information is fused with color features extracted from the spatially arranged L2 normalized coefficients. High variance coefficients are selected for object based feature vectors to reduce the massive data which in fuse form transformed to bag-of-words (BoW) for efficient retrieval and ranking. To check the competitiveness of the presented approach it is experimented on nine well-known image datasets Caltech-101, ImageNet, Corel-10000, 17-Flowers, Columbia object image library (COIL), Corel-1000, Caltech-256, tropical fruits and Amsterdam library of textures (ALOT) belong to shape, color, texture, and spatial & complex objects categories. Extensive experimentation is conducted for seven benchmark descriptors including maximally stable extremal region (MSER), speeded up robust features (SURF), difference of Gaussian (DoG), red green blue local binary pattern (RGBLBP), histogram of oriented gradients (HOG), scale invariant feature transform (SIFT), and local binary pattern (LBP). Remarkable outcomes reported that the presented technique has significant precision rates, recall rates, average retrieval precision & recall, mean average precision & recall rates for many image semantic groups of the challenging datasets. Results comparison is presented with research techniques and reported improved results.

Movable morphisms in strong shape category

In [3], [4] and [8] we introduced and studied various types of movability for the (ordinary) shape morphisms and maps. In the present paper we use those ideas to define some movability properties for strong shape morphisms. As an application a theorem on strong shape equivalences is proved.

Functional Outcomes, Quantitative Morphometry, and Aesthetic Analysis of Articulated Alar Rim Grafts in Septorhinoplasty.

The design, use, and indications for the articulated alar rim graft (AARG) and the functional and aesthetic improvements that can be achieved have not been fully characterized. To analyze the functional and aesthetic outcomes of AARG placement on nasal airway function, nasal base shape change, and appearance. A case series study of patients who underwent septorhinoplasty with placement of AARG at University of California, Irvine Medical Center, from 2015 to 2018 was carried out. Surgical data recorded included stage of rhinoplasty (primary vs revision), use of spreader grafts, rim grafts (and dimensions), caudal septal extension graft (CSEG), lateral crural tensioning (LCT), and turbinate reductions. Preoperative and postoperative Nasal Obstruction Symptom Evaluation Survey (NOSE) surveys were analyzed and correlated with AARG geometry, use of CSEG, and the LCT maneuver. Preoperative and postoperative alar base views were evaluated by fitting base shape to a parametric numerical model to categorize each to 1 of 6 shape categories. Blinded reviewers rated alar furrow severity and the alar ridge presence using a Likert scale for both preoperative and postoperative images to subjectively gauge aesthetic outcomes. Overall, 90 patients with both preoperative and postoperative NOSE scores who underwent septorhinoplasty and placement of an AARG were included. Of the 90 patients, 60 were women (mean age, 38.2 years). Patient NOSE scores (70.4 preoperatively to 25.1 postoperatively) significantly improved from preoperation to postoperation (P < .001), regardless of AARG size, CSEG, or LCT. Alar base shape parametric analysis showed preoperative to postoperative improvements were significant for anterior-to-posterior ratio mass distribution (95% CI, -0.16 to 0.02; P = .05) and vertical projection-to-horizontal base width ratio (95% CI, 0.01-0.32; P = .02) in flat noses and cloverleafing for narrow noses (95% CI, -0.05 to -0.01; P = .001); enhancement approached significance for reduction in lateral scalloping in cloverleaf noses (P = .06). Aesthetic analysis showed that there was a statistically significant improvement for the alar furrow (95% CI, -0.68 to -0.29 for rater 1; -0.54 to -0.27 for rater 2; and -0.59 to -0.27 for rater 3; P < .001) for all raters and for the alar ridge (95% CI, 0.16-0.48; P < .001) for 1 rater. To our knowledge, this is the first study to demonstrate that AARG use is associated with statistically significant improvement in NOSE scores. Placement of AARGs may improve posterior mass ratios in flat noses and lateral cloverleafing in narrow noses as suggested by quantitative shape change parameter analysis. The placement of AARGs was associated with aesthetic and functional enhancement in the cloverleaf deformity, which is associated with a prominent alar furrow, and often external nasal valve collapse. Patient selection is key when placing AARGs. NA.

Contour analysis for interpretable leaf shape category discovery

BackgroundThe categorical description of leaf shapes is of paramount importance in ecology, taxonomy and paleobotanical studies. Classification systems proposed by domain experts support these descriptions. Despite the importance of these visual descriptive systems, classifications based on this expert’s knowledge may be ambiguous or limited when representing shapes in unknown scenarios, as expected for biological exploratory domains. This work proposes a novel strategy to automatically discover the shape categories in a set of unlabeled leaves by only using the leaf-shape information. In particular, we overcome the task of discovering shape categories from different plant species for three different biological settings.ResultsThe proposed method may successfully infer the unknown underlying shape categories with an F-score greater than 92%.ConclusionsThe approach also provided high levels of visual interpretability, an essential requirement in the description of biological objects. This method may support morphological analysis of biological objects in exploratory domains.

Observer Reliability of CT Tibiofibular Line for Syndesmosis Reduction Assessment

Category:AnkleIntroduction/Purpose:When necessary, surgical treatment of ankle syndesmosis disruption typically yields excellent functional outcomes. That is, when the syndesmosis is correctly reduced. However, accurate reduction of the ankle syndesmosis is difficult to achieve reproducibly. A clinically important step would be to translate the precision of a computed tomography (CT)-based technique for syndesmosis reduction accuracy assessment into a validated clinical approach. Reb et al. previously demonstrated the clinical feasibility of translating the CT tibiofibular line (CT-TFL) to a clinical technique. However, this study raised questions regarding several potentially significant confounding effects. These included the effects of fibula morphology. The present study evaluated the validity and reliability of the CT-TFL technique, particularly with regard to variations in fibula morphology.Methods:An IRB approved, retrospective cross sectional study of consecutive foot and ankle CT scans obtained for non-ankle complaints and without radiographic evidence of ankle injury or prior surgery. 3 trained observers repeatedly performed measurements on the 52 patients meeting criteria. Anterolateral fibula shape was categorized in the axial plane 10 mm superior to the plafond. The CT-TFL was drawn contacting the longest section of straight anterolateral cortical surface of fibula with this length recorded. The CT-TFL distance measurement was made connecting the CT-TFL to the closest point of tibial surface (Figure 1). Means, standard deviations, and 95% confidence intervals were calculated for continuous variables and frequencies were calculated for categorical variables. Intraobserver and interobserver consistency were assessed using intraclass correlation for continuous variables and Fleiss’ kappa for categorical variables. The optimal range of straight anterolateral fibula cortical length was determined by plotting CT-TFL contact length versus observer consistency of CT-TFL distances.Results:Mean fibula cortical contact length ranged from 3.74 mm (95% CI 3.24 to 4.24 mm) to 11.45 mm (95% CI 11.21 to 11.69mm). Mean TFL distance ranged from -2.83 mm (95% CI -3.65 to -2.00) to 5.03 mm (95% CI 4.48 to 5.57 mm). Intraobserver and interobserver consistencies were excellent (minimum ICC, 0.87) for these measurements. For fibula shape categorization, intraobserver consistency ranged from substantial to almost perfect (Fleiss’ Kappa range, 0.73 to 0.97). However, interobserver consistency was moderate (Fleiss’ Kappa, 0.55). 6 mm to 10 mm of fibula contact length corresponded to a minimum of excellent observer consistency for CT-TFL distance (ICC 0.80 to 0.98).Conclusion:The study refines and expands upon the initial description of the CT-TFL technique. Among uninjured syndesmoses, a broader range of CT-TFL values were observed than previously reported, including negative values of which some were relatively large. Instead of fibula shape, anterolateral fibula cortical contact length was more useful in discerning which subjects were best suited for this technique. Excellent observer consistency occurred when 6 mm to 10 mm of fibula contact length was present. These results support the validity of the TFL technique and further characterize its role in the clinical setting.

Categorization and Analysis of Nasal Base Shapes Using a Parametric Model.

Nasal base view is important for rhinoplasty analysis. Although some descriptors of nasal base shape exist, they are largely subjective and qualitative. To evaluate a parametric model of nasal base shape and compare it with categorization by surgeons to create an objective classification system for clinical evaluation and communication. Retrospective cohort review of deidentified photographs of 420 patients evaluated for possible facial plastic surgery at a tertiary care academic medical center between January 2013 and June 2017. The nasal bases were classified into 6 shape categories (equilateral, boxy, cloverleaf, flat, round, and narrow) via visual inspection. The contour of each nasal base was traced using MATLAB software (MathWorks Inc). The software then performed a curve fit to the parametric model with output of values for 5 parameters: projection-to-width ratio, the anterior-posterior positioning of the tip bulk, symmetry, degree of lateral recurvature of the nasal base, and size. The differences among shape categories for each parameter were analyzed using 1-way analysis of variance. Pairwise comparisons were then performed to ascertain how the various shapes differed. Finally, a multinomial logistic regression model was used to predict nasal base shape using parameter values. Data were analyzed between April 2017 and January 2018. An algorithm that categorized nasal base shapes into 6 categories. The 420 nasal base photographs of patients evaluated for possible plastic surgery were categorized into 1 of 6 categories; 305 photographs were readily classified, and the remaining 115 were termed unclassified and were categorized. For both the classified and unclassified nasal base groups, there were statistically significant differences between projection-to-width ratio (classified, F5,299 = 21.51; unclassified, F4,100 = 10.59; P < .001), the anterior-posterior positioning of the tip bulk (classified, F5,299 = 3.76; P = .003; unclassified, F4,110 = 4.54; P = .002), and degree of lateral recurvature of the nasal base (classified, F5,299 = 24.14; unclassified, F4,100 = 7.21; P < .001). A multinomial logistic regression model categorization was concordant with surgeon categorization in 201 of 305 (65.9%) cases of classified nasal bases and 38 of 115 (33.0%) unclassified nasal bases. The parametric model may provide an objective and numerical approach to analyzing nasal base shape. NA.

Encoding Pleasant and Unpleasant Expression of the Architectural Window Shapes: An ERP Study.

The evaluation of building facades is one of the most important elements in built environments for helping architects and professionals to develop future designs. The form or shape of windows in building facades has direct impacts on perceivers’ affective state and emotions. To understand the impacts of geometric windows on the subject’s feedback and cortical activity, psychophysics experiments and electroencephalogram (EEG) recordings were measured from the participants. Our behavioral results show a distinguished categorization of the window shapes as pleasant and unpleasant stimuli. The rectangular, square, circular and semi-circular arch were determined as the pleasant window shapes, while the triangular and triangular arch window shapes were distinguished as unpleasant. Furthermore, event-related potential (ERP) components (N1, P2 and P3) were investigated to determine the influence of window shapes on the local brain activity. To measure reliable cortical responses, a Butterworth notch filter (50 Hz), band pass filter (0.1–60 Hz) and ADJUST filter were employed to remove the artifacts. The electrophysiological results show increased activity for the unpleasant in comparison to the pleasant windows (p < 0.05, Rank-Sum test) in both frontal (for P2 component) and posterio-occipital (ERP amplitudes; the N1 through to the P3 peak) channels. The ERP amplitudes of the right hemisphere were significantly larger than in the left hemisphere, not only in response to the unpleasant (p < 0.001) but also to the pleasant window stimuli (p < 0.001, Signed-Rank test). However, the unpleasant stimuli evoked significantly larger ERP amplitude than the pleasant stimuli. Moreover, the significant ERPP2 amplitude was more distinguished for unpleasant (p = 0.01, Signed-Rank test) than pleasant windows (p = 0.01, Rank-Sum test) between frontal and central cortical lobes. Overall, our behavioral and electrophysiological studies demonstrate a distinguished categorization of pleasant and unpleasant window shapes and more significant ERP modulations in the right than left hemisphere for unpleasant windows compared to pleasant ones.

Quantitative Imaging features Improve Discrimination of Malignancy in Pulmonary nodules

Pulmonary nodules are frequently detected radiological abnormalities in lung cancer screening. Nodules of the highest- and lowest-risk for cancer are often easily diagnosed by a trained radiologist there is still a high rate of indeterminate pulmonary nodules (IPN) of unknown risk. Here, we test the hypothesis that computer extracted quantitative features (“radiomics”) can provide improved risk-assessment in the diagnostic setting. Nodules were segmented in 3D and 219 quantitative features are extracted from these volumes. Using these features novel malignancy risk predictors are formed with various stratifications based on size, shape and texture feature categories. We used images and data from the National Lung Screening Trial (NLST), curated a subset of 479 participants (244 for training and 235 for testing) that included incident lung cancers and nodule-positive controls. After removing redundant and non-reproducible features, optimal linear classifiers with area under the receiver operator characteristics (AUROC) curves were used with an exhaustive search approach to find a discriminant set of image features, which were validated in an independent test dataset. We identified several strong predictive models, using size and shape features the highest AUROC was 0.80. Using non-size based features the highest AUROC was 0.85. Combining features from all the categories, the highest AUROC were 0.83.